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I'ASTOll IIUSSELL IN HIS STUDY 




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PASTOR RUSSELL'S 
SERMONS 




SMI 



PASTOR RUSSELL'S 
SERMONS 



A CHOICE COLLECTION OF HIS MOST IMPORTANT 

DISCOURSES ON ALL PHASES OF CHRISTIAN 

DOCTRINE AND PRACTISE 



100,000 Edition 



"Times of Refreshing Shall Come From the Presence of the 

Lord; and He Shall Send Jesus Christ, Which Before Was 

Preached Unto You, Whom the Heavens Must Retain until 

THE TIMES OF RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS 

Which God Hath Spoken by the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets 

Since the World Began." "Ye, Brethren, Are Not in Darkness, 

That That Day Should Overtake You as a Thief."--Acts 3:19-21; 

1 Thessalonians 5:4. 

International Bible Students Association 
BROOKLYN, LONDON, MELBOURNE, BARMEN, 
COPENHAGEN, OREBRO, GENEVA, CAPE TOWN 

1917 



SM2 



To the King of kings and Lord of lords 

IN THE INTEREST OF 

HIS CONSECRATED "SAINTS," 

WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION, 

AND OF 

"ALL THAT IN EVERY PLACE CALL UPON THE LORD"- 

"THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH," 

AND OF 

THE GROANING CREATION TRAVAILING AND WAITING FOR THE 

MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD, 

This Work is Dedicated. 



"To make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning 

of the world hath been hid in God." "Wherein He hath abounded toward 

us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery 

of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed 

in Himself; that in the dispensation of the fullness 

of the times He might gather together in one all 

things under Christ."--Eph. 3:4,5,9; 1:8-10. 



COPYRIGHT, 1917, 

PEOPLES PULPIT ASSOCIATION, 

BROOKLYN, N.Y., U.S.A. 



SMS 

PREFACE 

PASTOR RUSSELL is known the world around as "the most 
celebrated preacher of modern times. When a young man 
of about twenty years of age he began to preach the Gospel 
of Christ Jesus, and continued faithfully to do so until his 
death, October 31, 1916. His explanatory writings on the 
Bible are far more extensive than the combined writings of 
St. Paul, St. John, Arius, Waldo, Wycliffe and Martin 
Luther—the six Messengers to the Church who preceded 
him. His sermons and other writings have been translated 
into many languages and are read appreciatively everywhere. 

All Christian people will concede that St. Paul was the 
greatest of the Apostles of Jesus Christ. He was the Apostle 
who averred to the Church of his day, "I have not shunned to declare to 
you all the counsel of God." (Acts 20:27.) St. Paul's greatness was due 
to the fact that the Lord used him most wonderfully to enlighten others 
concerning God's great Plan of Salvation for mankind. Since the days of 
the Apostle Paul there have been other great reformers in the world, other 
great exponents of the Scriptures. But when the history of the Church of 
Christ is fully written, it will be found that the place next to St. Paul 
in the gallery of fame as an expounder of the Gospel of the great Master 
will be occupied by CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL. 

In the first three chapters of the Revelation we are informed that to 
the Gospel Church have been sent seven special Messengers. Of these St. 
Paul was the first, and Pastor Russell the last. To him, as the Seventh 
Messenger, was granted the wonderful privilege of clearly presenting to 
the minds of the people the magnitude and the vital importance of the 
sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord, and of explaining how that sacrifice 
will ultimately bring a blessing to every man. Through the Pastor's 
preaching multitudes have come to know that Jehovah God is not a fiend, 
as many of the creeds of Christendom imply, but a mighty God of Love. 

For a period of forty-two years Pastor Russell preached the Glad 
Tidings of great joy~a Message which must yet be heard by all, from 
the least unto the greatest. Those who heard him and had their hearts 
made glad by his Message passed it to others; and in time a public demand 
was created for Pastor Russell's sermons. The public press furnished 
the medium through which this demand could be met. Then followed 
that which has never been duplicated in the history of the world— 
approximately three thousand newspapers published the Pastor's sermons 
weekly. Approximately ten million people were reached every week by 
these newspapers; and doubtless many thousands read the sermons. The 
good thus accomplished will never be fully known until all things are revealed. 



For many centuries the world had been deprived of the opportunity 
of Bible study. That period has well been styled the Dark Ages, during 
which there prevailed great darkness in the world and gross darkness 
upon the people. The clergy of both Romish and Protestant churches 
had induced the laity to believe the God-dishonoring doctrine of eternal 
torment--that the soul of man is immortal, that therefore death does not 
mean death, but only a change of condition, and that all except a very 
few would spend eternity in a hell of fire and brimstone. The Lord has 
used Pastor Russell to remove from the minds of thousands this foul 
stain upon the name of Jehovah. 

His discourses have made luminous many of the dark places of the 
Bible. They throw a flood of light upon the Word of God, making it a 
new Book to the faithful and prayerful student. In simple and beautiful 

SM4 

language these sermons disclose God's dealings with man from the dawn 
of creation to the blessed days of restoration of all things spoken by 
the mouth of all the holy Prophets of Israel. They show why God has 
permitted evil in the world, how long evil will persist, and who will 
profit by experiencing it. They also show God's wise provision for the 
redemption, enlightenment and complete blessing of all who accept the 
Divine blessings upon the terms proffered. In these sermons the Pastor 
points out why this great Time of Trouble upon which we have entered 
has come upon the world, what its result will be, and what blessings 
will accrue to all peoples and nations that are properly exercised thereby. 
Thus they are indeed a balm for the broken-hearted and a comfort for 
those that mourn. Blessed is he who reads them with unbiased mind! 

During the term of his ministry CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL was 
pastor of a large congregation at Allegheny, Pa.~now a part of Pittsburgh; 
London Tabernacle, London, Eng.; and of The New York City 
Temple; and was elected pastor of over 1200 other congregations. His 
reputation was international. His sermons were published in more than 
thirty languages. He was indeed the world's ubiquitous preacher. 

On October 31, 1916, after a most eventful career. Pastor Russell finished 
his work on earth. Suddenly the order-loving peoples of the world 
learned that a great force for good had been removed from their midst. 
An aching void was left in many hearts, and thousands of people have 
continued to hunger for more of that precious mental and spiritual food 
which his discourses had supplied. To meet this demand, and as a lasting 
monument to the memory of Pastor Russell, we issue this selection of his 
sermons in book form. Some of these have never before been published. 

St. Paul under inspiration wrote that at the end of the Age would 
come greater light. Pastor Russell was privileged to live in the close of 
the Gospel Age; and as a chosen vessel of the Lord he was permitted 



to point many thousands to the illuminated pages of the Divine Word. 
In fulfillment of St. Paul's prophetic statement, and as a result of Pastor 
Russell's preaching, thousands of people today are enabled to see that 
God has a great Plan which He is working out in an orderly manner, 
and which will culminate to His glory in the blessing of mankind. 

In these sermons Pastor Russell gives clear proof from Scripture that 
the Secrets of the Lord can be understood by those who, trusting 
fully in the merit of Christ Jesus, have made a consecration to do the 
will of God, who have been accepted by the Heavenly Father and who 
then apply themselves studiously to understand the Divine Plan. Christian 
people have long been confused upon many questions; such as. 
What is the condition of the dead? Is there hope of salvation for any 
aside from the truly consecrated? What will be the office of the Church 
in the ages to come? The reader of these sermons will see that Pastor Russell 
makes these questions clear, answering them to the satisfaction 
of all honest minds. He magnifies the merit of Christ Jesus' sacrifice, and 
shows that in due time every man will receive the benefit accruing from 
the Ransom-price and will be given one fair, impartial trial for life. 

Long before the great international war began. Pastor Russell fore-showed 
in his sermons the coming trouble upon the earth, made clear 
from the Scriptures the cause of the war, and pointed out what would 
he the result and what would follow after the trouble had subsided. 
Both Christians and those who have never claimed to be Christians will 
find much satisfaction in reading these sermons. Order-loving Christians 
will desire to leave a copy of these discourses as a heritage to their 
children, that they may better understand God's great Plan. It is our 
prayer that these sermons may prove a blessing to all who read them. 

THE PUBLISHER. 



SM5 

WHO MA Y KNOW GOD'S SECRETS 

"None of the wicked shall understand; but the wise 
shall understand. "--Dan. 12:10. 

In heathen lands as well as throughout Christendom 
secret societies include large proportions of the human 
family. Outsiders know something of their general motive 
and object, but their particular methods, hopes, endeavors, 
ambitions are kept secret. To effect this secrecy, 
to protect and conserve the interests of their association, 
obligations to profound secrecy are fastened 
and clinched with oaths, some of which are reputed to 
be almost blood-curdling, the endeavor being to fetter 
liberty of expression on such matters not only by the 
obligations of honor but also by those of fear. It is no 
part of my mission to attack any of these orders nor to 
inveigh against their procedures. I merely refer to them 
here; I merely call your attention to the fact that this is 
a common method amongst men which evidently has the 
sanction of many, because I wish to draw to your notice 
the fact that the Almighty God Himself is the 

FOUNDER OF A SECRET SOCIETY 

Moreover, while there are certain correspondencies 
between the human secret orders and the one of Divine 
origin, we shall find as we should expect that the latter 
is in every way superior to all others. Its aim and object 
are wider than all, embracing the entire human family, 
promising good, blessing and assistance to every member 
of the race~"in due time." (1 Tim. 2:6.) Again, 
although its methods of operation are secret, this is not 
because they are in any measure or degree sinful, disreputable, 
injurious or underhanded, but merely because 
secrecy is to the advantage not only of the members of 
the society; but also specially because present secrecy 

SM6 

as respects the work now being accomplished will be 



beneficial ultimately to the masses of mankind. This is 
in full harmony with the Divine statement. "As the 
Heavens are higher than the earth so are My methods 
higher than your methods and My thoughts higher than 
your thoughts. "--Isa. 55:9. 

As in some secret societies there are different steps 
or grades—for instance, all Masons are familiar with 
the secrets pertaining to the first degree yet not all Masons 
are familiar with the secrets, etc., pertaining to the 
thirty-second degree, so in God's Secret Order there are 
first principles of the doctrines of Christ which must be 
known to all who belong to the order, and are also "deep 
things of God," which may be known only to those who 
have made advancement by growth in grace and knowledge 
and love. (Heb. 6:1; 1 Cor. 2:10.) To some unfamiliar 
with the facts but having a knowledge of earthly 
secret societies it may seem strange to say that the secrets 
of the Divine Order of the Sons of God are so abstract, 
so impenetrable, that they may be discussed freely in 
the presence of others and not be comprehended at all. 
Indeed, so far from laying restrictions upon the members 
of this Order not to communicate its secrets they 
are authorized, yea, urged to make these known to all 
who may be able to comprehend, understand them, with 
many assurances that only the right class will be able to 
comprehend. Our text is one of these assurances, "None 
of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand." 
Another assurance is, "The natural man receiveth 
[understandeth] not the things of the Spirit of 
God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually 
discerned"; and again, "The secret of the Lord is 
with them that reverence Him, and He will show them His 
covenant." (1 Cor. 2:14; Psa. 25:14.) The only restrictions 
in respect to the telling of the secrets of this Order 
of the Melchizedek Priesthood are, "Cast not that which 
is holy before dogs," "Cast not your pearls before swine, 

SM7 

lest they turn again and injure you." (Matt. 7:6.) These 
secrets would be injurious to them; and, misunderstanding 
them, the swinish, the groveling, might be incited to 
violence through disappointment, recognizing no value 
in pearls nor appreciating anything that would not give 
earthly satisfaction. 



THE FOUNDING OF THIS ORDER 

The Scriptures assure us that our Creator purposed 
the founding of this Order of the Melchizedek Priesthood 
before the foundation of the world. In due time 
Melchizedek, a kingly priest, constituted its type in the 
days of Abraham--and then, too, a preparatory or Junior 
Order was inaugurated, Abraham being chosen of 
the Lord as its Grand Master. To him the whole secret 
of the Order was communicated in few words saying, 
"In thee and in thy Seed shall all the families of the 
earth be blessed." The meaning of this was but partially 
grasped by Abraham himself and all of his posterity, 
the Jewish nation, who with him became members 
of that Junior Order during a period of two thousand 
years. They understood this to signify that at some 
time Messiah would come and establish a new order of 
things with the result that Abraham's posterity in particular 
and the nations of mankind in general would receive 
through Him a great blessing. 

These hopes of the Junior Order proved very encouraging 
and helpful to such of them as properly entered 
into the spirit and designs of the Order and sought to 
appropriate the blessings and privileges of Divine relationship 
thus accorded them. In proportion as by faith 
they entered into this Order they took degrees of knowledge 
and of love and had more of the Divine approval. 
But as for the other nations of the world they were not 
admitted in any sense of the word to this Order. It was 
exclusively for Abraham and the Jews; and all others 
were strangers, aliens and foreigners from the Commonwealth 
of Israel, without God and having no hope. 

SMS 

It was at our Lord's First Advent, or more particularly 
at Pentecost following His redemptive work and 
ascension to the presence of the Father, there to appear 
on our behalf, as our Advocate, that the present Order 
of the Melchizedek Priesthood was organized— "the 
Church of the Living God, whose names are written in 
Heaven." (Heb. 12:23.) It is not an earthly organization. 



but a Heavenly one, and hence properly it is not 
composed of those whose names have been written on 
earth, but those whose names have been written in the 
Lamb's Book of Life. The earthly organization, called 
by various names, represents many misunderstandings 
of the Divine arrangement and unintentionally does violence 
to principles of the Order; and, whereas these sectarian 
lines separate some of the true members of the 
Melchizedek Priesthood, they also receive as members 
many whose names are not written in Heaven, many 
who have not the credentials of the true Order, who do 
not understand its secrets, because they have not been 
properly initiated by the Holy Spirit. 

You will understand, therefore, dear friends, that in 
our view of the matter the division of the Church of 
Christ into various bands and companies under various 
banners—Wesley's, Calvin's, Luther's, the popes', etc., 
—represent so many mistaken ideas, represent so much 
of confusion and misunderstanding and bewilderment 
and contention and error. These organizations are not 
only not necessary but wrong, in that they tend to distract 
and divide the true members of the Divine Order 
who should know each other not by outward badges and 
names but by their acquaintance with the Lord and with 
His secret, which is with all those who fear Him. 

The first principles of the doctrine of Christ should 
enable any of these who are truly the Lord's, to make 
themselves known and well acquainted with others without 
any earthly introduction or distinguishing name. Indeed, 
all these do know each other when they meet; but 

SM9 

the Adversary's effort has been to keep them apart and 
thus if possible to hinder the progress and growth of 
the Divine Order. But he has not really hindered it; instead, 
his methods have merely assisted in making the Order the 
more secret and unknown to the world, including 
those merely nominal Christians, not spirit-begotten. 
So great has been the deception that the Lord Jesus, the 
grand and everlasting Head and Master of this Order 
of the Melchizedek Priesthood, was crucified by some who 
belonged to the Junior Order and who were in one sense 
earnestly waiting for the establishment of the new Order 
and for an opportunity to enter it! They were not permitted 



to enter because they were unworthy—except the 
few of whom we read (John 1:11,12): "He came unto 
His own and His own received Him not; but to so many as 
received Him, to them gave He liberty to become the 
sons of God"--to join the Order of Spiritual Sons, the 
Melchizedek Order of Priesthood. 



"THE WORLD KNOWETH US NOT" 

Similarly all down through the Gospel Age there has 
been an outward Church of God and a true, the inward 
one. The world has seen the outward one, but not the 
inward. It has applauded and reprimanded the outward, 
but has uniformly disallowed the true and considered its 
members to be merely foolish. Thus the Apostle Paul 
assures us that himself and others, zealous in the service 
of the Lord and doing the work of this higher Priesthood, 
were counted fools all the day long for Christ's sake 
(1 Cor. 4:10); and St. John says, "The world knoweth us 
not, even as it knew Him not." (1 John 3:1.) Similarly 
all who live godly in Christ Jesus have, as the Apostle 
advised, suffered more or less of persecution and ignominy 
because they were not recognized of the world—so 
impenetrable are the secrets of this Order and its message 
that others cannot know them. Nevertheless, the Order 
has been growing, increasing, and its fixed or limited 

SMIO 

membership will soon be completed. Then no further 
additions will be accepted. 

Let it be understood clearly that membership in this 
Order does not mean injury to those who are not members 
of it, but contrariwise it means ultimately a blessing 
to come to them all through the Melchizedek Priesthood, 
as it is written of this spiritual Seed of Abraham, of 
which Christ is the Head and the Church the Body, "In 
thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." 
(Gal. 3:29.) The selection of the members of the Order 
is accomplished under present conditions because they 
must all become over-comers, willing and able to count it 
all joy to be in tribulation and to suffer loss for the sake 
of the Order its interests, its present workings and membership 
and its future work. Whoever is not willing to 



suffer for the cause is counted unworthy to be a member 
—in a word, every member of the Melchizedek Priesthood 
must sacrifice his life in the interest of the Order, in 
support of its glorious Lord and Head and His teachings 
and in serving in general the interests of the Order and 
its members-- "We ought also to lay down our lives for 
the brethren." It will thus be seen that the gateway 
into this Order is a very narrow one and the pathway of 
membership in it a very narrow one— "Strait is the 
gate and narrow [difficult] the way, that leadeth unto 
life," the special immortality and associated glory which 
God has provided as the eternal portion of this elect 
Melchizedek Priesthood. -Matt. 7:14; 1 John 3:16. 

BONDAGE AND LA WS OF THE ORDER 

Briefly I might say that in one sense every member of 
the Order is in bondage, and that in another sense every 
member is free. Let me explain this strange expression. 
Each is free to leave the Order, renounce it, denounce it 
and count the precious blood wherewith he was sanctified 
a common thing and to despite the spirit of favor which 
initiated him into this Order. In doing so he incurs no 

SMll 

threat of eternal torture. He merely brings himself 
under death sentence, similar to the one under which he 
was before he was reached with the grace of God through 
the precious blood, excepting that it means the Second 
Death, from which there is no remedy, no ransom, no 
recovery by resurrection or otherwise—an eternal death 
similar to that experienced by the entire brute creation. 
While, therefore, each member of this Royal Priesthood 
is at liberty to go back to wallowing in the mire, like the 
sow that was washed, yet if he choose to remain he is 
also at liberty to follow this course—none shall be able 
to pluck him out of his Father's hand nor to separate him 
from this grace -John 10:29; Rom. 8:38,39. 

However, as already stated, those who abide in Christ, 
who abide in this new Order of the Royal Priesthood, can 
have its blessings and privileges fully only upon the most 
exacting terms and conditions; namely, their full surrender 
to the Law of the Order so far as their intentions are 
concerned. "Ah!" I hear you say, "the laws of that Order 



must be very voluminous. Doubtless many volumes of 
Divine statutes and regulations would need to be studied 
by the members of this Royal Priesthood." We answer, 
No ! The entire law of the Order is briefly comprehended 
in one word—Love. It is demanded and required of 
every member of the Order that love shall be the test, not 
only of his deeds, but also of his words—yea, of his 
thoughts. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. 

True, those initiated into this Order are persons of 
like passions with ourselves, as the Apostle said. (Acts 14:15.) 
Some of them naturally are more fallen than 
others, and have less of love and more of selfishness than 
others; but all who join the Order are required to make 
resolution in their hearts as respects this law of Love— 
and all the internal workings of the Order are with a 
view to the perfecting of its members in love. They must 
learn to love the great Founder of the Order supremely, 
and in turn to trust to His Love as well as to His Wisdom 

SM12 

and Power, so that in obedience to His will they consecrate 
to spend time, talent and influence, yea, all that 
they possess, in His service. 

Secondly, He admonishes that to love those who love 
them is not the test which He will apply; but that they 
will be expected to sympathetically love all mankind, to 
do good to all men as they have opportunity, especially 
the Household of Faith. (Gal. 6:10.) It is required of 
them that they shall especially love the brethren, the 
members of the Order, and be ready and glad to lay down 
their lives for the brethren. Tests along this line are 
continually necessary to weed out of the Order all who 
are not approximating its standard of Love Divine, that 
all delinquents may be cast into the outer darkness, in 
which the whole world is, and have share with the world 
in its tribulations present, and especially in those which 
will come upon it in the closing of this Age and the inauguration 
of the new one, when the Melchizedek Order 
of Priests shall take possession of the empire of earth for 
its blessing and uplifting. It will be seen, then, that the 
statement that love is the bond of perfectness with this 
Royal Priesthood has a deep significance. The members 
of this Order need not be constrained by oaths of allegiance 
one toward another, as they have a stronger bond 



by far, the bond of love--and if any man have not this 
spirit of Christ he is none of His. —Rom. 8:9. 



THE WICKED SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND 

It is at times really amazing to note how the unconsecrated 
mind, attempting to understand the Mystery of 
God, designed only for the members of this Order, falls 
into such egregious blunders and makes such peculiar misstatements 
respecting what we endeavor to set forth as plainly and as 
consistently as our abilities will permit. 
Nor need we think that the fault is ours, since we find that 
the words of our Lord Himself and of His inspired 
Apostles were similarly misunderstood, and that they 
have explained to us that God hides these things from 

SM13 

others than His devoted ones. Mark our Lord Jesus' 
words in His prayer, "I thank Thee, Father, Lord of 
Heaven and earth, because Thou hast hidden these things 
from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto 
babes. Even so. Father, for so it seemed good in Thy 
sight. -Matt. 11:25,26. 

But how absurd it would be to think that our Lord 
would thank the Father for hiding things from any, if 
we were to associate with that thought the one which the 
world and the nominal Christian associate with it; 
namely, that all from whom God thus hides these special 
things or secrets of the Lord are in consequence appointed 
to an eternity of torture! What a travesty it 
would be upon Divine Love and Justice and upon the 
character of the Father and our Redeemer! But this is 
not the thought. None of the wicked understand, because 
for them to understand would not only mean a greater 
measure of condemnation upon them but would also mean 
an endeavor on their part to oppose and circumvent the 
Divine arrangement. 

As for the worldly-wise they may not understand; for 
not many great, not many wise, not many learned are 
chosen of the Lord as worthy of membership in this 
secret Order of Melchizedek. He explains to us elsewhere 
the reason for this; namely, that He is seeking 
only the meek, the humble-minded, those who will be 



willing to learn of Him, and to have their minds transformed 

and conformed to the pattern most pleasing to 

the Lord. This, under present conditions, is impossible 

to the worldly-wise, who feel their own superiority, etc., 

and seek not the wisdom that cometh from Above and the 

Divine approval. In a word, then, our Lord's testimony 

shows us that the wise who will understand the things of 

God and be initiated into the mysteries of the kingdom 

of the Melchizedek Priesthood are not the worldly-wise 

or great—with few exceptions. They are chiefly the poor 

of this world, rich in faith, who shall be heirs of the Kingdom 

SM14 

which God has promised and for which we still pray, 
"Thy Kingdom come."-James 2:5; Luke 11:2. 

This is another reason why the world knoweth us not 
even as it knew Him not. Had our Lord been one of the 
worldly great and bright, haughty and domineering, 
wealthy and influential, yet possessed of His talents and 
powers, no doubt the very ones who crucified Him would 
have hailed Him King. It was His humility. His poverty, 
etc., that led to His rejection and His crucifixion as a 
false prophet. Much the same is true of all of His followers 
who are members of this Royal Priesthood Order. 
And they are to be content with such a rejection by the 
world-content because of their realization of acceptance 
with the Father and with the Grand Master; content with 
the assurances granted in the Scriptures and confirmed 
by the Holy Spirit in their experience. They are to wait 
patiently and the better to cultivate under these conditions 
the fruits and graces of the Holy Spirit. 



THE ORDER'S ULTIMATE PURPOSES 

We are not hindered from telling the ultimate purposes 
of this grand Secret Order which our Lord organized 
and of which, I trust, many of you are members 
through faith in and consecration to the Lord. We may 
tell of these mysteries, knowing that none of you will be 
able to appreciate or thoroughly to comprehend all of 
these mysteries except such of you as have taken several 
degrees in the Order, passing from grace to grace and 
from knowledge to knowledge. We remind you here of 



the Master's words when approached by the disciples 

who asked, "Lord, why speakest Thou unto the people 

in parables?" Jesus answered and said unto them, "To 

you it is given to know of the mysteries of the Kingdom 

of God, but unto all outsiders these things are spoken in 

parables and in dark sayings, that hearing they might 

hear and not understand." (Luke 8:10.) To our understanding 

the total number of members in this Order of 

the Melchizedek Priesthood will be 144,001, the one being 

SM15 

our Grand Master and Lord and Redeemer, the others 
being those of whom He says, "All ye are brethren," 
and of whom the Apostle declares they are members in 
particular of the Body of Christ, the Church of the Firstborns, 
whose names are written in Heaven. (Heb. 12:23.) 
Under another figure our Lord is spoken of as a Bridegroom, 
and these 144,000, now espoused to Him, covenanted 
to Him, are ultimately to be united to Him as His 
Bride, to become the Lamb's Wife and associates in His 
Throne and work of the future. —Rev. 21:9. 

With the completion of this elect class, all shaped and 
polished as the Lord's Jewels by present trials, difficulties, 
etc., etc., the time will have come for the inauguration 
of the work of this Royal Priesthood. The Kingdom class 
will then all be in glory—Jesus their Head glorified nineteen 
centuries ago, the Church His Body glorified with 
Him by a share in His kind of resurrection, at His Second 
Coming. Then the Law shall go forth and the Word of 
the Lord; then Satan shall be bound; then every evil 
thing shall be plucked up by the root! What a turmoil 
this will mean at the beginning may be better imagined 
than described. But so far as the uprooting and upturning 
is concerned, the Lord has a peculiar way of 
accomplishing this; namely, by simply allowing present 
institutions to "run amuck," to overthrow themselves, to 
develop anarchy which will sweep the world as with a 
besom of destruction and produce a Time of Trouble such 
as never was since there was a nation! It will be at the 
conclusion of this period of awful anarchy toward which 
the world is now heading rapidly and from which it cannot 
be held back by human wisdom and prudence because 
selfishness has blinded the minds of the masses. The 
Scriptures tell us that when that plowshare of trouble 



shall have passed through the world and finally the new 
Order of things shall have developed, the poor world 
will begin to have saner ideas in respect to life, justice 
and righteousness; and we read that many nations shall 

SM16 

then say, "Come let us go up to the Kingdom of the 
Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach 
us of His ways, and we shall walk in His path." (Micah 4:2); 
and again, "The desire of all nations shall come." 
All nations will by that time be so thoroughly weary with 
the awful trouble that they will be glad to welcome the 
Reign of Righteousness then due to be inaugurated. 

The reforms of that time will be thorough-going. 
Justice will be laid to the line and righteousness to the 
plummet, and the lies will all have been swept away, 
Satan shall be bound for a thousand years, his deceptions 
shall cease, and instead the light of the knowledge of the 
glory of God shall fill the whole earth. (Isa. 28:17; Hab. 2:14.) 
When thus the judgments of the Lord shall be 
abroad in the earth (rewards for well doing and stripes 
or punishment for evil doing), the inhabitants of the 
world shall learn righteousness. Then the wilful, persistent 
evil-doer shall be cut off in the Second Death. 

Ultimately the blessing of the Lord through this 
Melchizedek Priesthood shall accomplish all that its Divine 
Founder outlined in the first statement of the good 
news to Abraham, namely, "In thy Seed shall all the 
families of the earth be blessed." As a result we read 
that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to the 
glory of God, and that Christ shall reign until He shall 
have put down every opposition and evil, the last enemy 
that shall be destroyed being death. (Isa. 45:23; 
1 Cor. 15:25,26.) The whole world shall thus be uplifted from 
the power of sin and death, and be brought back to allegiance 
to the Heavenly Father. And then, saith the 
Scriptures, The Christ, the Melchizedek Priesthood, shall 
deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father, that He 
may be all in all. (1 Cor. 15:28.) However, the Scriptures 
clearly indicate elsewhere that the great honor of God 
upon Christ, His beloved Son, and upon the Church, the 
Bride of Christ, will be an everlasting honor; but the 
details of the Father's purposes for the Church are still 



SM17 

held as an unrevealed mystery, even to those who have 
the secret of the Lord and to whom He has shown the 
signification of His Covenant made to Abraham respecting 
the blessing of all the families of the earth. 

In conclusion, dear friends, I exhort that we who have 
become members of this Secret Order of the Lord, including 
also those who under the leadings of the Lord's Spirit, 
may yet become members of it, shall appreciate more and 
more fully its wonderful privileges and gladly conform 
more and more to its requirements, that we may thus 
make our calling and election sure to the glorious fruition 
of our hopes in the Kingdom of God and its gracious 
work under the whole heavens ! We shall best do this 
by studying our Manual, which our Lord has given us. 
His Word, and by developing the various fruits and 
graces of the Spirit, all of which are elements of the one 
general law of our Order, namely, love to God and to our 
fellows. I remind you of St. Peter's words, "If ye do 
these things ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall 
be administered unto you abundantly into the everlasting 
Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."-- 
2 Pet. 1:10,11; Psa. 119:97-104. 

"A little while;" with patience. Lord, 

I fain would ask, "How long?" 
For how can I, with such a hope 

Of glory and of Home, 
With such a joy awaiting me. 

Not wish the hour were come? 
How can I keep the longing back. 

And how suppress the groan? 



SM18 



WHERE ARE THE DEAD? 

"Men and brethren, let me freely speak to you of the 
patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his 
sepulchre is with us unto this day.... For David is 
not ascended into the Heavens. "--Acts 2:29,34. 

Accepting the recognized fact that the whole world is 
rapidly going down into death and the estimate that twenty 
thousand millions of our neighbors and friends have 
already gone thither, our topic will be recognized by all 
as a most pertinent one. To be without thought on this 
subject or to discuss it lightly should be esteemed a mark 
of insanity, signifying as little reasoning capacity respecting 
it as that possessed by the brute creation. Whatever 
our previous thoughts on the subject have been, 
we are all inquirers for the truth, and as such endeavoring 
to have our minds as free as possible from superstition 
and error. More than this I trust that, living in this 
blessed land so highly favored of God, and having some 
acquaintance with His Blessed Book, the Bible, we have 
learned to appreciate it as a Divine Revelation, able to 
make us wise in the wisdom which cometh from Above. 

We hope, dear friends, that the growing spirit of scepticism 
has not seriously attacked our faith in this Blessed 
Book. We are well aware, however, that today the 
intellectual world, under the lead of so-called Higher 
Critics, is rushing madly onward into infidelity, into disbelief 
of the Bible as an inspired revelation from God. 
True, this infidelity is not the foul-mouthed kind of 
Thomas Paine or Robert Ingersoll, but it is all the more 
forceful in its undermining of Christian faith because its 
advocates include some of the brightest members of the 
Christian ministry and nearly all the professors in nearly 
all the colleges and seminaries of all denominations. I 
hope that as I shall present to you the true Bible 

SM19 

teaching of "Where are the Dead?" you will see that this 
Blessed Book has been maligned and misrepresented even 
by its friends, and that rightly understood, reasonably 



interpreted, it presents the only tolerable view of our 
subject, the only satisfactory explanation. 



"DOCTRINES OF DEMONS" 

The Apostle calls our attention to the fact that the 
heathen in his day labored under the delusion of "doctrines 
of demons." (1 Tim. 4:1.) We know what those 
doctrines were, for they are still prominent throughout 
heathendom. Plato, one of the philosophers whose teachings 
were widely accepted at that time and which Were 
set aside by the Apostle as vain philosophies, the wisdom 
of men as compared with the wisdom of God, taught the 
theory of human immortality. (Col. 2:8.) He claimed 
that man received from the gods a spark of Divine quality 
which could never be extinguished, and that hence his 
portion must be to live on and on throughout all eternity. 
The Grecians took hold of Plato's theories, and they-- 
being the most intelligent people of that time aside from 
the Jews— spread this theory wherever their literature 
went. It is not surprising, therefore, that it not only 
tinctured the views of the heathen but also to some extent 
those of the Jews—though comparatively few, known as 
the Essenes. These in accepting Plato's philosophy 
really ceased to be Jews in the religious sense. This 
Platonic theory, starting before Christianity, was in many 
respects its competitor, until gradually in various parts 
the Christian faith became tinctured with it. 

We wish you to notice that this theory is responsible 
for the world-wide opinion that a human life once begun 
can never be extinguished. With this theory the people 
of the East supported their view of the transmigration 
of souls— claiming that a human soul is separate and distinct 
from a human body, and that when the latter dies 
the soul passes out and in due time will be born again 
in another body-perhaps, again as a man, or a woman 

SM20 

or as a dog or a donkey or an elephant or a mouse. The 
labors, the privations, the difficulties of all the lower animals 
are thus looked forward to by these poor people 
as being their own future state. No wonder their faces, 
indexing their heart conditions, are woeful and sad! Others 



of the heathen have beliefs nearer to those entertained 
by many in Christendom—that the tortures of the life 
they cannot get rid of will be with fire or ice or other 
torments at the hands of demons. 



THE VIEWS OF CHRISTENDOM 

Accepting the recognized fact that Christendom leads 
the world in thought today we note that the philosophy 
instituted by Plato—not by Moses, not by the Prophets 
of Israel, not by Jesus, not by His Apostles— has taken a 
firm hold upon Christian faith, and left its terrible impress 
upon nearly every item thereof. Practically all oft 
he larger denominations of Christendom hold to the 
Platonic theory, though the majority are quite unaware 
of the origin of the doctrine, many of them supposing 
that it is the Bible teaching— that it is supported by every 
writer on the Holy Scriptures. Quite the contrary of this 
is true, however; and, as we shall shortly show, the testimony 
of the Scriptures is radically in opposition to this 
theory from first to last, and without the exception of a 
single writer or a single text. 

As the oldest of the denominations, Catholicism should 
be heard first as to its views on the subject- Where are 
the dead? Its answer is that it ignores the heathen theory 
of the transmigration of souls, but that it holds to the 
feature of Plato's philosophy which declares that the 
human soul is immortal— that a human existence once 
having started can never cease— hence that the twenty 
thousand millions of Adam's race who have died are not 
really dead, but more alive than ever before, and that 
notwithstanding the appearance of death they have been 
experiencing either joy or sorrow, pleasure or pain. In 
answer to our more particular inquiries it tells us that the 

SM21 

dead are in one of three places: (1) A very few saintly 
ones went to Heaven directly at death; (2) a comparatively 
small number who died outside the Roman Catholic 
faith, in wilful opposition thereto and hence called heretics, 
have since their death been enduring a hell of torture 
which will be never ending; (3) the great mass- 
all others than those enumerated above— they claim go to 



Purgatory. Their claim is that nearly all of the heathen 
go there because they were not counted worthy of the 
blessing of knowledge before they died, and because on 
the other hand they had done nothing to merit either the 
eternal torture of hell or the eternal peace of Heaven. 
To Purgatory they assign practically all the members 
of their own Church also—including bishops, archbishops, 
cardinals and popes. 

Dante was one of their prominent theologians, whose 
description of the Inferno gives the Roman Catholic view 
of Purgatory. The artist Dore, also a good Catholic, 
used his remarkable skill in the illustration of Dante's 
Epic. We advise you all to notice, in some public 
library or bookstore, this remarkable work—Dante's Inferno, 
illustrated by Dore. The artist has faithfully depicted 
the descriptions of the teacher, and his work would 
surely touch the most calloused heart with sympathy. 
Every conceivable form of torture is depicted, from roasting 
and boiling to freezing and mangling— horrible, terrible. 
No wonder our dear Catholic friends and neighbors, 
as they have these pictures before their mental 
vision as their prospect after death, have not only sad 
countenances but a terrible fear of death and thereafter. 

Neither should any think that these Catholic doctrines 
of the past have in any degree changed at the present 
time. In this very day Catholics have tracts for their 
children which describe in vivid language the most excruciating 
tortures awaiting those who in any sense or 
degree are disrespectful or disobedient to the priests and 
the teachings of the Catholic Church. One of these brought 

SM22 

to our attention recently was published in Ireland, and 
described a little girl who had done wrong and whose 
fate after death was to be obliged to live in a room whose 
floor was red hot. In solemn language the tract exhorted 
other little boys and little girls to love and serve God lest 
such a fate should await them. It is not imaginable that 
any human being could love a God who would provide 
such tortures for any of His creatures.-Isa. 29:13. 

It is no wonder, then, that Catholics make no pretensions 
to a love for God. They fear and dread. The hope 
held out to these is that any good deeds of theirs will 
be credited up and serve to shorten the period of their 



sentence to suffering, the period of their stay in Purgatory, 
the period of their deliverance to Heaven. This doctrine 
of life in Purgatory is the basis for the many exhortations 
from Catholic pulpits and Catholic books that 
faithfulness be manifested by penances and masses. A 
certain number of attendances at Church in the Lenten 
season constitutes a penance to which is attached a blessing 
and the remission of so many years of purgatorial 
suffering. Those who have money are exhorted to set 
apart a good portion of it to defray the expenses of 
masses for their own soul or for those of others. The 
calculation seems to be that all the penances and all the 
masses imaginable would still leave long years or decades 
or centuries to be suffered before deliverance to Heaven. 
And this rule is applied indiscriminately to rich and poor 
alike, high and low. 

To illustrate, when Pope Pius IX died, masses were 
said for the repose of his soul throughout all the Roman 
Catholic Churches of the world. Likewise when Pope Leo 
XIII died, the same command for masses for the repose 
of his soul went forth, and was executed in all Catholic 
Churches. This implied the belief that these men, while 
the highest functionaries of that Church, were not sufficiently 
holy or pure or good to be admitted to Heaven; 
for surely those gaining access to Heaven have no need 

SM23 

of masses for the repose of their souls. The expression 
"repose of the soul" implies the tortures of that soul in 
Purgatory, and supplication and endeavor to have God 
remit a measure of those sufferings and shorten the 
period of the tribulations. 

We are not making light of those matters. We are 
merely stating them, not because they are unknown, but 
because they are not realized and appreciated. All 
Catholics then, we believe, will assent to our declaration 
that their faith is that the great mass of mankind are now 
in Purgatory, a comparatively small number in eternal 
torment, which they call Hell, and a small number, comparatively, 
in Heaven. It should be remembered, however, 
that on a Papal Jubilee it is the custom for the Pope 
to exercise a power he claims is his, of setting free from 
Purgatory certain thousands of its inmates who have not 
fulfilled all of their term of punishment, though it is to be 



supposed that it is not his intention to admit them to 
Heaven insufficiently purged. 



PROTESTANT CHRISTIAN VIEWS 

Protestants claim to be much in advance of Roman 
Catholics in respect to their religious faith. They often, 
we know, speak of Roman Catholics as ignorant, superstitious 
and deluded. What shall we say then if we find 
that the Protestant view on the question of our discourse 
is much more unreasonable than that of Catholics? We 
at least would be obliged to say that they have no room 
for boasting. 

Protestant creeds, almost without exception, agree 
to the Platonic theory that no human being can die- 
that when men seem to die they really become more alive 
that same instant than they ever were before. We ask. 
Where, then, do they go? They reply that they cannot 
tolerate the Roman Catholic view of a Purgatory, that 
they have looked into the Bible sufficiently to find that 
there is no such teaching in the Scriptures. They tell us, 
therefore, that they believe that there are just two places 

SM24 

for the dead. Heaven or Hell. We inquire of them. Who 
go to Heaven? They answer. The saintly, the holy, the 
pure in heart, the Little Flock, the Elect, those who walk 
in the footsteps of Jesus. We inquire respecting the rest, 
and hear the Protestants (to their credit be it said) balk 
at the teaching of their creeds even while they affirm 
them, and declare that all not begotten again of the Holy 
Spirit, not sanctified in Christ, not saints, go to hell. 

We inquire the kind of hell they have gone to, and get 
various replies. Some assert that it is a place of literal 
fire and excruciating pains at the hands of fire-proof 
demons, and that this will be the fate of all who enter 
there to all eternity, without any hope of escape. Others, 
without being able to give particular reasons, tell us that 
in their great wisdom they agree with all the foregoing 
except as to the kind of punishment, which they conclude 
must be a mental anguish or suffering. But lest we should 
think of them as being tender-hearted, they hasten to add 



that this suffering will really be more intense, "worse" 
than that of the literal fire believed in by others. The 
whole race, we are told, was started on the broad road 
for this eternal torment by Father Adam's disobedience, 
and in consequence of that we are all born in sin, shapen 
in iniquity. Those who ever get to Heaven will get there 
because of Divine mercy and aid extended them to overcome 
the world, the flesh and the Adversary. 



"COME, LET US REASON TOGETHER" 

In the Bible the Lord appeals to our reason, saying, 
"Come, let us reason together." (Isa. 1:18.) He does 
not intimate that we should reason without Him and without 
His Word; but He distinctly implies that His Word 
should be reasoned upon, be considered by our minds. 
Whoever possesses any measure of reasoning faculty 
must conclude that the Catholic view of our question- 
Where are the Dead?~is in some respects worse than 
the heathen view; that the Protestant view of death is 

SM25 

still worse; that none of these views seem to be God-like, 

but that all of them condemn themselves as being devilish. 

Reasoning power on religious subjects seems to be 

a scarce commodity. Many Christian people seem to understand 

the invitation to reason with God to mean that 

He wishes them to tell Him just what are their preferences; 

and that if they remain obdurate, holding to their 

preferences. He will finally give in and say that their 

wills shall be done in Heaven and in earth. 

Let none of us make this mistake. Let us on the other 
hand remember the greatness of God—His Wisdom, Justice, 
Love and Power. Let us remember our own insignificance 
and lack of knowledge. Then, in harmony with 
the Master's precepts, let us become as little children, 
anxious to be and to do in harmony with the Divine Plan, 
as God has revealed it. So doing, dear friends, each one 
of us is assured of the Divine blessing-assured of a 
growth in grace, in knowledge, in love, toward God and 
toward our fellows. 

Let us begin with our text. It declares that David 
is dead. Hence he is not alive in any sense. It declares 



that he is not in Heaven, and we are not bound 
to accept either the Catholic or Protestant view that he 
is in hell or eternal torment. What does the inspired 
Apostle Peter say respecting David's present whereabouts? 
He says in our text,"His sepulchre is with us." 
It could be his sepulchre only in the sense that he was 
still in it, that it still represented him. If he had begun 
a new existence elsewhere that sepulchre in no sense 
of the word would be his. We are using the Apostle's 
words in the very sense in which he himself used them. 
Saint Peter had just quoted from the Psalms, "Thou 
wilt not leave my soul in hell [Hebrew, sheol; Greek, 
hades]. " He points out that David spake not these words 
concerning himself, respecting his own soul, but respecting 
the soul of Christ—that Christ's soul would not be 
left in hell. The Apostle's argument is that David's soul 

SM26 

is still in hell, but that Christ's soul was delivered from 
hell—raised from the tomb, from the state of death, on 
the third day after His crucifixion. 



CHRIST'S SOUL DELIVERED FROM HELL 

Here, dear friends, we have a declaration sure enough 
that the dead go to hell— not to Purgatory. Furthermore 
it is a declaration that the Prophet David and Christ 
Jesus Himself went to hell— that the latter had been delivered 
from hell, but that the former was still there. Had 
we the time it would be an easy matter to bring evidence 
from the entire Scriptures proving that all who die, both 
good and bad, go to hell; and that the only means by 
which they can be delivered from Sheol, Hades, is through 
a resurrection of the dead. This Scriptural presentation 
not only differs from the heathen view but differs also 
from the Catholic and Protestant views. And with the 
ordinary idea of hell before our minds, it would seem 
more awful than any other theory that both good and bad 
alike should go down to Sheol, to Hades. 

But wait a moment, dear friends; let us not too hastily 
decide that the Bible is unreasonable in its presentations. 
Let us not prove or test it by human theories. 
The poet has truly said: 



"God is His own interpreter, 

And He will make it plain." 
Investigation shows that our difficulty arises from attaching 
a wrong meaning to these Scriptural terms Sheol 
and Hades (hell). The unreasonable view of the fire- and- torment 
hell which we all received with so much credulity 
came from the Dark Ages, not from the Bible. Dante's 
"Inferno" is as different from the hell of Scripture as 
darkness is from sunlight. We must not carry forward 
the demonology of the Dark Ages and attach it to our 
interpretations of the Bible. If we do, we shall be quite 
confused. We should remember, too, that these lurid pictures 
of the Dark Ages were painted by the very class of 
men who, with a devilish spirit, burned one another at 

SM27 

the stake or tortured one another with the rack, the 
thumbscrew or other devilish inventions. We do not approve 
the moral character of those men, and we should 
not expect their doctrinal teachings to be much superior 
to themselves, nor much in harmony with Divine truth and 
revelation. Let us then examine hell from the Scriptural 
standpoint. Let us hear what God has said. 

As is well known, our Bible was not originally written 
in the English language. The Old Testament was written 
in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek—ours is 
but a translation. Going to the Old Testament in the 
Hebrew we find that it contains more than twice as many 
mentions of hell, Sheol, as does the English translation. 
In the English the word occurs thirty-one times, in the 
Hebrew, sixty-six times. How has this Hebrew word 
sheol been translated in our English Bible? We answer 
that the thirty-one times the word hell occurs are from 
this word sheol, that it occurs twice more in our common 
version where it is rendered "pit," and that it occurs 
thirty-three times more in our common version and is 
rendered "grave." Furthermore, in two of the places 
where it is rendered hell in our common version, it is interpreted 
by the marginal reading, "Hebrew, the grave." 

The fact, dear friends, is, as every Hebrew scholar 
knows, that the word sheol is never used to refer to a 
place of fire or of torture. In every instance, whether 
used literally or figuratively, it refers to a death state. 
Furthermore, as we have already stated, both good and 



bad are reputed to go thither. David went to Sheol, our 
Lord Jesus went to Sheol, according to the Scriptures. 
We might quote you from the words of the patriarch 
David, also from the various other Prophets, how they 
all expected to go to Sheol~to the tomb, the state of 
death. Not only so, but they assure us also that Christ 
redeemed us and the world from Sheol. For instance, 
we read in the prophecy of Hosea, "I will ransom them 
from Sheol: O Death, I will be thy plagues; O Sheol, 

SM28 

I will be thy destruction." (Hosea 13:14.) Furthermore, 
we have the Scriptural declaration respecting 
Sheol that it contains no fire, no suffering. We read, 
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; 
for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, 
in Sheol, whither thou goest." (Eccl. 9:10.) In other 
words, we should be actively engaged in doing some good 
according to our talents and opportunities because we 
are all hastening to Sheol--to the tomb--to death, and 
there is no wisdom nor device nor knowledge there; we 
can neither help nor hinder, do good nor do harm, when 
we have reached the "land of forgetfulness." (Psa. 88:12.) 
Realizing this should make us all the more diligent 
in the present life. 



REDEMPTION FROM SHEOL 

We have already seen that through the Prophet the 
Lord declared that He would redeem our souls from 
Sheol, and that Sheol should be destroyed. What is 
meant by this? We answer that Father Adam by his 
disobedience involved himself and all of the race in what 
the Scriptures designate a "curse" or penalty—not an 
eternal torment penalty, but a death penalty. Not 
"Roasting thou shall roast," but"Dying thou shall die," 
was the Divine statement of Adam's penalty. Again, "In 
the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread until thou return 
unto the dust from whence thou wast taken. For 
dust thou art, and unto dust shall thou return." It does 
not read, "unto eternal torture thou shall be remanded." 
God has explained the matter expressly enough, but our 
poor heads were befogged with the doctrines of devils 



handed down from the Dark Ages, often by very good 
and well-intentioned people, amongst others our parents. 

Hear the Apostle's statement of the same matter, and 
let us notice how closely it corroborates the Old Testament 
pronouncement. He says, "As by one man's disobedience 
sin entered the world and death as a result of 
sin; and thus death passed upon all men, because all are 

SM29 

sinners." (Rom. 5:12.) How plain that is! Not a word 
about eternal torment as the penalty for our sins inherited 
from Father Adam. Quite to the contrary, it 
was a death penalty, a just, reasonable penalty. God, 
who gave the opportunity for life eternal, had the full 
right, the full power, to terminate that life when used 
contrary to His Divine injunction. 

Had it not been for God's mercy the infidel's view of 
the matter would have been true—that a man's death is 
the same as that of the brute beast--that there would be 
no beyond, no future. But while telling us this (Eccl. 3:20), 
the Lord graciously informs us that He has found 
a Redeemer for Adam and his race. The Scriptures point 
us to Jesus and the work that He accomplished on our 
behalf. He died, the Just for the unjust, that He might 
reconcile us to God. (1 Pet. 3:18.) As we all came under 
death conditions through Father Adam, so when Jesus 
by His death paid Adam's penalty it was accounted as a 
sufficiency of price for the sins of the whole world. Thus 
the Apostle declares that Jesus"gave Himself a Ransom 
for all" and"tasted death for every man." (1 Tim. 2:6; 
Heb. 2:9.) Mark well he does not say that Jesus tasted 
eternal torment for every man. Eternal torment was not 
the penalty. The Bible has it right. Death is the penalty, 
and it is upon the whole race. But the whole race has 
been redeemed, and therefore when God's due time shall 
arrive a blessing of resuscitation, of awakening from 
death, shall come to every member of our race. It is thus 
that Sheol shall be destroyed--that is, that there will be 
no longer a tomb or death condition; for all will be taken 
out of that condition, awakened from the death sleep. 



HADES TO BE DESTROYED 

The equivalent of the Hebrew word sheol, as we have 
already stated, is the Greek word hades, which is found 
in the New Testament written in the Greek. In proof 
of this take our context and note the words of St. Peter 
that he quoted from Psalm 16:10~"Thou wilt not leave 

SM30 

My soul in Sheol," and in the Greek rendered it, "Thou 
wilt not leave My soul in Hades." (Acts 2:31.) In a 
word, the Old Testament says that Jesus went to Sheol, 
and that His soul was not left there, but raised from the 
dead; while the New Testament declares these things of 
Hades. What we are saying is new to the majority of the 
so-called laity, but not at all new to the educated of the 
clergy, who all know, if they would admit it, that Sheol 
and Hades contain no thought of fire or torment or 
trouble, but merely represent the state or condition of 
death—what we would express by the word "tomb." 

This great underworld of the dead, the tomb, Sheol, 
Hades, has many cities of the dead called cemeteries. 
But according to the Scriptural symbolization it is a great 
prison-house. In it are estimated twenty thousand millions 
who have died. They are called in the Scriptures" 
prisoners of hope," because the Lord has promised that 
ultimately the great prison-house shall be broken up and 
all these prisoners shall be released, brought back to consciousness 
again under better conditions than now prevail. 
This assurance of resurrection the Apostle tells 
us is "both for the just and the unjust." Not all will 
have the same degree of blessing when they come forth 
from the tomb in the Millennial Morning; for the Scriptures 
declare that some shall come forth to the life-resurrection 
and others to the judgment-resurrection- to be subject to 
disciplines, corrections, that if rightly received 
will help them up, up, out of their degradation and 
back to a condition in which God will be pleased to permit 
them to live everlastingly.-Zech. 9:12; 1 Peter 3:18. 

The Scriptures are very clear in declaring that all this 
hope of a resurrection is based upon the fact that Christ 
died for the sins of the world, and that without His death 
there could be no resurrection— the prisoners would all 
remain in the great prison-house. Indeed, they would 



not be said to be in a prison-house at all were it not fort 
he Divine provision for their re-awakening. Hearken 

SM31 

to the Prophet telling of this coming blessing upon the 

prisoners. Speaking of Christ and His work during the 

Millennial Age, he declares that the Lord shall say to the 

prisoners, "Go forth!" to them that are in darkness, 

"Show yourselves!" (Isa. 49:9.) Their coming forth 

will be that they may manifest their real sentiments 

either for righteousness or for unrighteousness, when 

they will have a full, complete opportunity for choice. 

Those who choose righteousness will thereby be choosing 

eternal life, according to God's provision, and they that 

will choose unrighteousness will be choosing the Second 

Death, extinction, from which there will be no hope of recovery 

ever. "Christ dieth no more." (Rom. 6:9)-- 

there will be no resurrection from the Second Death. 

All are redeemed from the first or Adamic death because 
Christ took Adam's place and bought the whole 
race, with a view to giving each member of the race an individual 
opportunity for returning to God's favor. Mark 
again the Prophet's declaration. (Isa. 61:1.) There 
Christ's mission is declared to be to"bind up the broken-hearted, 
to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening 
of the prison to them that are bound." 

How beautiful the picture! Twenty thousand millions 
of prisoners, slaves of sin! The great Deliverer has 
provided their ransom by going into death on their 
behalf. Because of His faithfulness He was rewarded 
with life on a still higher plane, and has thus become the 
Author of salvation to all them that will obey Him. (Heb. 5:9.) 
A few have the hearing ears in the present time, 
and theirs is the great privilege of hearing the Redeemer's 
voice and becoming His faithful Bride by suffering 
with Him for righteousness' sake, that they may in the 
Millennial period, with their Lord and Master, pour out 
upon the whole human creation the Divine blessing of 
forgiveness, restitution, reconciliation. Notice further 
that Jesus applied this same figure to Himself, quoting 
this very passage in the synagogue at Nazareth. We are 



SM32 

all witnesses that He did not open prison-doors of any 
kind at His First Advent, except as figuratively, he, 
through the awakening of Lazarus and a few others, 
showed forth His coming glory and His coming work, 
which will bless all. Hearken also to His words in his 
final message to the Church, "I am He that liveth, and 
was dead, and, behold, I am alive forevermore; and have 
the keys of death and of Hades"~the grave, the tomb. 
(Rev. 1:18.) Ah, yes, the keys are in good hands! They 
are rightfully His who has bought all the prisoners. In 
due time He will use the key and bring all forth from the 
great prison-house, that under the blessed conditions of 
His Kingdom they may all come to a knowledge of the 
Truth and, if they will, by obedience, come back into 
harmony with God and possess eternal life~or, acting 
otherwise, die the Second Death. 



HELL IN THE REVISED VERSION BIBLE 

There is an excuse for the rendering of the words 
Sheol and Hades by the English word hell. In old English 
literature we find that the words hell, pit and grave 
were used interchangeably; and that while grave and pit 
have maintained their original significance, the word hell 
has gradually changed, until now by that word is generally 
understood a place of torment. In old English a 
farmer writing to his friend says, "I intend to hell my 
house this fall, and we have already helled 150 bushels of 
potatoes." What does he mean? Simple and plain 
enough! He means that he is about to thatch his house 
with straw, covering it over, burying it after the old style 
almost down to the ground. He means that he has pitted 
or put away for winter and spring use the potatoes, which 
will keep better thus than otherwise. So, then, the translators 
of our Bible are not to be blamed for the indiscriminate 
translation referred to. 

But how about the Revised Version? says one. Ah! 
we answer, the revisers were educated men, who knew 
well the significance of hell. Hades—who knew that in no 



SM33 

sense of the word did they refer to a place of torment, but 
that they do signify the death state. How then did they 
translate these words Sheol and Hades? We reply that 
they were too honest to translate them with the word 
hell, but not honest enough to give the English reader 
the truth on the subject; and hence they gave no translation 
at all, but merely introduced the Hebrew word sheol 
in the Old Testament and the Greek word hades in the 
New Testament without translating them. The public, 
thoroughly deluded on the subject, at once declared that 
their course was one of leniency, and that Sheol and 
Hades were just as hot as when translated hell. The 
fact is, dear friends, as we have already stated, that there 
is no fire connected with either of these words in any 
proper interpretation of them. 



"ALL THAT ARE IN THE GRAVES" 

We have set before you the Scriptural presentation 
on this subject. Where are the dead? It may be disappointing 
to some of your minds as you think of the saintly 
ones of your friends and relatives. But they surely have 
not been very many. On the contrary, the great mass of 
our friends and those who have died have given no evidence 
of being spirit-begotten, pure in heart, saintly. 
Hence if there be a measure of disappointment on the 
one hand there is a corresponding measure of relief on 
the other. However, no matter what our friends may 
have been, I hope you and I are amongst those who desire 
to know the Truth and to whom the Lord has promised 
that they shall know the Truth and the Truth shall 
make them free. Let us be free then from these awful 
dogmas of the past, free to love God, free to believe His 
Word, free to trust in and understand how Jesus tasted 
death for every man, free to believe that He who redeemed 
will restore, free to believe that the resurrection 
of the dead is the salvation which God has provided, and 
that "in death there is no remembrance of Thee," as the 
Prophet has declared~Psa. 6:5. 



SM34 

We remind you again of our dear Redeemer's words, 
speaking of the resurrection. He not only said, "I am 
the resurrection and the life," but He also declared, "The 
hour is coming in the which all that are in their graves 
shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and shall come 
forth." (John 11:25; 5:28.) Those of you who are 
Christians will not doubt the Redeemer knew where are 
the dead. And in this Scripture which we have just quoted 
it distinctly says that they are in their graves, not in 
Purgatory, not in a hell of torment, not in Heaven; they 
are in the tomb, in the death state, and from the death 
state He will call them forth in the Resurrection Morning. 
What more could we ask than this positive statement? 
Who dares to contradict Him, who spake as never man 
spake? What theologian would have the temerity? Note 
how complete is the harmony between His statement and 
that of our text. St. Peter, one of the chiefest Apostles, 
declares that David was still in his sepulchre, had not ascended 
into Heaven; Jesus Himself declares, "No man 
hath ascended into Heaven," and again, "All who are in 
their graves shall come forth." The next verse tells that 
in the coming forth there shall be two classes, the one 
perfect in life, glory, honor and immortality; the other 
still imperfect and to receive chastisements, judgments, 
disciplines, with a view to their ultimately attaining a full 
resurrection out of sin-and-death conditions if they will. 
With these clearer thoughts on this important subject, 
dear friends, I trust that you and myself will more and 
more seek to make our calling and election sure, that we 
may have a blessed part in the First Resurrection, of 
which it is declared"Blessed and holy are all they that 
have part in the First Resurrection; on such the Second 
Death hath no power; but they shall be kings and priests 
of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a 
thousand years. "--Rev. 20:6. 



SM35 

"LAZARUS, COME FORTH!' 



"When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, 
some mocked. "--Acts 17:32. 

As some who heard St. Paul preach the resurrection 
of the dead mocked, so quite likely many have mocked 
as they read these sermons. Nevertheless, the Word of 
the Lord standeth sure: "There shall be a resurrection 
of the dead, both of the just and the unjust." It was the 
great Teacher Himself who said, "All who are in their 
graves shall hear the voice of the son of Man and shall 
come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection 
of life— "perfection "--they that have done evil unto 
the resurrection of judgment," crisis, trial. —John 5:28,29; 
Acts 24:15. 

To those that believe that the dead are more alive now 
than when they were alive, the doctrine of the resurrection 
must, of necessity, be foolishness. And whoever 
logically believes in the resurrection of the dead must, of 
necessity, consider the popular views on man's condition 
in death absurd in the extreme. There is no middle 
ground. Either man is dead when he is dead, as the Bible 
declares, and can have no further knowledge or hope, 
pleasure or pain, until awakened from death; or else man 
does not die at all when he seems to die~a theory with 
which the Bible is at war and which we claim has no foundation 
in fact or reason. It is a mythology. The entire 
heathen world believes this theory today. The doctrine 
came into the Christian Church in opposition to the "resurrection" 
doctrine long centuries ago—about the fourth 
century, when hordes of heathen were baptized and called 
Christians, with but slight appreciation of "the faith 
once delivered to the saints. "--Jude 3. 

SM36 



RESURRECTION A STUPENDOUS MIRACLE 

Numerous objections to the resurrection are raised. It 
is claimed that it would be impossible for God to resurrect 



the dead, if they were really dead. It is claimed 
that, if our Lord's words were fulfilled and all that are 
in their graves should come forth, the earth would be so 
densely populated that if stood on each other's heads 
several rows deep all over the earth, there would not be 
room for them. It is claimed that it would be impossible 
to provide food and raiment for so many. The resurrection 
is denounced as contrary to the laws of nature, according 
to all the history of the past. 

The latter claim we admit. The resurrection of the 
dead will be something out of keeping with anything in 
man's experience. Only those who have an implicit faith 
in the Creator and in His promise will be able to receive 
this doctrine, which credits the Almighty with a Divine 
power exceeding anything else that could be imagined. 

As to the other points, let us see: Many wise men in 
public positions are very unscientific, even when called 
scientists. They sometimes jump at conclusions in an 
astounding manner. For instance, we all know how some 
of these scientific gentlemen laugh at the Bible's records 
and declare that humanity has been upon the earth millions 
of years. If we ask for the proof they are astonished 
that their omniscience should be questioned. They 
knock a chip from a block of stone, look at it wisely, and 
declare it so many millions of years old. But a new 
school of geologists is arising which takes note of the fact 
that many of the rocks were evidently formed just as we 
today set our concrete blocks and turn them to stone 
within a few days. 

Let us take the Bible as our authority. Let us believe 
what it says: that man was created about six thousand 
years ago. Let us note the gradual progress of the race, 
reasonable and, we believe, liberal estimate of the 
entire number of the race since Adam is twenty thousand 

SM37 

millions. Let us figure out how many square feet it 
would require to lay them each full length in graves. 
Then turn to the atlas. Look at the number of square 
miles in the State of Texas. Divide this into square feet, 
and what do we find? We find that more than twice the 
number of our large estimate of all who have ever lived 
could be buried in separate graves in Texas alone. 



CAN THE AWAKENED BILLIONS BE PROVIDED FOR? 

As for clothing, Mr. Edison tells us that new inventions 
are in progress which, ere long, will make clothing 
wonderfully cheap~"dirt cheap." "Mineral wool" is 
the first step in this direction. It sells cheaply by the 
ton. Further development is expected to make this fit 
for man's use as clothing. The supply is inexhaustible. 
The Scriptures declare respecting the Divine provision 
for the human family during the Messianic Reign that 
"the earth shall yield her increase" and "the wilderness 
shall blossom as the rose," etc.--Psa. 67:6; Isa. 35:1. 

From every direction information is coming of new 
species of wheat and corn much more prolific than what 
we have been using. Additionally, there is recently an 
announcement of a method of magnetizing grains before 
they are planted, which will permit the raising of at least 
three crops a year in the temperate zones. Additionally, 
nitrogen is being extracted from the atmosphere and used 
to enrich the worn-out soils. 

Furthermore, we may be sure that He who provided 
Eden for our first parents is abundantly able, as He has 
promised, to make of earth a Paradise, in which the 
blessing of the Lord will be upon humanity; and the 
earth, as the Divine footstool, shall be made glorious. 
Moreover, be it remembered that the Scriptures distinctly 
declare that the propagation of the species is 
intended merely for the present time and that those who 
will attain, in the New Age, to the resurrection will 
"neither marry nor be given in marriage." The propagation 
of the human race is intended to proceed only 

SM38 

until the earth shall be filled. But over and above all 
this, the great Creator, whose Plan is being worked out 
in man's creation, man's redemption and man's restitution, 
knows the end from the beginning and is fully able 
to do all that He has promised. If necessary, how easy 
it would be for Him to still further sink the bed of portions 
of the oceans and to raise up continents in the 
Atlantic and Pacific larger in extent than the present 
land surface! 



However, we have nothing to say to those who 
"mock" at the Divine promise of a resurrection of the 
dead and who, because of a lack of faith in the Almighty, 
prefer the vain imaginations of the human mind to the 
positive promises of the Creator. We have merely thrown 
out some suggestions helpful to the faith of those who 
are really seeking Divine wisdom and who are in danger 
of being side-tracked by "science falsely so-called." 



"SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS" 

It is in full accord with the promise of a resurrection 
that in the Bible teachings we read that "Solomon slept 
with his fathers," and similarly of other kings, good and 
bad; and of Prophets, Apostles and others. Thus St. 
Stephen, the first Christian martyr stoned to death, we 
are told, "fell asleep." St. Paul tells us that some 
will be alive and remain to the coming of Messiah; and 
he remarks, "Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall 
not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." (1 Cor. 15:51.) 
Again he tells us that we may comfort ourselves and each 
other as respects our dead friends and neighbors, that 
they all "sleep in Jesus" and are to be brought forth 
from the dead by Him. The whole world sleeps in Jesus, 
in the sense that their resurrection hope—their hope of 
awakening in the Resurrection Morning, is based upon the 
work which Jesus accomplished as the world's Redeemer. 

No one will dispute that the Bible declares that the 
dead are asleep. It is, therefore, a proper and pertinent 
question that every Bible student should be prepared 

SM39 

to answer: Where do the dead sleep, waiting for an 
awakening? Surely not in Heaven, where all is life and 
happiness! Surely not in the Purgatory which our Catholic 
friends feel so confident is somewhere. And surely 
not in the fiery hell of which Protestants generally tell 
us. Surely the dead sleep in the Bible \\Q\\—sheol, hades, 
the tomb, the state of death. Thus it is written, "Many 
that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. "--Dan. 12:2; 
Ezek. 37:12-14. 

Hearken to the Master. Mary, Martha and Lazarus 
of Bethany were His particular friends. Lazarus took 



sick and the sisters sent word to the Master, "He whom 
Thou lovest is sick." Jesus gave no outward heed to 
the matter until the third day after, and then said to His 
disciples, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth. " They replied," 
Lord if he sleep he will do well." Then Jesus said 
plainly (coming down to their ordinary use of language), 
"Lazarus is dead." With His disciples He then went to 
Bethany. -John 11:11-16. 

The sisters were greatly disappointed. They had not 
thought of the possibility of their brother's dying, because 
they so thoroughly believed in the power of Jesus. 
Mary did not even go to meet her dear friend, the Lord, 
when He came. Martha met Him with the chiding remark 
"If Thou hadst been here [if You had come when 
we informed You] our brother had not died." Jesus 
did not dispute that Lazarus was dead, nor tell her that 
he was more alive than ever. He merely promised that 
her brother should rise again. 

Martha replied that she knew that Lazarus would rise 
in the resurrection, at the Last Day. Jesus assured her 
that He would be the One who would resurrect the dead, 
and that He was then present with her, intimating that 
she might ask even then for her brother to be revived. 
But Martha's faith was insufficient. When the Master 
asked. Where have ye laid him? she replied that it was 
now too late, because putrefaction had set in—it was 

SM40 

now the fourth day since his death. When Jesus finally 
went to Lazarus' tomb. He did not call him from Heaven, 
nor from Purgatory, nor from a fiery hell, but from the 
tomb. And the dead one came forth. 

This wonderful exhibition of His power the Lord 
gave, to the intent that His disciples then and since might 
realize that in Him is vested the resurrection power, by 
Divine arrangement, and that there is to be a resurrection 
of the just and of the unjust; that all who are in their 
graves are to hear His voice and come forth. The 
Church class will come forth to perfection of life on the 
spirit plane. The world of mankind will come forth from 
the tomb imperfect, as they went into it, and will all have 
a test, to prove whether they are worthy or unworthy of 
restitution and eternal life in the earthly Paradise. 



"WITH WHAT BODY DO THEY COME?' 

St. Paul held an imaginary discussion with doubters 
of the resurrection in his day. He has them inquire, 
With what body will the dead return? He replies that, as 
each kind of seed that is planted reproduces its own kind, 
so it will be in the resurrection of the dead. Whatever 
kind of seed is planted in death, of the same kind and 
nature will be the resurrection crop. The Apostle elaborates, 
showing that the whole world of mankind are of 
one kind of seed—human stock—and that therefore, in 
the resurrection time, they will come forth the same— 
humans. And they will come forth in practically the same 
condition in which they died.— 1 Cor. 15:35-41. 

But if we shall suppose rye to represent the human 
stock and can imagine a special treatment of some of that 
rye grain before sowing— changing it into wheat, then 
we would know that those changed grains would sprout 
and develop, not as rye, but as wheat. Thus the Apostle 
illustrates the resurrection of the dead— the Church. All 
are of Adamic stock, but some, a few-the spirit-begotten 
Church— experience a change of nature from earthly to 

SM41 

Heavenly. Hence they, in the resurrection, will come 
forth Heavenly or spirit beings. He says. Some, the world 
at large, will be members of the earthly Adam; others, a 
few, a "little flock," will be members of the second Adam 
-the Heavenly Lord. The standard to which the world 
may expect to be awakened and, later, raised, will be the 
earthly standard represented in the perfect Adam. 



THE FIRST RESURRECTION DESCRIBED 

It was not necessary that the Apostle should more 
particularly describe, at that time, the resurrection opportunity 
provided for the world of mankind, but it was 
very appropriate that he should give to the Church a 
more detailed explanation of the Divine provision for the 
resurrection of the Bride. Explaining this, St. Paul 



says, "Thus is the resurrection of the dead: It is sown 
in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in 
dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; 
it is raised in power. It is sown an animal body; 
it is raised a spirit body. For there is an animal body 
and there is a spirit body. As it is written, The first 
man, Adam, was made a living soul; the last Adam was 
made a quickening spirit."--! Cor. 15:42-52. 

The resurrection of the Church is called a "life-resurrection," 
because all those experiencing it will be perfected 
in life— wiW be instantly and completely lifted out 
of death conditions. The world in general, on the contrary, 
will not come forth to a life-resurrection, but will 
come forth still partly dead, as mankind in general are 
today. The coming forth or awakening to them will be 
merely the beginning of their resurrection, their anastasis. 
In the Divine appointment the thousand years of 
Messiah's reign are set apart for their resurrection— 
their gradual raising up to human perfection. The experiences 
of Messiah's Kingdom will all be helpful 
whether they be chastisements or rewards. They will 
all be reformatory. Only deliberate and wilful transgressors 
will be annihilated in the Second Death. 



SM42 

7\N0 DISTINCT SAL VA TIONS 

"So great salvation, which began to be spoken by our 
Lord, and was confirmed unto us by those who heard 
Him. "--Heb. 2:3. 

In the past many of us misunderstood these words— 
"so great salvation" --and have thought them to apply 
merely to an "elect" few of the saintly followers of our 
great Redeemer. Surely it should not be thought strange 
if a closer examination of God's Word would demonstrate 
to us that as the heavens are higher than the 
earth, so are His ways and plans higher than ours. 
(Isa. 55:9.) It should not surprise us to find that our 
forefathers were generally in considerable darkness in 
respect to "the length and breadth and height and depth 
of the love of Christ, which passeth all understanding." 
(Eph. 3:18,19.) It should not surprise us to find 
that our Savior will yet see the fruitage of the travail 
of His soul and be satisfied (Isa. 53:11), and that this 
satisfaction will result from the salvation of more than 
the "little flock," who walk in His steps and who, like 
Him, "present their bodies living sacrifices, holy and acceptable 
to God," in the service of Truth and righteousness. 
-Rom. 12:1. 

There are several ways of treating this thought, that 
more than an"elect" few are eventually to reach eternal 
life through the Redeemer of mankind. One way, which 
many adopt, is to claim that our Lord and the Apostles 
did not really mean to establish so high a standard of 
saintship as their words imply, and then to conclude that 
the unsaintly will gain eternal life as well as the saintly- 
all except the degenerately wicked. This view of matters, 
which is the common one, is undoubtedly prompted by 
sympathy for friends, relatives, neighbors and the 
heathen; but it is wholly contrary to God's Word. 

SM43 

Another view still held by some is that everybody but 
the saintly will suffer torture eternally and hopelessly. 

The third theory which I desire to present here is the 
one I believe to be in accord with every text of Scripture, 



and in accord with Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power 
Divine, and in accord with sanctified common sense. I 
have time for only an outline of this Plan, which is most 
comprehensive, as follows: 



THE SAINTLY NEW CREATION 

Salvation in no sense began before the Redeemer's 
birth, forty-one hundred and twenty-eight years after the 
fall of our first parents. In all that long period nobody 
was saved. The Apostle declares in our text that salvation 
began to be preached by Jesus. Again we read that 
Jesus brought life and immortality to light through His 
Gospel. (2 Tim. 1:10.) So, then, life and immortality 
and the Gospel Message began to be preached by our 
Lord and was not preached before His day. Indeed we 
can see that if there is "none other Name given under 
Heaven or amongst men whereby we must be saved," 
than the name of Jesus, then it could not have been 
preached; nothing could be preached previously except 
the Divine declaration that God purposed in due time 
to redeem mankind from sin and death through a Savior 
and a Great One-One able to save unto the uttermost all 
that would come unto the Father through Him. 

This reasoning is surely true to the facts. Search 
all through the Old Testament, and you will find no 
promise of eternal life set forth except by the Law given 
to the one little nation of Israel. That Law declared that 
he that doeth these things shall live by his obedience 
thereto (Rom. 10:5); and the Apostle assures us that 
Jews died because none of them kept the Law—because 
no imperfect human being could possibly meet the requirements 
of God's perfect Law. "By the deeds of the 
Law shall no flesh be justified in His sight."— Rom. 3:20. 

SM44 

The Apostle, further explaining the matter, says, 
"Wherefore, then, serveth the Law?" He replies to his 
question, "It was added because of transgression until 
the promised Seed should come."— Gal. 3:19. 



THE PROMISED SEED 

The Apostle's words direct our thoughts back to 
Eden, when God declared that the Seed of the woman 
would at some future time bruise the Serpent's head. 
But that Seed did not exist for over four thousand years 
after, and has not yet crushed the Serpent's head-destroyed 
sin and the works of Satan. 

The Apostle's words again remind us of God's promise 
to Abraham, "In thy Seed shall all the families of the 
earth be blessed." (Gen. 12:3.) Abraham was not 
thus blessed, nor were any others thus blessed, however 
faithful they were. All the blessing was to come through 
Abraham's Seed and could not be dispensed before His 
coming. Hence the Apostle, referring to Abraham, 
Isaac and Jacob and all the faithful of past time, declared, 
"All these died in faith, not having received the 
promise" (Heb. 11 :13)~the blessing—reconciliation 
to God and eternal life. 

And when Jesus came He did not attempt to bless 
the world, but on the contrary, in His prayer, declared, 
"I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast 
given me" (John 17:9)-the saintly, the "Very Elect." 
(Matt. 24:24.) These He called; these He taught- 
"Israelites indeed." These He directed to give the same 
message to others, not for the conversion of the world, but 
for the calling, instruction and edification of "the 
Church, which is the Body of Christ." The message to 
these from first to last was that they were called to suffer 
with Him, that they might also reign with Him. 



"THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST" 

In the past many of us have overlooked the fact that 
the Church is, figuratively, "the Body of Christ"— to 
be hereafter, as the Apostle declares, "The Church which 

SM45 

is His Body." And again, we are members in particular 
of the Body of Christ, which is the Church. (1 Cor. 12:27.) 
In a word, then, the entire Christ includes the 
members of the Body with the glorious Head of the Body. 
And this glorious Christ, which will be completed by the 



close of this Gospel Age, will as a whole be the promised 
Seed of Abraham.-Gal. 3:8,16,29. 

From this viewpoint we can see why God's long-promised 
blessing has not yet reached the world, but 
furthermore we can also see that He is merely selecting 
or electing the Church, the Seed of Abraham. The 
promise to Abraham is, "In thy Seed shall all the families 
of the earth be blessed," and, as we have seen, the 
Seed of Abraham is "Jesus the Head and the Church 
His Body." In a word, our previous view of the Divine 
Plan was too narrow. We saw the election of the Church, 
but did not see God's gracious purposes for "All the 
families of the earth." The Church, as the Scriptures 
declare, is merely a "first-fruits" unto God of His creatures 
and is not, by any means, the entire harvest. Let 
us here remember St. Paul's explanation of this matter. 
He declares, "We, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children 
of the promise" (Gal. 4:28)-the heirs of the 
promise-through us all the families of the earth are to 
be blessed.-Gen. 26:1-4. 



NO SECOND CHANCE IN THIS 

It might indeed be said in one sense of the word that 
since Father Adam was placed on trial in Eden with a 
reward of eternal life before him or a penalty of death, 
and that since he lost his chance of eternal life by disobedience, 
therefore any chance of eternal life coming to him or to 
any member of this race would, of necessity, be 
a second chance. This is undoubtedly true. From this 
standpoint every member of the human family must eventually 
have a second chance for eternal life, because it 
was for this very purpose that our Redeemer left the 
Heavenly glory, was made flesh, dwelt amongst us and 

SM46 

"died, the Just for the unjust." Whoever enjoys this 
second chance must expect no more, because "Christ 
dieth no more." But, as we have already seen, nobody 
had a second chance for eternal life prior to the coming 
of our Redeemer into the world. "He brought life and 
immortality to light." He died, the Just for the unjust, 
to make reconciliation for iniquity—and this message of 



so great salvation began to be spoken by our Lord. 

The comparatively few who have heard the Gospel 
since Jesus' day~"Good Tidings of great joy, which 
shall be unto all people"--these, the comparatively few 
who have heard of "the only name given under Heaven or 
amongst men whereby we must be saved" --are the only 
ones who in any sense of the word have had their second 
chance. Indeed we might, Scripturally, limit the matter 
much further and say that the Gospel has been hidden 
from the majority of those who heard it; their mental 
eyes and ears being deaf and blind, they did not comprehend 
the Message, and therefore could not reject it. 

The "high calling" and "so great salvation" which 
so few have really heard and seen is referred to by our 
great Redeemer saying, "Blessed are your eyes, for they 
see; and your ears, for they hear." "The natural man 
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can 
he know them; because they are spiritually discerned. 
...But God hath revealed them unto us by His 
Spirit." (1 Cor. 2:14.) In other words, only the 
spirit-begotten ones are now on trial for life everlasting 
or death everlasting. And only the faithful footstep followers 
will gain the glory, honor, immortality and joint-heir ship 
with Him in His kingdom. These are the "Elect," the 
"Very Elect." These are such as make their 
calling and election sure by so running as to obtain this 
great prize of membership in the Body of Christ. 

These elect ones experience a change of nature, and in 
the future will not be human beings, but partakers of the 
Divine nature. (2 Pet. 1:4.) They will be inducted into 

SM47 

the perfection of the Divine nature in the First Resurrection, 
the Chief Resurrection, in which they will be changed 
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, because flesh 
and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. 



HUMAN SALVATION IS RESTITUTION 

We all gagged at the thought that the heathen and 
everybody except saints would be consigned to an eternity 
of torture, yet we all recognized that Heaven is not a 
place of development but a condition of perfection. We 



were perplexed, mystified. We did not follow our Bibles 
with sufficient care. Many of us twisted the Scriptures, 
wrested them from their plainly obvious import, and 
always to our own injury. Some went in the direction 
of Universalism; others halfway, and still others abandoned 
the Holy Book. Now we see where we erred. 

God has two salvations; one for the Church and a totally 
different one for the world. The salvation for the 
Church is to Heavenly nature, spirit bodies, and joint-heir ship 
with the Master in His Kingdom, which flesh 
and blood cannot inherit, as we have already seen. The 
other salvation, for mankind, is an earthly one, called in 
the Scriptures "Restitution." Man was not an angel 
originally, not a spirit being, but, as the Scriptures declare, 
"The first man was of the earth earthy." 

It was that earthy man, perfect, in the image of his 
Creator, for whose happiness Eden was specially prepared. 
By obedience to God he might have continued to 
enjoy his Eden home everlastingly. By disobedience he 
first lost his fellowship with God, then his Eden home, 
and after nine hundred and thirty years of toiling with 
thorns and thistles in sweat of face, the death penalty 
upon him reached completion—he died. Adam's race, 
sharing his weaknesses by laws of heredity, have also 
shared death with him. 



"WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED" 

The Scriptures tell us that God's real purpose in 
sending Jesus into the world was that "the world through 

SM48 

Him might be saved"~not the salvation of the Church; 
that was an incidental feature. The Church is selected 
that as the Bride or Queen during the Messianic Kingdom 
she may be associated with her Lord, the King, as 
the Seed of Abraham in the blessing, the saving, of Adam 
and his family, or so many of them as shall be willing, 
from sin and death conditions. We remember the Master's 
words to the effect that He "came to seek and to 
save [recover] that which was lost."--Luke 19:10. 

We have just seen that it was a human life, human 
perfection and an earthly home that were lost. It is 



these, then, that Jesus proposes in due time to recover 
for Adam and his family. The Messianic reign of Jesus 
and His Body—The Anointed, The Christ, The Messiah- 
will be for the purpose of blessing Adam and all of his 
race with glorious opportunities of an earthly salvation. 
The uplifting, restoring influences of Messiah's Kingdom 
will affect not only Adam and his race, but also the earth 
itself. Gradually Paradise Lost, as a little garden of 
Eden, will become Paradise Regained, as the world beautiful. 
Then the wilderness shall blossom as a rose and 
the solitary place shall be glad. 

"TIMES OF RESTITUTION" 

At our Lord's First Advent the "acceptable time" 
began-the time when God, having accepted the sacrifice 
of Christ Jesus, became willing through Him to accept 
the sacrifices of all who desire to become His disciples 
—to take up their cross and follow Him through evil 
report and good report even unto death. The entire 
Gospel Age antitypes Israel's Day of Atonement, and 
the sacrifices of our Lord and the Church, His Body, are 
the "better sacrifices," foreshadowed by the bullock and 
the goat offered typically by the Jews. This is the acceptable 
year of the Lord which Jesus declared. (Isa. 61:2; 
Luke 4:19.) God's faithful people of this acceptable 
day are glad to be invited to "present their bodies 
SM49 

living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God." (Rom. 12:1.) 
In the end of this acceptable day will come 
the end of all opportunity to thus sacrifice the human 
nature and become joint-heirs with Christ and partakers 
of the Heavenly nature. 

Then will be introduced a new period styled, in the 
Scriptures, "Times [or years] of Restitution." The 
acceptable day for the Church's sacrifice has lasted for 
nearly nineteen centuries. And we know how long the 
"Times of Restitution" will last— nearly a thousand 
years. St. Peter tells us just when these "Restitution 
Times" will begin. They did not begin in his day. They 
have not begun yet. They will begin as a result of the 
Second Advent of Jesus, the Messiah, and the establishment 
of His Kingdom and righteousness, "Times of refreshing 



shall come from the presence of the Lord and He 
shall send Jesus Christ, as before was preached unto you, 
whom the heavens must retain until the Times of Restitution 
of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth 
of all the holy Prophets since the world began. For 
Moses verily said unto the fathers, A Prophet like unto 
me [of whom I am but a type or figure] shall the Lord 
your God raise up unto you from amongst your brethren. 
Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall 
speak unto you. And it shall come to pass that the soul 
that will not obey that Prophet shall be destroyed from 
amongst the people" (Acts 3:19-23)~in the Second 
Death, from which there is no recovery. 

This great Prophet has been in process of raising up 
for now nearly nineteen centuries. And when the last 
member of His Body shall have passed beyond the veil. 
He will stand forth in the glories of His Kingdom to 
rule, judge, instruct, restore and bless all the families of 
the earth with opportunity for restoration to all that 
was lost in Eden and redeemed at Calvary. 



SM50 



MESSIAH'S SHARP ARROWS 

"Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's 
enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. "~Psa. 45:5. 

With a strange and unaccountable perversity we often 
find that the very people most given to figurative and 
symbolical language are the very ones who when they 
come to the Bible are disposed to take it literally, to 
ignore the beautiful figures of speech with which it 
abounds! So persistent is this habit that even when considering 
that book of symbols, the Apocalypse, they are 
disposed to take its statements literally— although in its 
very introduction the declaration is made that our Lord 
sent and signified—made signs or symbols to illustrate 
the things which would shortly come to pass. We 
are not urging such an interpretation of the Scriptures as 
would ignore their true significance and make them say 
the reverse of what they mean, as some are disposed to 
do; we merely urge that symbolical, metaphorical and 
hyperbolical language be given true and proper recognition, 
as we would be disposed to do were the same figures 
and symbols used in connection with the affairs of 
our daily life. Surely none can claim that this is an 
unreasonable position. 

When friends tell us that certain words cut them to 
the heart or that certain experiences broke their hearts 
they are merely using metaphors in the same manner in 
which the Scriptures use them. (Acts 2:37; Isa. 61:1; 
Luke 4:18.) And similarly, when considering our text, 
we are not to think of literal arrows being shot forth by 
Messiah and that these will cause the world of mankind 
to fall wounded literally before Him with these arrows in 
their hearts. In another Scripture we read, "The wicked 
shoot out arrows, even bitter words," that they may 

SM51 

injure the righteous. (Psa. 64:3,4.) So here also the arrows 
of Messiah would represent the words of His mouth; but 
as a bitter fountain sends forth bitter water and a pure 
fountain sends forth sweet water, so the arrows of Messiah, 



instead of being bitter words such as the wicked 
shoot forth, will be forceful words of truth and grace. 
The symbolism is analogous to that of Revelation, where 
Messiah, in His coming glory of the Millennial Age, is 
pictured as having a sword going forth from His mouth 
with which He smites the nations. —Rev. 19:15. 

The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. (Eph. 6:17.) 
The Sword of Messiah's mouth will be the message 
which He will send: "My Word that goeth forth out 
of My mouth shall not return unto Me void, but shall 
accomplish that which I please, and shall prosper in the 
thing whereto I sent it." (Isa. 55:11.) Our Lord Jesus, 
as the Mouthpiece of Jehovah, was commissioned not only 
to redeem the world but to uplift it out of sin, degradation 
and death conditions and to restore the willing and 
the obedient to all that was lost in Adam and redeemed 
by Christ, by His obedience and sacrifice at Calvary. As 
the "Lamb of God" our Redeemer has already "tasted 
death for every man," dying "the just for the unjust, 
that He might bring us to God." (John 1:29; Heb. 2:9; 
1 Pet. 3:18.) But it is not enough that He thus prepares 
the way by bringing mankind back to God; it is not 
enough that God's Justice has been appeased now on 
our behalf. It is necessary further that the Redeemer 
should grant the required assistance to the redeemed for 
their deliverance from the chains of ignorance, superstition, 
sin and death into the liberty of the sons of God. 



"NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD" 

This deliverance of humanity according to the Divine 
purpose is divided into two parts: First, a special class 
who hunger and thirst after righteousness and are out of 
harmony with sin, are being blessed during this Gospel 
Age through the appreciation of the good tidings of 

SM52 

God's love and favor in Christ. These are dealt with by 
faith, and include only such members of the race as have 
the hearing ear of faith--"He that hath an ear, let him 
hear"; for "without faith it is impossible to please God." 
This small company of the race, willing and able by the 
Redeemer's assistance to walk by faith and not by sight. 



now receive special truth in the School of Christ and a 
special testing as respects their loyalty to righteousness, 
in advance of the world's blessing and trial. The faithful 
of these, at the close of this Gospel Age, by a share in the 
First Resurrection will be "changed" from human nature 
to Divine nature and be made sharers with the Redeemer 
as His "Bride," His "Body," in the great Millennial 
Age work of blessing, uplifting the world from sin 
to righteousness, of bringing them out of degradation and 
wrath up, up, up to human perfection and eternal life in 
an earthly paradise restored. 

Our text does not refer to our Lord's dealings with the 
Church; for we are not His enemies. The enemy class 
will be dealt with after the Second Coming of our Lord. 
This He showed in one of His parables, saying, A young 
nobleman went into a far country to receive for Himself a 
Kingdom and returned and took possession of it. Before 
starting He called His own servants and delivered to them 
pounds and talents, saying. Occupy until I return. On 
His return, invested with the majesty, authority and 
power of a Kingdom, He first called His own servants 
(the Church class) and reckoned with them, rewarding 
the faithful saying, "Well done, good and faithful 
servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things. I 
will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into 
the joy of thy Lord"~have dominion over five cities. 
Then the King will say, "As for those Mine enemies, 
who would not have Me to reign over them, bring them 
hither and slay them before Me." (Luke 19:12-27.) The 
slaying of the enemies in the parable corresponds perfectly 
with the Revelation picture of the Sword of Messiah's 

SM53 

mouth, which will smite the nations; and it corresponds 
also with the expression in our text respecting 
the sharp arrows of Messiah which shall be in the hearts 
of His enemies and cause the people to fall before Him. 
Not literal arrows, not a literal sword, not literal carnage 
are here represented, but a great triumph of the Word 
of the Lord over all during the reign of the Millennial 
Kingdom, following our Lord's Second Coming. 

Those who are now invited to become of the Lord's 
"Little Flock," the "Very Elect," the "Bride, the 
Lamb's Wife," the "Royal Priesthood," the "Body of 



Christ," are not smitten down with the Sword of His 
mouth. Instead, they are those who through various experiences 
in life are already become heart weary, heavy 
laden, looking to the Lord in faith and desiring His assistance. 
The message of the Lord's lips at the present 
time is not arrows; not the sword to those who are invited 
to be His followers. On the contrary, inviting them. He 
says, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy 
laden; and I will give you rest!" Again He tells us that 
His Message is intended to bind up the broken-hearted, 
to give the oil of joy in exchange for the spirit of heaviness. 
-Isa. 61:3; Matt. 11:28-30. 

The Apostle, speaking of the matter, declares that it 
has pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save 
those who now believe. (1 Cor. 1:21.) Not that the Message 
is a foolish one; for on the contrary the Message of God's 
grace is the noblest, the grandest, the most wonderful 
one that could come to the ears of mankind. But from 
the worldly standpoint it seems foolish on God's part to 
address the world when He Himself declares that the vast 
majority are deaf, and that only here and there can any 
be found who have the hearing ear. Again, the Gospel 
Message of reward to the obedient seems foolish to the 
world; for it would say, "If God had all power why 
does He not enforce His commands and send forth judgments 
to compel obedience rather than send forth a message 

SM54 

of love and an invitation to obedience?" Our 
answer is that God is now seeking a peculiar people; and 
that after He shall have gathered this specially called, 
specially chosen, specially blessed, specially tried class, 
after He shall have glorified these, blessing them with 
the great reward of glory, honor and immortality, then 
will be His time for using force, compulsion. 



MESSIAH SHALL BE CONQUEROR 

The Apostle Paul, discussing the work of Christ during 
His Millennial reign following His Second Advent, 
declares, "He must reign until He hath put all enemies 
under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." 
Again,... "Then cometh the end, when He shall 



deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when 

He shall have put down all [antagonistic] rule and all 

authority and all power.... And when all things 

shall be subject unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself 

be subject to Him that put all things under Him 

that God may be all in all." (1 Cor. 15:24-28.) The 

Apostle introduces this statement in his argument on 

the resurrection of the dead. He is proving that the resurrection 

is for all mankind, that as "all in Adam die, 

even all in Christ shall be made alive" —every man in his 

own order, "The Christ [Head and Body, Jesus and the 

Church] the first-fruits; afterward [during His presence 

at His Second Advent in the Millennium] they that are 

Christ's at His coming." 

It will be during that Millennial period of Messiah's 
Reign that force will be used instead of preaching; that 
His rebuke will smite into the hearts of His enemies, and 
that all shall fall under Him. Every knee must bow, every 
tongue must confess. Happy will it be for the world 
when Messiah shall take unto Himself His great power 
and reigns. Blessed will it be for the people when His 
sharp arrows shall smite them and when His judgment 
as a hammer shall break the hard, stony hearts; for, as 

SM55 

the Scriptures declare. He wounds to heal. (Hos. 6:1.) 
The healing process will be coincidental to the wounding 
and breaking; for the great Messiah, Christ and the 
Church, will be not only the King, the Ruler, but also the 
Priest of that Millennial time to heal, to console, to forgive, 
and the great Prophet to instruct the thousands of 
millions of Adam's race who have gone into death during 
the reign of Sin and Death and under the blinding influences 
of the Adversary. No wonder the Scriptures speak 
in glowing terms of that glorious Millennial Day, when 
the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth! No 
wonder they picture this symbolically as the rising of the 
Sun of Righteousness with healing in its beams. —Mai. 4:2. 



"IN THY MAJESTY RIDE ON" 

Note our context: The first verse declares that the 
Message relates to the King, not to the Lord, not to Messiah 



waiting to be invested with the authority of the 
Kingdom, but to Him after He shall have been thus 
invested, after He shall have taken to Himself His great 
power and begun His Reign of Righteousness. Hearken 
to the prophetic description of the King in His beauty, 
"Thou are fairer than the children of men: grace is 
poured into Thy lips." This well pictures our dear Master's 
condition of humiliation when the Man Christ Jesus 
was demonstrated to be pure in heart, absolutely loyal to 
the Father and in this respect fairer than all the children 
of men, all of whom were sinners and out of the way. 
The grace of our Lord's lips is manifest to us in the 
message which He left. "Never man spake like this 
man." "They all bare Him witness and wondered at the 
gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth. "~ 
John 7:46; Luke 4:22. 

It is because of the faithfulness, the loyalty, the grace 
which our Lord demonstrated as the Man Christ Jesus that 
the Father glorified Him, raising Him from the dead to 
far more than the human nature and glory--to the highest 

SM56 

plane, the Divine nature and its glory, honor and immortality. 

As the Prophet declares, God blessed Him forever. 

(Psa. 45:2.) His exaltation is perpetual; far above 

angels, principalities and powers and every name that is 

named. Our Lord's trial and exaltation have been followed 

by the call and testing of the "Little Flock," invited 

to be His joint-heirs in the Kingdom; and soon these will 

be changed in the First Resurrection, that they may participate 

in His glorious work of the Millennial Kingdom. 

Then the time having come for the establishment of 
the Kingdom, Messiah, Head and Body, will take to 
Himself His great power and His Millennial Reign will 
begin. This is represented in Verses 3 and 4, "Gird thy 
sword upon Thy thigh, O Mighty One, with Thy glory and 
Thy majesty. And in Thy majesty ride prosperously, 
because of truth and meekness and righteousness." 
What a noble, inspiring picture of Divine knowledge as it 
shall go forth in due time for the binding of Satan and 
the liberating of all the slaves of sin and death--not only 
those who have not gone down into the tomb, but the liberation 
of those who are in the great prison-house of 
death, the grave! Messiah shall not reign for the oppression 



of the world nor for the enslavement of the people. 

On the contrary the power of the Kingdom will be exercised 

on behalf of truth, meekness and righteousness. 

This however, will necessarily mean a reign of force, a 

reign very different from the present dispensation and its 

Gospel invitation to righteousness. 

We read elsewhere that the "judgments of the Lord 
will be abroad in the earth"--His righteous dealings. In 
other words. His power exercised on behalf of the cause 
of truth, meekness and righteousness, will mean His 
forceful opposition to error, to pride and all inequity, all 
unrighteousness. No longer will men be invited to abandon 
sin. The judgments, the punishments for wrong 
doing will be promptly and vigorously applied. The 
world, deaf to the Lord's Message, blind to His goodness, 

SM57 

out of the way, degraded through sin, will learn righteousness 
in another way--by being made to feel a judgment, 
a punishment for every wrong deed and wrong word. 
And by the end of the Millennial Age the testing will have 
become so crucial that even the favorable entertainment 
of a disloyal thought as respects the Almighty and His 
rule of righteousness will lead to the Second Death. 

We have no thought of suggesting that the Millennium 
will be entirely a time of peace, joy and blessing. 
It will be all of this all the time to all those who love 
righteousness and hate iniquity and are in accord with 
the Lord; but the Lord's indignation, even His fierce 
anger, will from the very beginning of the Millennial Age 
burn hotly against all unrighteousness, against all iniquity, 
all falsehood, to the intent that these may be thoroughly 
removed, completely eradicated, and that thus 
mankind may be most truly and most absolutely blessed. 
It is in harmony with this that the fourth verse of our 
context declares, "Thy right hand [Thy Power] shall 
teach terrible lessons," lessons for eternity to many, lessons 
which will be most salutary to the race as a whole, 
lessons which would be awful to humanity in some 
respects at the beginning of the reign. For be it remembered 
that the Scriptures everywhere declare that the 
Millennial Kingdom, although a reign of peace, righteousness 
and love, will be introduced by a Time of Trouble 
such as was not since there was a nation, by which 



trouble present institutions will be overthrown because 
they are all unrighteous, imperfect and built upon lines 
of selfishness contrary to the law of love, which shall be 
made to prevail in the interest of all. This is the same 
thought that is brought to our attention in connection 
with the symbolical picture of Revelation. The Sword 
of Messiah's mouth is there declared to smite the nations; 
and we are told that He will rule the nations with 
a rod of iron, and that as potters' vessels they shall be 
broken to shivers. —Rev. 2:26-28. 

SM58 

We are to differentiate, however, between the nations 
which are to be broken—the great systems of selfishness 
which are to fall and rise no more—and the people, 
into whose hearts the words of the Lord will enter and 
who will be smitten down before Him. They will acknowledge 
that they are sinners, and that His reproofs are just 
and His judgments upon systems of error and iniquity 
are true and righteous altogether. They will fall before 
Him; they will acknowledge the Divine power and its 
rightful control of human affairs; every knee must bow 
and every tongue must confess. As the Apostle Peter, 
referring to this time, declares, "It shall come to pass 
that the soul that will not hear [obey] that Prophet, shall 
be destroyed from amongst the people. "-Acts 3:23. 

The picture of the coming Time of Trouble and of the 
glorious epoch of blessing which will follow it is graphically 
depicted by the Prophet Zephaniah (3:8), through 
whom the Lord says, "Wait ye upon Me, saith the Lord, 
until that day when I rise up to the prey: for My determination 
is to gather the nations, that I may assemble 
the kingdoms, that I may pour upon them Mine indignation, 
even all My fierce anger: for the whole earth [social 
structure] shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy." 
So terrible will be the Time of Trouble, so sweeping 
the overthrow of present institutions, that the Lord 
here symbolically pictures it as a fire consuming everything 
of the present social order. 

But that it is not a literal fire, and that it will not consume 
or destroy mankind but prepare for their greater 
blessing, is shown by the next statement of the Prophet: 
"Then will I turn unto the people a pure Message [in 
contrast with the confused message that is now being 



promulgated by all the various sects of Christendom-- 
Babylon] that they may all call upon the name of the 
Lord to serve Him with one consent." They will no longer 
call upon themselves the names of sects and parties, 
heathen or Christian. All will call upon the Lord, all will 

SM59 

recognize Him as the great Teacher; for the Lord shall 
be King over all the earth in that day. (Zech. 14:9.) And 
the Kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to 
the people of the saints of the Most High. —Dan. 7:27. 



"HIS MOUTH IS MOST SWEET" 

In contrast with the sharp words of rebuke which will 
be administered to the world and which they will need 
and which will be most favorable to them, we have the 
gracious words of the Master in the present time speaking 
to all who have ears to hear. His Message is represented 
as one that binds up the broken hearts and administers 
the oil and wine of refreshment and joy and peace and 
consolation. What wonder, then, that we appreciate the 
statement, "Blessed are your ears, for they hear." Not 
only have we heard the Message of our Lord Jesus, of 
His love for us, and that He gave Himself a Ransom for 
our redemption, but we have heard the Father saying that 
He has spoken peace to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
He tells us also, "The Father Himself loveth you." 

Hearkening we not only have heard the Message of 
God's love and favor for our race, and how a Ransom has 
been provided, and that in consequence a preparation is 
being made for the blessing of all the world, but we learn 
that we may appropriate this blessing to ourselves now 
by faith in advance of this general application, and that 
being justified by faith we may have peace with God. 
And, furthermore, after we had thus been accepted, we 
heard the voice of the Master inviting us to become His 
disciples, to walk in His steps, to share now in the cross 
and sacrifice with Him and by and by in the crown. 

Ah, yes! He brought life and immortality to light 
through the Gospel—life everlasting, life which we now 
see is possible of attainment by all the families of the 
earth, and immortality is attainable by those who now 



have the hearing ear of faith and the heart desire to 
follow in the footsteps of their Redeemer. 

SM60 



"WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE!" 

The character of Him who is to ride prosperously as 
the conqueror of the world assures us respecting His 
treatment of those who shall fall down before Him and 
accept His righteous Reign and Law. He who loved them 
so that He gave His life as their Redemption-price establishes 
His Reign, not for their injury, but for their blessing, 
for their uplifting, for the destruction of their real 
enemies. All the weaknesses and depravity of the fallen 
conditions are our enemies, if we love righteousness; and 
we are glad to have our Lord's co-operation in fighting a 
good fight against these. And so will all the right-minded 
of the Millennial Age be glad to have all the assistance 
He can render them. And the Church of this Gospel 
Age, now gaining experience through trials and disciplines, 
will also be fitted and prepared to co-operate with 
her Redeemer and King in the work of blessing our race, 
instructing them in the ways of the Lord and teaching 
them to go up on the Highway of Holiness, at whose further 
end, by perseverance, they may have eternal life. 

Let us continue to pray, dear friends, for this Kingdom 
of Messiah, when His sharp arrows shall pierce 
many hearts and cause the masses to fall under Him 
and to confess Him and to adore Him. Let us continue 
to pray, "Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on 
earth as it is done in Heaven." Yes, let us be glad that 
in the consummation of the Plan of God all who rejoice 
to learn righteousness and to love it, and to hate iniquity, 
shall be utterly destroyed, so that God eventually will 
have a clean Universe. 

He's come! Let all the earth adore Him! 

The path His human nature trod 
Spreads to a royal realm before Him, 

The Life of life, the Word of God! 



SM61 

DIVINE JUSTICE IN THE DELUGE 

"The Flood came, and took them all away. "— 
Matt. 24:39. 

Heretofore we considered the physical causes which 
led up to the Deluge, and found them every way reasonable 
and in full harmony with history and geology. 
Today we consider the Deluge from a different standpoint. 
We will attempt to show from the Bible why God 
permitted the Deluge at all, and that He was fully justified 
in the arrangement which blotted out the human 
family, except eight persons-righteous Noah and his 
family.-2 Peter 2:4-10. 

To begin with, we should remember that God's Covenant 
with Adam, granting everlasting life, was based 
upon the fact that he was perfect (an image of his 
Creator), and on condition that he would maintain this 
image and likeness by continued obedience to his Maker. 
When Satan obsessed the serpent and guided it to eat 
the very fruit of which our first parents were forbidden 
to eat, he produced thereby a temptation. 

Mother Eve saw that so far from the serpent's being 
poisoned by that fruit, it was the wisest of animals. She 
reasoned that humanity was so far superior to the brute 
that the increased wisdom would make her husband and 
herself like gods. She thirsted for knowledge and power. 
Only the Divine command seemed to stand between her 
and the highest ideals. She partook of the fruit and 
recommended it to Adam—who was not so deceived, but 
who knew that death would surely follow disobedience. 
Nevertheless he disobeyed, thinking that he would rather 
perish with his wife than spend eternity without her. 

SM62 

The disobedience led to expulsion from Eden and the 
beginning of the gradual execution of the sentence, 
"Dying, thou shall die." Adam died within the thousand-year 
Day in which he ate "of the tree"— nine hundred 
thirty years old. His race inherited his dying conditions 
and tendencies. Thus all humanity are under the Divine 
curse, or sentence of death, and have been going down 



to the tomb, Hades, for six thousand years. Whatever, 
therefore, may cut short human life is no injustice to 
humanity, because whatever life is enjoyed is just so 
much more than it has title to. Hence the Deluge was 
merely a quick means of executing against the race the 
death sentence already expressed sixteen centuries before. 



THE DELUGE A DELIVERANCE 

When the Bible account of the cause of the Deluge 
is properly comprehended, we see that it was indeed 
a blessing in disguise. The human family had gotten 
into slavery, and would shortly have been wiped out by 
a new race which most peculiarly had intruded upon 
humanity. The Bible tells us that this new race consisted 
exclusively of males, propagated through the human 
female. We read, "The same were mighty men... 
men of renown"~"giants."~Geii. 6:1-4. 

The fallen race of Adam was unable to cope with the 
superior mental and physical strength of the intruders. 
Robbed of their wives and daughters, and compelled to 
do the drudgery of their new masters, their lives were a 
burden. Not only so, but the new race was vicious, 
brutal, violent, as well as immoral. The Bible account 
declares, "The earth was filled with violence." The 
general moral corruption went so far that we read, 
"Every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was 
only evil continually." What a terrible arraignment! 
What a mercy in the sight of all intelligent beings that 
such a terribly immoral, strifeful, and enslaved condition 
should be brought completely to an end! This description 
is found graphically recorded in Genesis 6:1-11. 

SM63 



WHENCE THE RACE OF GIANTS? 

In the past we have not studied the Bible with sufficient 
care, and therefore have not appreciated properly 
its wonderful, harmonious story. The origin of the 
invading race of giants is clearly told. Satan, a glorious 
angelic being of a high order, named Lucifer, the Morning 
Star, deflected to sin, because of ambition. He had said 



in his heart long before, "I will be as the Most High"-- 
an independent sovereign. (Isa. 14:12-14.) Satan 
thought that he saw his opportunity to establish a separate 
empire in the earth. He thought that if he could 
become master of the first pair, all of their children would 
be his subjects. Knowing of his own undying nature, and 
that man was created for everlasting existence, he counted 
not on death as the Divine penalty for sin. 

When Satan perceived his human subjects growing 
gradually weaker under the curse, a new plan was formulated. 
To the angels who were given permission to help 
and to instruct humanity, a temptation was presented. 
They possessed the power of materialization, and could 
appear as human, to help and instruct humanity. The 
Satanic suggestion was that they could help humanity 
best by begetting a new race, using the human females 
as mothers for that race, to which they would impart 
their own virility. Although this was recognized as being 
contrary to Divine Law, it was perceived that Satan had 
not been punished for his deflection. The inference was 
that God was unable to punish Satan for this rebellion. 
Thus by refraining from punishing Satan, God left open 
the door by which all the holy angels were exposed to 
temptations to disobedience and disloyalty. 

Thus we may know that all the angels of Heaven in 
harmony with God are loyal to the core; for they withstood 
temptation— permitted for the very purpose of their 
testing. That this testing continued for centuries we 
know from the context, because the children of the illicit 
union were not babes, but men~giants~and renowned 

SM64 

at a time when manhood was rarely reached earlier than 
one century. The simple record of Genesis is, "The sons 
of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; 
and they took them wives of all which they chose.... 
When the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, 
and they bare children unto them, the same became 
mighty men which were of old, men of renown." 

In due time these bestial giants filled the earth with 
violence, oppressing and enslaving Adam's posterity. As 
for themselves, they had no right to existence, since they 
were born contrary to the Divine will, or Law. Nor can 
we suppose that in any sense of the word they would be 



included in the redemptive work of Jesus, who died only 
for Adam and his posterity. "As all in Adam die, 
even so all in Christ shall be made alive, every man in 
his own order" —the Church in the First Resurrection. 
-1 Cor. 15:22. 



HOPE FOR THE ANTEDILUVIANS 

There is the same hope for the antediluvians as for 
all the remainder of the human family— the hope of 
the resurrection of the dead. This means not merely a 
hope of being awakened from the sleep of death, but a 
resurrection hope, a hope of Restitution, a hope of return, 
if they will, to the full measure of human perfection, the 
image of God in the flesh. This hope, as we have seen on 
previous occasions, rests first of all on God's gracious 
promise that all the families of the earth shall be blessed 
in Abraham's Seed. Secondly, it rests in the Bible 
assurance that Jesus is the Head, and the Church the 
members of that Spiritual Seed of Abraham, which soon, 
as the Elect of God, will be completed and glorified. 

In the Messianic Kingdom this great "Seed" will 
accomplish the blessings foreordained. St. Paul emphasized 
this, saying, "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's 
Seed, and heirs according to the promise" made 
to Abraham: "In thy Seed shall all the nations of the 
earth be blessed. "-Gen. 22:18; Gal. 3:29,16. 

SM65 



DIVINE PATIENCE MANIFESTED 

As we review the situation, we are amazed at the 
exhibition given us of Divine patience. We are reminded 
of St. Peter's words that God is not willing that any 
should perish. How easily He could have blotted out of 
existence our first parents and have created another pair! 
How easily He could have hindered Satan from presenting 
the temptation! How easily He could have warned 
the angels against a course of disobedience and, if necessary, 
have shown them His Power at any time! 

These incidents illustrate to us a general principle of 
Divine Character and dealings. God wishes not to have 



the heavens and the earth populated with evil beings. 
Creating angels and men in His own image and likeness, 
on different planes, He desires them to maintain their 
own station, and in loving loyalty to learn to trust His 
Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power. Moreover, He does 
not wish to have any children or servants in all His domain 
obedient merely because of fear, merely because of 
ignorance. Jesus' words give us the key to the Heavenly 
Father's Character in this respect. He says that God 
seeketh such to worship Him as worship Him in spirit 
and in truth. --John 4:23. 

God had indeed a glorious Dominion before sin entered 
the world. And He could, of course, have hindered 
any spread of the disloyal ambition of Satan by destroying 
him, or He could have coerced him into obedience as 
a slave. But such He desires not. God most evidently 
has the very highest ideals in respect to His Government 
and all His subjects. All His work is perfect, and He 
will not allow it to get away from the perfection in which 
He created His intelligent creatures. Every variation 
from that perfection, therefore, must be the result of disobedience; 
and the unalterable Law is that the disobedient 
shall perish. Whoever does not learn to love 
righteousness and hate iniquity will be counted unworthy 
of life everlasting, will be cut off from among the people. 

SM66 



MAN'S EXPERIENCE A LESSON 

We may say, then, that God not only foreknew that 
the conditions under which man was created would result 
in temptation, in sin; but without causing the temptation, 
and without giving any excuse for the disloyalty. 
He determined to permit it. Some suppose that the permission 
is to be everlasting, but the Scriptures assure 
us to the contrary. The reign of Sin and Death He purposed 
to permit for six thousand years. Then by bringing 
in the Messianic Kingdom, He purposes to abolish 
sin and death, lifting to human perfection the willing and 
obedient and destroying in the Second Death all the unwilling 
and disobedient. 

The sending of His Son was a part of God's Plan. 
He put the death penalty upon humanity, knowing at the 



time that it would require the death of an obedient Sacrifice 
for human redemption, and purposing in advance that 
He would provide such a Redeemer as would willingly, 
gladly, become man's Surety, man's Ransom-price. Thus 
the permission of evil has resulted in the manifestation 
of God's Love in a manner that otherwise would hardly 
have been revealed. The infliction of the death sentence 
for so long has, likewise, demonstrated the persistence 
of Divine Justice and its penalty. 

The recovery of the dead by a resurrection will demonstrate, 
as nothing else could, the Power of God. And 
when the entire Plan of God shall have been outworked, 
and shall have been made known to angels and men, as a 
whole it will demonstrate the Wisdom of God as it never 
could have been known, had He not adopted the plan He 
did of temporarily permitting a reign of Sin and Death. 



"MANY SONS TO GLORY" 

Another thing made possible by the permission of sin 
has been the special call of an Elect Church during this 
Gospel Age. The Bible declares that the Elect Church 
are begotten of the Spirit throughout this Age, and must 

SM67 

be born of the Spirit in the Resurrection. "Flesh and 
blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God." The need 
of a Redeemer opened the way for the Logos to leave 
the Heavenly nature and become a man. This opened 
the way for Jesus to demonstrate His love and loyalty 
by obedience unto death, "even unto the death of the 
cross." (Phil. 2:8.) And this great sacrifice and the 
obedience constituted not only the Ransom-price for 
Adam and his race, but also the basis on which the Heavenly 
Father highly exalted His Son far above angels, principalities 
and powers, to His own right hand—to the Divine 
nature. —John 5:26. 

Similarly the exaltation of the Church to be the Bride 
of Christ, His Joint-heir in the Kingdom, and partaker 
with Him of the Divine nature, was made possible by the 
permission of sin. The Heavenly Father could justly 
permit members of the fallen race, of the same disposition 
as Jesus, and justified and sanctified through Him, 



to sacrificially lay down their lives as members of the 
Body of Christ, and by thus suffering with Him to be 
accounted worthy also of reigning with Him in glory, 
honor and immortality in His Kingdom. —Rom. 8:17; 
2 Tim. 2:11,12; Rev. 20:6. 



"HALLELUJAH! WHAT A SAVIOR!" 

"What a God! Infinite in Wisdom, Justice, Love and 
Power!" Surely, to know Him is life eternal! 

Is it any wonder, in view of this work that God has 
outlined for His Son and the Church, that He should 
consider it necessary to give us lessons and tests in faith, 
in loyalty, in obedience! Is it any wonder, in view of the 
work which He has for us to do for mankind, that the 
Redeemer Himself was given experiences in suffering, 
that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in 
the things of God in relation to humanity? 

The better we understand the Bible, the more clearly 
we see that the redemption which God has provided 

SM68 

through Jesus' sacrifice is to be world-wide in its effect. 
The race was not condemned individually, but as a whole 
in one man. Father Adam, on account of sin. Similarly, 
the race has been redeemed as a whole by the "Man 
Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a Ransom for all."~ 
1 Tim. 2:5,6; Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2. 

The fact that God did not deal with any of the human 
family except the Hebrews for four thousand years does 
not mean that He loved the Hebrews only, nor that the 
Hebrews only will ultimately receive the Divine blessing 
and a share in the redemptive work. It means that during 
that time God dealt with the Hebrews in a special 
way to select from amongst them some especially loyal 
characters to be sharers in His future work, when He 
would deal with the world in general. 

The fact that all this work—of selecting one class of 
servants from Hebrews, and another class from all mankind 
during the Gospel Age--has required a long time- 
six thousand years— is no argument against God's purpose 
to bless all Adam's children ultimately. The fact 
that a long time has been consumed in getting ready the 



instruments of Divine Mercy shows, on the contrary, the 
greatness and the thoroughness of the Divine Plan in 
respect to the race as a whole. 

Let us avail ourselves of our glorious opportunities 
for Bible study and for growth in knowledge, grace and 
love. Let us walk worthy of the light, and rejoice in Him 
who bought us with His own precious blood! 

The wrath of God is love's severity 

In curing sin—the zeal of righteousness 

In overcoming wrong— the remedy 
Of justice for the world's redress. 

The wrath of God is punishment for sin. 
In measure unto all transgression due. 

Discriminating well and just between 

Presumptuous sins and sins of lighter hue. 



SM69 

BLOOD ATONEMENT WAS NECESSARY 

"Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission 
of sins." -nQh,9\22. 

When God called Israel as a nation out of Egypt, it 
was under the provision that He would make a covenant 
with them through Moses. That covenant was that if 
they would keep the Divine Law they should be released 
from all condemnation and have everlasting life. The 
alternative, failure, meant punishment with death. If 
they would obey the Law they should not only live everlastingly, 
but be qualified to be Abraham's specially 
promised Seed, through whom all nations would be inducted 
into the keeping of the Law and into the attainment 
of everlasting life. 

But God foreknew that they could not keep His Law 
because they, like the remainder of the race, were imperfect 
through the fall and His Law is the measure of a 
perfect man's ability: "Thou shall love the Lord thy 
God with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and 
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; and thou shall 
love thy neighbor as thyself." Surely none but a perfect 
man could fully live up to this requirement! Hence the 
Israelites continued to die the same as other people, 
notwithstanding their Law Covenant.--Matt. 22:36-40. 

But foreknowing their inability to keep this Law, God 
arranged for their continuance in His favor under that 
covenant by reviving it every year on the tenth day of 
the seventh month, the Day of Atonement. On that day 
the year of their relationship to God terminated. 

Before looking for the antitype, let us understand 
the type. The sacrifice for sins occurred on the Day of 
Atonement, and consisted of two parts: first, a bullock 
was slain and its blood sprinkled in the Most Holy, and 
through it Atonement offered for the sins of the priestly 

SM70 

tribe only; then the high priest took his secondary offering, 
a consecrated goat, and treated it as he had treated 
the bullock. And its blood subsequently was sprinkled 
in the Most Holy, "on behalf of all the people," all the 



remaining tribes of Israel. —Lev. 16:15. 

Why were these animals killed? What is the thought 
which lies behind this death of an animal? What lesson 
did God wish to teach in type? The condemnation on the 
Israelites for the violation of the Mosaic Law was not a 
sentence to eternal torment, nor to Purgatory, but a 
death sentence. This is clearly stated. By Divine commandment 
the people were called up between Mt. Ebal 
and Mt. Gerizim and God's Law was read in their hearing. 
Certain blessings were read, which were to be the 
rewards of obedience. Contrariwise, curses were read, 
which were to be the penalty for violation of that Law. 
The curses related to death, sickness and disease. 

These condemnations on Israel for failure to keep 
God's Law given at Sinai agree perfectly with the condemnation 
imposed upon Adam and, through him, upon 
his race, for failure to obey the Divine Law originally 
given, which was written in his heart, his character, when 
he was a perfect man in the image of God. Hence Israel 
under the Law Covenant was merely condemned afresh 
to death—not to eternal torment, nor to Purgatory. 

Then, as Israel typified the world, the Atonement Day 
was arranged for them as it will be on a larger, grander 
scale applicable eventually to all of Adam's race. The 
death of the two animals, the bullock and the goat, 
specially consecrated by the priest, effected a covering 
for the sins of the people for another year, while they 
tried afresh to demonstrate their loyalty to God and His 
righteousness by obedience to the Law; but only failure 
could and did result: "By the deeds of the Law shall no 
man be justified in God's sight"; for all flesh is imperfect, 
weak, degenerate. —Rom. 3:20. 

Thus year by year continuously for over sixteen hundred 

SM71 

years the Israelites kept up their attempt to gain 
Divine favor by obedience to the terms of their Law 
Covenant. And year by year they failed afresh, until 
Jesus came to be the antitypical Priest, in order that He 
might eventually become the antitypical King of Israel 
and the world. His priestly office was necessary to lay 
the foundation for His kingly office. As a King he could 
not uplift to perfection Adam and his multitudinous race 
contrary to the Divine sentence of death which rested 



upon all, because all are sinners. It was necessary, therefore, 

that, in order to become the Messianic King, Jesus 

must first be the Redeemer of men. He must first provide 

the sacrifice for sins. Then, applying it to the satisfaction 

of Justice, afterward, by virtue of the right and 

authority thus secured. He could undertake the uplifting 

and blessing of all mankind. 



THE ANTITYPICAL BLOOD ATONEMENT 

The great lessons taught by Israel's experiences of 
more than sixteen centuries were: 

(1) That all are sinners; 

(2) That no sinner can justify himself; 

(3) That an Atonement for Sin is necessary before 
Divine favor can be fully obtained for all mankind; 

(4) That since the penalty is death, only by a sacrificial 
death can sinners be released from the death penalty. 

We all know the arguments used by those who oppose 
the Bible doctrine of Blood Atonement for Sin. They 
claim that it is unnecessary, that God could just as easily 
as not cancel all sin without requiring the death of either 
a bullock or a goat, or of Jesus or anybody else. 

But are not such arguments illogical? Is it not illogical 
to suppose that the great Supreme Judge of the Universe 
would make a law and a penalty for it, inflict the 
penalty justly, and afterwards set aside the penalty without 
a reason? Surely no earthly judge would do so, and 
surely a Heavenly Judge could not do so without infracting 
the principles of His own Government; for if it is 

SM72 

right to impose a death sentence as a penalty for sin, 
and to allow that sentence to be in effect for four thousand 
years before Christ, and to allow our entire race to 
suffer under it for that time, would it not be unjust to 
afterwards institute a change, set aside the Law, the 
Curse, the penalty for sin? Surely we all agree to this! 

Some, however, will say. Surely God never made such 
a penalty. Why should He make a penalty which would 
cause the death of His Son, or the death of anybody, to 
eradicate it, to set it aside? We answer that God did 
make such a penalty; for it is manifest that our entire 



race is a dying one, which has been under the Reign of 
Sin and Death for Six Great Days of a thousand years 
each. Moreover, the Bible declares that God pronounced 
the penalty-inflicted the death penalty as we have it-- 
for the very purpose and object of the death of His Son, 
that thus He might give evidence, both to angels and to 
men, that His Law is inviolable, but that His Justice is 
fully equaled by His Love. 



"CHRIST'S BETTER SACRIFICES" 

If the Jewish Law gave a hint that a sacrificial death 
would be necessary for the cancellation of human sin, it 
also gave a hint that the death of bulls and of goats was 
not sufficient for the cancellation of human sin; because 
the sacrifices of the Jewish Atonement Day merely covered 
sin for one year, and did not actually cancel it at all. 

The sacrifice was of a proper kind—a life— but the 
life was not of sufficient value. Why? Because the Law 
of Justice would not be satisfied to accept the death of a 
bullock and of a goat as the equivalent for the forfeited 
life of Father Adam. If an angel had sinned and been 
condemned to death, only the death of an angel of the 
same grade and state would have constituted a full offset 
or Ransom for his life; for the very meaning of the 
word Ransom is antilutron--a corresponding price. 

So neither could an angel's death redeem a man, because 
it would not be the giving of a price to correspond. 

SM73 

Neither could our Redeemer, in His pre-human condition, 
as the Logos, the Word, have given His life for Father 
Adam and the race, because that would not have been a 
corresponding price— a Ransom-price (GrQek—antilutron). 
To redeem Father Adam the death of a man was 
required; nothing more, nothing less, would do. Therefore 
it was that the Son of God left the glory which He 
had with the Father as the Logos and was made flesh, 
and became the Man Christ Jesus, "that He, by the 
grace of God, might taste death for every man." 

In harmony with this, St. Paul writes to Timothy 
(1 Tim. 2:5,6) that the Man Christ Jesus gave Himself 
a Ransom for all. Thus the Apostle again declares, "As 



by a man [Adam] came death [not eternal torment], by 
a man also [Christ] comes the resurrection of the dead; 
for as all in Adam die, even so all in Christ shall be made 
alive '--1 Cor. 15:21,22. 

In this last text notice carefully (and also everywhere 
else in the Scriptures) that the contrasts are not Heaven 
and hell, not joy and suffering, but life and <igfl^/z~resurrection 
life through Christ, death by Adam. Notice also 
that the penalty paid for Adam's sin by the Man Christ 
Jesus is not an eternal torment penalty, nor a purgatorial 
penalty, but a death penalty. "Christ died for our sins, 
according to the Scriptures. "--1 Cor. 15:3. 

We notice again that it was only the one man Adam 
who was tried, who sinned and who was sentenced to 
death; that all of our race suffered death and its degradation 
by heredity and not by virtue of a death sentence; 
hence it was possible that the death of the Man Christ 
Jesus should constitute a full offset to the demands of 
Justice against Father Adam, and would incidentally 
include all of Adam s race. 

God arranged Israel's typical Atonement Day as a 
type of the real Atonement Day, which began at Jesus' 
baptism and has continued ever since, and will continue 
for another thousand years in the future. The killing 

SM74 

of the bullock on behalf of the priestly family found its 
antitype in the death of Jesus, which began with His 
consecration at Jordan and was completed at Calvary, 
three and a half years later. As a man, Jesus offered up 
sacrificially His human nature, the body which He had 
taken for the special purpose of sacrifice. That sacrifice 
was satisfactory to God, as was indicated by His raising 
up Jesus from the dead. 

Moreover, we are assured that our Lord was not only 
raised up out of death, but raised up as a New Creature, 
to a still higher nature than that which He had before He 
undertook the Father's commission to be the world's 
Redeemer, Prophet, Priest and King. His resurrection 
was (Phil. 2:10) to glory, honor and immortality, far 
above human nature, angelic nature, principalities and 
powers and every name that is named.~Eph. 1:21. 

The risen Son of God remained forty days with His 
disciples, and when He had ascended on High He appeared 



in the presence of God, and according to the type 
made application of the merit of His sacrifice for the 
Household of faith—the antitypical Levites. The acceptance 
of His Atonement Sacrifice, and incidentally the 
acceptance of His waiting followers, was manifested by 
the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. 
ADDING MEMBERS TO HIS BODY 

As Aaron in the type, by Divine direction, accepted 
his sons to be members with him in the priesthood, under 
his headship, so in the antitype Christ Jesus during 
this Gospel Age has been accepting members to the Royal 
Priesthood, of which He is the Head. And these are 
taken from the Levites, for which class the Atonement 
was made by Aaron in type and by Jesus in antitype. 

Aaron in the type, after sprinkling the blood of the 
bullock and making Atonement for the House of Levi, 
came forth and slew the goat. So Christ, having finished 
making Atonement for the sins of the antitypical Levites, 

SM75 

came forth at Pentecost to bless them and to accept them 

as joint- sacrificers and as joint-heirs. The goat, which 

Aaron slew as the second portion of his sin-offering, represented 

all the faithful footstep followers of Jesus in the 

nearly nineteen centuries that have elapsed since Pentecost. 

Respecting these Jesus prayed, saying, "I pray 

not for the world, but for those whom Thou hast given 

Me;. ..neither pray I for these alone, but for all 

those who shall believe on Me through their word, that 

they all may be one, as Thou, Father, and I are one."~ 

"I in them and Thou in Me."-John 17:9,20-23. 

Incidentally, Jesus as the High Priest in glory began 
at Pentecost the sacrificing of the goat class. His faithful 
followers. The work has continued ever since. The sufferings 
of Jesus have thus been prolonged for centuries. 
As St. Peter declares, the Prophets spake of the sufferings 
of Christ and of the glory that should follow. 
(1 Peter 1:10,11.) The sufferings have not yet been completed, 
and hence the glory has not come. When the full 
number foreordained of God shall have faithfully finished 
their course in death the sacrifices of the antitypical Day 
of Atonement will be at an end. The great High Priest 
with His Body will pass beyond the second veil into the 



Heavenly glories, the First Resurrection completing the 
transfer. The blessing of the people will follow. 



"I AM JESUS, WHOM THOU PERSECUTEST" 

That Jesus thus recognizes His followers as His 
members is clearly attested by the Apostle. In their flesh 
they are counted as members of Jesus; as New Creatures 
spirit-begotten, they are counted as members of 
The Christ. Thus Jesus said to Saul of Tarsus, speaking 
of His followers, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" 
"I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." (Acts 9:4,5.) 
The same thing is true of any truly consecrated follower 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

SM76 

While such are in the world and suffer, the sufferings 
of Jesus are not completed. And the glory of Christ can 
be fully attained only in proportion as the sufferings of 
Jesus are completed. In the type, all this was pictured 
in the things which happened to the Lord's goat, which 
typified the faithful, sacrificing members, the flesh of 
Jesus. As the goat passed through all the experiences 
of the bullock, so the footstep followers of Jesus are to 
have similar trials, difficulties, oppositions, persecutions, 
to those which came to the Master. 

With the completion of the Priest of Glory at the end 
of the sufferings of the flesh will come the effusion of the 
blood on behalf of Israel and all of Adam's race of every 
nation. In the type Aaron took the blood of the goat, 
his secondary sacrifice, and sprinkled it on the Mercy Seat 
on behalf of all the people of Israel, representing all who 
will become the people of God of every nation. Forthwith 
Divine acceptance of these sacrifices spoke the forgiveness 
of the sins of all. 

So in the antitype. When our Lord the second time 
sprinkles the blood in the Most Holy, the sins of all the 
people—the whole world—will be canceled. At the same 
instant the Redeemer will take them over as a purchased 
possession and, under the Divine arrangement. He will 
establish over them His Kingly power. He will reign 
for their blessing and uplifting. As the great Prince of 
Glory He will bind the Prince of Darkness, Satan, and 



destroy all his works, of evil and lift poor humanity back 
into harmony with God— all the willing and obedient. 
Oh, how this should thrill our hearts and cause us to 
appreciate the Wisdom as well as the Justice of God and 
His great Love manifested in the Plan which has required 
Ages for development, but which was in the Divine 
Purpose from before the foundation of the world! 



SM77 



GOD'S PLANS vs. MAN'S PLANS. 

"We know that all things work together for good to 
them that love God, to them who are the called according 
to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did 
predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, 
that He might be the First-born among many brethren. 
Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also 
called. "--Rom. 8:28,30. 

By every process of logic and human reasoning we 
should suppose that the Almighty God would be by far 
the superior of every human being, in that His sentiments 
and plans would be higher than ours. True, we 
are informed that man was created in his Maker's moral 
image, and that this enables him to reason and think on 
moral subjects on a higher plane than does the brute creation. 
But the same Scriptures inform us that the entrance 
of sin has wrought havoc with the likeness of God 
in the human race, blurring and in considerable measure 
obliterating it. While disagreeing with those who claim 
that "total depravity" has overtaken our race, we are 
all witnesses to the fact that the moral sense of the race 
is variant, that some have very little— idiots none—and 
that its brightest representatives have their limitations, 
which are recognized by themselves as well as by their 
friends. For the highest standards and conceptions of 
justice, love and wisdom we look beyond ourselves and all 
our fellow-creatures to that which is perfect, which believers 
are hoping to attain in the resurrection. That 
perfect condition of heart and mind will signify our renewal 
in our Creator's likeness. He being the perfect 
standard before our minds. 

The Scriptures admonish us that Satan, moved by 
selfish ambition, rebelled against Jehovah and His Government; 
and that he has since sought to use his every 

SM78 

opportunity and ability to ensnare our minds, to poison 
them against our Creator, to make His goodness appear 
in a false light, to put light for darkness and darkness for 



light. Looking over the world we perceive that to a large 
extent he has been successful. Our race has followed his 
misleadings, as the Apostle points out in Romans 1:28, 
where he assures us that man originally in accord with 
God became alienated and forsook the Lord, who gave 
men over to a reprobate mind and evil works, by which 
they have degraded themselves more and more. As a 
consequence we see members of the race who are almost 
devoid of the original likeness of God and proportionately 
blind to the Truth--"the god [Satan] of this world 
hath blinded the minds of them that believe not." 



MAKING AND SERVING IMAGES 

Nevertheless, amidst all the darkness that prevails respecting 
God and His true character and plan the organs 
of reverence and worship persist in the human brain. 
Hence, we find amongst all people a tendency to worship, 
to acknowledge responsibility; and this, combined with a 
realization of their own imperfection and unworthiness, 
leads them to fear the God whom they do not know. To 
assist them in the worship which they feel they should 
render they make images of earth and stone and metal or 
with silk batting and gold thread. These images are as 
different from each other as the conceptions of their 
makers. Nevertheless, they illustrate three things: (1) 
Power, strength, ability; (2) intelligence, wisdom, knowledge 
of us and our whereabouts and doings; (3) anger, 
malice, hatred, vengeance, cruelty. 

Most evidently the poor heathen do not know the true 
God, hence do not worship and serve Him. They need a 
revelation that will remove from their mental eyes the 
delusions which now prevail and give them a glimpse of 
the true God—gracious, merciful, kind, loving, as well 
as wise, powerful and just. Alas! The poor heathen we 
see need to learn the Message of God's love exemplified 

SM79 

in the gift of His Son, who died for our sins and thus 
opened the way for our return to harmony with the 
Father. We send missionaries, we give millions of money 
and thousands of prayers for the breaking of the bonds 
of ignorance and the opening of the blind eyes of the 



heathen. We thank God that so many have this degree 
of appreciation of God and of sympathy for the heathen. 

But let us come nearer home. Let us look about us 
in the lands of highest civilization where Christian doctrine 
has prevailed for centuries, where from the least 
to the greatest should have had an opportunity to learn 
of the grace of God in Christ and to become reconciled to 
God. What do we find in so-called Christendom? We 
find scores of sects of Christians possessed of the same 
mental organ of veneration, exercising it to some degree 
in worship. We find that more intelligent than the 
heathen, they realize the impropriety of making images 
of God out of wood, stones, metal, etc. But we find also 
that each sect or party has made a mental image of God, 
and described this mental image until the disciples of 
each cult may worship the same mental image. We are 
not finding fault with these, for without some mental 
appreciation of God worship would be impossible. 



"WORSHIP YE KNOW NOT WHAT" 

We are reminded of our Lord's words to the woman 
at Samaria, of the true God. Our Lord said to her, "Ye 
worship ye know not what." And undoubtedly this is 
true of the majority of worshipers of all various sects 
and creeds. They worship, they exercise the organ of 
veneration, partly under the impulse of fear, but without 
particular knowledge of whom they worship and without 
any particular desire to become acquainted with Jehovah, 
that they might know the only true God and Jesus Christ, 
whom He has sent to be our Redeemer. (John 17:3.) This 
is true undoubtedly of the majority of worshipers of all 
the sects of all Christendom. But on the other hand in all 
the sects are to be found those who have a different 

SM80 

creedal image of God before their mental vision. We are 
interested in the comparison of these various mental 
images of God. Let us take a glance at a few of them as 
presented to us in the creeds of some of the most prominent 
Christian denominations. 



THE CALVINISTIC IMAGE OF GOD 

One of the highest conceptions of the Almighty, one 
of the most noble that prevails to a large extent in Christendom, 
is the Calvinistic. It pictures the Almighty as 
the high and lofty One possessed of all wisdom, knowledge, 
power; that He is grave, dignified, commanding 
reverence and worship. There is much in this image to 
attract our attention; it is so much nobler than any of 
the images of the heathen we have ever seen. It inspires 
us with awe, with reverence. But there is something lacking. 
A cold chill of fear comes over us as we gaze upon 
the august majesty. His face is serene and calm, but cold 
and unsympathetic, ungenerous; stern justice and uncompromising 
firmness are there. But love! oh, love is lacking! 
We tremble before this image, and the more so as 
we hearken to the message which this God of Calvinism 
has sent to those who have the ear to hear Him. He has 
declared His omnipotence. His justice and unchangeableness; 
He has declared an election and predestination of 
a little handful of our race to wondrous glory in His presence 
and equally foreordained and predestinated that the 
vast majority of our race shall have none of His loving 
favor, but shall die in heathen ignorance~non-elect, predestinated 
before their birth not only to ignorance of the 
only name in the present life but to an eternity of suffering 
in the ages to come. 

To the inquiry respecting the justice of this program, 
the answer comes that those heathen not favored with a 
knowledge of Christ were foreknown of God to be unworthy, 
and that they would not have received Him if 
they had heard His message. If we ask respecting the 

SM81 

masses of Christendom who have heard of the only name 

but have rejected it and failed to become His footstep followers 

as saints—if we inquire what hope there is for 

these, the answer is that there is none. Alas! we say, 

as we turn away to seek for a still higher ideal, a still 

more glorious image and a still more blessed Message! 

This Calvinistic image, glorious in many of its features 
and details, can never satisfy the longings of our 
hearts; for while its pictures of justice and of power are 
satisfactory, its lack of love and sympathy makes us fear 



that it is deficient of the most important element of a 

truly noble character. We say to ourselves that with all 

of our weaknesses and faults we would love even our 

enemies too much to torture them, especially to torture 

them to all eternity hopelessly, uselessly. We would say 

to ourselves that if we possessed the wisdom and power 

of the Calvinistic God, the love in our hearts and sympathy 

would have co-operated with our wisdom and power 

and would have hindered us from creating a soul that 

could not be destroyed, could not be blotted out of existence. 

For this is the claim made in the name of this 

image of God; that He so made man that he must live 

forever, that God Himself could not destroy him; that 

man being unworthy of a place in glory God has no alternative 

but to perpetuate his existence in misery. Our 

reply is that this implies a lack of either power or wisdom 

on the part of the Calvinistic God. 



THE ARMINIAN IMAGE OF GOD 

Arminianism offsets Calvinism. While the latter is 
held by almost all the various branches of the Presbyterians 
and by almost all Baptists, Congregationalists, 
etc., Arminianism is most particularly represented today 
by our Methodist friends of different branches. The 
celebrated "five points" of Arminianism are in 
substance:-- 

(1) Conditional Election. (As in opposition to the 
unconditional election held by Calvinists.) 

SM82 

(2) A Universal Redemption, or that Christ died for 

all alike, though only those who accept His atonement by 
faith will be actually saved. (As in opposition to the 
Calvinistic theory that atonement was only for the Elect.) 

(3) That Salvation is by Grace; or man can exercise 
true faith only by the regenerating grace of the Holy 
Spirit, with which, however, he can co-operate. (As in 
contradiction to the Calvinistic view that the grace of 
God—His mercy. His forgiveness. His assistance—was 
destined only for the Elect and applies to none others.) 

(4) That God's Grace is not irresistible. (As in 
contrast with the Calvinistic theory, that it is irresistible 



--that the Elect cannot resist God's grace but must yield 
to it.) 

(5) That to fall from a state of Grace is possible. 
(As in contrast with the Calvinistic view, that for the 
Elect to fall from grace is impossible.) 

Looking at this mental image, which has appealed to 
an increasingly large number of Christian people during 
the past century, we perceive that while it is a less dignified 
image than the Calvinistic one it has more warmth, 
more love, more grace. This draws our hearts sympathetically 
toward this image, to a considerable degree. 
But as we look and hearken to its message we are impressed 
with the thought that it, too, is lacking in some 
particulars. It seems deficient in the qualities of wisdom 
and power. Its message is really no broader than that 
of the Calvinistic image; the same "Little Flock" alone 
will reach the Heavenly Kingdom, the same thousands 
of millions will be condemned to an eternity of torture. 
The only difference between these two images seems to 
be not in the result of their work, but in the method pursued 
therein. Unlike the Calvinistic image the Arminian 
one does not elect, does not foreordain, does not predestinate, 
but gives to every member of the race all the 
blessings, all the opportunities, all the knowledge, all the 
assistance it can render them, so that if they are lost it 

SM83 

is in spite of the best endeavors of the Arminian image 
for their aid. And so when the vast majority of mankind 
are lost in Eternal Torment it will not be because God 
willed it so, not because He predestinated it so, but because 
He could not help it; because with His very best 
endeavors He was unable to bring about a more favorable 
condition either in civilized or in heathen lands, because 
the great Adversary, Satan, had more power for evil 
than God could control for good. 

Alas ! Alas ! The benevolent designs of this image 
can never reconcile us to its weakness, its inability, its 
unwisdom to foreknow and to forearrange and to accomplish 
its good and loving purposes. We need a God who 
is not only loving, generous and just, but who is wise 
enough and powerful enough to make His love of practical 
benefit to our race. These deficiencies in wisdom 
and power are the very point in which the Calvinistic 



image displays such grandeur. But the Arminian image 
possesses the love which the Calvinistic lacks. Alas! 
Neither image can fully satisfy our hearts. The proper 
mental image of the true God to be satisfactory to our 
hearts must be complete—perfect in justice, in love, in 
wisdom, in power. And this can be said of neither of these. 
We must look further. Surely the Bible is the Divine revelation 
of the Divine character, and surely an error has 
been made by which some of God's people have shown 
Him from one side, ignoring the other, while others have 
shown Him from the opposite side. It should be the ambition 
and effort, dear friends, of every true child of 
God to formulate before his mental vision that proper 
image of God which would be complete in all respects, 
which would be in harmony with every declaration of 
the Bible—the image of God before which we could bow 
and worship and adore, the image of God which would 
awaken in us that grand conception of the Almighty as 
superior in every particular to all of His creatures, infinite 
in Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power. 

SM84 



THE SCRIPTURAL IMAGE OF GOD 

Since the two mental images thus described are worshipped 
by all Christendom as the best and grandest 
imaginable, and since these have been entertained for centuries 
by some of the best minds, we might naturally 
enough be deterred from even attempting to formulate 
before our minds and hearts a superior image. But, then, 
we remember that the time was when these images were 
novelties and had few adherents. We remember that 
these were vast improvements upon the grosser misconceptions 
of those who burned each other at the stake and 
otherwise tormented one another and were esteemed to 
be most particularly copying the Divine character, 
method and program. We take courage, too, when we 
remember that we are not left to the resources of our 
own imagination in formulating the proper image of God. 

We remember that God has revealed Himself in His 
Word, in the Bible, and properly we go to it for guidance 
lest in our imagination we should be equally unsuccessful 
as others. We are encouraged again when we find that 



these two most prominent images before the minds of 
Christendom had both been constructed with the aid of 
the Bible. We say to ourselves: "If the Bible presents 
one of these images to some minds and the other image 
to other minds it surely proves that there has been some 
mistake in interpretation, because as the Word of God 
it cannot be yea and say nay. It cannot contradict itself 
as these two creedal images contradict and oppose each 
other in vital points." 

Let us, therefore, give the more earnest heed as we go 
to the Bible. Let us be sure to cast away all of our preconceived 
ideas, notions, opinions, etc. Let us build 
afresh our image of God from the very foundation, accepting 
nothing in respect to it that is not in full accord 
with every other portion of that Revelation. Let us expect 
that the true God must be as perfect in His Love 
as in His other qualities, and that He must be as perfect 

SM85 

in His Wisdom and in His Power as He is in His Love. 
Surely any other image of Him must be defective. 

Coming thus to the subject of the Bible our text meets 
us as a consoling and encouraging message and declares 
in one breath not only the Justice of God and His Love, 
but also His Wisdom to foreknow, prepare and plan for 
the execution of His Justice and Love. It tells us further 
of His Divine Power to carry out all that His Wisdom, 
Justice and Love have planned. How encouraging the 
statement, "My Word that goeth forth out of My mouth 
shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish 
that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing 
whereto I sent it. For ye shall be delivered with joy and 
brought home in peace"; "For My plans are not your 
plans, neither are your methods My methods, saith the 
Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so 
are My methods higher than your methods and My plans 
than your plans." (Isa. 55:11,12,8.) How Divine Mercy 
shines through these declarations of Divine Foreknowledge 
and Power! 

And be it noted that the context is in full accord with 
this, showing that the deliverance with joy and home coming 
in peace is future during the Millennial Age—when 
Christ, who redeemed the world, shall be its Deliverer 
from the power of sin and death, its Deliverer from the 



prison-house of death--Sheol, Hades. The home coming 
will mean the restitution to the former estate of harmony 
with God, lost through Father Adam's disobedience, but 
redeemed for all the willing and obedient by the precious 
blood of Christ. In our Father's house are many mansions, 
many stations; one is for the angels, another for 
the "Little Flock" of the Elect, and still another for the 
world in general, who will be brought into harmony with 
God as a result of the Millennial blessings, during times 
of restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all the 
holy Prophets since the world began--to all cursed by the 
fall, but redeemed by the precious blood. 

SM86 

The picture continues. Our context declares that instead 
of the thorn and the briar there will then be the fir 
tree and the myrtle tree. The thorn and the briar are 
here used to typify the wicked, the injurious, who now 
flourish. The fir tree represents the evergreen, whose balsamic 
influence is healthful, giving a refreshing effect, 
while the myrtle tree, also an evergreen, yields sweet perfume 
and berries that are a delicacy. These two trees 
represent mankind under the favorable blessing of the 
Lord during the Millennium, yielding good influences and 
themselves possessed of everlasting life, symbolized by 
the evergreen qualities of these trees. 



THE WORD OF GOD'S MOUTH 

The difficulty with God's people for centuries has been 
that they have not given sufficiently critical heed to the 
Word of God's mouth. They have been contented too 
frequently to take the words of men, or, as our Lord declared, 
the traditions of men instead of the Word of the 
Lord. The lesson to us is that we must give heed to the 
Word of the Lord if we would have true Wisdom, and 
that the words of man must be hearkened to only as they 
are found to be in close alignment and assistances to us in 
the study of the Divine Word, which alone is authoritative. 
As an illustration of how we have added man's 
word to the Word of the Lord and thus have perverted 
the teachings of the Scriptures, we remind you of the 
Scriptural declaration that "the wages of sin is death," 



and "the soul that sinneth it shall die," and again, that 

"all the wicked will God destroy. "--Rom. 6:23; Ezek. 18:4; 

Psa. 145:20. 

These plain statements taken at their proper valuation 
leave no room for misunderstanding the mind of 
the Lord. But we are not content thus to do. We add to 
the Word of the Lord and say that the wages of sin is 
not death, and hence the word death here must be understood 
to mean life—life in torment. And again we said, 
"It cannot be true that the soul that sinneth it shall die; 

SM87 

for we have often heard the theory that the soul cannot 
die. Hence we must twist and wrest this statement of 
God's Word to mean its opposite. We must say, "The 
soul that sinneth it shall never die, but shall live forever 
in an eternity of woe and God Himself cannot destroy it." 
Again we said, "There must be a mistake about the statement 
that God will destroy the wicked; for we have been 
taught from infancy that He will preserve the wicked by 
miraculous power, so that the fires of torment will not 
consume them but merely cause pain." And again, 
"Have we not heard that matter is indestructible?" 

Thus we have beclouded our reason and made void 
the Word of God through the traditions of our elders 
and seniors, our ancient and honorable ones—Doctors 
of Divinity. And how silly the only real argument here 
adduced-that matter is indestructible, that it passes 
from one form to another! We are not considering the 
indestructibility of matter; it is not in question that if 
you burn a man up his entire body will pass into gases. 
Undoubtedly there was as much matter in the world before 
Adam was created as afterward, and as much today 
as there was then. But matter is not conscious, matter 
cannot suffer, cannot enjoy. Hence the argument is 
merely a sophistry. When the Lord says, "All the wicked 
will be destroyed," let us accept this statement as the 
very truth and know that when the wicked are destroyed 
they will be no more, even though the matter which once 
composed their bodies shall have been turned into various 
gases. Let God be true though it proves every creed to 
be a lie. Let us go back to the Word of the Lord that 
from its standpoint we may have the true image of God's 
character before our minds and may worship Him in 



spirit and in truth. 

If then the Bible written by various pens, guided by 
the Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God, is God's Word or Message 
to His people, let us hearken to it. What say the 
Scriptures? They tell us that man was created in God's 

SM88 

image and likeness, that he was intelligent, upright and 

worthy of trial for eternal life; and that he was placed 

on trial in Eden. They tell us that he was disobedient, 

not through ignorance or deception; and that he thus 

came under the Divine sentence--a death sentence. Not 

a word do they tell us of his being condemned to an eternity 

of torture with devils some place beyond the bounds 

of space and time. Not a word do they tell us of his being 

condemned to Purgatory to expiate his guilt. They not 

only declare that the penalty for disobedience was announced 

to him in advance of his trial, but that after his 

trial he was cast out of Eden so that the penalty might 

take effect, so that he might die; and they reiterate the 

penalty saying, "Dust thou art and unto dust shall thou 

return." How plain! How simple! No one could misunderstand 

this simple statement without the assistance 

of trained theologians, skilled in the art of handling the 

Word of God deceitfully or wresting the Scriptures, as 

St. Paul terms it. 

The Bible record goes on to show that from that time 
onward sin and death prevailed; and that their reign has 
since continued we all can testify. God's only word on the 
subject was, "Dying, thou shall die," and "Dust thou art 
and unto dust shall thou return." He did, however, give 
a glimmer of hope when pronouncing the sentence upon 
the serpent. He declared that ultimately an offspring 
from the woman should bruise the serpent's head. This 
was a dark saying to our first parents, but to us it is luminous 
by reason of what has since transpired. We see that 
the Seed of the woman is Christ—Jesus the Head and the 
Church His Body. The clear intimation is that eventually 
this glorified company shall have a victory over Satan 
which in some manner will inure to the benefit of the 
entire race of Adam.-Gen. 2:17; 3:19. 

In the light of other scriptures we see that the 
death of Jesus was necessary as the very foundation of 
any blessing of forgiveness toward our race; and we see 



SM89 

that those who have accepted Jesus and received forgiveness 

have during this Gospel Age been invited to become 

of the elect Church, His joint-heirs in the Messianic Kingdom 

which is to crush Satan, destroy evil and release 

mankind from bondage to the reign of Sin and Death, delivering 

so many as will "into the glorious liberty of the 

sons of God" freedom from death, everlasting life. 

For nearly eighteen centuries God was silent, giving 
no word, no message of hope except the glimmer which 
came from Enoch's prophecy, "Messiah cometh with myriads 
of holy ones." (Jude 14.) After eighteen centuries 
God revealed His purpose further and more particularly 
to His servant and friend, Abraham. After testing 
the loyalty of his faith God declared to him, "In thy 
Seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." (Gen. 18:18.) 
Although this Word of God could not be broken, 
could not return unto Him void but must be accomplished 
in its due season, nevertheless, the time for its accomplishment 
being long, God added His oath and swore to 
Abraham the certainty of this promise, "In thy Seed 
shall all the families of the earth be blessed." For centuries 
this was more or less a plain promise which the 
nation of Israel hoped they would inherit. For eighteen 
centuries more they waited for Messiah to be sent to 
them to exalt them, to use them as the Seed of Abraham 
in blessing the world with a Divine law and government, 
stamping out sin and lifting up the slaves of sin from the 
prison-house of death and from the power of sickness. 

"In due time God sent forth His Son." The time 
seemed long from the human standpoint, but through the 
Prophet the Lord reminded them that a thousand years 
in His sight are but as yesterday. Jesus at His first Advent 
accomplished a different work from that which His 
nation expected; it was necessary that He should first 
redeem Israel and all the families of the earth before He 
could give them the permanent blessing of life eternal. 
The penalty upon them was death, and they had gone 

SM90 

down to Sheol under it. And so we read that Christ died 
for our sins, that His soul descended to Sheol, and that 



He was not left in Sheol, in Hades, but was raised therefrom 
on the third day. (Acts 2:27.) He did not pay an 
eternal torment penalty, for no such penalty had been 
announced. He paid a death penalty, the one the Scriptures 
declare that God had announced and inflicted. 

Thus the basis was laid for the general blessing of 
every creature; for Christ died as the Substitute or Ransom 
for Father Adam; and in Adam's redemption all of 
his race were involved, just as through his transgression 
they were all involved. Jesus the Messiah first offered 
the privilege of joint-heir ship with Himself in the sufferings 
and in the glory that should follow and a share in the 
Heavenly nature to His own people, the Jews; and when 
few of them accepted the proposal we are told that the 
remainder were blinded until His Second Coming. (Rom. 11:7.) 
Thus it came that in God's providence, after 
selecting the remnant of "Israelites indeed" to be members 
of the Spiritual Seed of Abraham, joint-heirs with 
Himself, our Lord subsequently turned to the Gentiles 
to take out from them a people for His name. (Acts 15:14.) 
He has been finding and gathering these for 
over eighteen centuries; and soon, we believe, the work 
will be completed, the last member of the Body will have 
been called, accepted and found faithful. Then this election 
or calling of the Seed of Abraham will be at an end. 

What will follow? We answer just what God's Word 
declares. He said, "My Word that goeth forth out of 
My mouth shall not return unto Me void, but shall prosper 
in the thing whereto I sent it." He sent it forth to 
Abraham and all who would believe, announcing the blessing 
of all the families of the earth. But that has not been 
accomplished yet. He sent forth a further Message 
through Jesus to all who would accept of Him that thereby 
He might gather out the Spiritual Seed of Abraham. 
This Message will not return void but will find a suitable 

SM91 

class, a Seed of Abraham class, which God can use in conjunction 

with our Lord Jesus for the blessing and uplifting 

and restitution of mankind in general. It has prospered 

in the thing whereto it was sent. It evidently was 

not sent to convert the world, neither is such a statement 

to be found in the Word of God. It was sent to gather 

out a people for His name, both from the Jews and from 



the Gentile nations. It will accomplish this, the Seed of 
Abraham will be found, and just so surely as that occurs 
the other part of the promise will also be fulfilled; 
namely, that in and through that Seed all the families of 
the earth shall be blessed. 



ELECTION AND FREE GRACE HARMONIZED 

Here we find supplied by the Scriptures the very feature 
which was lacking in the Calvinistic view or image 
of God. We see the Election of the Church during the 
present time, an Election according to favor; and we 
equally see that the great mass of the world are non-elect, 
not called, not chosen, and that they consequently could 
not be faithful to a calling they did not receive nor even 
hear about. But so far from the Election of the Church 
signifying the condemnation of the remainder of mankind, 
the world, the word of the Lord to Abraham tells 
us that the elect class will be God's instrumentality for 
the blessing of the non-elect. And through the Prophet, 
in our text and elsewhere, the Lord repeatedly draws attention 
to the Millennial Kingdom, which will be established 
under the whole heavens for the breaking down of 
sin and the exaltation of righteousness and the assistance 
of all who under that enlightening influence will go 
upward to perfection on the Highway of Holiness. 

Now we are beginning to see in the proper image of 
God not merely the dignity of His Foreknowledge, His 
Wisdom, His Justice, His Power, but also in Him the 
Love which so draws our hearts and which calls upon us 
to bow before Him and adore Him, because His righteous 
dealings are being made manifest to us, because we are 

SM92 

learning gradually that His Plan must be considered as 
a whole, because we are applying in their proper places 
those promises which belong to the world and which assure 
us that they shall be brought into Divine favor and 
have glorious opportunities for gaining eternal life. 

In this view also we find the elements of character, 
lacking from the image of God as given to us by our 
Methodist friends of the Arminian view. Here is the 
very God of Love they were looking for, all-loving, all-generous. 



all-kind, yet just, not sparing the guilty from 
the punishment He had meted out to them~death~not 
purposing in any sense of the word their torture at any 
time. Here we see the qualities lacking in the Arminian 
image; we see God's Justice, Wisdom and Power, as 
well as His Love. We see that He has the Millennial Age 
for the purpose of granting Free Grace to every member 
of the race under much more favorable conditions 
than now prevail. We see that the Election of the present 
time is not to the disadvantage of the world, but that 
ultimately it will be to their great advantage, when the 
elect Seed of Abraham, as the agents of God, shall bless 
all the families of the earth. 



THE PROMISE AND OATH OF GOD SECURE 

But can we be sure of this, can we be sure that after 
the Election of the Church the world will not be destroyed 
or tormented but will receive Divine blessings? Are there 
other proofs? Yes, dear friends, when once you get the 
eyes of your understanding turned in the right direction 
and away from the hobgoblins of eternal torture and fireproof 
devils, when once you get the eyes of your understanding 
rightly focused upon the Word of God, you will 
see that it is full of exceeding great and precious promises 
not only to us, the Church, respecting the Millennial 
Kingdom and joint-heir ship in it and a fellowship with 
the Lord in the glory, honor and immortality of that 
blessed state on the spirit plane, but also to the world— 

SM93 

rich provisions for the entire race of Adam redeemed 
by the precious blood— "In thy Seed shall all the families 
of the earth be blessed. "-Gen. 12:3; Heb. 6:13-20. 

Let us quote another Scripture pertinent to this subject. 
The Apostle declares that the Church is this Seed 
of Abraham, joint-heir with her Lord, saying, "If ye be 
Christ's, then are ye Abraham's Seed, and heirs according 
to the Promise." (Gal. 3:29.) The Promise is not 
yet fulfilled and cannot be until the Elect, the Seed of 
Abraham, is completed. We are heirs of that Promise; 
and our inheritance of it will mean our glorification and our 
authorization to begin and to complete the work of 



blessing the world of mankind by releasing them from 
the bondage of sin and death and helping them onward 
through faith and obedience back to harmony with God 
and life everlasting. 

Let us then, dear friends, have full confidence in the 
Word of God that it will be accomplished, that it will not 
return void. Let us co-operate with this Word and thus 
make our calling and election sure. To this end let us lay 
aside every weight and every besetting sin and run with 
patience the race set before us, the race for the crown of 
life, for joint-heir ship with our Lord, for a share with 
Him in the great work of blessing all the families of the 
earth -Heb. 12:1,2. 

All hail the power of Jesus' name! 

Let angels prostrate fall; 
Bring forth the royal diadem. 

And crown Him Lord of all. 

Ye chosen Seed of Israel's race. 

Ye ransomed from the fall. 
Hail Him who saves you by His grace. 

And crown Him Lord of all. 

Let every kindred, every tribe. 

On this terrestrial ball. 
To Him all majesty ascribe. 

And crown Him Lord of all. 



SM94 



THE BINDING OF SA TAN 

"He laid hold of the dragon, that old serpent, which 
is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 
and cast him into the abyss, and shut him up and sealed 
it over him that he should deceive the nations no more 
until the thousand years should be finished; and after 
that he must be loosed for a time. "--Rev. 20:2,3. 

The unscriptural views we once held respecting hell 
naturally led us into unscriptural views respecting Satan. 
When we held the thought that hell was a vast furnace 
of fire~we knew not where, "beyond the bounds of 
space and time" --we were deluded into believing that 
Satan was in that far-off place, master of ceremonies, 
and chief over a host of fire-proof demons employed 
chiefly in causing indescribable pain and anguish to 
thousands of millions of the human family who passed 
into his control by Divine foreknowledge and intention, 
the number of new arrivals approximating ninety thousand 
per day. But with Satan afar off and more than 
busy, we could not think of him as giving any particular 
time and attention to the comparatively small number 
of humanity still living. 

But when we get the Scriptural idea of hell, that 
Sheol and Hades are the names for the state of death and 
unconsciousness into which all mankind, good and bad, 
go at death and from which both the just and the unjust 
are to be resurrected at the Second Coming of Christ, it 
throws a different light on the whole subject. As for the 
term Gehenna fire, symbolically used to represent the 
Second Death-the utter destruction of the incorrigible- 
we find that rightly understood its flames are no more 
literal than those of the "fiery trials" which the Lord 
promised should come upon all of His faithful to consume 

SM95 

their dross and under Divine supervision; to prepare 

them for the Heavenly Kingdom. Since then we 

see clearly that Satan and the fallen angels, his associates 



and servants, are not engaged in furnace stoking, it prepares 
us to note what the Scriptures have to say respecting 
them and their present occupation and their relationship 
to mankind and their future. We do well, too, 
to remember that we have no personal knowledge on 
this subject-that we are confined to the Scriptures for 
every whit of the information on this subject. 



"A COVERING CHERUB" 

Most distinctly do the Scriptures teach the personality 
of Satan and his malevolent character. Moreover, 
they show clearly that he is not another god who has existed 
from eternity, but a creature subject to Jehovah. 
Since the Scriptural declaration is that "God's work is 
perfect" (Deut. 32:4), it follows that He could not have 
created Satan in the condition in which he now is, an adversary 
to God and to righteousness. In harmony with 
this thought the Scriptures assure us that he was created 
an angel of a very high order-a cherub; that he was 
beautiful, high in authority and wise, but that he allowed 
ambition, pride, to enter into his heart and to seduce him 
from loyalty to his Creator. The time when his ambitious 
designs began to take shape undoubtedly was when he 
beheld our first parents in Eden and set about to capture 
them as his subjects. He is represented as saying in his 
heart, "I will ascend above the stars [be higher than the 
other angels-captain and leader]. I will be like the 
Most High" [similar to the Most High in the sense of 
being an independent ruler not subject to him].— Isa. 14:12-14; 
Ezek. 28:16. 

When Satan beheld our first parents possessed of 
the quality of procreation, the power of developing a 
race like themselves, he discerned that this was 
something that neither he nor the angels of the spirit 
plane possessed, and that by capturing the hearts of 

SM96 

the first human pair he could become the ruler of the 
world. The success of his deception need not be told. 
The disobedience of our first parents and the fulfilment 
upon them of the Divine sentence, "Dying thou shall die," 
has involved a race whose numbers now approximate 



probably twenty thousand millions, a groaning creation, 
suffering under the sentence of death through its effects 
upon their minds, their morals, their physical systems. 
Thus our Lord Jesus declares of Satan, "He was a 
murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth." 
(John 8:44.) He lied to our first parents, and through 
that deception he brought them under the Divine death 
sentence. Thus Satan is the murderer of the entire race. 

It is not necessary for us to determine that Satan's 
original lie was of full determination to misrepresent. 
He told our first parents that he would be their real 
friend and guide them to greater knowledge; that God, 
their Creator, was selfish and that the prohibition of the 
fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was a deliberate 
attempt on God's part to keep them from useful 
and profitable knowledge because He did not want them 
to so closely approximate His own wisdom. It is possible 
that as the human mind, getting out of accord with the 
Lord, might deceive itself, so Satan's mind, poisoned by 
pride and ambition, may have reached the false conclusion 
that God was really working against the best interests 
of our first parents and their race. It matters not 
which view we take, in either event Satan was a liar and 
deceiver and thereby was our murderer, as our Lord 
pointed out. 



"THE ANGELS THAT SINNED" 

Satan risked everything when he took the course that 
he did, which not only alienated him from God as an adversary, 
but separated him also from all who were loyal 
to the Creator. Thenceforth his entire time and energy 
were devoted to the building up of the human empire 
which he had designed. He had no authority from God 

SM97 

to rule mankind; but by involving humanity in sin, by 
alienating them from their Creator, he was able more 
and more to gain control; for no sentence of death had 
been passed upon him and no impairment of his personal 
powers and vitality had been experienced. Mankind, on 
the contrary, under the death sentence, rapidly lost mental, 
moral and physical ability to cope with him. 



During the 1656 years from Adam's creation to the 
Flood, a certain amount of intercourse was permitted between 
humanity and the angels. God's design in permitting 
this was to teach a great lesson, and to test the loyalty 
of the angels. The lesson taught was that sin is 
very contaminating. So far from the intercourse between 
angels and men tending to uplift mankind, the 
course was downward. The influence of evil taking hold 
upon many of the angels, of whom the Scriptures say 
that they left their own habitation—that is to say, permitted 
to materialize and to associate with mankind- 
some of them through lustful temptation preferred the 
human plane, thus sinning and transgressing the Divine 
arrangement of their angelic nature. 

The account in Genesis very briefly tells us that these 
angelic sons of God, beholding the fair daughters of men, 
were enamored of them and took them for wives, with 
the result that a new race began to spring up in the 
world— "giants," "men of renown." The lesson having 
been taught and the angels having been tested as to 
their loyalty to God, that dispensation ended, the Flood 
of Noah's day wiping out the hybrid race and all of the 
human family except Noah and his family. Of Noah we 
read that "he was perfect in his generation." (Gen. 6:9.) 
He and his family were of pure Adamic stock, not 
contaminated. 

It was at this time, according to St. Peter (2 Peter 2:4) 
and St. Jude (6), that God placed a ban upon the 
disloyal angels, consigning them to Tartarus, the atmosphere 
of this earth, mistranslated hell in our common 

SM98 

version. The Divine sentence against these angels which 
kept not their first estate was not, however, a death 
sentence, as in the case of man; it was that they should 
"be confined in chains of darkness until the judgment of 
the great Day." Thus the Apostle indicates that in due 
time there is to be a future judgment or decision rendered 
of God respecting those angels-in connection with the 
inauguration of the Millennial Day, the seventh thousand-year 
epoch of man's history. Meantime, isolated from 
fellowship with God and the holy angels and hindered 
from materializing and thus having no intercourse with 
mankind as previously, these fallen angels-called in the 



Scriptures demons (mistranslated devils)--have undoubtedly 
had an unhappy time of it for now more than four 
thousand years. Satan is spoken of as their prince or 
leader, though nowhere are they mentioned as being of 
as high rank or order as is he, nor as responsible as is he. 

It is fair to suppose that some of these fallen angels 
are of repentant mind and sorry for their sins, and that 
they no longer strive against the Divine regulations. 
Hence they have special opposition from Satan and the 
others. The Apostle distinctly shows us that the death 
and resurrection of our Lord Jesus became a great sermon 
to these fallen angels, instructing them respecting 
the love and compassion of God for His human creatures 
and of His Power even to raise the dead and His willingness 
to reward our Lord Jesus with high exaltation 
because of obedience. This lesson respecting the true 
Divine character became to some of these fallen angels 
a lesson of hope, and gave them room to anticipate that 
if they would turn from sin and manifest their loyalty 
to God He might in their judgment day grant the blessing 
of forgiveness. The Apostle Peter speaks of these in 
his Epistle, saying that Christ preached to the spirits 
in prison who once were disobedient in the days of Noah, 
while the ark was preparing. (1 Peter 3:19,20.) The 
sermon was not one of audible words but a pantomime 

SM99 

discourse. As we sometimes say, "Actions speak louder 
than words." So the facts in our Lord's case—His death 
as a sacrifice and His resurrection by Divine Power on 
the third day-constituted a great lesson, a great sermon 
for those who hitherto had been without much foundation 
for hope of deliverance. 



"DOCTRINES OF DEMONS" 

However, without knowing the proportions of those 
favorably inclined, we do know of the fact that there 
are legions of these fallen angels who, under the leadership 
of Satan, are the direct enemies of the human race, 
tempting, misleading, deceiving, putting light for darkness 
and darkness for light. Seemingly they enter fully 
into Satan's spirit and work as his associates. Not permitted 



to materialize in the past they have sought intercourse 
with mankind, have preyed upon humanity. 
Realizing that they would be dreaded if their real 
character was recognized they have personated the human 
dead, thus helping to further and corroborate Satan's 
original falsehood-- "Ye shall not surely die." 

By various delusions humanity has been taught that 
its members, instead of dying when they appear to die, 
really become more alive than ever. This view was 
successfully propagated amongst the heathen nations. 
But to the Israelites God gave special instructions, that 
the dead were dead, that they must not be worshipped 
or prayed to; and the Israelites were commanded not 
to allow a witch or wizard or necromancer to live 
in their midst. They were told that their dead were really 
dead, and that the hope for their living again lay in the 
resurrection, which the promised Messiah would accomplish. 
They were distinctly told that the "dead know not 
anything," that their sons come to honor and they know 
it not, they come to dishonor and they perceive it not 
of them. (Eccl. 9:5; Job 14:21.) They were told to do 
with their might what their hands found to do, because 
there is neither wisdom nor knowledge nor device in 

SMI 00 

Sheol, the grave, the state of death. Hades. —Eccl. 9:10. 

JESUS CAST OUT DEMONS 

Notwithstanding the protection of the Lord's Word, 
the fallen angels, demons, succeeded in gaining 
considerable influence over the Israelites, so that in our Lord's 
time that form of insanity which results from obsession— 
from these evil spirits getting possession of the mind, 
the brain—was common. Many of our Lord's miracles 
and those of His disciples consisted in the casting out 
of such demons, in one instance a legion possessing one 
poor man and making him crazy. The teachings of our 
Lord and the Apostles in the New Testament respecting 
the dead are in full harmony with those of the Jewish 
Ages in the Old Testament. Our Lord tells us that at His 
Second Coming all that are in their graves shall hear 
His voice and shall come forth. The approved of God 



will come forth perfect by a life resurrection; but the 
disapproved will come forth imperfect, that they may 
have a resurrection by judgments, chastenings and stripes 
for assisting them up, up, up to full perfection if they 
will. There is no intimation here that the dead are alive, 
but that they are in their graves, that they are dead. 
Similarly when our Lord awakened Lazarus He told the 
sisters first that in Him were the resurrection and the 
life power; and He did not call Lazarus from Heaven or 
from Purgatory or elsewhere, but merely from the tomb. 

It was our Lord Himself who declared that no man 
has ascended into Heaven. (John 3:13.) It was the 
Apostle Peter who when pointing out our Lord's 
resurrection and how it had been foretold by the Prophet 
David saying, "Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell [Sheol, 
Hades, the grave]," incidentally mentioned that "David 
had not ascended to the heavens" but was still in his 
sepulchre. (Acts 2:34.) It was the Apostle Paul who 
declared that if there be no resurrection of the dead all 
mankind are perished—even those who have fallen asleep 
in Christ. (1 Cor. 15:17,18.) Thus the united voice of 

SMIOI 

the Scriptures is in harmony with the facts as we see 
them, that God's sentence upon our race was a death 
sentence, which has affected all, and that the hope is that 
as a result of our dear Redeemer's Sacrifice there shall 
yet be a resurrection both of the just and of the unjust. 
A resurrection of the dead implies that they are dead, 
and not alive. —Acts 24:15. 

Satan and the demons have worked against this truth 
of the Scriptures, deceiving mankind and thus fostering 
doctrines of Purgatory and of masses for the dead, in 
this way leading us to blaspheme God's holy name by 
believing that the dead are in torment somewhere, and 
thus blinding the minds and hearts of the vast majority, 
even in civilized lands. Even the civilized fear God, and 
because of the misrepresentations cannot love him. Thus 
has the work of Satan and his demon hosts progressed; 
and the wonder is that demonism has not accomplished 
more than even the dreadful things that we perceive. 
It has fostered sin of every kind; and of the immense 
numbers in insane asylums it is not unreasonable to 
believe that fully half are there because of obsession by 



evil spirits, the other half suffering from softening or 
decay of the brain and physical derangements which 
affect the mind. 



A REIGN OF SIN AND DEATH 

Looking over the heathen world and noting their 
benighted condition of mind—the belief of some of them 
in numerous hells, the belief of others in the transmigration 
of souls, etc. —and then looking over Christendom 
with its multitudinous errors, indicating the effort of 
mankind to get free from the ignorance and superstition 
of the Dark Ages, we may well be appalled. What a 
power Satan has exercised! How weak man has been 
in his hands ! Only in proportion as the Word and Spirit 
of God have given enlightenment and strength has a 
measure of freedom from the Adversary's toils been 
acquired. The Apostle reminds us of our Adversary's 

SMI 02 

cunning, saying, "We are not ignorant of his devices" 
and of his cunningly devised fables. (2 Cor. 2:11.) He 
declares Satan to be the god or ruler of this world by 
virtue of the deception which he has accomplished in the 
blinding of the minds of men as respects the light of 
truth. He assures us that as Christians we are not merely 
contending with flesh and blood, with human beings, but 
that beyond the adversaries of the true Church are the 
wisdom and cunning of the Adversary himself and his 
many agents. He says we wrestle not with flesh and 
blood, but with wicked spirits in high positions. ~ 
Eph. 6:12; 2 Cor. 4:4. 

Ever since the Lord began to lift the veil of ignorance 
and to grant enlightenment, bringing forth the invention 
of printing and later steam and electricity, our Adversary 
has been kept more busy than formerly. As he is the 
Prince of Darkness and all of his work of deception upon 
the human family is favored by ignorance, by darkness 
and benighted conditions, so everything that has tended 
to lift the pall of the Dark Ages has tended to liberate 
mankind from the snares of Satan's ignorance, superstition 
and deception. We may well believe then that 
our Adversary is extremely active and increasingly so in 



civilized lands and that even amongst the heathen he is 
necessarily more active, more vigilant. 



"BINDING THE STRONG MAN" 

In one of His parables our Lord represents Satan as 
being the householder at the present time; that the whole 
world is his household, or dominion, over which he has 
control. This is a similar picture to that used by 
the Apostle when he describes Satan as the prince of this 
world, and the god or ruler of this world. Our Lord, 
referring to His Second Coming and the gathering of the 
Church and the breaking up of present institutions in 
the end of this Age, says that if the householder (Satan) 
knew in what hour the thief would come he would be on 
the alert and take means to prevent the despoiling of his 

SM103 

household and goods. Hence many things connected with 
the Second Coming of our Lord have been kept secret 
until the due time of their fulfilment. 

Our Lord, however, does show that at the time appointed 
of the Father He will come and will first of all 
bind the strong man, Satan, and then He will spoil his 
goods, overthrow his arrangements and institutions that 
are in so many respects deceptive, so that in the overturning 
our Lord, as the new King, the Prince of Light, 
may bring to all the slaves of sin, superstition and 
darkness the light and the blessings so long foretold in the 
Word of God and hoped for and prayed for by all the 
saints~"Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth 
as it is done in Heaven. "--Matt. 6:10. 

It is our opinion, dear friends, that we are living in 
this particular juncture at the present time; that the 
Prince of Light has already begun the work of binding 
the Prince of Darkness. We are not to expect that Satan 
will meekly submit. Instead, we should understand that 
while this name Satan applies to our personal Adversary, 
the Devil, it covers in a general sense all the influences 
for evil and unrighteousness in the world, however 
ignorant some of his dupes. Hence when we read of the 
binding of Satan, that old Serpent, the Devil, we should 
have in mind properly all the evil influences, all the sinful 



tendencies, all the injustices and untruths whereby mankind 
have been enslaved for centuries. 

Whatever sets free the light of Truth incidentally 
binds in similar proportions the darkness. Hence we 
might say that to some extent this loosing of the light and 
binding of the darkness has been in process for three 
centuries, but only in our day is the matter reaching a 
climax. That climax has not yet been reached by any 
means, but we believe will be attained in a very few years. 
The whole world is waking up to the evils which have 
oppressed it. As, for instance, opposition to intoxication 
is spreading not only in this land but abroad. A wave 

SMI 04 

of opposition to all injustice is also spreading, favoring 
the interests of all the people as in opposition to those 
of the few disposed to exploit the many for their own 
personal advantage. 

In Russia, for instance, one of the darkest of the 
so-called civilized lands, a Jubilee Trumpet is heard, and 
the masses are awakening and grasping for their human 
rights and liberties. We do not mean to say that all 
that is said in favor of total abstinence is true, that all 
that is said and done in favor of the people and against 
wealthy magnates, aristocrats, bureaucrats is true. We 
do not mean to dispute that many liberties are sought 
and desired to be grasped for which many people are not 
yet prepared. But we call attention to these things as 
indicating that the power of darkness is losing its hold, 
its shackles are breaking from the human minds. We do 
not say that this means eventually what the Scriptures 
describe as a Time of Trouble such as never was since 
there was a nation. (Dan. 12:1.) We do say that the 
strong man, the Adversary, and his numerous allies 
entrenched in power and privilege, will hold on like grim 
death; and that this will mean much suffering to all concerned. 
Thankful we are, too, that we can see beyond 
that awful time of anarchy which the Scriptures so 
clearly outline, the Golden Age, the Millennial Kingdom, 
the Reign of righteousness, peace and love--the blessing 
of all the families of the earth. 

Not only might we expect that the Adversary and his 
various agents would be exceedingly active in this present 
time, but the Scriptures particularly admonish us that 



this will be the case; and that the Lord, who could crush 
the Adversary otherwise, will permit his activity for a 
special purpose, partly for the testing and sifting of the 
Church for the selection of the Very Elect, and partly 
for lessons of discipline to the world in general. As, for 
instance, the Apostle, speaking of the present time, says, 
"God will send them strong delusions that they may 

SMI 05 

believe a lie: that they all might be condemned who 
believed not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness 
[untruth]."-2Thess.2:ll. 

As we near this time we realize that no one is secure 
from the Adversary's power, from the influence of the 
demons, except as he is on the Lord's side, consecrated 
to Him and under His promised protection. We realize 
that His protection will be in large measure through the 
impartation of knowledge, light, which will guard from 
the darkness. Thus those who know that the dead are 
dead and will remain dead until the resurrection, and 
who know that those who represent the dead through 
spirit mediums, etc., are the demons—these are specially 
protected by their knowledge from many of the deceptions 
which are ensnaring thousands and which ultimately 
will cause thousands to fall into hurtful errors. Moreover, 
the Scriptural intimation is that in some manner 
in this present time the Lord will permit the fallen angels 
to find a manner by which they may circumvent and avoid 
His prohibition to materialization. So, then, we may 
expect that materializations will occur on the part of 
many of these demons, and that these will be an active 
agency, a pernicious influence. It is consoling to know 
that the Lord guarantees that in the end of the struggle 
Satan will be fully bound, shut up, sealed, that he can 
deceive the nations no more-- 



"UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS ARE FINISHED" 

The blessedness of the Millennial Day, so graphically 
portrayed through the prophecies and the New Testament, 
could not be imagined except as we grasp the 
thought that Satan, the deceiver, will be restrained, 
will not be permitted further to deceive humanity. Instead 



the glorious light of the Millennial Day, the Sun of Righteousness, 

Christ and His elect Church in glory, will shine 

forth for the scattering of all darkness and superstition, 

and that the light of Divine Truth will illuminate the 

whole world and cause the knowledge of the Lord to 

SMI 06 

fill the earth as the waters cover the sea.~Isa. 11:9. 

How blessed! How glorious! Shall not we who have 
been called to this High Calling of joint-heirship with 
Christ as His elect Church, His Bride, His joint-heirs in 
the Kingdom- -shall not we rightly value the things of 
darkness and the things of light and cast all of the weight 
of our influence and time on the Lord's side, the side of 
the Truth? May we not thus to some extent be used of 
the Lord in the shining forth of the light which will bind 
the Adversary, restrain the evil? Let us, as the Apostle 
suggests, lay aside every weight and every besetting sin 
and run with patience the race for this prize of our High 
Calling in Christ Jesus. ~Heb. 12:1. 

The clear declaration of the Scriptures is that at the 
close of the Millennial Age the Lord will permit a brief 
period of liberty to Satan for the purpose of testing those 
who will have received knowledge and uplift to perfection 
throughout the Millennial Age, to the intent that none of 
the human family or others shall go beyond that time or 
have eternal life except as they shall be in heart obedience 
to the Lord and His righteous requirements. The 
verses following our text tell not only of the First Resurrection 
of the Church and of their reign with Christ for the thousand 
years, but also tell us how the world during the 
thousand years may come up to perfection of life and live 
in the true sense of the word at the close of the Millennium. 
Then will come the testing time already referred 
to, and such as will be found disloyal to the Lord will be 
counted as the messengers and co-laborers with Satan 
and with him will be destroyed in the lake of fire, which 
is the Second Death—utter destruction. 

Haste ye along, ages of glory; 

Haste the glad time when Christ appears. 
Oh, that I may be one found worthy 

To reign with Him a thousand years ! 



SMI 07 



A COVENANT WITH DEATH 

"Ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, 
and with hell [Sheol, the grave] we are at agreement.... 
Your covenant with death shall be disannulled and your 
agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overflowing 
scourge shall pass through, then shall ye be trodden 
^ow« Z?}; /r. "-Isa. 28:15-18. 

The Prophet, in the language of our text and its 
context, gives us the Divine foreview of present-day conditions 
and their results. In the preceding verses he has 
pictured symbolically a description of intoxication with 
false doctrines to such an extent that the teachers of 
Christendom are represented as being all out of the way, 
confused, confounded, and disposed to vomit forth the 
various creeds and theories of the Dark Ages which have 
produced this intoxication. This is in full accord with 
the declaration of Revelation that all nations would be 
made drunk with the doctrinal wine from the cup of the 
woman who sat upon the beast. (Rev. 17:4.) The fulfilment 
of the prophecy is with us. Confusion prevails 
amongst religious teachers of every denomination. They 
loathe their doctrines, and fear to discuss them, as well 
they may; for although their doctrines contain some 
elements of truth, yet the mixtures as a whole are an 
abomination to reason, to justice, to love, and in violent 
opposition to the proper understanding of God's Word. 

As if looking about amongst the people of our day, the 
Lord inquires through the Prophet, "Whom shall God 
teach knowledge? Whom shall He make to understand 
doctrine?" The answer is given, "Them that are weaned 
from the milk and drawn from the breasts." In a word 
the difficulty with Christendom today is that a large proportion 
are not and never were Christians in the real 

SM108 

sense of that term, are not and never were believers in 
Jesus as the Redeemer of the world, through whom alone 
is forgiveness for sin, are not and never were consecrated 
followers of Him, earnestly desiring to know and to do 



the will of the Father--Isa. 28:9. 

And even amongst these comparatively few who are 
true Christians through faith and consecration, few have 
gone beyond the infantile stage of development. As the 
Apostle says, "For when for the time ye should be 
teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be 
the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become 
such as have need of milk, and of strong meat." (Heb. 5:12-14.) 
The Lord points out (v. 9) that none may 
expect to understand His doctrine, the Truth, except 
those who will progress from the position of babes in 
Christ, that they may become strong men in Him; and 
that the course of procedure to attain this development 
is a feeding upon the Truth of the Divine Revelation. 
Let us, dear friends, be of this class who will not be 
satisfied with babyhood in Christ, but who will go on to 
perfection and to a realization of the privileges that are 
ours, both in the present life and in that which is to come. 



STAMMERING LIPS AND FOREIGN TONGUES 

The Lord proceeds to show how and why the Divine 
Revelation has been given in its present disconnected and 
broken form in the Scriptures. He informs us that He 
has a two-fold purpose in this: first, that His true people 
may the more particularly learn to depend upon Him and 
be strengthened through their search for the Truth, here 
a little and there a little, line upon line and precept upon 
precept, with stammering lips and in a foreign language, 
instead of plain statements in our native tongue. These 
conditions are really helpful to those who are of the right 
attitude of heart in that they learn lessons which otherwise 
might escape them. And in the end the harmony 
of the fragments of Truth from Genesis to Revelation, 

SMI 09 

often disconnectedly stated, becomes a demonstration 
and power to those who come to see their 
relationship, harmony and beauty. To such they have 
perhaps a greater strength, which would not come 
through a more plain and direct statement. The Lord 
tells us that this arrangement which He had made is 
quite sufficient to cause all the weary to rest and to be 



refreshed. And all of the proper class, all of the Lord's 
"little flock," we may be sure, will rest in these promises 
and will be refreshed by them. 

Secondly, the matter was stated in this fragmentary 
form, so that all others than the Israelites indeed 
(John 1:47) might be confused, might fall away, might be 
stumbled, broken, ensnared, entrapped, just as the Lord 
says here in Verse 13. The Word of God contains a 
bountiful provision of milk of the Truth and of strong 
meat of the Truth, covering every knowledge necessary 
to the man of God that he may be thoroughly furnished 
unto every good word and work.~2 Tim. 3:16,17. 

But these things are not intended for all. As our Lord 
declared to the disciples, "Blessed are your eyes, for they 
see, and your ears, for they hear" (Matt. 13:16); and 
again, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the 
Kingdom of God; but to others [outsiders] in parables; 
that seeing, they might not see, and hearing, they might 
not understand." (Luke 8:10.) But to outsiders, to all 
not Israelites indeed, the precept upon precept, line upon 
line, here a little and there a little, served not for their 
upbuilding, but for their ensnarement with error, that 
they "might go and fall backward and be snared and 
taken." (v. 13.) Thank God, this breaking and snaring 
do not mean that they will be turned over to eternal torment 
at the hands of demons ! No ! It refers merely to 
the present life, and indicates how those who profess 
Christianity, but have not the spirit of it, will in this 
Harvest time, the end of this Age, become ensnared in 
errors which will both separate them from the Truth 

SMllO 

and the Israelites indeed, and cause them great perplexity 
in the Time of Trouble now begun. 



THE DEAD MORE ALIVE 

The secret of the deflection and stumbling which is 
now due and already considerably begun, lies in the false 
teaching respecting the death penalty that rests upon 
our race. A wrong view of this subject has done incalculable 
injury, while the pendulum swung to one extreme 
and then to the other, passing the central truth and 



scorning it. Satan, the father of lies, has been at the 
back of the systematic delusions respecting death which 
have troubled humanity in all ages and in all climes. This 
first step in the delusion was to contradict the Almighty 
by telling Mother Eve in Eden that there is no death, 
and that God's declaration that a death penalty would 
come upon Adam and herself if they should eat of the 
forbidden fruit, was a falsehood. Satan declared, "Ye 
shall not surely die," whereas God had already instructed 
them that disobedience would bring upon them death— 
"Dying thou shall die." Subsequently, when the dying 
process had set in and the race was becoming weaker and 
shorter-lived, the Adversary, pursuing the line of his 
original lie declared to humanity that when they seem 
to die they do not really do so, but become more alive 
than when they were alive. Strange to say humanity of 
every grade and language has accepted Satan's deceptive 
statement, and thus the old Serpent, the Devil, Satan has 
deceived practically all who dwell upon the earth. 

The next step in the delusion was to tell humanity 
that not only are the dead more alive than they were 
before they died, but that the vast majority of them are 
in torture. At first it seemed to the Adversary that there 
was danger of making this doctrine of devils too strong 
for the human mind to receive; and hence not only with 
the heathen did he make a succession of heavens and of 
hells, with opportunity for passing from one to the other, 

SMlll 

but also amongst Christians he first introduced the subject 
of future punishment by a purgatorial place of 
torment, in which practically all of the human family 
would suffer untellable torture according to the will of 
God; teaching that since only a mere handful were so 
saintly, so finished, so ripe for eternal life in glory as to 
be permitted to go to Heaven, all the rest must necessarily 
get their chiseling and polishing and preparation for 
Heaven in the flames of Purgatory. Upon this erroneous 
doctrine, that the dead are alive, the doctrine of Purgatory 
is built, and upon the doctrine of Purgatory rises as 
a superstructure the doctrine of masses for the dead, of 
prayers for the dead, etc. 

Later on the Protestant arose, rebelling against the 
doctrines of Purgatory and protesting in general against 



the theories and claims and works of Papacy. Then a 
change became necessary to suit the new conditions, and 
we can almost fancy with what a smile of sarcasm the 
Adversary concluded that he would try upon boastful, 
intelligent Protestantism the sternest doctrines, which he 
had previously feared to present even to the heathen 
mind. To these he declared that they are quite right 
in supposing that only the finished saints will attain the 
glory and that there is no Purgatory, but assured them 
that all the remainder of the race, except the little handful 
fit for Heaven, are destined to an eternity of misery 
without hope of ever escaping therefrom, in a place called 
hell, the location of which he did not think it necessary 
even to lie about. 

It must have been to Satan's surprise that intelligent 
people should accept this, the grossest form of his great 
deception; that they would so far lose their balance of 
mind as to suppose that a God of Justice, Wisdom, Love 
and Power would have created a race of thousands of 
millions, had He nothing better in store for the innumerable 
mass than an eternity of suffering; and that the 
joy of the handful of the Elect who would reach the 

SM112 

Heavenly glory would be no just compensation for the 
suffering of the multitudes of their kith and kin. Surely 
surprised at the success of his most extreme venture, the 
Adversary next so twisted certain texts of Scripture to 
the minds of some of these Protestants that they believed 
and taught that the Almighty Creator had created hell 
before He created mankind; and that He had predestinated 
that merely a handful should go to glory and that 
the great mass should go to eternal misery, predestinated 
this before Adam's creation. It is no wonder that under 
these circumstances death and the grave have such terrors 
that many noble Christians on their death beds are in 
agony to know whether or not they are of the Elect and 
whether or not their loved ones were of the same class. 



AN AGREEMENT WITH THE GRAVE 

In the long ago people attended funeral services 
largely with the view to hear what hope the minister 



would hold out in respect to the deceased; and many 
were the anxious inquiries as to whether or not the 
deceased had given any manifestation of the peace of 
God in his heart during his dying moments. But all this 
is changed. It has become the custom, within the last 
forty years, for ministers to comfort all the friends of 
the deceased, and indirectly if not directly imply that 
he is much better off in the spirit-land. It is often indeed 
stated that he is present; and that if he could speak he 
would say, "Weep not for me, but for yourselves. I am 
far better off." What means this change, except as explained 
by our text? The pendulum has swung to the opposite 
side. Rationality has in some degree asserted itself 
and declared monstrous and unreasonable many of the 
doctrines presented in the Protestant creeds. 

The doctrine that the Lord predestinated that 999,999 
out of every million of the race should go to eternal torment, 
and that one alone should go to glory, is now 
properly considered too horrible for acceptance by any 
rational mind. The doctrine is quietly buried; and without 

SM113 

a qualm or quiver the very reverse is taught by 
implication; namely, that nearly everybody is going to 
Heaven, regardless of what kind of life he or she may 
have lived in the present time. Do not the flowers on 
the coffin imply this? Do not the presence of the 
minister, the singing of the hymns, the discourse and the 
prayer all teach it? Is it ever known that any except 
occasionally a murderer is otherwise treated amongst 
Protestants? The gates of eternal torment are considered 
closed and the gates of heaven flung wide open. From the 
one extreme the Adversary has led them to the opposite 
extreme. But both positions are thoroughly untenable, 
not even so reasonable as the Roman Catholic purgatorial 
one, which also is quite unscriptural, as we shall see. 

The views of Protestants, the most intelligent people 
on earth on other subjects, are the most incongruous, 
unjust, unreasonable that well could be imagined. Instead 
of the old theory that all the heathen and nearly all of 
the civilized pass directly at death to eternal torment 
irrevocably, they now tell us that comparatively few of 
even the most vicious and villainous of our race go there; 
that all the remainder go to Heaven. What must be their 



conceptions of Heaven? Surely not that glorious presentation 
which the Scriptures give us of a place in 
which God's will is absolutely done! How could the 
heathen, the idiotic, the insane, the undeveloped in mind 
and morals, the unprincipled masses of mankind—how 
could they do God's will in Heaven? How could 
they be fit companions of the saints or of the angels? 
And if they are there for schooling in a kind of 
probationary school, then who shall say that to go to 
Heaven means an eternity of bliss and happiness, and 
who may know what to expect for himself or anyone 
else? Is it not a fact that Protestants, repudiating the 
Purgatory of Roman Catholics as an antechamber to hell, 
have made a purgatory in Heaven as an anteroom to 
eternal bliss? And is it not true that neither the Catholic 

SM114 

nor the Protestant view of Purgatory finds any ground 
whatever in the Scripture? 

In harmony with what we have just seen of this great 
change of Protestant teaching, which lands practically 
everybody in Heaven at death, is the statement contained 
in our text. With death they are at agreement. They 
tell us that it is an angel sent to bear us to the Lord. The 
office of the minister is to instruct the people that they 
need not sorrow for their dead, but must rejoicingly 
think of death as being the work of the Lord; that they 
must rejoice therein so far as they are able and consider 
that their friends are better off; and that they should 
seek to join them, and be glad when their death comes. 



A CAUSE FOR SUICIDES 

This false doctrine, this agreement with death, this 
teaching that the dead are so much happier and better 
off and more alive than before they died, this bestrewing 
the casket with flowers, this weeping tears of sympathy 
and joy on their behalf, is inducing the great tide of suicide 
which is spreading over the whole world and which, 
as statistics show us, is rapidly increasing year by year. 

From press reports we have every reason to think 
that the poor deluded creatures came under this worse 
form of Satan's delusion, which has held Protestantism; 



and that they all expected to better their condition by 
death. Therefore they hastened to end their unhappy 
lives. 

Notice that one extreme error generally and naturally 
leads to its opposite, and hence that the false doctrines 
respecting eternal torment have worked a double injury: 
(1) By representing God as the very devil of devils and 
the worst foe that humanity ever had; and (2) by now 
misrepresenting Him reversely as being pleased to take 
to Heaven and Himself all sorts and conditions of 
humanity in all their various gradations of mental, moral 
and physical degeneracy and obliquity. Before examining 
the truth respecting this subject, let us point out 

SM115 

that the vicious character ascribed to God by our forefathers 
was not only a blasphemy against the true God 
and His true character of Justice, of Love and Wisdom 
and Power, but also a great injury to the minds of men; 
for rarely can a man's mind rise higher than, superior to, 
his own conception of a god. Because our forefathers 
believed that God had made great preparation for the 
eternal torment of the race, they thought it proper to 
copy Him and to begin the tormenting in the present life. 
Indeed they tell us that they were striving to copy God 
and to prevent heresies which would carry others to an 
eternity of torture. As that picture of God was unsatisfactory, 
so the more modern picture is equally reprehensible 
and unsatisfactory--a God without principle, 
without justice, without character Himself, who does not 
insist upon having character development in those whom 
He would bless. 



TRUTH ABOUT DEATH AND THE GRAVE 

The Scriptures nowhere represent death as a friend, 
but as an enemy. Thus it was death that our first 
parents were threatened if they were disobedient; and 
this was the sentence which God pronounced against them 
when He had them cast out of Eden. Not a word in the 
record refers to a place of eternal torment after death; 
but the Scriptures everywhere declare that all mankind 
go into this death and that the dead know not anything. 



(Eccl. 9:5.) "There is neither wisdom nor knowledge 
nor device in the grave" —in the state of death, sheol, 
"whither all go." (Eccl. 9:10.) In harmony with this the 
New Testament also declares that a redemption from 
death was necessary; that Christ died for man's sin in 
order that the claim of justice against the race might be 
satisfied; and that thus a resurrection of the dead be 
made possible. The Scriptures consistently tell us that 
the resurrection of the dead is the real hope, and assure 
us that if the dead rise not, all our faith and hope and 
teaching are vain.--l Cor. 15:13,14. 

SM116 

The Scriptures assure us that except Christ had died 
for mankind, had given His life as the offset or Ransom-price 
for the life of Father Adam, man's death condition 
would have been as hopeless as that of the brute. They 
assure us that God's mercy was afterwards manifest in 
sending His Son to die, the Just for the unjust, to bring 
us back into harmony with God and to the eternal life 
which God is pleased to give to all His intelligent creatures 
in harmony with Him. They tell us that the time 
for this resurrection of the dead is fixed in the Divine 
purpose; and they call it the New Day, the Day of Christ, 
the Millennial Day of a thousand years. They assure 
us that during this epoch Immanuel shall reign, Satan 
shall be bound, the powers of darkness shall be overthrown, 
and the whole world shall be flooded with the 
light of the knowledge of God and His goodness and His 
truth. Christ and His elect "little flock" are pictured 
as this Sun of Righteousness, which shall heal the world's 
troubles and chase away all of its shadows and darkness. 

This is the good hope of the Gospel of Christ. It 
does not compromise with death and the grave. It plainly 
states that death is an enemy, and that the "grave is 
cruel." But it assures us that the Lord has laid help 
upon One who is mighty to deliver us from the power of 
death and of the tomb. (Cant. 8:6; Psa. 89:19.) Of our 
Lord it is written, "He shall reign [in His Millennial 
Kingdom] until He shall have put all enemies under His 
feet [in full subjugation]. The last enemy to be destroyed 
is death."-l Cor. 15:25,26. 

So, then, dear friends, we have no Gospel to preach 
that is in common with that which is preached today. 



We cannot tell you that the dead are more alive than 
when they were alive. We must tell you the message of 
God's Word—that the whole race is dying; and that this 
condition was caused by original sin and the original 
sentence upon Adam. We must tell you, however, that 
the glorious hope of a resurrection of the dead is true. 

SM117 

We must tell you that the words and conduct of humanity 
now will have their bearing or influence upon their future, 
whether they be of the few called during this Gospel Age 
to be of the Heavenly class of the Elect, or whether they 
belong to the masses of mankind. There is no injustice 
with God. He will neither over-punish nor under-punish. 
A "just recompence of reward" is what the Apostle 
specifies and what appeals to our judgments. --Heb. 2:2. 

In proportion as much light or little has been given, 
much or little will be required in the resurrection. Hence 
it is to the advantage of every one to have in mind God's 
provision of a future life, and to reflect that his present 
course in the use of light, knowledge and opportunity 
has a very practical bearing upon his future welfare, and 
is helping him either upward or downward as respects 
character, and that no one will reach the place of life 
eternal and full perfection as he shall under the Lord's 
guidance be developed in heart and ultimately changed 
by resurrection power to the likeness of God. 



"THE OVERFLOWING SCOURGE" 

The Apostle points us to the great Time of Trouble 
with which this Age shall end and with which the New 
Era of the Millennial Kingdom shall be introduced. 
Everywhere throughout the Scriptures this is specially 
indicated as a time of very severe trial, not only to the 
world, but to the Church. Who shall be able to stand, 
queries the Prophet and also the Lord, the hour of temptation 
which shall come upon the whole world to try all 
them that dwell upon the face of the whole earth? (Rev. 6:17; 
3:10.) This epoch of trouble the Prophet in our 
context declares shall take hold upon and cause tribulation 
to all those who have made a covenant with 
death and an agreement with the grave, and in so doing 



are doing violence to their own reason as well as to the 
Word of God. And this he declares will continue until 
they learn doctrine, until they shall understand and 
accept the truth of the matter that the dead are dead; 

SM118 

and that the only hope of consciousness and life is by 
resurrection through the power of the Redeemer. 

We believe that one of the most serious aspects of this 
overwhelming scourge will be the power of the evil 
spirits, the fallen angels. For six thousand years having 
operated with their prince, Satan, in deceiving humanity 
and perpetuating his lie in various ways throughout the 
past through witches, wizards and necromancers as well 
as by obsession and mediumship, these angels have confirmed 
Satan's lie that a dead man is more alive than 
when he was alive. They have personated the dead, have 
answered for them, and in every way sought to deceive 
and delude humanity and to contradict the Divine sentence, 
"The wages of sin is death. "--Rom. 6:23. 

These demons have been restrained from the liberty 
of materializing and appearing as men for more than 
4,000 years, by Divine decree; as the Apostle says, 
"Restrained in chains of darkness until the judgment of 
the great Day." (Jude 6.) Now, however, through 
spirit-mediums, who are as deceived as the remainder of 
mankind and know not that they are mediums of the 
fallen angels, the demons are telling that shortly they 
will have power to materialize, as of old. There are 
reasons, too, for thinking that when they do regain this 
power many of them again will use it in an immoral 
manner, as they did before the Flood, as recorded in 
Genesis 6:1-5. Of that time we read that these angels, 
sons of God, materialized, and "saw the daughters of 
men that they were fair and took them wives of all that 
they chose." As a result of this illicit intercourse 
children were born that became giants on the earth, men 
of renown; and on this account the Flood came and swept 
away all these. The Lord made sure that none of the 
mongrel race should escape that destruction; and in 
harmony with this fact we read of Noah and his family 
that "he was perfect in his generation" -that there was 
no admixture of this angelic stock in him and his. 
SM119 



If now it be true, as several Scriptures seem to indicate, 
that these will regain a considerable measure of their 
former liberties, it will indeed mean an overflowing 
scourge upon humanity. But alas, how poorly are mankind 
prepared for that scourge! Speaking of that time 
the Apostle says that the Lord will permit strong delusion 
to come upon men; that He will allow them to believe 
a lie because they have no pleasure in the Truth. (2 Thess. 2:3.) 
As an illustration of how the lie may operate to 
generate confusion we note the fact that a Methodist 
sister of good reputation and doubtless of honest intentions 
has reported that a child has been born to her after 
the same manner that Jesus was born, without an earthly 
husband, and that the spirit being who is the father of 
her child so presented the matter to her, and in support 
of the contention, even quoted Scripture "Thy Maker 
is thy husband." Another has reported that the father 
of her child is her dead husband, who appeared to her 
when she went to put flowers upon his grave. 

These are but two of several instances which have 
come to our attention, but they are suggestions to show 
what an overwhelming scourge may be before us through 
the neglect of the Truth on this subject that the dead 
are dead and through the general acceptance of Satan's 
lie that they are alive. If it be true, as the Scriptures 
seem to corroborate, that these fallen angels, demons, 
will obtain special liberties within a few months, it is 
high time that as many as have an ear to hear should 
be made aware of the difficulty and should be safeguarded 
with the Truth that all such manifestations are of the 
evil spirits and are merely deceptions as respects the 
dead, who cannot be resurrected until after the Gospel 
Church shall have been fully developed and glorified in 
the First Resurrection. 



SMI 20 



THE TRUE CHURCH 

"The Church of the First-borns, whose names are 
written in Heaven. "~Heb. 12:23. 

This subject should be approached prayerfully and 
honestly, that all who see that there was but one Church 
in the beginning, established by our Lord, may also 
see that there will be but the one Church in the end, the 
Church Triumphant in glory, "the Bride, the Lamb's 
Wife." For the same reason that there have been doctrines 
many amongst the followers of Jesus, there have 
been churches many, as representing those doctrines. 

We have found the true Gospel more or less scattered 
in all the various creeds, and none of them the pure and 
unadulterated Gospel; so we should be prepared to find 
that the one true Church of Christ for the past eighteen 
centuries has been scattered here and there amongst 
various denominations, and that not one of these denominations 
is the true Church. Not one of them can claim 
to contain all the "wheat" and none of the "tares." Not 
one of them can claim to contain all of the saints and no 
hypocrites. The time was when the various divisions of 
the Christian Church severally laid claim to being the one 
and only Church. But that time has passed, as far as 
the people and the majority of the clergy are concerned. 

"THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE" 

I shall not charge intentional wrong-doing on the part 
of any of the divisions of the Christian Church. On the 
contrary, I shall assume that the framers of the various 
creeds were sincere, honest men; and that the original 
followers of those creeds were sincere, and that a few 
today may be equally sincere. I shall assume, however, 
that the majority of Christians, ministers and laymen, 
realize that the sectarian fences are largely composed of 



SM121 

misconceptions of the Divine Word and Plan, and that 
the causes which originally led to Church divisions have 
considerably disappeared. If we can now recognize one 
true Gospel we may all reunite, in harmony with our Master's 
prayer, that "All may be one, as Thou, Father, and 
I are one."--Johii 17:21. 

I remind you again of the simplicity of this Gospel 
which recognizes the broad outlines of the Divine Plan 
and allows each individual to see as many of the finer 
lines of the same as his spiritual development will permit. 
On that broad basis of Christian union the early 
Christians were one and reprobated any division. St. 
Paul rebuked those who said, "I am of Paul; I am of 
Apollos; I am of Peter."(l Cor. 1:12.) As only Christ 
died for us all. He alone must be recognized as our Savior. 
As He is the Head of the Church and the only Head, He 
only must be recognized. As all ye are brethren, so the 
class distinction as between clergy and laity must be abrogated 
that we all may be one Church with one Lord, one 
Faith and one Baptism and one God and Father over all. 
-Ephesians 4:5. 



"BABYLON THE GREAT, MOTHER OF HARLOTS' 

How the divided Church, with clashing creeds, appears 
to the Almighty, He tells us, calling it Babylon— 
which signifies confusion. And who can deny the appropriateness 
of the name? In times past Catholics have 
applied this name to the Protestant sects, and the Protestants 
in turn have applied it to the Church of Rome. 
But when we come to examine the Scriptures on the subject 
they seem to include all—the Church of Rome being 
represented as the Mother Church and the various Protestant 
Churches as her daughters. The charge of harlotry 
which the Lord makes against mother and daughters 
must be acknowledged, although with some this harlotry 
is more pronounced than with others. 

Using the Jewish marriage ceremony as the basis of 
the figure, all Christians, as members of the true Church, 



SM122 

are declared to be "espoused to one husband, which is 

Christ." (2 Cor. 11:2.) Under the Jewish custom the 

espousal brought the woman under the same obligation 

of chastity as though the marriage had taken place. Thus 

the Church, by her vow to her Lord, is obligated to the 

full, although the marriage with the Heavenly Bridegroom 

will not take place until His Second Advent and 

the change of the espoused from earthly to Heavenly conditions; 

for "flesh and blood" cannot inherit the Kingdom 

of God." -Rev. 19:7; John 14:3; 1 Cor. 15:50. 

Spiritual harlotry is the condition in which the espoused 
of the Lord becomes affiliated with and joined to 
the world. Thus the Church of Rome became affiliated 
with or united to the civil government of Rome; and 
when the Roman Empire went to pieces, the Papal Church 
entered into covenant relationship with various divisions 
of the civil government; and some of these paramours she 
still has, while others have left her. France is gone, Portugal 
also, and Italy. Spain is moody; Austro-Hungary 
is her chief reliance at the present time. She is well 
treated in America, but not joined to the American Government. 
She is well entertained and given every liberty 
in Germany and by many in Great Britain, but these 
countries are not her paramours. 



"LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTERS" 

The Greek Church is joined to the Russian Government; 
the Church of England to the British Government. 
The Lutheran Church is married to several European 
governments. Others of our Protestant Churches, having 
no opportunity for affiliation with earthly governments, 
have become united to worldly systems, worldly 
organizations of their own, in which, as a rule. Wealth, 
Mammon, sits at the head of the table. "Like mother, 
like daughters" is an old saying. Instead of charging 
this whole matter upon others, let us each recognize and 
take to heart our own share, for which we are responsible. 

As the doctrinal errors which caused our divisions 



SM123 

gradually developed during a long period of darkness, 
so our development along the lines of spiritual harlotry 
were gradual. It is not for us to quarrel with the facts, 
which are undeniable, but to sincerely repent of the wrong 
condition and renounce it. Coming back to the one faith, 
we should come back also to the one Lord. So doing He 
will graciously receive us and thenceforth His name alone 
will be quite sufficient. We shall no longer need to style 
ourselves Roman Christians, English Christians, Lutheran 
Christians, Calvinistic Christians—but all such 
names will be abhorred as reminders of the unfaithfulness 
which we now deplore. As the name Christian was 
sufficient for the early Church it is sufficient today for all 
heartily glad to abandon errors of the past and to come 
together as the one "Church of the Living God." 

As for the one baptism, let us concede what the 
Scriptures claim and declare, namely, that the water immersion 
is merely a symbol or picture of the burial of the individual's 
will and interests in death—like unto and in 
fellowship with our Lord's self -renouncement, even unto 
death. Thus all of the consecrated, of whatever 
denomination, can be recognized as members of the one true 
Church if they are dead with Christ to the world, its 
hopes and aims— buried with Him by baptism into His 
death, which death to the flesh (accepted by the Father) 
constitutes us members of the one Body of Christ, the 
true Church. If thus baptized into His death, we shall 
share also in His resurrection.— Rom. 6:4,5. 



THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS 

Is it asked. Where has the true Church been during all 
the eighteen centuries since the Apostles died? We 
answer that the Scriptures picture her as going into the 
wilderness condition, out of public view, for twelve 
hundred and sixty years of this time. As pride, pomp, 
arrogance and error came into prominence, meekness, 
gentleness, love, simplicity, gradually retired. Through the 
long period of the Dark Ages no history of the true 



SMI 24 

Church was written, just as no such history or record of 
her can be written today.~Rev. 12:6,14. 

Since none of the various denominations is the true 
Church, therefore the history of none of these gives her 
history. As her members are Scripturally declared to 
contain not many wise, not many learned, therefore scattered 
amongst all the various creeds and churches, and 
some outside of them all, the espoused, chaste "virgin" 
of the Lord is not a prominent feature in church affairs 
and is wholly unknown to the world. Indeed, these, while 
in the world, are not of it and usually are disesteemed. 
As the Master said, "If the world hate you, ye know that 
it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, 
the world would love its own."--Johii 15:18,19. 

If, then, the spirit-begotten ones, constituting the 
Lord's betrothed virgin Church, are few, and if that few 
be scattered amongst the four hundred millions nominally 
styled Christendom, it follows that they are greatly 
in the minority and could have comparatively little influence 
today even if they were ever so determined and 
energetic. The masses and classes rule. Wealth, learning, 
earthly interests and earthly power are better pleased 
with present conditions than with those which God's 
Word promises will be established when Messiah shall 
take to Himself His great power and begin His Reign. 

Babylon, as the Scriptures declare, is great, influential, 
powerful—mother and daughters. She will never 
consent to a recognition of the saintly few in her midst, 
whom she considers foolish in claiming to be "the Elect" 
and true Church. To apply the Apostle's words. She esteems 
the saintly class "fools all the day long," "the 
filth and off-scouring" of the earth. To her they are the 
impracticables. To her they are insurrectionists always 
crying out for the simplicities of the Gospel, the rights 
and liberties of the individual in person and conscience, 
for holiness unto the Lord, not merely in name, but in 
deed and in truth. For this true Church class, so small 

SMI 25 

a minority in Babylon, to wait for the conversion of the 
worldly masses of the various systems to see "eye to 
eye" with them in this matter and to reform all these 



various systems would be to confess folly and to be led 
of unreason. 



"COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE" 

In such a matter we need the wisdom which comes 
from above and the faith and courage to follow it. The 
Lord's prayer must be our guide respecting His will 
concerning us--us who have by faith and consecration 
and begetting of the Holy Spirit been adopted into the 
One True Church "whose names are written in Heaven. " 
He prayed for us and not for the nominal mass, who are 
really parts of the world and thoroughly deceiving themselves 
in supposing that they have either part or lot or inheritance 
with the Church. Thank God that we now see 
that this does not mean that all except the saintly will 
be eternally tormented, but merely that none except the 
saintly, "copies of God's dear Son," can be members of 
the glorious "little flock," which God predestined to 
gather from every nation, people, kindred and tongue. 

Of this faithful Church the Lord declares, "My sheep 
know My Voice and they follow Me." We hear His 
Voice assuring us that it is His will that we who belong 
to His chaste, espoused virgin class should all be one- 
should no longer be separated into sects and parties by 
creedal fences. The Lord declares that He gave Babylon 
time for repentance and she repented not. He declares 
that His sentence against the Babylonian system 
has already gone forth—that, from the Divine standpoint, 
already "Babylon is fallen! is fallen!" from Divine 
favor. What would be the wish of our Beloved, to whom 
we are betrothed? What is His message to us? It is 
written, "Come out of her. My people, that ye be not 
partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her 
plagues"--her troubles--Rev. 18:4; John 10:27. 

SM126 

Since the nominal systems are not in that consecrated 
condition of heart, hungering and thirsting for the Truth 
and for righteousness, and dead to self-will, therefore it is 
hopeless to think of their surrender of their interests, 
theories, etc. The very most they could think of doing 
would be io federate— io agree not to war with each 



other. Far better would it be to have some theological 
battles and air their inconsistencies before the wiser public 
of today. But whatever Babylon may do, mother and 
daughters, the course of the saintly few, the real Church, 
which is shortly to come from the "wilderness" leaning 
upon the arm of her Beloved Bridegroom, is clearly set 
forth. The saintly should unite in heart on the principles 
and doctrines of God's Word, and should stand free 
in the liberty wherewith Christ has made them free from 
all human bondage and sectarianism. 

Why should the Lord permit the formation of these 
great wards and divisions in Mystic Babylon? He has 
permitted only such things as He is able to make work 
out blessings for His Very Elect, His "little flock," who 
soon shall be joint-heirs with Christ in His Kingdom. 
Babylon's strong sectarian walls, styled "orthodoxy," 
and the great brazen gates of worldliness will afford the 
saintly few the very test they need to demonstrate themselves 
"overcomers"~"more than conquerors"; for such 
overcomers only will constitute the members of the Bride 
class. All the promises are made to the "overcomers," 
and there must needs be permitted subtle evils for their 
testing, that those approved of God may be manifested. 



UNION OF THE ONE TRUE CHURCH 

In a word, our Lord's prayer will be realized by the 
"overcomers." They will be one with Himself and with 
the Father; there will be "one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, 
one God, the Father." But as for the nominal systems 
their future will be destruction as systems, though 
many of God's dear people in them, failing to overcome, 
will be "saved so as by fire" in a great Time of Trouble 

SM127 

with which this Age will terminate and the New Age 
will be ushered in.--l Cor. 3:15; Eph. 4:4-6. 

You have my plea. Christian brethren, for the fulfilment 
of the Master's prayer in the union of "the Church 
which is the Body of Christ, " "the Church of the First-borns 
whose names are written in heaven." This union 
will not necessitate any reorganization as a new sect or 
new Church. It is the true Church, the only one which 



God has ever recognized. Babylon, without it, would 
not be in any sense of the word recognized of God; and 
as soon as the "overcomers" shall have escaped from 
Babylon, Babylon will come in remembrance before God 
that He may give to her the cup of the wine of His wrath, 
and suddenly, in one hour, her fall will occur. 
(Rev. 16:19,18,10.) To the true Church the Lord all along 
intimated that their oneness is as members of Christ, 
and not in earthly organizations. We do not read. Gather 
together unto Calvin, Luther, Wesley, Paul, Apollos or 
Peter, but, "Gather together My saints unto Me, saith 
the Lord, those who have made a Covenant with Me by 
sacrifice." "They shall be Mine, saith the Lord, in that 
day when I come to make up My jewels." —Mai. 3:17. 
When all of the sanctified shall have been delivered, 
the clock of the Universe will strike the hour which closes 
the present Dispensation and opens the New; and "the 
salt of the earth" having been removed from Babylon, 
corruption will swiftly ensue. Flee out of Babylon! Deliver 
every man his soul! Let us use the light of 
"Present Truth" to the extent that each enjoys it. It will guide 
us in respect to all the affairs of life—into closer fellowship 
with God and the Savior and the brethren; and into 
separateness of mind and heart and service from Babylon. 
Let Babylon proceed with the good works in which she 
takes pride. The work of the saints, the Lord declares, 
is to "build one another up in the most holy faith," that 
eventually it may be said, "The marriage of the Lamb 
has come; for His Wife hath made herself ready." 



SMI 28 

HUMANITY DELUDED BY 
DEMON DOCTRINES 

"The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them 
that believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of 
Christ... should shine unto them. "—2 Cor. 4:4. 

During the Dark Ages doctrines of demons were 
foisted upon the Church by Satan's hosts of fallen angels. 
Millions were driven into the Church, but driven away 
from God and from the Bible. The theory was that all 
not members of the Church would surely go to eternal 
torture, but that by joining the Church they would have 
a chance of Heaven, even though the path led through 
Purgatory. Under these unscriptural teachings, Christianity 
has enrolled its hundreds of millions, very few 
of whom know anything about the real Christianity of 
the Bible—true discipleship of Jesus Christ. 

We see them in Europe today--of all creeds-doing 
their best to destroy each other-to send each other to 
Purgatory or to eternal torture. About five per cent 
are estimated to be Mohammedans, Jews and infidels, and 
the remaining ninety-five per cent Christians. What a 
farce! What a hypocritical deception! The fact is that 
probably less than one per cent of all those millions would 
make any claim to be followers of Christ or of seeking to 
cultivate His Spirit of meekness, gentleness, patience, 
long-suffering, brotherly kindness, love. The great majority 
manifest the reverse spirit of anger, malice, hatred, 
envy, strife-works of the flesh and of the Devil. - 
Col. 3:8; Gal. 5:19-23; 1 John 3:8. 

How few anywhere profess to be disciples or followers 
of Jesus and His teachings! Christian standards 
have been so lowered that today a Christian is not one 
who has surrendered his whole being to God and His 
service, and who has devoted himself to following the 

SM129 

Master's example, but merely one who refrains from profanity 



and such gross sins as murder and immorality. 
This change has come about as a revulsion against the 
thought that everybody except a mere handful of saints 
is enroute to eternal torture. Kind-hearted people could 
not think of their friends and relatives as suffering thus. 
They had the thought of eternal torture firmly fixed and 
let it remain, but moved down low the standard of 
worthiness for everlasting life. 



DEMONOLOGY AND THE FIRST LIE 

Lucifer, the cherub, through ambition became Satan, 
God's opponent. He deceived our first parents into sin 
by his great falsehood, "Ye shall not surely die." (Gen. 3:4.) 
Since then he has supported that lie personally and 
through his demon hosts of fallen angels. These are 
not far off stoking fires in Hell and Purgatory, but right 
with humanity, perpetuating the original lie and convincing 
the world that Satan told the truth when he said, 
"Ye shall not surely die"; and that God lied when He 
said, "Thou shall surely die." The doctrines of demons 
have so far succeeded that now practically everybody believes 
that lie, and the claim is made that the dead are 
more alive after death than before. 

On this original foundation-falsehood Satan has built 
up various theories, all of which tend to delude humanity 
and to drive them away from God and from the promises 
of the Bible. He tells them that the dead are alive 
somewhere, and that at death the good and the bad immediately 
enter their rewards and punishments without 
resurrection. The errors are so skillfully framed as to 
teach that Heaven can be entered only through a number 
of passage-ways; such as baptism in infancy, confirmation, 
holy water, holy candles and holy burial, prayers, 
Eucharist and masses. Satan enlists on his side all who 
are interested in these various Heavenward helps. These 
have been reverenced; money has been paid to them freely; 

SM130 

they have made the success already suggested, and 
claim four hundred million Christians. But how few 
of these really know the true God or really love Him! 



"GATHER MY SAINTS TO ME" 

In the Bible, however, God sets forth the True Church 
of the First-borns, whose names are written in Heaven. 
Jesus is the Head over these; and they all are brethren, 
and not divided into clergy and laity. They are called 
saints. (Psalm 50:5.) God could indeed use force in 
gathering His Elect Church, but He will not do so. He 
will now gather merely those who have the hearing ear 
and the responsive heart. Of these He says, "They shall 
be Mine in that Day when I make up My jewels." 

Then a New Epoch will open; and under the Headship 
of Jesus these jewels will constitute the Messianic Kingdom. 
Then the blessing of the world will begin. The 
first step in that blessing will be the binding of Satan, 
that he may deceive the people no more. Next will come 
the sweeping away of the ignorance and superstition 
which have been his web for entangling humanity. Thus 
all the blinded eyes will be opened, and all the deaf ears 
unstopped—all will see; all will hear; all will know of the 
Love of God, which passes all human understanding. 
(Isa. 35:5; Rom. 8:38,39.) Then the knowledge of the 
glory of God will fill the earth; and as a result every 
knee shall bow and every tongue confess, to the glory of 
God. -Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14; Phil. 2:10,11. 

The outcome will be that all wilful sinners will be destroyed 
in the Second Death, while all others will be ushered 
into the perfection of life in a world-wide Eden. 
Then there shall be no more sighing, no more crying, no 
more dying; for all the former things shall have passed 
away. "And He that sat upon the Throne said. Behold, 
I make all things new. "--Rev. 21:4,5. 

Is it not strange that we ever believed the monstrous 
falsehoods taught us by these doctrines of demons—that 
the dead are more alive than ever; that nearly all of them 

SM131 

are suffering untellable tortures, while the remaining 

small remnant look over the battlements of Heaven and 

rejoice in the misery of the unfortunates? Assuredly 

no human brain ever concocted such a Satanic theory! 

We challenge the ability of any man to sit down and deliberately 

concoct anything worse than what has been described 



to us as the Plan of the great Heavenly Creator, 
the Father of mercies, from whom cometh down every 
good and every perfect gift, and whose very name is 
Love. We have never found man or woman so fiendish 
as our God has been described to us. 

Herein we see the Satanic cunning of our great Adversary: 
By establishing great religious institutions he 
has satisfied a certain mental craving, bound to assert 
itself in humanity. Yet by these false doctrines which 
blaspheme the Divine character and the Bible by misrepresenting 
them, he has driven far away from God 

nearly all, even of those who have professed church membership 
--"They profess that they know God; but in 
works they deny Him. "--Titus 1:16. 

Some may be disposed to say Satan would never teach 
about eternal torment; for it would be contrary to his 
interests and would keep people away from him. We reply 
that after eighteen centuries this theory is proven 
to be wrong, and Satan is proven to have been wise in his 
method. Mankind do not wish to serve Satan and sin. 
Naturally they would be, as the Apostle declares, feeling 
after God and desirous of finding Him; for every man 
has inherently some degree of reverence for a supreme 
Creator. Let me illustrate how Satan's lie operates: 

A Christian lady who has become a Bible student, and 
who now dearly loves God and the Bible, told me her 
experience thus: "I was a Presbyterian, trusted that I 
was one of the Elect, and felt serene, but not without 
sympathy for the non-elect, who were to be tortured eternally. 
Then came the thought. Are you sure that you are 
one of the Elect? In distress I went to my pastor. In 

SM132 

substance he said, 'You are all right; you are one of the 
Elect. Do not bother your head about such questions.' 

"But still I was troubled. Finally I feared that I 
would land in an insane asylum; for I could not lift my 
thoughts from my danger of eternal torture. To escape 
insanity I plunged into society, gave and attended social 
functions, and made my life one busy whirl, in which I 
had no time to think of God or Satan or the Bible. Oh, 
how changed everything is now. Pastor Russell! My 
heart always yearned for God, and now I know Him. I 
read His Book, and see its great Divine Plan of the 



Ages, showing a gracious blessing for the Elect on the 
Heavenly plane and a grand Restitution for the non-elect 
to perfection on the earthly plane. I ever thank God for 
the 'Studies in the Scriptures.'" 

Have we not driven away from God and from the 
Bible some of the very best minds of the world, plunging 
them into business, pleasure, society, novel-reading, 
theater-going or intoxication-anything to stop themselves 
from thinking about the terrible possibilities of the 
future related to them by you and me who have been deluded 
by these doctrines of devils. 



"SPEAKING LIES IN HYPOCRISY" 

St. Paul describes Satan's work concisely in the statement 
which forms our text. If the true light of God 
shines into any heart, it begins a transformation work 
at once; hence Satan's anxiety to keep people from thinking 
of God as a reasonable and adorable Creator and from 
studying His gracious plan for human redemption. We 
see how the eyes of all have been much holden~the world 
seeing nothing at all, and Christians seeing little enough 
of the goodness of God. Thus St. Paul prayed for Christians 
that the eyes of their understanding opening, they 
might be able to comprehend the lengths and breadths, 
the heights and depths, and to know the Love of God, 
which passes human understanding.-Eph. 1:18; 3:19. 

This Love of God was completely obscured by the 

SM133 

dense darkness of the medieval period, when the doctrines 

of demons got full hold upon the minds of the 

people, because the Bible was reprobated and out of use 

for twelve hundred years, while the people were misguided 

into thinking that so-called Apostolic bishops had 

the same authority as the original Twelve Apostles whom 

Jesus ordained. The creeds made by these bishops took 

the place of the Word of God until the beginning of the 

Sixteenth Century; and since then, it has been a battle 

for the Bible to get into the hands of the people and for 

the latter to realize their privilege of Bible study. Protestant 

bishops, in front of St. Paul's Cathedral, London, 

set the example of burning the New Testament, because 



those who would study it would thereby be ignoring these 
false apostles, who styled themselves Apostolic Bishops, 
and of whom Jesus said, "They are not Apostles, but 
liars."--Rev. 2:2. 

Finally the people, feeling after the True God and 
His true Message, and wondering why the bishops kept 
it from them, made such a stir about the matter that both 
Protestant and Catholic bishops gave them the Bible in 
English, but with dire threats that if in reading they 
got anything different from the creeds that the bishops 
had made, they would roast to all eternity. Ever since, 
the Bible has been obliged to fight for every inch of 
ground it has gained-fighting against bishops and clergy 
who, if they could not keep it from the people, did their 
best to make it support the doctrines of demons--the 
clergy themselves being deceived also, and verily thinking 
that they were doing God service. 



DIFFERENCE IN THE PAST FIFTY YEARS 

During the past fifty years general education has 
come. Satan realized that he must adopt a new course. 
As St. Paul foretold, he affected to be an angel of light, 
a leader into new light. (2 Cor. 11:13-15.) He got hold 
of the colleges and seminaries, and now sees to it that 
practically everybody of college education has his religious 

SM134 

faith entirely destroyed, so far as a Divine Revelation 
is concerned. Surely not five out of every hundred 
ministers and others graduated make any pretense of 
believing in the inspiration of the Bible, when they are 
speaking privately and confidentially! They are too intelligent 
to believe in eternal torture, and experience a 
revulsion of feeling against the Bible, which they mistakenly 
believe teaches these Satanic delusions. 

As a result, we have thousands of ministers drawing 
salaries totalling millions of dollars annually, who outwardly 
pose as God's servants, ministers of His religion 
revealed in the Bible, but who in reality are hypocrites. 
Privately they will confess that they do not believe that 
man was created in God's image and fell from it. Neither 
do they believe that Jesus redeemed man from the fall; 



for they say, There was no fall. Neither do they believe 
in a coming Time of Restitution, which the Bible declares 
is the great hope for the world. (Acts 3:19,23.) They 
are hypocrites pure and simple. As the Apostle Paul 
declares, they "speak lies in hypocrisy, having their 
consciences seared with a hot iron."~l Tim. 4:1,2; 
Isa. 56:11. 

There are exceptions to this general rule. They are 
found amongst the less educated ministers, whom their 
educated brethren style "mossbacks." There are others 
whose consciences are not entirely seared, and who are 
in great distress, wishing to be honest, but fearing the 
cost. They say little about the future, occasionally work 
in a little Truth, and are generally very unhappy. I have 
hope for many of these yet, that they will get right with 
God and take their stand for truth and righteousness, 
casting all their cares and fears upon the Lord—fears respecting 
their living and provision for their families, respecting 
their good names, which will be cast out as evil, 
as mine has been, if they will firmly stand. The time of 
decision is here. Whoever is not for God and for the 
Truth is against the same. 

SM135 

The great leaders of Ecclesiasticism seem to have 
no conscience. If approached by their confiding flocks, 
they dodge the questions with deceptive phrases, fearing 
not God, neither regarding man, but merely looking for 
gain, each from his own quarter—his denomination. 

It is the duty of all who see the Truth clearly to act 
positively. (2 Cor. 6:17,18.) Whoever lends financial 
aid or moral support to the great systems which are opposing 
the true teachings of God's Word, and assisting 
in the perpetuation of Satan's lie, is a partaker of the evil 
deeds and will share in the woes soon to come. 



BLASPHEMY THE GREATEST CRIME 

Recently a young business man told me of his experience. 
He inquired of his pastor, "Is there a Hell of 
eternal torture for all except the saintly?" The cheerful 
answer was, "Yes, certainly." The young man had been 
reading and thinking, and told the pastor his conclusions. 



As he left the study, the pastor put his hand on the young 
man's shoulder, saying, "George, I do not believe in eternal 
torture, either. But, you know, we must preach it; 
otherwise, what would become of the world? They would 
go from bad to worse." 

What does that young man think of his pastor now? 
—a liar, a hypocrite, a blasphemer of God-all to hold his 
place in the religious firmament—justifying himself by 
saying, "Let us do evil that good may come; let us blaspheme 
God's name, that we may lead the people, and 
drive them away from God and the Bible!" We know of 
no worse crime that humanity could commit than that 
of blaspheming God's holy name. In the Jewish Law 
this sin was placed ahead of all sins relating to fellowmen. 
That minister is merely a sample of about nine-tenths 
of the entire clergy, so far as we are able to know 
from their creed professions and their private denials of 
these. St. Paul's words surely appeal to every true Christian 
when he declares that the Love of God and of Christ 
-not fear-constrains us. 



SMI 36 



THE MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD 

"Whither the Forerunner is for us entered, even 
Jesus, made an High Priest forever after the Order of 
Melchizedek. "--Heb. 6:20. 

Melchizedek was the name of a remarkable person 
who lived in the days of Abraham, and of whom little is 
recorded in the Old Testament except that he was a king 
and a priest at the same time—a "priest upon his throne" 
-"King of Salem," which signifies king of peace, prince 
of the Most High God. He is brought to our attention in 
connection with Abraham's battling with the kings of the 
North, who had taken captive Lot and his family and his 
household stuff, at the time of the sack of Sodom. As 
Abraham returned from the battle he called upon this 
king-priest and presented to him a tithe of the spoil taken 
and received his blessing, partaking also in conjunction 
the symbolical bread and wine. It remained, however, 
for the Lord in His own due time, nearly two thousand 
years afterward, to explain to us by inspiration through 
the Apostle Paul the real significance of this event— that 
Melchizedek in this procedure typified the glorified 
Christ-Gen. 14:18-20. 

The Aaronic priesthood, instituted by Moses, of which 
the head was Aaron, having continued for more than sixteen 
centuries, was so well established at the time of the 
Apostle's writing that the Jews considered it the only 
priesthood. Hence, when Christ was preached to them as 
the real Priest of God, who alone had power to forgive 
sins through the merit of His own Sacrifice, the objection 
was raised that Jesus did not even belong to the priestly 
tribe, and hence that no power to offer sacrifice to God or 
to make atonement for sin or to forgive sin could reside 
in Him. Before the logical reasoners of the Jewish people 

SM137 

could rightly appreciate the work of Christ on behalf of 
their nation and all the families of the earth, it was necessary 
that the Lord through the Apostle should point out 
to them that in the Divine Plan a still higher order of 



priesthood than the Aaronic was recognized; that, as our 
text declares, Jesus from the time of His resurrection 
and ascension to God has been the Chief Priest or High 
Priest of a new Order of Priesthood— styled by the 
Apostle Peter the Royal Priesthood.--! Pet. 2:9. 



"AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK" 

Every heathen religion has its priests; and so also 
amongst Christians, each denomination has its own 
priest. So strictly are the lines drawn that no Protestant 
would be allowed to preach from a Roman Catholic pulpit; 
and if by any inadvertence one did occupy it, a purification 
and reconsecration of the pulpit would be deemed 
necessary before it would again be used by a Catholic 
priest. The same rule holds with the Episcopal church— 
a pulpit would be considered desecrated if occupied by a 
Protestant member of any other denomination, and a 
similar purification and reconsecration would be demanded 
by Episcopal law and usage. But God and the 
Scriptures recognize none of these priesthoods-neither 
the heathen nor the Christian; they are of men and by 
men. The Divine arrangement takes cognizance only of 
the Aaronic and the Melchizedek priesthood. Whatsoever 
is more than these or outside of these is more than 
God has predestinated, and outside the Divine ordination, 
and consequently improper, misleading, dangerous. 

Following the Apostle's discourse, we hope to make 
clear to you that the Melchizedek Order of Priesthood, 
of which the Apostle declares that Jesus is the High 
Priest, has for its underpriesthood the true saints of God 
from Pentecost to the present time, of various nations, 
peoples, kindred and tongues, but in all a "little flock." 
We hope to show that although this priesthood may include 

SM138 

preachers and public servants of God, it includes 
also the very humblest of the Lord's followers, who have 
His Spirit and are now laying down their consecrated 
lives in His service. 

Going back we hearken to the Apostle's statement to 
the Jews in which he admits that Christ was not of the 
tribe of Levi, but of the tribe of Judah, and could not have 



been an earthly priest under the Divine arrangement; for 
the earthly priesthood was confined to Aaron and his sons. 
But, says the Apostle, the priesthood of Jesus is not an 
earthly one, but a Heavenly one. It is the risen, glorified 
Christ who is the High Priest of this higher order than 
Aaron's—this Order of Melchizedek. 



PURPOSE OF A NEW PRIESTHOOD 

The Apostle points out that the priesthood of Aaron 
repeated the typical sacrifices year by year, but that this 
evidently could not be all that God designed; for these 
repeated sacrifices did not abolish original sin, but 
merely covered or condoned it for the year for which they 
were offered, and the purpose of God as everywhere set 
forth was evidently larger and broader than this, eventually 
a complete cancellation of sin. Hence the Aaronic 
priesthood could not have been the end of the Divine 
purpose. The Apostle proceeds to point out that God 
had already decreed a new priesthood to be established in 
His own due time, and that this Divine purpose was 
plainly stated through the Prophet David, who, as the 
Lord's mouthpiece, declares, "Jehovah hath sworn and 
will not repent. Thou art a Priest forever, after the Order 
of Melchizedek." This is a part of the Messianic Psalm 
which opens with the statement, "Jehovah said unto my 
Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine 
enemies Thy footstool. Jehovah shall send the rod of 
Thy strength out of Zion; rule Thou in the midst of 
Thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day 
of Thypower."-Psa. 110:1-3. 

SM139 

The Apostle's logic is conclusive with all whose eyes 
of understanding are opened. The priesthood of Aaron, 
which had lasted for over sixteen centuries, was some 
day to terminate, and a new priesthood after the Order 
of Melchizedek was to be introduced, and the Chief of 
this order was to be Messiah Himself. The Apostle shows 
therefore that the Divine purpose was that "better sacrifices" 
for sin should be offered, and that this meant the 
passing at the proper time of the typical Aaronic priesthood. 
He proceeds to argue that the Lord Jesus, having 



come as the High Priest of this new Order, has already 
offered Himself a sacrifice to God well pleasing, and that 
on the strength of this sacrifice all who believe on Him, 
all who accept Him, all who seek to flee away from their 
sins and to return to harmony with God, are privileged 
so to do. And not only so, but an invitation is given to 
the repentant believers whose sins are covered that they 
may become members of this antitypical priesthood- 
members of the Body of Christ, the antitypical Melchizedek. 
-Heb. 10:19-25. 

Along this line the Apostle admonishes the consecrated 
Gospel Church, saying, "Wherefore, holy brethren, 
partakers of the Heavenly calling, consider the 
Apostle and High Priest of our Order, Christ Jesus." 
(Heb. 3:1.) And in harmony with this the Apostle Peter, 
so far from claiming himself a pope, and so far from acknowledging 
any special clergy class in the Church, 
assures us that the entire Body of Christ, the entire 
company of consecrated believers, is a "Royal Priesthood." 
And be it noted that this royal feature differentiates 
the Melchizedek Priesthood from the Aaronic. 
Aaron and his sons had nothing whatever to do with the 
royalty of the typical Kingdom.-l Pet. 2:9. 

"A PRIEST UPON HIS THRONE" 

In the case of Melchizedek as a type nothing is shown 
respecting sacrifice. He was not a sacrificing priest, but 
a blessing priest, empowered by his kingly office to give 

SM140 

his priestly blessing. So Christ, as the High Priest of 

the Melchizedek Order, does no sacrificing, but is merely 

a blessing Priest. True, He sacrificed in the days of His 

flesh; as the Apostle declares. "He offered up Himself." 

It is true also that the followers of the Lord sacrifice themselves, 

as the Apostle suggests: "I beseech you, brethren, 

by the mercies of God [in the forgiveness of your sins 

through faith in Christ] that ye present your bodies a 

living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, and your reasonable 

service." (Rom. 12:1.) But this sacrificing of 

Jesus and His followers is not a part of the Melchizedek 

type. As the Apostle points out of our Lord Jesus Christ, 



"though He were a son, yet learned He obedience by the 
things which He suffered. And being made perfect [in 
the resurrection as a New Creature] He became the 
Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; 
called of God, a High Priest after the Order of Melchizedek." 
-Heb. 5:7-10. 

Similarly the Church, who will be the Royal Underpriesthood, 
are called upon now to prove their loyalty, 
their sincerity, by the things which they will suffer for 
righteousness' sake and in obedience to God in the present 
time when sin prevails. Not until these shall have proven 
their worthiness will they be glorified by the First Resurrection 
to become the Royal Priests, in association with 
the High Priest of the Melchizedek Order, to bless all the 
families of the earth during the Millennial Age. It is in 
accord with this that the Scriptures declare that this 
Melchizedek Order of priests shall be "kings and priests 
unto God, and reign on the earth. "--Rev. 5:10. 

The Apostle proceeds to show that both the Aaronic 
Priesthood and the Melchizedek Priesthood are of Divine 
appointment. He points out that Aaron was called of 
God to be the head of the Aaronic Priesthood, and likewise 
Christ was also called of the Father to become the 
High Priest of the Melchizedek Order. "No man taketh 
this honor to himself but he that is called of God, even as 

SM141 

was Aaron." So also Christ glorified not Himself to be 

made a High Priest; but His High Priesthood came 

from God, who said unto Him, "Thou art My Son, this 

day have I begotten [born] Thee;" and again, "Thou 

art a Priest forever, after the Order of Melchizedek." 

As the Head of this Melchizedek Order came through Divine 

invitation, so all the members of the Royal Priesthood 

must be called of God. Hence the Apostle sought to 

find and to influence, not the whole world of mankind, but 

"as many as the Lord your God shall call" to this Melchizedek 

Priesthood. -Acts 2:39. 



THE TYPICAL MELCHIZEDEK 

Lest his Jewish readers should think that the atonement 
of Aaron was more pronounced and therefore more 



authoritative than that of the Lord Jesus, the Apostle 

points out that the contrary of this is true—that Aaron 

was appointed without Divine oath, but that in the appointment 

of Jesus as the antitype of Melchizedek and 

the High Priest of this Melchizedek Order, God had pronounced 

Himself more emphatically than in respect to 

the Aaronic Priesthood by giving His oath, "I have 

sworn and will not repent. Thou art a Priest forever 

after the Order of Melchizedek." Here, then, the Apostle 

notes five significant items: (1) That God indicated a 

change of priesthood from Aaron to Melchizedek. (2) 

The latter was to be a greater and more important priesthood, 

as implied by the Divine oath. (3) It would come 

after and supersede the Aaronic priesthood, inasmuch as 

the prophecy respecting it came after the Aaronic priesthood 

had been long established. (4) It would be a perpetual 

priesthood, which should not be transferred to 

another. (5) It would be a higher priesthood, in that it 

would combine the priestly function of forgiveness of sin 

and instruction of the people with the kingly function of 

dominion and power. 

Having established his argument that there must be a 
Melchizedek Order of priests, and that it must be higher 

SM142 

than that of Aaron because of God's oath and because it 
would be the successor which would endure, the Apostle 
proceeds to point out that much of this was typified by 
the man Melchizedek, who was but a type of The Christ 
of glory—Jesus the Head, and the Church His Body. 
The Apostle says, "Now consider how great this man 
was unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the 
tenth of the spoils." (Heb. 7:4.) The signification of 
this the Apostle amplified, showing that the Levites at 
that time were unborn, in the loins of Abraham; and that 
therefore Aaron and his sons, the Aaronic priesthood, 
acknowledged this higher priesthood of Melchizedek and 
gave tithes. The argument is a masterly one, and shows 
that as even in the type Melchizedek was higher than 
Aaron, much more would the antitypical Melchizedek 
be higher, more glorious, more powerful, more able to 
bless and to forgive sins. He proceeds to show that in 
other respects Melchizedek typified Christ. Would the 
Jews claim that under the Law every priest of the 



Aaronic order was obliged to show that he had a right to 
serve because of his genealogy, that his parentage must 
have been in the priestly family, and would they inquire 
then how could Jesus be a priest since He had no relationship 
with Aaron and had no parentage in that family? 

The Apostle's answer to such a query is that 
Melchizedek was without father or mother in the priesthood, nor 
could it be shown when his priesthood began or that it 
ever ended. This, the plain import of the Apostle's language, 
is somewhat veiled in the statement that Melchizedek 
was without beginning of days or end of years and 
without father or mother or children (in the priesthood). 
Thus the Apostle argues that God made Melchizedek a 
most graphic picture of Christ, whose authority as priest 
was not derived from either father or mother, and whose 
priestly office did not descend to successors, whose 
term of office is not limited by years, but is everlasting. 

Thus he reasons that Christ's priesthood after the 

SM143 

Order of Melchizedek, a priest upon His Throne, is an 
unchangeable one--one that will be maintained in perpetuity, 
until it shall have served its full purpose. 



THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD TYPICAL 

We have seen that our Lord was made a High Priest 
after the Melchizedek Order in His resurrection from the 
dead, a Spirit Being, far above angels, principalities and 
powers, and every name that is named. We have seen 
that the elect Church, the Royal Priesthood, are to enter 
upon their priestly office after sharing with Christ in His 
resurrection (Phil. 3:10), and be made "partakers of the 
Divine nature," glory, honor, immortality. (2 Pet. 1:4.) 
Thus we see that the Melchizedek Priesthood is merely 
prepared during this Gospel Age and is to do its work 
subsequently—during the Millennial Age. Then, as a 
Priest upon His Throne, our Lord shall be King of kings 
and Lord of lords to rule, to subdue, to put down all sin 
and insubordination, and as Priest to lift up and bless the 
whole world and heal it of its sicknesses, mental, moral 
and physical. Furthermore, we call to memory our 
Lord's promise that His faithful will sit with Him in His 



Throne—share His Kingdom honors and glorious work 
of uplifting humanity. —Rev. 3:21. 

This beautiful picture of the Melchizedek Priesthood 
therefore grandly confirms the whole teaching of the 
Bible, to the effect that God is now gathering out of the 
world a Little Flock, the Spiritual Seed of Abraham, 
which, in association with the Lord, shall bring to pass 
"Times of Restitution of all things which God hath 
spoken by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the 
world began." The world, the groaning creation, must 
needs wait in the Divine Plan for the "manifestation of 
the sons of God" in their Kingdom power and glory, the 
Royal Priesthood.-Rom. 8:22,19; Rev. 21:1-5. 

What, then, shall we say of the priesthood of Aaron? 
Was it without typical signification? By no means. While 
it did not typify the glory of the Kingdom, it did in type 

SM144 

set forth most distinctly the sufferings of this present 
time, necessary to precede the glory that shall follow-- 
"For if we suffer with Him we shall also reign with 
Him." Christ must needs suffer and enter into His 
glory as the Melchizedek Priest; and His faithful followers 
must walk in His steps and fill up that which is 
behind of the afflictions of Christ, "Laying down their 
lives for the brethren."-2 Tim. 2:12; Luke 24:46; 
Col. 1:24; IJohn 3:16. 

These "better sacrifices" of Christ and the Church 
the Apostle contrasts with the sacrifices of the Aaronic 
priesthood, so that we are on safe ground when we assure 
ourselves that the typical Atonement Day of Israel and 
its typical sin-offering represent the Sacrifice of Christ 
followed by the sacrifice of the Church, accepted as members 
of His Body. We have already seen on a previous 
occasion that the minutest details of the Atonement Day 
sacrifices, in Leviticus 16, found fulfilment in the experience 
of Christ and His faithful during this Gospel Age. 
The Aaronic High Priest having sacrificed, representing 
the death of himself and his associates, and having represented 
his change to a new nature by passing beyond the 
veil into the Most Holy, came out again and blessed all 
the people—representing the blessings that are to come 
to mankind through the new Priest after the Order of 
Melchizedek— as soon as the sacrificing shall all be finished 



and accepted. 



THE GLORIOUS MORNING 

As the eye of faith looks back over the centuries 
of this Gospel Age and perceives the Sacrifice made by 
our great High Priest and His entrance into glory, and 
as we perceive further the little thread of faithful, consecrated 
followers of the Lamb all the way through the 
centuries, and as we note in our day multiplying evidences 
that this Little Flock of called, chosen, faithful 
ones will soon have finished their sacrificing, and as we 
realize that soon they will experience their change from 

SM145 

sacrificing priests, antitypical of the Aaronic, and "in 
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," be changed to 
priests of the Melchizedek Order, our hearts are glad for 
two reasons: (1) We trust that some of us will thus 
shortly hear the Master's welcome voice saying, "Well 
done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of 
thy Lord," sit down with Me in My Throne—to bless all 
the families of the earth; (2) We realize that the glorification 
of the Church marks the time for the beginning 
of Divine blessing to return to Natural Israel, from 
whom in turn it shall flow to all the families of the earth. 

Who that loves God and his fellowmen would not 
rejoice on learning of this gracious arrangement of the 
Divine Plan? Who that loves righteousness and hates 
iniquity would not be glad to welcome the New Dispensation, 
when Satan shall be bound and all the various deceptions 
by which he has enthralled the world shall be dissolved? 
Who would not be glad to know that the time is 
near at hand when the knowledge of the glory of God 
shall fill the whole earth so completely that none shall 
need say to his neighbor. Know thou the Lord, for all 
shall know Him from the least to the greatest? (Jer. 31:34.) 
Who would not be rejoiced that soon the confused 
Babel of various changing creeds will be silenced; 
and that, as the Prophet has declared, the Lord shall turn 
unto the people (the masses) a pure Message, and they 
shall all call upon the name of the Lord to serve Him 
with one consent? (Zeph. 3:9.) Ah, truly! As the Lord's 



people now love to sing, "O happy day, that fixed my 
choice on Thee, my Savior, and my God," so the poor 
world will soon have the opportunity of singing much 
after the same strain when the blind eyes shall be opened 
and the deaf ears unstopped and all shall be brought to 
an appreciation of the Lord and of His merciful Plan. 
Why not now? does some one ask. Because as the 
Lord declares, "As the heavens are higher than the earth 
so are My ways higher than your ways, and My plans than 

SM146 

your plans." As we come to understand and appreciate 
the Divine Plan we see that it is by far better than any 
earthly human plan. And, thank God! it is not in the 
power of either the friends or the enemies of the Lord 
to change His purposes one iota. He declares, "The 
word that has gone out of My mouth shall not return unto 
Me void, but shall accomplish that which I please and 
shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." 

The Message sent during the Jewish Age was merely 
to take out a typical people, Israel after the flesh. The 
Message sent during this Gospel Age has been merely to 
gather the Elect, that they might participate in the sacrificing 
as antitypical priests like unto Aaron; and that 
thus they might be prepared to be, with their Lord, antitypical 
priests like unto Melchizedek for the work of the 
future, the blessing of the world. The Message of the 
future, as we have seen, will be "good tidings of great 
joy, which shall be unto all people" --restitution to 
human perfection, to all that was lost in Adam. But we 
remind you that while God has thus provided a great 
salvation and forgiveness of sins that are past for all 
mankind. His arrangement is for the punishment of 
every sin that is wilful, in proportion to its wilfulness. 

We have heretofore seen that this signifies that some 
of the human family, having degraded themselves seriously 
with a measure of wilfulness, will have correspondingly 
the more steps to retrace in order to attain all that 
was lost and redeemed. It means a "just recompense 
of reward to every soul that doeth evil." It means an 
opportunity for a proportionate blessing, however, to 
each one who may have done the least kindness to any 
member of the elect Priesthood, even so much as the 
giving of a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple. 



We remind you further that in the Divine Word there 
is the assurance that those who continue wilfully 
obdurate and rebellious will ultimately die the Second Death, 
from which there will be no hope of recovery. 

SM147 

In other words, God is providing in Christ one full 
redemption from the curse that came upon Adam and his 
posterity; and this redemption, secured by the precious 
blood of Christ, must be made available to every member 
of the race eventually—made available by each being 
brought to a knowledge of the Truth. Then the responsibility 
will rest upon himself; and his eternal destiny will 
be such as his course shall merit—either life eternal or 
death eternal. For ultimately the Lord will have a clean 
universe. As it is written, "Every creature which is in 
Heaven and on the earth and under the earth heard I 
saying. Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto 
Him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for 
ever and ever."— Rev. 5:13. 

In conclusion, dear friends, let us learn to abhor that 
which is evil and cleave to that which is good, as being 
the very soundest policy for the life that now is and for 
that which is to come. And those of us who have accepted 
the Divine invitation for joint-heirship with the Lord as 
Royal Priests, let us appreciate the grand privilege which 
is ours; and laying aside every weight let us run with patience 
the race set before us. Let us be joyful partakers 
in the sufferings, trials and oppositions which go to make 
up the sacrificing of this present time; and while partaking 
by faith of the glory to follow let us wait in patience, 
hope and trust for a share in the First Resurrection, 
when we shall see our Redeemer's face and share 
His glory.-l John 3:1-3. 

Kings for the promised Throne, 

Crowns we shall wear; 
Christ reigns, but not alone— 

We soon shall share. 
O ye despised ones, come! 
Pilgrims no more we'll roam: 
Sweetly we'll rest at home; 

Jesus is there. 



SMI 48 



THE WORLD'S JUDGMENT DA Y 

[Preached in Corinth, Greece, March 10, 1912] 

"God hath appointed a Day in the which He will judge 
the world."--Acts 17:31. 

True, it is not today fashionable in civilized communities 
to worship images; and yet in another sense it is 
still fashionable. To a great extent idolatry still prevails 
throughout the civilized world, but in a different form 
from that of old. No longer do we bow before wooden 
images, but before inward images—the images of our 
minds, our mental aspirations--with some, wealth and 
fame; with others, ease and pleasures; and with still 
others, the creed idols of our forefathers-miserable misrepresentations 
of the true God. 

St. Paul on Mars Hill preached Jesus and the resurrection 
-Jesus as the Redeemer from the death sentence, 
making possible the resurrection of the dead by satisfying 
the demands of Divine Law against the sinner— the 
resurrection as the means or agency through which the 
blessing of the Savior's death will reach Adam and all 
the families of the earth. As we follow St. Paul's thought 
we shall surely be blessed by his view of the Gospel. 

Addressing the Gentiles, the Apostle explains that 
for a long time God had "winked" at polytheism and 
image worship, "but now," he says, "God commanded 
all men everywhere to repent." Let us note the meaning 
of these words. How did God "wink" at sin and 
idolatry? And does He still "wink" at it? And why 
did He change and when did He begin to command all 
men to repent? 

The answer is that for four thousand years idolatry 
prevailed and God "winked" at or took no notice of it. 
He did not "wink" at the idolaters dying in their ignorance, 
and say to the devils, "Take these poor creatures 

SM149 

who know no better! Roast them to all eternity!" Nothing 
of the kind. Our forefathers merely imagined that. 



and by false reasoning convinced themselves, and twisted 
some texts of Scripture which they did not properly understand 
in support of this theory; and then they handed 
it down to us to our perplexity and to the testing of our 
faith in God. 

God "winked" at idolatry and sin for four thousand 
years in the sense of not noticing it, making no comment 
on it, sending no reproofs, leaving the heathen in their 
ignorance. The only exception to this was God's dealings 
with the little nation of Israel. To the Jews He 
gave a Law Covenant which offered eternal life on the 
condition of their thorough obedience to the Divine Law, 
the measure of a. perfect man's ability, which they were 
unable to comply with; and hence they died the same 
as did the heathen. All went to the Bible hell—to the 
tomb—to sheol, to hades, the state or condition of death 
—an unconscious state, a "sleep." 



JESUS THE REDEEMER 

God was in no haste, however. Over four thousand 
years elapsed before Jesus was born, and thirty years 
more before He began His ministry. Had it been true, as 
some aver, that millions for all those centuries were blindly 
stumbling into eternal torture for lack of a Divine 
revelation, we may be sure that our gracious God would 
not have left them without it. Who can think of a just 
and loving God as winking at the going of millions of His 
creatures to eternal torture? But since they merely "fell 
asleep" in death. He could very well "wink" at the matter 
in view of His future plans, as we shall see. 

The fact is that no release from death could possibly 
be made until the Redemption-price had been provided 
for the original sin under which they were condemned 
to death. This is the Apostle's argument, viz., 
that "now God commandeth all men everywhere to repent." 

SM150 

The now implies that He did not command men 
previously to repent; and the reason why He did not 
do so is manifest; for all the repenting they could do and 
all the righteous living possible to them would not have 
saved them. They would have died anyway. Hence there 



could have been no message sent to them; for if the messenger 
had come and had said, "Repent, and live contrary 
to your fallen tastes and appetites," the people 
might properly enough have said, "Why? For what reason 
should we practice self-denial, self-restraint? Would 
it bring us any blessing of everlasting life or harmony 
with God?" The truthful answer would have been, "No, 
because you are already under a death sentence and 
alienated from God as sinners." 

Hence God merely overlooked or "winked" at the 
ignorance and superstition of the period from Adam to 
the death of our Redeemer. But as soon as Jesus had 
died, "the Just for the unjust," to make reconciliation 
for iniquity—immediately the message went forth—God 
offered forgiveness and reconciliation to those who would 
believe in Jesus and would accept the Divine terms. Such 
have their sins forgiven. Such may come back to fellowship 
with God. And, in the next Age, such may eventually 
attain full human perfection by restitution processes, 
up, up to all that was lost in Adam and redeemed 
at Calvary.-John 3:16,17. 



GOD'S APPOINTED DAY 

Let us note carefully what the Apostle says respecting 
God's appointed Day for the judging of the world. 
He says that the command to repent now goes forth to 
all men everywhere, "because God hath appointed a 
[future] Day, in which He will judge the world." The 
Apostle does not refer to that Day as already begun, but 
as merely appointed or arranged for in advance. He 
means that in arranging that "Jesus, by the grace of 
God, should taste death for every man," God was arranging 
that every man might have a judgment or a trial, 

SM151 

to determine whether or not he will be worthy of this 
blessing which Jesus' death provides him an opportunity 
to secure. The Day was future in St. Paul's time, and 
it is still future, because God has other work which He 
purposes shall be accomplished first, before the world's 
Day of Judgment or trial shall begin. 
The world's Trial Day, or period of judgment, or testing 



as to worthiness or unworthiness for everlasting life, 
will be one of the thousand-year Days mentioned by 
St. Peter, who said, "A Day with the Lord is as a 
thousand years." The same period is called elsewhere 
the "Day of Christ," the Day or period of Messiah's 
glorious reign. By the righteous ruling of His Kingdom, 
by the suppression of Satan and sin and the scattering 
of darkness, ignorance and superstition, by the 
shining forth of the Sun of Righteousness with healing 
in its beams, that glorious Day will bring blessing to 
the world in general-opportunity for each individual 
to come into judgment or trial, the result of which will 
be either the reward of life everlasting or the punishment 
of death everlasting— "everlasting destruction 
from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of 
Hispower."-2Thess. 1:9. 

That great thousand-year Day is still future; and, 
meantime, the Apostle's words respecting mankind are 
still true: "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth 
in pain together" -"waiting for the manifestation of the 
sons of God." (Rom. 8:22,19.) If the nineteen centuries 
delay in the introduction of this great Day seems 
long, let us not forget that it is less than half as long as 
the period which preceded— the period prior to the coming 
of Jesus and His dying, "the Just for the unjust." 
Nor is the entire period long from the Divine standpoint; 
for as the Prophet declares: "A thousand years in 
God's sight are but as yesterday," or even shorter, "as 
a watch in the night." The six great Days of a thousand 
years each, in which Sin and Death have reigned, are to 

SM152 

be followed by a great Sabbath of rest from evil— a thousand 
years of refreshment, reinvigoration, upbuilding, 
restitution.-Acts 3:19-23. 



"THE MYSTERY OF GOD" 

The purpose of the nineteen centuries between the 
time when Jesus died as man's Redeemer and the time 
when He will take His Throne as the Restorer of Adam 
and his race is spoken of as a Mystery, because the great 
work of grace herein accomplished is measurably hidden 



from the world. The Jews do not understand it; they 
expected that Messiah's Kingdom and their own national 
exaltation would have come long ago. They cannot tell 
now why they have been for eighteen centuries outcast 
from the Divine favor. It is a mystery to them. 

The Scriptures tell us who may know or understand 
this Mystery and when it will be finished. They say, 
"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and 
He will show them His Covenant." They tell us that 
"in the days of the voice of the Seventh Angel, when he 
shall begin to sound, the Mystery of God shall be finished," 
which He hath kept secret from the foundation 
of the world. St. Paul refers to this Mystery, saying 
that it was "hidden from past Ages and Dispensations," 
and that it "is now revealed to the saints." He explains 
what it is, namely, that we should be fellow-heirs 
and of the same nature with our Redeemer. ~Eph. 3:6. 

This clearly means that the entire Church class, sometimes 
called "the Body of Christ, which is the Church," 
and sometimes styled "the Bride, the Lamb's Wife," is 
to be sharer with the Redeemer in the sufferings of the 
present life and in the glories of the future. The nearly 
nineteen centuries of this Age, therefore, according to 
the Scriptures, have been for the purpose, not of giving 
the world its trial for everlasting life or death, but for 
the trying, testing, the electing or selecting of the Church, 
and her perfecting with her Lord as sharers in "His 
resurrection," "the First Resurrection." 

SM153 

We have in the past made two serious mistakes respecting 
the Divine purposes. One was that we assumed 
without Scriptural authority that the whole world is now 
on trial for eternal life, failing to see that it is merely 
the elect Church, the consecrated class. The other mistake 
is that we reasoned as though the Church were part 
of the world and, therefore, that the trial of the Church 
meant the trial of the world. But hearken to the Scriptures 
respecting the Church: "Ye are not of the world, 
even as / am not of the world"; "I have chosen you out 
of the world"; and again, "Let your light so shine before 
men that they, seeing your good works, may glorify 
your Father which is in Heaven" "in the day of their 
visitation. ' -John 15:19; Matt. 5:16; 1 Peter 2:12. 



TWO DIFFERENT REWARDS 

We should notice also the wide difference between the 
reward promised the Church and that proffered the 
world. In both cases the reward will be everlasting life. 
In both cases this will mean full harmony with God, because 
"All the wicked will God destroy." And again we 
read that "Whosoever hath the Son hath life, and whosoever 
hath not the Son shall not see life." So, then, 
the attainment of everlasting life, either by the Church 
class or by the world, will mean coming into full harmony 
with the Heavenly Father and with the Lord Jesus, 
by the merit of Christ's sacrifice. It will mean a full 
turning away from sin and a full devotion to God and to 
righteousness. -Psa. 145:20; John 3:36; 5:12. 

The difference will be as to nature. The reward for 
the world will be earthly nature, human nature, with 
everlasting life in an earthly Paradise or Eden—worldwide. 
Mankind never lost a spiritual or Heavenly condition 
through Adam's disobedience, nor in any other manner. 
He never had such a condition or nature, or a right 
to it, that he could lose it. He was made man, "a little 
lower than the angels." His crown of glory and honor 
was an earthly crown. His dominion was over the 

SM154 

birds of the air, over cattle and over the fish of the sea. 
This which he lost Jesus gave the Redemption-price for at 
Calvary; and these things lost are the very things which 
Jesus and His elect Bride will restore to mankind during 
the thousand years of the Messianic Kingdom. Thus we 
read: "The Son of man came to seek and to save that 
which was lost. ' -Gen. 1:26; Psa. 8:4-8; Luke 19:10. 



PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE 

The reward of the Church, eternal life, perfection and 
harmony with God, will be on the spirit plane— wholly 
different from the human. Man in perfection will again 
be a little lower than the angels; but the Church, as the 
Body of Christ, will share with her Lord in His exaltation. 



"far above angels, principalities and powers and 
every name that is named" —the Divine nature. This 
reward comes to the Church under a special covenant of 
sacrifice, which the Bible specifies. ~Eph. 1:21; Psa. 50:5. 

This Church class, like her Lord, must sacrifice the 
earthly nature, earthly interests, hopes and aims, and 
must be begotten of the Father to a Heavenly, spiritual 
nature, in order to be a sharer in the First Resurrection; 
and she must enter into her reward before the Messianic 
Kingdom can be established for the blessing of mankind 
in general—the saving of the race from sin and death. 

Thus the Apostle wrote that the groaning creation 
"waits for the manifestation of the sons of God." 
(Rom. 8:19.) "Now are we the sons of God, but it doth 
not yet appear what we shall be [how glorious, how 
great], but we know that when He shall appear we shall 
be like Him." Our resurrection change will make us 
like the Savior; as it written, "We shall all be changed, 
in a moment, in a twinkling," because "flesh and blood 
cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven." 

Come back again to St. Paul's words. He does not 
say that God commanded the Church to sacrifice; for if 
sacrifice were a command it would cease to be a sacrifice. 
Nowhere are God's people commanded to present their 

SM155 

bodies living sacrifices, nor to walk in the footsteps of 
Jesus, nor to take up the cross and follow Him. To the 
saintly these sacrificing features are set forth as a privilege 
--as an opportunity. If they do these things the 
Divine arrangement is that through the imputation of 
Christ's merit their sacrifice will be holy and acceptable 
unto God, and they will be granted a share with the Redeemer 
in His high exaltation—the reward of sacrifice, 
of self-denial, of loving, voluntary service to God, the 
Truth and the brethren. 



"COMMANDETH ALL TO REPENT" 

But to the world in general the Lord issues a command, 
viz.. Repent; turn from your sins; come back to 
Me; seek My face; seek to know and do My will. The 
basis of this command is the Divine declaration that 



God's grace has provided redemption in the blood of 
Jesus, a reconciliation through His blood, and that by 
and by the whole world will be on trial for life or death 
everlasting, in a great Day of trial, which God has ordained 
and over which Christ and the Church will supervise, 
as Judges. --1 Cor. 6:2,3. 

Whoever comes to a knowledge of this great Divine 
arrangement through Christ has an incentive to live righteously, 
soberly and godly in this present time. Whoever 
hears and heeds this command is laying up for himself 
a good treasure of character and preparation for his life 
or death trial in the great Judgment Day of the Messianic 
Kingdom. Whoever ignores this knowledge and "sows 
to the flesh" will find himself reaping to the flesh further 
weakness, further degradation and severer stripes or 
punishments in that great thousand-year Judgment Day. 

When He who is our life 

Appears, to take the Throne, 
We, too, shall be revealed, and shine 

In glory like His own. 



SM156 



THE DECEPTIVE WA Y 

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but 
the end thereof are the ways of death. "--Prov. 16:25. 

Selfishness should be considered the synonym of Sin. 
Not that we could live under present conditions entirely 
forgetful of our own interests; but that these should 
be considered justly balanced with the interests of others, 
in harmony with the statement, "Thou shall love thy 
neighbor as thyself." Originally sin was inspired by 
Mother Eve's unlawful spirit of acquisitiveness—her 
desire to secure knowledge in advance of the Creator's 
arrangement. This spirit of acquisitiveness led her into 
disobedience. Father Adam's transgressions against Divine 
Law was prompted also by self-interest. Believing 
that by her disobedience his wife had fallen under the 
sentence of death, he selfishly planned to be disobedient 
also, believing that all the pleasure of his life would die 
with his wife. He disobeyed, in order to die with her. 

The 6,000 years which have intervened between the 
first disobedience and the present time have stimulated 
and developed selfish propensities of the human mind at 
the expense of its more noble, more generous, more refined 
qualities. Driven out of the Garden of Eden, where 
their wants had been supplied by the fruits of the life-giving 
groves, our first parents found themselves in the 
unprepared, unsuitable, "cursed" earth, which brought 
forth thorns and thistles, and variously demanded their 
time and attention for the procurement of the necessities 
and comforts of life. Thus the fertile valleys and their 
fruitage attained a value, as compared with human time 
and strength, such as the fruits of Eden would not have 
where plenty was obtainable by merely stretching forth 
the hand.-Psa. 107:10-12. 

SM157 

This labor with sweat of face was a part of the curse 
or penalty upon the race for the disobedience, to the intent 
that the Divine verdict should be executed, "Dying 
thou shall die," and that man should realize the difference 



between his condition in favor with God and his 
state out of Divine favor, and might thus the more fully 
appreciate the undesirableness of the same. We should 
notice incidentally, however, that this arrangement, that 
man should earn his bread by the sweat of his face, was 
designed of the Lord to be really a blessing. Without 
this necessity for toil the abundance of idleness which 
would have prevailed would have been very disastrous 
indeed to the human race, which had merely tasted of sin 
and was separated from Divine favor. The downward 
course of humanity would undoubtedly have been much 
more rapid had idleness prevailed. This was part, we 
remember, of the difficulty of the Sodomites. "Fulness 
of bread and an abundance of idleness were in her," and 
this led to various forms of degradation.--Ezek. 16:49. 



HOW SELFISHNESS HAS DEVELOPED 

Labor for food and raiment having become a necessity, 
the hours of labor became proportionately valuable. 
Then came the inducement for some of the race to bring 
their fellows into slavery, that they might have their toil 
at minimum cost, thus not only securing their own leisure 
but laying up wealth to the extent of superior opportunity 
or ability. It led to bloodshed for the securing of 
slaves, and bloodshed again in endeavoring to rescue the 
enslaved. One of the earliest illustrations along this line 
in the Bible record is shown in connection with the capture 
of Lot and his family, and the Sodomites, by the 
army from the north, and the rescue of these by Abraham 
and his armed men. (Gen. 14:12-16.) However, the teaching 
of history is full of just such incidents. Indeed, it is 
only of very recent time that slavery has been abolished 
in civilized lands. Another manifestation of slavery 
along parallel lines was that of one nation conquering 

SM158 

another and putting it under tribute. Thus an entire 
nation was enslaved and its people made bondsmen to 
another, and obliged to pay a certain proportion of the 
fruit of their labor for nothing— simply because the 
neighboring nation was the stronger or the better armed. 
Slavery in its old form still exists in certain parts of 



the world. Elsewhere the form has been changed, though 
the principle of selfishness is considerably the same. In 
China and amongst the Malayans of India there is a 
servant class, really slaves to circumstances and conditions 
surrounding them, though not exactly the same kind 
of chattel slavery that fifty years ago prevailed in the 
United States. Wherever the Bible has gone the spirit 
of liberty has gone with it; for it teaches, as no other 
religious book in the world does, that all men stand on 
the same footing before their Creator—that all are sinners, 
that all are condemned with the same penalty, that 
all alike need the same salvation, and that entrance to 
eternal life is to all on the same basis--that class and 
caste make no difference whatever. Wherever the Bible 
has been read, this spirit of manhood has been inculcated, 
and the spirit of slavery correspondingly lost. However, 
the unbalance of the human character resulting from 
the fall and from the premium it put upon labor and 
leisure, and the consequent dwarfing of the higher qualities 
of the mind, because their cultivation was impossible 
except to those who could acquire the leisure. These 
conditions, continuing with us, have been ready to adapt 
themselves to new ones. 

When it became difficult or impossible to hold fellow-creatures 
in slavery, financial usages were formulated 
and gradually organized and systematized, until today 
we see selfishness as rampant as ever in the world and 
as eager as ever to accumulate wealth, representing accumulated 
toil. The system under which this selfishness 
operates in our day has its elements of justice, its good 
qualities as well as its bad ones. It is the wage system. 

SM159 

Under this arrangement those who have the largest degree 
of mental power in combination with selfishness have 
the opportunity for becoming financial kings and princes 
in the world. We are now operating under the so-called 
law of supply and demand for brains, skill and energy; 
for these as never before possess large possibilities for 
the accumulation of wealth. That the accumulated wealth 
of our day is far beyond that of any other time is well 
known to us all. A fortune of a hundred million dollars 
has fallen to the lot of quite a few. A very large number 
have one million dollars and upward; and many thousands 



possess fortunes of one hundred thousand or more. 
What these fortunes mean in accumulated labor it is 
quite difficult to estimate; but even counting labor at 
$2.00 per day, a man whose fortune is a million dollars 
has represented therein the earnings of 1500 years. 



THE DAY OF PREPARATION 

A factor in the great increase of wealth in our day is 
the great stimulation that has come to inventive genius. 
This is attributed to the extra speeding of the wheels of 
evolution, bringing us into the "brain age." We, however, 
following the guidance of the Bible, and looking 
more carefully to the facts surrounding these inventions, 
disagree with this thought. We find that the inventors 
of our day are not all brilliant, and that in comparison 
to the whole population they are very few, anyway. We 
find evidences of as great mentality in the past as in the 
present. Shakespeare, Newton, Socrates, Plato, St. Paul, 
King Solomon, King David, Job, Moses, and the builders 
of the Pyramid, shine out brightly on the pages of history, 
and find few if any equals in our day. The Bible 
explanation of the inventions of our epoch is that it is 
the "Day of His Preparation" —preparing for the Millennium. 
-Nahum 2:3. 

So simple are some of the devices now common to us 
that we cannot avoid wondering why they were not discovered 
before. The only reasonable answer is the Scriptural 

SM160 

one, that the Lord did not until recently lift the 

veil and bring matters to our attention. We are not 

meaning to say that every inventor is inspired of the 

Lord; but we do mean to say that the Lord kept back the 

art of printing until the proper time to exert the influence 

which it is now having in the world—that the Lord did 

not favor general education until this Day of His Preparation; 

that He has allowed the world to take its own 

course in many of these matters until of late. The present 

running to and fro by which our race is commingled, 

and the interchange of ideas thus effected, and the increase 

of knowledge and education resulting, are all set 

down most distinctly in the Scriptures as marks or proofs 



that we are living in the time of the ending of the Present 

Dispensation—that the New Dispensation is nigh, 

even at the door. For proof along this line note the declaration 

to the Prophet Daniel, "In the time of the end 

many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased 

...The wise shall understand... and 

there shall be a Time of Trouble such as was not since 

there was a nation. "-Dan. 12:1,4,10. 



KNOWLEDGE--LIBERTY--TROUBLE 

With a wise object the Lord held back the light, the 
knowledge, the inventions of our day, knowing in advance 
what we are now learning from experience, that the effect 
of this upon our race, sold under sin, warped and twisted 
in favor of selfishness, would be to greatly increase the 
selfish propensities of the world in general. The inventions 
of our day, their labor-saving machinery, etc., all 
represents vast possibilities for the accumulation of 
wealth- accumulated toil. The most far-seeing of our 
race, the best and brightest minds, if they have thought of 
the advisability of throwing open to mankind in general 
all these advantages and blessings of our day, must have 
dismissed the thought; for all seem to be acting on the 
selfish plane-acquiring every advantage possible and 
using these for the accumulation of wealth. 

SM161 

True, the rush has come so suddenly that all mankind 
have been advantaged to some extent, even the day 
laborer. But as these advantages go into the hands of 
the few, and as the natural increase of population multiplies 
the number of laborers, it is not difficult to foresee 
what would be the consummation of the present system 
of competition along the lines of supply and demand. 
The supply of laborers is continually increasing, the supply 
of labor-saving machinery represents still further 
increase, while the demand for labor will be only to the 
extent that it will yield profit to those who have come 
to be the possessors of the world's wealth. 

This is seen by many. The rich do not fear it; for they 
feel secure, and hope that if ever a distress should come 
they also shall feel generous. But the outlook is dreaded 



by many of the thinking poor, who have little confidence 

in the generosity plan, and who are therefore crying 

out for Socialism the public ownership of the wealth-producing 

agencies which they hope would bring competency 

at once and by and by wealth to all. 

We are not advocating Socialism; for we believe it 
to be thoroughly impractical. Our knowledge of human 
nature leads us to believe that those who now possess 
the wealth of the world hold it with such a tenacity and 
such selfishness that they would allow the entire social 
structure to go to wreck rather than release their hold 
upon the special privileges and opportunities which they 
now hold in their grasp. Although Socialists do not 
realize it to be so, their doctrines spell anarchy—the 
worst possible thing so far as human interests are concerned. 
We do not rest the matter with our opinions 
merely, but rather have formed our conclusions in accord 
with the Word of God, which distinctly tell us that the 
end of the Age is close at hand, that it will be followed 
by the Golden Age, the Millennial Kingdom, under the 
control of Christ and His glorified saints, the "little 
flock," from whom will proceed the blessing and uplifting 

SM162 

of whosoever wills of all the families of the earth. 

We live in a day of rapid changes. A few more years 
will show the wealth of the world still more concentrated, 
still more powerful, and the masses of humanity still 
more eager for Socialism-ignorant of the fact that it 
will result in anarchy. We expect, in harmony with our 
understanding of the Scriptures, that this great crisis 
will be upon the world within the next eight years— a 
Time of Trouble such as was not since there was a nation, 
no, nor ever shall be.-Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21. 



THE WAY THAT SEEMETH RIGHT 

This way of selfishness which has prevailed for six 
thousand years is the way which seemeth right unto a 
man— the usual way, the natural way, approved by the 
standards of the world for centuries-opposed only by 
the few, who are not highly esteemed amongst men— by 
Jesus, the Apostles, the Prophets, and those who follow 



their course and teachings. We have indicated only one 
feature of this way which seemeth right unto a man, this 
selfish way; namely, the monetary. But selfishness takes 
hold of every affair of life. It affects the social standing 
and makes class distinctions along selfish lines; it affects 
the appetites and passions and seeks selfish gratification 
in every direction. Selfishness, we repeat, stands for 
and represents sin in its every form. Yet selfishness 
seemeth to a man to be right in his depraved condition; 
he was born with it~yea, in selfishness did his mother 
conceive him.~Psa. 51:5; Gen. 3:20. 

This selfish way the Scriptures alone show is a wrong 
way, and results from the unbalance of the human mind, 
which originally was well balanced, the image and likeness 
of the Divine mind along the lines of justice and 
love. Only in the School of Christ is unselfishness taught; 
and in that School this is almost the only lesson and it 
is learned line upon line, precept upon precept, even in 
the principles of righteousness and godliness. 

The great Teacher, Jesus, instructs us respecting the 

SM163 

Divine Law that Love is the fulfilling of the Law, that 

the entire Law of Love is briefly comprehended in the 

one word. Love—love for God supremely and love for 

our fellow-men as for ourselves. This Teacher gave the 

greatest illustrations of this lesson in His own conduct 

of life. In harmony with the Divine will He laid aside 

His glory and dignity as a spirit being and was made 

flesh and dwelt amongst men, being born under the Law, 

a Jew. Still in harmony with the Divine arrangement, 

when He reached manhood's estate He made a full self-sacrifice 

of Himself, the benefit of which was to accrue to 

Adam and his race. For three and a half years He was 

laying down His life in deeds of kindness—virtue or 

vitality going out of Him for the healing of the multitude 

—until finally He finished his course in ignominy, a 

Sin-offering on behalf of our race. 

All the lessons that our Lord may teach, therefore, 
along the line of love, are well exemplified in His own 
course. Having bought the world with His precious 
Sacrifice, His life, in harmony with the Divine Plan, He 
is about to bless the world by opening their eyes, giving 
them to know the difference between right and wrong, 



and by helping them out of their sin, selfishness and 
meanness back to the image and likeness of God as 
originally enjoyed. But this work according to the Divine 
Plan is reserved for the Millennial Age. 

In the meantime the world's Redeemer labors not for 
the world nor even prays for the world (John 17:9), 
but in harmony with the Divine will labors and prays for 
His Church, a "little flock," to whom it is the Father's 
good pleasure to give the Kingdom, in association with 
Himself, the Redeemer. These are called or invited to 
separate themselves from the world and its spirit of sin 
and selfishness; and only so many as love righteousness 
and hate iniquity are drawn or desired in the present 
time. The vast majority of our race are left over for 
treatment during the Millennial Kingdom. 

SM164 



THE NARROW WAY--THE BROAD WAY 

This "little flock" of believers, who turn from sin 
to be followers in the footsteps of their Master and 
Redeemer, are shown a new way~a "narrow way." 
This is not the way that seemeth desirable or right to 
the natural man, to the masses of mankind. These called 
ones are given a special opening of the eyes of their 
understanding, and the ability to discern the right way 
of the Lord as in contrast with the way that seemeth 
right to fallen man. They are informed that the way 
is narrow, difficult, etc., and are advised to sit down first 
and count the cost before undertaking to walk in it. 

But those who undertake to walk in this way are 
assured of the Master's favor and His continued presence 
with them, and His aid in all of life's affairs and are 
guaranteed that, whatever may happen to them, all things 
shall work together for their good, because they love 
God and have been called according to His purpose. 
(Rom. 8:28.) They are assured that while in the present 
time their following of the Master will lead to the disapprobation 
of the world, the opposition of Satan, the 
traducing of their reputation, nevertheless it will be their 
privilege to be exceeding glad, very happy in the present 
life, because of their enjoyment of the peace of God which 
passeth all understanding ruling in their hearts, and 



because of the exceeding great and precious promises 

of the future granted to them. These promises include 

the prospect of Heavenly riches, dominion, power in joint-heir ship 

with the Redeemer Himself. Because of this 

close relationship these are frequently described in their 

future glory as the Bride, the Lamb's Wife--the marriage 

or union being represented as to take place at the Second 

Coming of Christ. 

This way of the world that seemeth right to mankind 
in general—this way of selfishness which has become 
second nature to the race--our text declares leads into 
the ways of death. This seems astonishing! Apparently 

SM165 

very few realize this fact. Evidently the death here 

referred to is not the usual or Adamic death common to 

all mankind, saint and sinner, but the Second Death. 

Let us examine the matter in greater detail: How does 

selfishness lead into the ways of death? We answer that 

selfishness is at the foundation of nearly every crime 

in the calendar. Is it murder? Selfishness, acquisitiveness, 

is the motive. Is it robbery or fraud, lying or 

cheating? Selfishness has been the mainspring. Is it 

covetousness, fornication or adultery? Selfishness is 

behind it. Is it pride, self-conceit or violation of another's 

rights in any sense of the word? Usually it is 

because of selfishness in the heart. Is it dishonor of the 

Creator? This is generally a result of too high an appreciation 

of one's self— a lack of proper humility and 

reverence. All of these paths selfishness leads into; and 

they are all in the direction of the Second Death, just 

as the narrow way in which the faithful are called to 

walk leads in the opposite direction to life eternal. 

We are glad to know from the Scriptures that only 
those who have been begotten of the Holy Spirit, and 
under its guidance brought to a clear appreciation of the 
Truth, are really upon trial for life or death eternal at 
the present time. We are glad that God has provided 
through Christ and the Millennial Kingdom an opportunity 
for all the blind eyes to be opened and all the deaf 
ears to be unstopped, that all may come to a thorough 
knowledge of God and of His righteous will, and at the 
same time be granted the necessary assistance to come 
into harmony therewith if they will. We are glad of 



all these things; for evidently those who are walking in 
the broad road of selfishness, which leads into various 
paths and which ultimately would end in the Second 
Death, are so numerous that it would mean that the 
Divine Plan of Salvation would be almost a failure if 
there were no such provision for these in the future. 
It will not be questioned by the intelligent and reflective 

SM166 

that if God is Love, and is the Pattern for unselfishness, 
as exemplified to us in the character of His Son, this 
is the character which He desires and approves and will 
bless with everlasting life. Then the majority of mankind, 
the great mass, nine hundred and ninety-nine out of every 
thousand dying under present conditions, necessarily 
die out of Divine favor and unfit for eternal life and 
the better terms on which God purposes to give it. 
Indeed, we see that even the most saintly have such a 
selfish tendency in their flesh that if they were judged 
of the Lord according to the strict letter of His Law they, 
too, would be counted unfit for eternal life. It is the fact 
that they are covered with the robe of Christ's righteousness, 
imputed to them because of faith and obedience 
to the extent of their ability, which permits these to be 
counted meet for the inheritance of the saints in light- 
reckoned as having passed from death unto life, to which 
they will be actually received in the First Resurrection. 



UNSELFISHNESS IN HEAVEN 

If we understand the teachings of the Scriptures 
aright, those who are in accord with selfishness are 
wholly unfit for the Heavenly state. Our Roman Catholic 
friends, admitting this, claim that practically all, even 
their own clerics, go to Purgatory, there to be purged of 
this dross of character and to be made fit for eternal life. 
We agree to this proposition, but deny that there is any 
Purgatory in existence at the present time. We hold the 
Scriptures to teach that Purgatory is a condition of the 
future—that the entire Millennial Age will be the period 
of Purgatory and this earth the place. Neither can we 
agree to the Roman Catholic view of Purgatory, that it 
is manned with devils and composed of torture chambers. 



On the other hand we have the assurance of the Scriptures 
that during that time Satan will be bound, all evil 
influences be restrained and the whole world be blessed. 
Then, if they will, they will be lifted up out of their 
degradation, selfishness and sin back to the full perfection 

SM167 

lost in Father Adam; or failing to respond to those glorious 
opportunities and privileges, they will be esteemed 
unworthy of any further blessing and be utterly destroyed 
in the Second Death.--Acts 3:23; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 20:11-15. 



SOWING AND REAPING 

One of the points which we specially desire to impress 
on this occasion is that this way of selfishness which 
seemeth right unto a man, but which leads to paths of 
death and on which the masses of mankind are traveling 
very composedly, is an evil pathway-injurious in every 
sense of the word. Some one may say, "Ah, but if there 
is a Purgatory, a school of opportunity in the Millennial 
Age, why may we not indulge in selfishness now and get 
our lessons then?" We reply that all the tare seed and 
weed seed that we sow in our hearts and characters in 
the present time are doing much injury to us, not only 
as respects the present, but also as regards the future. 
He that sows selfishness reaps the same and finds his 
crop continually increasing, so that at the close of a busy 
life the majority of people find themselves very much 
more selfish than they were at its beginning. In other 
words, they were nearer to an acceptable condition with 
God in their infancy than on their death bed in old age. 

We feel that even the consecrated of the Lord's people 
have not appreciated the situation aright; that while even 
having nominally changed from selfishness to love, while 
seeking to cultivate the latter more and more in thought, 
word and deed, they have not fully grasped the situation 
and are therefore making less strenuous efforts than they 
might make. Let all these resolve that by the grace of 
God they will lay aside every weight and every besetting 
sin, and run with patience the race set before us in the 
Gospel~the race in the narrow way. 



Not to ourselves again, 

Not to the flesh we live; 
Not to the world henceforth shall we 

Our strength, our being give. 



SM168 

GOD'S INFINITE WISDOM AND LOVE 

[Given in Shanghai, China, Jan. 7, 1912] 

"Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the 
wells of salvation. "~Isa. 12:3. 

China's hundreds of millions of patient, incessant 
workers have had my sympathy from childhood. The 
philosophies of childhood are often as correct as those of 
mature years— sometimes more so. Well I remember as 
a child inquiring what would be the fate of the heathen, 
and the answer that I received--that only through faith 
in Jesus, the Redeemer, is there any salvation. Then I 
queried. What is the penalty of their ignorance of the 
Only Name given under Heaven or amongst men whereby 
we must be saved? The answer was the usual one of all 
of our "Orthodox creeds": that they would spend eternity 
in a hell of unutterable anguish. How my heart went 
out sympathetically toward every missionary movement 
on behalf of the heathen! 

Then came mature thinking and I said. Like others I 
am imperfect in every way; my sympathy and love, therefore, 
cannot be as great as that of our Creator. How is 
it possible that God, with all the force of the Universe at 
His command, could look calmly on and see the operation 
of His own laws carrying thousands of millions to eternal 
misery and yet refrain from giving those creatures the 
necessary information? There is something wrong with 
the Bible and with our creeds which we have built upon it. 

I threw all away and began to reason-but, thank God! 
not along irreverent lines. I reasoned that He who made 
the Universe also made man; that whatever noble qualities 
I could find in humanity were the work of the Creator. 
I said, Man's noblest qualities are justice and love, and 
hence the Creator must possess these unlimitedly. I 
bowed in worship before God, infinite in Wisdom, Justice, 
Love and Power.-Psa. 33:4-8. 



SM169 



HE THAT SEEKETH FINDETH 

I said, O great Almighty God, although unknown to 
me, I worship Thee! I adore Thee! My whole being 
cries out for the pleasure of more intimate acquaintance 
with Thee, that I might know Thy will regarding me and 
Thy purposes respecting humanity. I said. Assuredly, as 
God is all-wise. He must have an all-wise purpose, of 
which I need not be ashamed! So surely as He is just and 
loving, all of His plans and purposes must accord with 
His attributes; and having made man capable of appreciating 
these qualities. He will surely be willing to bestow 
the information which I desire—information as to how I 
can best please and serve Him and as to what His purposes 
are respecting mankind. 

My prayers convinced me the more that there must be 
a Divine Revelation somewhere in the world. I thought 
that I had searched the Bible faithfully and proved it 
unreasonable and contrary to every conception I could 
have of a Divine Creator and His purposes; hence my 
eyes turned toward this Eastern land and your sacred 
books. I studied them for a time, only to find them far 
less satisfactory to my intellect than the Bible I had 
already cast aside. 

I returned to the Bible. I asked myself. Might you 
not have been prejudiced when you examined it before? 
Although I thought not, I made a fresh investigation, 
because I felt there must be a Revelation from the true 
God somewhere, and because the Bible thus far gave the 
best testimony. It, indeed, told of a God of Love, as no 
other religious books do; yet its teachings respecting the 
future of the non-elect staggered me, for I was sure that 
they were not Godlike, but the reverse. 

Disregarding the Old Testament Scriptures entirely, 
I began with the New. I said. Was not Jesus a most wonderful 
character? Is it not true that "never man spake 
like this Man"? Both heart and head answered. Yes! 

SM170 

His teachings are the noblest found on earth! His example 
fully comports with His teachings! I asked. Can I 



rely upon the evidence? My mind replied, Yes. If just 
such men today told you their observations you would 
believe them implicitly. These men confessed that they 
were ignorant and unlearned men, telling of their own 
weaknesses in a way that impostors would not do. Their 
Message abounds in "good tidings of great joy for all 
people," and not merely for their own nationality. My 
heart began to take courage. I began to feel that I had 
found a footing for my faith and that the Bible indeed 
differed considerably from the various and conflicting 
creeds which claimed it as their support and authority. 

However, I suddenly remembered that much of the 
New Testament is composed of passages from the Old 
Testament and comments thereon. Alas! I said, for I 
cannot accept the Old Testament Scriptures. But the 
more I studied the matter the more convinced I was that 
if Jesus and the Apostles were at all what they claimed 
to be, the Old Testament must be as true as the New--as 
St. Peter declared, "Holy men of old spoke and wrote as 
they were moved by the Holy Spirit. "~2 Peter 1:21. 



THE BIBLE HELL IS THE KEY 

Then I began a more critical study of the Old Testament; 
and to my joy, as I sought, I found; as I knocked 
the door of Truth opened for me. I found the Bible teaching 
very different from what I had supposed it to be, very 
contrary to that of all the creeds. The latter, indeed, each 
and all, contain truths taken from the Bible, but truths 
incrusted with various human credulities and misconceptions 
—the Bible message as a whole divided amongst 
many creeds and made to contradict itself. 

To my surprise I found the presentations of the Bible 
not only more logical than anything else in the world, but 
absolutely the only logical presentation on earth. As 
interpreted by itself, and not by the creeds and theories 

SM171 

of the Dark Ages, the Bible tells one beautiful, reasonable, 
harmonious story, from Genesis to Revelation. It 
tells nothing of a fiery hell manned by fire-proof demons, 
and supplied with fuel for all eternity, to which Adam and 
his race were sentenced on account of sin. On the contrary. 



it teaches that "the wages of sin is death." 

It tells that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die"; and 
tells that Adam sinned and came under this death penalty 
and that all of his race by the laws of heredity are subject 
to frailty, weakness, mental, moral and physical— and 
that these have triumphed in a reign of Sin and Death for 
now six thousand years. It tells that this death is the 
death into which Adam and all of his race go-sheol, the 
hell of the Bible, for all mankind, good and bad. It tells 
that there is no pain or suffering there, no knowledge, no 
work of any kind.--Ezek. 18:4,20; Rom. 6:23. 

It tells that all, both good and bad, sleep, awaiting the 
resurrection of the dead. It tells that man's death would 
have been an extinction as complete as that of the brute 
beast had God in His Wisdom and Love not arranged for 
human redemption and a resurrection of the dead, both 
of the just and unjust. It tells that the Divine arrangement 
whereby God could be just and not repudiate the 
rulership of His own Court and yet recover man from the 
death sentence, was arranged for. The arrangement was 
that Jesus, "by the grace of God, should taste death for 
every man"; that "as by a man came death, by a Man 
also should come the resurrection of the dead; for as all 
in Adam die even so all in Christ shall be made alive, 
every man in his own order."~Heb. 2:9; 1 Cor. 15:21,22. 

With God "a thousand years are as one day." (2 Peter 3:8.) 
He has therefore arranged that six of these 
great Days shall constitute man's period of battling with 
sin and death and that the seventh of these great Days 
shall be the Day of Messiah, the Sabbath or Rest Day to 
the world, in which Messiah, as the Divine Representative, 
shall lift up all the willing and obedient, opening 

SM172 

their blind eyes, unstopping their deaf ears and causing 
all to know the Lord, from the least to the greatest. 



"ALL SHALL KNOW THE LORD" 

As a result, some will refuse and die the "Second 
Death" —utter destruction. No more than a century of 
trial is to be granted; for we read, "The sinner a hundred 
years old shall be cut off"~a child a century old in sin 



shall be accursed--to the Second Death. (Isa. 65:20.) 

But all who will accept Divine favor may then be brought 
to full, human perfection, similar to that which Adam 
enjoyed at the beginning, plus the knowledge of good and 
evil, which he lacked. 

Of these willing and obedient ones it is written, 
"Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, to the 
glory of God." Many of the Chinese, doubtless, will then 
be bowing before the great King of kings and Lord of 
lords, whom then they will know completely; for "the 
knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth as the 
waters cover the great deep." And their forefathers, 
whom they reverence, will be there, too; their eyes shall 
be opened and their ears unstopped, as it is written, "All 
the blind eyes shall all be opened and all the deaf ears shall 
be unstopped." What a great reunion time that will be 
for the Chinese hundreds of millions! Yes, and still 
more! As the Scriptures declare, all the families of the 
earth shall be blessed similarly with a knowledge of God 
and with a full opportunity for restitution to all that was 
lost in Adam—to all that was redeemed at Calvary. 

Do the Chinese say to me. This news is too good to be 
true? Do they say. No missionary ever told us of such a 
gracious God and such a mighty Savior! Had we heard 
such a gracious Message it would have attracted our 
hearts long ago, for our gods are non- sympathetic—they 
are great, powerful and vicious ! But we thought as we 
heard the missionaries' message that the Christian God 
must be even more ferocious than ours, for the awful, 

SM173 

burning hell of which we have heard through Christians 
is terrible beyond anything we heathens had ever heard of 
before or conjectured for ourselves! 



SATAN THE GOD OF THIS WORLD 

Alas! my dear friends, I know this very well and the 
Bible explains the whole matter. It tells us that we have 
been believing "doctrines of demons." (1 Tim 4:1.) 
These vicious doctrines in the past, when more literally 
believed than today, led some noble Christian people into 
most atrocious conduct. 



We are all awaking from this sad condition, thank 
God! We are emerging slowly from the darkness of the 
past. We are in the very dawning of the morning of 
Messiah's Kingdom; which is to bless the world. The 
rising of the Sun of Righteousness is to bring the New 
Day of emancipation from ignorance, superstition and 
death. The more awake we become the more clearly do 
we see the beauty of God's Word and the ridiculous 
inconsistency of things we once believed. 

St. Paul explains to us why Satan strives to put darkness 
for light and light for darkness. He explains why 
Satan represents himself as an angel of light and 
endeavors to besmirch the Divine character and to make 
God the very personification of wickedness and injustice! 
It is a part of his general endeavor to thwart the Divine 
Plan, to mislead those who are seeking to know God. 
Hearken to the Apostle's words: "The god of this world 
hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the 
glorious light of God's goodness, as it shines in the face 
of Jesus Christ our Lord, should shine into their 
hearts."--2 Cor. 4:4. 

In proportion as humanity misconceives God's character 
and His Word, in that same proportion they will 
shun the Bible and its God, and thus get away from the 
faith and hope revealed in the Bible. As I have told you, 
I had my own bitter experiences along this line. How I 

SM174 

thank God for the "eye-salve" and for the glorious vision 
of the Divine character and Plan which now stands out 
so distinctly before the eyes of my understanding! 



GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY 

The Gospel of the Bible, the Message of the great God, 
Infinite in Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power, is a Message 
of grace, of mercy, as has emanated from no other quarter 
--such as no other religious book in the world presents. 
And what else should we expect than that the great 
Supreme Being would be a Fountain of grace, of blessing 
to His dependent creatures. It should not surprise us, 
then, to find the Bible clearly teaching that the God of all 
Grace has in store for humanity great blessings- "Times 



of Restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all the 
holy Prophets since the world began. "--Acts 3:19-21. 

Another Message should not surprise us; it is the message 
that was sung by the angels on the night of Jesus' 
birth, "Behold, we bring you good tidings of great joy, 
which shall be unto all people"~the thousands of millions 
of the Chinese included! It is a joy to me to be permitted 
to tell this glorious Message to such as have the ear 
to hear it. It is a further joy to me that in the Divine 
arrangement the time is coming when "all the deaf ears 
shall be unstopped" and when the clear knowledge of 
God's goodness shall fill the earth as the waters cover 
the great deep -Luke 2:10; Isa. 35:5; Hab. 2:14. 

God first told this Message of His benevolent designs 
toward humanity about thirty-six hundred years ago, 
when He declared to His friend Abraham, I intend to 
bless all the families of the earth, and this shall be done 
through your posterity— "In thee and in thy Seed shall 
the families of the earth be blessed." The natural seed 
of Abraham was first developed and instructed, and consequently 
uplifted, under a Law Covenant. This arrangement 
prepared the natural seed of Abraham more than 
others of the world's peoples to receive Jesus; hence, 

SM175 

when He presented Himself, and when afterward His 

Message was proclaimed by His twelve Apostles, approximately 

sixteen thousand Jews became His footstep followers, 

were begotten of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and 

after, and thus became members of the promised Seed. 



THE NUMBER IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION 

But this number was short of the Divine purpose— 
"a hundred and forty-four thousand." (Rev. 14:1.) 
Hence, in due time, the Message of grace and the privilege 
of becoming members of the Spiritual Seed of Abraham 
was extended to one nation after another— to the Jew 
first, but also to as many as the Lord our God has called, 
of every nation, people, kindred and tongue. This "elect" 
number of spirit-begotten followers of Jesus will very 
soon be completely changed by the glorious First Resurrection, 
when this mortal and corruptible shall put on 



immortality. All those found faithful will be made partakers 
of the Divine nature, far above angels, principalities 
and powers-associates with the Redeemer. (Eph. 1:21.) 
Then the Seed of Abraham will be completed and 
qualified for its great work of blessing the race. 

St. Paul declares, "Know ye not that the saints shall 
judge the world?" (1 Cor. 6:2) The judging will be in 
the nature of a trial or testing, to determine how many of 
humanity can be helped up to human perfection and harmony 
with God and everlasting life, and how many unworthy 
will be destroyed in the Second Death. God, who has 
elected these kings, priests and judges, has appointed a 
Day in which they shall rule, bless, instruct, judge mankind 
in general. It will be the thousand years of Messiah's 
Kingdom, for "a day with the Lord is as a thousand 
years."-2 Peter 3:7,8. 



SM176 

NEED OF GREAT CONFIDENCE 
IN GOD'S WORD 

"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath 
great recompense of reward. "~Heb. 10:35. 

There is a practical side to the Gospel. Everything 
enjoined upon the followers of Christ and all their trying 
experiences in life are wisely designed to work out for 
them character-development of good, firm, fine texture. 
It is a mistake to think, as some have thought in the past, 
that it is the will of God that we should merely hear of 
Christ and give a nominal assent to the message of His 
death as our Redeemer and turn from outward forms of 
sin--and then, contented with our progress, help others 
to the same low standards. 

THE FATHER DOES THE DRAWING 

Quite to the contrary, the teachings of Jesus and His 
Apostles ignore the world as a whole and merely seek 
for a special class with hearing ears and appreciative 
hearts. The Gospel Message set forth in the Bible knows 
nothing of the ordinary mission work of rescuing drunkards, 
harlots and the profane. While not refusing publicans 
and harlots it did not go about seeking them. It 
waited for them to seek for righteousness; and, as the 
Master said, "No man can come unto Me except the 
Father which sent Me draw him"; and "whosoever 
Cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37,44,65.) 
As a matter of fact, those who came to the 
Master and those who have been interested in His Message 
ever since, have not, in any large proportion, been 
the rich, the great, the learned, the noble, according to 
the course of this world, but chiefly the poor, rich in faith 
toward our God.--l Cor. 1:26-29; Jas. 2:5. 

Take as an illustration St. Paul's course when he 
went to Athens. We do not find that he started a mission 



SM177 

Sunday School and offered the children the prospects of 
a picnic or a Sunday School treat, in order to gather them 
for a half hour's talk about nothing, "to keep them off 
the street." Neither did he seek out the drunkards in 
the slums and establish a slum mission. On the contrary 
He sought the ear of the intelligent classes, the thinking 
classes, irrespective of their wealth or station; for He had 
a Message—a Message which children could not understand, 
a Message which drunkards were incapacitated 
from understanding, a Message which should appeal to 
the best people of Athens, whether rich or poor. 

Have we not had to a considerable extent the wrong 
idea? Are we wiser than the Lord and the Apostles, and 
able to give them pointers as to methods instead of following 
their example, as we were instructed to do? They 
proclaimed the Second Coming of Messiah and the establishment 
of His Kingdom. They preached that the very 
object of His Reign of Righteousness for a thousand years 
will be the putting down of sin in its every form and the 
lifting up of poor, fallen humanity. They taught that 
there was danger of attempting to make a proselyte and 
really doing more harm than good thereby. They taught 
that the special work to which God's people are now 
commissioned as ministers or servants of Christ is the 
proclaiming of the Gospel-- "the Good Tidings of the 
Kingdom" —not the proclaiming of eternal torment nor 
the attempt to drive the world of mankind from sin 
through fear. They taught that the work of this present 
Age is the selection from amongst mankind of the Bride 
class, to be Messiah's associates in His Kingdom, for 
the blessing of all the world. It is this Message of the 
goodness of God that our text declares should be proclaimed 
with courage, with boldness, with outspokenness. 

St. Paul is criticizing some who had for quite a time 
been Christians and who had been granted large opportunities 
for growth in grace and knowledge. He says to 
these, "For the time ye ought to be teachers, but ye need 

SM178 

that one teach you again which be the first principles 

of the doctrine of Christ." They had lost the first principles. 

They had gotten entangled with vain philosophies. 



and their spirituality was at a low ebb. Conditions 
are very similar today. After eighteen centuries of 
Divine instruction, and with the wonderful Bibles now 
at our command and with helps for Bible study, what 
manner of Christians ought we to be~in faith, in love, 
in obedience, in courage !--Heb. 5:12-14; 6:1-3. 



A MOST SOLEMN THOUGHT 

St. Paul points out the necessity for the Lord's people 
to assemble themselves together for fellowship and for 
the study of His Word and to provoke one another to 
love and good works. The necessity for this, he suggests, 
is that sin on the part of those who have received a 
knowledge of the Truth and been made partakers of the 
Holy Spirit is a much more serious matter than the same 
conduct would have been before they came into the 
precious relationship of spirit-begotten children of God. 
He says, "For if we sin after that we have received a 
knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice 
for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of condemnation 
and fiery indignation which shall devour us as 
God's adversaries."--Heb. 10:25-27. 

Have we grasped the import of the thought? It 
signifies that those of us who have accepted the Divine 
terms and entered the family of God will have no future 
opportunity in another life. We must either make our 
"calling and election sure" under the terms of the call, 
as accepted, or be rejected as unworthy of life everlasting 
—as fit for the Second Death— annihilation. He who 
despised Moses' Law died without mercy. But he who, 
having come to a clear knowledge of the Truth, shall be 
found a willing sinner, will not only be cut off from a 
further opportunity in the present Age, but be everlastingly 
cut off from life, destroyed. "God is able to 

SM179 

destroy both soul and body" --the present life and our 
future hope. These thoughts should make very earnest, 
very diligent, all who have accepted Christ and been 
accepted by Him -2 Peter 1:10; Heb. 10:28,29; Matt. 10:28. 



NEVERTHELESS BE NOT DISCOURAGED 

These things were written, not only for the Hebrew 
Christians of St. Paul's day, but designed by the Holy 
Spirit for all the Household of Faith. We should not 
rock ourselves to sleep, nor give to each other opiates. 
While the world is not yet on trial for eternal life, the 
Church is now being tested—for life or death eternal. 
The thought should sober us. As the Apostle suggests, 
"Be diligent, be sober," be faithful, following in the 
footsteps of Jesus. 

But St. Paul or, rather, the Holy Spirit through him, 
took cognizance of the fact that the Lord's people are 
in a world that is "no friend to grace to help them on 
to God." The Apostle recognized that we might become 
discouraged with our own faults and weaknesses. Hence, 
after earnestly exhorting to faithfulness and energy, 
and after pointing out the dangers of slothfulness and of 
being over-charged with the cares of this life and the 
deceitfulness of riches and thus losing the spirit of Christ, 
he turns from this threatening attitude and uses encouraging 
words. 

He says, "Call to mind the former days in which, 
following your illumination of the Holy Spirit, you 
endured a great fight of afflictions." St. Paul's intimation 
is that at that time, while suffering persecutions, the 
brethren were really in a better, more alive, spiritual 
condition than later. The prosperity, privileges, freedom 
from persecution enjoyed, had made them slothful 
and less courageous. He would have them and us call 
to mind the victories won in the past, that we might have 
courage for the present and the future. How gracious, 
how helpful, are all the provisions of our God for those 

SM180 

who now hear His call and seek to walk in Jesus' steps! 
To these He guarantees that every experience of life 
which His providence shall permit shall work for good, 
for blessing, for valuable experience and education along 
lines of righteousness and character development. 



TWO CLASSES OF THE FAITHFUL 

In time of war not all can go forth as soldiers. Some 
unfit for such service may perform a useful part at home 
supporting, encouraging, sending supplies to those at 
the front, etc. And so it is in the army of the Lord; 
Jesus is the Captain of all those who voluntarily enlist 
as soldiers of the Cross to battle against sin, especially 
in themselves-fighting a "good fight of faith" and overcoming 
the spirit of the world, which surges all about 
them, threatening to overwhelm them as New Creatures 
in Christ.--2 Cor. 5:17. 

St. Paul intimates a strong persecution, openly manifested 
by the worldly- spirited, Satan-deceived people of 
God. He says, "Ye endured a great fight of afflictions, 
partly whilst ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches 
and afflictions and partly whilst ye became 
companions of them that were so used. For ye had 
compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the 
spoiling of your goods. "-Heb. 10:32-34. 

St. Paul and others prominent amongst the Lord's 
followers naturally would receive the brunt of Satan's 
attacks. It is presumed that the Epistle of which our 
text is a part was written while St. Paul was a prisoner 
at Rome. Fellow Jews, so far from being sympathetic 
for a countryman, reproached him as a traitor, unorthodox, 
seeking to tear down the work of God and to ignore 
the Divine promises belonging to Israel and their sacred 
traditions. By the Romans, too, be was regarded with 
suspicion, as one giving allegiance to another King, 
Jesus, and not therefore disposed to use his Roman 
citizenship especially for the pride and glory of 

SM181 

the Empire. St. Paul declares that thus himself and 
those who espouse the cause of the Lord are despised 
and rejected by all. He says that we are counted as the 
filth and offscouring of the earth—that which nobody 
cares for or values, but which all would like to get rid 
of; for the darkness always hates the light and seeks to 
quench it and reigns completely only when all lights are 
extinguished. Christians, far and near, either by expressing 
sympathy for the Apostle or fellow shipping 
with him, or by defending him from the unjust and 



malicious slanders circulated against him, thereby exposed 
themselves to similar reproaches and their disesteem, 
opposition from their neighbors, etc. 

History tells us of various terrible persecutions of 
the Christians by the Roman Emperors. It declares, for 
instance, that to gratify his depraved mind, Nero, the 
Emperor, caused a certain portion of Rome to be burned 
by incendiaries, and that when he found how angry the 
people were he blamed the entire matter upon the inoffensive 
Christians—partly, no doubt, because these had 
no friends, either at court or amongst the people. They 
could be blamed with impunity and the Emperor's own 
vicious criminality would thus be hidden. On this account 
many Christians were publicly and brutally put to death. 



"GREAT RECOMPENSE OF REWARD" 

Poor human nature finds it difficult to stand alone 
with God and with the few who are on his side—the side 
of righteousness and truth. When, additionally, there 
comes persecution it tries their hearts, proves their 
loyalty. This is exactly what the Lord designs. He is 
now seeking a special class of overcomers to be joint-heirs 
with His Son on the spirit plane as the Bride of 
Messiah. Through these He designs shortly to grant to 
Israel and, through Israel, to all mankind glorious blessings 
of instruction and restitution. To be qualified to 
thus serve in the instruction and uplifting of humanity 

SM182 

it is necessary that these called ones should be of strong 
character-copies of their Master, in the spirit of their 
minds. To these he says, "To him that overcometh will 
I grant to sit with Me in My Throne, even as I also overcame, 
and am set down with My Father in His Throne."— 
Rev. 3:21; Rom. 8:16,17. 

We can readily see how some of the more prominent 
followers of the Lord who suffered martyrdom because 
of their loyalty to the principles of righteousness and 
to the name of Jesus would be accounted overcomers and 
members of the Kingdom class. But sometimes it is 
difficult for us to discern clearly how the less prominent, 
less persecuted ones stand with God. St. Paul's argument 



proves that they stand w^//--that God counts them 
in as martyrs, as faithful unto death, if they have the 
martyr spirit, if they are loyal, courageous for the Truth, 
even though they never seal their testimony at the stake, 
even though they never are counted worthy of open or 
public opposition or persecution. Here is an encouragement 
for all; and this is exactly what St. Paul would 
stimulate us to in the words of our text. 



WE MUST LET THE LIGHT SHINE 

He says, "Cast not away, therefore, your outspokenness, 
which hath great recompense of reward." The 
Lord has not promised a great reward to us for merely 
believing, merely trusting, and in a cowardly manner 
keeping our light hidden, lest its exposure should bring 
to us persecution or reproach. He seeketh not such. 
They will not be counted worthy of a place in the Kingdom 
which is to bless the world. 

St. Paul elsewhere declares, "If we deny Him, He 
will also deny us" (2 Tim. 2:12). If we have accepted 
the Lord as our Counsellor, Guide, Captain, Teacher, 
Exemplar, Bridegroom, He expects of us courage to 
confess Him as such and on all suitable and proper 
occasions to "let our light so shine before men that they 
may see our good works and glorify our Father which is 

SM183 

in Heaven." (Matt. 5:16.) Our good works are to so 
accord with the Master's teachings that, however we may 
be represented by others, all who know us intimately will 
take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus and 
have learned of Him. They should also see that our 
courage, our boldness, our outspokenness, is not a desire 
to preach ourselves, not vainglory in ourselves, but that, 
on the contrary, we preach Christ and the glorious Message 
of His Word, which always has brought opposition 
and persecution from the Adversary and from all who 
are under his blinding influence. ~1 Cor. 1:23. 

Every faithful follower of Jesus must be a confessor 
—must show his colors. We do not mean by this that he 
must be belligerent and fight a carnal warfare, either 
with swords or spears or hands or tongue. On the contrary. 



like his Master, he must ever be alert to do good. 
His orders from the Captain are, "Speak evil of no man." 
What he must speak forth and show forth by his life is 
the doctrine of Christ--the Truth, the Light, in contrast 
with the prevailing Error and Darkness. 

The reward which the Scriptures hold before our eyes 
of faith is so great that, to the worldly, it seems foolish 
to believe in it. It is to consist of a share with our Lord 
in His glory, honor and immortality, in His Mediatorial 
Kingdom soon to be established, in His great work as 
the Mediator of the New Covenant in granting Divine 
blessings, through the merit of the better sacrifices, to the 
people of Israel and eventually through them to all mankind. 
Not all have a knowledge of this great reward. 
Not all, therefore, have the encouragement to faithfulness 
which this knowledge inspires. Not all even have the ears 
to hear. It is written, "The secret of the Lord is with 
them that fear Him, and He will show them His Covenant." 
-Psa. 25:14. 

Equip me for the war. 

And teach me how to fight: 
My mind and heart, O Lord, prepare. 

And guide my words aright. 



SMI 84 

GOD PREPARING FOR THE HARVEST 

[Given in Glasgow, October 29, 1911] 

"Of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need 
that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that 
the Day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night; for 
when they shall say. Peace and safety, then sudden 
destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman 
with child, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, 
are not in darkness that that Day should overtake you as 
a thief; ye are children of the light. "~1 Thess. 5:1-5. 

The common tendency of the human mind is expressed 
by St. Peter, who prophesies of the present time that the 
worldly will be saying, "Where is the promise of His 
presence!... All things continue as they were from 
the foundation of the world." Ignorance of God's Plan is 
to be expected of the world, but the true people of God 
have the promise of His special instruction so that they 
need not be in darkness respecting the Divine Program. 

Our world for six thousand years has been the battle 
field between the forces of light and darkness, truth and 
error, righteousness and sin; the Prince of Darkness, 
otherwise styled the "Prince of this world," has led his 
forces in person, and has controlled the masses and is still 
controlling them. The Prince of Light is represented in 
a feeble way by ambassadors who are specially cautioned 
by Him that they must not use carnal weapons nor carnal 
methods, but must in meekness correct those who oppose 
them. They must be subject to "the powers that be" to 
the extent that their consciences will permit, and so far 
as possible live peaceably with all men.--Rom. 12:18. 

This experience of subjection to the powers of evil 
has been a hard lesson, difficult to learn; a trial of faith 
as well as of endurance, the value of which has been difficult 
sometimes to appreciate. But these must walk by 
faith and not by sight if they would please the Captain of 

SM185 

their salvation. For centuries the prayer has gone up to 
God from their hearts, "How long, O Lord!" Reason 



assures them that it cannot be the Divine purpose to forever 
permit the victory of sin and death. —Rev. 6:10. 



PLOWING, SOWING, REAPING 

God represents Himself as a great Husbandman. 
Each Age is a "season" and bears its own crop. Each 
Age has its own time for the plowing of the field, the sowing 
of the good seed, and the harvest work. As Bible 
students we have already noted the work accomplished 
in the Age which ended with the Flood, the different work 
accomplished during the Patriarchal Age, and the still 
different work accomplished during the Jewish Age, 
which lasted from the death of Jacob, and particularly 
from the giving of the Law, down to the death of Jesus. 

Our Lord's ministry of three and a half years was a 
harvest time to the Jewish people in the close of their 
Age in favor or "day of visitation." He said to His 
disciples, "I send you forth to reap that whereon ye 
bestowed no labor; other men labored and ye are entered 
into their labors." (John 4:38.) The plowing and sowing 
connected with the Jewish Dispensation was in the 
far past. The Egyptian bondage served to do a plowing 
work as also Israel's escape from that bondage and the 
forty years of wandering in the wilderness before they 
reached Canaan. The giving of the Law and the establishment 
of them as a people, the lessons of their sacrifices, 
and the exhortation of their Prophets, all constituted 
a seed-sowing, harrowing and cultivating experience. 
In the end of their Age Jesus gathered the ripe 
fruitage of that experience—those sanctified thereby and 
developed in character and obedience to God. 

The crop gathered by our Lord and the Apostles in 
the Jewish harvest numbered thousands. These were 
gathered out of Judaism and from under the Law Covenant 
into Christianity-gathered under a covenant applying 

SM186 

only to the "Church which is the Body of Christ." 
This covenant, under which they became associated with 
Messiah, reads, "Gather together My saints [holy ones] 
unto Me," saith the Lord, "those who have made a Covenant 
with Me by sacrifice." (Psa. 50:5.) All coming 



thus into relationship to Jehovah as members of the Body 
of Messiah came by way of the cross—through a recognition 
of their own imperfection, and of Jesus and His 
sacrifice as the satisfaction for their sins, a covering for 
their blemishes, by which alone their sacrifices were rendered 
"holy and acceptable to God."--Rom. 12:1. 



SOWING FOLLOWS REAPING 

The reaping work of the Jewish Age merged into the 
sowing work of the Gospel Age as the invitation to become 
joint- sacrificers with Jesus was extended to those 
having hearing ears amongst nations aside from the 
Jews. For eighteen centuries this sowing work, with 
"harrowing" experiences and various cultivations, has 
been in progress. Now in turn we have arrived at the 
harvest of this Gospel Age—the reaping time, the time of 
gathering into the garner-beyond the veil-by the power 
of the First Resurrection. 

"None of the wicked shall understand, but the wise 
shall understand" (Dan. 12:10), is the Lord's declaration. 
Our text declares that "Ye, brethren, are not in 
darkness" respecting this time. This implies either that 
the brethren are very few or that a considerable number 
of them have not yet become sufficiently awake to a discernment 
of the times and seasons in which we are living. 
Many of the brethren and many of the world and many 
of the "wicked" do realize that we are living in strange 
times and under peculiar conditions. These try to persuade 
themselves, however, that what we see today is 
merely a recurrence of what has repeated itself time and 
again during the past centuries. Thus they lull themselves, 
saying, "Peace and safety!"-l Thess. 5:3. 

SM187 

This attitude is what the Scriptures foretold, "When 
they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction 
Cometh upon them. " It is only "ye, brethren," who are 
privileged to have the clearer light respecting present 
and future conditions. We know that we are in the 
Harvest time of this Age— the reckoning time— the testing 
time-the time when the "wheat" is to be gathered 
into the Heavenly "garner" the time when the field is 



to be cleared of all "tares" in a fiery trouble--the time 
when the plowshare of trouble will be run through the 
world of mankind to prepare the whole world for the New 
Dispensation just about to begin. 



THE PLOWMAN OVERTAKES THE REAPER 

Illustrating the Divine methods and the rapid following 
of events in the Divine Program, the Lord through 
the Prophet tells us that "the plowman will overtake the 
reaper." (Amos 9:13.) So accurately timed is every feature 
of the Divine Plan that part fits to part and work 
to work closely. The Harvest of the present time is the 
gathering of the fruitage of this Gospel Age—the gathering 
of "the Church of the First-borns, whose names are 
written in Heaven" -those who have made a covenant 
with Jehovah by sacrifice. 

The Head of the saintly Messiah, developed and glorified 
eighteen centuries ago, is Jesus. The members of the 
Body of this Messiah have been gathered from every 
nation, first from the Jews and then from all nations. 
God's call and selection of saintly sacrificers in this 
Gospel Age ignore all sectarian, all denominational, all 
national lines— "The Lord knoweth them that are His." 
The winds of violence, "the powers of the air," which 
will shortly be loosed, and which will produce the terrific 
"storm," are being held back until the sealing of God's 
servants in their foreheads shall have been accomplished. 

This sealing in the forehead implies an intellectual appreciation 
of Heavenly things, and is intimately associated 
with the Harvest work— the sealed are the ripe wheat 

SM188: 

being gathered for the Heavenly garner. As soon as the 
sealing work shall have been accomplished the winds of 
strife and trouble will be let loose according to the Master's 
declaration, and the result will be a "Time of 
Trouble such as never was since there was a nation"— no, 
nor ever shall be the like again. The awful lessons which 
will then be learned by humanity will be sufficient for all 
time. The strife, the hatred, the malignity, the anarchy 
of that day of trouble are depicted in various places in 
the Word of God-Rev. 7:1; Matt. 24:21; Psa. 46:8-10. 



The trouble time impending is indeed declared to be 
a time of Divine wrath, and we must not lose sight of that 
feature of it. Divine Justice has indignation against inequity 
and selfishness in general, for selfishness is but another 
name for sin. All sin is selfish, and all selfishness 
is sin. The captains of industry, the captains of education, 
and captains of wealth have today greater opportunities 
and therefore greater responsibilities than the 
kings of the earth for their dealings with their fellowmen. 

Similarly, there are leaders of the people, presidents 
and secretaries of unions, etc., who are also captains, 
and who also have great responsibility. All perceive that 
the world of humanity is rapidly nearing a crisis. The 
almost miraculous opening of the eyes of understanding 
which God has recently granted has brought to the world 
mechanical inventions and chemical processes which are 
making the world rich with amazing rapidity. 

Although these blessings are in considerable measure 
reaching the masses of mankind and uplifting all to a 
higher plane of comfort, nevertheless general education 
has opened the eyes of human understanding correspondingly. 
"The common people" are looking with amazement 
at the luxury of the rich as the barbarians of old 
looked upon the much lesser splendors of Rome. They 
are covetous, they are hungry for what they term their 
"share" of the bounties being dispensed by Providence 
with so lavish a hand. 

SM189 

Even if the vast increase of wealth through machinery, 
chemistry, etc., were to be evenly distributed we 
doubt if it would satisfy these new-born minds. 



TWO POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS 

There seem to be two possible solutions: (1) To convert 
all of the wealthy into saints, whose pleasure it would 
be to administer the flood of wealth now rolling in upon 
them for the general blessing of mankind, along the most 
benevolent lines imaginable; or (2) To convert into saints 
the masses of mankind and so imbue them with Heavenly 
hopes and prospects that they would not particularly 
care for earthly good things nor crave them, but rather 



rejoice to be "the poor of this world, rich in faith, heirs 
of the Heavenly Kingdom. "--James 2:5. 

We confess that neither solution seems to be practicable. 
We cannot believe that either can be accomplished; 
hence we must believe what the Bible teaches, 
that an awful conflict is about to be precipitated between 
these two classes, because neither one nor the other can 
be fully converted to the Lord's way. How glad we are 
that the Bible shows that the culmination of the conflict 
will bring everlasting peace a just, loving, equitable and 
satisfactory adjustment of earth's affairs, under Messiah's 
glorious Reign of a thousand years ! 



THE DIVINE ARRANGEMENT 

Someone may ask. Would not these same difficulties 
beset any new government which Messiah or others might 
institute? Will not the element of selfishness forever 
persist in the human heart, and will not this imply that 
to all eternity there will be a strife of selfish interests? 
We answer. No. The Divine Plan solves the problem 
perfectly. Jesus has demonstrated His unselfishness as 
respects earthly things. His laying down of His life not 
only proved His loyalty to righteousness and to the 
Father's will, but proved also His unselfishness~His 

SM190 

love— "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man 
should lay down his life for his friends. "--John 15:13. 

This friend of humanity is to be the great King of 
the world in the New Dispensation, and His associates in 
the Kingdom, the Bride class, are to be such only as have 
His spirit and disposition of obedience to the Father's 
will— self- sacrifice and love for fellowman—unselfish 
love. Under present conditions these may not always be 
known, nor their true character and unselfishness be discerned, 
because they have the treasure in "earthen vessels," 
which do not always fully present their true 
benevolence of heart.~2 Cor. 4:7. 

The Divine provision is that such of these as shall 
demonstrate their unselfishness of heart and loyalty to 
the Lord shall be given new bodies in the resurrection— 
"sown in weakness, they will be raised in power; sown in 



dishonor, raised in glory; sown an animal body," with 
Adamic weaknesses and fleshly imperfections, they will 
be raised spirit bodies—perfect, complete, lacking nothing. 
-1 Cor. 15:42-44. 

These, in association with their Redeemer, will constitute 
the Kingdom class which is to rule the world for a 
thousand years under the Headship of Jesus. Surely, 
we can trust these, we can have confidence in them. The 
fact that God has elected them, and that He is pleased 
to give over to them the mlership of the world for a 
thousand years testifies beyond peradventure their 
worthiness and capability. 

That Government will not be a republic, but a monarchy, 
a theocracy, a Divine Kingdom. Christ and His 
Bride will be the King and Queen of the New Dispensation, 
supplanting Satan and the fallen angels, who for 
centuries have been in control. The Kingdom of God will 
be as invisible as the kingdom of darkness has been. It 
will operate through human agencies, as does the other. 
But even its human agents have been provided. The 
Scriptures inform us that the worthy ones of the Jewish 

SM191 

Dispensation and before, will be the Princes in all the 
earth who will represent Messiah's Kingdom amongst 
men. Not only so, but they will be perfect men, made so 
by participation in the "resurrection of life." How 
grand the prospect !--Psa. 45:16. 

The Time of Trouble, although it will be awful, will be 
short, as typed in the terrible trouble which came upon 
the Jewish nation following the harvest work of their 
Age. Then will come the leveling process, which in the 
Divine order will prove to be a blessing to everybody. 
In other words, the socialists and anarchists are not so 
far from a correct conception of what must ultimately 
prevail, but they are far astray respecting the methods by 
which it will be obtained. Their attempt to grasp the 
rudder of the world's affairs shows an utter lack of appreciation 
of the mighty influences with which they seek 
to contend. Their efforts will merely precipitate upon 
themselves and upon others the terrible trouble which the 
Scriptures foretell. 

God's people are distinctly warned that they must 
keep hands off, must not interfere with the powers that 



be—their reliance must be upon the Lord and not in the 
use of carnal weapons. St. James, writing on this subject, 
declares the coming trouble and tells that it will be 
specially severe upon the rich: "Go to now, ye rich men; 
weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon 
you." (James 5:1-7.) No doubt the troubles will be 
equally upon the poor; but to them they will seem less 
severe since they have been accustomed to less. To God's 
people is the message, "Be patient, brethren, the coming 
of the Lord draweth nigh"; "Wait ye upon Me, saith the 
Lord." (Zeph. 3:8.) "Seek meekness, seek righteousness, 
it may be that ye shall be hid in the day of the 
Lord's anger. "--Zeph. 2:3. 



SM192 



PREACHING TO IMPRISONED SPIRITS 

"By which also He went and preached unto the spirits 
in prison. "--1 Peter 3:19. 

Much speculation has been aroused by our text. Some 
have claimed that it signifies that Christ, after His death 
on the cross and before His resurrection, went to some 
place where human spirits are imprisoned in some kind 
of purgatory, and there preached to them. Not only is 
the Catholic theory in line with this suggestion, but many 
Protestants hold that the dead may be prayed for and 
thus be assisted to escape from eternal torment. All of 
this is wrong, as we shall show-quite contrary to the 
teachings of our text and its context. 

Those preached to were not human beings, but spirit 
beings—not men, but angels. This is clearly stated in 
Verse 20, which tells us when these angels were imprisoned 
and why. They were imprisoned in the days of 
Noah at the time of the Flood. They were imprisoned for 
disobedience. So we read (Verse 19): "He preached 
unto spirits in prison, which sometime were disobedient, 
when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of 
Noah, while the ark was a preparing." Turning back to 
the Genesis account of that time we find quite a complete 
record of these disobedient spirits. -Gen. 6:1-5. 

Some time after Father Adam's disobedience and his 
expulsion from Eden, the holy angels were permitted to 
visit humanity with a view to assisting men back to 
harmony with God. This doubtless was permitted for 
two reasons: (1) Had such an opportunity not been 
furnished, the angels might in the conclusion of God's 
great Plan, have been inclined to say, "Yes, God accomplished 
human salvation, but in a very roundabout way 
and at very great cost and trouble. Had He given us 
an opportunity to mingle with humanity we might have had 

SM193 

an uplifting influence upon the people and have accomplished 

their reconciliation to God." Therefore God 

wished to forestall any such misunderstanding of the wisdom 



of the Plan which He had arranged and would, in 
due time, work out. (2) The angels themselves never 
had come in contact with sin of any kind. Hence they 
never had been tested or tried in respect to their obedience 
and loyalty to the Creator. They were permitted to 
attempt the recovery of humanity- -partly in order to test 
their own obedience and loyalty to God. 



ANGELS PREFERRED TO BE HUMAN 

Our knowledge of spirit beings and the powers 
granted to them by the Almighty is limited to our observation 
of the Bible record. The angels who appeared 
as young men at our Lord's sepulchre and again at His 
ascension and who, as soon as they had accomplished the 
purposes of their visit, vanished, are illustrations. We 
remember the account of how Abraham sat in the door of 
his tent and, behold, three men came to him. He received 
them as men, entertained them at dinner, and we read 
that they ate and talked with Abraham. They had human 
powers though still spirit beings. When they dematerialized, 
they vanished.-Gen. 18:1-15. 

Genesis 6:1,2, informs us that this privilege of materialization 
for the assistance of mankind was eventually 
misused by some of the angels as an opportunity for 
sinful intercourse with humanity. The time at which this 
began is not definitely stated. The expression, "When 
men began to multiply on the face of the earth," might 
safely be estimated at about a thousand years after 
Adam's creation and fall. This would leave a period of 
655 years to the Flood. It was approximately during that 
long period that the angelic sons of God, seeing the 
daughters of men, took to themselves for wives all that 
they chose of the fair daughters of men. "And they bare 
children to them. The same became mighty men which 

SM194 

were of old, men of renown"~and giants. We remember 
that at that early day human life was much longer than 
now, that manhood was scarcely reached before a century, 
and that few became fathers sooner. When we remember 
also that the children of the angels are not mentioned as 
boys, but as men, mighty men, renowned men, it gives 



the thought that the angels, without Divine permission, 
had really started to propagate a new race, and that their 
progeny was much stronger than that of the poor, Adamic 
stock, weakened by the dying process. 

The disregard of Divine Law meant that the strength 
of these giants would be used selfishly, and that the licentious 
example of the angels had a demoralizing effect 
upon the children of Adam, as well as upon their own 
children. All this is stated and implied in the words, 
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in 
the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of 
his heart was only evil continually." What a terrible 
picture of the condition of things before the Flood! But 
God was not astonished; for He had foreknown everything. 
Hence He had a great canopy of water in the sky 
which temporarily gave the earth an equable, temperate 
climate, but which He purposed should fall upon the earth 
and cause the great Flood in Noah's day. Then at the 
appropriate time God gave instructions to Noah to 
prepare an ark for the saving of himself and his house. 
Noah and his family were the only members of Adam's 
race in all the earth who were not more or less contaminated 
by those angels. How wide must have been that influence 
when we read as an exceptional matter, "Now 
Noah [and his family] was perfect in his generation" -- 
the disobedient angels had nothing whatever to do with 
generating them! --Gen. 6:13-22. 

While the angels preferred to live as men in human 
bodies, they would not be overwhelmed like humanity in 
the Flood, but merely dissolve, by dematerialization, their 
human bodies and be, as originally, spirit beings. Satan 

SM195 

was the first sinner against the Divine government, in his 
endeavor to set up a separate empire and to have humanity 
for his subjects. Although God had full power to 
destroy Satan and the other disobedient angels. He has 
not exercised that power. Instead He merely isolated 
them from Himself and the holy angels and imprisoned 
them, in the sense that He no longer permitted them to 
materialize, either as a serpent or as humanity for the 
tempting and injury of our race. In this sense they are 
imprisoned—restrained of liberty. 



FALLEN ANGELS CHAINED 

Now let US hear St. Peter's words respecting these 
angels who sinned. He says (2 Peter 2:4), "God spared 
not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and 
delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved 
unto judgment." The word tartaroo here rendered 
"hell" in our Common Version, is found nowhere else in 
the Bible. It refers to our earth's atmosphere and to the 
fact that those fallen angels, called demons or devils, are 
"the power of the air." Satan, who was originally an 
angel of much higher rank and nature, is their Prince, 
"the Prince of the power of the air," the Prince of 
demons. They are "cast down" in the sense of being 
treated ignominiously. They are "in chains of darkness," 
not in chains of iron. They can still go and come, 
and be sources of temptation to humanity who are in a 
sinful attitude of mind. They are restrained in chains 
of darkness in the sense that whatever they do must be 
done in the dark- -until their judgment time at the Great 
Day—at the beginning of Messiah's thousand-year Day 
of the Reign of Righteousness. ~Eph. 2:2. 

Turn to St. Jude's Epistle. There we read (Verse 6.) 
"The angels which kept not their first estate, but left 
their own habitation. He hath reserved in agelasting 
chains, under darkness, unto the Judgment of the Great 
Day." Their first estate, in which they were created, was 

SM196 

the spirit or angelic condition. They left their own proper 
condition of living and nature, in violation of the Divine 
will, that they might live on a lower plane—live in sin; 
for the angels are sexless, though always referred to as 
masculine. And our Lord declares that those begotten of 
the Holy Spirit, who during this Age shall attain to the 
resurrection of the dead, the "First Resurrection," will 
be "like unto the angels" in several respects-one of 
these being that they will neither marry nor be given in 
marriage, but be without sexual distinction. 



"WICKED SPIRITS," "LYING SPIRITS" 

In harmony with this note how spiritualists hold their 
seances, either in absolute darkness or in a very faint 
light. They claim now that the spirits are getting more 
and more power of materialization, and that soon they 
will be able to materialize in broad daylight and to go 
about amongst humanity as members of the race. We do 
not question the power of God to restrain these fallen 
angels, these demons—His power to restrain them from 
materializing and thus doing great harm in the world. 
Nevertheless, we wonder if they will not be permitted 
by God to find some greater powers of materialization, 
contrary to the Divine decree, that their course in this 
matter may more particularly manifest to what extent 
some of them have changed and reformed-desire to be 
obedient, for instance— while others are as opposed to 
God and righteousness as ever. There is room for this 
understanding in the statement of the Apostle that the 
chains of darkness were to control them until the Great 
Day-not necessarily into that day-perhaps at its very 
beginning they may be permitted to gain certain liberties 
and do a certain amount of injury to humanity, to all 
who are not attentive to the Word of God, and who, 
therefore, will not know who these spirits are— that they 
are the fallen angels, the demons of the Bible. 

The above terms are used in the Scriptures in describing 
the fallen angels, who from earliest days have attempted 

SM197 

to deceive humanity— representing themselves 

as human beings who have died and who desire to communicate 

with their friends. And they attempt to do so 

through spirit mediums. This is their practise from of 

old. Their endeavor is to break down the human will and 

to more and more control it. The height of their ambition 

and success is to fully dominate the human will, so 

that they may use the human body as their own flesh, as 

when they had power to materialize. Those who come 

fully under their control become demented, often several 

spirits gaining possession of the one personality and attempting 

to use the same brains and body. It is estimated 

that one-half of all who are in insane asylums are 

merely victims of spirit-obsession. The great remedy 



against all this is the Truth of God's Word. Those who 
accept this cannot be deceived. But the masses of mankind 
are being deceived. The Scripture teaching is that 
when a man is dead he knows not anything, and will never 
know anything until the resurrection of the dead. Whoever 
knows this is fortified against all the deceptions of 
the evil spirits.--Eccl. 9:5,10; Isa. 8:19,20. 



JESUS PREACHED TO THESE SPIRITS 

There are no human spirits to be preached to. Human 
beings are not spirit beings. The dead of humanity who 
have never heard of "the only name given under Heaven 
or amongst men whereby we must be saved" will hear 
that name in God's due time—in the resurrection—during 
the thousand years of Messiah's reign when He, as the 
true Light, shall lighten every man that cometh into the 
world "-John 1:9; Acts 4:12. 

But if Jesus died and in death knew not anything, how 
could He preach to the fallen angels? We answer that it 
is a common expression that "actions speak louder than 
words." The great actions or facts connected with our 
Lord's death and resurrection constituted a most wonderful 
sermon to the fallen angels. As they beheld the 

SM198 

Redeemer's faithfulness to God, even unto death, even the 
death of the cross, and as they then beheld God's faithfulness 
to Him in raising him from the dead to the 
highest nature— the Divine nature— "far above angels, 
principalities, powers and every name that is named" - 
all this constituted a most wonderful sermon of love, 
loyalty, faith and obedience. The sermon to them meant. 
How serious was our mistake in being disobedient to 
God in any particular! It meant also. May not God, 
who has thus gone to so much trouble for the redemption 
of fallen men, have in His heart also a place 
of mercy for us, should we repent? The Apostle intimates 
that these angels, with the exception of Satan, 
are yet to have a testing or trial; for he assures the 
Church that God purposes that we, as the Bride of Christ, 
shall not only be entrusted with the work of judging or 
giving trial to the world of mankind during the Millennium, 



but also that we shall judge angels--not the holy 
angels, for they need no judging on our part—but the 
fallen angels. --1 Cor. 6:3. 

Quite possibly the hopes inspired by the great sermon 
preached by our Lord's resurrection to the spirit beings 
led some of those fallen angels to repentance. If so, we 
may suppose that during the eighteen centuries since, 
they have suffered severely at the hands of the rebellious 
angels, who would be aroused to animosity by their 
reform, and who would mercilessly persecute them. 

The Scriptures seem to imply that "fallen angels," 
"wicked spirits," "lying spirits," "demons," will have 
much to do with bringing about the great Time of 
Trouble with which this Gospel Age will end, before the 
complete inauguration of Messiah's Empire and the binding 
of Satan. (Rev. 20:4.) The intimation is that 
the trouble here will be short and sharp, as in the days 
of Noah. The declaration of the Apostle that these evil 
spirits will be in chains of darkness until the Judgment 
of the Great Day leaves room for the inference that when 

SM199 

the Judgment of the Great Day begins, the chains of darkness 
will be broken. If, therefore, we have the right understanding 
of this matter, great events are near at hand. 
Spirit mediums are already declaring that the spirits tell 
that they will soon be able to materialize in broad daylight. 
With the power to counterfeit and personate humanity 
what may this not mean in the way of deception 
mentioned by our Lord, who declares that it will be so 
strong that it would deceive even the "Very Elect" were 
they not specially protected and guided.--Matt. 24:5,6,23,24. 

We remind you also of the great stride which Spiritism, 
Occultism and Psychic Science have made within the 
last few years. These now number among their friends 
and advocates some of the brightest scientific minds. 
One of these. Prof. James of Harvard College, before 
dying, declared that he would speedily communicate with 
his friends. Already the newspapers tell us that he has 
begun to communicate, but the mediums claim that he 
has difficulty in operating through them, because of the 
great force and power of his intellect and that they 
must gradually become able to act as his mediums. From 
the Bible standpoint all this is a fraud--a deception- 



but not on the part of the mediums, who are themselves 
deceived, but on the part of the fallen angels, who are 
thus tricking humanity.~2 Tim. 3:13. 



SM200 

DIVINE PLAN HIDDEN IN 
ABRAHAM'S FAMILY 

"And Isaac brought Rebecca into his mother Sarah's 
tent; and she became his wife and he loved her. "— 
Gen 24:67. 

When we sometimes speak of Abraham, Isaac and 
others as types we should not be understood to mean that 
the Bible stories respecting them are fictions. A person 
or thing is a type when, in addition to the actual experiences, 
the Scriptures indicate that it prefigures and 
illustrates on a small scale some person or things yet 
future. For instance, in certain respects Adam as the 
head of the race, was a type of Messiah, the second Adam. 

The first Adam, the father of our race has failed to 
give the eternal life desired. In God's providence Messiah 
is to be the second Adam, in the sense that He will regenerate, 
as His children, all the posterity of the first 
Adam. Messiah is thus declared in prophecy to be the 
Everlasting Father of mankind—the Father or Life-giver, 
who will give to our race everlasting life, instead of a 
heritage of weakness, imperfection and death. 

Similarly, Moses not only was a real character, the 
leader of the nation of Israel, but additionally he was a 
type of a greater Mediator—Messiah. As Moses mediated 
the Law Covenant for Israel, so Messiah, the Prophet 
like unto Moses, or antitypical of him (Acts 3:22), is to 
be the Mediator of Israel's New Covenant, under which 
the Abrahamic blessings will reach them and through 
them reach all the families of the earth. (Jer. 31:31.) 
Similarly, Aaron was a type of the higher priesthood and 
its better sacrifices connected with the New Covenant. 
So, also, the under-priests and the Levites, additional to 
their own experiences, served, in God's providence, as 
types of the higher institutions by which the New Covenant 
will be inaugurated shortly. 



SM201 

On this occasion we ask your attention to Abraham, 
known in the Scriptures as the Friend of God, as the 
Father of the Faithful, and to his son Isaac, the son of 
promise, born out of the natural order, miraculously, 
when his mother was old; also to Isaac's wife, Rebecca, 
selected by Abraham to be the companion and joint-heir 
with his son Isaac in his inheritance. These personages 
lived their lives wholly unconscious of the fact that God 
was using them and overruling their affairs so as to make 
of them prophetic pictures of His own great Plan of the 
Ages. These type-pictures are always to be read in full 
harmony with the inspired writings of the Bible and 
never to be understood in contradiction of the same. 



ABRAHAM A TYPE OF GOD 

Not everything that Abraham did, however, is to be 
esteemed typical. In a general way this grand man of 
the past looms up before our minds as a monument of 
faith, integrity and justice. The blessings promised to 
go through him to his Seed, which would constitute him 
the father of many nations, made of him, as St. Paul 
points out, a type of the Almighty, from whom flows 
every good and every perfect gift—from whom proceeds 
the blessing which ultimately is to flow through Messiah, 
His Son, and through Israel, His people, unto all the families 
of the earth -Rom. 4:16-25; Gal. 3:8,16,29. 

All Christians, presumably, are aware of St. Paul's 
interpretation of Abraham and his family as types. As 
Abraham typified God, so his wife typified the Covenant 
through which the vitality of the promise ultimately 
develops the Seed of Promise—Isaac in a type, and Messiah 
in the antitype. St. Paul also explains that Sarah's 
servant, Hagar, at Sarah's wish, became for a time her 
representative with Abraham and brought forth Ishmael. 
Hagar, St. Paul explains, typified the Law Covenant, 
vitalized by the gracious arrangements of the same God 
and Father; and Hagar's son, literally Abraham's firstborn, 

SM202 

typified the Jewish nation, the first development 



under the Covenant.--Gal. 4:22-31. 

As Abraham loved Ishmael and desired a blessing on 
him, so God loved Israel and desired a blessing upon 
Israel, the offspring of the Law Covenant. Nevertheless, 
as Ishmael, the offspring of the bond-woman, was declared 
not to be the primary heir of the Abrahamic promise, 
but a secondary one, so the children of Israel, the 
offspring of the Law Covenant, were not designed to be 
the Spiritual Messiah through whom the promise 
declared that the blessing should first proceed. 

In the type, we see that Sarah, Abraham's wife, who 
represented the original Abrahamic Covenant, brought 
forth a son of her own, Isaac, long years after the bond-maid, 
her substitute, had brought forth Ishmael. When 
Isaac was born, Sarah repudiated Ishmael and no longer 
acknowledged him as her son, but, instead, claimed everything 
for Isaac. The antitype of this is that from the 
time that God began the development of the Spiritual 
Israel and set forth the "Covenant by Sacrifice," through 
which this Spiritual Israel would be developed-from 
that time it began to be clearly manifest that the chief 
portion of the promise of God to bless the world was not 
to be fulfilled through the Ishmael Seed, Natural Israel, 
but through the Isaac Seed-Spiritual Israel. 



WELL-SPRING OF HOPE FOR THE JEWS 

From the first there was manifested a competition for 
the Abrahamic blessing. And as Ishmael mocked at the 
infant Isaac, so the Jew, in his considerable development 
and strength, mocked at the Antitypical Isaac—Jesus and 
His comparatively ignorant and unlearned followers- 
and persecuted them. In order to continue the type, that 
Abraham might typify God, he was commanded to send 
forth Hagar and her son into the wilderness. That sending 
forth typified the Divine disfavor which came upon 
the Jews eighteen centuries ago and which has made them 

SM203 

outcasts from God's favor, as Hagar and Ishmael were 
cut off from Abraham's presence and family and care. 
The bread and water which Hagar took with her, by which 
she and Ishmael were nourished in the wilderness for a 



time, types the promises of God through the Law and the 
Prophets which still belong to the Jew and upon which 
for eighteen centuries he has been nourished, and without 
which the hope of the nation would have perished. 

Now we come to the dire moment pictured in Gen. 21:15-19. 
The water provided by Abraham had been consumed. 
No more was to be had. Ishmael was dying. 
Hagar, his mother, separated herself from him. At the 
opportune moment the angel of the Lord appeared to 
her and pointed her to a spring of water, where she refreshed 
herself and Ishmael with new life. 

The antitype of this is now to be seen before us. The 
Jewish people, separated more and more from the Law 
and the Prophets, are becoming weak and faint as 
respects hope. They are about to die! But no! The 
Lord graciously points out a well-spring of the Water of 
Life at this critical moment. As Ishmael was rescued 
from death by this water, so the nation of Israel, whom 
he typified, is now about to find in the providence of God 
that their portion of the Abrahamic Covenant is the 
earthly one, not the Heavenly one, not the spiritual. They 
are about to be refreshed and to enter upon a new career. 
That career, however, will not mark them as Ishmaelites, 
nor will their New Covenant relationship be symbolized 
by Hagar, the Old Law Covenant. Thenceforth they are 
represented under a new type. 

ISAAC WAS HEIR OF ALL 

If at first our Jewish friends might be inclined to feel 
disappointed that they were represented in Ishmael and 
not in Isaac, by the Hagar Covenant, the covenant of 
bondage to the Law, instead of being formed free from 
the Law, there is a consolation. Their consolation is that 

SM204 

Isaac typified the Messiah and that Israel is pictured as 
the nation on whose behalf Messiah will mediate the New 
Law Covenant. The Messiah must be spiritual, in order 
to be able to confer the great blessings indicated in the 
Covenant made with Abraham. The nation of Israel 
never expected to be spiritual and had no such promise 
in the Bible. To the Jews will come exactly what they 



have always been expecting—greatness as an earthly 
people, honor as the elect nation through whom the New 
Covenant blessings will be opened up to all mankind. 
As already pointed out, Isaac, the son of Abraham, 
typified the Messiah of glory, the Son of God and Heir of 
all the promises—the One through whom alone eternal 
life may be obtained and restitution to that perfection 
which will enable Israel and the world to keep the Divine 
Law perfectly and to merit the gift of God, eternal life, 
according to their New Law Covenant, by and through 
its great Mediator-Messiah. 



ELEAZAR TYPE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 

In due time, Abraham sent his trusted servant Eleazar 
(typical of the Holy Spirit) to select a Bride for his son 
Isaac. Eleazar might not go everywhere. He was directed 
to go only to those of Abraham's family, thus implying 
that none would be called to be the Bride of Messiah except 
such as were already in relationship to God through 
faith, obedience and justification. When the servant had 
found Rebecca he put upon her certain jewels, explained 
to her and her relatives the nature of his mission, and 
asked her if she were willing to come and be Isaac's Bride. 
He said, "My master, Abraham, is very rich; and all that 
he hath he hath given unto Isaac." 

Thus the great riches of God are again illustrated in 
Abraham, and the fact that Messiah is His Son and the 
Heir of all the promises of God, the One through whom 
Israel and all mankind shall be blessed. Rebecca promptly 
responded, and thus betrothed herself to the unseen 
bridegroom and hasted with the servant to Isaac. As 

SM205 

her kinsfolk bade her goodbye they wished her a blessing 

in these words, "Be thou the mother of thousands of millions." 

-Gen. 24:60. 

We read that "Rebecca arose and her damsels [maids, 
servants], and they rode upon the camels and followed 
the man Eleazar." 

Here we find, in harmony with other Scriptures, a 
picture of the Gospel Age, and its work of bringing to 
Messiah a special Bride class of saintly ones. First 



amongst these saints were some of the Jewish nation, 
according to the Divine Rule; as the Scriptures set forth 
--"to the Jew first." This Bride class has been selected 
from every nation, people, kindred and tongue yet in all 
will be but a little flock— "Fear not, little flock; it is your 
Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom" -the 
spiritual, unseen Kingdom of Messiah— joint-heirship 
with Him in His Throne— not the earthly Kingdom which 
has been promised definitely to Israel.— Eph. 2:12-17. 



BRIDE CLASS AND GREAT COMPANY 

Other Scriptures have shown us that amongst these 
saints there are two classes. A few, peculiarly devoted, 
will constitute the Bride class. A larger number, not so 
courageous for the truth and righteousness, will constitute 
her companions, her servants, as Rebecca travelled 
accompanied by her maidens. These two classes are particularly 
specified in the Scriptures (Psalm 45), where 
we read of the Messiah-Bride and Queen. In her resurrection 
glory she is pictured as the Queen robed in gold 
of Ophir with fine needlework— the glory representing 
the Divine nature which will be granted her, and the 
fine needlework representing her glorious righteousness, 
embellished with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The 
Psalmist tells that she shall be brought into the presence 
of the great King Jehovah, and then adds that the virgins, 
or companions, that follow her shall also be brought into 
the presence of the King, thus showing that there will 
always be a difference of rank on the spiritual plane. 

SM206 

These two classes are pictured in the Law as Priests and 
Levites, the Bride class being represented by the Priests, 
owing to their willing sacrifices of the earthly portion in 
favor of the Heavenly. 

We are not to identify the Bride class with the nominal 
Christian Churches of today any more than we would 
identify the Apostles with the Jewish Church of their 
day. The Apostles were a select few; and similarly all 
the members of the Church throughout the Age have been 
a select few out of a nominal many. "The Lord knoweth 
them that are His." The true Church has been selected. 



not only from all of the twelve tribes of Israel, but from 
every other nation, people and tongue, even so many as 
the Lord our God has called.--2 Tim. 2:19. 

Rebecca's leaving her father's house typified the personal 
consecration of each one who, led of the Spirit, 
accepts the Divine invitation to joint-heir ship with 
Christ. The first jewelry given to Rebecca, when first 
she heeded the invitation and invited the servant to her 
home, represents the earliest blessing received by believers. 
The jewelry she received after she had decided 
to go to Isaac and become his wife represents the blessings 
of the Holy Spirit which come upon the fully consecrated, 
those who determine to walk in the footsteps of 
Jesus in the narrow way into the Kingdom, under the 
guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Arrived at the end of her journey, she found herself 
in the presence of Isaac, and immediately alighted from 
her camel and covered herself with a veil. Thus pictorially 
is represented the fact that the Church, when having 
experienced the change of the First Resurrection and having 
entered the presence of the Heavenly Bridegroom, 
will no longer need the guidance of the Holy Spirit, 
through the Scriptures. This part of the picture, of 
course, is yet future. The Scriptures, however, indicate, 
and outward conditions corroborate the fact, that the time 
of this glorious change is nigh at hand. 

SM207 



MOTHER OF THOUSANDS OF MILLIONS 

Isaac immediately received Rebecca, and took her into 
his mother's tent. Sarah had died, and Rebecca became 
her successor. Thus is beautifully pictured the fact that 
when the Bride of Messiah shall be complete on the plane 
of glory, the Sarah Covenant will be at an end, and its 
place, as a channel of blessing, will be taken by the glorified 
Church. Then will be fulfilled the prophetic blessing 
of her relatives, "Be thou the mother of thousands of millions." 
Those thousands of millions represent the world 
of mankind, which will be regenerated, or granted new 
life, by the great Messiah during the thousand years of 
His reign as the Mediator of the New Covenant. 

Messiah will be the Regenerator and His Bride will be 



the nourisher, instructor, helper, of all mankind under 
the New Covenant; for it will be this antitypical Isaac and 
his Bride that will mediate for Israel, and through Israel 
for the world, the New Covenant of Restitution blessings. 
(Acts 3:19-21.) "In thee and in thy Seed shall all the 
families of the earth be blessed," applies primarily, as 
St. Paul shows, to Messiah and His Church in glory—the 
sacrifices being past, the spiritual nature being attained 
as a reward for the sacrifices. --Gal. 3:16,29. 

Whoever will first receive Messiah and come into 
harmony with the righteous laws of His invisible Kingdom 
will be the first to be blessed. There will be no partiality 
in this matter; for "God is no respecter of persons." 
However, because of their past experiences and 
earthly hopes and trust in the Law and the Prophets, the 
Jews will be the first amongst the nations to accept the 
new order of things and to ally themselves with it. Therefore, 
to them will the blessings go first and through them 
the blessings will extend to all mankind. —Acts 10:34. 

While thanking God for the glorious prospects of 
that glorious time which is nearing, let us, dear friends, 
seek to make our calling and election sure to membership 
in the Body of the Bride of Christ. 



SM208 



ISRAEL'S NEW COVENANT 

"The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His 
Temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye 
delight in. Behold He shall come, saith Jehovah of Hosts; 
but who may abide the day of His coming?"— ^dA. 3:1-5. 

Six thousand years ago in Eden our Maker, in justly 
sentencing His disobedient children to death, intimated 
that ultimately the Seed of the woman would bruise the 
Serpent's head. This hidden promise was the first intimation 
of the Divine mercy which our gracious Creator had 
purposed in Himself from before the foundation of the 
world. Ever noble, kind and gracious our Creator restrained 
His mercy for the good of His creatures—that they might 
learn to appreciate the exceeding sinfulness 
of sin. For the good of the angels also—that they might 
fully know of His justice, as well as of His Wisdom and 
Power— God insisted upon dealing with His creatures 
from the standpoint of exact justice. They had sinned, 
and thereby had forfeited all claim upon the eternal life 
which He had given them conditionally. 

Eternal torment, as we have already seen, did not in 
any sense or degree enter into the Divine purpose. His 
sentence upon man, plainly stated, was, "Dying thou shall 
die," not. Living thou shall live in torment. "The soul 
that sinneth it shall die." (Gen. 2:17; Ezek. 18:4.) 
God purposed to exemplify in His dealings with our race 
a principle of Divine government to be made operative 
everywhere ultimately- amongst all His creatures on the 
spirit plane, as well as upon the earthly. 

Long centuries after, in the seventh generation of 
Adam's children, God spoke prophetically through one of 
these, Enoch, saying, "The Lord cometh with ten 
thousands of His holy ones to execute justice in the earth" 
—to establish righteousness amongst men. Time passed 

SM209 

on; but sin prevailed, and the coming of the Great Deliverer 
was still future.-Jude 14. 
Next God spoke to Abraham, after first having tested 



his faith and loyalty. To him He mentioned the same 
great Deliverer who would bruise the Serpent's head and 
who would come in great glory with ten thousands of His 
holy ones. To Abraham He gave assurance that this One 
would, in some way, be identified with his posterity, so 
that He might properly be called the Seed of Abraham. 
God said, "In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth 
beblessed."--Geii. 12:3. 

The Divine Program was not changed, but more explicit 
statements were given respecting it. Thereafter 
all taught of God would know to look for the Messianic 
blessing through Abraham's Seed. Besides, the Covenant 
was afterward confirmed with an Oath to Abraham; 
later to Isaac; later to Jacob. That Covenant Promise 
became the basis of God's adoption of the entire nation 
of Israel—all of Jacob's children. They were heirs of the 
Abrahamic Covenant--the Oath-Bound Covenant. If so 
great an honor from the Almighty God has made some of 
the Jewish people at times to appear arrogant and proud, 
let us not forget that to err is human-to forgive. Divine. 
Perhaps if we were in their stead our imperfections would 
similarly display themselves. 

GOD'S COVENANT OF THE LAW 

Israel's experiences of tribulation and bondage in 
Egypt were probably necessary to prepare them for 
God's great proposition-that they should keep the Law 
and as a reward have life everlasting. As it is written, 
"He that doeth these things shall live by them." (Lev. 18:5.) 
Israel greatly rejoiced in this manifestation of 
Divine preference for them more than for all others of 
humanity. The Law Covenant was mediated. The sacrifice 
of bulls and of goats made a typical atonement for 
them for a year, so that they might enter into this covenant 

SM210 

relationship with God. But when they attempted 
to keep the Law they were disappointed. They failed. 
The Law of God is the full measure of a perfect man's 
ability; and the Jews, being imperfect like other men, 
found that they had undertaken an impossibility. 
Not a Jew kept the Law perfectly. Not a Jew, therefore. 



gained eternal life during the first year. But foreknowing 
this, God had made preparation for a repetition 
of the Atonement Day every year, so that the people 
might continue striving to attain eternal life. Year after 
year, century after century, they failed, and discouragement 
took the place of hope. God was teaching them a 
great lesson respecting the need of better sacrifices than 
those of bulls and of goats, and also teaching them that 
there is no other means of justification in His sight. They 
had blessings under this Covenant—educational blessings, 
but not the blessing hoped for, not life eternal. 
Hence they were not in a position to become, as they had 
hoped, a national Messiah, a national Seed of Abraham, 
for the blessing of all the nations. 



NEW COVENANT AND BETTER MEDIATOR 

For a time God gave them kings, but these were unable 
to accomplish the great things hoped for. But the 
promise of a personal Messiah was made, who should 
be of the lineage of David, a great King, far superior 
to the great, wise and rich Solomon, Messiah would be 
David's Son and yet David's Lord. (Psa. 110:1; Matt. 22:42-44). 
Here, as God designed, Israel began to get 
the thought of a personal Messiah, a King of Glory, who 
would use their nation as His instrumentality for the 
conquering of the world, when every knee should bow and 
every tongue confess, to the glory of God. 

The next lesson for Israel to learn was that a change 
of dispensation must come--that, as Moses had mediated 
the Law Covenant, so an antitypical Moses, a greater 
than Moses, would induct them into the blessings and 

SM211 

privileges of a still better covenant, a covenant more 
favorable to them, one under which they could gain eternal 
life. This New Covenant was particularly set before them 
through Jeremiah's prophecy (31:31-34). And 
this, combined with the statement of Moses respecting 
a greater Mediator, helped their faith to take a fresh 
hold upon the Oath-Bound Abrahamic Promise— "In thy 
Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." 
If a great enough Mediator should come as the promised 



Messenger of God, and should establish a better 
covenant, under which Israel could have eternal life, 
and if He, as the offspring of David, should become their 
King, then indeed Abraham's Seed, the nation of Israel 
under that great Mediator- King, would be fully qualified 
to bless all the families of the earth. The thought of 
this glory to their nation became a fresh inspiration, and 
around it gathered the fifty odd thousand of Jews, out 
of all the tribes of Israel, who returned from Babylonian 
captivity under the edict of Cyrus. 

Through the Prophet Ezekiel the Lord again made 
mention of the fact that their Law Covenant made at 
Sinai must, before their great blessing of restitution, 
give place to a New Covenant, a better covenant. Speaking 
of the time when He would regather them out of all 
lands and would fulfil to them the promise made to Abraham, 
Isaac and Jacob, and make them a great nation, and 
use them for the blessing of other nations, the Lord declares, 
"Not for your sakes do I this, O House of Israel, 
but for My name's sake." He then proceeds to tell them 
that at the time He would receive them back into His love 
and favor He would also humble their pride by restoring 
the Samaritans and the Sodomites-peoples whom Israel 
detested as inferiors and sinners. —Ezek. 36:22. 

God declares that neither of these peoples had ever 
committed as serious sins against Divine goodness as had 
Israel, and that when He would again bless Israel He 
would bless also these other peoples in their midst. Let 

SM212 

me quote His words: "When thy sisters, Sodom and 
her daughters, shall return to iheir former estate, and 
Samaria and her daughters shall return to thciv former 
estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your 
former ^sto/^g.... Nevertheless I will remember My 
Covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will 
establish unto thee an everlasting Covenant,... and 
I will give them [Sodomites and Samaritans] unto thee 
for daughters, but not by thy Covenant [not under the 
Old Law Covenant; but under the New Law Covenant of 
the future], and I will establish My Covenant with thee; 
...[in order that] thou mayest remember and be 
confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because 
of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that 



thou hast done, saith the Lord God."~Ezek. 16:55-63. 



"ABIDE THE DAY OF HIS COMING" 

This new and better Covenant is to be mediated 
through a personal Messiah--a still more glorious Mediator 
than Moses, a still more glorious King than David— 
this One whom Israel began to look for and to long for. 
Can we wonder that they failed to identify Him in the 
lowly Nazarene who died at Calvary? We cannot! Nothing 
but a special assistance of the Holy Spirit would 
enable any one to trace the connection between the glorious 
pictures of the prophecies and the humble appearance 
of Him who came to fulfil those prophecies. We 
do see, however, that the great Messiah of Glory, Jesus, 
in His Second Advent as King of kings and Lord of lords, 
fills absolutely every demand of Jewish expectation and 
of prophetic outline. Some can see, but others cannot 
as yet, that He who was pierced is the same One who, as 
the Son of God, in great glory is shortly to bless Israel-- 
and all the families of the earth through Israel. 

Our text is from another prophecy speaking of this 
same great Messiah, the Mediator of the New Covenant, 
King of kings and Lord of lords, who, as the Representative 

SM213 

of the great Jehovah, His Father, is to reign until 

all enemies shall be put down—until Satan shall be bound 

and, ultimately, shall be crushed; until Adam and his 

race, released from Divine sentence, under the New Covenant 

provisions shall be uplifted from sin, degradation 

and death to perfection and everlasting life—the unwilling 

and disobedient being destroyed in the Second Death. 

The Prophet Malachi points out that the Messiah of 
the New Covenant, whom he announces, is the glorious 
Mediator and antitypical King for whom they had waited 
long and of whom they delighted to think. He would 
come to the Temple— thus implying that He would be not 
only an antitypical Prophet, an antitypical King, but also 
an antitypical Priest— "after the order of Melchizedek." 

But after this joyful proclamation that their long-expected 
and gloried-in Mediator of the New Covenant 
should be looked for, they were warned that His Day 



would be one of trial, one of special testing and proving, 
that the Lord might find the antitypical Priests and antitypical 
Levites to serve in the antitypical Temple. He 
would be like a refiner of fire to take away the dross and 
to leave only the pure metal—fiery trials and testings 
being implied. He would "be like fuller's soap," in the 
sense that a great washing would take place to make for 
the Kingdom the called, chosen and faithful.--Mal. 3:2. 
At that time the consecration of Judah and Jerusalem 
unto the Lord will be accepted as in olden times. We 
may understand that this spirit of devotion is now reviving 
amongst the Jews, particularly amongst those 
who are identified with Jerusalem and the Zionist movement. 
Hitherto this has been a political movement in 
the interest of Jewish nationalization and a home for 
exiles. Now, however, the due time has come for a real 
movement of those who have the faith to draw near to 
God and to show that faith by helping forward in the 
restoration of earthly Jerusalem and her interests. 

SM214 



WHY MESSIAH'S COMING DELAYED 

The First-begotten of the Father, as His glorious 
Agent in the great work of creation, had the honor 
granted Him of becoming the great Messenger of the 
Covenant, the great Prophet, Priest and King of Israel, 
the great Michael of Daniel 12:1. But there were tests 
connected with His attainment of this high position: (1) 
By faith He must lay aside His Heavenly glory, in obedience 
to the Father's will, to become a man-not a sinful 
man, but a perfect man— holy, harmless, undefiled, 
separate from sinners. (2) Thus prepared to become the 
Redeemer it was His privilege to make full consecration 
of His earthly interest, and the Father's pleasure to beget 
Him of the Holy Spirit at Jordan to the spirit nature 
on the highest plane. For three and a half years His 
sacrifice burned upon the altar. It was indeed better 
than the sacrifice of bulls and goats; for it was a corresponding 
price for Adam-an eye for an eye, a tooth for 
a tooth, a man's life for a man's life. (3) When Jesus 
had thus sacrificially parted with His earthly life He experienced 
a resurrection change from human nature to 



spiritual, like what He was originally, only higher and 
more glorious. Thus He was at once both a sacrifice and 
the spirit-begotten priest who offered that sacrifice. 
When He arose from the dead His personal sacrifice had 
ended, and His personal perfection as a spirit being was 
completed. -Heb. 10:1-14; 13:11-13. 

Then why did He not at once begin His great work 
as Prophet, Priest, King and New Covenant Mediator 
for Israel and through Israel for the world? It was 
because there was to be more than one sacrifice in the 
Divine Plan on the Day of Atonement. Throughout this 
Gospel Age this risen, glorified High Priest, Mediator, 
Prophet and King has been waiting to inaugurate His 
glorious Kingdom of blessing—waiting while a little 
handful of saints should be selected from the world, 

SM215 

tested and found worthy and glorified with Himself—a 
"little flock" out of all mankind, both Jews and Gentiles. 

When this Bride class shall have completed her sacrifice 
in and under the merit of the great Priest, then 
every arrangement for the blessing of Israel as Abraham's 
seed, and of all nations through Israel, will have 
forthwith commenced. Thus seen, the revelation of 
Israel's great Messenger of the New Covenant is very 
important not only to the Jew, but also to the world of 
mankind, who must receive their blessings under Israel 
by a compliance with the same New Law Covenant. 
Moreover, the elect handful of saints drawn, called and 
gathered during the parenthesis period are also deeply 
interested in God's glorious Kingdom; for the Divine 
promise is that they shall be then changed to be like 
their Master and share His glory. 



JUDGMENTS WILL BE OF THE LORD 

Notice the further message of the Lord through the 
Prophet, "I will come near to you to judgment; and I 
will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against 
adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those 
who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the 
fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his 
right."-Mal. 3:5. 



Ah, do we not see here plainly stated that the Messianic 
Kingdom means not only glory and honor to those 
whom He will accept as servants, but also requirements 
of faithfulness to the principles of truth, of purity, of 
harmony with God? And this lesson for the Jew, under 
his New Covenant arrangement, will ultimately apply to 
all nations. Under that new arrangement, under Israel's 
New Covenant, all the families of the earth will be privileged 
to become "Israelites indeed" through faithfulness 
to the great Prophet, Priest, King and Mediator of 
Israel and of all the families of the earth. 



SM216 



THE CHIEF SOURCE OF PERSECUTION 

"Perils among false brethren. "—2 Cor. 11:26. 

St. Paul was remarkable in many respects, but chiefly 
for his loving devotion to the Master and His Cause. 
His faithfulness brought also many trying experiences. 
In our context he enumerated some of these. He served 
the Cause of Christ to such an extent that many thought 
him unwise, and counted him a fool. This service brought 
him stripes, whippings, as a disturber of the peace--not 
that he did disturb the peace, but that those who opposed 
his teachings raised a tumult and blamed him for it, in 
order to bring him into disrepute, hinder his service and 
forward their own interests. This at times brought him 
to prison, too, and even close to death's door. 

Nevertheless, the Apostle rejoiced in all such privileges. 
He declared that five times he received whippings, 
stripes; once he was stoned, and three times he was shipwrecked. 
But none of these things moved him from 
faithfulness to his Master, whose servants he had persecuted 
before his eyes were opened. Then he recounts 
various perils experienced from waters, from robbers, 
from the Jews, from the heathen—in the city, in the wilderness, 
on the sea. He winds up the list of perils in the 
words of the text, "Perils among false brethren." 

One question which will arise in many minds is, 
"Were these sufferings-stripes, perils, etc.-deserved?" 
If asked, the answer would surely be that they 
were not deserved; for St. Paul was a noble character 
and bore the Message of God's grace in Christ-"good 
tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people." The 
next question with some would be, "If his sufferings 
were not punishments, what were they?" 

SM217 

We reply that they were the same as were the Master's 
—evidences of his loyalty to God and of the darkness 
of the world, which led them to oppose him. The 
declaration, "Whosoever will live godly will suffer persecution," 
was fully exemplified in his own experiences 



and in the Master's. The amount of suffering as a reward 
for well-doing marked the measure of loyalty and 
zeal, and the measure of hatred and malice aroused by 
the Adversary. The answer to the question as to why 
Jesus suffered is the answer to all such questions in respect 
to St. Paul and all other footstep followers. 



DARKNESS HATES THE LIGHT 

The Master declared that He stood for the principles 
of light, righteousness. Truth; while Satan stands for 
the reverse-darkness, superstition, blindness. And so 
it is with the followers of Jesus. They must all be 
children of the light, must walk in the light, must be uncompromising 
in their attitude toward sin and all that is 
wrong. Therefore the world will hate them and say all 
manner of evil against them falsely. Yea, men will feel 
that they do God service when they slay the righteous, 
whether literally, as in Jesus' case and St. Paul's, or by 
"shooting out arrows, even bitter words," as is the more 
popular method of the present time.--Psa. 64:3. 

But some one will say, "Ah, times have changed! Today 
our bishops and popes and preachers are all reverenced. 
No one thinks of persecuting them. Rather all 
men speak well of them. Any one not spoken well of today 
must be in some way unworthy." How strange that 
we should forget, and argue along these lines! Were 
there not Doctors of Divinity in Jesus' day? Were there 
not priests and chief priests and Levites then? And 
were there not Pharisees who made long prayers in the 
Temple? And were they not highly spoken of and reverenced? 
Did they not make broad their phylacteries? 
Did any one think of traducing them? No, indeed! 

But the Master was there and His disciples; and they 

SM218 

were not of the popular clergy. By their own record 
they were styled "the filth and off-scouring of the 
earth"; and, as the Master said, whoever persecuted 
them thought that he did God service. How apt we all 
are to think of our own day as being different from other 
periods! So it was in Jesus' day. As He told some of 
them, "Ye garnish the sepulchers of those whom your 



fathers slew, yet ye do their works." So today many 

extol the Lord and the Apostles, and denounce their persecutors, 

while they similarly persecute. —Luke 11:47,48. 

The climax of St. Paul's perils, the severest of them 
all, was from false brethren. How strange that seems! 
One would think that however much the heathen or the 
Jews might have persecuted him, at least all professed 
followers of Jesus would have thanked God for his example 
and ministry, and have esteemed him. But this 
was not so; and as we look back to the Master before 
him, we see the same to be true. As He declared, "A 
man's foes shall be they of his own household." 

The Master was a Jew. The Jews were His brethren 
according to the flesh; and it was they that hated Him 
without a cause- -they that persecuted Him- they that 
said, "He hath a devil and is mad"~they that "took up 
stones to stone Him" -they that finally crucified Him. 
"He came unto His own, and His own received Him not," 
except a few saintly, elect ones. -John 10:20,31; 1:11. 

St. Paul also had persecution from the Jews, who 
repeatedly sought his life. He lived after the establishment 
of the Church. He had also Christian brethren, 
begotten of the Holy Spirit and fellow-members of the 
Body of Christ. Jesus had none such. "Of the people 
there was none with Him."— Isa. 63:3. 

The Holy Spirit was not given until Pentecost; hence 
Jesus could not receive Christian persecution. The nearest 
approximation was the case of Judas. But if St. Paul 
enjoyed the sweetness of Christian fellowship in his 
study, labors and toils, he also knew the bitterness of 

SM219 

opposition and persecutions from false brethren— the 
climax of his perils. We may be sure that such experiences 
were more difficult for him to bear than any others, 
because they came closer home. They came from brethren 
of the closest imaginable relationship— fellow-members 
of the Body of Christ. 



THE GODLY SUFFER PERSECUTION 

As we glance down through this Gospel Age, from 
St. Paul's day to the present, we find that all followers 



of Jesus have had experiences such as He foretold for 
them—persecutions. We find that these persecutions 
have come from every quarter, but none, apparently, 
more severe, more cruel, more perilous, than those which 
have come from Christian brethren. It is scarcely necessary 
for us to refer to history to demonstrate this fact. 
Disputes between Christians have been very bitter. 
Thousands have lost their lives at each other's hands. 
The word heretic became more obnoxious than any other 
term in the dictionary. 

Neither Catholic nor Protestant can deny the terrible 
story of the pages of history. All true men are ashamed 
of the record. All are ready to say, "We would not so 
have done." Monuments stand in various parts of the 
world, marking places where sectarian strife has manifested 
itself in atrocious, barbarous acts. Our Catholic 
friends blush at the story of the Huguenots. Our Church 
of England friends blush at the story of the Covenanters 
and other non-conformists. Our Presbyterian friends, 
in turn, blush for atrocious acts of injustice, etc., done in 
the name of Calvinism. 

We might also say that each denomination in its turn 
has been a subject of persecution from one and another. 
Baptists were publicly whipped— sometimes driven from 
their homes to exile. So were the Puritans, who afterwards 
became persecutors themselves. The Methodists 
also suffered from sectarian spite and jealousy, ignorance 
and superstition. Indeed, who will dispute that 

SM220 

Christendom has good cause to be ashamed of her own 
record, no matter what her standpoint may be? 

Thank God for the advancement made along the line 
of human sympathy! No longer can civilized people take 
pleasure in public executions, tortures, burning at the 
stake, as in former times. Whatever competition may 
remain between Christian brethren, the peril is not that 
of open persecution; for general sentiment has advanced 
beyond the point where physical torture could be tolerated 
by the masses. 

We have come to the time when Calvinists erect a 
monument to Servetus, expressing dissent from their 
great leader's mistake in causing a Christian brother to 
be burned. We have come to the place where the "perils 



among false brethren" are of a different kind. Now 
whatever jealousies or rivalries there may be, either at 
home or in the mission fields, are recognized as improper 
and suppressed, so far as brethren connected with popular 
and influential bodies of Christians are concerned. 

But is it not true today that the Truth is unpopular? 
Has this not always been the fact? Is it not true that 
in proportion as the denominations have become popular 
they have escaped persecution? But woe be to those 
who are unpopular, as were Jesus and the Apostles! If 
they indeed escape the cross, the guillotine, the rack and 
the fagot, they are amenable to other means of torture. 
Something can be trumped up against their personality. 
Insinuations can be given by word and look, and shrug 
of shoulder. More damage can be accomplished in this 
way than in any outward attack. 

Evil speaking, evil surmising, slanders, ambiguous 
suggestions, etc.--all, as torture--can be applied to the 
followers of Jesus today. And all who today take such a 
course are sharers with the malefactors, even though 
they do not indulge in physical torture. Who can dispute 
that sometimes mental torture is equally severe? In our 
day there are other and more refined ways of persecuting, 

SM221 

torturing, open to false brethren, than imprisonment 
or crucifixion or burning. 

And what shall we say of the false brethren who do 
such things? And how shall we assure ourselves that we 
shall not be of them? Undoubtedly the Master is still 
of the same mind as St. John expressed when he declared, 
"Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, 
and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding 
in him." (1 John 3:15.) Murderers may indeed receive 
severe stripes, and eventually learn better under Messiah's 
Kingdom; but no one of a murderous condition 
of heart, seeking to do evil to a brother, could possibly 
be of suitable character to be a joint-heir with his Master 
in the Kingdom.—l Cor. 6:9-11. 



"ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE" 

In every time, and now, the spirit of persecution naturally 



would strike most prominently certain leading 
figures; nevertheless, even as Jesus' words implied, all 
lovers of righteousness are to have more or less share 
in such experiences of opposition. St. Paul mentions 
this, saying, "Ye endured a great fight of afflictions; 
partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock...and 
partly whilst ye became companions of them that were 
so used." (Heb. 10:32,33.) Jesus gives us the same 
thought in His declaration that whosoever shall offend 
one of the least of these. His disciples, it were better for 
him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he 
were drowned in the depths of the sea.—Matt. 18:6. 
This, of course, is very highly figurative language, 
and yet it must have a special meaning. It must mean 
that the Lord has a special care over all of His consecrated 
saints; and that no matter how poor, how weak, 
how ignorant, they may be, the very least of His followers 
are supervised, and injury to the least is punishable. 
Of course, there would still be an awakening from the 
dead for the one who was drowned in the sea; and so 
there are possibilities of help and recovery for those 

SM222 

who would stumble the Lord's "little ones." Nevertheless, 
the intimation is that of drastic punishment. This 
would not mean anything like we once supposed—eternal 
torment—but some just recompense of reward for every 
evil deed.-2 Peter 2:9. 

From this standpoint we may readily assume that 
considerable satisfaction of Justice is necessary; for 
surely a considerable number of the Lord's "little ones" 
have suffered persecution. And as we have seen, not all 
of this persecution lies at the door of the world. Much 
of it lies at the door of the professed Church of Christ- 
"false brethren."-Isa. 66:5; Matt. 7:21-23. 

Speaking of some such, Jesus once declared that they 
would have great disappointment when the time of rewards 
would come. He says, "Many shall say unto Me 
in that Day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy 
name,... and done many wonderful works? And 
I will declare, I do not recognize you." They will not be 
worthy of the Lord's recognition as amongst His Elect 
Church, His Bride class. We shall be glad if they will 
be found worthy of some blessing under His Kingdom. 



But there will be great disappointment to them. They 
missed the greater point of the Gospel~Lov^. 



LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN 

The Lord's will concerning all His followers is that 
they should love one another as He loved them. St. John 
expressed this sentiment, saying that as Jesus loved the 
Church and laid down His life for the Church, so also 
His followers should lay down their lives for the brethren. 
(1 John 3:16.) If this is the love standard that the 
Lord has sent for His people, how sorely some will soon 
be disappointed in respect to His will if they have ignored 
this requirement. If, instead of loving the brethren and 
laying down their lives for them, they say all manner of 
evil against them, etc., what then? Then they are false 
brethren. Then they are the peril of the true brethren. 

Oh, how much the true followers of Jesus need to 

SM223 

impress upon themselves this great lesson—that love 

does no ill to his neighbor, that love is sympathetic, suffereth 

long and is kind, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed 

up, seeketh not merely its own interest and welfare, but 

seeketh the interest and welfare of others ! 

The supreme test of our loyalty to God is our love for 
Him. And this love is manifested by our desire to do 
those things acceptable to Him. There is little that we 
really can do for the Almighty. He is so great and we 
are so small! But if we have His spirit of Love, then we 
shall love all those who love Him. And our conduct toward 
them will demonstrate the real sentiment of our 
hearts. Thus seen, we are daily making our reward in 
the Lord's sight, daily showing Him to what degree we 
are worthy or unworthy of His great reward. 

Those mentioned in our text as false brethren were 
perilous to the true brethren, but did not get into this 
position immediately. It was a growth, a development. 
The wrong spirit gradually supplanted the right. It is 
well that Christians note this insidious canker which 
gnaws at the root of brotherly love, tends to poison the 
spirit and to bring forth the evil fruitage mentioned. 
Apparently, in some cases, the spirit of pride, the spirit 



of sectarianism, the spirit of ambition, are the leading 
features of the wrong course, which, if permitted to go 
to the heart, will develop a bad fruitage, such as we are 
discussing. It will produce false brethren, persecuting 
brethren, blind to the real spirit of their Master, heady, 
high-minded.—Jude 11; Gen. 4:6,7. 

Let us then, beloved, be more and more on guard 
against the encroachments of the Adversary upon us 
as New Creatures ! Let us be more and more zealous 
for the Spirit of our Master and show forth the praises 
of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous 
light! In no way can we better show forth these 
praises than by exemplifying in our daily conduct the 
lessons we have learned of Him! 



SM224 

THE JUDGMENT DAY 
PICTURED BY JESUS 

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of 
these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. "--Matt 25:40. 

This Scripture is generally misunderstood and misused. 
If one has not studied it in its connections, one 
would quite likely think that the Lord is referring to 
those who have lived during the Gospel Age. But the 
context shows that He refers to those living in the Millennial 
Age. The principle, however, is helpful to us 
now. Whoever does a kindness for any one belonging 
to the Lord is counted by Him as doing it unto Him. 

In the parable of the Sheep and the Goats we read, 
"When the Son of Man shall come in all His glory, and 
all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the 
Throne of His glory; and before Him shall be gathered 
all nations"~peoples, not the Church. The Church will 
be with Him in His Throne. (Col. 3:4.) Those spoken 
of here as gathered before the Throne will be the whole 
world of mankind. These are sometimes called Gentiles, 
meaning those not in covenant relationship with God. 

In the past God made a covenant with the nation of 
Israel alone. Therefore all other nations and peoples 
were outsiders. During this Gospel Age the Lord has 
made a covenant with the Church, through Christ, a special 
Covenant of Sacrifice into which you and I are privileged 
to enter. The opportunity to make this Covenant 
of Sacrifice has been open throughout the Gospel Age; 
and all who come to God through that covenant are said 
to be Israelites indeed.~Gal. 3:8,16,29. 

Our text refers, not to Christians, but to Gentiles--the 
world in general. Before Messiah's Throne shall be gathered 
all people, all nations. "And He shall separate them 
the one from the other, as a shepherd divideth his sheep 

SM225 

from the goats." It is not a class separation, but an individual 
one. Whoever, after trial, demonstrates that 



he is a goat will go over to the left hand. Whoever 

proves himself to be a sheep will go to the right. The 

whole picture refers to the thousand years of the Messianic 

Reign, the world's judgment, the world's trial. 

The sole object of that Reign is to prove who will desire 

to be God's sheep, to come into His fold and have His 

Son as their Shepherd, and who will not come into harmony 

with Him, but will have a goat-like nature. Then 

Christ will deal with them accordingly. 



A THOUSAND YEARS OF SEPARATING WORK 

Gradually all the goats are gathered to the left hand, 
and all the sheep to the right hand. In figurative language 
the Lord thus designates the place of disfavor and 
that of favor. These two classes will not be aware of the 
fact that they are going to the right or to the left, as 
the parable shows. Not until the conclusion of the trial 
do they find out where they stand. 

The question arises. In what way will the people have 
an opportunity of ministering to the Lord's brethren during 
the Millennial Age? We note that the Apostles were 
in prison sometimes because of their service to the Lord 
and were ministered unto; and that some of the Lord's 
followers since have been in prison or in need of assistance; 
but that probably not very many have been in 
prison or hungry or naked. Presumably it has been so 
all down the Gospel Age. Hence it is difficult to see how 
this parable could have any reference to us. Now we 
see what the parable means, and this is the explanation: 

Throughout the Millennial Age The Messiah will be 
dealing with the world of mankind, the majority of whom 
are now in the great prison-house of death. The Apostle 
Paul, in speaking of the resurrection, says that the dead 
shall come forth "every man in his own order," or company 
or class. They will not all come forth at once. The 

SM226 

Church class will come forth first; then the Great Company 
class; and early in the new order of things will 
come forth the Ancient Worthies, who will be the earthly 
representatives of God's Kingdom.—l Cor. 15:21-23. 
As Jesus said to some in His day, "Ye shall see Abraham, 



Isaac, Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom 
of God." (Luke 13:28.) They will be the human representatives 
of the Heavenly Kingdom, which will be invisible. 
Jesus said nothing about their seeing Himself. 
Neither did He say, "Ye shall see these My disciples in 
the Kingdom." He did say, however, "Yet a little while, 
and the world seeth Me no more." St. John tells us that 
the Church shall be like her Lord. (1 John 3:2.) If the 
world will not see Him, they will not see the Church; for 
the Church will be spirit beings, that cannot be seen. 
So we have these orders, at least: The Little Flock, 
the Great Company, the Ancient Worthies, and the world 
of mankind— "every man in his own order." Jesus said, 
"The hour is coming when all that are in the graves shall 
hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall 
live." (John 5:25-29.) As the world return from the 
tomb, our thought is that they will come back in answer 
to prayer, very much the same as did Lazarus. The Lord, 
you remember, said, "Where have ye laid him?" Then 
He lifted up His eyes and prayed to the Father, after 
which He said, "Lazarus, come forth. "-John 11:41-44. 



MINISTERING UNTO MILLENNIUM BRETHREN 

We do not understand that in the Millennial Age the 
people will have power to command the dead to come 
forth from the tomb, but that our Lord Jesus will have 
that power. As He prayed for the restoration of Lazarus, 
not because of any service which Lazarus would 
do for Him, but because Lazarus was the brother of Martha 
and Mary, so we conceive that nearly all the world 
will come forth in answer to the prayers of their brothers, 
their sisters, their parents, children and friends. 

SM227 

To illustrate: Suppose that you and I were of the 
Restitution class, and not of the Church class. Suppose 
that we were living down in the Millennial Age, and that 
Restitution had progressed so far that the world was in 
good shape— plenty of machinery for conducting affairs, 
more being produced than was needed, etc. Then the 
Lord would let us know, as a world, that we might have 
the privilege of co-operating with God, that we might 



join with Christ in the work of Restitution. We might 
say, "First of all, let us pray for father." We would 
not desire to have father get here and find that there 
was no place for him to eat or sleep or live; so we would 
make provision for him. 

Similarly, we would provide for mother and for other 
relatives. Each would thus be brought forth, preparations 
being made to assist them when they would come 
back into life. This whole work of bringing mankind back 
into life will be God's work. It will be the work of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, the work of spirit beings, as God's 
agents. But human beings will be permitted to co-operate, 
through their interest in humanity. 

The "sheep" class of that Age will be those who 
will have the Lord's spirit; and as the Lord's purpose 
will be to bring people back from death, to teach them 
and to prepare them for eternal life, all the sheep will 
feel the same way. This they will do gladly, because 
they have a love for this work. They will be feeding, 
clothing and helping those whom they have gotten out of 
the prison-house of death. Their prayers will go out continually 
after those in prison. This explains the whole 
work of the Millennial Age, and shows how all the people 
will come into harmony with God. 



THE INDIFFERENT, SELFISH CLASS 

But there will be some who will say, "I do not care 
so much about this matter. I would rather go automobiling 
than to care for these people." The sheep class will 
be busy working, working right along; but the goat class 

SM228 

will be showing their selfish disposition. God does not 
purpose that any who are selfish shall have everlasting 
life. Selfishness came in as a result of sin. You and I 
were born selfish, and could not help it; but we have better 
knowledge now. We are beginning to see God's way. All 
then in true sympathy with God and righteousness will 
be cultivating love in their hearts. 

After the sheep class have provided for those already 
recovered from the prison-house of death, they 
will say, "Now let us ask for others to come back. Let 



us get back Uncle Jim." The others will say, "I do not 
see why we should bother about Uncle Jim. He was 
only a distant relative. He did not leave me anything 
when he died." But the one with the sheep-like disposition 
will say, "Poor old Uncle Jim! I shall try to give 
a good welcome back. He will wonder that conditions 
are so changed. He never saw these things which 
we now have. When He died, he thought that he was 
going to Hell. This will be his greatest blessing!" 



THE LOVING, UNSELFISH CLASS 

Thus the sheep class will take their pleasure along the 
lines in which God and Christ will be taking theirs. Do 
you think that God, Christ and the Church will be running 
around Heaven in automobiles? The sheep class 
will say, in effect, "How can we co-operate with Christ 
in this work of blessing the world?" They may not realize 
it, but they will be developing a noble. Christlike character. 
They will be doing themselves good as well as 
those raised from the dead. 

At the close of the Age the Lord will say to the sheep 
class, "I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was 
thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye 
took Me; naked, and ye clothed Me; sick and in prison, 
and ye visited Me"; for "inasmuch as ye did it unto one 
of the least of these, ye did it unto Me." You did not 
know it, but I was watching you. You are on My right 
hand—in My favor. The Father wishes you to have the 

SM229 

Kingdom originally given to Father Adam but lost 
through disobedience. 

No other class will be given the kingdom. God is not 
selfish, but is always considering what He can do for 
somebody else. All of His people must have His spirit. 
All mankind must eventually have the same spirit or they 
cannot get the earthly kingdom. The Heavenly Kingdom 
is for those of the Church who prove worthy. They will 
get it because they have the spirit of love; and those of 
the world who cultivate the Lord's spirit will receive the 
kingdom prepared for them /rom the foundation of the 
world. (Gen. 1:26-28.) Christ's Kingdom was prepared 



from before the foundation of the world. Mankind's will 
be an earthly kingdom a Paradise world-wide. 



EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED 

So, dear friends, there is a little lesson here for us. 
We see in this parable God's disposition. It helps us to 
understand His mind. But you may say, "It is not natural 
for me to act so unselfishly." All the more need, 
then, for you to cultivate that spirit. The Lord is not 
looking for natural people, but for New Creatures. 

"But," you say, "in my case it would make a great difference; 
for my mind is not formed that way." We reply, 
"You must be transformed-formed over again. We 
are all wrong to start with. We must get out of the 
condition in which we were born. "--Rom. 12:1,2. 

The Lord does not say that we must entirely transform 
our flesh. But He does say that we must transform 
our mind, our will. We must show Him that our mind 
is continually striving for those things which are good, 
kind, loving and generous. He will take note of what we 
are striving to do. 

Lest we should be accused of neglecting a certain part 
of this parable, let me remind you how it reads. The 
goat class are to "go away into everlasting punishment." 
"I thought that you do not believe in everlasting punishment," 
says one. My dear brother, I always believe 

SM230 

in everything the Bible says. I believe in everlasting 
punishment. But what kind it will be is another matter. 
God says one thing, and some of our creeds have said 
another thing. Therefore you and I, if true to God, are 
giving up our creed as unreliable, thoroughly unsound. 
The Bible says that the punishment will be death; and 
we believe the Bible.~Rom. 6:23; Ezek. 18:4. 

The creeds have it that everlasting death means everlasting 
dying, endless torture. So when the Bible speaks 
of everlasting death, some people have their heads so 
twisted that they make death mean life. At one time we 
had our heads badly twisted. We ran into all kinds of 
difficulties. I am glad that we are getting straightened 
out. We are able to reason more clearly and to understand 
the English language better. There is such a thing 



as everlasting death. When the goat class are remanded 
to death, they will become dead everlastingly. They will 
remain dead to all eternity. 

The Greek word kolasin, here rendered punishment, 
means to cut off, or to restrain by cutting off. The Lord 
will give mankind all the opportunities they wish to be 
selfish, to choose the wrong way. They will have the opportunities 
and blessings of the Millennial Age, as long 
as they will not outwardly violate the Law, as long as 
they will not injure somebody else. They will not be 
forced to help the dead. That work will be one of charity, 
of love. But unless they attain the spirit of love, they 
will not be fit for the kingdom; for God is Love. Whether 
on the spirit plane or in the Millennial Kingdom or in the 
everlasting kingdom of mankind upon the earth, no one 
shall continue except those who are in accord with God. 
All others shall be everlastingly cut off from life. See 
Acts 3:23; Psa. 101:8; 37:9; 2 Thess. 1:9. 



FIRE A SYMBOL OF DESTRUCTION 

Concerning the wicked, our parable says, "Depart, ye 
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and 
his angels." Fire always symbolizes destruction, and 

SM231 

everlasting fire would mean an everlasting destruction. 
What about its being prepared for the Devil and his 
angels? I answer: The Devil is the father of lies, a murderer 
from the beginning, the one who "abode not in the 
Truth." (John 8:44.) He has some assistants, "the 
angels that kept not their first estate." (Jude 6.) Instead 
of remaining holy angels, they became demons, associated 
under Satan. Their final penalty is to be quite 
appropriate for them- -fire, the fire of God's anger, the 
fire of God's opposition. 

As fire destroys, so God's anger will destroy Satan 
and all in harmony with him. And because the goat 
class of mankind manifest the spirit of Satan, the selfish 
spirit, contrary to the Divine spirit, they will be 
classed in with Satan and his angels; they will have their 
portion with Satan and the fallen spirits. They will all 
be destroyed in the Second Death. This will cleanse the 



Universe and have everything pure. Not a sinner will be 
left in it. Thenceforth all will be governed by Love. 
The Lord Jesus Christ was tried; the Church, His 
Bride, is being tried; the Great Company will be tried, 
before being received into the Heavenly condition. In 
the days of Noah all the angels were tried. So all mankind 
will be tried during the thousand years of Messiah's 
reign, and only the victors will go into the everlasting 
conditions. No wonder that the Revelator, prophesying of 
that glorious time, says "Every creature in Heaven [the 
Church, the Great Company, the angels, the cherubim and 
seraphim], and on earth, and under the earth [those now 
in the tomb], heard I saying. Blessing, glory, honor and 
power be unto Him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto 
the Lamb, forever and ever!"~Rev. 5:13. 

Soon all shall come, and coming sing. 

Throughout this earthly ball, 
Hosannas to our Heavenly King, 
And hail Him, hail Him, hail Him, 

Hail Him Lord of all! 



SM232 

FORCES MUSTERING FOR 
ARMAGEDDON 

"For the great Day of His wrath is come; and who 
shall be able to stand ?"-Re\. 6:17. 

God seems to have given the Book of Revelation with 
the intent of covering up great and important truths, not 
only because these were not due to be understood, but 
because He designs to keep certain features of His Plan 
from the world. Being a book of symbols, the Revelation 
will not be understood by the world in general; but the 
Bible assures that when the due time for revealment 
comes, the wise amongst His people, "The wise virgins," 
shall understand.--Dan. 12:10; Matt. 25:1-13. 

The Prophet Daniel, who tells us that the Time of the 
End is the time for those wise toward God to understand 
His great Plan, gives two particular signs by which this 
time will be especially marked: First, "Many shall run 
to and fro"; second, "knowledge shall be increased." 
(Dan. 12:4.) Today we see this prophecy fulfilled. All 
over the world the people are running to and fro as never 
before; and all over the world are opportunities for 
knowledge such as have never before been known. The 
remarkable fulfilment of this prophecy characterizes our 
day as the Time of the End, in which this Gospel Age is 
to be concluded and the Messianic Age to be ushered in 
—the time when God's people will understand and prepare 
for their change. 

In the Scriptures God has seen fit to associate the 
name of Israel's famous battlefield with the great controversy 
between Truth and Error, Right and Wrong, 
with which the change of dispensation will take place. 
While the phrase, "Battle of Armageddon," is heard on 
all sides and is applied in many ways, nevertheless Christians 
realize that in the Bible this phrase is used in a 

SM233 

spiritual sense. Therefore if the present is an opportune 



time to consider this Battle of the great Day of God Almighty, 
surely it is the proper time to view it from its true 
religious standpoint. 

Before we proceed to set forth our understanding of 
the symbolic language of the Revelation, we wish to state 
most emphatically that we are saying nothing whatever 
against godly Christians at any time or in any place, in 
any church or out of any church. We realize that the 
Word of God conveys a terrible arraignment of some of 
the great systems of our day— some that we long have 
reverenced, that we have esteemed as containing many of 
God's people. We have nothing to say against godly individuals, 
but what we have to say in the interpretation of 
Scripture is in respect to these systems. 



AGENCIES MUSTERING THE HOSTS 

Coming to the interpretation of the symbols of Revelation 16:13-16, 
we find that the Scriptures mention three 
agencies connected with the gathering of the hosts to this 
great battle. We read that three impure spirits, teachings, 
will go forth from the mouths of the Dragon, the 
Beast and the False Prophet, and that these three will 
be in accord. These three doctrines, symbolically represented 
by frogs, are to have a mighty influence throughout 
the civilized earth; they are to gather the kings and 
their armies to the great Battle of Armageddon. 

The ecclesiastical kings and princes, with their retinues 
of clergy and faithful adherents, will be gathered in 
solid phalanx-Protestants and Catholics. The kings 
and captains of industry, and as many as can be influenced 
by them, will be gathered to the same side. The 
political kings and princes, with all their henchmen and 
retainers, will follow in line on the same side. The financial 
kings and merchant princes, and all whom they can 
influence by the most gigantic power ever yet exercised 
in the world, will join the same side, according to this 

SM234 

prophecy. They do not realize, however, that they are 
coming to Armageddon. 

These "doctrines of demons," represented by the 
frogs, will lead many noble souls to assume an attitude 



quite contrary to their preference. For a time the wheels 
of liberty and progress will be turned backward, and medieval 
restraints will be considered necessary for self-preservation 
—for the maintenance of the present order 
of things and for the prevention of the new order which 
God has decreed. Even those who may be God's people 
do not stop to consider whether it is His will that things 
should continue as they have been for six thousand years. 

In giving this interpretation, it is necessary for us 
to indicate what is symbolized by the Dragon, the Beast 
and the False Prophet. Bible students of nearly all denominations 
agree with us that the Dragon of Revelation 
represents the purely Civil Power. Protestant interpreters 
generally agree with us that the "Beast like a leopard" 
(Rev. 13:2) represents the Papacy. But fewer 
still, we fear, will be ready to support our view that Protestantism 
is the "Image of the Beast" (Rev. 13:15), elsewhere 
styled "the False Prophet. "--Rev. 16:13. 



"UNCLEAN SPIRITS LIKE FROGS" 

We urge no one to accept our interpretation, nor 
shall we think unkindly of those who refuse it. We will 
neither slander or otherwise injure them, nor threaten 
them with eternal torture. They have the same right to 
their views that we have, and the same right to make 
them known to others. For our part we shall be very 
glad to consider anything which opponents may set forth 
as their interpretations of this Scripture. 

The symbolisms of Scripture, rightly understood, are 
always forceful. When the Holy Spirit used a frog symbolically 
to represent certain doctrines or teachings, we 
may be sure that the true application will fit well. A frog 
is a small creature, yet it puffs itself up until it almost 

SM235 

bursts in its efforts to be somebody; it has a wise look, 
even though it does not know much; and whenever it utters 
a sound it croaks. The three most prominent characteristics 
of a frog, then, are pomposity, an air of superior 
wisdom and a continual croaking. 

Applying these symbols, we learn that an evil spirit, 
influence, teaching, will come from the federated Protestant 



churches, from the Church of Rome and from the 

civil authorities, and in full agreement. The spirit of 

all will be boastful, an air of superior wisdom and knowledge 

will be proudly assumed—all will croak in harmony. 

All will predict dire results to follow, involving the interests 

of both the present and the future life, if their 

counsel be not heeded. However conflicting the creeds, 

the differences will be ignored in the general proposition 

that nothing ancient must be investigated or repudiated, 

but that all things must remain as they are. 

The Divine authority of the Church, and the Divine 
right of kings, aside from the Church, will not be permitted 
to conflict. Any persons or teachings in conflict 
with these boastful and unscriptural claims will be 
branded as everything vile, at the mouths of these frog-like 
spirits, speaking from pulpits and platforms and 
through the press. The nobler sentiments of some will 
be strangled by the philosophy of the same evil spirit 
which spoke through Caiaphas, the high priest, respecting 
our Lord Jesus. As Caiaphas declared it expedient 
to commit a crime in violation of justice, both human and 
Divine, in order to be rid of Jesus and His teachings, so 
this frog spirit will approve of every violation of principle 
necessary to their self -protection. 

The croaking of these frog spirits of doctrine will 
gather the kings and princes—financial, political, religious 
and industrial-into one great army. The spirit of 
fear, inspired by the croakings, will scourge the passions 
of otherwise good and reasonable men to fury, desperation. 
In their blind adherence to these evil spirits, evil 

SM236 

doctrines, they will be ready to sacrifice life itself on the 
altar of what they mistakenly suppose is righteousness. 

As we understand the Scriptures, for a brief time 
these combined forces of Armageddon will triumph. Free 
speech, free mails, and other liberties which have come to 
be the very breath of the masses of our day will be ruthlessly 
shut off under the plea of necessity, the glory of 
God, the commands of the Church, etc. All will seem 
serene until the great social explosion takes place, described 
in Scripture as "a great earthquake." 

In symbolic language, an earthquake signifies social 
revolution. The declaration of the Revelator is that it 



will be "such as was not since men were upon the earth." 
Our Lord Jesus and the Prophet Daniel described it as "a 
Time of Trouble such as was not since there was a nation." 
-Matt. 24:21; Dan. 12:1; Rev. 16:18,19. 



THE OPPOSING FORCES AT ARMAGEDDON 

The false, froglike teachings will gather together into 
one host the great, the rich, the wise, the learned and the 
kings of the earth. At this juncture Divine Power will 
step forward and marshal the hosts to Armageddon--to 
the Mount of Destruction. The very thing which they 
sought to avert by federation will be the very thing which 
they will hasten. Other Scriptures tell us that God will 
be represented by the great Messiah, and that He will be 
on the side of the masses. Thus we read, "At that time 
shall Michael [the God-like One—Messiah] stand up"~ 
assume authority. He will take possession of His Kingdom 
in a manner little expected by many of those who 
erroneously have been claiming that they were His Kingdom, 
and authorized by Him to reign in His stead. 

The Scriptures declare, "His servants ye are unto 
whom ye render service." Some may be rendering service 
to Satan and error while claiming to be serving God 
and righteousness; and some of these may be serving ignorantly, 
as did Saul of Tarsus, who "verily thought that 

SM237 

he did God service" in persecuting the Church. The 
same principle holds true reversely. As no earthly king 
holds himself responsible for the moral character of each 
soldier who fights in his battles, so the Lord does not 
vouch for the moral character of all who fight on His side 
of any question. 

The same principle will apply in the approaching Battle 
of Armageddon. God's side of that battle will be the 
people's side; and that very nondescript host, the people, 
will be pitted at the beginning of the battle. Anarchists, 
Socialists, and hot-headed radicals of every school of 
reason and of unreason, will be at the forefront of the battle. 
The majority of the poor and of the middle class 
prefer peace at almost any price. The masses have no 
sympathy with anarchy; for they realize truly that the 



worst form of government is better than none. 

A comparatively small number, God's consecrated 
people, will at heart be longing for Messiah's Kingdom. 
These will wait patiently for the Lord's time; they will 
be of good courage, knowing the outcome delineated in 
the "more sure word of prophecy," to which they have 
done well to "take heed, as unto a light shining in a dark 
place, until the Day dawn. "--2 Peter 1:19. 

Conscious of their own weakness as compared to the 
kings and princes, financial, religious and political, who 
will then hold sway, the masses will be restless. Through 
the ballot and the peaceful readjustment of earth's affairs 
they will seek for the elimination of evil, for the 
placing of monopolies, utilities and the supplies of nature 
in the hands of the people for the public good. The crisis 
will be reached when the hitherto upholders of law shall 
become violators of that law and resisters of the will of 
the majority as expressed by the ballot. Fear for the 
future will lead the well-meaning masses to desperation; 
and anarchy will result when Socialism fails. This is the 
extremity toward which multitudes are being driven by 
the force of circumstances propelled by selfishness. 

SM238 



WHY ARMAGEDDON IS NECESSARY 

Horrible indeed would be the outlook for the future 
did we not have the infallible Word of God assuring us 
of a glorious outcome. Divine Wisdom has withheld 
until our day the great knowledge and skill which is breeding 
both millionaires and discontents. Had God lifted 
the veil a thousand years ago, the world would then 
have lined up for its Armageddon. But that date would 
have been too soon for the Divine Purpose; for God has 
His own times and seasons, and has appointed the 
Seventh Thousand- Year Day of the world's history for 
the Reign of Christ. Therefore in kindness God veiled 
our eyes until the time when the gathering to Armageddon 
would immediately precede the inauguration of Messiah's 
Kingdom-Rev. 11:17,18. 

St. Paul, writing prophetically of this time, declared 
that it would be one of trial and testing to many professed 
Christians, for the reason that they received not 



the Truth in the love of it. (2 Thess. 2:10,11.) They 
preferred their own erroneous theories, the Apostle explains, 
and therefore God will give them over to a strong 
delusion, permitting them to believe the lie which they 
preferred and to suffer for missing the Truth which they 
did not love. Thus they will be in the condemned host, 
"fighting against God." 

Sad to say, we Christians have labored under a thorough 
delusion respecting God's Plan. We have claimed 
that Christ set up His Church in Kingdom power and that 
the Church has been reigning on the earth as His representative. 
On the strength of this delusion, Jews and so-called 
heretics have been persecuted to death as opponents 
to Christ's Kingdom. Meantime we thoughtlessly 
prayed, "Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, 
as in Heaven." We knew that the Redeemer had said 
that He would come again to make us His Bride and Joint-heirs; 
but we ignored the Scriptures. We were drunk, as 
the Scriptures symbolically say; all nations were drunk 

SM239 

with the false doctrine. (Rev. 17:2.) It is this false 
doctrine which will constitute the frog spirit that soon 
will croak, preparatory to Armageddon. 

For the past forty years the forces have been mustering 
for the conflict. As the belligerent parties have 
crossed each other's paths, incidental skirmishes have 
taken place-strikes, lockouts, riots, etc. Court and army 
scandals in Europe, trust and court scandals in America, 
have shaken public confidence. Dynamite plots, charged 
by turn on employees and employers, have tended to 
make each distrustful of the other. Bitter and angry 
feelings are more and more manifest. 



THE WAR CLOUD'S SILVER LINING 

According to Scripture the great battle must follow 
the occurrence of two events; the transformation of the 
Image of the Beast into a living force, and the return of 
many wealthy Jews to Palestine. The Protestant Federation 
realizes the futility of its organization unless it 
receive vitalization-unless its clergy be recognized as 
possessing apostolic ordination and authority to teach. 



This the prophecy indicates will come from the two-horned 
Beast—symbol, we believe, of the Church of England. 
High-handed activities of both Protestantism and 
Catholicism, operating in conjunction for the suppression 
of human liberties, await the vivifying of this Image. 

At the very close of Armageddon will come "Jacob's 
trouble" in the Holy Land. Then Messiah's Kingdom 
will begin to be manifested. Thenceforth in the Land 
of Promise Israel will gradually rise from the ashes of 
the past to the grandeur of prophecy. Through its Divinely 
appointed princes, the Ancient Worthies (Heb. 11; 
Psa. 45:16), the all-powerful, but invisible Kingdom of 
Messiah will begin to roll away the curse of death and 
to uplift mankind. Then will be fulfilled the Promise "in 
thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." 



SM240 



THE TRUE LIGHT 

"That was the true Light, which lighteth every man 
that Cometh into the world. "--John 1:9. 

Everywhere throughout the Scriptures light is used 
to represent God, His truth, His righteousness. His servants 
and their messages; and, contrariwise, darkness is 
the synonym for Satan, the Prince of Darkness, and all 
his deluded followers, the children of darkness, and the 
wickedness with which he is identified, the works of darkness. 
So forceful are these figures of speech that they 
are recognized quickly, not only by those skilled in the 
use of the Scriptures, but also by the world. The voice 
of inspiration in the Bible declares that the "whole world 
lies in the Wicked One"~under Satan's influence-under 
the powers of darkness. And this declaration was made, 
not in the period before the Flood, nor in the period before 
the giving of the Law to Israel, nor during the Law 
Age, but during this Gospel Age. Furthermore, since 
Jesus has come and has given His life a Ransom, and 
since His followers have received the anointing of the 
Holy Spirit, since Pentecost, the world still lieth in the 
Wicked One, as again stated, "Darkness covers the earth 
-gross darkness the heathen." (1 John 5:19; Isa. 60:2.) 
But the Scriptures also testify that Jesus is the Light of 
the world-the true Light, that lighteth every man that 
Cometh into the world— the statement of our text. How 
and in what sense is this true? We reply that it is not yet 
true- that it is a prophetic statement of what shall yet be. 

Our Lord declared this great truth when He said, "I 
am come a light into the world, that whosoever belie veth 
in Me should not abide in darkness"; but "men love darkness 
rather than light because their deeds are evil." 
(John 3:19-21; 12:46.) In other words, our Lord here 
indicates that mankind had become so depraved, so in 

SM241 

sympathy with sin, so out of accord with absolute truth, 
justice and righteousness, that it was not attractive to 
them— or rather, less attractive to them than the error. 



He declares that this was the secret of the hatred which 
His presence engendered and which led to His crucifixion. 
"The darkness hateth the light, neither approacheth the 
light lest its deeds be made manifest"; for it is the nature 
of light to scatter the darkness. 

Strange to say, the darkness was not confined to the 
ignorant then, nor is it today. It is no respecter of stations. 
It was the Chief Priests, the Doctors of the Law 
and the leading Pharisees who were the most pronounced 
servants of darkness and most opposed to the light of 
Truth which shone forth from our Redeemer's life and 
teachings. "The common people heard Him gladly." 
Indeed, we say that the powers of darkness are greatest 
in the more influential and the better educated. Satan 
himself, the Prince of Darkness, is not such by reason of 
his ignorance and stupidity, but by reason of pride and 
sinful ambition, which led into a course of opposition to 
the Divine Plan.--Mark 12:37. 



"YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD" 

Our Lord not only informed us that the possibilities 
of the light shining from Him were limited by the 
surrounding darkness of Satanic influence and human 
depravity and wrong ambition, but that the same would 
be measurably true of His followers—that, so far from 
being bright luminaries, powerful suns in the firmament 
of earth's affairs, scattering its darkness, they would 
merely be little lights or candles. He admonishes us not 
on this account to be discouraged or ashamed of Him, 
ashamed of the light but to set our candles on a candlestick, 
that they may give light to all that are in the 
House—in the Household of Faith our lights are to shine. 
We are to build one another up in the most holy faith. 

True, indeed, our windows are to be opened, so that 

SM242 

those who are without may see the light within the Household 

of Faith and come to the light, and all such are to 

be welcomed. But we are not to suppose that the world 

will love our light, nor that if we take it to them they will 

be inclined to glorify us and exalt us and to honor us. 

On the contrary, so long as the Prince of Darkness has 



his hold upon the world and operates through worldly 
ambition and prejudice, strongly entrenched delusions 
and false doctrines, so long the Lord's words are true, 
"Marvel not if the world hate you; ye know that it hated 
Me before it hated you." (John 15:18.) "Cast not your 
pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their 
feet and turn again and rend you." (Matt. 7:6.) The 
depth of your message is not intended for the world, 
which is worshipping Mammon, but merely intended for 
the Elect--the class whom God is choosing out of the 
world for a special purpose, a "people for His name." 
To these alone is given to know the mysteries of the 
"Kingdom of Heaven"; for these alone the light of Truth 
is now intended--even "as many as the Lord your God 
shall call." As for the rest of the world, they are the 
children of darkness, who will be dealt with in the Lord's 
providence in due time. —Matt. 13:11; Col. 1:13. 

Similarly the Scriptures speak of the pathway of the 
just throughout this Gospel Age. They do not indicate 
that the pathway of the Church is a brilliant one; but, 
quite to the contrary, that it is narrow, crowded, beset 
with trials and difficulties, and hedged about with darkness 
except as the lamp of Divine Truth illuminates it. 
Moreover, the picture of this path and of the Church as 
a traveler on it, given in the Scriptures, emphasizes this 
point. It pictures the traveler with the lamp attached to 
the toe of his sandal, giving light only for each step of the 
way, as it is written, "Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet, 
a Lantern to my footsteps." (Psa. 119:105.) The Apostle 
Peter gives the same thought, saying: "We have also 
a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well to 

SM243 

take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place until 
the Day dawn." (2 Pet. 1:19.) Here four facts are 
emphasized: (1) That there is a new Day Divinely 
arranged for, which shall dawn in its proper season; 
(2) that we are now in the night-time preceding that new 
epoch; (3) that the Word of the Lord is the only light and 
guide for His people in this night-time; (4) that those 
who are not His people and who do not have this light are 
walking in darkness, however worldly-wise and prudent 
themselves and others may believe them to be. 
How glad we are of the assurance God has given us 



that a better Day is coming, a glorious Day, when all "the 
shadows, weary shadows, from the world shall flee away!" 
This implies the victory of the light over the darkness, of 
which we are assured in various Scriptures, which tell us 
that in due time our great Redeemer Christ shall take to 
Himself His great power and begin His Reign—the Reign 
of Righteousness—the Reign of the Kingdom of God. The 
further assurance is that promptly at the beginning of 
that Reign Satan shall be bound for a thousand years, 
that his deception of mankind shall thus be restrained. 
Our Lord, speaking of this in one of His parables, calls 
Satan the strong man of this present dispensation, and 
declares that He will bind him and "spoil his goods"- 
destroy the works of evil, of sin, of superstition, of ignorance, 
etc. Oh, what a happy day that will be for the world! 



"BRUISE SATAN UNDER YOUR FEET" 

But here we are reminded by the Apostle that the 
Divine Plan respecting the future Kingdom of God is 
that the elect Church of this present time shall be associated 
in it with her Lord, her Bridegroom. So intimate is 
this association of the Church with Christ that sometimes 
the work of restraining Satan and the powers of evil in 
the opening of the Millennial Age is ascribed to the 
Church under her Head and Lord, as when the Apostle 
declared, "The very God of peace shall bruise Satan 

SM244 

under your feet shortly." (Rom. 16:20.) Similarly, our 
Lord mentions the Church as associated with Himself in 
the enlightening work of the future; for, while our text 
refers to Christ as the true, great Light which ultimately 
shall enlighten every man that cometh into the world, our 
Bible shows that the Church now enlightened, now walking 
in the narrow way in His footsteps, now exposed to 
peculiar trials and difficulties in order to develop and test 
the overcomers, shall also be members of the great Sun 
of Righteousness which the Scriptures promise shall 
arise with healing in His beams.— Mai. 4:2. 

This participation of the Church with Himself as 
members of the glorious Sun of Righteousness our Lord 
shows in the parable of the wheat and tares. In the conclusion 



of that parable He shows the gathering of the 
Elect in the end of this Age by a resurrection change, and 
then declares, "Then shall the righteous shine forth as 
the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears 
to hear, let him hear. "--Matt. 13:43. 



GROSS DARKNESS COVERS HEATHENDOM 

Coming back from the glorious pictures of the Millennial 
morning to the facts as we now have them, we perceive 
the absolute truth of the Scriptural pictures, which 
represent the world in darkness and heathendom in gross 
darkness, and the Church alone possessing the Lamp of 
Divine Revelation—and it, close to the path, giving light 
only for one step at a time. Everything in these pictures 
corroborates the other statements of the Word and also 
our own experiences: that nothing that the Church could 
do in the present time could scatter the powers of darkness. 
Our little candles should all be on their candlesticks, 
our lamps trimmed and burning, to give out as 
much light as possible for ourselves and for others; but 
there is absolutely no encouragement for us to think that 
by any power of our own we could become the Sun of 
Righteousness and scatter the darkness of earth. It will 
require the glorious change of the First Resurrection to 

SM245 

thus equip and qualify us for the work of enlightening the 
world. On the contrary, despite the efforts of God's 
people during eighteen centuries since Jesus' death, the 
numbers of heathendom are increasing hourly. According 
to statistics there are twice as many heathen in the 
world today as there were a century ago— 1,200,000,000 
now, 600,000,000 then. 

Alas, while the outward show and splendor of civilization 
called Christendom are in many respects impressive, 
our Lord's true picture of the situation prophetically 
given is, "This people draweth nigh to Me with their lips 
while their hearts are far from me"! (Matt. 15:8.) 
Only a few today, as ever, are right with the Lord, filled 
with the Spirit and guided by His Lamp of Truth. The 
majority of Christian people everywhere, in all denominations, 
are falling, as described by the Lord through the 



Prophet, saying to the true Church of Christ, "A thousand 
shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right 
hand, but it shall not come nigh thee."--Psa. 91:7. 

These thousands—yea, tens of thousands—include 
many of the most learned of our day, just as the falling at 
the First Advent of our Lord included the Doctors of the 
Law, the Chief Priests and the members of the Sanhedrin. 
The fall in this case is not a moral deflection, not a falling 
into vulgar sin, but the falling away from "the faith once 
delivered to the saints"-a falling into Evolution theories, 
into Higher Criticism, Infidelity, into Theosophy, 
into New Thought, New Theology, Christian Science, 
etc.-away from the teachings of God's Word respecting 
the fall of the race into sin and under Divine sentence, 
respecting the redemption of Adam and all his race by 
the precious blood of Jesus, respecting the deliverance of 
the Church and ultimately as many as will receive Divine 
favor at the hands of Him who loved us and bought us 
with His precious blood.- Jude 3; 1 Pet. 1:18,19. 

While declaring His power to conquer sin and Satan 
and to deliver the poor world from its darkness and ignorance 

SM246 

and superstition, why does the Lord permit so long 
a delay? Why was it four thousand years after the fall 
before He sent the Redeemer, and why has it been nearly 
nineteen hundred years since the Savior died for all 
the world before He comes in power and great glory to 
deliver mankind from the yoke of sin and death— to 
deliver the groaning creation from the bondage of corruption 
to the glorious liberty of the sons of God? Why? 
Ah, there is a reason, but it is not for all to know now. 
Even if we tell it all cannot hear. Our Master said truly, 
speaking to the faithful Little Flock, the followers in His 
footsteps: "To you it is given to know the mysteries of 
the Kingdom of God; but to others in parables; that, 
seeing, they might not see, and, hearing, they might not 
understand." (Luke 8:10.) Hence, we need not be afraid 
of giving away the secrets of the Lord in respect to this 
matter, which the Apostle styles "the Mystery hidden 
from past ages and dispensations, but now revealed unto 
the saints." (Col. 1:26.) It is proper that the saints 
should know this Mystery, for now the strength which 
this knowledge would give will be of special value to them 



in their combat with the special trials and difficulties 
which lie immediately before them. The Mystery is this: 
that God's purpose from the first was that the great 
Deliverer, Messiah, should be not only the Lord Jesus, the 
Redeemer, but should include also the elect Little Flock 
of this Gospel Age--the ripe grains gathered in Israel's 
harvest time and also during this Gospel Age those gathered 
from every nation, people, kindred and tongue. 
These the Lord styles His "jewels"~"They shall be 
Mine, saith the Lord, in that Day when I come to make up 
My jewels." (Mai. 3:17.) The "jewels" will not be 
made up, will not be glorified, until the full number of the 
Elect have been found and polished and prepared. Then 
shall the Elect, the righteous, shine forth as the sun in the 
Kingdom of their Father—for the blessing of all mankind. 
They, with their Lord, the Bridegroom, will then, 

SM247 

as the antitypical Seed of Abraham, fulfil the Divine 
promise, "In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth 
beblessed."-Gen. 12:3. 



WHY GOD'S PEOPLE REJOICE 

Thus the Mystery hid from past ages becomes plain to 
those whose eyes have been anointed by the Holy Spirit, 
and who are looking in the direction which the Lord is 
indicating. They see that now "Light is sown for the 
righteous—Truth for the upright in heart," and this 
rejoices them: first, as a manifestation of Divine favor; 
and secondly, because it encourages and stirs them to 
uprightness of heart, that they may abide in the Divine 
Love, and go onward from grace to grace, from knowledge 
to knowledge, in the narrow way, guided by the Word as 
a lamp to their feet. They rejoice because they now 
understand the purpose of Divine Wisdom in permitting 
special trials and tribulations of the people of God— that 
these are intended to work out for them a far more 
exceeding and eternal weight of glory to which they have 
been "called according to the Divine purpose." 

They are not jealous or envious of the world and its 
Highway of Holiness, upon which it will be privileged to 
go up to perfection of restitution during the Millennium. 



They realize that, grand as those blessings will be, "God 
has provided some better things for us." (Heb. 11:40.) 
They are content, yea, able to rejoice in fiery trials, 
because of their realization that these are the Divine 
arrangement by which they are being prepared, tested, 
proven worthy of a place in the glorious Kingdom so soon 
to be established for the blessing of the world. These 
large-hearted, warm-hearted saints, full of love for God 
and every creature, are made further glad by the knowledge 
of the Divine Plan, that the whole creation is under 
the Divine charge, though saints are God's peculiar care. 
They rejoice in the unfolding of the Divine Plan, which 
shows most clearly that God has provided an opportunity 
for eternal salvation through Christ for all those who 

SM248 

shall obey Him, and, furthermore, that the knowledge 

and opportunity and assistance necessary to such obedience 

will be granted to mankind during the Millennium. 



"GREAT JOY FOR ALL PEOPLE" 

Is it any wonder that the Message of God's grace as it 
was announced on the first Christmas morning was a 
Message of peace and good will toward men—all men? 
Is it any wonder, in view of what we see of the developing 
Plan of God, that the angels declared to the shepherds, 
"Behold, we bring you good tidings of great joy, which 
shall be unto all people; for unto you is born this day in 
the city of David a Savior, which is Messiah, the Lord"? 
No! That Message is in full accord with all that we know 
of the Divine Word, and with all that the reasonable, 
intelligent mind could expect from an all-wise, just, powerful 
and all-loving Creator. Why should He not delight 
to bless every creature of Adam's race? Why should He 
purpose to save merely a handful of the Elect and to 
turn the others over to eternal torment at the hands of 
fireproof demons? Such unscriptural ideas evidently 
came from the great Prince of Darkness himself, who 
fain would turn our hearts away from the God of Wisdom, 
Justice, Love and Power-who fain would have us 
think of our God as the real adversary of the race, delighting 
in its suffering.—Luke 10:11. 



How broad, how gloriously sweeping the statement of 
our text, which declares Jesus to be the true Light of the 
world—for every man that cometh into the world! How 
it assures us that the Redeemer of the world was God's 
great Christmas Gift to Adam and all of his posterity— 
a gift whose value grows in the estimation of all the 
Lord's holy ones in the present time, as day by day and 
item by item they come to know the Christ of God~an 
estimation which will grow with the world as, during the 
Millennial Age, they will avail themselves of the glorious 
opportunities then afforded and come into hearty accord 
with the Lord and His righteousness—an estimation 

SM249 

which will grow with them throughout eternity as the 
lengths, breadths, heights and depths of the Love of God 
shall become more and more manifest. 



GOD'S WAYS HIGHER THAN MAN'S 

Let us not mistakingly allow our own littleness of 
mind to hinder our appreciation of the true meaning of 
our text. Let us remember our Lord's words, "For your 
thoughts are not My thoughts; neither are your ways My 
ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher 
than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways 
and My plans than your plans." The great Plan of God, 
which has thus far reached only the Church, even as many 
as the Lord our God has called, is yet to reach not only 
the world of mankind living when the Election of the 
Church is completed and when the Bride of Christ shall 
have been ushered into Heavenly glory, but also all those 
who have already gone down into the great prison-house 
of death-the tomb, Sheol, Hades. -Isa. 55:8,9; 40:5. 

We know certainly that the vast majority of these have 
never been enlightened by the Lord Jesus and His Gospel 
Message. There was no such light before our Redeemer 
came into the world, although four thousand years had 
elapsed and billions of humanity had gone down to the 
prison-house. On this the Scriptural testimony is most 
explicit, namely, that "Christ brought life and immortality 
to light through the Gospel." (2 Tim. 1:10.) 
Neither the immortality which is God's gift for the 



Church was seen and appreciated and understood, nor 
was the eternal life which God is providing for all of 
Adam's race who will accept it. True, there were vague 
promises before, but there was no clear light upon them. 
They had to be received strictly by faith. 

But now it is different. We see Jesus, we behold 
Him as the Word of God made flesh, we perceive His 
mission, that He came to redeem our race. With the 
eye of faith we behold Him crucified for our sins, yea, 
risen from the dead and ascended to the Father's 
SM250 

presence and appearing as the Advocate for the Household 
of Faith, the Church of the First-borns. As the 
Apostle says, "There to appear in the presence of God 
for us." (Heb. 9:24.) Now we can see, as the ancients 
could not see, that God could be just and yet be the 
Justifier of him who believeth on Jesus. We can see 
that Adam's penalty being paid for him, he and all of 
his family, his race, may be released from the tomb and 
from the death sentence, and be given an opportunity 
to behold the Light- -the true Light-to be enlightened 
thereby—to be brought to a knowledge of the Truth and 
thereby have an opportunity for a full reconciliation with 
the Father and to he restored to all the blessings of His 
favor. It would seem that the subject is too plain to 
require controversy-that God has promised that the 
true Light should enlighten every man— that it has as 
yet enlightened but a few-that it must, therefore, be 
manifested during the Millennial Age to every creature 
before the great Plan of God for human redemption shall 
have reached its consummation-that one must see this 
great Light before He could be liable to the great penalty 
-the Second Death. 

Let us who have been favored, called of God in the 
present time, and who have seen the true Light with 
the eye of faith, and who have been begotten by the Holy 
Spirit, and whose footsteps have been guided in the path 
of faith, in the light from the Lamp— let us rejoice more 
and more in the goodness of our God and follow on in the 
good way, practising the fruits and graces of the Spirit, 
and thus be made meet for the inheritance of the saints 
in light, that we may with Him shine forth as the Sun 
in the blessing of all the families of the earth. 



No need of the Sun in the city to come, 

The light of the world is Jesus; 
All nations shall walk in the light of the Lamb: 

The light of the world is Jesus. 



SM251 



THE QUEEN IN GOLD ATTIRE 

"Hearken, O daughter, and consider, incline thine ear; 
forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so 
shall the King greatly desire thy beauty; for He is thy 
Lord and worship thou Him. "~Psa. 45:10,11. 

The beautiful imagery of our text and context relates 
to the Elect Church of this Gospel Age, which is here 
pictured as a Bride, the Spouse, and ultimately the Wife 
of the great King, Immanuel. The Scriptures abound 
with this view of the Church. Notice, for instance, the 
Apostle's words to the Church of his day: "I have espoused 
you to one Husband, that I may present you as 
a chaste Virgin to Christ." (2 Cor. 11:2.) Note again 
the words of John the Baptist, "He that hath the Bride 
is the Bridegroom; but the friend of the Bridegroom, 
which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because 
of the Bridegroom's voice; this my joy, therefore, 
is fulfilled." (John 3:29.) The speaker does not identify 
himself with the Bride class and this with propriety; for, 
as our Lord declares, John the Baptist was the last of 
the Prophets; he belonged to and was faithful as a member 
of the House of Servants, but did not come in under 
the Gospel privilege of the Pentecostal blessing following 
our Lord's redemptive work. Of him our Lord says, 
"There has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist, 
and yet I say unto you, the least one in the Kingdom of 
God is greater than he." (Luke 7:28.) In other words, 
our Lord assures us that to have the humblest position 
in the Church class, in the Bride class being selected during 
this age, is an higher honor than that which belongs 
to the very noblest of the previous dispensations. 

Failure to notice God's dispensational dealings with 
the patriarchs in the Jewish nation and with the Gospel 
Church has hindered many of the Lord's people from 

SM252 

making good progress in the study of the Word; and it 
is time that all awake to this fact and realize that various 
features of the Divine Plan belong to various dispensations 



or epochs, and that all these are working together 
for the grand fulfilment of God's glorious purposes, of 
which the Apostle writes, "He will gather together in one 
all these things in Christ, both which are in Heaven and 
which are on earth." (Eph. 1:10.) This great work is 
not yet accomplished. The angelic hosts do indeed give 
reverence and obedience to the glorified Son of God. A 
"little flock" of footstep followers of the Lord Jesus 
from amongst men so glorify and honor Him as King of 
kings and Lord of lords. But as for the masses of mankind, 
living and dead, they have never even heard His 
name, or known of the grace of God in Him. 

But according to the Lord's Word these all must hear 
and know and have an opportunity for salvation through 
Christ— "in due time." That due time is the coming Age 
or new epoch called the Millennium, the great thousand-year 
Day which God has appointed for the world's trial 
or judgment; as we read, "God hath appointed a Day 
in the which He will judge the world in righteousness." 
(Acts 17:31) But prior to that appointed Day He called 
out of the world a special class of those who have the 
hearing of faith and the eye of faith, that He may thus 
select the Bride of Christ to be His joint-heir in that 
Kingdom and His joint-associate in that glorious work 
of blessing all the families of the earth and granting to 
all of them a trial or judgment— a knowledge of the Truth 
and an opportunity to show their willingness to obey it. 



THE BRIDAL ROBES 

The context declares (V. 13), "Her clothing is inwrought 
with gold." But this pictures her as the Bride 
when all the trials, difficulties and testings shall have been 
successfully passed and she shall be accepted as the Very 
Elect, to be forever associated with her Lord and a sharer 

SM253 

of His glory. In the Scripture symbology gold is used to 
represent the Divine nature. Hence the picture as a 
whole teaches us that when the King of kings shall present 
His Bride before the Heavenly Father at the close 
of this Age, after she shall have been glorified by the 
First Resurrection, she will be possessed of the Divine 



nature— "glory, honor and immortality. "--Rom. 2:7. 

This is what the Apostle Peter assures us will be the 
outcome. Speaking of the promises of God's Word to this 
Bride class he says that God "hath given unto us exceeding 
great and precious promises whereby we might be 
partakers of the Divine nature." (2 Pet. 1:4.) We do not 
get this Divine nature or this gold raiment in the present 
life; our immortality is a hope and not an actuality. 
As the Apostle says, "we seek for glory, honor and immortality." 
How difficult it is for us to grasp the thought 
that the great Creator, desiring that the elect "little 
flock" should be associated with His Son in the great work 
of the Millennial Age, the blessing of all the families of 
the earth, did not invite the holy angels, but instead has 
sent the invitation to our fallen race, to such of its members 
as would have the ears to hear and the hearts to respond 
to the call of this Gospel Age~to walk the narrow 
way in the footsteps of our Redeemer! 

No wonder the Apostle declares that although we have 
God's assurance that we are sons of God, and although 
this signifies that we shall be heirs of God, yet it does 
not appear what we shall be, how great we shall be. It 
is too wonderful a matter for us to comprehend; too wonderful 
to even be described in the Scriptures. Hence, the 
only information granted to us is that when our Lord 
Jesus shall be manifested at His Second Advent in power 
and great glory, then the First Resurrection change shall 
make His faithful "little flock" like Him, that they may 
see Him as He is~not as He was~and share His glory; 
for flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God- 
though all flesh shall see the salvation of God, shall experience 

SM254 

the blessings that will flow from that Millennial 
Kingdom and be recipients of the Divine favors which 
will then be poured out upon all flesh with lavish hand 
and blessed results. ~1 Cor. 15:50; Isa. 40:5. 

But the context says more respecting this raiment. 
Note (V. 14) "She shall be led unto the King in raiment 
of needlework." This word "led" properly enough applies 
to the present life. All through this Gospel Age, 
from Pentecost until now, the Lord has used various 
instrumentalities to call out from the world this peculiar 
people; and by various instrumentalities He has led them 



from grace to grace, from knowledge to knowledge, and 
changed them from glory to glory, to prepare them for 
their final acceptance, in the First Resurrection, of the 
clothing of gold--glory, honor and immortality. 

It is in full accord with all this that the Scriptures 
represent that all accepted of the Lord throughout this 
Gospel Age have been granted a wedding garment clean 
and white, "pure linen which is the righteousness of the 
saints." (Rev. 19:8.) That robe figuratively represents 
justification, the covering of our blemishes; and it is a 
wedding garment because it constitutes a basis of our 
ultimate acceptance by the Lord in the end of this Age, 
when the marriage of the Lamb shall come. These espoused 
ones are cautioned that their treatment of the 
robe will determine whether or not they will ultimately 
be of the Bride class: (1) They must keep their garments 
unspotted from the world (Jas. 1:27), and (2) must embroider 
them with fine needlework. Painstakingly they 
must endeavor to fix and establish in their robes the glorious 
pattern outlined for them by the word and example 
of their Bridegroom and His mouthpieces, the Apostles. 



REMOVING SPOTS AND WRINKLES 

If any of those "called to be saints," on accepting 
that invitation and receiving the robe, supposed it would 
be an easy matter to keep it without spot or wrinkle or 

SM255 

any such thing he was soon undeceived. Each one of this 

class has found out that it requires great circumspection, 

great care, to live in a world in which sin abounds and, 

as a New Creature, to act through a body the imperfections 

of which are continually coming to light as growth 

is made in grace and knowledge. The great Apostle acknowledges 

the impossibility of perfection under present 

conditions—except that our hearts, our intentions, our 

wills, might be perfect, should be perfect, must be perfect, 

thoroughly loyal to God and to righteousness. He 

says, "When I would do good evil is present with me"; 

and again, "We cannot do the things that we would." 

The Scriptures declare that "There is none righteous, 
no not one" (Rom. 3:10); and when the thought of our 



own imperfections and the sin abounding all about us 
would make us fearful, convincing us of the impossibility 
of preventing our garments from receiving spots or wrinkles, 
what then? Ah, they tell us how these are to be gotten 
rid of; they tell us that the merit of our Lord's sacrifice 
not only cancelled for us our past sins and covered 
us with His robe of righteousness, but that all subsequent 
imperfections, resulting from original sin, weakness and 
ignorance, may all be forgiven us and not remain as spots 
upon our robes. The Apostle says, "The blood of Jesus 
Christ cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7.) The 
thought of this text is not the original justification which 
we received when we received the robe, but a cleansing 
which may be ours after we are the Lord's and have the 
robe. The word cleanseth here refers not to something 
already past but to that which is now at our disposal, 
which is now in progress, a cleansing or forgiveness which 
all of the Lord's people need to pray for and to accept, 
as in the Lord's prayer, "Forgive us our trespasses, as 
we forgive those who trespass against us." 

Thus through the Age from Pentecost down, those who 
have been called, accepted and robed with the wedding 
garment have been obliged to strive to keep their garments 

SM256 

unspotted, and oft with tears to apply for the 

cleansing when a spot would be seen. Their consciences 

are so tender on the subject that their neighbors 

and friends of the world and nominal Christendom think 

them strange, peculiar people. They are more distressed 

to see one spot upon their robe than are many whose 

garments are filthy. But the effect upon them is a blessed 

one, as it develops in them more and more love for righteousness 

and greater zeal and strength in overcoming. 

They are making progress, even though to themselves 

it may appear slow; they are becoming fortified, strengthened 

and built up in character—in their love for whatsoever 

things are just, true, lovely and of good report. 

(Phil. 4:8.) We are now referring merely to that class 

of the called ones who will ultimately be accepted as the 

Bride. We are not referring to all who make a consecration 

and are accepted of the Lord, but who fail to 

be thus particular about the spots and wrinkles on their 

robes. These we will consider later. 



"IF YE DO THESE THINGS" 

When the Apostle Peter said, "If ye do these things 
ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered 
unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:10,11), he is 
referring to the same things that are represented by the 
embroidering, the needlework upon the wedding garment. 
All the espoused ones are shown the pattern on 
the robe. They are all informed of the necessity of working 
out their own salvation, of cooperating with the Lord 
in the matter of making their calling and election sure to 
the glorious station to which they have been invited. They 
are informed that through much tribulation shall they 
enter the Kingdom. (Acts 14:22.) This tribulation is 
the painstaking "fine needlework" of our context. 

Not all tribulation that may come to mankind is a part 
of this embroidery. The Apostle speaks of some in these 

SM257 

words, "But let no man suffer as an evil-doer or as a 
busybody in other men's matters." (1 Pet. 4:15.) The 
intimation is that such sufferings are not incidental to the 
embroidering we are to do, but the result of our not being 
engaged in our embroidering work and having time to 
meddle with sin or with other matters and affairs. Such 
tribulations add nothing to our embroidering on the robe, 
except as they might awaken us to a sense of our neglect 
of the important work which must be done in our own 
characters if we would be fit for a share with our Lord 
in His Kingdom, fit to be accepted as members of the 
Very Elect, the Bride, the Church in glory. 

The baneful experiences which come to us as a result 
of our faithfulness to the Lord, to the Truth, to the brethren 
—these constitute parts of the embroidering. These 
help us to fix in our hearts and characters the principles 
of righteousness and of love divine. How tedious the 
work appears to us sometimes! At the close of each day 
we are astonished at how little we have accomplished; 
and the weeks and months go by with similar experiences. 
With the close of the year, when we give our robes particular 
attention we behold the comparatively little that has 



been accomplished since the examination of the year before. 
But how does the Lord view this matter? Is He 
expecting that you and I and all of His followers will be 
able in every detail to follow the glorious pattern that 
is stamped upon our robes? Will He require of us as a 
condition of our acceptance as His Bride that not a feature 
or detail shall be lacking? Oh, no ! Such a view would 
swerve and at once discourage us from further effort. 
The entire tenor of Scripture is to the contrary. As, for 
instance, in the parable of the talents, our Lord represents 
some as having less ability and some more, and 
indicates that His approval will be in proportion as we 
have endeavored to accomplish His will. The one who 
had faithfully used the two talents heard the same words 
of approval as the one who had five talents and used 

SM258 

them— "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter 
thou into the joy of thy Lord. "--Matt. 25:21. 

And so with the robe: If the Lord, who takes cognizance 
of our endeavors, sees persistency and the right 
intention He counts it unto us as being perfect. We shall 
not be married in these robes. These are merely the 
ones in which we are being led to the marriage. More 
and more they should show our love, our zeal and patient 
endurance. As the Master examines the work will He 
not expect to find the last better than the first, even 
though none of it be perfect? Will not this be the basis 
of His approval of our endeavors and on account of which 
He will be willing to give us the new robe of gold? 

Some of us, perhaps, remember that when we were children 
at school we had writing copy-books with perfect 
copper-plate engravings at the top of each page as 
copy. Alas ! and do we not remember also that in many 
instances the first few lines were the best on the page 
and that carelessness and indifference to the copy and 
to the necessity for the lesson became more and more 
marked as we proceeded to the bottom of the page? We 
remember that we copied our own instead of looking to 
the engraving at the top. So it is with this matter of the 
embroidering of our robes. If we become heedless, careless, 
indifferent, overcharged with the cares of this life, 
the deceitfulness of riches and the affairs of this world, 
our robes will show it. Little embroidering will be done 



and it will be of poor quality. Spots will get on; and we 
shall neglect to have them cleansed away. Soon our robes 
will be entirely unfit for the Inspection of the Lord or for 
the marriage. It is time, dear friends, that we awake 
to the responsibilities of the hour, that we realize that the 
Bridegroom is nigh, even at the door; that the last of the 
wise virgins will soon enter into the marriage and the 
door will be shut; and that the choicest blessings of all 
time will soon be won or lost as far as we are concerned. 
-Matt. 25:1-13; Eph. 5:15-17. 

SM259 



LOVE FULFILS THE LAW 

Let us make no mistake as respects what constitutes 
this needlework, this embroidery. It is not knowledge, 
though knowledge is very necessary to its proper in-working. 
It represents not natural talents, though these may 
be utilized in connection with it. It represents not merely 
laborious works, though these may be very proper and 
perhaps necessary to it if conditions are favorable. This 
embroidery represents love; for "Love is the fulfilling 
of the Law." (Rom. 13:10.) This is the new commandment 
which our Lord has given, "A new commandment 
I give unto you, that ye love one another." (John 13:34.) 
Love for the Lord, and His Truth He places on a parity 
when He says, "Me and My Word." One of course, 
comes first. To our Lord and His Word we must be true 
at all hazards. Then comes love for the brethren—because 
they are His—because they have His spirit— because 
they are seeking to walk in His footsteps. "He that 
loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love 
God whom he hath not seen?"-l John 4:20. 

This is the forceful argument of the Apostle. The 
love must continue and extend to neighbors, friends, yea, 
to enemies, so that those who would have the full pattern 
on their robes must have in their characters a true, genuine, 
staunch love for all these. And if, perchance, the 
enemy should be a brother, the testing to love might be all 
the more severe. But that this feature of the embroidery 
be worked is our Lord's requirement. Whoever does not 
love even his enemies is not fit for the Kingdom— whatever 
he may be fit for. Love as brethren, be pitiful, be 



sympathetic, be generous, be helpful, be self-sacrificing, 
do unto others as you would they should do to you. Let 
the Golden Rule measure your thoughts, words and deeds 
—measure the length of the stitches in your embroidery 
and assure yourself that it is "fine needlework." 

Our context declares that when the Bride class shall 
be the Queen and shall be presented before the Father, 

SM260 

the virgins, her companions, shall follow after. Who are 
these virgins? They are those represented in the parable 
as the foolish virgins. They were as truly virgins as the 
wise ones, as truly justified and as truly consecrated to 
the Lord. They also got the wedding garment. Theirs 
also was stamped with the pattern for embroidery. But 
they neglected the work. They became overcharged with 
cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches. The 
first spot upon their robe distressed them; but subsequently 
they became accustomed to seeing it spotted, and 
thought less and less of the matter. They were themselves 
free to admit not only their consecration and their 
possession of the robe, but also its disfigurement by the 
spots and wrinkles which they did not approve, but which 
they had given up the thought of removing as too great 
a task to perform. —Mark 4:19. 

What they should do is to apply to the Bridegroom for 
the cleansing fluid, the precious blood--that He would 
take away these spots and blemishes, giving such chastisements 
as His wisdom would see best for the inattention, 
carelessness—and to entreat that they might no 
longer be of the foolish virgin class but of the wise— wise 
toward God, wise to appreciate the fact that the great 
blessing now being proffered to the Very Elect is valuable 
beyond all estimate. But the more spots and wrinkles 
that get upon the robe the more likely is the wearer to be 
careless. Noting that the majority of even the consecrated 
have spots and wrinkles, he is apt to conclude that 
he is no worse than others, and not nearly so bad as many. 
How we would like to awaken some of these to a realization 
of their proper position and need of prompt action 
and redoubled energy not only in securing the cleansing 
of the robe but also in the work of embroidering it with 
the fruits and graces of the Spirit which they have so 
sadly neglected!-2 Cor. 10:14. 

Our father's house is the world; for as the Apostle 



declares, "We were children of wrath, even as others." 

SM261 

(Eph. 2:3.) In accepting our Lord's invitation to be 
His Bride we are joining a new family, a new house. 
We are exhorted to show our appreciation of our espousal 
by forgetting the house and family to which we formerly 
belonged and held allegiance. This is in harmony with 
the Apostle's exhortation, "Forgetting the things which 
are behind, I press on to those things which are before"; 
and again, "the things that I once loved, now I hate"-- 
things highly esteemed amongst men I now see to be 
unworthy of those called to be heirs of God, joint-heirs 
with Jesus Christ our Lord.--Phil. 3:13; Rom. 7:15. 

"FORGET THY FATHER'S HOUSE" 

Here, dear friends, is the gist of the entire question: 
Our Lord declares that we and the entire world are either 
for Him and His cause or against the same. There is 
no neutral ground; and hence in leaving the father's 
house, the world, and our own people, and in becoming 
members of the New Creation, the Church, the Body of 
Christ, begotten of the Holy Spirit, we should understand 
that the change is a radical one and not any longer seek 
for our fellowships and joys from the worldly sources 
but only amongst those who with ourselves are consecrated 
to the Lord and waiting for His return, and for 
the marriage and for membership in the elect class, the 
Bride. The more we attempt to mix worldly things and 
prospects and aims with our high calling the more it 
will be shown that we are at the very most foolish virgins; 
for we cannot serve God and Mammon. This, of course, 
does not signify unkindness toward friends or neighbors 
or kindred. The Lord's saints are exhorted to do good 
unto all men as they have opportunity but especially 
unto the Household of Faith. And with the latter and 
their aims they must specially identify if they would 
come off conquerors, and be received by their Lord and 
King as His Joint-heir and Bride and introduced as such 
to the Heavenly Father.-Gal. 6:10; 2 John 8. 



SM262 



THE SECRET OF TRUE PEACE 

"Let not your heart be troubled. "--John 14:1. 

The world is full of troubled hearts; for it is full of 
imperfection, directly or indirectly the result of sin and 
its death penalty, which for 6,000 years has been preying 
upon our race, impairing our mental, moral and physical 
powers and bringing us instead depravity, disappointment, 
sorrow and pain. If each of us only had his own 
burdens he would have too much for his strength; but 
additionally each is in touch with others in life, in the 
home, in business, in society, in all of life's affairs; and 
his own weaknesses and blemishes are augmented and 
his troubles increased by his contact with the idiosyncrasies 
of others, their troubles, blemishes and peculiarities 
—mental, moral and physical. Well did the 
Apostle write, "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth 
in pain together." Well did the Prophet write, "Man 
that is born of woman is of few years and full of trouble." 
-Rom. 8:22; Job 14:1. 

None know more respecting the burdens of life than 
do sympathetic physicians, attorneys and ministers. The 
groaning creation in the time of its special perplexity 
and anguish, physical, mental and moral, turns to those 
whose knowledge of balms, physical and spiritual, and of 
legal relief are loopholes through which the light of hope 
streams in a little upon the troubled soul. These three 
professions, therefore, are esteemed to be amongst the 
most honorable and most beneficial known; and where 
backed by sympathy and love they are sure to accomplish 
much good, to afford great relief, to inspire new hopes. 
But alas, not all physicians, not all lawyers, not all ministers 
are actuated by love and sympathy! Without judging 
them individually we are safe to suppose that like the 
remainder of the race, these men, possessing the highest 

SM263 

opportunities in the world for the relief of their fellows, 
are sharers in general of the selfishness that has developed 
in the hearts of men as part of the fruitage of sin. 



as a result of its partial destruction of the Divine likeness 
in which man was created—a perfect image, in the flesh, 
of God-the God of love, "the God of all grace." 



"WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE" 

Our text was part of our Lord's message to His 
disciples just before His crucifixion. Himself bowed with 
grief and exceeding sorrowful in anticipation of the 
shame of the death He was about to suffer, our Lord's 
thoughts and comforting words went forth to His disciples, 
who were perplexed and distressed. Hiding his 
own sorrow He comforted them, and thus has set an 
example to all of His followers who, walking in His steps 
and imitating Him, are at once in the world good physicians, 
expounders of the Divine Law and ministers of 
the Divine Law of Love. Indeed, however much we 
appreciate the miracles wrought by our Lord--the healing 
of the sick, the awakening of the dead, the opening of the 
blind eyes and deaf ears--that which appeals to us as 
the most wonderful manifestation is His teaching. His 
doctrine. Truly did some of His day say, "Never man 
spake like this man" (John 7:46); and again, "And all 
bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words 
that proceeded out of His mouth "-"Beautiful words, 
wonderful words of life."— Luke 4:22. 

And so must it be with the footstep-followers of Jesus. 
Our Lord might have spent all of His time and all of 
His energy in healing the sick, in awakening the dead. 
But this was not His mission. He merely in these miracles 
gave evidence of the power of God residing in Him, and 
foreshadowed the blessings yet to come to the world at 
His Second Advent— Times of Refreshing that then 
would come, "Times of Restitution of all things spoken 
by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world 

SM264 

began." (Acts 3:19-21.) At the Pool of Bethsaida were 
multitudes waiting for healing, but our Lord healed only 
one; for this was sufficient for His purpose, and not because 
of lack of sympathy. The due time had not yet 
come for the healing of the woes and difficulties of the 
world. Those whose interest was awakened by the physical 



healing had their attention promptly drawn to the 
Lord's readiness to heal all the broken-hearted, to give 
the oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness, and to awaken 
those dead in trespasses and sins to a newness of life 
through faith.--Isa. 61:1-3. 

Similarly all the footstep-followers of Jesus are commissioned 
as His representatives to tell the Message of 
Good Tidings to all who have ears to hear-to announce 
to such the Divine Program, that as sin and death came 
by one man's disobedience, so a redemption has been 
accomplished by another, by "the Man Christ Jesus, who 
gave Himself a Ransom for all, to be testified in due 
time." (1 Tim. 2:5,6.) They are authorized to do the 
work of a good physician and to bind up the broken-hearted. 
They are authorized as lawyers versed in the 
Law of God to point out to those willing to hear that sin, 
the violation of the Divine Law, has brought all the havoc 
upon our race which causes countless thousands to mourn. 
They are authorized further to point out that Jesus our 
Lord gave Himself a full Ransom-price, meeting the 
demands of the broken Law; and that thus it is possible 
for all who have turned from sin, and who are seeking 
to come back into harmony with God and His perfect 
Law of Love, to approach Him through Christ as their 
Advocate, and to realize that they are no longer condemned, 
but justified freely from all things through their 
faith in their Redeemer and Advocate. 

They are further authorized as ministers of the 
Gospel, the Royal Priesthood, to point out to those who 
have the hearing ear that the reconciliation accomplished 
by our Lord Jesus not only covers our sins of the past, 

SM265 

but also covers weaknesses and imperfections of the 
present and of the future for the believer to the extent 
that these are involuntary, disapproved, striven against. 
They are authorized in the Master's name to assure all 
such that "the Father Himself loveth you"; that "all 
things are working together for good to those that love 
God, the called ones according to His purpose"; and that 
eventually through the glorified Christ, Head and Body, 
Bridegroom and Bride, a blessed opportunity for reconciliation 
to God under the terms of the New Covenant are to 
be extended to "all the families of the earth "-including 



those who have gone down into the great prison-house of 
death without having had a full, proper knowledge of 
the Lord and of His Plan, such as the death of Christ has 
guaranteed that all shall have ere they could die the 
Second Death -John 16:27; Rom. 8:28. 



"BIND UP THE BROKEN-HEARTED" 

Thus seen the Lord's consecrated Little Flock, the 
Royal Priesthood, have even in the present time gracious 
opportunities for serving the brethren and such of the 
world as have hearing ears and a desire to become of 
the "brethren" class. It is not true that God gave a 
commission to His ambassadors to go through life breaking 
the hearts of their fellow-men. On the contrary, the 
commission reads that those members of the Body of 
Christ who have received the anointing of the Holy 
Spirit from the Lord Jesus, their Head, are commissioned 
to bind up the broken-hearted, to comfort all that mourn 
in Zion, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 

If some are disposed to object that the comforting 
of mourners and the binding of broken hearts imply 
that God's ministers, servants of the Truth, are first of 
all to break the hearts, to cause the mourning, we answer. 
No! It is not thus written, and we are not to add to the 
Word of God. Various agencies are at work all about 
us, doing the heart-breaking and the wounding. It is for 

SM266 

us to receive so much of the Lord's spirit that so far as 
possible we shall break no hearts, wound none, but on 
the contrary do all in our power to effect the proper 
healing of such as are within the range of our influence. 
Sin is breaking the hearts of thousands. Disappointment 
in themselves, in their own ambitions, in their own efforts, 
disappointment in their friends, in business, in pleasure- 
all of these are doing the wounding and the breaking. 
So many more hearts are troubled and broken that the 
Lord's people can possibly heal that we can rest well 
content to do the work which the Master gave us to do, 
and to leave to the Adversary and those who are in outer 
darkness of sin and ignorance of the Lord and His Spirit 
to do the heart-breaking. -Isa. 42:16. 



In our understanding the Scriptures teach that a great 
Time of Trouble is near at hand—the great final trouble 
of this world's history, in which, during a period of 
anarchy unparalleled, all human hopes and ambitions 
will utterly fail. As the Scriptures declare, "There shall 
be a Time of Trouble such as was not since there was a 
nation—no, nor ever shall be afterward." (Dan. 12:1; 
Matt. 24:21.) That great trouble, as the Scriptures point 
out, will be the result of selfishness reaching its limit, 
becoming ripe and going to seed. The world has always 
been selfish; but according to the Scriptures and according 
to our observation, this spirit of greed and selfishness 
is extending more and more widely, and impressing 
almost every member of the race. Eventually it will be 
true, as the Scriptures describe, that "every man's hand 
will be against his neighbor" with the result that there 
will be "no peace to him that goeth out or to him that 
Cometh in."-Zech. 8:10. 

The world, ignorant of God and of the Plan He has 
prepared for the blessing of all the nations during the 
Millennium, will feel the Time of Trouble most keenly. 
But the Scriptures give us to understand that their sorrows, 
woes and heart-breakings will eventually be favorable 

SM267 

to them, so that that general plowing of the world 
with the plowshare of trouble and the perplexity of that 
time, when all its hopes will be dissipated, will work for 
good to them eventually, and draw their attention away 
from the false hopes which many of them had long been 
vainly chasing— to the better, the true hope which the 
Lord has provided, the center of which is Christ's Kingdom 
and the ground of which is His Ransom- sacrifice at 
Calvary -1 Tim. 2:5,6. 



THE FUTURE WORK OF BLESSING 

How wise is the Divine arrangement that those who 
are to be associated with the Lord Jesus during His 
Millennial Reign in the work of uplifting and helping 
mankind over their difficulties and out of their various 
degradations are to be the same ones who gain practise 
in this matter now by binding up the broken hearts of 



the comparatively few, and who have the ear to hear and 

the desire to respond to the grace of God during this 

Gospel Age. Thus we see illustrated the statement elsewhere 

given us in the Scriptures that we are in the School 

of Christ, in preparation for future usefulness. Thus we 

see that, as physicians and nurses are given a training 

for their future work, so those whom the Lord has called 

to the glorious "Royal Priesthood" of the future for 

the blessing of mankind are now given a practise-work in 

their own hearts, in their own families, amongst their 

own kin and in the Household of Faith. 

What a thought, that our future graduation and the 
possibility of our sharing in the Kingdom work is dependent 
upon how we shall learn now the art of binding 
up the broken hearts of those with whom we are in 
contact! Not that the skill is the important matter, but 
the love. He who loves much and who now sees the 
broken and troubled hearts around him will be led to 
"do good to all men as he may have opportunity, but 
especially to the Household of Faith." If, on the contrary, 
his love and sympathy do not go out toward these 

SM268 

troubled ones, if his best energies are spent on money-making 

or in some other selfish channel, how dwelleth the 

love of God in him? Let us remember the words of Scripture, 

"The Lord your God doth prove you whether ye do 

love the Lord your God with all your heart or not." (Deut. 13:3.) 

For, as the Apostle tells us, he who loveth not his 

brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom 

he hath not seen? (1 John 4:20.) The test then upon 

us all is Love~"He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, 

and he that loved not is not begotten of God." 

Here we note that, with sympathetic minds, some are 
improperly, injuriously binding up broken hearts. It has 
become the general message of what is termed the New 
Thought and the New Theology that there is no exclusiveness 
in God's Plan—that all mankind are children 
of God, that our Lord Jesus made a great mistake when 
He declared to some, "Ye are of your father the Devil." 
(John 8:44.) It has become with many a stock phrase, 
the "Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man." 
But we warn all that there is no Scriptural authority for 
such teaching, but that on the contrary they are drawing 



away the hearts of men from the good Physician and 
the Divinely given balm; for "there is none other name 
given under Heaven and amongst men whereby we must 
be saved," but the name of Jesus. There is none other, 
therefore, qualified to speak true peace to the troubled 
soul or to properly bind up the broken heart. 



"ONLY JESUS WOULD I KNOW 
AND JESUS CRUCIFIED" 

Our Lord forewarned us of these various theories 
of salvation through another channel than that which 
God has provided. He declared Himself to be the only 
Door into the sheepfold, and that all who attempt to get 
into it otherwise are thieves and robbers--that no man 
can come unto the Father save through Him. (John 14:6.) 
We therefore warn against every theory which attempts 
to present mercy and restoration to Divine favor otherwise 
than through faith in Christ's sacrifice. And we 

SM269 

denounce as unscriptural all those teachings, growing 
increasingly prevalent because of the Evolution theory, 
which present the thought that there was no original sin, 
no original sentence, and hence no need of a Redeemer 
and no need of an uplift by Restitution, such as God has 
promised and made provision for, and which He assures 
us will be accomplished during the Millennial Age, when 
Satan shall be bound. We hold forth as God's olive 
branch, as His message of peace, the invitation that all 
the "called" may come unto the Father through the 
Redeemer-through the merit of His sacrifice, and, 
coming, may realize their sins forgiven, their restoration 
to Divine favor, the Lord's loving interest in all of their 
affairs, and His willingness and ability to make all things 
work together for their good, and His promise that, if 
faithful, ultimately they shall be made sharers with their 
Lord in the blessings of the resurrection of the just- 
glory, honor and immortality; and that by and by, 
during the Millennium, all those now blind and deaf may 
taste of Divine grace. 
Another error which we should warn against is that 



of acceptance of Jesus and a hope in Him contrary to 
the presentation of the Scriptures. Some tell us that 
they reject the thought that Jesus died to be man's 
Redeemer, but that they, nevertheless, accepted Christ 
as their Teacher and Example. Our reply is that as 
our Teacher the Master taught us that He "came into 
the world to give His life a Ransom for many"~for all. 
If His life was not a Ransom, or Corresponding-Price, 
then He falsified in so stating; and those who believe that 
He did falsify could not consider Him a proper teacher. 
Furthermore, if He came into the world merely to be our 
Exemplar and not to be our Redeemer, our Ransomer, 
then His mission was a failure; for no one since His 
coming has been able to follow the example He set. To 
view our Lord as merely as Example for proper living 
for the world would be an absurdity, since no one of the 

SM270 

fallen race can possibly live up to the perfect standard 
which our Lord set in sacrificing all of His rightful 
interests as a man.--Matt. 20:28. 

The Scriptures present the opposite view—that mankind 
are all imperfect through the fall, and under the 
death sentence; and that "Jesus Christ by the grace 
of God tasted death for every man"~"gave Himself a 
Ransom for all, to be testified in due time." They teach 
that this sacrifice for the sin of Adam, and applicable 
through him to the sins of the whole world, was necessary 
for the meeting of the Divine sentence before Divine 
forgiveness and restoration to eternal life and favor 
would be possible. They represent that for the majority 
of mankind such a restoration will be effected during the 
Millennial Age. They represent that to a very small 
minority, even "as many as the Lord your God shall 
call," our Lord was not only a Redeemer but an Exemplar: 
that these called to a separation from the world to 
walk in the narrow way of self-sacrifice are to copy 
Christ's example as far as possible, though admittedly 
they will never be able to come up to His standards. The 
Scriptures assure us that the best endeavors of this class, 
covered by the merit of Christ's sacrifice, will be acceptable 
and reckoned to them as though they were perfect 
sacrifices, and that thus they may have their share with 
their Redeemer in the glory, honor and immortality of 



His Kingdom, and be participants with Him in the great 
work of bestowing upon the world during the Millennium 
the blessing of Divine forgiveness and favor secured 
through the sacrifice of Christ. 



"YOUR HEARTS NOT TROUBLED" 

We come finally to the application of our text to the 
Apostles and those who have believed through their word. 
The hearts of these are not to be troubled under any 
circumstances. They are no longer of the world, because 
separated from the world through their acceptance of 
the Lord and His acceptance of them. While still 

SM271 

sharers in the trials, difficulties of the world in general, 
these have now the consolations of the Scriptures 
to offset these troubles and to make of them 
"light afflictions "--not worthy to be compared with the 
glories promised to be revealed in us. (2 Cor. 4:17; 
Rom. 8:18.) Indeed, it is not an unusual thing for the 
Lord to permit trials and difficulties to come upon His 
faithful much more severe than those which fall to the 
lot of the world.-Heb. 12:6-11; Rev. 3:19. 

Yea, as the Apostle says, so it should be with us all 
that "none of these things move me"~none of these 
experiences in life cause anxious thought. Why? The 
Apostle tells us, "Because the love of God is shed abroad 
in our hearts." (Acts 20:24; Rom. 5:5.) We have not 
only learned that God has forgiven our sins, that He is 
our Father and our best friend, that He is merciful to 
our imperfections, that He has called us to glory and 
association with our Redeemer, but that these blessings 
are to be ours at the Second Coming of our Lord, the 
resurrection of the just and the establishment of the 
Kingdom. Additionally also, we have now the peace, the 
joy, the blessed hope which these gracious promises 
afford. These the world can neither give nor take away. 

What wonder if the hearts of this class are not 
troubled! Their Father knoweth the things they have need 
of. Day by day they are learning more distinctly than 
ever before that He who cares for the sparrows and for 
their necessities. He who clothes the grass of the field. 



is much more interested in them, will be much more careful 
of their interests, so that figuratively speaking not one 
hair of their heads could fall without Divine attention. 
"Nothing shall by any means hurt you," is the Master's 
assurance. (Luke 10:19.) Why then should we be 
troubled? Surely anxiety on the part of such would be 
a lack of faith, a lack of confidence, or else ignorance of 
the Divine promises, character and arrangement. 



SM272 



LOVE THE PRINCIPAL THING 

"Now abide faith, hope and love; but the greatest of 
these is love. "-1 Cor. 13:13. 

The value of resolution or decision of character is 
generally acknowledged. All proper instruction aims to 
have the youth of our land accept some high ideal, some 
high standard of character and course in life, and to seek 
to attain that ideal. Those who are without purpose, 
aim, ideality in life are the shiftless and unhappy; and 
the success of each life in respect to its happiness or 
failure and in respect to the happiness or misery it will 
bring to others in contact with it, will be in accordance 
with the character of the ideal accepted. 

Moreover, the active, energetic, rushing people who 
have ideals, and are striving to attain them, frequently 
with advancing years experience a change of sentiment. 
Often they find that their ideals have proven unsatisfactory. 
Indeed, there is no doubt about it that 
this is the experience of the majority of the wisest 
people of the world. Hence by common consent the beginning 
of a New Year is considered a favorable time, not 
only for the youth of the land to make new resolutions 
and to start energetically to pursue an ideal, but also for 
those who have failed of their ideals in the past, through 
weakness and difficulties, to take a fresh start of resolution 
and determination. Additionally this is admittedly 
a favorable time for discarding ideals which have proven 
unsatisfactory, and for the seeking and acceptance of 
higher, nobler, better ones. Furthermore, it is a favorable 
time for putting into effect good resolutions. Those 
who fail to make such resolutions make very little progress 
in character-building. 

What we have been considering is applicable to all 
mankind, but to the true Christian these things are still 

SM273 

more important than to the world, because the aim and 
the hope set before him in the Scriptures are so much 
higher and so much more valuable than that recognized 



by the world in general. And here we must differentiate 
between the nominal Christian and the true one. The 
name Christian has become synonymous with civilization 
in general usage, but not so in Biblical usage; and our 
standpoint must be that of the Scriptures. The true 
Christian, then, according to the Bible, is one who has 
recognized himself as a sinner by nature, "a child of 
wrath even as others," and who desires to flee from his 
sins and imperfections and to attain unto righteousness 
and eternal life. He has seen in Divine providence that 
our Lord Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, by 
whom alone he may return to Divine fellowship and love 
and to the gift of God, eternal life. The true Christian 
is one who has accepted Christ as his Redeemer, and who, 
while striving for righteousness and in opposition to sin 
within and without, is not deceived into thinking that he 
can do perfectly; but realizing the imperfections of his 
very best endeavors, he relies upon the merit of the great 
Redemption- sacrifice of Christ to make up for his unwilling 
blemishes. Because of his faith in the precious blood he 
is reckoned a member of the "Household of Faith," 
and is styled one of the "brethren." 

But a Christian, in the still higher sense that the 
Scriptures set forth, is one who goes beyond such faith, 
such righteous endeavors, and hearkens to the words of 
the Apostle, "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the 
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies living sacrifices, 
holy and acceptable unto God, and your reasonable 
service." (Rom. 12:1.) This sacrifice that the Apostle 
speaks of is a matter that few even of the Household of 
Faith understand experimentally. It means much more 
than to strive against sin. It means a voluntary surrender 
of the will, and hence of all that we possess, to the 
service of God and His Message of Grace. It means such 

SM274 

a complete revolution that those who take this step are 
called in the Scriptures "New Creatures in Christ 
Jesus," "members in particular of the Body of Christ." 

Such are the "begotten again" ones, styled by the 
Apostles a "Royal Priesthood," a "holy nation," a 
"peculiar people." These enter into covenant relationship 
with God, by which they surrender all their rights 
and privileges as men that they may have the higher 



riches and greater privileges as spirit beings. These 
greater privileges will be fully entered upon at their 
resurrection change, but are reckonedly entered into from 
the time of their covenant. Of such the Apostle says, 
"Old things have passed away, all things have become 
new." (2 Cor. 5:17.) The worldly aims and ambitions 
which once they held as their ideals have been exchanged 
for new ideals. Heavenly hopes. Heavenly ambitions. If 
once they looked upon Caesar, Napoleon or Alexander 
the Great, as their ideals for courage, or if once they regarded 
Socrates or Plato or Confucius or Shakespeare 
as their literary ideals, or if they looked upon a Carnegie, 
a Rothschild, a Rockefeller or Croesus as their financial 
ideals, these things have changed. They have new standards, 
new ideals, and new representatives of these. Not 
that they have lost an appreciation of wealth or honor 
or power or literature, but that they have gained a new 
standpoint of appreciation. 



THINGS ONCE LOVED NOW DESPISED 

So lofty are the new ideals of these "New Creatures 
in Christ Jesus" that their former standards are greatly 
depreciated. When they now think of greatness, of victories 
and of power, they think not of Caesar, but of 
Jesus—His greater victory and high exaltation to the 
power, glory, honor and immortality of the Heavenly 
Kingdom, which soon is to establish itself and rule over 
the world of mankind—not for selfish objects, but to the 
intent that all the families of the earth may be blessed. 

SM275 

Taking this higher ideal, and hearing the promises of 
the Lord through the Scriptures, these New Creatures 
now aspire to be "heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus 
Christ their Lord." (Rom. 8:17.) And they have the 
assurance of attaining a share in His glory, honor and 
immortality if they are but faithful-even unto death. 
(Rev. 2:10.) Instead of losing their appreciation of 
riches they get the higher appreciation, hearing the Word 
of the Lord, "All things are yours... for ye are 
Christ's and Christ is God's." (1 Cor. 3:21-23.) They 
aspire then in harmony with the Divine invitation, not 



only to the possession of all power but to all riches--not 
for selfish uses, but that they may lavish Divine favors 
and blessings during the Millennial Age upon the whole 
world of mankind, which then will enter the blessed epoch 
of Restitution— "Times of Restitution of all things, 
which God hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy 
Prophets since the world began. "--Acts 3:19-21. 

Nor does their love for knowledge abate one whit, but 
rather increases, though it takes a different turn and 
relies for guidance upon Divine revelation rather than 
upon human guesswork, speculation and philosophy. 
Content to admit ignorance of many things, these have 
an assurance that by and by they shall know even as they 
are known—perfectly; and that in the present time, by 
following the counsels of the Divine Word, they are really 
wise toward God, however foolish they may appear to 
the worldly wise. They are content to believe that the 
outcome will show that God is true, and will prove many 
so-called wise men to have been in error in many of their 
guesses respecting Truth.— Rom. 3:3,4. 

Still confining ourselves to the true Christian class 
addressed in the Scripture we find that because of difference 
of mental structure and varying experiences, some 
are inclined to put one feature of living grace in advance 
of another, so that there is some perplexity and difference 
of opinion. One tells us that his highest conception of 

SM276 

a consecrated life is represented by activity in the service 
of others in preaching or mission work. Others tell us 
that their highest conception of privilege as New Creatures 
is in providing things honest and in doing benevolent 
works, helping the poor with an open hand. Others 
tell us that their highest conception of the duty of the 
New Creature is the study of the Word of God, that they 
may understand the Divine Plan and teach it to others. 
As a matter of fact, all of these are good purposes, and 
under certain circumstances proper enough; but none of 
these recognize what the Scriptures point out to be the 
very highest of Christian ideality. 



GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT 

Considering our text in connection with its context, 
we perceive that the Apostle has been discussing the 
miraculous gifts enjoyed by the early Church—granted 
to them of the Lord with a view to their instruction and 
establishment. The Apostle discusses the various gifts 
that were then granted to believers. One would rise in 
meeting possessed of power to speak in an unknown 
tongue which he had never studied. Another was gifted 
with ability to interpret or translate the message of the 
unknown tongue into the vernacular of the congregation. 
The message thus came through two persons; and the 
company of the Lord's people, not then having the Bibles 
and helps which we now possess and enjoy and use profitably, 
were drawn together by these operations of the 
Lord's Holy Spirit for their instruction. Others had 
gifts of healing or of knowledge or of oratory. 

The Apostle found the brethren of that time inclined 
to think of these gifts of the Spirit too highly, attaching 
too much importance to them. Some of them seemed to 
take pride especially in the gift of tongues. The Apostle 
assured them that he spoke in more tongues than any of 
them—that he had more of the various gifts than any 
of them; but that he did not esteem these his highest 

SM277 

treasures nor the most noble marks of his being the servant 

of the King of kings. He says in substance. It is 

proper enough for you to esteem these gifts and to seek 

to use them and to desire the most useful of them. He 

tells them that the gift of prophecy or public speaking 

would be the most useful of all gifts, because its opportunity 

for influencing others would be the greatest. 

Hence he advised them that amongst the gifts they would 

choose this rather than the unknown tongue. Pointing 

out that all the gifts of God are good, he declares that 

God has set some in the Church, first Apostles; secondarily 

prophets, orators; thirdly, teachers; after that 

miracles; then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversity 

of tongues. He thus ranks the gift of tongues, 

which they thought so much of, as the very last of all 

the gifts, and says, "Have all the gifts of healing? Do 

all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But covet 



earnestly the best gifts, and yet I show unto you a more 
excellent way" —something better than any of these gifts. 



FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT SUPERIOR TO GIFTS 

The fruits of the Spirit are those developments which 
come to us as New Creatures in Christ, gradually growing 
daily, yearly. The fruits of the Spirit are manifest, 
namely. Faith, Hope, Meekness, Patience, Gentleness, 
Long Suffering, Brotherly Kindness, Love. These are 
gifts in one sense of the word, but fruits in another. As 
the fruit of the tree is the gift to its owner and caretaker, 
so is the fruitage of the new nature. These fruits of the 
Spirit represent a development of character under Divine 
guidance and by Divine assistance, and are therefore far 
superior to those miraculous gifts of the early Church 
which indicated no special character development but 
were merely to be witnesses and encouragements. 

Seeking to discourage a too great appreciation of the 
gifts in the early Church, and to encourage an appreciation 
of the higher things, the Apostle contrasts the 

SM278 

two, saying that the gifts would pass away but that the 
developed fruits would remain, prophecies would cease, 
the gift of tongues would cease, knowledge would vanish 
away as greater knowledge would come, but faith and 
hope and love, these three would abide, would continue. 
And it has been so; miraculous gifts imparted through 
the laying on of the hands of the Apostles necessarily 
ceased when the last of the Apostles had died and when 
those died who had received these special gifts through 
them. But all down through the Gospel Age, for centuries, 
faith has persisted, hope has persisted, love has 
persisted, and these three we still have; and whoever 
has these three-with what they include—is rich in grace 
beyond all comparison with those who had the gifts of 
the Spirit at the beginning of this Gospel Age. 



FAITH, HOPE, LOVE 

We yield to no one in our appreciation of the value 
of faith--a correct faith, faith in God, faith in the precious 
blood, faith in the Bible as the Word of God, faith 
in the exceeding great and precious promises. We realize 
that without such a faith we could never be conquerors, 
overcomers, but would succumb either to the 
wiles of the Adversary or to the spirit of the world or to 
the weakness of our own flesh. The proper faith is an 
anchor to our souls, sure and steadfast, entering in within 
the veil and holding us serene in all the storms and difficulties 
of the journey to the Heavenly Kingdom. 

Hope also is a necessary element of Christian character; 
it is built upon our faith. Without faith we cannot 
have hope. Hope is faith in activity; it is the anchor 
within the veil. Faith is the cable by which we are held 
firmly to it. Who does not see the importance of holding 
fast, being well anchored in the hopes and promises 
given us by our Lord directly and through the Apostles 
and Prophets. Ah! we must hold both to our faith 
and hope—nothing can persuade us that these are unimportant, 

SM279 

trivial. As the Apostle declares, these have 
abode throughout the Age. 

But when he speaks of love, the Apostle declares that 
it is the greatest of all. Why? we ask. Indeed many 
would be inclined to suppose that love would be much 
less important than any other quality. They speak of 
rugged, rude faith and hope, and of rugged characters 
whose lives represent little of love. Where shall we set 
our standards, our ideals as New Creatures? What 
shall we strive for most particularly? The Apostle's 
declaration is that love is the greatest of these great 
qualities; but his advice is very contrary to the sentiment 
of the world. It tells us that if we have love, we 
cannot be successful, that the quality would interfere 
with us whatever our ideals might be. From the world's 
standpoint love would hinder a politician from crushing 
down others that he might rise to prominence himself; 
love would hinder the merchant from crushing his competitors 
that he might amass the larger fortune. Large 
love for others, they tell us, would lead us to esteem 



others better than ourselves, and mean that we would 
be hindered in the great race that is going on amongst 
men for riches and honor and power. Shall we heed 
to the world's advice or shall we follow the Divinely 
inspired testimony of the Apostle? 

The two standpoints are totally different. The New 
Creatures cannot follow the advice of the world; to do 
so would be to renounce and deny all the new ideals we 
have accepted, and toward which we have been laboring. 
If as New Creatures we would gain the great prize 
of our calling in Christ Jesus, we must hearken to Him 
that speaketh from Heaven; we must hearken to the 
words of the Lord through the Apostles and Prophets; 
we must note our Master's testimony, "A new commandment 
I give unto you, that ye love one another" ; 
"Herein shall all men know that ye are My disciples if 
ye have love one for another." (John 13:34,35.) His 

SM280 

further message through the Apostle is, "Love is the 
fulfilling of the Law"; and again, in our text, "Love is 
the principal thing," the greatest thing in the world. 

The New Creature must attain this character of 
love; for all of his hopes depend upon his attaining this 
character-likeness of his Lord. Otherwise he will not 
be fit for the Kingdom or be granted a place in the elect 
Little Flock, which is to inherit it and to be used of the 
Lord during the Millennium for the blessing and uplifting 
of the world in general out of sin, degradation and 
death. Love is the principal thing, then; for whatever 
knowledge we might gain, whatever talents we 
might possess, whatever faith, whatever hope, none of 
these could bring us to the Kingdom. They can all merely 
assist us in developing this love-character which is the 
Kingdom test—the fulfilling of the Law. Nor do we 
mean that the perfection of love-character can be manifest 
in our fallen flesh. Its weakness, its kinks, its 
peculiarities are hindrances so that the Apostle declares, 
"We cannot do the things that we would." (Gal. 5:17.) 
But our hearts must be up to this love standard; we must 
will lovingly. In our hearts we must love the Lord supremely, 
we must love the brethren, we must love our 
neighbors, we must love our enemies; and if we so do, 
the effect will be that so much as lieth in us this love 



will be manifested to others in our words, in our looks, 
in our tones, in our actions. Whatever imperfection 
there is in the matter must not be of the heart but merely 
of the flesh, and such imperfection because of heredity 
is counted a part of what our Lord redeemed us from 
and the merit of His sacrifice is counted as covering all 
those unwilling blemishes so that the love of our hearts 
carried out in our lives to the extent of our ability is 
counted of the Lord as perfect love- -perfection of character. 
Such are counted copies of God's dear Son, who 
was in turn a copy of the Father, an image of God~ 
"the express image of His glorious person. "~Heb. 1:3. 

SM281 



WHAT IS LOVE? 

We answer that love is perfection of character. "God 
is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God" 
—is fully in accord with God, and hence in the condition 
pleasing to the Father, the condition the Father is 
pleased to recognize and bless with eternal life. According 
to His covenant with those who have become the followers 
of Jesus, He is pledged to give them upon demonstration 
of this character, glory, honor and immortality 
in association with their Redeemer. —Matt. 5:48. 

Let us take the analysis of love that is given by the 
Apostle. One of its elements is meekness. There is a 
difference between meekness and weakness; Moses was 
a meek man but a very strong character. He was humble-minded, 
not boastful, not proud or haughty. So with 
the New Creatures who have this quality of meekness, 
from the Divine standpoint. Gentleness is another element 
of love. It does not signify weakness or fear. The 
Christian man is, therefore, the true gentleman, the 
Christian woman the true gentlewoman— the highest 
ideals of these. The world may feign a gentleness which 
it does not really possess, but the gentleness of the 
Christian is a part of his character of love. It is because 
he thinks lovingly, considerately, of others that 
he is gentle towards all, seeking to walk with soft tread 
that he may not disturb others, to touch not rudely, but 
gently that he may avoid the giving of pain to others, 
to speak not rudely or harshly, but kindly and gently 



that he may not wound others. 

Patience is another element of love and a part of 
the true Christian character. True, we often see great 
patience in merchants, clerks, etc., exercised merely for 
policy's sake—for fear a good customer might be offended 
and dollars be missed. But the Christian's patience 
is of an unselfish kind; for it is a part of love, 
a part of his disposition. In proportion as he has sympathy 
and kindness, love, he is disposed to wait, to assist 

SM282 

with patience those who at first fail to come up to his 
ideals. He remembers his own trials and difficulties 
along these lines; and his broad, sympathetic love enables 
him to exercise much patience with those who are 
out of the way and who have not yet seen and have not 
yet learned to overcome difficulties and hindrances. 

Brotherly kindness is another element of love. It is 
the kindness that ought always to prevail amongst true 
brethren, but in the Christian this kindness so appropriate 
to a brother is to be such a heart condition that it 
will be applied to all men. In this he is copying the Lord, 
who is kind to the unthankful, the ungrateful. All these 
qualities the Apostle sums up in the one word. Love, because 
love includes every kind of gentleness and kindness 
imaginable--and love must be the basis of such conduct 
in order that it may have value in God's sight. 



"WITHOUT LOVE I AM NOTHING" 

Emphasizing the importance of love in the forepart of 
the chapter from which our text is taken, the Apostle 
declares that if he could speak all the languages known 
amongst men and the angelic tongue as well, and if he 
used these talents in preaching, if his preaching were not 
inspired by love, it would be nothing—God would esteem 
it no more than the sound proceeding from cymbals or 
any brass instrument. God has not glory, honor and 
immortality for brass horns and brass cymbals; and if a 
man should preach the whole Truth in all its grandeur, 
yet without the spirit of love he would be, nevertheless, as 
unfit for Divine favor and a share in the Kingdom as the 
brass horn would be. No place in the Kingdom would be 



found for such. What a lesson for us all as we attempt 
to sound forth the praises of Him who hath called us from 
darkness to light! How necessary it is that we shall 
speak the Truth in the love of it, with hearts full of devotion 
and appreciation! 

Taking another illustration, the Apostle suggests that 
if he had mountain-moving faith, if his knowledge of 

SM283 

Divine mysteries and all other mysteries were very great, 
superior to those of all other men, and even if in his zeal 
for man or for God he should become a martyr and permit 
his body to be burned, yet, notwithstanding all this, 
if the primary influence in these matters were not love, all 
the sacrifice, all the self-denials, all the labors, even the 
burning, would profit nothing. Ah, dear friends, when 
we come to get the Divine standpoint of things we find 
indeed that it is very high; and yet our judgment assures 
us that it is right, that it is just, that it is proper, that 
God should thus set the standard of love as the only standard 
by which we shall ultimately be measured. But whoever 
thinks to have this perfect love for God and for man 
and make no manifestations of it is equally mistaken. 
Wherever love is in the heart words, works, thoughts and 
looks will testify to it, so that he who loves much will 
serve much. If we love the Lord we shall delight in His 
service regardless of failures, regardless of fame, regardless 
of any earthly consideration; yea, even though the 
service of the Lord should cause us the loss of human 
approbation, fellowship, etc. The language of love is well 
expressed in our dear Redeemer's words, "I delight to do 
Thy will, O my God; Thy Law is within in my heart." 
(Psa. 40:8.) Hence every true Christian may link the 
two words love and service, and be sure that his love will 
manifest itself in zeal. Similarly, love of the brethren 
will mean a desire to serve the brethren; love of the home 
and family will mean a desire to do good to them; love of 
our neighbor will signify a desire to do for his interests 
according to our knowledge and limitations. 



THE RESTRAINTS OF LOVE 

The Apostle points out some of the restraints of love. 
It cannot be quick, irascible; for "Love suffereth long and 
is kind." He who is loving cannot be envious of others, 
nor covetous of the blessings and favors they are enjoying; 
for "Love envieth not." He who is loving cannot be 
boastful and proud; for "Love vaunteth not itself, is not 

SM284 

puffed up." He who is controlled by the spirit of love 

will not be ungracious, unkind, rude; for "Love doth not 

behave itself unseemly." He who is full of the spirit of 

love will not be selfish, grasping, neglectful of the interests 

of others; for "Love seeketh not her own" merely. 

The truly loving one will not be quickly angered, will not 

be easily offended; for "Love is not easily provoked." 

The one controlled by the spirit of love will not be imagining 

unkindness and rudeness nor seeking to interpret 

the words or conduct of others unkindly; for "Love thinketh 

no evil." 

He who has the spirit of love will have no satisfaction 
in the adversities coming upon those who are even his 
enemies; for "Love rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth 
in the truth." He who has the spirit of love regulating 
his heart, his words, his thoughts, his actions, the Apostle 
declares will be ready to "bear all things" and ready to 
believe everything that is favorable and all that is possible 
of good, and will be disposed to hope always for the 
best outcome in respect to all with whom he may have to 
do. He will be ready also to "endure all things," to 
submit to many unkindnesses and to credit these largely 
to weakness or poor judgment or fallen nature. 

"LOVE NEVER FAILETH" 

Faith will fail in the sense of ceasing when the present 
time of limitations of knowledge has passed; for then, 
instead of faith, we shall have sight. Hope will then also 
reach a glorious consummation; for instead of the hope 
for the things God has promised us we shall then have 
them. But "love never faileth," will never cease. Whoever 
then attains this glorious character of love has a 
thing of beauty and a joy forever. It will beautify his 



own character, make him lovely in the sight of his Lord 
and be the quality that will bring him the Master's words, 
"Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into 
the joy of thy Lord; thou hath been faithful over a few 
things, I will make thee ruler over many things." Thou 

SM285 

hast faithfully developed My spirit of love in the little 
things of life. I can therefore now give you greater 
things to do in My service in glory, in the blessing of 
others. This character of love, essential to Divine favor, 
will be essential to the eternal life and eternal happiness 
of the individual. For God to give eternal life to any 
others than those who have the perfection of this His own 
character would be to permit an element in Heaven which 
sooner or later would be in danger of working mischief 
and bringing in works of selfishness, sin and injury. 

This love- standard of character, which is now being 
developed in the saints in the few short years of the present 
trial time, must be developed also in the world of 
mankind— in all who will ever attain to eternal life during 
the Millennial Age. One difference is that they will have 
a thousand years for the development of such character 
while we of the present time have a much shorter period 
in which to make our calling and election sure by such 
character development. But then, if our trial is briefer 
and therefore more rigorous, it also has attached to it the 
still greater reward of a share in the Divine nature- 
glory, honor, immortality. Let us, then, dear friends, 
resolve for this year that we will strive for the principal 
thing; that the love of God may more and more be shed 
abroad in our hearts and that we may come more and 
more into heart-likeness to Him and so far as possible 
exemplify this character in our outward words, deeds and 
looks. Thus we shall attain the highest ideals, God's 
ideal, and the greatest blessing-God's blessing. 

Finish, Lord, Thy New Creation; 

Pure and spotless let us be; 
Show us all Thy great salvation- 

Thine shall all the glory be. 
Changed from glory into glory. 

Till we see Thine own dear face; 
Till we cast our crowns before thee. 

Lost in wonder, love and praise. 



SM286 



"WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING" 

"Take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may 
be able to withstand in the evil Day, and having done all, 
to5rflwd"--Eph. 6:13. 

Only those who have learned the meaning of the 
Apostle's words concerning rightly dividing the Word 
of Truth—only those who have learned from the Scriptures 
that the Divine Plan is a progressive one, in which 
successive ages form links--such can understand why 
Divine providence should permit peculiar experiences, 
trials, etc., upon the Church at one time, not permitted 
at another. Would that all Christian people would awake 
to a proper study of the Bible- -to see the object of the 
Divine dealings with the Jews during the Jewish Age, 
with Christians during the Gospel Age, and with the 
world during the coming Millennial Age. From this 
standpoint they would see what the Scriptures represent; 
namely, that there is a seed time, or sowing time, and a 
harvest, or reaping time, with each Age, which, when it 
has served its purpose, passes away, giving place to 
another age and a different work. In the end of the 
Jewish Age, for instance, there came to that people a 
peculiar sifting and testing which John the Baptist, the 
last of the Prophets, declared was a winnowing of the 
wheat, a separating of the chaff preparatory to the gathering 
of the wheat into the garner of the next Age, and 
the permission of trouble to come upon the chaff class 
of that people, which utterly destroyed them as a nation. 

Similarly the Lord tells us in one of His parables 
(Matt. 13:24-30) that in the end of this Gospel Age there 
will be a separation of wheat from tares, the former being 
gathered into the glorious Kingdom for which we pray, 
"Thy Kingdom come," the latter being consumed as 
tares, though not as individuals. The destruction of a tare, 

SM287 

an imitation Christian, will signify that the person thus 
posing as a Christian, drawing nigh unto the Lord with 



his lips while his heart is far from God will cease to 
make such profession. Thenceforth the true Church will 
be recognized in its peculiar position as the "Very Elect" 
of God, a "little flock" who follow the footsteps of 
the Master, gladly sacrificing earthly interest for the 
attainment of the Heavenly. Thereafter, as the parable 
shows, these will shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom 
for blessing of all the families of the earth, including 
the tare class, who thereafter will be no longer deceived 
or deceivers in respect to their true position, but be 
privileged with the remainder of mankind to come into 
full harmony with God.--Mal. 4:2; Matt. 13:43. 

It is concerning the Harvest time of this Gospel Age 
that I address you on this occasion, believing that this 
entire Harvest period, according to the Scriptures, is to 
be forty years long, and that we entered it in 1878, and 
that consequently it will close with 1918. I desire to 
point out to you that the special trials and difficulties 
and testing of faith and obedience appropriate to the 
complete separation of the wheat from the tares is upon 
Christendom now—has been upon us as a "thief in the 
night" for some years. We have not the necessary time 
to examine here the various Scriptural evidences which 
indicate that we are in the closing time of the Gospel Age 
and in the opening or dawning of the Millennial Age. 
Many of you already have our Studies in the Scriptures, 
in which these are fully presented, with their Scriptural 
evidences. We must content ourselves at this time by 
pointing to some of the outward demonstrations that we 
are in the period which in our text the Apostle designates 



"THE EVIL DAY" 

All throughout the Scriptures this period is most 
dramatically set forth as being a time of thorough testing, 
a time in which the separation of the wheat from the tares 

SM288 

will be most absolutely accomplished, so that not one 
grain of wheat will be lost and not one grain of tare will 
by any mischance be preserved with the wheat, for the 
Lord declares that He will make a thorough work of 
separation. It seems difficult for the majority of people 



to think of anything specially occurring in their day-- 
that they should be in the midst of the fulfilments of 
prophecy. If we were telling that these things would take 
place within a century or within a thousand years, far 
more would be ready to investigate and acknowledge the 
force of the arguments. But familiar with the conditions, 
the trials, the difficulties, the perplexities and the suggestions 
of many- -as the Apostle predicted, that all 
things will continue as they were from the beginning 
of the world (2 Pet. 3:4)-for such reasons many shut 
the eyes of their understanding to the most remarkable 
condition of affairs in our day. 

The Apostle says they are "willingly ignorant"; and 
Jesus, "They hear not, neither do they understand"; and 
again, the Lord through the Prophet says, "My people 
perish for lack of knowledge." (2 Pet. 3:5; Matt. 13:13; 
Hosea 4:6.) Indeed the majority of professing Christians 
are careless, indifferent to what the Lord had caused 
to be written for their admonition and encouragement 
and assistance in this "evil Day." Such are not of 
the "Very Elect." The latter, as the Apostle shows, will 
not be in darkness that that Day should overtake them as 
a thief. They will be earnest, vigilant, watchful and 
standing fast in the faith. Therefore, using the means 
the Lord has provided, they will receive the blessing, the 
special reward, while others by neglecting their privileges 
mark themselves as unworthy of the great favor God 
is now dispensing to the "little flock." We will not say 
that they will not have opportunities in that great company 
that the Scriptures point out, who will come up 
out of great tribulation, and be before the Throne instead 
of in the Throne.-Rev. 7:15; 3:21. 

SM289 

Mark how our Lord declared that the trial of our time 
would be so critical, so crucial, that it would deceive if 
it were possible the "Very Elect." (Matt. 24:24.) But 
this will not be possible, for the Lord has promised them 
the assistance needful, and they will be in that attitude 
of heart and mind to seek assistance and use it. Mark 
how the Lord through the Prophet David (Psa. 91) foretold 
the special trials of this time, picturing the various 
devices of Satan—Spiritism, Higher Criticism, Christian 
Science, etc.~as pestilences and arrows. He tells us that 



a thousand shall fall at our side, yea, ten thousand at 
our right hand—amongst those whom we consider most 
favored and, in some respects, as our friends in the Lord. 

Then the reason is given why the Very Elect will not 
fall under these same pestilences and arrows; namely, 
"Because thou hast made the Lord, even the Most High, 
thy Refuge and thy Habitation, no plague shall come 
nigh thy dwelling" --"the Wicked One toucheth him 
not." (1 John 5:18.) What to others will be a stone 
of stumbling will to this class be an assistance, in that 
they will climb upon it to still higher personal development 
and character-likeness of the Lord. All things must 
work together for good to these because they love God 
truly, sincerely, above self or any other creature, and 
because of their faithfulness to their covenant-their 
consecration to the Lord. The pestilence of error cannot 
harm them, because in the secret of the Lord's presence 
they have an armament of grace and truth specially provided. 
As it is written, "The secret of the Lord is with 
them that reverence Him, and He will show them His 
covenant. "~Psa. 25:14. 



"THE DAY SHALL DECLARE IT" 

Pointing down to this Harvest time, which began in 
1878, the Apostle calls it a special Day, or epoch; and 
such it surely has been. No other period in the world's 
history has ever been so notable in so many ways. Referring 
SM290 

to this time, and to the testings of faith that will 
come upon the Lord's people here, the Apostle says, 
"Let every man take heed how he build [faith] ; for other 
foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which 
is Jesus Christ." By these words the Apostle shows that 
he refers not to the heathen world, but to those who at 
least nominally accepted Christ as the foundation of 
their hopes. He proceeds, "Now if any man build upon 
this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, 
stubble, every man's work shall declare it: because it 
shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every 
man's work of what sort it is."~l Cor. 3:10-15. 

How could a plainer statement of this be made? The 
fire referred to, of course, is symbolical, as are the wood. 



hay, stubble, gold, silver, precious stones. As wood, hay, 
stubble can be destroyed by literal fire, so selfish doctrines, 
errors and all improper faith will be destroyed 
in this time which the Apostle designates. "The Day 
shall declare it," or demonstrate the faith that will stand 
and the faith that will be consumed. The Apostle proceeds, 
"If any man's work shall abide which he hath 
built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's 
work shall be burned he shall suffer loss." Alas, how 
many are finding their faith burned out! How few are 
having the great reward of finding that they have a 
faith that will stand all the tests of this day! Is it not 
true that Spiritism, Theosophy, Christian Science, and 
Higher Criticism are consuming the faith of many— of 
all who have come in touch with them, who have only 
the wood, hay, stubble of human tradition and who lack 
the gold, silver and precious stones of the Divine Word? 
The Apostle, continuing, assures us that all who have 
built upon Christ will ultimately be saved, even though 
they suffer great loss as respects their faith. He says: 
"He himself shall be saved, so as by fire." The fire of 
this Day, then, will demonstrate to some how poorly they 
have built, how little they have heeded the Word of the 

SM291 

Lord, to what extent they have been influenced by human 
traditions and creeds of the Dark Ages. Many, we may 
be sure, will lose all faith in Christ at this time, but if 
so it will prove that their faith was not properly founded 
upon Him who is the only true Foundation. 

Note again that our text applies, refers to, the Harvest 
time of this Age, and also calls it a Day, and designates 
it an "evil Day"~a Day or epoch in which trials, 
testings, etc., will be upon the Lord's people for the 
development, proving worthy, of those who love the Lord 
with all their heart, mind, soul, strength, and their neighbor 
as themselves, the Israelites indeed, and for the 
demonstrating also of those who have been lukewarm 
in their love for the Lord and the brethren, and who have 
been overcharged with the cares of this life or the deceitfulness 
of riches, and so overtaken by "that Day"--our 
Day.-l Thess. 5:4; Eph. 6:13. 

Our text, much in harmony with the quotation I have 
made from the Psalms, indicates a need for the armor, 



a difficulty in withstanding the assaults of this day, and 

the fewness of those who will eventually stand. The 

Apostle's exhortation is that we take the whole armor 

of God—not merely the shield of faith, not merely the 

helmet of salvation, not merely the breastplate of righteousness, 

not merely the Sword of the Spirit, not merely 

the sandals of preparation, not merely the girdle of 

Truth; but that we take all of these--that we shall need 

all of these if we would be able to withstand all the 

assaults to be expected in this "evil Day," and having 

done all to stand. Alas ! how few seem to realize the 

importance of this armor which God has commended! 

Their difficulty is the result of not knowing the time in 

which they are living, not being sufficiently awake, not 

being sufficiently zealous to search the Scriptures and 

to put on the armament and preparation for the battle 

there alone provided. Therefore all such lukewarm 

Christians will surely be overthrown in this Evil Day. 

SM292 



WHY GOD WILL PERMIT IT 

St. Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, foretold this 
"evil Day" in which we are living—in which so many 
will fall because not attentive to the Word of the Lord, 
because overcharged with the cares of this life and the 
deceitfulness of the earthly riches so many are seeking. 
He tells us that the trials of our day will come from the 
Great Adversary, Satan, not because God will be unable 
to prevent him from bringing these deceptions and tests, 
but because God wills that he should bring them— wills 
to permit him to thus test and prove and sift the professed 
Church of our day, that all may be confused, 
deceived, stumbled who are not at heart loyal to Him. 
After telling about the workings of Satan that are to be 
expected, with great power and signs and lying wonders, 
and with all deceitfulness of unrighteousness, the Apostle 
explains that this is permitted, "because they received 
not the love of the Truth." He adds, "For this cause 
God shall send them strong delusions, that they should 
believe a lie, that they all should be condemned who 
believed not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness" 
-in untruth. (2 Thess. 2:9-12.) They did not 



obey the Truth of God, but acted hypocritically. 

Many tell us that it makes no difference what we believe 
—truth or falsehood—that it is by our work that 
the Lord will determine our standing. But the Scripture 
forbids this thought, and assures us that none have works 
that would be pleasing to God because all are imperfect. 
The Divine purpose is that during this Age God will 
honor and reward faith-it being assumed and declared 
that a true faith will be backed by good works to the extent 
of ability, and that God will reckon this as perfection 
through Christ. The Apostle in his words last quoted 
corroborates all the teachings of Scripture respecting the 
value of the Truth to the people of God. Mark the Master's 
words, "Ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth 
shall make you free"; and again His prayer to the Father 

SM293 

for His followers, "Sanctify them through Thy Truth; 
Thy Word is Truth."-Johii 8:32; 17:17. 

The Lord has provided His Word, and from time to 
time has used instrumentalities for the unfolding of its 
meaning to those who are in the right attitude of heart 
to receive it. But He has also permitted errors, falsehoods 
and lying wonders to stalk about, though never 
before to the same extent as in this "evil Day" -because 
now He desires specially to use these errors as a testing, 
sifting, separating work amongst His professed people, 
that the improper faiths may be manifested and may be 
destroyed, and that the true faith may shine the more 
brightly, and ultimately the professors of it be glorified 
with Himself in the Kingdom. 

In view of the Apostle's words respecting the love 
of the Truth, it behooves each one to examine himself 
whether he is loving and serving a creed of the Dark 
Ages or a denomination and creed of modern times; or 
whether his love and devotion are simply to the Truth 
presented to us in the Divine Word. We may deceive 
others; we may even to some extent deceive ourselves; 
for, as the Prophet declares, the heart is exceedingly deceitful. 
But we cannot deceive God. If in the Lord's 
providence the Truth comes to us and we get some 
glimpse of its beauty in contrast with the hopelessness 
of error, a test is upon us. If we reject the Truth because 
of its unpopularity, and hold to the abominable error 



because it is popular, we are thereby tested. Or, if we 
receive the Truth and rejoice in it in our minds, but because 
of its unpopularity hide the light under a bushel, 
concealing it in order to thus shield ourselves from the 
opposition of darkness, we may be sure that this would 
be displeasing to the Lord, who seeketh not such for His 
"Elect." He puts His Word on a parity with Himself, 
saying, "He that is ashamed of Me and My Word, of him 
will I be ashamed when I come in My Kingdom." 
This is what the Apostle refers to as receiving not the 

SM294 

Truth in the love of it. Whoever receives the Truth in 
the love of it will to the best of his ability and judgment 
show it to others at whatever the cost may be. Thus he 
will be proving himself a child of the light, a child of 
God. He will be saved. But the one who seeks to save 
his life, to save earthly interests by hiding the light or 
failing to publicly acknowledge it, will be sure to find 
his course injurious to himself. ~1 Cor. 4:1,2. 



LIKE THE HYPOCRITES OF OLD 

We have already pointed out that the influences at 
work in the present time undermining faith consuming 
it, destroying it, are likened to a pestilence which is in the 
very air and which lays hold upon all whose systems are 
in condition to be inoculated with the poisons. I must 
elaborate this point; for the evil influences by which we 
are surrounded at the present time are so subtle, so deceptive, 
so all-pervading, that the majority do not recognize 
them. What a shock it would give to Christendom 
could it be realized that these pestilential influences are 
going forth from the pulpits--not perhaps from all, but 
surely from four out of five in the larger cities, and increasingly 
it is spreading to the smaller towns and country 
places! Let us look the matter squarely in the face. 
It is necessary for the Lord's true people to know the 
facts. As for others, they are so stupidly asleep, so thoroughly 
intoxicated with the wine of Babylon (Rev. 18:3), 
that we have no hope of influencing them. Ever since this 
evil Day began this pestilence has been going forth- 
over thirty years. 



Today every college, every theological seminary 
throughout the whole civilized world, is teaching what is 
commonly known as Higher Criticism of the Bible— 
though the proper name for it would be Higher Infidelity 
amongst the high ones of all Christendom. These Higher 
Critics are doing the same work exactly that Thomas 
Paine and Robert Ingersoll did, only that they are carrying 

SM295 

on their work on a higher plane—appealing not to the 

gross and the vile, but to the refined, intelligent and truth- seeking. 

As a result their influence is a thousand-fold 

more injurious. 

Those to whom Paine and Ingersoll appealed were 
very rarely Christians at all. Hence they destroyed very 
little faith—they merely made the unbelief more rank 
and foul. But these Higher Critic infidels of this "evil 
Day" are making use of all the vast machinery of Christendom 
in all denominations, especially through theological 
seminaries, to undermine and overthrow the faith 
of all who have named the name of Christ, great and 
small, rich and poor, cultured and ignorant. It is being 
done systematically, too, craftily, deceitfully, in a manner 
that the masses of the people would scarcely credit. 
It is safe to say that fully four out of five who graduate 
from theological seminaries, of all denominations, are 
Higher Critic infidels, who are instructed that their 
main business is to promote morality amongst the people, 
especially to build up Churchianity, particularly their 
own denomination, and to gradually, stealthily, craftily 
wean the people from the faith of the Bible to their 
higher critical dogmas. And they are succeeding most 
wonderfully. A "pestilence" is the only figure of speech 
which really fits to this pernicious influence. 

"OUT OF THINE OWN MOUTH 
WILLI JUDGE THEE" 

Said the Lord; and in harmony with this we find that 
in the Lord's providence these Higher Critics are gradually 
more and more telling on themselves. But the nominal 
Christian is quite obtuse; and many of the true Christians, 
as the Apostle explains, are merely "babes in 



Christ," unable to use the strong meat of the Word, and 
capable only of enjoying or using the "milk of the 
Word" —understanding only first principles. Hence the 
open declarations of these wolves in sheep's clothing, 
who masquerade as sheep, are not taken seriously. If 

SM296 

the sheep are startled by the words, they are soothed 
again by the thought, "This is our kind minister, polished 
in manner and well educated; and he surely would 
not lead us astray. He surely would not deceive us. 
If he had ceased to believe the Bible and become an 
infidel, he surely would have left the pulpit. He could not 
be so dishonest as to wear sheep's clothing and to use it 
for our deception and destruction." Poor innocents! 
Hearken now while I read to you the confession of one 
of these false shepherds, and his explanation of the trickery 
and deceit by which he keeps the people quiet while 
inoculating them from time to time with a little and a 
little more of the higher critical poison, which eventually 
brings on spiritual stupor and tends to spiritual death. 

I refer you to his words as they were printed in the 
most prominent religious paper in the world—the Independent, 
New York City. The Editor of that journal, 
respecting the desire of this wolf not to be exposed, and 
apparently sympathizing with him in the whole procedure, 
vouches for him as a man of intelligence and Christian 
character, and of high standing in an orthodox 
Church, so-called, whose orthodoxy would never be suspected. 
This is the confession: 

"I have never won distinction by my heresy, nor even 
acquired a local reputation from violent departures from 
orthodoxy. If I should set about some Sunday morning 
to tell my congregation all my divergencies from the accepted 
Christian belief, I would shock them beyond measure. 
They understand in a general way that I am a liberally-minded 
person, and I take occasion not infrequently 
to hasten their heels in their movements from wornout 
dogma to the truth that is to be. That they are engaged 
in such a journey I have no doubt; and most of 
them are willing to maintain a reasonable pace. My congregation 
is above normal in intelligence, information 
and sympathy with forward movements; but nevertheless 



SM297 

I am fully persuaded that a complete revelation on 
my part of the beliefs to which my studies have forced me 
would set their ears a-tingling, and not only awaken 
antagonism to me personally but also cause a turn of 
sentiment in the direction of conservatism and orthodoxy." 

What think you of that confession, dear friends? 
What think you of the stealthy, murderous deliberation 
of this educated man, professing to be a minister of the 
Word of God, and as such "highly esteemed amongst 
men"? He is a pattern, a fair sample, of about four-fifths 
of all the preachers in all denominations--a sample 
of the hypocrisy which has come into the Church of 
Christ. But I have not concluded his confession. Let me 
continue to read from his own lips, his own pen, of his 
dastardly cunning or deceit whereby he is entrapping, 
ensnaring and destroying the sheep. Judge then if we 
are not right in thus particularly calling attention to the 
matter. Do not the Scriptures say that the shepherds, 
pastors, who see the wolves coming and give no alarm 
and seek not to defend the flock, are unfaithful to their 
responsibilities? I wish to clear my skirts by crying 
aloud and sparing not these wolves in sheep's clothing. 
I proceed to read: 



"RAPID GROWTH OF REFINED INFIDELITY" 

"So rapid is the advance in the religious opinion, at 
least as I experience it in my parish, that I would not 
hesitate for a moment now to give fullest utterance to 
views utterly condemnatory of the whole scheme of sacrificial 
atonement and imputed righteousness. Devout 
saints who were wont to inquire anxiously every week or 
two why I did not mention that Christ made atonement 
for sin, after a sermon on any subject from Dan to 
Beersheba now sit patiently under preaching which never 
refers to Christ as a Propitiatory Sacrifice." 

How true this is ! We pointed out thirty years ago 
from the Scriptures that the testing of Christendom was 

SM298 

coming along this very line—that the atonement for sin 



effected by our dear Redeemer was the foundation for all 

Scriptural faith and hope and that it would be repudiated 

by Christendom as a whole according to the prophetic 

delineations of the Scriptures which I cannot here discuss, 

some of them belonging to the symbolic book of 

Revelation. What a great change since that time! Not 

only has Christian Science largely influenced all denominations 

by its false statements that there is no original 

sin and that there is no death and hence no penalty 

for original sin, and hence also that Christ did not die 

and redeem from the original penalty, and that there 

was no necessity for a redemptive work because there is 

no sin—they claim sin is merely a delusion—but since 

that time also higher Criticism has gotten its work all 

over the civilized world and is surely destroying faith 

in the very center of the Divine Plan. For whoever does 

not believe in the atonement work of Christ is not a 

Christian, despite his professions of discipleship. 

Christianity is not merely an acceptance of the fact 
that Jesus was born and that Jesus died, nor is it an acceptance 
of merely the moral and religious teachings of 
Jesus. Christianity is an acceptance of the fact that we 
are sinners; that Christ died for our sins, and rose again 
on the third day for our justification; that through Him 
we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins through 
faith in His blood. He who has lost this faith in 
Jesus' blood has lost his relationship to true Christianity; 
and the sooner he and all mankind know it the better for 
all concerned. If he be an honest man he will come out 
plainly and confess his position. If he be like the writer 
from whom I have quoted, a dishonest man, he thus evidences 
his unworthiness of the Truth; for he prefers, as 
he tells us, to act a lie, to destroy the faith of the too confident 
sheep whom he leads, and whose praise and money 
he enjoys. But we must quote further from this false 
shepherd (Ezek. 34:2-10), as follows:- 

SM299 

"Experience has taught me not to be too rampant in 
my heresies. I have learned that if one keeps his doctrinal 
discoveries in his study drawer for about five years, 
and takes them out now and then to refresh his soul, allowing 
occasionally a delicate effluence from them to 
steal over a page or two of his next Sunday's sermon, he 



will find at the end of the period that he may avow them 
as violently as he pleases, and they who aforetime would 
have lit the torch for his burning will sit peacefully under 
his doctrine, and sing the last hymn lustily in satisfaction 
that they have heard once more the truth they 
have always believed." 



AWAKE, O SHEEP, AND LISTEN! 

What noble-minded, truth-loving layman would change 
places with this self-satisfied deceiver and fraud? What 
honorable business man would without blushing make 
such an acknowledgment respecting his method of conducting 
business to the Editor of the New York Independent, 
even if his name were kept secret? Would 
he not be ashamed that even the Editor should know of 
his perfidy? And indeed we can make much more excuse 
for those who practice some deception in connection 
with their business advertising and the overstatement of 
the quality of their goods, etc.; for they are professedly 
self-seeking, and the public know to take their statements 
with a grain of allowance. But the minister of the Gospel 
professes to be a philanthropist who is sacrificing his 
life to the service of the Truth, to the service of the Lord, 
to the building up of his fellow-creatures in the most 
holy faith once delivered to the saints. How abominably 
mean and contemptible, then, is such a man as well as his 
course! The more refined and polished and educated 
he is the more is it to his shame. Hearken further: ~ 

"For this reason I am not shouting out every Sunday 
that I do not believe in the virgin birth of Jesus nor 
in the physical resurrection. Much as I honor and admire 

SM300 

Doctor Crapsey, I am not scurrying to put myself in 
the pillory beside him. I let others do the talking, and I 
answer questions cautiously." 

Doctor Crapsey referred to was recently tried for 
heresy and expelled from the Episcopal pulpit. He, magnanimous 
soul! after having avowed his own faith in the 
teachings of the Bible, after having been honored with 
a high position amongst those who reverence the Bible, 
and while drawing a good salary for expounding it to 



his congregation, considered it the proper and honorable 
course to break those vows, and while retaining his hold 
upon the titles, honors and emoluments of his position, to 
proclaim to his confiding hearers the theory of the Higher 
Critics respecting the non-inspiration of the Scriptures, 
that Jesus was born like any other man, that His death 
was not sacrificial and that His blood was a "common 
thing." (Heb. 10:29.) We are not surprised that the 
honorable wolf whose confession we are reading, and who 
glories in it, honors and admires Doctor Crapsey. For 
our part we can admire no such duplicity, but of the two 
would consider it the more honorable to be in Doctor 
Crapsey's position; for he is a little the more honorable. 
Let us take another quotation from this glorious confession. 
The writer says:-- 

"I have hopes that before many years the heresies, as 
undoubtedly they are, of the miraculous origin and resurrection 
of Christ will become at least tolerated opinions. 
With patience, tact and perseverance I hope some day 
to bring out this deliverance of my soul, as I have already 
waited in patience for a time to declare my opinions of 
the atonement. To expose it now would endanger my 
real work, which is not to teach history, not even true history 
concerning Jesus, His Apostles, or His Church; but 
to enlarge lives with real religious faith, and induce some 
morals and gentle virtues through devotion to duty as 
God gives me to see it. One shrinks from being called a 
hypocrite, but it is encouraging to remember that in 

SM301 

Jesus' time they were not branded as hypocrites who 
counted themselves still Jews and went to the feasts while 
in utter contradiction with the prevailing opinion." 



"WHO GLORY IN THEIR SHAME" 

Apparently there is just a little mite of conscience 
here, which seems to vaguely realize that there is at least 
a suspicion of hypocrisy in his course. But note how he 
seeks to justify himself. He speaks of "devotion to duty 
as God gives me to see it." Should we expect that God 
would give such a man ability to see anything? Rather 
we should say, as Jesus said to the hypocrites of old, "Ye 



are of your father the Devil; for his works ye do. He 

was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the 

Truth." (John 8:44.) This man, and he is but a sample 

of others, is a murderer. He is murdering in a spiritual 

sense the people under his care by taking from them, if 

possible, their spark of faith and spirit-begetting, and 

doing it as did the great Adversary—by lies and by contradictions 

of the Lord's Word. This man's idea of duty 

is very manifest; it consists in holding all the honors of 

men which he is able to accumulate, gathering in all the 

shekels within his reach, and belying his covenant with 

God and with his congregation. From such duty, such 

hypocritical wolves, good Lord deliver us! This gentleman 

and all the Higher Critics and Evolutionists occupying 

the pulpits of Christendom are in exactly the position 

of the Scribes and Pharisees of old, of whom the 

Lord said, "Ye do make void the Word of God through 

your traditions." He told them that outwardly they were 

clean and respectable, as this man appears to be; but 

that inwardly they were full of all manner of corruption 

—deceit, selfishness, unfaithfulness— as this man, opening 

his bosom, shows us he is.— Mark 7:5,9,13. 

Then, as now, the common people were so hypnotized 
by their Doctors of the Law and priests that they hesitated 
to hear the voice of the Son of Man and His humble 

SM302 

followers, waiting first to get the approval of the hypocritical 
teachers, who with outward raiment feign to be 
servants of God and for pretense make long prayers. 
What the common people needed then was what the same 
class need now-an awakening. As the Israelites indeed 
in whom there is no guile got the message, so a 
similar class will get the message now. To this class and 
not to the Higher Critics and Evolutionists is the promise 
made. "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the 
Kingdom of God"; but unto all outsiders these things are 
done in parables and dark sayings.— Matt. 13:11. 

We are in the shaking time, the burning time when all 
the wood, hay and stubble of falsehood must be consumed, 
when only the precious truths of God's Word, 
gold, silver and precious stones of faith will stand the 
test. Let us hearken to the Apostle's words, "Watch ye, 
stand fast in the faith, quit you like men." Seek the 



"old paths"--not the paths nor the theories of the Dark 
Ages and their horrible "doctrines of devils," but the 
doctrines of Jesus and the Apostles—that your faith 
should not stand in the doctrines of men but in the power 
of God -Jer. 6:16; 1 Cor. 16:13; 2:5. 

Let the world despise and leave me, 

They have left my Savior, too; 
Former friends are wont to leave me. 

Thou art faithful. Thou art true. 

And while Thou shall smile upon me, 

God of wisdom, love and might. 
Foes may hate, and friends may scorn me. 

Show Thy face and all is bright. 

Oh, 'tis not in grief to harm me 

While Thy love is left to me! 
Oh, 'twere not in joy to charm me. 

Were that joy unmixed with Thee! 



SM303 



"WHO, THEN, SHALL BE SAVED?" 

"If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the 
ungodly and the sinner appear?"—! Peter 4:18. 

The words of our text are solemn, from whatever 
standpoint they may be viewed. But for our friends of 
various denominations who hold that death marks the end 
of hope these words should be not only solemn, but terrifying 
in the extreme. They note the death of friends and 
neighbors, and know from statistics that ninety thousand 
fellow-creatures die every twenty-four hours; and they 
well know and would not dispute that a very small number 
of these could by any stretching of language or any allowances 
be considered righteous or even to have had righteous 
intentions. If these dear friends would take seriously 
their teaching that all but the righteous, all but the 
saintly, go to a never-ending hell of torment, from which 
there is no hope of alleviation of suffering, it would be 
sufficient to unbalance their minds. Fortunately for them, 
therefore, they do not take too seriously their own unreasonable 
and unscriptural views on this subject. 

Apparently a great many people would scarcely be 
willing to be saved, just as they are scarcely willing to 
forsake sin. We have heard people tell us that they would 
be glad to creep into some little, obscure corner of Heaven 
and enjoy its glories and blessings if they could only 
escape the miseries of which they have been mistaught. 
We are sorry for such poor creatures. They can enjoy 
neither the present life nor the future prospect. Instead 
of hoping for glory, honor and immortality, as the Apostle 
suggests we should do, these merely hope to escape 
torture by the skin of their teeth-a poor, unsatisfactory 
hope, quite contrary to the one set before us in the Gospel. 

It is the same Apostle who urges the Church to pursue 

SM304 

a course that would be pleasing to God and who assures 
us that "so an entrance shall be administered unto you 
abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and 
Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:11.) It is proper that 



we inquire why in these words an abundant salvation is 
suggested, while in our text it is declared that the righteous 
shall scarcely be saved. Let us examine our text 
more particularly; it seems inconsistent as generally 
viewed. It seems out of harmony with what we might 
expect for their eternal welfare by our Heavenly Father, 
who is rich, wise and powerful beyond all compare. 



TO WHOM DOES OUR TEXT APPLY? 

We inquire first who are the righteous referred to in 
our text? We reply that the Apostle is not referring to 
any class of people, but merely in a general way referring 
to a principle of the Divine Law which declares that he 
that doeth these things shall live, and that any failure to 
do the perfect will of God would be sin, and that "the 
wages of sin is death." (Rom. 6:23.) In other words, 
the Apostle is speaking of God's arrangement. God has 
promised eternal life only to the righteous. If we should 
take one hundred as representing the standard of righteousness, 
it would be impossible for any one to have one 
hundred and one points; for he could not be more than 
righteous. And if he lacked anything of being up to the 
hundred mark, he would not be righteous. With a hundred 
as the standard the man possessing the ninety-nine 
points of righteous character would still be an unrighteous 
man; and, according to Divine Law, he could not 
have everlasting life. So, then, God's Law makes no 
allowance for sin, but condemns it and declares that all 
unrighteousness is sin.~l John 5:17. 

This is the basis of the Apostle's statement that a 
righteous person could be no more than saved under the 
Divine Law. He could not say, as some teach, "Lord, I 
have done more than was required of me; I have been 

SM305 

more than righteous. On the score of my righteousness 
I could claim Thy promise of eternal life, but having been 
more than merely righteous I have a reserve of merit 
which I can apply for others." This, to some extent, is 
the theory of our Catholic friends. On the strength of 
this they pray to Mary, the Apostles and certain others 
of the saints whom they believe to have laid up for them 



a surplus of merit. The Apostle's words are in contradiction 
to this thought, assuring that no one could be more 
than righteous and that consequently God's offer of salvation 
to the righteous could not be more than made. The 
righteous would scarcely be saved; that is to say, would 
have nothing of left-over merit, nothing of surplus. It 
would require his every effort to comply with the standard 
of righteousness. 

From this standpoint the Apostle's words are very 
clear, very meaningful, very reasonable; and we see at 
once the significance of the latter part of our text, 
"Where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? "--What 
show would they have? In other words, his thought is 
that if the Divine Law has provided eternal life for only 
those who are absolutely perfect in God's sight, what 
chance, what show, would there be for any sinner condemned 
for either many or few transgressions; and as for 
the ungodly-those failing to recognize their responsibility 
to the Almighty—where would they appear, what 
show would they have? The inferential answer is. None! 
God's Law would condemn them, sentence them. 

But nothing in the Scriptures indicate that the Divine 
Law would sentence them to an eternity of torture. 
Rather the Divine Law is that "the wages of sin is 
death." "The soul that sinneth it shall die." (Ezek. 18:4.) 
Eternal life is the gift of God (Rom. 6:23), and 
will be given only to those who have His approval, only 
to the righteous. And since the wicked will not receive 
this gift from the Almighty, and it would be impossible 
for them to get it from any other source, it is apparent 

SM306 

that they cannot live, either in torture or otherwise, that 
they shall be punished with everlasting destruction. 



WHO ARE THE RIGHTEOUS? 

Coming now to a still fuller examination of the subject, 
we inquire. Who are the righteous amongst men? 
The Scriptures answer, "There is none righteous, no, not 
one." (Rom. 3:10.) They again declare that our Lord 
Jesus was the only righteous One, and that He died, the 
Just for the unjust, for our reconciliation to the Father. 



But now the question arises, If God's Law is so strict 
that only the full one hundred per cent would have His 
approval and be granted eternal life, what hope is there 
for our race, the majority of whom, instead of being 
ninety-nine per cent perfect or righteous, could not be 
claimed to be more than twenty-five per cent, with an 
exceptional person, perhaps, able to stand the test of 
forty or fifty per cent and some of the poor race, born 
in sin and shapen in iniquity, as low down as ten per cent, 
with consequently ninety per cent of unrighteousness in 
their natural makeup? Where is the hope under God's 
Law for either the best or the worst of our fallen race? 
Ah, we answer, right there lies the key to the Gospel 
of Christ, which assures us that as we all inherit our 
imperfections from our parents and they from theirs, and 
thus originally all from Adam, so Christ Jesus, having 
given Himself as a Ransom or corresponding price for 
Father Adam, having laid down His life for Adam's sin, 
has a corresponding merit represented in the value of 
His death as a Sin-offering. This, from the Divine standpoint, 
is the full offset to Father Adam's transgression, 
and hence is not only sufficient in value to cancel his debt 
and condemnation but sufficient in value also to offset the 
influence of his sin and condemnation as it has contaminated 
the twenty thousand millions of our race. Here 
behold the Wisdom, Love and Justice of God in combination ! 
His Wisdom permitted the arrangement of the 
plan by which His Justice would be fully visited upon 

SM307 

Adam, the sinner—and indirectly upon his race through 
him—and yet leave abundant room that in due time Jesus 
by His sacrifice for all could make satisfaction for the 
sins of the whole world. For if all were condemned in one 
it would be equally just on God's part that all should be 
justified or forgiven through the merit of the one 
Redeemer, so that the cancellation of sin through the 
merit of the precious blood of Jesus affects not only 
Father Adam, but all of his children, who shared with him 
his condemnation.— Rom. 5:18,19. 

Whoever sees clearly the foregoing argument not only 
sees that there are none righteous, no, not one member 
of the race, but also sees that Jesus, by the virtue of 
His sacrifice, is prepared to justify or cover over and 



excuse and set aside all the unrighteousness of the world. 
But since it is not God's purpose to favor unrighteousness, 
ignorance, etc.. He has arranged that only those who 
intelligently accept Jesus and renounce sin and turn away 
to righteousness to the extent of their ability—only these 
shall have the full benefit of His arrangement, which in 
the present time is called justification by faith, or making 
righteous by faith. 

Accordingly, we perceive that there are some righteous 
in the world according to this reckoned arrangement, 
although there are none actually righteous according to 
the strict standard of the Law. But still we cannot claim 
that there are many righteous, even according to this 
benevolent arrangement which God has made; for comparatively 
few of our fallen race have yet heard of the 
only name given under Heaven and amongst men whereby 
we must be saved. Not having heard thereof they cannot 
believe therein, and not believing they could not be justified 
through faith in His blood, for faith cometh by hearing 
--the hearing of the message of the Lord. These 
righteous ones (righteous or justified through faith in the 
blood of Christ) are referred to by the Apostle and their 
relationship to the Divine Law clearly shown by his statement, 

SM308 

"The righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us, 
who walk not after the flesh [with its sinful, depraved 
tendency] but after the Spirit [after the perfect standard 
of God's Law, as nearly as possible up to its real meaning, 
coming short only where our imperfections and weaknesses 
of the fall render obedience impossible on our 
part]." For, as the Apostle again says, "We cannot do 
the things that we would."-Gal. 5:17; Rom. 8:1-4. 

The believer in Christ who has devoted himself to the 
Lord and the service of righteousness and who has been 
begotten of the Holy Spirit is counted a New Creature, as 
separate and distinct from his flesh, in which the motions 
of sin may still prevail to some extent contrary to his 
new mind, new will, righteous intention of heart. With 
his mind he can serve the Law of God perfectly; in this 
respect he must not come short one jot or tittle; from the 
heart he must love righteousness and hate iniquity. But 
even so, though his flesh be gradually brought into subjection, 
he cannot hope to have the full victory over it 



until it is totally dead, until he, as a New Creature, begotten 
of the Spirit, shall be born of the Spirit in the 
First Resurrection. 



DIVINE STANDARDS UNLOWERED 

Not only is the Christian religion the only one which 
presents God as loving and merciful to the sinner, but it 
is the only one which presents the thought of mercifully 
saving the sinners without in any degree breaking or 
bending the Divine Law, the standard of righteousness. 
God does not say to the sinner, "You have but twenty 
per cent of character; I will blot out the requirement of 
the other eighty per cent and treat you as perfect." Nor 
does He make a similar proposition to the one professing 
fifty points of character. God's Law still requires of each 
one the full one hundred per cent, but makes it possible 
for all to attain that full perfection. How? By a double 
process: (1) To the man of but twenty per cent of character 
the lacking eighty per cent is imputed or reckoned 
SM309 

as his share of the merit of Christ's Sacrifice for Adam's 
sin. To the man possessing the fifty per cent of character, 
the lacking fifty per cent is reckoned or imputed in a 
like manner. (2) But it is required of both that not only 
shall they maintain what they have, but that their hearts 
shall be at the full one hundred standard; that they shall 
be willing and attempting nothing less than perfection. 
They will be reckoned and dealt with according to the 
standards of their hearts and minds and will, and not 
according to imperfections of their flesh. 

Meantime it will be expected of them that they shall 
stand tests, trials and difficulties which will be allowed to 
come upon them to prove the genuineness of their faith 
and to establish it, to prove the sincerity of their love for 
righteousness and their opposition to iniquity, and to 
strengthen their determination to keep their covenant 
with the Lord. If they fail in these tests they cannot be 
acceptable in the class that is now being called, the saints, 
the Royal Priesthood, the "Little Flock," to whom it is 
the Father's good pleasure to give the Kingdom. 

Thus their standing of reckoned righteousness is 
dependent upon their degree of heart-loyalty to the Lord 



and not dependent upon their actual qualities. Where 

much is possessed much is required; where little is possessed 

less is required as respects the flesh, provided the 

heart is up to the standard of one hundred per cent loyalty 

to God and to righteousness. In this picture which 

we have given we have illustrated the Apostle's words, 

Where sin abounded, grace did that much more abound. 

(Rom. 5:20.) In an individual in whom sin had abounded 

to the extent of destroying eighty per cent of his character, 

leaving only twenty per cent, sin abounded more 

than in the person in whom it had destroyed fifty per 

cent and left fifty per cent. And the Apostle's message 

is that God's grace in Christ, forgiving and justifying or 

counting as righteous, is in the same proportion. That is 

to say, the one in whom sin abounded most can have the 

SM310 

more favor to abound in his case. In other words, the 
Lord takes us just as we are according to the flesh; and, 
if we have accepted Christ and given ourselves fully to 
Him, we are judged not according to the flesh but according 
to the spirit, intention, will. 



"WHERE ARE THE SINNER AND THE UNGODLY?" 

What then shall we say of the sinner and the ungodly; 
where shall they appear? Let it be noted that the Apostle 
does not say that they shall appear in hell shrieking 
in torture! He did not say, as did Brother Jonathan 
Edwards, that the righteous will look over the battlements 
of Heaven and see in eternal torment their friends, 
neighbors, brothers, sisters and parents who died without 
accepting Christ. The Apostle's question is. Where shall 
they appear? or in more modern language. What show 
will they have? We answer that they have no show. 
Those who are not justified through faith in Christ 
according to the Divine arrangement have no show at all 
with God at the present time. They are unjustified. They 
are, as the Apostle declared we once were, "children of 
wrath, even as others" (Eph. 2:3,12); or, as he again 
says, "without God, having no hope in the world." 

It is not their privilege, as some would have us believe, 
to claim God as their Father and Christians as their 



brethren. On the contrary, we take our theology from 
our Redeemer, who said that some are of their father 
the Devil, for his works they do (John 8:44), and the 
Apostle's statement where he declares that Satan now 
works in the hearts of the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2), 
who certainly are vastly in the majority, while the 
saints who walk in the footsteps of Jesus are the small 
minority, going contrary to the course of this world. We 
take the Apostle's words further where he declares that 
the "god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of 
those who believe not." (2 Cor. 4:4.) We have nothing 
therefore, to say respecting the ungodly and the sinner 

SMS 11 

at the present time. We have no hope to hold out to them 
that they can be saved in ignorance, any more than they 
can be saved in rebellion. God has but the one way of 
salvation, and that is through faith in the precious blood 
of Christ and through an endeavor to come into harmony 
with His righteous Law through the merit of the Savior. 

What then? Is there any hope for the ungodly and 
the sinner? We answer. Yes, there is a hope. God's 
Word clearly portrays this hope, telling us that in due 
time all the families of the earth shall be blessed; that in 
due time every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, 
to the glory of God; that in due time when His righteous 
dealings are made manifest, all things that God has made 
shall come and worship before Him; that in due time 
Christ, who tasted death for every man, shall take unto 
Himself His great power and shall reign, and shall bring 
to every member of the race the blessing of knowledge 
with the opening of the eyes of their understanding, now 
closed by Satan, the god of this world, through ignorance, 
superstition, etc.--l Tim. 2:4; Psa. 22:27,28. 

Our dear Redeemer assures us that these children of 
wrath, without God and without hope in the world, 
blinded by Satan, led captive by him through their fallen 
natures, have not been dropped down into a place of eternal 
torment but are merely asleep in death, in their 
graves, waiting for the time when God shall establish His 
Kingdom of righteousness under the whole heavens, the 
time when His Millennial Kingdom shall control the 
world, the time when Satan shall be bound and be no 
longer permitted to deceive the nations; and that then not 



merely will the living of that time receive the blessing of 
His instruction and assistance, but all that are in their 
graves shall come forth—not come down from Heaven, 
nor come up from hell, nor from purgatory, but from 
THEIR GRAVES.-John 5:25-29. 

How strange that we were so long deluded, that we 
heard the voice of man instead of the voice of 

SM312 

the Son of Man! What peace comes from His Message that the 
wicked have ceased from troubling and the weary are at 
rest, asleep in the tomb, in Sheol, in Hades, in the grave! 
How glad we are that He assures us that not only the 
Little Flock of His faithful ones, partakers of the First 
Resurrection, shall come forth, but also that the great 
mass of mankind not approved of God, who went down to 
the grave children of wrath, shall come forth also ! And 
He tells us for what purpose. His words are somewhat 
mystifying because of the poor translation of our Common 
Version, the Revised Version making them more 
clear, saying that they "shall come forth unto a resurrection 
[a raising up out of sin and death conditions] by 
judgments"--chastisements, corrections, with reward for 
every good endeavor. 

Thus during the Millennial Age the ungodly and 
wicked of this present time shall have a much more favorable 
opportunity than they now have of coming to know 
God and Jesus Christ whom He sent; and by obedience 
to the knowledge then granted to them they may, if they 
will, attain to life everlasting and full restitution, perfection 
on the human plane with the earth as their Paradise. 
-Isa. 11:1-11; 35:1-10. 



"SOME BETTER THINGS FOR US" 

Some one may say, "We admit that when Christ comes 
and Satan is bound and the true knowledge of the Lord 
is filling the earth and it is as easy to do right as to do 
wrong, these conditions will make the Millennial Age more 
favorable to the ungodly and sinner than is the present 
age. But would not this view imply an injustice on God's 
part in that He has made the way now so narrow, so difficult? 
Would it not imply that He is partial, and that He 



has given to those most zealous for righteousness severer 
trials, tests, persecutions, etc.?" 

We answer that this view is the result of an imperfect 
understanding of the Divine Program. It ignores the 

SM313 

Lord's declaration that those being selected by Him during 
this Gospel Age, who are called upon to walk in the 
footsteps of Jesus in the narrow way and who are to sacrifice 
their earthly interest, are to have a much higher 
reward, a much grander salvation than that provided for 
the world in general. Man was of the earth earthy, the 
earthly image of God and adapted to the earth, flesh and 
blood, etc. His sin losing for him perfection as a man, 
his redemption and restitution would restore him to the 
perfection of manhood in harmony with God. But this 
would not make of mankind spirit beings nor fit them for 
a Heavenly condition. God's proposition is the return of 
the race in general to human perfection in an earthly 
home, which He declares shall "abide forever." (Eccl. 1:4.) 
But the Divine reward for the Church is that this 
"little flock" is accepted as the Bride of Christ and His 
Joint-heir in the glorious Millennial Kingdom. They 
shall sit with Him in His Throne. They shall be made 
partakers of the Divine nature with Him, and thus shall 
share His glory, honor and immortality. 

The Apostle declares that God "has provided some 
better things for us" (the Gospel Church) than He provided 
for the Ancient Worthies of past times. They will 
be the first to reach the perfection of the human nature, 
while to us the promise is given of a participation with 
Christ in the Heavenly nature, which flesh and blood cannot 
inherit. When, therefore, the difference of reward is 
considered, and the difference of salvation borne in mind, 
it will be seen that those who are now drawn and justified 
and called to sacrifice the human nature and to receive 
the Divine nature, have much advantage every way over 
the remainder of the race in that to them is counted the 
very cream of Divine riches of grace and loving kindness. 
Nevertheless, the blessing to the world of mankind will 
be so great as to leave nothing to be desired. During the 
Millennial Age all the willing and obedient may return 
to human perfection in a world-wide Eden. 



SMS 14 



"MADE TO BE TAKEN AND DESTROYED" 

We should not be understood to be teaching Universalism, 
except in the limited sense that the Bible teaches 
it; namely, that there is a universal redemption and that 
there shall be a universal opportunity for salvation that 
will apply to every member of Adam's race, either in the 
present life or in the future, under the provisions of the 
Millennial Kingdom. As in the present time the Apostle, 
speaking of the Church, declares that if we sin wilfully 
after we have received a knowledge of the Truth, have 
tasted of the good Word of God and the powers of the 
age to come, if we should fall away, it will be impossible 
to renew such to fellowship with God and the blessing of 
eternal life. The same principle will apply to the 
world of mankind in general when they shall be on trial for 
eternal life during the Millennial Age. Whoever then 
shall enjoy the blessings of that glorious time and not be 
moved to loyalty to God and to righteousness and brought 
to a developed character will not be permitted to go 
beyond the limits of the Millennium into the eternal 
future, but will be utterly destroyed. The same Apostle 
Peter, speaking of this, says, "The soul [individual] who 
will not obey that Prophet [the great Preacher, Messiah, 
during the Millennial Age] shall be destroyed from 
amongst the people." On the contrary, all who do hear 
or obey will be guided in the right way and will gain 
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.--Acts 3:23. 

But such as are unworthy of life during this present 
Age, as well as those who will be found unworthy of eternal 
life in the Millennial Age, will not be preserved by 
Divine Power to all eternity to be tortured. On the contrary, 
the Apostle declares that such will be treated like 
"brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed." (2 Peter 2:12.) 
As St. Paul says, "Whose end is destruction" 
—not preservation in torture. (Phil. 3:19.) This 
is in full harmony with the Scriptural declaration that he 
who has the Son has life; but he who has not the Son 

SM315 

shall not see life, but the wrath of God (the sentence of 



God) abideth on him; and through failure to accept 
Christ he will die the Second Death.--1 John 5:12. 

Let me clearly emphasize in this connection that the 
Scriptures show that the degree of our knowledge measures 
the degree of our responsibility in God's sight. 
Infants and idiots, who have no knowledge whatever, have 
no responsibility whatever, and will evidently deserve no 
stripes or punishment during the Millennial Age. And as 
for the heathen and for those in civilized lands, each one 
has some measure of knowledge and some measure of 
conscience; and the responsibility of each is in proportion 
as he has discernment of right and wrong and obeys or 
disobeys his conscience. The more light, the more intelligence, 
the more knowledge the world may have, the 
greater will be its responsibility and the more will be the 
stripes in the event of unfaithfulness. 

We are not now speaking of the Church, whose members 
are to receive their stripes in this present life, so 
that, as the Apostle says, they may not be condemned 
with the world in the future, in the world's Judgment 
Day, the Millennial Age. We are speaking of those who 
have more or less light of conscience or light from the 
Divine Word, but who make no use of their light, who in 
greater or less degree live in violation of their conscience. 
Let such know assuredly that in proportion as they disregard 
the light they have they are laying up for themselves 
stripes, punishments in the future, and that in proportion 
as they see and do right they are making the pathway 
of the future smooth. This is the principle which 
the Lord enunciated, saying. He that knew his Master's 
will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes, 
while he who knew not and did things worthy of stripes 
shall be beaten with few stripes. —Luke 12:47,48. 



SM316 



HEA VEN AND EARTH BEING SHAKEN 

"Yet once more [finally] I shake not the earth only, 
but also the heavens. "~Heb. 12:26. 

The heavens that are being shaken refer not to the 
Divine residence and Throne, but symbolically represent 
the ecclesiastical system of the present time. The stars, 
or bright ones, have been falling for some time. There 
is a great shaking or confusion now operating in ecclesiastical 
circles. It will progress until, as St. Peter figuratively 
declares, "the heavens shall take fire"--shall 
be consumed, shall cease to be, leaving the way clear for 
the "new heavens," the ecclesiastical system of the Millennium, 
which will be the glorified Church, invisible to 
men, but clothed with Divine power for the blessing of 
mankind, for their release from ignorance and superstition 
and their uplift for a thousand years to return them 
to the image and likeness of God, lost in Eden, redeemed 
at Calvary.--2 Peter 3:10-13. 

The shaking of the earth referred to by the Apostle 
and symbolically by Jesus as earthquakes, signifies revolutions 
that are expected to immediately follow the present 
European war. And if the Pastor understands the 
Bible teaching correctly on this matter, this great symbolic 
earthquake, which will eventuate in anarchy will 
reach its culmination first in Italy. However, this will not 
be merely a sectional shaking; the whole earth, the entire 
social fabric, will be shaken, and everything in it that 
is not of a permanent character—not in harmony with 
Divine Justice, Mercy and Truth—will be shaken loose, 
or, in the symbolical language of St. Peter, the earth, 
society, also shall take fire, and will pass away with a 
great noise, a great commotion, a great disturbance, in 
the fire of anarchy. 

Joel's prophecy, referring to this time, points specifically 

SM317 

to the "blood, the fire and the pillars of smoke," 
which we see already beginning in Europe. More than 
a million men of the flower of Europe, in the bloom of 



life, have shed their blood, although the war is only beginning. 

The explosion of tons of powder and the burning 

of cities and villages is surely a fire in the earth, the 

like of which never occurred before in the same space of 

time; and everywhere the pillars of smoke are rising, not 

only from the battlefield, but also from the burning villages 

and the funeral pyres whereon the dead, too numerous 

to bury, are burned. Whether or not there shall be 

other fulfilments of these signs, we surely see this much 

shaking and this much fulfilment already commenced. 

How much more of the blood and fire and pillars of smoke before the 

terrible ordeal is passed, we can only surmise. 

We have courage to speak of these terrible things only 
because of our full confidence that behind this dark cloud, 
hidden from human sight, is the glad sunrise of the New 
Day--the Day of Messiah. With such a glorious hope 
beyond it—the hope of the Church's glorification in the 
First Resurrection power, and the hope of the world's 
Millennial blessing—God's true people ever5rwhere can 
lift up their heads and rejoice through their tears, even 
as their great Teacher, eighteen centuries ago, prophesied 
that they would do.-Luke 21:28. 



"MY PEOPLE PERISH FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE" 

Many of God's true people have been in ignorance 
of His real character and Plan because stupefied by the 
false doctrines of the Dark Ages. They have not studied 
their Bibles aright. On the contrary, many of them have 
been "overcharged by the cares of this life" and the 
"deceitfulness of riches" and have been unfruitful in 
respect to their character development and knowledge of 
God. The deceitfulness of riches does not signify that 
merely the rich are thus deceived. The great mass of humanity 
are under the lure of riches, spending their earthly 

SM318 

attainments, time and strength of mind and body; searching 
for earthly wealth but getting little. Some of these 
in the distressing times impending, though late, will see 
their mistake and wish that they had been more alert in 
the laying up of Heavenly treasures— knowledge of the 
Bible, of God and character development in His likeness. 



Our Adventist friends are not the only ones who have 
made the mistake of thinking of the fire and shaking of 
the earth and heavens as merely literal. Practically all 
the creeds of "Orthodoxy" give this misinterpretation, 
but now at least it is time that our eyes of understanding 
should open. Now that the shaking and the fire have begun, 
it is high time that we should see that "the earth 
abideth forever." There is no reason why it should be 
destroyed; neither is there reason why humanity should 
be destroyed from off the earth. God's purposes have 
not yet been accomplished. Yea, the Divine Plan is only 
in its infancy. Humanity as yet has learned only its 
first lesson~"the exceeding sinfulness of sin" and the 
bitterness of its results. The second lesson will be given 
by Messiah during the thousand years of His glorious 
Reign of Righteousness. All shall be brought from the 
tomb, from ignorance, superstition, darkness, to fullest 
opportunity, knowledge and blessed uplifting. Only the 
wilful enemies of God and of righteousness shall be destroyed. 
The race thus purged from sin and sinners, 
and again in the Divine image and likeness, will usher 
into its glorious inheritance— an eternity of God's favor 
on earth and life everlasting. —Eccle. 1:4; Rom. 7:13. 



SHAKING OF MOUNT SINAI TYPICAL 

There might be also literal earthquakes and great 
physical changes at this time, intended to bring the 
earth into alignment with Millennial blessings, but we are 
not so sure respecting these physical changes. They may 
or may not play a part in the trouble of this Great Day. 

In our context the Apostle compares the inauguration 
of Messiah's Kingdom, with its New Law Covenant 

SM319 

mediated by the Redeemer, with the typical Law Covenant 

given to Natural Israel at Mount Sinai at the 

hands of the typical mediator Moses. There, the voice, 

the cloud, the darkness, the lightning, the thunders, the 

earthquakes, were literal. Here, now beginning, we have 

the antitypes of these in the inauguration of the Antitypical 

Covenant, which, at the hands of The Christ, is 

to bring the wonderful blessings foretold, to all men. 



St. Paul declares that the Word of the Lord upon this 
subject implies the removing of all things that can be 
shaken, so that only the unshakable things will remain; 
and these unshakable things he associates with God's 
Kingdom of righteousness. When with the eyes of our 
understanding open we look about us, we see very many 
things that evidently are not permanent, not right, 
not satisfactory to God and to all who love righteousness 
and hate iniquity; and when we reflect that the shaking 
will be such as to loosen and destroy all the imperfect 
things of the present time, we can better imagine than 
describe the severity of that shaking. 

In the Revelation this same thought is expressed under 
the figure of a mighty earthquake, the like of which 
there had not been before and would never be thereafter. 
(Rev. 16:18.) Throughout the Apocalypse the term 
earthquake is used to symbolically represent revolution. 
We are to expect, then, a great revolution, a great earthquake, 
which will overthrow everything that is not of 
the Lord's establishment and approval. From this standpoint 
a certain class can read the signs of the times intelligently 
and with confidence; and this class the Scriptures 
call the Lord's "little flock" (Luke 12:32); counted foolish 
by the world, but counted of the Lord as "the wise" 
who are to "understand." (Dan. 12:9,10.) To these 
the Master Himself addressed the words, "There shall 
be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and 
upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; men's 
hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those 

SM320 

things which are coming upon the earth; for the powers 
of heaven shall be shaken." And again, "When these 
things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up 
your heads; for your deliverance draweth nigh." 

The Lord's consecrated people, possessed of His 
Spirit, cannot in any sense rejoice at tribulations coming 
upon others. Their rejoicing can be only in respect to 
the glorious things which they hope to experience and 
know to be near by these outward signs. They rejoice 
not merely on their own behalf, but also on behalf of the 
whole world; for they have the assurance of the Scriptures 
that behind this Time of Trouble, which looms up 
as a dark cloud to cover the entire social world, there 



is a silver lining; and that shortly the glorious Sun of 
Righteousness will blaze forth, dispel every cloud and 
all shadows of ignorance and superstition, and bring to 
mankind the rich blessings of Divine favor secured 
through the precious blood of Christ. 



GREAT CHANGES NOW DUE 

Evidently wonderful changes will be effected, some 
to be brought about gradually. We all know of the gradual 
change of the temperate zone—its extension further 
and further and further toward the poles. We notice 
also the increasing moderation nearer to the equator. 
Those who recognize the Power of God can have full confidence 
that He is able to perform all the glorious promises 
of His Word respecting the paradisaical conditions 
of this earth for the use of mankind during the Millennial 
Age and the ages to follow. 

As already intimated, social upheavals are pictured 
in the Word of God under the symbolism of earthquakes, 
"mountains carried into the sea," etc. These uprisings 
in anarchy are pictured as tidal waves engulfing the 
"mountains"~governments. This is one of the most 
forceful pictures used, in the Psalms, in Revelation and 
in our Lord's symbolical reference to the great Time of 
Trouble near at hand.~Psa. 46:2. 

SM321 

Let us not be understood as advocating anarchy or 
revolution of any kind. On the contrary, we are giving 
heed to the Master's injunction that all His true followers 
seek peace and pursue it; that they like Himself resist 
not evil with evil, force with force, but commit their 
way unto the Lord, walk in His paths, relying upon Him 
for the results that will be to their profit and His glory. 
We hold and teach that even the meanest and poorest 
government is superior to anarchy; and in full sympathy 
and kindness we counsel those tending toward Socialism 
that they are unsuspectingly "hatching cockatrice eggs"; 
for under present conditions Socialism is absolutely impossible. 
The rich will not give up their advantages 
without a struggle to the death; and this, as soon as Socialism 
shall have gained the power it is seeking, will spell 



anarchy for the world; for those now entertaining Socialistic 
hopes will find those hopes vain, and will become 
angered, embittered, mad, with the deceptions of their 
theories and the impossibility of carrying them out, as 
they intended, along the lines of benevolence. Then they 
will be drawn to the desperate methods of the anarchist. 

We urge all who are the Lord's to seek to more and 
more understand His wonderful Plan of Salvation, to 
glorify Him in their bodies and spirits, which are His, 
and to wait for His time and manner of bringing in the 
blessings which all see are so much needed by the poor 
"groaning creation." Meantime, all such should cultivate 
the graces of the Holy Spirit, should "put on 
Christ," His character. His meekness, patience, long suffering, 
brotherly-kindness, love, against which there is 
no law. "If ye do these things, ye shall never fall; for 
so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly 
into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ." -2 Peter 1:10,11. 

SM322 



THE SCIENCE OF HEALTH, 

"Be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. "~3 John 2. 

In this day of general awakening and independent 
thinking, many are coming to realize the wonderful power 
of the mind over the body. They fancy that this is something 
new, and some even appropriate as a name for their 
theories the "New Thought." Other names are Christian 
Science, Mental Healing, Hypnotism, Mind Cures, 
etc. Peculiarly enough, all these writers find the best 
expression of their sentiments in the language of Scripture, 
although they ignore the Scriptural teachings as 
a whole and very evidently do not understand them. For 
instance, favorite amongst their quotations are these: 
"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7); 
"Be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds" 
(Rom. 12:2); "Changed into the same image from glory 
to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18), and 
again, "Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also 
reap." -Gal. 6:7; Prov. 4:20-22. 

But, notwithstanding tributes to the teachings of the 



Bible, so far as we can discern few of these "mind-cure" 
teachers are really "believers" in the Scriptural sense 
of the word. We have yet to find any of them willing to 
accept the Bible teachings connected with the very passages 
just quoted. Very generally, while referring to 
Jesus in a respectful manner, they give evidence that 
they do not accept Him as the only Teacher—the Sent of 
God. Rather they seem to class Him with Plato, Socrates, 
Confucius, and others of the good and great, and to accept 
His teachings as on a parity with theirs. As for the 
Apostles these teachers quote their words, but generally 
ignore their teachings. (Col. 2:3.) The advocates of 
these false doctrines are surprisingly active everywhere. 

SM323 



ON A FALSE FOUNDATION 

We do not claim that these various theories are wholly 
bad, wholly false. Satan himself is aware that nothing 
that is wholly false could succeed; hence the Apostle says 
there is a "deceivableness of unrighteousness," and 
"Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (2 Thess. 2:10; 
2 Cor. 11:14.) Having kept the world in 
darkness for long centuries, as the Apostle explains, "The 
god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe 
not," Satan now realizes that it is impossible to shut 
out the light of the incoming Day. Hence his transformation, 
by which he becomes a leader, teacher, is along what 
might be termed good lines in many respects. He would 
be a teacher of gentleness, quietness of spirit, good 
thoughts, pure thoughts. He would teach the downwardness 
of every evil thought, every evil passion, every impurity 
of mind, word, and deed, and theoretically he 
would be an angel of light. In this capacity he now is 
flooding the world with spurious teachings, and making 
a special point of mental healing. Indeed we cannot 
doubt that he even stands prepared to assist these theories 
which he is now promulgating by granting blessings 
of health and relief from disease to those whom he would 
more particularly associate with himself and his theories. 
This power is manifest to some extent in the healings 
done in the name of Mormonism, in the name of Christian 
Science, in the name of Spiritism, in the name of Occultism, 



in the name of Mind Cure, etc. 

But what motive could Satan have in so doing? Is 
there any power in respect to disease under his control? 
We answer the last question first. The Scriptures everywhere 
not only recognize Satan as a malevolent being, opposed 
to God and to righteousness, but they declare that 
he does possess certain power for evil. In olden times 
these were known as occult powers, and the Apostles 
wrote about those who were afflicted of the devil. Our 
Lord said of one poor woman whom He healed, "Whom 

SM324 

Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years." (Luke 13:16.) 
Mrs. Eddy's son, in a published newspaper interview, 
declared his belief that his mother was under 
occult influence, and that she herself acknowledged this 
to him years ago. 

Answering the other question: God declares in His 
Word His ability to control sin completely, and promises 
that ultimately He will do this—that Satan shall be bound 
during the thousand years of the Millennial Kingdom of 
Christ, during which time the world will be blessed and 
uplifted from sin and death and from the malevolent 
influences that are now upon mankind. They declare that 
even in the present time God will permit the wrath of 
man and the malevolence of Satan only so far as He can 
use these ultimately for good, and that the remainder 
He will restrain. In other words, God at the present 
time is gathering out of the world the "little flock," the 
Bride of Christ, whom He designates His "jewels"; and 
He uses Satan, evil men and the malevolent conditions 
of the present time to try, to prove, to test, to polish these 
saints whom He is preparing for the Heavenly Kingdom 
—for joint-heir ship with His Son in the work of the Millennial 
age- -the work of uplifting humanity, so many as 
will return. -Isa. 66:18. 

We might say, then, that the adverse influences of the 
present time constitute the grindstone upon which these 
jewels are polished, and that Satan through his various 
agencies is used of the Lord in turning this grindstone. 
And this is the Scriptural thought. Note the experience 
of Job, and how God in his case gave Satan permission 
to try, to prove, to test that noble man—to polish him. 
Note that the Apostle similarly refers to his own experiences, 



saying that a certain adverse condition of the flesh 
was used of Satan to buffet him, but that the Lord assured 
him, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for My 
strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9.) 
Therefore, says the Apostle, I will glory in my infirmities, 

SM325 

since I shall have correspondingly more of the grace of 
God wherewith to resist them and be profited by them. 
For, he declares, the light afflictions of this present time 
are working out for us a far more exceeding and eternal 
weight of glory, while we look away from the things seen 
to the things that are unseen.--2 Cor. 4:17,18. 



DECEITFULNESS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS 

In these words the Apostle points out that Satan will 
be granted by the Lord special power in the end of this 
Age, and that as a result there will be special, severe testings 
upon the people of God. We are to discriminate 
closely between Divine permission and Divine authorization. 
We are to remember that "God tempteth no man" 
(Jas. 1:13), and that it is a totally different matter that 
He permits Satan to tempt. The Divine thought as interpreted 
by the Apostle is that the Lord's people of our 
day have had special opportunities, privileges, mercies, 
blessings and assistances in respect to the Divine Word. 
Such as have been of the right disposition of heart profited 
by these opportunities, and became strong in the 
Lord and in the power of His might. They have put on 
the whole armor of God, and are therefore strong, and 
can stand much more of testing than others could have 
done, less favored in the past. It will be no injustice to 
these that after they have been better qualified they 
should be expected to fight the good fight more valiantly 
than others can do. 

But why will these tests come when the Lord knows 
that a "thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand 
at thy right hand," as He has foretold by the Prophet? 
We answer that He wishes some to fall. They will not 
be falling into eternal torment, nor falling into the Second 
Death, but merely falling away from a Christian profession 
and a nominal faith, which in many respects have 



been mere forms of godliness without real meaning or 
power. Thus the Lord would separate the wheat class 
from the tare class, and not only so, but divide the wheat 

SM326 

class into two portions, two classes—a "little flock" of 
"more than conquerors," and a "great company," loyal 
at heart but not sufficiently zealous to be counted worthy 
a place as members of the Bride of Christ. These are 
represented as the "virgins," the "companions" of the 
Bride, who also shall be brought near before the King 
in due time, and who shall have an honorable place beyond 
the veil.-Psa. 45:14; Rev. 7:9. 

So much for the reasons why God permits Satan now 
to masquerade as the champion of pure thoughts and 
righteous living, and to deceive and lead astray all 
those who, having the Word of God in their hands, have 
loved the error rather than the light. Or, as the Apostle 
puts it, "They receive not the Truth in the love of it"; 
therefore now there come to them strong delusions that 
they may believe a lie, that they all may be condemned-- 
that it may be manifested that they were not worthy of 
the glorious things which God has in reservation for 
those who love righteousness and hate iniquity, who love 
the Truth and hate falsehood.--! Thess. 2:11,12. 



SELFISHNESS AND FALSEHOOD REWARDED 

We are not uncharitable but truthful when we say 
that in the case of many of these false teachings the reward 
of health is sought from selfish motives purely. 
Nor are we too severe when we say that the health is 
frequently secured as a reward for systematic falsification. 
The very teaching is that the facts are to be denied 
and that the denial, the untruth, is to be insisted upon 
until it becomes a very part of one's being. Those who 
take this evil mind-cure are taught to lie to themselves 
as well as to others, and to say, "I have no pain, I have 
no aches, I am well, thoroughly well." This systematic 
lying is no doubt rewarded by the father of lies who, if 
he had the power to inflict with all manner of diseases in 
olden times, doubtless has considerable of the same power 
today; and if he has power to inflict he would also have 



SM327 

power to release somewhat from his affliction. Very 
different from this is the plan which the Lord gives 
through His Word; yea, the Word of God, the Truth, 
stands forth pre-eminently. As our dear Redeemer said: 
God's very name is Righteousness, "Thy Word is 
Truth." The power of selfishness in this system is seen 
in the fact that, for the sake of relief from the aches and 
pains, many, very many, are willing thus to deny the 
Truth, to deceive others and to deceive themselves. 

But, do you say, how could Satan be interested in such 
a propaganda? We reply: (1) That all who follow this 
prescription and learn to lie thoroughly to themselves 
thereby vitiate their own minds and consciences so that 
thereafter they cannot reason correctly because they have 
lost the foundation of Truth. Their minds are in confusion, 
upon every religious subject at least. With them 
the entire Word of God has become warped and twisted. 
Their minds are perverted. It is impossible to influence 
them with the Truth. They are wholly captives to the 
error and caught by their love of relief from pain and 
their willingness to have relief at the cost of the Truth. 
(2) By this so-called new light, new thought, new mind, 
science, etc., the Adversary directs and draws away from 
the true light, the true science, the Word of God. He 
kept it hidden under a foreign language for centuries, 
called the "dark ages"; then, subsequently, as the Reformation 
light broke in, he endeavored to turn it aside, 
and to twist it and to misrepresent it. So, now, when the 
true light is shining forth, showing that the Word of God 
is grand, beautiful and harmonious, and that our difficulties 
in the past were mistranslations and misinterpretations 
of the Word, Satan draws attention away from 
it entirely to what his unwitting votaries style the power 
of the new thought, the new mind. (3) Those whom 
Satan is using in this direction, as we have already seen, 
quote Scriptures freely wherever they can pervert them 
to an apparent support of their theories. But they do 

SM328 

not really believe the Scriptures, neither do they really 
believe in Christ. Does this seem a hard saying? 



We answer that by their words they deny Christ; for 
although they use His name—as, for instance, Christian 
Scientists—they really deny the foundation of His teachings. 
They deny, for instance, that man was ever perfect, 
in the image of God; they deny that he ever fell from 
perfection into sin; they deny that a death penalty was 
upon him. They declare that there is no such thing as 
sin and death, that belief in these are merely mental delusions 
that should be put away. And if they deny sin 
and death, of necessity, logically, they must also deny a 
redemption from sin and from death; and if they deny 
the redemptive work of Christ they as surely deny that 
He is the Redeemer. I call your attention to Mrs. Eddy's 
latest published statement, so far as we know. It appeared 
in the "Christian Science Sentinel," copied from 
the "New York American" and endorsed as true. In it 
she says, "If there had never existed such a person as 
the Galilean Prophet, it would make no difference to me." 
This statement was no doubt made inadvertently, but 
the spirit of it runs through everything that is written 
along the lines of Christian Science, New Thought, Mind 
Cure, etc. The essence of all this teaching is, "Every 
man his own savior," by transforming his own thoughts 
from evil to good, from disease to health, etc. 



"LOOK UNTO ME AND BE SAVED" 

We are opposed to Satan and all his healing falsehoods 
and to all the various delusive arguments by which 
he is now seeking to put darkness for light, and to make 
the true light of God's Word appear to be darkness. It 
is time that every soldier of the cross should see to it that 
he is lifting high the royal banner, not only as respects 
his own heart and experiences but also as respects his 
influence upon fellow- soldiers of the cross, that all may 
put on the whole armor of God and be able to withstand 
the attacks of the Adversary in this evil day, and fighting 

SM329 

the good fight of faith, to be esteemed as more than conquerors 
by our dear Redeemer, through the Word of His 
testimony. While, therefore, others are looking to Mind-Cures, 
Hypnotism, Christian Science, Spiritism, Occultism, 



and other "isms" selfishly, for the cure of their 

maladies, let us hearken to the voice from Heaven, saying, 

"Look unto Me, and be ye saved." (Isa. 45:22.) Let us 

be content to have what the Lord has promised us in His 

Word and to desire no more. And, on the other hand, 

let us not be content with anything less than He has promised 

us. God promised typical Israel health, wealth, prosperity, 

in proportion as they would be obedient and loyal 

to Him. But those blessings were all to an earthly people 

and were earthly blessings. Spiritual Israel enjoys 

God's favor during this Gospel Age, and is promised 

health, wealth and prosperity of a spiritual kind. 

Indeed the Spiritual Israelite is exhorted to have such 
an appreciation of the spiritual blessings proffered him 
that he would gladly surrender all of the earthly blessings 
that he may have the Heavenly—even to the extent of 
laying down wealth, strength, life itself in the service of 
the Lord and on behalf of the brethren. "We ought to 
lay down our lives for the brethren," says the Apostle. 
(1 John 3:16.) And the laying down of life frequently 
means the laying down of health and strength. It means 
self-denial in the interests of others. It is the reverse 
of seeking first physical health and personal advantage. 
Its rule is. Seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, 
and all earthly blessings shall be added unto 
you according to the Heavenly Father's wisdom of what 
would be for your highest welfare. Of those who make 
the earthly interests the chief concern of life, physical 
health and prosperity the chief aim, the Apostle says, 
"Whose god is their belly, and whose glory is their 
shame, who mind earthly things. "--Phil. 3:19. 

True Christians, the Elect, are urged to set their affections 
on things above and not on the things of the 

SM330 

earth; for they are reckoned as dead to the world and 
as having become alive as New Creatures in Christ and 
as therefore enjoying with Him superior joys— seated 
in the Heavenlies with Christ Jesus. These can thank 
God often for earthly adversities, and can say with the 
Apostle, "These light afflictions that are but for a moment 
are working out for us a far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory"; and again, with the Prophet, 
"Before I was afflicted I went astray." (2 Cor. 4:17; 



Psa. 119:67.) They have afflictions and trials which to 
others may seem wonderfully severe but to these—because 
of the grace of God and because their affections are 
set on High—these are esteemed to be light afflictions and 
as only momentary, because the Lord's grace is sufficient 
for them. As the Lord permitted Satan to have some 
power over Job, so He has permitted him to put some of 
His saints on the grindstone, and to do for them a grand 
polishing work, as the result of which, under the Lord's 
supervision of their interests, they shall sparkle and 
shine gloriously by and by. 



"BE IN HEALTH-EVEN AS THY SOUL PROSPERETH" 

Our text presents another side of this question which 
many of the Lord's dear people evidently have overlooked. 
On account of this oversight many of them are 
perplexed by the teachings of the Adversary respecting 
the power of the mind in the care of the body, in its comfort, 
its joy, its prosperity. Had they properly studied 
and properly appreciated the wonderful teachings of the 
Bible they would be ready to say at once to these mind-healers, 
etc., "O my dear friend, we Christians have full 
instructions along those lines in the Word of God, and 
much clearer and much better than you have them, because 
on a much better foundation of reason and logic, 
built upon the Redemption Sacrifice of Christ and the 
blessings which God's Word assures us flow from it." 

The Scriptures acknowledge sin, sorrow, pain, suffering, 
death; and they teach us to sympathize with those 

SM331 

who are thus afflicted. They show us that all these are 
the works of the flesh and the Devil, that Satan was a 
murderer from the beginning, that it was through his lie 
that our first parents were led into disobedience. They 
show that Satan's course since has been to lead men 
downward through error, through falsehood, through the 
perversion of their minds with all manner of untruth and 
impurity. They show God's condemnation of sin and 
His declaration of sympathy, and the manifestation of 
that sympathy and love in the providing of Christ as 
man's Redeemer. They show that ultimately the Redeemer 



is to be the King of the world and to take His 
great power and bind Satan, destroy all unrighteousness, 
and lift up the poor fallen race during the Millennial Age, 
called in the Scriptures the "Times of Restitution of all 
things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all the 
holy Prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:19-21.) 
They tell us that this will be accomplished at the Second 
Coming of Christ and that in the interim between the sacrifice 
and the time of the establishment of the Kingdom 
in power and great glory a special work is in progress; 
namely, the selection of a Little Flock of footstep-followers 
who, hearing of the grace of God, have been so moved 
thereby to love righteousness and hate iniquity that they 
have accepted the Master's invitation to walk in His 
footsteps of self-denial, self-sacrifice, under the promise 
that if they do so faithfully they shall be sharers with 
Him in His glory, honor, immortality and work of blessing 
and uplifting the race during the Millennial Age. 



"A MORE EXCELLENT WAY" 

We have been surprised that Christian people of considerable 
development and experience have been attracted 
by the literature and theories of Mind Cure, etc., when 
we have heard them comment upon the good, helpful advice 
given in some of these writings. We have been astonished 
that they did not seem to know how much better 
advice is given in the Word of God, in comparison with 

SM332 

which all such writings are but as twaddle and nonsense. 
The little truth they contain is so mixed with error as to 
remind us of a story told by an African missionary, that, 
traveling through a torrid country almost destitute of 
streams, himself and family and several natives came 
upon a pool of water almost dried up. The natives 
jumped in and splashed and cooled themselves from head 
to foot with the wet mud; and the missionary and his 
family were glad to take some of the same after it had 
been thus washed in, and squeeze the water out to get 
a drink. If, in the illustration, the water represented 
Truth, and the wet mud error, it seems as though a 
considerable number of people with the Bible in their 



homes know not of the spring of living water which it 
contains, useful for their refreshment in every way. If 
they knew of this surely they would not stop to squeeze 
the few drops of water from the mud and slime of the 
various "New Thought" books, tracts, articles, etc. 

In illustration: These various "New Thought" instructors 
give out as a piece of news, as something thoroughly 
original with themselves, the declaration that fear 
is the basis of much of the pain and sorrow and disease 
of mind and body which prevail. There is truth in this 
beyond a doubt, a truth that was recognized and taught 
long ago by physicians of every school; namely, that to 
fear a disease is to induce the disease; and the same lesson 
in much its best form is taught in the Scriptures. For 
centuries they have been telling such as have the ear to 
hear that while "the fear [reverence] of the Lord is the 
beginning of wisdom," the "fear of man bringeth a 
snare." Do they not again declare that "fear hath torment" 
or trouble? Do they not exhort God's people saying, 
"Fear not their fear, neither be afraid, but sanctify 
the Lord God in your heart, and let Him be your fear and 
Him be your dread." In other words, fear nothing except 
what would be displeasing to God, and therefore 
wrong and injurious toward yourself and others. 

SM333 

On the other side of the question do not the Scriptures 
hold out hope and courage in a way that no other writings 
in the world ever did? Do they not say, "Be of 
good courage and He shall strengthen thine heart?" Do 
they not apply this mental medicine to all of life's affairs 
and interests, as, for instance, assuring us, "The Father 
knoweth what things ye have need of," and He "is more 
willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask than 
are earthly parents to give good gifts unto their children?" 
Do they not assure us that "As our days so shall 
our strength be?" Do they not tell us that "No good 
thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly?" 
Is it not written, "The eternal God is thy Refuge, and 
underneath are the Everlasting Arms"? Again, "Thy 
help Cometh from the Lord"; "Let not your heart be 
troubled, neither let it be afraid"; "Take no anxious 
thought for the morrow"; "Cast all your cares upon 
Him; for He careth for you"; "It is God that girdeth me 



with strength"; "When thou passest through the waters, 
I will be with thee; and through the rivers they shall not 
overflow thee"; "Surely I will be with thee"; "My 
strength is made perfect in weakness"; "If God be for 
us who can be against us?" "He hath said, I will never 
leave thee nor forsake thee"; "When He giveth peace 
who then can make trouble?" and again, "Let the peace 
of God which passeth all understanding rule in your 
hearts, and be ye thankful." 



THEIR ROCK IS NOT AS OUR ROCK 

What a rock foundation is thus presented in the Word 
of God for those who have the proper faith and can 
claim these promises! How wishy-washy and puerile 
in comparison are the words of the worldly-wise 
of our day, who are attempting to give the world 
the "New Thought" —attempting to take away their 
fear and instead to give them hope and courage. We 
might say without fear of contradiction that the only 
strength their position contains is gained from the occasional 

SM334 

misapplication of Scripture. We say misapplication 
of Scriptures advisedly; for the Scriptures are 
applicable only to the class who have made their peace 
with God according to His own terms, and are not applicable 
to the world, which the Scriptures declare "lieth 
in the Wicked One" and are still "children of wrath." 
The messages of peace which the Bible extends are 
not for the world. On the contrary, we read, "There is 
no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." (Isa. 57:21.) The 
peace, the joy, the rejoicing, the blessing, the comfort, 
the refreshment, the rest of heart set forth in the foregoing 
expression of sympathy and love and assurances 
of help are all and only for the Lord's beloved ones, His 
saints. His holy ones—those mentioned through the 
Prophet, saying, "Gather together My saints unto Me; 
those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice." 
(Psa. 50:5.) "They shall be Mine, saith the Lord, in 
that Day when I come to make up My jewels." (Mai. 3:17.) 
"But unto the wicked God saith. What hast thou 
to do to declare My statutes, or that thou shouldst take 



My covenant into thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction 
and casteth My words behind thee."--Psa. 50:16,17; 
Matt. 11:28-30. 



CLEANSED, TRANSFORMED, RENEWED 

These "new thoughts" are antagonistic to the Bible, 
and anti-Christian in that they teach unregenerate men 
and women to ignore the sin which separates them from 
God, and to claim to be God's children and to appropriate 
promises of peace and of Divine favor—thoughts contrary 
to the doctrines of devils, which ignore Him who is 
the Way, the Truth, the Life; and aside from whom none 
can come unto the Father nor under Divine blessing, nor 
properly have peace with God. 

These philosophies of men seem to parallel the Truth 
on a false basis. This is another evidence that they are 
not merely of human origin, but that the father of lies 
has had to do with their arrangement and propaganda. 

SM335 

They give out as a brand new thought that all disease is 
the result of filth, mental, physical or both; that the 
proper course for man is to put away sinful thoughts, impure 
affections, from his mind, and to fill it instead with 
good things; that his body similarly should be cleansed 
by an abundant use of water, inwardly and externally; 
that the system should not be clogged by gluttony, else 
the blood will become impure and sickness result; that 
the air we breathe should be pure and plentiful; and that 
physical exercise is necessary to proper health. To all 
this we agree. It is all good, it is all useful, and we wish 
that all mankind--the world and Christians-might appreciate 
it and obey its suggestions. 

But it would be a mistake to suppose that these things 
are new to a Christian who is informed respecting the 
teachings of the Word of God. Is he not therein taught 
by the Apostle, "Cleanse yourselves from all filthiness 
of the flesh and the spirit [mind]?" Is he not urged to 
be abstemious and instructed- "Let your moderation be 
made known unto all men?" Is not purity of thought, 
word and deed inculcated by the words of Jesus and the 
Apostles? Are we not taught that the beginning of the 



cleansing work, the purifying work, the transforming 
work is in the heart, and that if we get the heart right, 
the effect will be a proportionate cleansing and purifying 
of the flesh? Did not the Master teach this when 
He said, "Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall 
see God?"--Matt. 5:8. 

Did not the Apostle teach the same when he taught 
that out of an evil heart proceedeth enmities, murders, 
blasphemies, etc.? Did not the Master Himself say that 
an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth 
forth evil fruitage in his life? and that a good man out 
of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good 
fruitage of kindness, mercy and love--good works? Did 
not our Lord go further than any good teacher ever went 
before or since when He declared that whoever in his 

SM336 

heart hateth his brother, is in heart a murderer? that he 
who in heart desires adultery is in effect an adulterer? 
and that he who in his heart covets the things of another 
is in effect a thief? Is it not the Scriptures which enunciate 
the now well-known proverb, "Out of the abundance 
of the heart the mouth speaketh?" Is not this the reason 
why the Scriptures everywhere exhort—not the world, 
but those whom they address, who will appreciate good 
from the right standpoint, and are building upon the 
only foundation which He can recognize, on the redemptive 
work of Christ—to be pure in heart? For such Jesus 
prayed, "Sanctify them through Thy Truth; Thy Word is 
Truth.'-John 17:17; Matt. 12:34. 

The "New Thought" teaching that anger, by its effect 
upon the nerves, throws off into the blood a poisonous 
element which tends toward disease, and therefore 
that anger should be avoided, but that correspondingly 
good and loving thoughts produce healthful currents in 
the system, which make for peace of mind and of body 
and for health and strength, may be inculcating something 
that will be beneficial to the world, but certainly 
not to the Lord's saints. The latter should all know that 
this is the teaching of God's Word; and all should have 
realized in considerable measure the advantageous results 
in their own experience. That is to say, all Christians 
should know that the Scriptures direct that their 
minds should be transformed-that they should put away 



all these, anger, malice, envy, hatred, strife (Col. 3:8), 
and that they should put on instead the fruits and graces 
of the Lord's Holy Spirit-meekness, gentleness, patience, 
long-suffering, brotherly kindness, love. (1 Tim. 6:11.) 
They should remember the Apostle Peter's words, "As 
obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according 
to the former desires in your ignorance; but as He that 
has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of living." 
-1 Pet. 1:14,15. 
The general teachings of the Word of God for those 

SM337 

who have made the consecration of themselves is that 
they should set their affections on things above and not 
on things of earth; that they should be transformed by 
the renewing of their minds; that they should seek to 
prove, to know, the good and perfect and acceptable will 
of God. What does this mean but a purifying of the 
thoughts, the lifting of them from sensual, earthly things 
and fixing them upon the higher and nobler things which 
accord with the Divine character and the wonderful Plan 
of God of which our present high calling is a part--to 
be heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord 
in His Kingdom, and as heirs of the great Abrahamic 
Covenant thereunder bless all the families of the earth 
during the Millennial Age? Well does the Apostle say of 
this cleansing, "If a man cleanse himself from these he 
shall be a vessel fit for honor and meet for the Master's 
use." -2 Tim. 2:21; Psa. 15. 



"THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY" 

It is not a new thought that love should be the guiding, 
the controlling impulse amongst men everywhere. 
But the Bible first of all presented this teaching—love 
for God and the brethren, love for kindred, love for 
our neighbors, yea, even love for our enemies. It is 
the Bible that pre-eminently teaches that perfect love 
filling our hearts will cast out fear and selfishness; and 
that relieved of these— which are the representatives of 
darkness-our whole bodies may be full of light and be 
refreshed and reinvigorated and strengthened, and that 
thus we may be blessed, not only in the life to come but 



also in the life that now is. But we hold, with the Scriptures, 
that while a kind of love may be possible to the 
world, the real genuine love which is of God can come 
only through the begetting of the Holy Spirit, and all 
other loves are merely fragments or imitations of this 
true love. This love alone will stand the careful inspection 
and criticism which the Apostle gives us in 1 Cor. 13. 
In concluding this subject we urge upon all who have 

SM338 

approached the Father through the new and living way 
opened by the Redeemer's sacrifice to exercise more and 
more of faith and trust in His goodness and in His wonderful 
provision for all those who are seeking to know 
and to do His will. As we come to understand His Word 
more fully we find that He has made provision—not merely 
for those whose eyes and ears are now open to hear 
His message—but that eventually all the families of the 
earth will be pleased to know of His gracious provision 
and offer, through Christ, of eternal life. This should 
give us a rest and peace of heart which the world little 
understands. And in respect to our own affairs shall 
we not apply the gracious promises? Shall we not rest 
upon them? Shall we not allow the peace of God to rule 
in our hearts? In proportion as we do this we shall be 
refreshed, reinvigorated in mind and in body. 



VALUE OF GOOD THOUGHTS 

In proportion as we by faith grasp the promises, and 
in proportion as we daily strive to live so as to maintain 
our relationship with the Father and with the Son and 
with their gracious promises, in that same proportion 
our faces will show all these— joy, peace, patience, love. 
These will gradually become more and more written in 
the lineaments of our faces, visible to all. And more 
and more will our health and strength prevail, spiritual 
and physical. It is proper in this connection to remember 
the instruction of the Apostle, that we should not think 
about the evil and undesirable things, but think about 
the pure, good, noble things. Undoubtedly a poisonous 
effect upon the system is engendered by thinking about 
sinful or injurious things of any kind. Undoubtedly also 



the body and mind are both strengthened by thinking 

about things noble, good and pure. The Apostle's words 

are, "Whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are 

true, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are 

of good repute, think on these things. "--Phil. 4:8; John 13:34,35; 

Rom. 13:8-10. 

SM339 

As daily and hourly we seek to cultivate this spirit 
of love, and to allow it to dominate in our words and 
deeds, in the same proportion will be the measure of our 
blessing, because in this we shall be "doers of the Word 
and not hearers only." We are not, however, to place 
too high an estimate upon the present life, and health 
and earthly blessings and joys. Rather we are to be content 
with such things as we have, and to realize the Divine 
supervision of our affairs and to allow all of life's experiences 
to bring us more and more of the peace of God 
which passeth all understanding and which should continually 
rule in our hearts. But while not seeking to save 
the present life, but rejoicing in the privilege of laying 
it down prudently in the Lord's service as opportunity 
offers, we shall, nevertheless, find that the rest and peace 
of mind which comes through believing and through following 
the Lord will be a favorable influence as respects 
our physical health, peace, joy, blessing. We who believe 
enter into rest now, and yet, as the Apostle declared, 
"There remaineth a rest for the people of God." 
(Heb. 4:9.) We shall attain that in our change in the 
First Resurrection~we shall be satisfied when we wake 
in His likeness. ~Psa. 17:15. 

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." This is 
not to be understood as meaning that whatever a man 
thinks is true. That is a false definition; the correct 
thought respecting this statement is that what a man may 
seem to be outwardly is not necessarily a correct view 
of his real character—his heart, his will, his intention, the 
real man as God sees him. If, therefore, our hearts condemn 
us not, we have peace with God; but if our hearts 
condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts 
and knoweth all things. Then we should not have peace, 
but should repent of the wrong-doing and come again 
into harmony with God, where we may enjoy true peace. 
The Apostle illustrated this, saying, "If any man seem 



to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth 

SM340 

his own heart, that man's religion is vain." (Jas. 1:26.) 
Outwardly he might have seeming piety, might be a 
church attendant, etc., but so surely as his heart is 
changed, so surely as he is begotten of the Holy Spirit, 
so surely as the Spirit of love dwelleth in his heart and 
more and more abounds richly, it will affect not only his 
actions but also his looks and his words. He will seek 
to bridle his tongue, to bridle all of his passions, to be 
emptied of his former ambitions and desires, and to be 
filled with the noblest, purest and best which come to us 
from the fountain of grace and truth in God's Word. 

The majority of mankind, fearful and discouraged, fail 
to make the best possible use of their talents and opportunities. 
The Scriptures instruct those who have entered 
the School of Christ that the will is the first matter 
to be settled--that a double-minded man, who has 
never a settled purpose in respect to his life, is unstable 
in all his ways. They urge positiveness~a full consecration 
of heart, mind, body, talents, everything to the 
Lord. To those who take this position of a full consecration 
the Scriptures give valuable assurances which 
should strengthen every fiber of the human body. As the 
Apostle expresses it, "Gird up the loins of your minds 
and hope to the end," as again he says, "Be strong in 
the Lord and in the power of His might," and again, "According 
to thy faith be it unto thee." O what marvelous 
power has come to weak and fainting hearts through the 
fixing of the will—the conversion of the will to do and to 
be in harmony with the Lord at any cost— and the appropriating 
then of these promises, exceeding great and 
precious, which, belong to none others than this class! 
How many have found that thus the Lord's strength was 
made perfect in their weakness after they had taken the 
proper step of consecration—after they had exercised 
the faith which He called for, and which is necessary for 
our development! No wonder these can rejoice in the 
Lord-no wonder the Apostle says that they are able to 
rejoice in tribulation!— Rom. 5:1-5. 



SM341 



NOAH'S ARK A TYPE OF CHRIST 

"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also 
now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, 
but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the 
resurrection of Jesus Christ. "~1 Peter 3:21. 

We see from the context that the Apostle Peter has in 
mind the great Deluge. He reminds his readers that all 
mankind perished in the Flood save eight souls, who were 
preserved from a watery grave by means of the Ark 
which God provided them. That Ark, though submerged 
in water, was their salvation. St. Peter declares that this 
is a "like figure to baptism." We are to notice that those 
who were saved in the Deluge were not saved from eternal 
torment, and that a like figure of salvation would not indicate 
that the Church is saved from eternal torment by 
their baptism into Christ. Noah and his family were 
saved from death; and the Church of Christ are likewise 
saved from death through their baptism. 

As the whole world perished in the great Flood, so the 
entire world of mankind now is a dead world, a perishing 
world. The Church class were of that world until they 
got out of it through Christ. As Noah and his family 
were saved from death by coming into the Ark in obedience 
to God, so the Church of Christ are saved from 
Adamic death by obedience to God, by accepting His offer 
of salvation. (John 17:16; 15:19.) Noah's Ark represented 
Christ. Whoever comes into Christ comes into 
safety and salvation, out of danger and destruction. All 
who come into this relationship to God in Christ are said 
to have "passed from death unto life. "--John 5:24. 

Only a very limited number come into Christ and fulfil 
this picture. It does not include those who merely say, 
"I wish to live a better life." To do this is commendable; 
but it does not constitute a coming into Christ; for as the 

SM342 

Apostle says, "If any man be in Christ, he is a New 

Creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things 

are become new." (2 Cor. 5:17.) Just how much is comprehended 



in the words "a New Creature" even true 
Christians come to see only gradually. A New Creature 
is one who has died to his human nature, who has new 
hopes, new ambitions, new affections, who has the precious 
promises of God and the prospect of a spiritual 
existence in the future instead of a human existence. He 
is an exception to others in that he has been begotten of 
the Holy Spirit. From the Divine standpoint he is no 
longer a human being; a new life has begun in him. 

This New Creature is at first a babe, and must take 
spiritual nourishment and grow up into Christ more and 
more. God has provided the "exceeding great and precious 
promises" of His Word, that this class might be 
stimulated, strengthened, developed, thereby becoming 
more firm for righteousness and in opposition to whatever 
is sinful. The Church is indeed a New Creation, as 
the Apostle says.--2 Peter 1:4; Eph. 2:2. 



TWO LIKE FIGURES OF CHURCH'S SALVATION 

Coming back to our text: We notice that St. Peter 
says, "The like figure whereunto baptism doth now save 
us." Salvation through the Ark was one figure of the 
salvation of the Church through baptism into Christ; 
baptism in water is another. There is a correspondence 
between these two figures. Noah and his family were 
submerged in literal water. Candidates for baptism are 
also submerged in literal water. But in neither case was 
it the water that saved. Nor is it the outward baptism 
that saves us, except in a figure. It represents the real. 
But the figure is not in washing away the filth of the flesh 
(the body) in water. And the filth of our flesh as New 
Creatures can be washed away only by the grace of God 
in Christ, "by the washing of water by the Word" ; it is 
a gradual process after we become New Creatures. So 
neither of these is what is prefigured in water baptism. 

SM343 

Our text is pointing out to us a peculiar baptism, not 
a baptism that washes the flesh clean, either literally or 
figuratively, but "the answer [the response] of a good 
conscience toward God." What has God said to which we 
should respond? We reply that our Heavenly Father 



has called us, invited us, to a wonderful Heavenly inheritance, 
and we respond by accepting His proposition. He 
has invited us to be a separate people. Just exactly as 
God said to Noah and his family that they should be saved 
by gathering into the Ark, so He says to all who 
are invited during this Gospel Age, "Gather My saints 
together unto Me, those who have made a Covenant with 
Me by Sacrifice."--Psa. 50:5. 

Let us notice to whom we are to be gathered. Serious 
mistakes have been made here. Some have thought that 
we were to be gathered to Luther; some to Calvin; some 
to Wesley, etc. Not so! "Gather My saints together 
unto Me, " saith Jehovah. He did not tell us to gather 
together into the Church of Rome, into the Church of 
England, into the Lutheran Church, into the Presbyterian, 
the Methodist, the Baptist, or any other man-made 
organization. Millions are gathered into these various 
denominations whose lives manifest that they know 
not God, neither seek to know him. 



THE COVENANT OF SACRIFICE 

Only a very few have made this Covenant of Sacrifice 
with God, have presented their bodies a living sacrifice 
with Christ, in response to God's special Call during the 
Gospel Age. God is not trying to attract the world now. 
He tells us that they are blind and deaf. As Jesus said, 
"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Again, He 
said to His disciples, "Blessed are your eyes, for they 
see; and your ears, for they hear!" (Matt. 11:15; 13:16.) 
We thank God on behalf of those who have the seeing eye 
and the hearing ear. It is a great privilege to hear and see. 

The Apostle Paul tells us why the great majority of 
mankind cannot hear the glorious Gospel Message. He 

SM344 

says, "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of 
them that believe not." (2 Cor. 4:4.) Satan is this god. 
He is in violent opposition to every feature of God's great 
Plan. He has been God's adversary ever since his deflection 
from righteousness. He does all in his power to 
thwart Jehovah's arrangements. He knows that if men 
could once see the light of God's goodness and hear the 



glad Message of God's grace, it would have such an 
attraction that the great majority would surely respond. 
Hence he tries to keep them from seeing and hearing. 
He has multitudinous devices for blinding men. Fair 
earthly prospects, ambitions to be some great one, selfish 
schemes for gaining advantage over their fellows--all 
these and many other things of like nature are held up to 
keep them blinded to the things of real and lasting value. 

Those who are hungering for God Satan endeavors to 
draw away into various reform movements, such as socialism, 
woman suffrage, prohibition of the liquor traffic, 
etc. This he does to keep them from hearing God's special 
Call. These are all, perhaps, good for the worldly. These 
movements are probably more or less awakening thought 
and developing sentiment along lines of restitution for 
the next Age. But none of these is the work for the 
saints of God on this side of the veil. Satan would delight 
to deceive these, however, and entice them into some of 
these movements to prevent them from seeing and doing 
the real work of the Church of Christ, and thus to prevent 
them from making their calling and election sure. 

The real Gospel is the most wonderful Story in all the 
world! There is nothing like it— that God is now inviting 
a certain class to become heirs of God, joint-heirs with 
Christ, "to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, 
reserved in Heaven" for the Lord's faithful, an inheritance 
"that fadeth not away"! (Rom. 8:17; 1 Peter 1:4.) 
Truly, "Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have 
entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath 
prepared for them that love Him."~l Cor. 2:9. 

SM345 



"THE ANSWER OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE" 

Our surrender to the Lord was "the answer of a good 
conscience toward God." When God invited us to become 
living sacrifices through Christ, to be saints and follow 
Jesus, the answer of our conscience was, "Lord, we 
respond, we accept Thy gracious invitation." Was not 
that the answer of a good conscience? It was indeed. 
What could a good conscience toward God say except to 
be glad to do the Heavenly Father's will? He made a 
most wonderful proposition to us, providing a Redeemer 



to open up the way to all this glory and honor with Christ. 
The only answer of a good conscience could be, "Here, 
Lord, I give my little all to Thee!" That is what baptism 
means; and it is surely our "reasonable service," as the 
Apostle says. (Rom. 12:1.) It is the most reasonable 
thing that could be imagined. Therefore we should carry 
out our covenant of consecration even unto death. 

If our Lord Jesus, after He had made this Covenant 
of Sacrifice with God and had begun the work of carrying 
it out, had said, "Father, I know that I came to earth to 
do Thy will; but I find that so many of the people misunderstand 
Me and speak evil of Me that I cannot go on in 
this way. They misrepresent all the good I try to do; and 
I cannot accomplish anything." What would the Father 
have replied? His answer would have been, "If you prefer 
the approval of men to My approval, take your choice. 
I cannot give You the glorious reward which I have 
offered to You unless You meet the conditions. You must 
love My will more than all else or I cannot accept You." 

So it is with the followers of Jesus. We receive the 
same tests that He did. The Father does not permit the 
trials to press us too hard, and He supplies His grace for 
every time of need; but we must have a heart that fully 
responds to the will of God or we cannot be acceptable; we 
shall lose the prize, and be accounted unfaithful servants. 
We are to be willing that loyalty to God shall cost us 
something, yea, even the loss of all earthly prospects. 

SM346 

The heart- attitude that says, "So long as right is as 
easy as wrong I will choose the right, but if wrong is 
easier than right I will choose the easier way," is disloyal 
to God. Such a heart would be unworthy of the glorious 
High Calling. Indeed, it would make even an unworthy 
human being. We are to be loyal to the very core, or God 
will reject us. The Lord Jesus puts the matter in just this 
light when He says, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me 
and of My words in this sinful and adulterous generation, 
of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He 
Cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." 
(Mark 8:38.) Jesus would be ashamed to have such a one 
in His Kingdom.--Psa. 51:6; 66:18. 

The Father and the Son are watching to see how true 
we are. If we are faithful—under present unfavorable 



conditions—when loyalty to the Truth brings much reproach, 

when people point the finger of scorn at us, then 

the Lord will say, "These are the ones that shall reign in 

My Kingdom. Those who so delight in My love and approval 

as to serve Me through evil report, misunderstandings, 

persecutions and sufferings, will be true when 

exalted to positions of glory." 



DEATH WITH CHRIST THE GATE TO GLORY 

Such dear, faithful children of God "follow the Lamb 
whithersoever He goeth." To these the Lord Jesus will 
say, "I take pleasure in saying to you. Sit down with Me 
in My Throne." (Rev 2:26,27; 3:12,21.) In Romans 6:3 
the Apostle says, "Know ye not that so many of us as 
were baptized into Jesus Christ [into the Body of which 
Christ is the Head] were baptized into His death?" 
These become with Jesus The Christ of God, The 
Anointed of God; for the word Christ means The 
Anointed. God has never counted any in as members of 
the Church of Christ except those who have fully surrendered 
their wills to Him and become dead to the world. 

This is our baptism into death as human beings and 
into life as spiritual beings. Our spirit nature is only 

SM347 

begotten as yet, but we shall be born spirit beings at our 
"change" in the First Resurrection. We are now raised, 
as New Creatures, "to walk in newness of life," but not 
yet raised in the complete sense. We have not yet received 
our new bodies. Our new mind is in process of development. 
We have said that we gave all to God. If we continue 
in this attitude and fulfil our covenant faithfully, 
we shall abide in His love and in due time be associates of 
His Son in glory. The giving up of our will in consecration 
is only the beginning of the matter. Day by day, 
week by week, month by month, we are to carry out the 
terms of our covenant. We are to have no thought of 
turning back. Having put our hands to the plow, we are 
not even to look back. "He that looketh back is not fit 
for the Kingdom of God."-Luke 9:62. 

When Jesus was here in the flesh, on a certain occasion 
He made some very strong statements (John 6:50-69); 



and it is written, "From that time many of His disciples 
went back and walked no more with Him." They said, 
"This is a hard saying. Who can hear it?" Then said 
Jesus to The Twelve, "Will ye also go away?" Simon 
Peter—impulsive, noble Peter—answered, "Lord, to 
whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." 

There is no other Message of eternal life open during 
the present Age than the Call to joint-heir ship with 
Christ, suffering unto death with Him that we may share 
His glory hereafter. This is the only way by which we 
can get into the Ark and be preserved from the general 
death all around us. Jesus is our Ark of Safety. "By the 
resurrection of Jesus Christ" our baptism is made possible, 
as our text declares. 

It is this same Simon Peter who tells us in our text 
that the Ark of Noah was a symbol of saving power, a 
likeness or figure of our being saved now through baptism 
into Christ. What a refuge is this Ark of Safety! 
As Noah and his family were in the world but not of the 
world, and were carried in safety through the engulfing 

SM348 

waters in which the whole world were dying, so it is with 
those who are in Christ. Everybody around us is in 
death, as the Bible says: "The whole world lieth in the 
Wicked One." (1 John 5:19, Diaglott.) The Church 
alone have escaped the condemnation upon the world. 

We who were children of wrath even as others, were 
sentenced to death with the rest of the world. But the 
Lord our God has graciously brought us into the relationship 
of sons, through our faith in Christ and obedience 
to the Divine arrangement in Him. And as Noah and his 
family, after their deliverance, started the world afresh, 
so Christ and His Bride will by and by give life anew to 
all of the race of mankind who will accept the gracious 
provision for them in Christ. 

The dead world are soon to have a resuscitation, with 
the opportunity to fully live again. Christ is to be the 
Everlasting Father of the race (Isa. 9:6,7), and the 
Church will be the mother. Grand and glorious as are 
the blessings in reservation for the world of mankind 
when they shall have learned their lesson of the exceeding 
sinfulness of sin, far greater and grander still will be the 
reward of the faithful Church, who so love the Lord as to 



be willing and glad to obey and follow Jesus under the 
trying and painful conditions of the present time. 

Salvation! let the tidings fly 

The sin-cursed earth around! 
Raise the triumphant notes on high, 

And let your songs abound. 

Salvation! O ye weary souls, 

It brings you life and peace- 
Eternal life, eternal health. 

And joys which ne'er shall cease. 
Salvation! O the blessed theme 

Shall fill the world with joy! 
When all its mighty work is seen. 

Praise shall all tongues employ. 



SM349 

AN APPALLING LACK 
IN EVERYDAY LIFE 

"Awake to righteousness and sin not; for some have 
not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. "— 
1 Cor. 15:34. 

This exhortation is not addressed to the world of sinners, 
but to Christians, as are all of the Apostolic writings. 
If we were to translate the text a little differently, 
it might better give the Apostle's thought. For instance, 
"Awake to a proper appreciation of justice. Do not sin 
against justice in your lives; for some have not a knowledge 
of God respecting justice, the principles of righteousness. 
And this is to your shame." 

We who are in the School of Christ recognize that the 
Lord is teaching us and is preparing us for a great work 
in the future. The work of the Church during the incoming 
Age is, according to the Bible, to be kings, priests and 
judges, to be God's representatives in the Messianic Kingdom. 
As kings, they will be sharers with our Lord Jesus 
in the ruling of the world. As priests, they share in the 
work of healing, instructing and sympathizing with the 
world. As judges, they will administer justice, will give 
stripes or rewards to mankind, during the thousand years 
of Messiah's Reign. Manifestly, therefore, it is proper 
that whoever hopes to be of these kings, priests and 
judges should now attain the qualifications of heart and 
mind which will make him competent for the work; for 
we may be very sure that God will not appoint any who 
are not properly qualified. 

It is for this reason that God has been calling His 
Church out from the world during the last nineteen hundred 
years, and has been giving us the glorious instructions 
of our Lord Jesus and the Apostles and of the Law 
and the Prophets. All these things have been for our 

SM350 

upbuilding in those qualities of heart and mind which will 



fit us for the great service to which God has called us. 

But God is not testing His children according to their 
imperfect bodies; for He knows that we cannot do the 
things which we would. He is dealing with our spirits, 
our minds. Through the transforming influence of His 
Word, He is giving us a new mind; and it is this new mind 
which He receives into His family. This becomes the New 
Creature. (Rom. 12:1,2; 2 Cor. 5:17.) We accept a new 
will, the will of God, instead of our own wills, and the 
Divine arrangements instead of our own plans and purposes. 
Thus God is dealing with us as His children, 
according to this new relationship into which we have 
come by faith and obedience; and through Christ our Lord 
we are reckoned perfect in God's sight. 



THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL 

But how can we be perfect in will when our bodies are 
imperfect? We answer, as did the Apostle, "To will is 
present with me, but how to perform I find not." (Rom. 7:18.) 
He did not always succeed in carrying out his will 
for righteousness. So it is with every one who seeks to 
walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We all know how to will 
right, but how to do right is the problem. 

Gradually we learn that God will not judge us according 
to the imperfections of our flesh; for so long as we 
remain faithful, these blemishes are covered with the robe 
of Christ's imputed righteousness. Therefore we do our 
best to show our Heavenly Father that we are trying 
hard to do right in every act, word and thought. And 
since He expects every member of His family to have a 
perfect will, it becomes a personal question as to what is 
the will of God for us. So we seek diligently to prove 
"what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of 
God "--Rom. 12:1,2. 

To prove what is God's will means to come to a knowledge 
of His will, to demonstrate it for ourselves. If we 
are faithful, we are progressing in this more and more as 

SM351 

the days go by. At first we had a little knowledge, and 
this we put into practise. As we grew in grace and in 
knowledge, we became better acquainted with the will of 



God; and it was for us to put this increased knowledge 
into practise also. This knowledge of the will of God we 
obtained, not in any supernatural way, but through the 
study of the Bible.--2 Tim. 2:15. 

Whoever has come into the family of God has given up 
his own will and accepted, instead, God's will. Whoever 
has not given up his own will to the Lord is not His child. 
As the Apostle declares, "If any man have not the Spirit 
of Christ, he is none of His." (Rom. 8:9.) The spirit of 
Christ was the spirit of full surrender to the Father's 
will; and as we come to this same condition, we give up 
our own wills and take instead the Divine will. This we 
do because it is the proper course for all who desire to 
follow in our Redeemer's steps, and because our own wills 
have proved to be unsatisfactory to ourselves. Our minds 
and our bodies are so imperfect that we have frequently 
gotten into difficulty through doing our own will. Therefore 
we are glad to know and to do the will of God, especially 
since we see that it is so gracious a will. 



JUSTICE FIRST, THEN LOVE 

During the present time it is the will of God that His 
children shall have trials, difficulties and polishings, in 
order that these experiences may develop in us a God-likeness 
of character, a crystallization of character, that 
will render us fit to be used of God in the great work which 
He has appointed to the Lord Jesus, that we might thus 
become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord in that 
Heavenly Kingdom which is designed of the Father for 
the blessing of all the families of the earth. 

Sometimes Christian people see the doctrine of love in 
the Bible, and forget that there is a lesson which precedes 
love. This primary lesson is the one to which we draw 
your attention today. It is the lesson of justice—righteousness. 
Our text really signifies, "Awake to justice!" 

SM352 

We must all learn to distinguish right from wrong and 
to practise what is just, right. Justice is righteousness. 
The Law of God was given to the Israelites at Mount 
Sinai to show what justice means. They were not asked 
to do anything more than justice. "Thou shall not kill," 



said the Law; for to take another's life is wrong, except 
when God's own Law demands it. "Thou shalt not steal." 
To do so is wrong, unjust. "Thou shalt not bear false 
witness." To do so would be an injustice. —Exod. 20:2-17. 

Thus we see that the Law of God given to the children 
of Israel amounted to this: "Thou shalt love the Lord 
thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength; and 
thy neighbor as thyself." To do justice to your neighbor 
as you wish that neighbor to do justice to you is the 
essence of the Law of God given to the Jews for their 
treatment of others. --Matt. 7:12. 



PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF JUSTICE 

Did God give this same Law to the Church? Yes, so 
far as the spirit of the Law is concerned. God's Law is 
over all of His creatures. But during the Law Dispensation 
there was a special Law Covenant which God had 
made with Natural Israel. No others have ever been 
under that Law Covenant. The Jew who could keep that 
Law perfectly could live forever; and, having everlasting 
life at his command, he might have the opportunity of becoming 
a part of that great antitypical Spiritual Israel 
which was to bless all the families of the earth. This our 
Lord Jesus did. Moreover, in His statement of the Divine 
Law to Spiritual Israel, He "has magnified the Law and 
made it honorable," by showing how far-reaching and 
comprehensive are its requirements. 

No intelligent person will question the propriety of 
dealing justly with every one in the world. This subject 
has many ramifications in all the affairs of our daily life. 
The principle of justice enters into every transaction, 
even the most trivial. It applies not only to our dealings 
with the world at large, but with every member of our 

SM353 

own family. The principle of justice must be recognized 
with our own as well as with others. If all might get this 
thought of the Golden Rule firmly fixed in the mind, if 
each one could awake to righteousness, to justice, the 
whole world would be revolutionized. 

If this principle of justice were recognized and followed, 
men would not be shooting one another today over 



in Europe. On the contrary, they would be doing something 

better, something good one toward another, just as 

they would wish others to do toward them. But men are 

not living up to this standard of righteousness, of justice. 

It is entirely ignored by governments and by individuals. 

The general excuse for violating the Golden Rule is, "It 

would never do for us to grant to others what we would 

expect for ourselves; for others would take advantage 

of us; they would not do their part; they would not reciprocate." 

Say the British, "It would not do for us to 

practise the Golden Rule toward the Germans; for we 

do not know what they would do to us." The Germans 

advance the same kind of argument. 

This course of conduct is not the fear of God, but the 
fear of man; it ignores the fear of God. God says that 
if Christians are afraid of men and of nations and of what 
these may do, we are carnal, are living according to the 
flesh, are like the unbelieving world. How shall we who 
have come into relationship with God through the Lord 
Jesus Christ, we who have given our lives to Him, do 
under such circumstances? Shall we say that we fear to 
trust this principle of justice in our lives, that we do not 
dare to carry it out in every word, thought and act? Are 
we afraid to trust God and to obey Him? 

God did not say that we were to observe the Golden 
Rule whenever others observed it toward us, and to ignore 
it whenever others failed to observe it toward us. On the 
contrary, we are to practise it on every occasion, regardless 
of what others do. Then we shall know that all things 
shall work together for good toward us, because we shall 

SM354 

be in line with God and His arrangements. He has power 
to overrule in all of life's affairs. The very least that we 
must do is to give justice to one another; and to do so 
will mean a great blessing to our own characters. 

Whoever is violating the principle of Justice, the 
Golden Rule, in his home or in the Church of Christ or in 
business or social relations should, if he is a Christian, 
examine the matter earnestly and prayerfully, and 
"awake to righteousness [justice], and sin not." Thus 
to do violence to justice is sin; and so far as our knowledge 
goes, it is a sin that prevails everywhere. Many have not a 
proper appreciation of this fact. They do not see that 



justice is the very foundation of all character, of all right 
living. It is the foundation of the Throne of God. (Psa. 89:14.) 
In vain does any one practise love to his fellow 
creatures or even toward God while he is at the same time 
violating the principle of justice toward that one. Only 
after we have rendered justice are we at liberty to practise 
love toward another. Then we may do as much as 
we are able along the line of love. Justice first, love 
afterwards, should be the rule governing all of our dealings 
with others. 



RESPONSIBILITY OF GOD'S PEOPLE 

Those who are children of God are expecting shortly 
to be made the judges of the world. As the Apostle says, 
"Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?" 
(1 Cor. 6:2,3.) Moreover, God is seeking now to 
develop in our hearts and lives, in our characters, those 
principles which He desires. Therefore, unless we are 
just in our very hearts, unless we appreciate this principle 
of justice and rejoice to practise it, we shall not be 
fit for the Kingdom. We should not be unjust even to an 
animal. Every creature has its rights; and we should 
give each creature the rights which belong to it. The 
results are with God. Thus doing, shall we not be preparing 
our minds, our hearts, for the glorious condition 
which the Lord has in store for His faithful children? 

SM355 

We are not to think that the Kingdom of God is to 
be given on the basis of mercy or favor. There will be 
neither mercy nor favor in connection with the bestowal 
of the Heavenly reward. God shows mercy in connection 
with our sins and the weaknesses against which we are 
striving; but He will not allow in that Kingdom one individual 
whose character is not suitable. Those whom He 
approves for joint-heirs and rulers with our Lord Jesus 
must represent the principles of righteousness and must 
know how to apply those principles now. Whoever is not 
disposed to justice to such an extent as to be willing to 
suffer loss rather than do an injustice will not have a 
share in the Kingdom. 

The Bible everywhere pictures God as the great Representative 



of Justice. If we receive a place in the Kingdom, 
it will be apportioned us on the basis of works, on 
the basis of our growth in grace, in knowledge, in character-likeness 
to our Lord Jesus. If we have been justified 
by faith in Jesus' blood, if we then have made a 
covenant with God and have been begotten of His Holy 
Spirit, He wishes to see us go on to perfection as New 
Creatures. We are not to think that our Heavenly Father 
is uninterested in us, and that He will coldly and indifferently 
judge us. On the contrary, we are to remember our 
Lord's assurance, "The Father Himself loveth you." 
In conclusion, let us remember that if we are true, 
loyal children of God, all our blemishes are covered by the 
robe of Christ's righteousness; and if we are doing with 
our might what our hands find to do in this great matter 
of justice, dealing with all, along the lines of the Golden 
Rule, we are showing the Father that we appreciate this 
principle as the foundation of His Government. Upon 
this sure foundation we shall build a superstructure of 
love. Thus shall we be made ready for the Kingdom. 



SM356 



HEAD MUST RULE MEMBERS OF BODY 

"See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh! for if they 
escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much 
more shall not we escape if we turn away from Him that 
speaketh from Heaven. "~Heb. 12:25. 

These words are not addressed to the world, but to the 
members of the Body of Christ, those who have left the 
world and entered into covenant relationship with God. 
The Apostle has just been describing the scenes enacted 
at Mount Sinai, when God by His angel spoke to His 
typical people Israel. He then declares that if sore punishment 
came to all in Israel who disobeyed the voice 
which then gave them commandments, much sorer shall 
be the punishment of those Spiritual Israelites of the 
Gospel Age, who, after having come into vital relationship 
with the Son of God as members of His mystical 
Body, shall then refuse to hear and obey. 

In order to have harmony in the human body each 
member must respond promptly to the dictates of the 
head. Suppose that my hand were afflicted with St. Vitus 
Dance, so that when my brain instructed the hand to lift 
a glass of water that I might drink, the hand would twitch, 
tremble, suddenly throw the glass over my shoulder and 
spill the contents. What would be the trouble with my 
hand? It was a sick member; the connection between it 
and my head was interrupted; and thus the hand refused 
to obey the mandates of the head. Or suppose that my 
limb were paralyzed; and that when my head directed it 
to move, it would remain motionless and refuse to carry 
my body. The connection between this member and the 
brain had become interrupted, and the message from 
the head was not received. What confusion and trouble 
would thus be caused in my body! 

SM357 

Thus it is with the Body of Christ. If any member of 
that Body become spiritually sick, if the perfect harmony 
between the Head, Christ Jesus, and any member be interrupted, 
there will be trouble and distress throughout the 



entire Body. If the connection become altogether destroyed, 
the member is thenceforth useless, and is cut off 
from the Body. Our Lord pictures this matter when He 
called Himself the Vine and the members of His mystical 
Body the branches, and declared that every branch in 
Him that failed to bear fruit would be cut off. 



THE HEAD THE MOST IMPORTANT MEMBER 

What carefulness this thought should inspire in each 
member of Christ! We should realize that of ourselves 
we are nothing. We are only the humble instruments that 
God is using in the outworking of His wonderful Plan. 
Not one of us is at all necessary to His purposes. It is a 
very great favor that the Father permits us to co-operate 
in His great work under the Headship of His Son Jesus 
Christ. God formed the Plan, and is carrying it out 
according to His own purposes. Our Lord Jesus is the 
important factor in the accomplishment of God's designs. 
We are invited in, not to be rulers, but to follow instructions, 
to be obedient. The greatest blessing which we 
can have is to be permitted to co-operate with our great 
Head, who under Jehovah, the great Head over all, is 
guiding the work. 

Through experience and observation the thought has 
impressed itself that there may be a considerable number 
cut off from membership in the Body of Christ, and not 
only so, but cut off from all hope of future life. There 
can be no place, now or ever, in God's family for one who 
is wilful and refractory, one who will not be guided by 
the Lord, one who wants his own way and who thus 
refuses Him that speaks from Heaven. 

In Hebrews 10:28,29 the Apostle declares that those 
who disobeyed Moses "died without mercy." Then he 
speaks of those who will receive a much "sorer punishment." 

SM358 

Israel being a typical people, the death penalty 
visited upon them for certain offenses was only a type of 
the death penalty to be visited upon those of Spiritual 
Israel who wilfully disobey the voice of God speaking to 
us through His Son. The penalty suffered by refractory 
members of Natural Israel was but a temporary one; for 



during the Millennial Age they will be awakened and have 
the opportunity, with all the remainder of the world, of 
accepting Christ and coming under the terms of the New 
Covenant, then operative. But those who during the 
present Age have been enlightened and begotten of God's 
Holy Spirit, shall, if they fall away--renounce allegiance 
to Christ—come under the penalty of the Second Death— 
total annihilation. 

This, then, is the "sorer punishment" to which the 
Apostle refers. This penalty of death without any hope 
of a recovery will be inflicted also upon those of the world 
at large who, during their time of trial in the next Age, 
shall wilfully disobey the voice of God speaking through 
the great Mediator of the New Covenant—The Christ, 
Head and Body— Jesus and His Church. 



EVIL EFFECT OF REJECTING LIGHT 

The Apostle's argument is. Look back, brethren, to 
the history of Israel in the past. See how from time to 
time they were negligent of the messages which God sent 
to them at the mouth of angels and of Moses, the servant 
of God; and how disasters often came upon them for 
their disobedience and neglect, many of them even suffering 
the death penalty. If the penalty was so severe for 
negligence under the Law given through Moses, what 
would be the result of neglecting and of doing despite to 
the words of Him who now speaks from Heaven, of counting 
the blood of the Covenant by which we have been 
sanctified an unholy thing, a common thing, and of doing 
despite to the Spirit of grace-despising God by ignoring 
His only arrangement for atonement !-Heb. 6:4-8; 10:26-31; 
Acts 3:23. 

SM359 

There are some who have never made a full consecration 
of themselves, who have never enlisted upon the 
Lord's side, and yet have had considerable knowledge of 
the Truth. They have heard the true Gospel Message; 
they have felt its power, its reasonableness; they have 
realized in their hearts that it was God's Message. They 
have felt a certain measure of drawing toward it. Yet for 
some reason these have turned away from the Heavenly 



Voice. These are not the class addressed by the Apostle 
in our text, however; for like all of the Apostolic Epistles, 
that to the Hebrews is addressed to the "holy brethren" 
(Chapter 3:1), "the saints." 

But all who have heard the Gospel Message with a 
measure of understanding and appreciation have thereby 
some responsibility concerning it. To turn away from 
any degree of light brings a hardening of the heart. It 
would seem that whoever has rejected the Message after 
a measure of understanding of its import would never 
again be drawn to it in the same degree as before. The 
Message would not seem so wonderful as at first. Whoever 
gets a glimpse beyond into the future, whoever hears 
now of the goodness of God and is not melted by the 
thought of his own imperfection and his need of a Savior, 
may never accept God's favor, even during the next Age, 
when the opportunity for Restitution is opened to all 
mankind. This is a thought which all who hear will do 
well to consider. —Rom. 2:4. 

No one becomes fully responsible, however, until he 
has entered into the spirit-begotten condition; for no one 
can be tried for eternal life until first he has gotten free 
from the Adamic death sentence. The first death sentence 
must be removed before anybody can be put on trial 
for life or death again. Thus we see the wonderful mercy 
of God in providing that those who would come now into 
Christ are not put on trial at the moment when they hear 
about Christ, when they learn that there is a door of 
return to God open to all who comply with conditions. 

SM360 



CHRIST SUFFERING IN THE FLESH 

Whoever endeavors to draw near to God will find that 
every step nearer will bring him a blessing; for he is 
going in the right way--toward justification by faith. 
But he has not yet come into full trial, full testing. As he 
continues to draw nearer, learning more and more about 
God, cleansing himself more and more from the natural 
filthiness of the flesh resulting from the Adamic fall, he 
finally comes to the parting of the ways. He finds that 
he cannot go forward unless he make a full consecration 
of himself to God. He learns that he can have no standing 



with God unless our Redeemer Himself accept him 
and present him to God; and that our Lord Jesus will not 
accept any one who does not give himself fully and unreservedly 
to the Father through the Son. 

So he has reached the point of decision. Whoever 
reaches this place and then gives himself unreservedly is 
accepted of the Lord Jesus, in harmony with the Father's 
Plan. Immediately after He has accepted the one presenting 
himself in consecration, He imputes of the merit 
of His sacrificial death to the one offering himself and 
counts that one as His flesh. Then the Father also accepts 
that flesh, and begets the person to a new, spiritual 
nature. Thus the flesh of Christ has been in process of 
being offered in sacrifice throughout this Gospel Age. 
First, our Lord Jesus offered His own flesh. Then, when 
He had finished that work. He appeared in the presence 
of God and made satisfaction for the sins of all who would 
follow in His steps--the Church.--Heb. 9:24. 

As soon as our Lord had made satisfaction for His 
followers, the Father immediately accepted their sacrifices, 
as was indicated by His giving them the Holy Spirit 
at Pentecost. So all other believers throughout this Age 
have received the begetting of the Holy Spirit as soon as 
the Father had accepted them through the great Advocate 
of the Church. The flesh of these consecrated ones 
having been counted as the flesh of Jesus (Acts 9:4,5), 

SM361 

Christ has been suffering in the flesh all down the Age. 
Thus we perceive the fulfilment of the Scripture which 
declares that we are filling up "that which is behind of 
the afflictions of Christ."--Col. 1:24. 

Various Scriptures tell us that now is the time for 
suffering with Christ, and that afterward will come the 
time for sharing His glory. St. Peter says that the Prophets 
of old spoke of the sufferings of Christ-Jesus the 
Head, and all the members of the Body— and of the glory 
to follow. That glory will follow promptly just as soon as 
the sufferings are accomplished. Whoever shares in the 
sufferings now will also share in the coming blessings of 
glory, honor and immortality—the Divine nature.— 1 Peter 1:10-12; 
2 Tim. 2:11,12; Rom. 8:17; 2 Peter 1:4; 
1 John 3:1,2; James 1:12. 



PHASES OF THE BODY OF CHRIST 

The Lord Jesus counts the flesh of His Body members 
as His flesh. So we now have before our minds the 
thought that the human bodies of the Church constitute 
a part of our Lord's flesh, in the larger sense. 
Then there is the present spiritual Body of Christ, composed 
of the spirit-begotten new nature of the New Creatures 
in the Christ Company dwelling in these earthly 
tabernacles and seeking to bring them to the sacrificial 
point in every respect day by day. Then there is also the 
thought of the glorified Body of Christ, to be composed 
of the "more than conquerors" only, after the two companies 
shall have been eliminated who have failed to make 
their calling and election sure. 

The Scriptures inform us that those who compose the 
Body of Christ in the flesh will finally be divided into 
three classes, after the testings and provings have been 
applied by our Lord. The first class will constitute the 
Body of Christ in glory, the "more than conquerors" 
mentioned by St. Paul in Romans 8:37. The second class 
will be composed of those who have not been wholly faithful 
to the Covenant of Sacrifice which they made with the 

SM362 

Lord, and who must consequently lose their places in the 
Body. Later, these will come up out of the great tribulation 
with which this Age will close, and will make their 
robes white in the blood of the Lamb. Then they will 
stand before the Throne, with palm branches in their 
hands, instead of sitting in the Throne, wearing crowns. 
(Rev. 7:9-17; 3:21; 20:4,6; 2:10.) The third class will be 
composed of those who repudiate their covenant with 
God, and who therefore will suffer the penalty of the 
Second Death. 

During the Gospel Age God deals only with those 
who constitute these classes. He does not receive any 
one who has not come to the point of full consecration; 
for it is the New Creature, not the flesh, that is on trial 
for life or death. Whoever becomes a New Creature 
hears the voice of God in a special sense; for the spirit-begotten 
class receive, as it were, a new hearing and a 
new sight, so that as New Creatures they can understand 
spiritual things, can hear and see as never before. 



SANCTIFIED THROUGH THE TRUTH 

It is very important that all of the spirit-begotten keep 
their hearts so loyal, and their walk in life so consistent, 
that they shall be of the Body of Christ in glory. To this 
class our Lord still speaks; and it is for each of them to 
see that he refuse not anything that the Head says to His 
Church. The will of the Head is to be done in the Body. 

In His last prayer with His disciples our Lord prayed 
for them, "Sanctify them through Thy Truth; Thy Word 
is Truth." (John 17:17.) We cannot be sanctified without 
the Word of God. Nothing else can take it place. Let 
us listen to His Voice speaking to us there. He tells us 
that we are in the School of Christ, who has become our 
Teacher. Through His teachings, through the prophecies 
and through the various experiences of life He is teaching 
His disciples meekness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering, 
brotherly kindness, love. 

Whoever has not learned meekness has not learned 

SM363 

even the primary lesson in the School of Christ. Meekness 
is the foundation for love. Gentleness is very important. 
The person who is rude and boisterous is not in 
proper condition to be used of the Lord. He must become 
gentle in order that he may not offend or stumble the 
brethren. He must learn brotherly kindness in order to 
love them, to be helpful to them. This is the Lord's Spirit. 

We must become so meek, so humble, so teachable, 
that in whatever way God may send us instruction- 
whether through trials, difficulties, sickness, or through 
books, pamphlets or hymnals~we shall be ready to learn. 
Whatever scatters our darkness, our ignorance, our 
superstition, whatever brings us out of darkness into the 
marvelous light of God, is surely of Him; for we cannot 
do this of ourselves. 



THE VOICE THAT SPEAKS FROM HEAVEN 

God's Voice is sounding throughout the earth today, 
speaking louder than ever before, telling us that the world 



is on the eve of a great change of dispensation--that the 
Redeemer is about to take His great power and reign. 
Let those who hear see that they do not refuse the Message 
of the hour. If they refuse Him who speaks from 
Heaven— as most of them are doing— all the more severe 
will be the tribulation which will come upon them— "a 
Time of Trouble such as never was since there was a 
nation, no, nor ever shall be" the like hereafter. 

Centuries ago, when the Law Covenant of which 
Moses was the mediator was made at Mount Sinai, the 
Voice of God then shook the earth. St. Paul, standing 
prophetically down here in our day and pointing back to 
that time, says that once more will God's Voice shake 
not only the earth— society— but the heavens also— the 
ecclesiastical powers. (Heb. 12:26-29.) Let us heed this 
Voice. Let us humble ourselves and cultivate the qualities 
of character which will prepare us to be used of the 
Master to speak of the New Dispensation and the blessings 
coming to all mankind through Messiah's Kingdom. 



SM364 



SEEKING FIRST THE KINGDOM 

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; 
and all these things shall be added unto you. "— 
Matt. 6:33. 

Every Bible student has noted the great frequency 
of reference to the Kingdom in the teaching of our Lord 
and the Apostles. We read that the message which John 
proclaimed was, "The Kingdom of God has come nigh," 
and that when Jesus sent forth the twelve Apostles their 
mission was to declare the Kingdom of God at hand. 
And later, when He sent forth the seventy others, their 
message was the same, "The Kingdom of God is at 
hand." We notice that when the disciples asked the 
Lord how to pray, one of the principal items of the 
petition He taught them was, "Thy Kingdom come. Thy 
will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven." We 
notice, further, that nearly all of our Lord's parables, 
and hence nearly all of His teachings, were in respect 
to the Kingdom, which was likened to a net, likened to 
a sower and his crop of thirty, sixty and an hundred fold, 
likened to a field, the wheat of which was finally gathered 
into the garner, likened to the merchant seeking pearls 
and giving all that he had for the choicest, likened in the 
end of the Age to the ten virgins, the five wise of whom 
went into the marriage. 

It is with some degree of astonishment that these 
same students notice that in modern theology, as represented 
by the colleges in Christendom, there is scarcely 
a reference to the Kingdom of God. When sometimes 
inquiry is made respecting the matter—as to why this 
teaching is so prominent in the New Testament and so 
little heard in modern pulpits—the reply usually is to 
this effect: "Yes, the poor Jews had the opinion that God 
would establish them as the Kingdom; and that when 

SM365 

Messiah would come He would receive them as associates 
in the Kingdom, and would honor them and use them as 
His instrumentality in blessing all the families of the 



earth. In all this the poor Jews were evidently mistaken, 
as our Lord did nothing of the kind for them. In some 
vague sort of way we must suppose the Church to be 
the Kingdom now, though we scarcely understand how 
to apply that name to it." This answer is generally 
taken by the students as satisfactory; for they know no 
better and have not learned how to reason on subjects 
theological. Few people understand God's Word. 



BLESSINGS THROUGH ABRAHAM'S SEED 

Let us look on the other side of the subject. Let us 
remember the falling away of the Dark Ages, in which 
nearly all the precious doctrines of Jesus and the 
Apostles were buried under a mass of human tradition 
and superstition and "doctrines of devils." (1 Tim. 4:1.) 
The Lord be praised that we are gradually getting out 
of that terrible darkness. But on some subjects many 
of God's people are still evidently far from clear, far 
from an appreciation of the teachings of our Lord and 
His Apostles. Wiping the dust of the darkness of the 
past from our eyes, let us examine God's Word on this 
subject of the Kingdom. 

We find that the Jews did have as the mainspring of 
their religious and political system the thought that they 
were to be the representatives of God in the work of 
blessing the world in general--that He had called them 
out first, in advance of other nations, that He might use 
them as His holy nation under the Messiah, and through 
them communicate a blessing to the world. This thought 
had its foundation in the Divine promise to Father Abraham, 
"In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of 
the earth be blessed." As the seed of Abraham they 
expected the fulfilment of that promise and took the 
various trials and difficulties, captivities, etc., that came 
upon them as a nation as so much of Divine instruction 

SM366 

preparing them for the Divine service when Messiah 
should come and establish His Kingdom. 

Nor is there a thought in the Old or in the New 
Testament contradictory to this. They had the right 
idea. In harmony with this thought our Lord at His 



First Advent preached only to Israel and said to His 
Apostles, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and unto 
the city of the Samaritans enter ye not: for I am not 
sent except to the lost sheep of the House of Israel." 
The blessing and privilege went first to that nation. 
St. John (1:11,12) distinctly tells us that our Lord came 
unto His own people and that they received Him not, 
except a remnant; and that to that remnant was granted 
a special blessing of spirit-begetting, which constituted 
them the nucleus or start of Spiritual Israel. The rest 
of the nation of Israel, the Apostle tells us, were turned 
aside and blinded for a time until a sufficient number 
should be found from among the Gentiles to complete 
the foreordained number of Spiritual Israel. This gathering 
of Spiritual Israelites out of all nations, peoples, 
kindreds and tongues, and the testing of these, has been 
the work of this Gospel Age; and when the full number 
shall have been found and tested and perfected this Age 
will end and a new Age, the Millennium, will begin. 



THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM 

It will be noticed, then, that the central thought held 
by the Jews respecting God's purpose of establishing a 
Kingdom in the world for the blessing of all nations was 
substantially correct; and that the difficulty was that 
there were not enough Jews to constitute the elect class. 
Hence the delay of this Gospel Age, which God had foreseen 
and approved. The Kingdom thought, however, is 
still there; for, as we have just seen, the Lord and the 
Apostles continually referred to it and invited all the 
faithful to be "heirs of the Kingdom." As a matter 
of fact, then, the Church, as Spiritual Israel and the 
Spiritual Seed of Abraham, has inherited this chief blessing 



SM367 

which God offered primarily to Abraham and his 
posterity. This Spiritual Israel, composed of "Israelites 
indeed" and the faithful ones of every nation, is to constitute 
the Bride of Messiah, and as such is to share with 
Him the Kingdom honors and Kingdom work specified 
in the Abrahamic promise, "In thy Seed shall all the 



families of the earth be blessed." That there may be no 
doubt of this, note carefully the Apostle's arguments in 
Gal. 3 and 4. Note especially his words, "If ye be 
Christ's then are ye Abraham's Seed, and heirs [of the 
Kingdom and its work of blessing the world] according 
to the promise."--Gal. 3:29. 

No wonder, then, that our Lord continually appealed 
to the Kingdom thought. It is along this line that the 
entire Divine Plan is arranged. The Kingdom class must 
first be found, selected, glorified. Then the Kingdom 
work of blessing the world will be due to begin—not 
before. Any blessings that may come to the world 
through the Church intermediately are merely incidental. 
This is the meaning of the various invitations given us 
all through the Scriptures, such, for instance, as our 
Lord's words in our text, "Seek ye first [chiefly] the 
Kingdom of God and His righteousness"; "Pray ye. 
Thy Kingdom come"; "Fear not, little flock, it is your 
Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom"; "As 
My Father has appointed unto Me a Kingdom, so I 
appoint unto you"; "To him that overcometh will I grant 
to sit with Me in My Throne"; "If we suffer with Him, 
we shall also reign with Him"; etc., etc. 

Another part of the same Kingdom story we shall 
not have time to tell you on this occasion. We merely, 
in passing, note the fact that the Scriptures most clearly 
set forth that from the Divine standpoint there are two 
seeds of Abraham, and that both seeds are to be blessed 
and to be used in communicating the Divine blessings 
to the world in general. Spiritual Israel has attained 
the highest place as the Seed of Abraham, but there is 

SM368 

still a promise to Natural Israel— "This is My covenant 
with them when I shall take away their sins." "It shall 
come to pass after those days," saith the Lord, "that I 
will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel 
and the House of Judah....I will be merciful to 
their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities I will 
remember no more." "I will take away the stony heart 
out of their flesh and will give them a heart of flesh."— 
Jer. 31:31-33; Ezek. 11:19. 

The Apostle tells us when this will be fulfilled; 
namely, when Spiritual Israel shall have been completed 



and Natural Israel shall have obtained mercy through 
Spiritual Israel. (Rom. 11:25-32.) It is in harmony 
with this that the Apostle assures us that the promise 
shall be sure unto both the seeds, both that which is 
according to the spirit and that which is according to 
the flesh. (Rom. 4:16.) These two seeds of Abraham 
were distinctly referred to in the Lord's promise to him 
in which He said: "Thy seed shall be as the stars of 
Heaven [the spiritual class, the Heavenly, the Church], 
and as the sand upon the seashore [the earthly seed]," 
although favor to Natural Israel will gradually extend 
and absorb into that nation all of the entire human family 
who love righteousness, all others being destroyed in the 
Second Death.--Psa. 67:3,4; 37:38. 



HOW WE SEEK THE KINGDOM 

Having now before our minds what the Kingdom is, 
we appreciate the fact that the Church in the present 
time is the Kingdom, but without power and without 
glory—in an embryo or undeveloped stage—in preparation 
for the glories that shall be ultimately revealed. 
We perceive the force of the Apostle's explanation that 
we are walking by faith and not by sight, and that the 
world knoweth us not. The world is not aware of the 
Divine purpose, nor does it recognize the heirs of salvation. 
Hence, as it crucified the Lord Jesus we must 
not marvel if it hate those who have His spirit, even 

SM369 

as darkness hateth the light. We must not marvel if 
persecution, therefore, be the lot of those who shall be 
favored of God in connection with this Kingdom and its 
privileges. Indeed, these very experiences are necessary 
for our development and preparation for the Kingdom. 
Thus by faith these heirs of the Kingdom are to realize 
that all things connected with their interests are under 
Divine supervision, and all working together for good 
to them that love God-the called ones according to His 
purpose— His Kingdom class. (Rom. 8:28.) Those unwilling 
to walk by faith, those unwilling to endure hardness 
as good soldiers, those who love the world and its 
honors and praise, and seek not alone that which cometh 



from Above, will by these conditions be separated from 
the loyal, true overcomers. And this is the will of God, 
as only the latter are fit for the Kingdom. 

Now we understand why the Lord said of some, 
"Blessed are your ears, for they hear," and intimated 
that many of His time were not in the condition to either 
see or hear or in any sense appreciate this message, this 
blessing of the Spiritual Kingdom now proclaimed. Not 
only so, but even among those who do have the hearing 
ear or seeing eye of understanding, the spiritual perception 
of the Kingdom, its call and its conditions, there 
is a need, as our text tells us, that they seek the Kingdom. 
It will not be thrust upon anybody; it is a high 
privilege, a high honor, and whoever shall get it must 
appreciate it. And whoever seeks the Kingdom under 
present conditions will find, as the Master said, that the 
way is narrow and difficult. 



OTHER ATTRACTIONS CONTRASTED 

Our Lord is addressing not the world, not sinners, 
not unbelievers. The Jewish nation was a believing 
nation, nominally at least, just as Christendom professedly 
believes in Christ. But our Lord's message was 
not merely to Israelites, but only to such as were 
"Israelites indeed" and had signified their desire as 

SM370 

His disciples to walk in His steps and to become joint-heirs 
with Him and His Kingdom. He calls the attention 
of these to the earthly things for which the majority of 
mankind are seeking--What shall we eat? What shall 
we drink? Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 

We are not to understand the Lord's words to signify 
that His followers should be improvident, careless, so 
inattentive to the responsibilities of life as to depend 
upon others for their food and raiment or else go naked 
and hungry. There are two extremes in this matter, and 
our Lord was controverting the one that is most troublesome 
to His followers. The spirit of the world is a spirit 
of selfishness, which spurs all the brighter minds of earth 
to get, to enjoy, to be, according to earthly standards. 
Summing the matter up, our Lord says that what we 



shall eat, what we shall drink, wherewithal we shall be 
clothed are the things after which all the Gentiles seek— 
the whole world is seeking for earthly good things, but 
the Lord's disciples are to take a different course. 
Having the invitation to joint-heir ship in the Kingdom of 
God before their minds as the grandest possibility imaginable, 
they are to so esteem it that all other interests 
and ambitions are to sink into insignificance in their 
estimation and to be comparatively neglected. Our 
Lord's advice is, therefore, "Seek ye first [primarily- 
as of the first or primary importance] the Kingdom of 
God and His righteousness, and all these things [food, 
raiment, etc.] shall be added unto you." 

Be it noted that the Lord does not say that His followers 
shall have as much of these temporary good 
things as others have; but elsewhere He declares, "Your 
Father knoweth what things ye have need of." The 
implication, therefore, is that to those who have put their 
matters entirely in the Lord's hands by a full consecration 
of all they possess, their every talent, their every opportunity, 
and who are thus seeking to please God and obtain 
the Kingdom inheritance which He has promised—to 

SM371 

these He will give earthly good things according to His 
wisdom—those which would bring the highest measure 
of blessing as New Creatures, those which would prepare 
them and assist them best for a share in the Kingdom. 
Whatsoever of earthly good things would be a hindrance 
to their chief aim and desire in life this class would not 
intentionally choose. Hence they should be glad that 
the matter is entirely out of their hands and entirely in 
the Lord's hands. It is for them to rejoice that their 
affairs are being more wisely and more favorably ordered 
than if under their own control. It is for these to rejoicingly 
pray, "Thy will be done," in respect to all of life's 
affairs. Thus seeing and thus doing and thus praying this 
class may rejoice even in tribulation, knowing that tribulation 
worketh experience, patience, hope, and will ultimately 
make them not ashamed, because it will be God's 
method of chastening and polishing them for a share in 
the Kingdom.— Rom. 5:3-5. 



SEEKING HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS 

It is not enough that the Lord's Elect shall seek the 
Kingdom. They might seek it in a measure of selfishness, 
because of its honor and glory. Hence, the Lord makes 
another stipulation: That we shall not only seek the 
Kingdom, but seek its righteousness--the righteousness 
which the Kingdom will bring, the righteousness which 
God will approve. Ah, this is a searching proposition! 
All who will be counted worthy a place in the Kingdom 
must come up to the standard of perfect love toward God 
and toward men. This is the Divine standard, and 
nothing short of it will be acceptable. It means that this 
class will be in harmony with their God, right, just, loving, 
peaceable wherever found; and that they will be out of 
harmony with all injustice and unrighteousness wherever 
found—in themselves and in others. 

Since we were all born in sin, since we were all tainted 
with selfishness, even though in differing degrees, it follows 
that we must all fight a good warfare against this 

SM372 

element of our human natures—that as New Creatures 

we shall not be in sympathy with any of the fallen proclivities 

and tendencies in ourselves and in others. It is 

a work of days, months and years to find out and rout 

these selfish propensities, these Amalekites, which have 

entrenched themselves in our fallen flesh, and to bring 

in instead of them the loving, generous impulses and 

endeavors of the spirit of love, which seeks to do good 

unto all men as we have opportunity, especially to the 

Household of Faith. This is learning to speak evil of 

no man, to have no sympathy with slander, backbiting 

and evil surmisings, but, on the contrary, to rejoice in 

the Truth and in "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever 

things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever 

things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, 

whatsoever things are of good report. "-Phil. 4:8. 

The law of absolute justice, righteousness, the Law 
of Love, which will be introduced world-wide during the 
Millennium, must already, even now, have our sympathy 
and support. In the present time, when so much may 
be gained by a little deflection from the proper standards 
of purity or truth or honesty, when so many are in favor 



of graft if it works favorably to themselves, and so 
unfavorable to graft if it works against their interests— 
in these times the heirs of the Kingdom are to be governed 
strictly by the laws of the Kingdom. They are to 
seek after and to appropriate to themselves the principles 
of righteousness which they perceive will be the laws 
of the Kingdom for the whole world by and by. 

It will be much easier for the world to conform to the 
laws of righteousness by and by, when every transgression 
will receive prompt rebuke or punishment, and when 
every good word or deed will receive a prompt reward. 
But it is comparatively difficult now for this Kingdom 
class to think and to act along opposite lines from those 
which prevail to a large degree amongst their friends and 
neighbors. This sympathy for righteousness, truth and 

SM373 

purity must be sought even as the Kingdom is sought; 
and those consecrated believers who find the one find the 
other. Much of the Christian's time, therefore, must 
be devoted to self-examination and self-instruction in 
righteousness, as well as building one another up in the 
most holy faith, the Divine Word being the censor. 
All such are really taught of God. They learn to 
consider honesty not merely in respect to dollars and 
cents, but also in regard to words and actions. Yea, 
more, they learn to observe honesty in their thoughts- 
to be honest with the Lord, honest with the brethren, 
honest with themselves. As these lessons are learned, 
appropriated, the pupils in the School of Christ are being 
made meet for an inheritance in the Kingdom. 



THE LESSON OF SELF-DENIAL 

One great difficulty among these "heirs of salvation," 
"heirs of the Kingdom," "heirs of glory," lies in our 
inability to rightly appreciate the importance of the 
little things in life and the little things in our own minds. 
Many who would have the courage to go to the stake in 
defense of some principle of righteousness and truth find 
it very difficult to "examine themselves," and, as the 
Apostle suggests, to bring eventually even the very 
thoughts of their minds into subjection to the will of God 



as expressed in Christ. But our Lord's word is, "He 

that is faithful in that which is least will be faithful also 

in that which is greater." Hence we should have in 

mind that the Lord will instruct us along the lines of 

little things; and in our endeavors in all the trifling affairs 

of life we should cultivate and exercise the spirit of 

Christ, the spirit of meekness, gentleness, patience, long 

suffering, brotherly-kindness, love, that these things 

being in us, and abounding, an entrance shall be administered 

to us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of 

our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

An important feature of the teaching of the School of 
Christ is the necessity for self-denial. The repudiation 

SM374 

of sin and sinful words, acts and thoughts is a difficult 
enough matter, but the Lord calls upon His followers to 
repudiate and fight against more than these. They must 
learn to be well-rounded-out characters, copies of God's 
dear Son. They must learn self-denial; our Master as the 
Great King and our Bridegroom learned obedience in 
His self-denials. And these were not along the lines of 
sinful things; for in Him was no sin; His special trials 
were of self-denial, self-sacrifice in the interest of 
and in the support of righteousness and for the blessing of 
others. Thus He developed and manifested the spirit 
which the Father is pleased to reward in the Kingdom. 

All who will be counted worthy to be kings and priests 
to God in that Heavenly Kingdom must demonstrate now 
to Divine satisfaction their willingness to sacrifice their 
own personal interests and rights in favor of the Kingdom 
and the Father's will and the blessing of those whom 
the Father designs shall be blessed by the Kingdom. 
Whoever, therefore, refuses to take up his cross of self-denial 
and to deny himself cannot long be one of the 
Lord's disciples. He will fall out by the way, for ultimately 
only those will constitute members of the Kingdom 
class who shall count it all joy to gain that Kingdom 
and the Divine favor and the great privilege of being associated 
with Jesus in the great work of blessing the 
world at any cost, at any self-denial. Let us, dear brethren, 
emulate more and more this spirit of our Redeemer, 
who made Himself of no reputation that He might work 
the works of God, who sent Him. Thus we also shall be 



counted worthy of a share with Him in the Kingdom and 
its glorious opportunities. 



SM375 



ALL ARE DEBTORS TO GRACE DIVINE 

"Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what 
hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst 
receive it, why dost thou glory as though thou hadst not 
received it?" -I Cor. 4:7. 

Evolutionists and Higher Critics in their so-called 
"New Theology" would apply our text to what they denominate 
the "ascent of man." They tell us that the 
first man was second cousin to a monkey, and that all the 
progress that has since been made by the various races of 
mankind is so much to be thankful for and to be proud of. 
According to their theory each generation receives from 
the preceding one additional blessings, and thus the world 
is going onward and upward to wonderful heights, 
mental, moral and physical. But we cannot agree with 
this theory, and find the Bible story much more consistent 
with the facts of the case. 

The Bible records and revelations teach the fall of 
man from original perfection and likeness to his Creator 
through disobedience—a disobedience which has been accentuated 
in proportion to the degree of alienation from 
the Creator. The Bible shows us also a measure of recovery 
or ascent of man from the depths of his degradation 
proportionately to his attainment of a knowledge 
of his Creator and his rendering of obedience to the 
Creator's laws. Our text fits well to this, the Scriptural 
teaching from Genesis to Revelation. Man's original 
perfection was a gift from his Creator. His sin was of 
his own voluntary opposition to the Divine will, and any 
progress made by any member of the race has been in 
proportion as he has received of the Lord's favor and accepted 
the same. "What hast thou that thou didst not 
receive?" Let us inquire further of the Word of God 
and of history. Who maketh us to differ from others? Let 

SM376 

us see whether or not we are different by reason of a 
process of evolution or different because of having received 
more of the grace of God. 



ADAM NOT A CHIMPANZEE'S COUSIN 

Those who have accepted the Evolution theory instead 
of the Bible record seem to be so infatuated with it that 
they deceive themselves into believing a lie. They sometimes 
give the public to understand that there is but a 
slight difference between the lowest, most degraded member 
of the human family and the highest development of 
the brute creation, when, as a matter of fact, they well 
know that this is not true. They know that there is a wide 
difference indeed. They assure us that there is but one 
missing link to be found; but the informed ones among 
them well know that the missing link is a very long one. 

Several skulls have been found which these wise men 
tell us belong to periods hundreds of thousands of years 
before Adam's time, as Scripturally marked. But while 
disputing the age of these relics and denying that there 
ever was a man before the first man, Adam of the Scriptures, 
we ask these sages to account for the fact that 
every one of those skulls they exhibit as antiques shows a 
brain capacity and cavity larger than that of the average 
man of today. How will they explain this, in view of the 
fact that the brain space of the most developed ape is 
little more than one-half as large as the brain space of 
the least developed among men today? Do not these 
facts upset their entire theory and show that the average 
of human brain capacity has been decreasing instead of 
increasing? Do they not know also that statistics recently 
published in Great Britain show that the sizes of hats 
worn by Englishmen have considerably decreased within 
the last century? If it is necessary to establish some relationship 
between man and the ape (which we deny), 
would it not be fair to suppose, as one scientist of Europe 
has recently done, that the apes are degenerate members 

SM377 

of the human family? Is it not safe for the man of average 
information and reasoning faculties to doubt the wisdom 
of these scientists who guess on both sides of the 
question and who reserve to themselves the right to 
change their guesses frequently, and who show the wildness 
of their unreason by discrepancies of millions of 



years in the guesses as to the time the first man appeared 
on the earth? 

The "common people," who heard Jesus gladly and 
who still listen for the message of the Great Shepherd, 
will feel much safer and be much wiser if they will give 
heed only to the Divine Word on this subject. It speaks 
in no uncertain terms; and its theory is not self-contradictory, 
but safe and sane. It tells of man's original 
creation in the image and likeness of God. It explains 
that the fall of the race from that perfection was proportionate 
to the alienation from God. The Apostle explains 
the whole situation in few words, saying, "When they 
knew God they glorified Him not as God, neither were 
thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their 
foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be 
wise, they became foolish, and changed the glory of the 
incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible 
man and of birds and four-footed beasts and 
creeping things. Wherefore God gave them up in the 
lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies 
should be dishonored among themselves. And even as 
they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave 
them up to a reprobate mind to do those things which 
were not fitting. "--Rom. 1:21-28. 



CHANGE FOR WORSE-CHANGE FOR BETTER 

Does not the Apostle's inspired record of the influence 
of godlessness toward obscenity and degradation 
agree well with all that we surely know from our own 
experiences with the race and from the records of history? 
They surely do! They are satisfactory to those who are 

SM378 

in a right attitude of mind, but nothing is satisfactory to 
those who are in a quibbling attitude and seeking to ignore 
a personal God and man as His handiwork. The 
Apostle's argument is strengthened when we look at the 
reverse side and consider the effect of God's truth and 
grace wherever it has touched and glanced throughout the 
world during the ages marked by the Scriptures and since. 

For instance, consider the moral, physical and intellectual 
state of the world in Abraham's day. We do not 



go further back, because little information is furnished us 
in the Scriptures respecting the epoch before the Flood, 
and little after the Flood until we come to Abraham, who 
under the call from God became a sojourner in the land 
of Canaan, while Shem, the son of Noah, was still living. 
If the theory of Evolution were correct, Abraham would 
have been a short remove from a chimpanzee. But what 
do we find was his character? The Scriptural record tells 
of his various weaknesses as well as of his good qualities, 
and thereby shows itself to be an unbiased, truthful narrative. 
Its story dignifies Abraham as a most wonderful 
man, full of faith in God to the extent that his character 
is still in many respects a model even for Christians. His 
dealings with his nephew Lot show him to have been a 
most just and honorable man. His management of extensive 
flocks and herds, with 318 trained male servants, 
shows him to have been a man of affairs, with a considerably 
larger capacity for management than the average 
man of today. His pursuit of and defeat of the army 
which had captured Sodom and taken its valuables as 
spoils and its people as prisoners, including Lot, Abraham's 
nephew, showed a generalship on Abraham's part 
of no mean order, and a skill among his trained servants 
which places them also on a plane of intelligence far removed 
from that of monkeys. 

Moreover, Abraham's dealing with the spoils—his 
refusal to accept any portion of them for himself-indicates 
a length, breadth, height and depth of intellect 

SM379 

and of character far beyond that of the majority of 
farmers, cattlemen and generals even of this, our day. 
Furthermore, recent excavations in Babylonian ruins 
have brought to light the fact that among that people 
there was a high degree of civilization prevalent at that 
time; that goods were bought and sold by measure and 
for money; that accounts were kept much after the manner 
of the present time among the most civilized, and far 
away beyond what we find among the heathen races of 
our time. Further, we have connected with the history 
of Abraham a glance at the character of the King of 
Egypt, which shows that the latter was governed by high 
principles of honor, justice and morality in his dealings 
with Abraham and Sarah, his wife—principles so noble 



that we fear they could not be matched by one-half the 
princes and rulers of our day.—Gen. 20:9-11. 



GOD MADE ISRAEL TO DIFFER 

The children of Abraham are still to be found—the 
Arabs of the desert, the sons of Ishmael; the Hebrews, 
the sons of Isaac. Do we find that any process of evolution 
has brought the children of Abraham to a higher, 
nobler standard, mental, moral or physical, than we see 
illustrated in him? Surely not! Let us look at God's 
dealings. He declared to Abraham that He would take 
his posterity through Isaac and accomplish through them 
a work which eventually would bless and uplift the entire 
human family of every nation, of every race. But as 
though to show us that He was not dependent upon natural 
evolution for the development of the Jewish people 
God allowed that nation to go into a kind of slavery or 
serfdom to the Egyptians. After a long period of such 
serfdom the Lord brought them forth under the lead of 
Moses, who unquestionably was a great leader, a great 
general, a good man, as well as the meekest of men. He 
was a man that any nation in the world might be proud 
of today. Surely evolution has not developed the race 

SM380 

up to the standard of this son of a serf. The Law given 
at Sinai has served as the basis in the formulating of all 
laws since, and its brief, succinct statement, given in 
Leviticus 19:18, and in Deuteronomy 6:5, is still the 
standard of all law among the wisest and best people of 
earth, namely, "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with 
all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy being, with 
all thy strength"; and "thou shall love thy neighbor as 
thyself."-Matt. 22:40. 

True, the people of Israel, surrounded by examples of 
idolatry and immorality, frequently slipped back from 
their covenant relationship to the Lord and their endeavors 
to keep the Divine Law, yet on the whole that 
nation ultimately became in some respects the greatest 
and wisest in the world under the administrations of 
David and Solomon. True, that nation passed under a 
cloud and lost special Divine favor when they rejected 



the Messiah, yet even now the influences of the Divine 
Promises and Law make them still a great people, so that 
while without national existence, scattered among all the 
nations of the earth, they wield an influence in finance 
and in literature second to none other. Unquestionably 
they were made to differ from other men by reason of 
God's dealings with them and promises to them. In 
proportion to their faith and obedience to the Lord they 
have had a blessing.--Rom. 3:1-3; Deut. 4:5-9. 



HOW CHRISTIANS DIFFER ALSO 

But we are not to judge of the blessing upon Israel 
from the standard of those who had not a sufficiency of 
faith to accept the Messiah in His day. Rather we should 
look to those faithful ones who received Jesus. The 
twelve chosen by our Lord from the humbler walks of 
life to be His Apostles have left their mark in the world 
as its benefactors in the very highest sense—next to that 
of their Lord, the Redeemer. 

When we come to consider the effect of this Gospel of 
Christ in the world, we must differentiate between true 

SM381 

Christians and nominal Christians. The latter are estimated 
to number 400,000,000 and include both the best 
and the worst specimens of the human family, including 
true Christians. All of this mass have been enlightened 
more or less through the teachings of Christ and the 
Apostles, but only a comparatively small number of them 
have received that special blessing to which they were 
invited and which does not carry an every-way favorable 
opinion among men. 

Keep in view our argument, based upon the words of 
our text, "Who hath made us to differ?" Our claim, 
supported by the Bible and by history, is that the degradation 
which came upon the world through the disobedience 
and fall of Adam has been to a considerable 
extent offset by the grace and truth which our Lord Jesus 
brought to light through His Message of Salvation. As 
the Jews were blessed by the types and shadows of the 
Law and the prophetic messages sent to them, so during 
this Gospel Age every nation of the world has been 



blessed with a measure of enlightenment through the 
Gospel of Christ—in proportion as they have received the 
true Message in its purity and in proportion as they have 
responded thereto. But, alas, these two exceptions are 
very important ones! Let us consider them: 

The Message itself has been woefully corrupted, and 
that by the very ones who have claimed to rejoice in it 
and to be its ministers. The beauty and simplicity of the 
original Message-that God was in Christ reconciling the 
world to Himself, imputing their transgressions to Him 
who died for us-gradually became warped and twisted 
into meaning that the Heavenly Father had been endeavoring 
to do violence to every principle of justice and 
love and to send the entire race of Adam to eternal torment; 
that Jesus in love and sympathy had interposed 
Himself in His endeavor to assist our race; but that His 
efforts, including His death, would avail but little to the 
majority who have died without so much as hearing of 

SM382 

the only name given under Heaven and amongst men 
whereby we must be saved. The beautiful teaching of 
God's Word, that He is now electing or selecting from the 
world of mankind a very special class to constitute the 
Bride, the Lamb's Wife, and joint-heir in the Millennial 
Kingdom which shall bless all the families of the earth— 
this has been twisted into a most horrible doctrine. 

The false view of Election is that God, in the exercise 
of a Sovereign authority, determined to save a 
handful of our race to show what He could have done for 
all if He had so chosen; that He is utterly regardless of the 
interests of the non-elect, and has provided no salvation 
for them, either in the present or in the future life. 
The fate of those who have died outside of the knowledge 
of Christ, and hence outside the possibility of salvation 
through faith in His name, has been horribly misrepresented, 
so that to the intelligent thinker the God of Love 
—who is working all things according to the counsel of 
His will— is made to appear a most terrible demon, lacking 
in justice and devoid of love, and far inferior to the 
most degraded of the human family-not one of whom 
could be supposed to take pleasure in the eternal torment 
of a fellow-creature.-Isa. 29:13. 

Is it strange that such a perversion of the Message 



brought forth an evil fruitage? Is it not true that so 
surely as a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit, so false 
doctrines will develop bad characters in those who receive 
them? Looking back to the Dark Ages we feel a horror 
as we read of millions who suffered violent deaths, excruciating 
tortures, etc., for conscience sake; and when 
we are told that these cruelties were inflicted in the name 
of God and religion and the Bible, we rightly feel incensed 
at such a perversion of the truth, and subsequently we 
feel a sympathy as we realize that this wrong course of 
action resulted from the inculcation of false doctrines- 
contrary both to the word and to the spirit of the Bible. 
Thus we see that churchianity does not properly represent 

SM383 

Christ and His teachings and those of the Apostles. 
Nevertheless, as we should expect, the letter of Christ's 
teachings to some extent prevails even among those whose 
conduct indicates that they either never possessed 
or had lost the spirit of His teachings—love, joy, peace, 
meekness, gentleness, patience, kindness. 



"FEAR NOT, LITTLE FLOCK" 

The blessing has been in proportion as the people 
have returned to the true Message. Apparently a few 
in every land have been in that attitude of heart which 
enabled them to appreciate the spirit of the true Message, 
notwithstanding the admixtures of human philosophy 
and falsehood. Yet these are but few now or at any 
time. Speaking of this our Lord Jesus called them a 
"little flock," saying, "Fear not, little flock; it is your 
Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom." The 
twelve Apostles were of this little flock class; and there 
have been others of this same spirit all the way down 
through the ages, mixed in among the tares, among the 
formalistic hosts and more or less confused with the 
false doctrines. These, despite the errors and despite 
their own inability, have held to the Scriptural declarations 
respecting the justice and love of the Creator and 
the mercy provided in the Redeemer. They have ignored 
the misrepresentation of the Divine Character by the 
creeds of the Dark Ages, and have in heart accepted the 



Lord on the terms stated by our dear Redeemer: "If any 
man will be My disciple let him take up his cross and follow 
Me'-Luke 9:23; Matt. 19:27-29. 

Following the letter and spirit of this teaching this 
class have been willing to be counted fools for Christ's 
sake, and have sought to walk in the footsteps of Him who 
has set them an example, to live separate from the world, 
to live for God and the Truth and for the blessing of fellowmen. 
But so small is the number of these and so insignificant 
their influence that they are not recorded 
among any of the great denominations of the world, but 

SM384 

are counted as offscourings of all denominations-sometimes 
pitied, sometimes scorned. What the Apostle said 
of such in his day is still true—the world knoweth us not 
even as it knew our Lord not. What our Redeemer said 
of this class is still true: "Ye are not of the world, even 
as I am not of the world. If ye were of the world, the 
world would love his own; but because ye are not of the 
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore 
the world hateth you."--John 15:19. 

But although the world disowns and despises this 
class it recognizes, nevertheless, in them what it terms an 
impractical spirit-because their conceptions, ambitions 
and methods are not such as would bring the greatest 
prosperity and success in the present time, when sin and 
selfishness rule in the world. The world and churchianity 
have so misconceived the Divine Plan that whatever is 
highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight 
of the Lord, while that which is highly esteemed by the 
Lord is an abomination in the sight of those who are not 
in full accord with Him. 



"WHO HATH MADE US TO DIFFER?" 

We have seen that truth mixed with error has made 
Christendom to differ from heathendom, greatly to its 
advantage in some respects. The teaching of the Gospel 
respecting the original equality of the race and respecting 
the final accountability of each individual to the Lord 
alone--to the effect that the rule of judgment will be the 
same for prince and peasant, for learned and unlearned-- 



has had the effect of opening the eyes of the human understanding 
along this Une, whereas the heathen peoples are 
still under superstition respecting classes and castes. 
The spirit of liberty thus infused through that measure 
of the truth which the world could and did receive has 
worked marvelous reformations of one kind and another 
wherever the Message of the Gospel has gone. The common 
people have grasped the thought that "A man's a 
man for a' that," and to some extent have grasped the 

SM385 

thought that opportunity and education and mental power 
have established the rulerships of this world, but that 
these have neither power nor influence respecting the 
life to come, when all will be on a common level before 
the judgment seat of Christ. The little of truth which 
Christendom has received therefore has been liberating 
and uplifting and enlightening and destructive to ignorance 
and superstition. But Christendom has not been 
prepared to receive other features of God's Message, 
"speaking peace through Jesus Christ." They have not 
received the invitation to make a full consecration of their 
hearts to the Divine will and service and to walk in the 
footsteps of Jesus. Consequently they have not received 
the full benefit and blessing which they might have had. 
In other words, they have developed along the lines of 
love and liberty, while they have not developed along the 
lines of consecration and realization of responsibility to 
God. As a consequence we are rapidly approaching a 
time when these poorly balanced conditions will mean the 
wreck of our present civilization. Growth in liberty, independence, 
etc., in connection with growth in selfishness, 
is liberty working out a condition of things which the 
Scriptures portray in respect to the closing of this age, 
in which—throughout Christendom especially—every 
man's hand will be against his neighbors. Selfishness 
gone to seed will bring forth anarchy, the overthrow of 
all human government and restraints, the precipitation 
of the most awful trouble the world has ever known. Here 
we have an illustration of the danger of liberty while 
selfishness is the motive power. The essence of the 
Lord's message being rejected, the consequences will be 
disastrous. The greater the light the greater the 
responsibility; the higher the elevation the greater the 



fall. This is the sad picture which the Scriptures give of 
our present civilization. "Churchianity" —which lacks 
of the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of love— will wreck 
itself on its own intelligence because of its own spirit of 

SM386 

selfishness. A measure of truth made "Christendom" to 
differ from heathendom, and the result will be that in the 
collapse the most favored will sustain the greatest injury. 

But what about the Little Flock, the true Christians, 
who not only appreciate their liberty, freedom from 
ignorance and superstition, but who accept the Lord's 
Message in full, and by consecration of their all take up 
their cross to follow the dear Redeemer, not living merely 
for the present joys, comforts and honors, but chiefly for 
the Father's will to be done— what about these? Ah! 
theirs is a peculiar case, difficult for many to comprehend. 
As the Master said to them, "In the world ye shall have 
tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the 
world." So it is also that the world understands them 
not and thinks of them merely as a class of foolish persons 
who have no joy, no happiness, no pleasure in life. 
On the contrary, these well know that they have more 
pleasure, more joy, more happiness than have their 
friends, because there is a peace of God which passeth 
understanding ruling in their hearts. They not only joy 
and rejoice in the future prospect—in a hope of a share 
in the First Resurrection and the glory, honor and immortality 
then to be given to the Elect, but are happy in 
present trials, difficulties and oppositions. -Rom. 5:3-5. 

Ah, this is the secret of true peace and true joy-the 
love of God, the promises of God, the realization from 
God's Word that present trials and difficulties are all 
working together for good to them that love Him, to all 
called ones according to His purpose-preparing them 
for the glory, honor, blessing and usefulness of the future 
—of the Millennium and after! These have learned not 
to care so much for the smiles or frowns of the world, as 
they once did. They look beyond for the smile of their 
Heavenly Lord and Bridegroom, and are happy, while by 
the eye of faith they discern that, no matter what their 
earthly conditions may be, they rejoice in the privilege 
of serving their Master and His cause. 



SM387 

"WHAT HAVE WE THAT WE HAVE 
NOT RECEIVED?" 

And in these words of our text there is a thought 
which should help us toward humility, one of the graces 
of the Lord's Spirit, without which. He tells us, we could 
never be acceptable to Him as joint-heirs with our dear 
Redeemer in His glorious Kingdom that is to bless the 
world of mankind very soon. Do we not see it to be true, 
as the Apostle expressed it, that everything that we 
possess—every quality of character and of its development 
—has come to us from the Lord; that we ourselves 
originated nothing whatever of which we could boast or 
of which we could be proud?~l Cor. 4:7. 

Looking back into the remote past we find that our 
forefathers were heathen savages, and that the Lord sent 
to them some measure of the Gospel light. They were 
blessed in proportion as they received it into good and 
honest hearts. Coming down we find the blessings of 
civilization following this Gospel of light, truth and grace. 
And in our own individual cases we realize that we were 
favorably born, and that in the Word of God we have the 
power of God for the transformation of the character; 
and that our own work in connection with this has been 
so inspired and enthused by the Lord's promises that 
we see, as the Scriptures tell us, that God has been working 
in us to will and to do His good pleasure by these 
promises and instructions furnished us through the 
Scriptures. Our justification through faith in the 
precious blood is surely not of ourselves, but of the Lord, 
who provided the sacrifice and who has given us the 
blessed anointing of the eyes of our understanding that 
we might see Jesus as the Lamb of God which taketh 
away the sin of the world. It was favor upon favor that 
we were granted an appreciation of the privilege of presenting 
our bodies living sacrifices, and of thus becoming 
disciples of Christ and followers in His footsteps, that 
eventually we might attain unto the First Resurrection 
and become members of the Bride, the Lamb's Wife. 



SM388 



"PUT AWAY ALL FILTHINESS" 

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, 
let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and 
spirit, perfecting holiness in fear of God. "—2 Cor. 7:1. 

Although the words of our text were not addressed 
by St. Paul to the worldly, they would, nevertheless, be 
excellent advice and very profitable to all. In a general 
way all civilized people recognize that "cleanliness is 
next to godliness." In a general way the pure, the clean, 
are recognized as the beautiful; and impurity and filthiness 
are detested even by the impure and the filthy. Outwardly 
at least we are in a time when water is plentiful, 
when soap is cheap, and when filthiness of the flesh is almost 
inexcusable as respects the outward man. But 
filthiness of the spirit cannot be cleansed with ordinary 
soap and water; and this is undoubtedly the reason why 
the Lord and the Apostles have not addressed these 
words to the world.~Psa. 119:9. 



"HAVING THESE PROMISES" 

Our text tells the difference between the well-intentioned 
worldly person and the thoroughly consecrated 
Christian. The latter has heard through the Word of 
God certain "exceeding great and precious promises," 
which the well-meaning worldly class have not yet heard 
in the true sense of hearing—in the sense of appreciating, 
understanding. The whole civilized world, in one sense, 
has the same Bible, the same Word of God, the same 
precious promises; but it has not appreciated these. It 
has not understood them, accepted them and made them 
its own by a surrender to the Lord. The Church, on the 
contrary, is composed of those who have heard the Lord's 
promises intelligently and accepted those promises upon 

SM389 

God's conditions. Those promises of God constitute the 



power of God, which works in the heart of each of the 
Church, first to will aright and, secondly, to do to the 
extent of ability the Lord's good pleasure.--Phil. 2:13. 

This is the class addressed in our text—the followers 
of Jesus. These have heard of the grace of God--that 
it is the Divine purpose to bless Adam and his race 
through the great Mediator—The Messiah, The Christ. 
They have heard that Jesus left the glory which He had 
with the Father and humbled Himself to human nature, 
in order that He might redeem the human race. They 
have heard that the application of the merit of His sacrifice, 
when made in due time, will be sufficient for the 
sins of the whole world; and that then the Heavenly 
Father will turn over the world to the Redeemer. They 
have learned that the Redeemer, backed by Divine authority, 
will put all things into subjection under His feet, will 
institute a Heavenly Kingdom in the earth, and for a 
thousand years reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. 
They have heard that when He shall thus reign. His Kingdom 
shall be "under the whole heavens," although the 
King Himself will be the King of Glory on the spirit 
plane, "far above angels, principalities and powers and 
every name that is named."-Eph. 1:21; Dan. 7:27. 

They have heard that His Kingdom will prevail from 
sea to sea and unto the ends of the earth, and that eventually 
unto Him every knee shall bow and every tongue confess 
allegiance and obedience, and that all refusing thus 
to submit to that Reign of Righteousness will be destroyed 
from amongst the people in the Second Death. 
(Acts 3:22,23.) They have heard that this great Kingdom 
will not only lift up, raise up, resurrect humanity from its 
fallen condition, from sin and death, but that it will also 
bring the whole earth to the condition foreshown in the 
Garden of Eden, making God's footstool glorious and 
every way fit to be the eternal habitation of such 
of the human race as will be saved by that glorious Kingdom 

SM390 

for which we pray, "Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be 
done on earth as it is done in Heaven." 



"BELOVED, LET US CLEANSE OURSELVES" 

But these have heard something more— something 
that belongs to the present time. They have heard that 
it is the Divine purpose to select from amongst mankind 
a Royal Priesthood, to be associated with the great Redeemer 
in His Mediatorial Kingdom. They have heard 
that a call went forth to this effect eighteen centuries ago, 
inviting, first of all, the Jews who were ready and willing 
to accept this very highest favor of God~joint-heirship 
with His Son in the spiritual Kingdom which is to bless 
mankind in general by and by. They have heard that to 
attain membership in this Royal Priesthood means the 
attainment of the character likeness of Jesus, to become 
copies of God's dear Son. (Rom. 8:29.) This implies, 
as its cost, the sacrifice of earthly interests. They have 
heard the Lord's Message, not only inviting to the glories 
of the Kingdom, but also informing them that the way to 
that crown of glory is a narrow and difficult one. They 
have heard the voice of the Master, saying, "Sit down 
first and count the cost," before you undertake such a 
consecration of your life, such a sacrifice of your earthly 
interests. "No man having put his hand to the plow and 
looking back would be fit for the Kingdom" —fit for a 
place on the Throne as a joint-heir with Christ. (Luke 9:62.) 
They heard the further expression of St. Paul 
to all who would become joint-heirs with Christ in His 
Kingdom assuring them that if they suffer with Christ, 
they shall reign with Him.~Rom. 8:17. 

We doubt not that as the Heavenly Father and our 
Lord Jesus so loved the world as to provide the great 
Sacrifice for sin, so St. Paul loved the world—and all 
others of God's people must have a sympathetic love for 
the world. But when we think of those who are dearly 
beloved by the Father, by the Son, by the Apostles and by 
each other, we think of the special class of consecrated 

SM391 

saints who Scripturally are described as of no earthly 
sect or party, but as "The Church of the First-borns, 
whose names are written in Heaven." 

These are "dearly beloved" because they have the 
mind of Christ, which is also the mind of the Father. According 
to the flesh they are not all lovely or beautiful. 



St. Paul elsewhere admonishes us that amongst these 
"dearly beloved" are not many great, not many wise, 
not many noble, not many rich, but chiefly the ignoble 
and the poor of this world. Their riches and their 
nobility are not of the flesh, but of the spirit, of the heart, 
of the new will, to which they have been begotten of God 
by the Holy Spirit. This is surely the Apostle's thought, 
for in the preceding verse he speaks of these "dearly 
beloved" ones as "sons and daughters" of the Lord, children 
of the Almighty—hence begotten again of the Holy 
Spirit--"New Creatures in Christ Jesus." (2 Cor. 5:17.) 
Ah, how wonderful it seems that there should be such a 
class as this in the world, yet not separated from the 
world, except by their new spirit! These are in the world 
but not o/the world, as the Master declared. These have 
died to worldly aims and objects, and have become alive 
toward God through the Holy Spirit and through the 
quickening influences of God's exceeding great and 
precious promises given unto them. God's purpose respecting 
them is that they may be transformed from 
human nature to spirit nature—from participation with 
the world in the blessings coming to it to receive instead 
the Divine nature, with the glory, honor and immortality 
attaching thereto, as New Creatures, sons of the Highest. 



CHRISTIAN "FILTHINESS OF THE FLESH" 

Having located definitely the class addressed by the 
Apostle, "the saints" (2 Cor. 1:1), let us note why it is 
necessary that saints should receive such an exhortation. 
Why should the Apostle write to saints respecting the 
cleansing of their flesh from filthiness? Could one be a 
saint and yet have filthiness of the flesh? 

SM392 

We reply that these saints, begotten of the Holy 
Spirit, will not be perfected as New Creatures until they 
experience the "change" of the "First Resurrection." 
Meantime they have the treasure of the Divine nature, the 
Holy Spirit, the first-fruits of their inheritance, in imperfect 
human bodies. It is not the flesh that is begotten 
again by the Holy Spirit, but a new mind, a new will. The 
will of the flesh they sacrifice. They give up all earthly 



rights and ambitions and accept instead the will of God, 
the will of Christ, the Holy Spirit, that they may walk in 
newness of life. However, from the very beginning of 
their Christian experience all of these members of the 
Royal Priesthood, in the present life, pass through difficulties 
which arise from three different sources: 

(1) The Adversary is in opposition to them, and will 

do them all the harm the Lord will permit. Their protection 
is the Divine promise that they shall not be tempted 
above what they will be able to bear—that the Lord will 
so supervise their interests that with every temptation 
there will be provided a way of escape. ~1 Cor. 10:13. 

(2) They are in a world that is dark with sin and selfishness, 
superstition and ignorance of God and out of 

harmony with His righteousness. The world and its 
spirit surge about them every day, from morning until 
night. Its tides and currents seek to sweep them away 
from their resolutions of self-sacrifice and loyalty to God 
and righteousness. In various ways it holds out to them 
enchanting prospects, pleasures and riches, ease and affluence. 
These have their weight, even though it be known 
that comparatively few who follow the world's beckoning 
and allurements ever receive the fulfilment of the promises 
held out to them.--l Cor. 2:12-14. 

(3) The New Creature's closest and most persistent 
adversary is his own flesh. The longings of his depraved 
nature cry out against restraints, and insist that he is 
taking an unreasonable course in that he undertakes to 
follow the Lord Jesus, and thus to go in an opposite direction 

SM393 

from the course of the world and at the cost of the 
crucifixion, the mortification, of his own flesh and his natural 
preferences. -Rom. 8:13. 

Thus viewed every spirit-begotten Christian is an 
object of sympathy from the Divine standpoint, and this 
should be their standpoint toward each other. But the 
world has no sympathy. The world sees not, neither does 
it understand nor appreciate the exceeding great and precious 
promises which lie behind the consecration of the 
"saints," "the Church of the First-borns." So much the 
more each of these brethren, "dearly beloved," should 
have sympathy for each other, should encourage one 
another, strengthen one another, build one another up in 



the most holy faith and, by all means, do nothing to stumble 
each other in the narrow way.—John 13:34,35. 

The "saints" cannot fight Satan. They can merely 
by their wills resist him and rely upon the promises of 
grace to help and to protect. The "saints" cannot conquer 
the world and convert it to God--that is too herculean 
a task. God, as we have seen, has provided the thousand 
years of Messiah's Reign for that purpose-to conquer 
the world, to overthrow sin and to uplift the willing 
and obedient of humanity. But the "saints" must all 
overcome the world in the sense of resisting its spirit and 
keeping their hearts loyal to God, loyal to their covenant 
of consecration which they have made to Him. The Heavenly 
promises with the still greater rewards of glories, 
far above anything that the world has to offer, are the 
greatest aids in this resistance of the worldly spirit. 

The great work for the Church is the good fight of 
faith manifested in the putting away of the filth of their 
own flesh and spirit. Some by nature have more filth of 
the flesh and spirit, more meanness, more selfishness, 
more natural depravity, etc., than have others. Nevertheless, 
the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the 
strong; for God's arrangement is that each member of 
the Royal Priesthood shall be judged according to the 

SM394 

spirit or intention, and not according to the flesh. From 
the time of the Christian's consecration to the Lord he is 
reckoned dead as a human being and alive as a spirit 
being. His test or trial is not with a view to seeing 
whether or not he can do the impossible thing of living an 
absolutely perfect life in an imperfect body. His trial or 
test, on the contrary, is to see to what extent his mind, his 
will, fights a good fight against his natural weaknesses 
and frailties. "There is none righteous, no, not one." 
All the trying in the world could not prove this Divine 
statement an incorrect one. Righteousness of the will, 
holiness of heart, purity of heart, are the possibilities. 
For these God seeks; and these He will reward in the 
"First Resurrection" by granting perfect spirit bodies, 
in full harmony with their pure hearts, their loyal intentions 
and purposes. —Rom. 3:10; 1 Tim. 6:12. 



HOW TO PUT AWAY FILTH OF THE FLESH 

If it is impossible for the New Creature to perfect the 
flesh, what does the Apostle mean by urging the saints to 
cleanse themselves from the filth of the flesh? He means 
that we should not, as New Creatures, be discouraged and 
say that, because we cannot hope to attain perfection in 
the flesh, therefore we will make no endeavors in that 
direction. He wishes us to understand that it is the 
Lord's will that we fight against the weaknesses of the 
flesh with a twofold purpose. 

(1) That we may gradually cleanse ourselves-gradually 
become more and more what the Lord would have 

us be and what we should like to be ourselves. 

(2) Additionally, this fight against sin in the flesh will 
make us stronger and stronger as New Creatures, in the 
spirit of our minds. It is this firmness, this determination, 
this positiveness of the New Creature against sin 

and /or righteousness that God desires. Those who 
develop it are called "overcomers"; and all of their 
experiences in these trials and battlings against the 

SM395 

world, the flesh and the Adversary, are designed to make 
them "strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." 
Their experiences are so ordered and directed as to lead 
them to more and more of faith in God and obedience to 
Him. In order to be acceptable, they must reach the 
place where they love righteousness and hate iniquity— 
in-equity~injustice.~Psa. 45:7; Luke 16:13. 

The word spirit in the Bible and in ordinary language 
is used in a variety of senses. In our text it does not signify 
that the saints, as spirit beings, are filthy and need 
cleansing. Quite to the contrary, the New Creature, 
begotten of the Holy Spirit, is pure. But as the New 
Creature must use the body of flesh until it receives the 
New Body, so it must use the brain or mind of the flesh 
wherewith to do its thinking and reasoning, until that 
which is perfect shall be attained in the "First Resurrection." 
The Apostle's meaning, therefore, is not only that 
the saints should put away filthiness of words and actions, 
and all sympathy with impurity of every kind, but that 
their minds (their thoughts) also should be pure, should 
be cleansed of everything not fully in sympathy and 



accord with the mind of Christ. Nor are we to suppose 
that this work is purely God's work in us. It is His to 
forgive the sins of the past. It is His to cleanse us from 
all condemnation of the past. It is His to cover through 
Christ all of our unintentional blemishes. It is His to 
encourage by His promises. But it is ours to show our 
loyalty to the principles of His Word and character by 
putting away, to the extent of our ability, all filthiness of 
the flesh and spirit.--Phil. 2:12,13; 2 Peter 1:10. 



SM396 

JERUSALEM THE HOL Y CITY 

[Brooklyn, June 5, 1910] 

"Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. 
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her 
that her appointed time is accomplished, that her iniquity 
is pardoned; for she hath received of the Lord's hand 
double for all her sins. "~Isa. 40:1,2. 

Christendom, with united voice, admits that all of the 
Divine Revelation came to and through the Hebrew people. 
Listen to the argument of the Apostle Paul, "What 
advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of 
circumcision? Much every way; chiefly, because that 
unto them were committed the Oracles of God" —the 
Divine Message respecting the Divine purposes, present 
and to come. The Apostle again informs us that the 
entire Gospel Message was briefly comprehended in the 
Creator's promise to Abraham, "In thy Seed shall all 
the families of the earth be blessed."--Gal. 3:8. 

"TO THE JEW FIRST" 

It was the most natural thing imaginable for the Jewish 
Nation to suppose that the giving to them of the Law 
at Mount Sinai, through the mediatorship of Moses, was 
the fulfilment of the promise to Abraham. Nevertheless, 
they were mistaken, as the pages of history show. 

Israel's mediator, the sacrificing priests, the sacrifices 
they offered, their Tabernacle with its Holy and Most 
Holy, the Temple, and all the features of the Law Covenant 
were type or foreshadows of the "better sacrifices," 
higher Priesthood, better Mediator, and glorious blessings 
of eternal forgiveness and reconciliation yet to be 
accomplished. Nevertheless the period of Israel's types 
was not wasted. Not only were the types there given, 

SM397 

but at the same time a special class of agents were 



selected: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the Prophets 
and worthy ones of that Age, holy, consecrated to God, 
and accepted as agents qualified for the Kingdom conditions. 
Of these the Scriptures declare, "They fell 
asleep." They are still asleep in the dust of the earth, 
awaiting the glorious Resurrection Morning, and a grand 
share with Messiah in the work then to be accomplished. 
In their lifetime, they were styled "the fathers," because 
Messiah was foretold to be of the posterity of Abraham, 
and also "David's Son." 



"COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE" 

But other Scriptures, without contradicting these 
statements, show us distinctly that "David's Son" and 
"Abraham's Seed" is to be Lord and Father of both 
David and Abraham. Thus we read, "Instead of Thy 
fathers shall be Thy children, whom Thou mayest make 
princes in all the earth." (Psa. 45:16.) David's son, 
Messiah, will be David's Father, or Life-giver, when He 
will raise David from the dead. Similarly He will be 
the Father of all those Ancient Worthies; and as David's 
Lord, and "Lord of lords," it will be His pleasure to 
appoint to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, to all of the Ancient 
Worthies and the Prophets, and other faithful ones a 
glorious share with Himself in the great Messianic Kingdom, 
which He is about to set up for the ruling and blessing 
of Israel and all the nations of the earth. Will not 
this be a grand honor to Abraham and his Seed! Could 
we expect that the Almighty would use in such a high 
position any except the faithful? Surely not! When 
Messiah shall make these Ancient Worthies "Princes in 
all the earth," as representatives of His invisible Kingdom, 
will not this mean honor to the Jew first? 

Our text is one of three declarations in the Old Testament, 
which assure us that there is a "double" connected 
with Israel's history. That is to say, Jewish history naturally 

SM398 

divides itself into two exactly equal parts. The 
first of these parts was a time of favor, intermingled with 
disciplines, but favor, nevertheless. The second of these 
parts has been one of disfavor and exclusion from Divine 



fellowship. As foretold by the Prophet, Israel for many 
centuries has been without prophet or priest, without 
ephod and without communion with God; whereas, at 
one time they were God's favored people. They now, 
according to their own admission, are so thoroughly 
rejected that they have no communication whatever, no 
light to shine upon their pathway. The Prophet's words 
have been fulfilled, "Let their table become a snare 
before them: and that which should have been for their 
welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, 
that they see not." (Psa. 69:22,23.) They have stumbled; 
they are blinded; but thank God! their blindness 
is not to be perpetual. The period of their blindness is 
the second part of the "double." With the fulfilment of 
that "double" their blindness will begin to vanish, and 
"all the blind eyes shall be opened." Of that time the 
Lord declares that He who scattered Israel will gather 
them.-Deut. 30:3; Ezek. 37:20-28. 

We are impressed, not by fancy, but by the Word of 
God, that Israel's "double" is now fulfilled, that Israel's 
blessing has already begun, that the opening of Israel's 
eyes is now in progress. For this reason we have 
chosen for our text, "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, 
saith your God. Cry unto Jerusalem and say unto her 
that her appointed time is accomplished; for she hath 
received at the Lord's hand double [the two parts of her 
chastisement] for all her sins." Because the "double" 
is completed, we may speak the words of comfort. 

Thirty-four years ago we called attention to these 
facts, but few had ears to hear. When eighteen years 
ago we visited Jerusalem, having in mind chiefly the fact 
that the time for the regathering of Israel was nigh at 
hand, and that the set time to favor Zion had come, we 

SM399 

found no hearing ears amongst the Jewish people; and 
Zionism had not then been dreamed of. Our communications 
with the representatives of the Baron Hirsch 
Immigration Fund, and also with the executors of the 
Sir Moses Montefiore Jewish Relief Fund met with scant 
recognition. Nevertheless, we felt sure that Israel's 
"double" had been fulfilled, and that her morning of joy 
would soon break.--Psa. 30:5. 
Meantime how much has happened during those 



eighteen years! Zionism has risen and engendered the 
hope of the "chosen people" in every land, and turned 
their eyes toward the Land of Promise—not that all are 
thinking of returning thither, but that every Jew who 
retains faith in the God of his fathers, and in the Abrahamic 
promise, is now looking and hoping for the time 
of blessing, long foretold. They know not about their 
"double"; they have not been studying the Holy Scriptures, 
but the teachings of their ancients, as presented 
by the Talmud. They have been making a very similar 
mistake to that of Christian people, who have been studying 
the creeds of the Dark Ages instead of God's Word. 



THE THREE "DOUBLES" 

Glance with me at three different statements by the 
Lord through the Prophets of Israel respecting Israel's 
"double" of experience: the first, an experience of God's 
favor; the second, an experience of equal length without 
Divine favor. Notice first Jeremiah's prophecy. (Jer. 16:18.) 
After telling of Israel's disfavor, and then of 
their regathering, the Lord declares, "And first I will 
recompense their iniquity and their sin double" —sovcvq of 
the recompense with favor, and some without favor. 
Jeremiah's prophecy looks down to the "double" from 
his own day, which was more than six hundred years 
before the second part of their "double" began. 

Turn now to Zechariah's prophecy, and note that 
prophetically he takes his standpoint at the very time 

SM400 

when the second part of the "double" began. His words 
are, "Even today do I declare that I will render double 
unto thee."--Zech. 9:12. 

Come next to our text, and note that the Prophet 
Isaiah stands with us, and views the matter from the 
standpoint that the "double" of experience has been fulfilled: 
"Speak comfortably unto Jerusalem, cry unto 
her that her appointed time is accomplished, because she 
hath received at the Lord's hand double [two equal parts] 
for her sins. " It is our understanding that this "double" 
reached fulfilment in the year 1878 A.D.; and since 
that date we have been declaring to the best of our ability. 



as the Lord granted opportunity, these comforting words 

to Israel, assuring God's people that their period of disfavor 

has ended, and that they are gradually returning 

to prosperity; that Divine favor began with them in 1878. 

Yea, more than this, our sermons which to some extent 

reflect this feature of the Divine Program relating to 

Israel's restoration to Divine favor, are being read to 

a considerable extent by Hebrews as well as by Christians. 

Their eyes are gradually opening, as the Scriptures 

foretell they shall do. 

But how may we know when the turning point of 
Israel's "double" took place? How may we know that 
the "double" was completed in 1878? We reply that the 
answer to the question necessitates an acknowledgment 
of Jesus as the Messiah. Israel's rejection of Him as 
their King marks the turning point of God's favor, as the 
prophecy of Zechariah, just quoted, distinctly shows. 
Neither Christians nor Jews have appreciated the full 
import of the incident mentioned in the Gospel; that five 
days before His crucifixion, Jesus rode upon an ass, after 
the manner of Jewish kings, into the city of Jerusalem, 
a multitude surrounding Him, and going before Him, 
shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He 
that Cometh in the name of Jehovah!" The Prophet 
Zechariah called attention to this incident centuries 

SM401 

before it occurred, and then gives the Lord's words, 
"Even today do I declare I will render double unto 
thee."--Matt. 21:1-5. 

Israel's history as a nation began with the death of 
Jacob, when he gave his blessing to the twelve tribes. 
The period from that time to the death of Jesus, according 
to the Scriptures, was 1845 years; and a like period 
of disfavor, measuring from the day of Jesus' rejection 
marks the year 1878, as the end of Israel's disfavor—the 
time when the message of comfort should go forth. However, 
Divine favor was only gradually taken from Israel, 
and altogether a period of thirty- six years intervene 
between the death of Jesus and the utter destruction of 
Jerusalem. Similarly we should expect that the return 
of favor would be gradual, a like period of 36 years; and 
this would bring us to the year 1914, as the time when 
God's favor for His people will be gradually manifested, 



during the closing hours of Gentile supremacy in the close 
of the Gospel Age.--Luke 21:24. 



"THE SEED OF ABRAHAM" 

The question now arises, What has God accomplished 
during the latter half of Israel's "double"? Did He pass 
by His chosen people to bless the Gentiles directly, or 
how shall we understand Divine providence with respect 
to this matter? 

We answer that Almighty God had one feature of His 
Plan which He did not make known directly and explicitly 
to Abraham or any other Prophet. He kept that feature 
of his purpose a secret. It is this: Messiah could not 
be a man and yet accomplish the great things which Jehovah 
purposed, as stated in His Word. The Law called 
for an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and a man's life 
for a man's life. In this God set forth His principle governing 
His course of dealing with men. As by man 
(Adam) came the death sentence, and through heredity 
upon all of his offspring, even so the Divine Law purposed 
that there must be a sacrifice of one human life to 

SM402 

offset the one human life condemned to death. The one 
who would thus meet the demands of Justice on behalf of 
the race would have the right to give eternal life and 
human perfection to every member of Adam's race willing 
to accept it on the terms of the Divine Law. It was 
for this reason that Christ should die, "the Just for the 
unjust."--! Peter 3:18. 

As a reward for His obedience to the Father even unto 
death, Christ was raised from the dead to the Divine 
nature. In this exalted condition He is capable of being 
a Mediator and of doing a work for Israel and for the 
world much higher and broader than Moses could effect. 
Moses, the typical mediator, made atonement for a year 
with the blood of beasts; but Messiah with His own blood 
makes perpetual atonement for the sins of all the people. 
This is the great Messiah (Jesus) who suffered the death 
of the cross—for the Jews and for the Gentiles— "for all 
the people." This is the glorified Messiah, who as the 
Spiritual Seed of Abraham is about to bless Israel's 



Ancient Worthies, and to "make them Princes in all the 
earth" —ministers of His Kingdom for the ruling, blessing 
and uplifting of whosoever will, out of the present 
sin and death conditions, to life eternal, to full human 
perfection, with the earth as Paradise restored. 



MEMBERS OF MESSIAH 

But some one may say. Where do Christians come, in 
connection with this Divine arrangement? And if God's 
dealings with the world are to be through Israel, and 
not through the Church, why has there been so long a 
delay? Why did not the glorified Messiah at once set up 
His Kingdom, and bring forth the Ancient Worthies from 
the tomb to be its earthly representatives? Oh, here is 
another part of the Mystery of God! Isaac, Abraham's 
son, was typical of Messiah, the Spiritual Seed. But 
before Isaac began the work of dispensing the blessings 
to his brethren and to his children, he first took a bride; 

SM403 

and this act also was allegorical or typical. In the antitype, 
Messiah, the glorified Jesus, partook of the Divine 
nature according to the Father's invitation, and He is to 
take a Bride who is to be His joint-heir on the spirit 
plane—to share with Him the glory, honor and service of 
His Messianic Kingdom. The period of Israel's disfavor, 
as a nation, has been the time in which a special 
class has been called of the Father and begotten of the 
Holy Spirit to joint-heirship with Christ as His Bride. 

But did God pass by the natural seed of Israel to give 
these spiritual privileges to the Gentiles-to gather from 
the Gentiles a people, figuratively to constitute the Bride 
of Messiah? Nay. The Scriptures assure us that this 
spiritual privilege went first to the Jews. They show us 
that during the three and a half years of Jesus' ministry, 
and during the thirty- six years following it, the Gospel 
Message was given almost exclusively to the Jews, and 
gathered from that people as many as were found to be 
"Israelites indeed" without guile, as many as were not 
only of the circumcision of the flesh, but who were also 
of the circumcision of the heart. God did not continue 
to deal with His chosen people; but after having gathered 



from them as many as were worthy of the spiritual 
blessing and exaltation—only then did He send the Message 
to the Gentiles, to gather from the Gentiles a number 
sufficient to complete the foreordained and predestined 
number who will constitute the Bride. 

So, then, my brethren, in proving from the Scriptures 
that Israel's "double" is about completed, that Israel's 
blindness is about to be taken away, and that Israel's 
exaltation as the earthly representatives of Messiah's 
Kingdom is near at hand, we are proving to ourselves 
another thing; namely, that the full number called from 
amongst the Gentiles to participate with Christ on the 
spirit plane, as members of His Bride class, will soon be 
completed and exalted to Kingdom glory.~Rom. 11:25-32. 



SM404 



THE DESTRUCTION OF MYSTIC BABYLON 

"Declare ye among the nations, and publish; set up a 
standard; say, Babylon is taken. "~Jer. 50:2. 

While our message for today is "meat in due season" 
to the Household of Faith, and in every way important to 
be understood, it is, nevertheless, a subject difficult to 
treat without giving offense, without seeming harsh. Bear 
with me, then, while expressing what I believe to be the 
Divine Message in as kindly a manner as I know how. 

The Scriptures which I may quote in support of my 
presentation seem harsh almost to cruelty; but I assure 
you, my hearers, that I am not responsible for the language 
of the Bible. My responsibility is to speak the 
Word of the Lord. In doing this I shall endeavor to present 
the message in as kindly a manner as I am able, 
and as far as possible explain some of the harsher expressions; 
but I must not shun to declare the whole counsel of 
God—and as fully as I believe He would now have His 
people understand it.--Jer. 23:28; Acts 20:26,27. 

In the days of Jesus and His Apostles there was no 
Mystic Babylon. Therefore the expressions in the Revelation 
of St. John bearing upon Mystic Babylon were 
prophetic of the systems and conditions which have since 
risen in the Church. The word Babylon has a double significance. 
It is derived from the word Babel, and reminds 
us of the time when the sons of Noah lost faith in the 
Divine providential care and in the rainbow of promise, 
and endeavored to erect a structure for their own preservation 
—the Tower of Babel. This attempt led to the confusion 
of tongues. --Gen. 11:1-9. 

Similarly, following the days of the Apostles and of 
the persecution of the early Church, an attempt was made 
to erect a great religious system for the protection of the 

SM405 

Church, not waiting for the fulfilment of the Divine 
promise that in due time Messiah would come and establish 
His Kingdom for the blessing of the world. 
The religious "Tower of Babel" was, primarily. 



Papacy. So far as it went, it was a wonderful structure, 
but it never accomplished the designs of its founders. It 
never mastered and established the Church far above the 
power and influence of the civil governments and earthly 
monarchs. 

It was when the Tower of Babel rose to a considerable 
height in dignity and grandeur that the Lord manifested 
His Power amongst the workmen and confounded their 
speech. Disconcerted, the people ceased the further building 
of the Tower, and each set up for himself. This corresponds 
well with the Protestant Reformation Movement 
and the various denominations into which those once 
Catholic became divided. 



BABYLON AND ITS WALL 

Another thought connected with our subject is that the 
literal city of Babylon was a prototype, a prophetic figure 
of Mystic Babylon. The name Babylon signifies "The 
Gate of God" —the gateway by which access to God is to 
be attained. This in effect was the claim made by Papacy, 
and the claim which she still makes—that she is a great 
City, a great kingdom; that she has a great wall of Divine 
salvation and protection round about her-a great wall 
built of superstition and ignorance, say her enemies. 

In the Revelation Jesus prophetically pictures the 
greatness of this City, this spiritual Empire. It is essentially 
religious, although it includes the great kingdoms 
of earth, which unitedly are styled Christendom. This 
great "city," Babylon, is represented as being divided 
into ten different wards, each of which represents one of 
the kingdoms of Christendom, and which corresponds to 
the ten horns of the symbolic "beast." Compare Rev. 11:13; 
13:1; Dan. 2:41; 7:7. 

SM406 

As this great "city," or spiritual kingdom, thus 
includes the chief monarchies of Europe, so under another 
figure Babylon, Papacy, is represented as a woman, in 
whose forehead is found the name, "Babylon the Great, 
the Mother of Harlots." Thus is shown in some manner 
the various Protestant systems of Christendom which 
separated from the "Mother Church" of Rome, but which 



are still her daughters, still related to her, partakers of 
her character, traits and disposition. Thus Babylon with 
her ten wards includes practically all of Europe; and 
Mother and Daughters of this same family name include 
nearly all of the Protestant denominations as well as the 
Catholic Mother Church. 



WHAT IS MEANT BY HARLOTRY? 

It should be remembered in discussing this subject that 
the Scriptural language is figurative—that it does not 
signify that either the Church of Rome or her Protestant 
Daughters are immoral. The correct thought is this: Primarily 
the Church of Christ was a "virgin" company of 
persons, called out, separated from the world, its aims 
and its ambitions-called to be saints and joint-heirs with 
Christ in His Kingdom. To whatever extent systems rose 
amongst the followers of Jesus and became affiliated with 
any of the kingdoms of this world-to that extent, Scripturally, 
figuratively, they committed harlotry; for they 
were espoused to the King of kings and the Lord of lords, 
and were to wait for Him, that at His Second Coming they 
might become His Bride and His Associate in His Throne. 

It will not be questioned that Papacy became affiliated 
with the Roman Empire and sat down on the throne of 
Rome; nor that the Church of England, as one of her 
"daughters," became affiliated with the British Government 
and now sits, representatively, in the House of 
Lords. It would not be questioned that the Greek Church 
experienced a similar betrothal and marriage to the Russian 
Government, the Lutheran Church to the German 

SM407 

Government, etc., etc. It is on this account and in this 
sense that the Church of Rome and her Daughters- 
mother and daughters, organizations of Protestants— are 
figuratively called by the family name of Babylon. 



BABYLON'S GOLDEN CUP 

Under the figure of "a woman clothed in purple and 
scarlet" the Mother System of Babylon long centuries 



ago "made all the nations drunk with her wine," the doctrines 
which she had in her Golden Cup. (Rev. 17:1-6.) 
The Golden Cup represents the Bible, the Divine Standard, 
or authority. It was misused when the wine of false 
doctrine was put into it—when the Bible was claimed as 
authority for various erroneous teachings of the Dark 
Ages. The intoxicating "wine" which made the nations 
drunk, and which led them to support the "woman" and 
to call themselves Christian nations. Papacy still holds in 
her hand, and still offers to whoever will receive it. But 
the nations are gradually sobering up. 

It is not necessary to suppose that every doctrine 
presented by Papacy was false and intoxicating. The 
thought is, rather, that a stupefying potion was put into 
the wine already in the Cup. As the Golden Cup represents 
the Word of God and its Message, the stupefying 
potion may well be understood to be some of the doctrines; 
for instance, that God's Kingdom has already been 
set up, that the papal throne is the Throne of Christ, and 
that the Pope reigns as Christ's Vicegerent, or substitute 
and representative. Other poisonous elements threatened 
the people with purgatorial torture or with eternal torment 
if they failed to keep in line with the papal authority 
--this claimed vicegerent authority of Christ. 

The Protestant denominations were all born under 
these intoxicating influences and false theories. While 
they separated from the Mother system and denounced 
her, nevertheless they held doctrinally to many of her 
intoxicating errors. Consequently they, too, claim that 

SM408 

somehow, they know not how, Messiah's Kingdom has 
been set up and is reigning. They, too, join in giving the 
nations some of the same commingled "wine" that the 
Mother gave them, telling the people that these are Christian 
nations, even though they have anything but the 
Christian spirit, and are building guns and dreadnaughts 
to blow each other off the face of the earth. 

So strong is the power of this intoxication that the 
inconsistencies of such theories are not discerned by those 
intoxicated. Only the few who are gradually getting free 
from the stupefying potion are able, by Divine assistance, 
to see some of the mistakes along this line. These see that 
neither the Church of Rome nor any of her Daughter systems 



is the true Church. 

Each system professes to be the Bride of Christ, yet 
each knows that the marriage of the Lamb is to take place 
at the Second Coming of Christ. They have therefore 
very generally lost sight of the fact that the true virgin 
Church of Christ, only a Little Flock (Luke 12:32), who 
will be accounted worthy to become the Bride of Christ, 
must wait for the Lord from Heaven. (1 Thess. 1:9,10.) 
She must keep herself "unspotted from the world," a 
virgin, that she may be accounted worthy to enter into 
the joys of her Lord, become His Queen and Joint-heir. 



BABYLON, THE GREAT CITY 

It is not to be expected that either the Mother or the 
Daughters, who are now claiming to reign with Christ, 
who are now claiming that His Kingdom is already set up, 
who are now claiming that their union with the kingdoms 
of this world is legitimate, can have the Bridegroom's 
approval. It is not to be expected that they realize their 
true condition—that they are disloyal to the Heavenly 
Bridegroom and King. 

In the symbolic language of the Book of the Revelation, 
as already explained, the name Babylon is applied 
not only to the typical woman. Papacy, and her mystical 
daughters, the Protestant denominations, but also to the 

SM409 

great City, Mystic Babylon. The symbol woman more 
particularly represents the ecclesiastical systems, and the 
symbol city the governmental features--the sacerdotal, or 
religious, authority to govern and control the kingdoms, 
the nations of the earth. 

We all remember the history of the ancient city of 
Babylon, with its most wonderful walls and its hanging 
gardens. We all remember that it was built across the 
River Euphrates, which flowed through its center and was 
supposed to protect it fully from the hazard of invasion. 
Besides its vast storehouses of food it had the river for 
its water supply. Babylon was therefore considered 
impregnable— a strongly fortified city. 

Mystic Babylon, Christendom of our day, is a most 
masterly organization. Its walls are built of ignorance 



and superstition, whose great foundations were laid centuries 
ago. Ancient Babylon's great gates of brass, which 
came down to the level of the Euphrates, represented 
Mystic Babylon's worldly wisdom, human ingenuity and 
dexterity of organization, to maintain the control of the 
symbolic waters and to protect the "city" from a possible 
approach from that direction. 



THE EUPHRATES TO BE DRIED UP 

In the symbolic language of the Scriptures the word 
water has two distinct interpretations: (1) Water is a 
symbol for Truth; (2) Water also symbolizes revenues 
from outside peoples and kingdoms. In harmony with this 
latter thought we read that the woman with the golden 
cup sits upon many waters; "and the waters which thou 
sawest are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and 
tongues." (Rev. 17:1-15.) This "woman" does not 
reign over one nation or people alone; her rule is catholic, 
or general; for all nations were made more or less 
"drunk with her false doctrines." The water of the 
River Euphrates, flowing through Babylon, might therefore 
be understood to symbolize the peoples and nations 
supporting Mystic Babylon by contributions, offerings. 

SM410 

In the Revelation not merely is the name Babylon used 
long after the ancient city was so blotted out of existence 
that for centuries its site was unknown, but the symbolic 
description includes also the River Euphrates. Of that 
great river we read, "The water thereof was dried up, 
that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared." 
(16:12.) If we are correct in our interpretation that the 
waters of that river signify revenues from all nations, the 
drying up of the river implies a cessation of the revenues 
of Babylon, a decline in the contributions which heretofore 
have made her wealthy—millions coming every year 
from rich and poor of all nations, for her support. 

It is in full accord with this Divine prediction of what 
is yet to come that we hear cries of distress rising from 
all denominations, both Catholic and Protestant, to the 
effect that the revenues of the churches are being "dried 
up," and this at a time when the world is larger in population 



and in wealth than ever before. 

History tells us that ancient Babylon was captured by 
Cyrus the Great and his army after a siege of considerable 
length, which was unsuccessful until his soldiers 
digged a fresh channel for the river and turned aside its 
course. Thus was the River Euphrates dried up; and the 
Medo-Persian army entered the ancient city suddenly in 
the night. While these events were occurring, the princes 
of Babylon, corresponding to the notables of Christendom, 
were holding high carnival, rejoicing in their 
security, boasting of the strength of their walls, the 
impregnability of their gates and the sureness of their 
waters. As they were using the golden vessels of the 
Lord's Temple from which to drink their wine, so now, in 
the hour of Mystic Babylon's fall, we may expect something 
to correspond to this--a spirit of boastfulness, of 
pride, of intoxication with error, apparently drawn from 
the Divine Word. 

At this moment of their exuberance there appeared in 
Belshazzar's banquet-hall a hand, which wrote the words, 

SM411 

"Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin"— the days of your rule 
have been numbered by God and are finished; you are 
weighed in the balances and found wanting; your kingdom 
is divided and given to the Medes and the Persians. 
(Dan. 5:25-28.) The strong symbolic language used in 
respect to Mystic Babylon corresponds so well to the 
prophetic language respecting ancient Babylon that we 
are warranted in understanding that city to have been a 
prototype of Mystic Babylon and her fall a prefigure of 
Christendom's fall. 



"FLEE OUT OF BABYLON" 

When foretelling the disaster upon Babylon, the 
Prophets of Israel gave to God's people the message, 
"Flee out of Babylon; deliver every man his soul"~his 
life--and terrible descriptions, which seem grossly exaggerated 
unless we view the matter from the standpoint 
already suggested--that the experiences of the ancient 
city were figurative and prophetic of the much more serious 
experiences of Mystic Babylon, then long future. If 



further evidence were required to demonstrate that Mystic 
Babylon represents a great nominal system, it is found 
in the Apocalypse, a part of which is, "Come out of her. 
My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that 
ye receive not of her plagues. "--Rev. 18:4. 

This call must be heard and heeded before the disaster 
comes; for it will come suddenly, as in an hour. Those 
who do not stand aloof will be involved in the disaster. 
And it is God's will that they should be involved if, after 
seeing the truth respecting Babylon and her character, 
they are not enthusiastically opposed to her deceptions 
and intoxicating false doctrines. The tribulations upon 
Babylon will constitute a part of the great tribulation 
with which this Age will terminate and the New Dispensation 
of Messiah's Kingdom be ushered in— "a Time of 
Trouble such as was not since there was a nation." Let 
God's people remember that loyalty includes action and 
faithfulness even unto death.-Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21. 



SM412 

DISTRESS OF NATIONS WITH PERPLEXITY 

[October 4, 1914] 

"Upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; 
the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them 
for fear, and for looking after those things that are coming 
on the earth. "--Luke 21:25,26. 

Never was there such a war as there is at the present 
time. Peculiar conditions have arisen, more so than has 
ever been known before in the history of the world. 
With the utter destruction of civilization impending, present 
conditions seem to take on a peculiar force as we 
think of what relationship God has to all these matters. 

On every hand prayers for peace are ascending to 
God. Some are praying for the success of the allied 
armies—which means the slaughter of the Germans, Austrians 
and Hungarians; others are praying for just the 
reverse; still others are praying that the war shall not 
go on. All this shows great confusion of thought. How 
could all these prayers be heard? The Master has told 
us that we are to pray in accord with the Word of God. 
Therefore, before praying on the subject, it would be 
well to determine what are God's purposes in regard to 
this war, in order to pray in harmony with His arrangements. 
Instead of telling the Almighty what to do, we 
should all hearken to His Word, and take note of what 
He says about this war and the terrible Armageddon 
which will follow it—the "Time of Trouble such as was 
not since there was a nation. "-Dan. 12:1; Rev. 11:16-18. 

As I read my Bible with clearer eyes than once I read 
it, I see so many things different from what once I 
thought that I have great sympathy with people who are 
confused on this matter. As I read the Bible, God has 
foretold this very war and has indicated just what is 
happening today. Through the Prophet Joel He has said 

SM413 

to all nations, "Let the weak say, I am strong.... 

Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley 

of Jehoshaphat"-to the Battle of the great Day of God 



Almighty. If God prophesied this war of nations, then 
we need not pray that He stop a war which He has foretold 
would take place.--Joel 3:9-12. 

Surely, so far as the present war has gone, it has 
brought a greater number to the grave than has any 
previous war. Many, doubtless, will be shocked at the 
declaration that this war and the still greater calamity 
to follow are of Divine arrangement. Nevertheless, the 
gathering of the nations to the present struggle is referred 
to in the Prophet's words, where the weak nations 
are called upon to assert their strength and to go down, 
all of them, to the Valley of Jehoshaphat—otherwise the 
Valley of Graves. --Joel 3:2,14. 



SEEN IN GOD'S PLAN 

In harmony with this prophecy, the nations have for 
years been "beating their plowshares into swords, and 
their pruning-hooks into spears," in the sense that money 
has been spent for military purposes which should properly 
have been spent in agricultural implements and developments. 
Apparently all the nations of the world 
will yet be involved. Happy would it be if our own land 
should escape! We are very glad to note that our President 
and our Secretary of State are men of peace, and 
will surely do all in their power to avoid complications 
and war itself. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to expect 
that the great nations of Europe, realizing how much 
they will be weakened by the war, will do all in their 
power to ensnare these United States, lest at the conclusion 
of the war we should tower too much above the 
other nations in financial strength and in every other way. 

But to the majority it is very confusing to think that 
God would bring about any great war. There is surely 
something wrong or there would not be such perplexity; 
for the Lord tells His people that they will not be in darkness. 

SM414 

Speaking about this Time of Trouble, St. Paul 
says, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that 
Day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children 
of the light, and the children of the Day." (1 Thess. 5:1-6.) 
God's people should have general information 



regarding His plans, purposes and arrangements. 

Only as we look at the Divine Plan as a whole can we 
understand God's relationship with this bloody war—and 
with all war. Many have seen only small portions of the 
Divine Plan, and so have failed to grasp the great lengths, 
breadths, heights and depths of God's great Purpose. 
But whoever has an understanding of the great Plan of 
God will ever after be able rightly to appreciate and to 
locate not only the events of today, but also everything 
that is coming; for the Bible outlines the history of man. 

The Scriptures clearly teach that our earth is the 
only rebellious province in all God's fair creation. In 
this little planet God has permitted sin to take its course 
—to bud, to blossom, to bring forth its fruitage—that 
both men and angels may see the dire results of opposition 
to the Divine Government. The Bible tells us how 
this world became rebellious. It tells us that God did 
not create mankind imperfect, as we are today. Man was 
created perfect, an earthly being— in the image of his 
Heavenly Creator, in the sense of having a moral character, 
but limited to earthly conditions. This perfect 
man was placed in a perfect home, in every way adapted 
to his needs. This Eden was especially prepared for 
him, and he was to enjoy it. But he was the king of the 
whole earth; and therefore his Creator instructed him 
that, as his family increased, he was to subdue the earth 
and develop it. Had mankind remained in harmony with 
God, the whole world would have become as Eden. 

God foreknew just what would occur, however. He 
foreknew Adam's sin and fall, as well as the mental, 
moral and physical degeneracy which would result from 
the disobedience of our first parents. He foreknew our 

SM415 

weakness and imperfection, our attempts at moral, religious 
and mental reform and at mental and physical 
health. Yet He permitted all this to come to pass. 

Sin entered the world, and has continued to rest upon 
the human family for six thousand years. This curse of 
sin and death is upon mankind. God's penalty for sin is 
death; and whether it comes through pestilence, famine, 
war or by slower processes, matters little. There is no 
one so stupid but that he can see that the whole course 
of human history has been a reign of Sin and Death. 



WHY GOD PERMITTED SIN AND DEATH 

The Bible tells us that God has permitted this condition 
to continue for the past six thousand years as a great 
lesson on the exceeding sinfulness of sin and on the utter 
hopelessness of any other help than that which He Himself 
has provided. For six great Days of a thousand 
years each-from Adam's time until now—Sin and Death 
have reigned over the race. These are man's Work-Week, 
in which he has been permitted to try everything he 
could imagine for his own relief from sin and its penalty 
--death.-Rom. 6:23. 

And now, after the Week has drawn to a close, what 
do we find? Mankind are still dying—mentally, morally, 
physically. So far from gaining life for our race, all our 
efforts through doctors, scientists, etc., have accomplished 
practically nothing. Yea, our most learned physicians 
and specialists tell us that the world is on the verge of a 
collapse. They say that at the present rate of increase 
there would not be, in a hundred and sixty years from 
now, enough sane people in the world to care for the 
insane. They tell us that various diseases are increasing 
so rapidly as to endanger the existence of the race in a 
very short time; and this in face of the fact that sanitary 
conditions are made a necessity, even to the extent of 
providing individual drinking cups. 

Our only hope is in God; and He has arranged that 
His blessing shall come through Messiah's Kingdom when 

SM416 

our race shall have reached its limit. Man's extremity 
will be God's opportunity. In the great Seventh Day of 
man's Work- Week, the antitypical Sabbath, Messiah will, 
in association with His Church of this Gospel Age, set 
up the Divine Kingdom amongst men- a spiritual Kingdom, 
not an earthly one, ruling, blessing and uplifting 
mankind. For a thousand years this work of uplift will 
progress, until all the willing and obedient will have 
attained again the lost likeness of their Creator and all 
the unwilling and disobedient will have been cut off from 
life in the Second Death. 



"THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES" 

Another great lesson which God has been teaching 
mankind during the reign of Sin and Death is the fact 
that they are incapable of establishing such a government 
as is necessary for real blessing and uplift of the 
race. For a time He appointed the nation of Israel to 
be His typical kingdom, selecting King David and his 
posterity to constitute the royal family. The last king 
of David's line was Zedekiah, of whom we read: "And 
thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose time has 
come that iniquity shall have an end. Thus saith the 
Lord God, Remove the diadem, take off the crown; I will 
overturn, overturn, overturn it until He comes whose 
right it is; and I will give it unto Him." (Ezek. 21:25-27.) 
The One whose right it is, is Messiah—Jesus 
the Head, and the Church His Body—on the spirit plane. 

Certain Scriptures indicate that the time during which 
God's Kingdom would be removed would be seven prophetic 
Times, each of which is 360 years in length. Seven 
Times would therefore equal 2,520 years. That period, 
reckoned from the time of King Zedekiah' s overthrow, 
ends with this year; for, according to the Scriptures the 
crown was taken away from King Zedekiah in 606 B.C. 
If so, with the close of the present year, Messiah should 
take to Himself His great power and begin the long-promised 
Millennial Reign of Glory, the opening or beginning 

SM417 

of which, according to the Bible, will be a very dark 
hour-"a Time of Trouble such as was not since there 
was a nation," "nor ever shall be"— the like again. 

When God took away His typical kingdom, 606 B.C., 
He gave the Gentiles authority or permission to do their 
best to rule and govern the world and to bring in righteousness. 
That we might know all this. He gave a dream 
to Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, and sent the interpretation 
of the dream through Daniel, the Prophet. The 
dream showed a great image, whose head was of gold, 
representing Babylon; the breast and arms of silver, 
representing the succeeding government of Medo-Persia; 
the belly of brass, representing the Grecian Empire, 
which succeeded the Medes and Persians; and its legs of 
iron represented Rome, the government of the Caesars. 



Each of these governments has had universal sway, each 
has shown the best it was able to do for humanity, and 
each has failed.--Dan. 2:37-45. 

The feet of the image were of iron, showing that they 
represented part of the Roman Empire; but they were 
smeared with clay and thus made to represent stone feet. 
These feet represented the Holy Roman Empire, whose 
divisions, or toes, are now at war with each other. The 
dream and its interpretation showed that the stone which 
struck the image in the feet, ground them to powder and 
utterly destroyed the entire image, represented God's 
Kingdom. According to the prophecy, this Kingdom will 
ultimately fill the whole earth. 

The clay smeared on the feet, making them look like 
the stone, represents the fact that the present Roman 
governments of Europe claim to be Christ's Kingdom. 
On their coins, and otherwise, they claim to be representatives 
of God. They have deceived themselves into thinking 
of themselves as Christendom, which signifies Christ's 
Kingdom. In reality, however, they are Gentile kingdoms, 
the last representatives of Gentile power—the feet 
and the toes of the image which Nebuchadnezzar saw. 

SM418 

These powers are what the Bible calls "the kingdoms 
of this world." But they are part of the Gentile power 
which has been permitted to rule the world up to the time 
when God will be ready to set up His Kingdom, which 
was also represented in Nebuchadnezzar's dream—the 
stone cut out without hands. The Word of God transforming 
the hearts of His people will gradually make 
them His Kingdom, and in the spiritual Kingdom these 
will be Messiah's joint-heirs. When the image of Gentile 
supremacy falls, these will be put into power and place. 
Then all will have opportunity to return to Divine favor. 



THE JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS 

We have read in history, and daily we are reading in 
the newspapers, how these nations are attempting to blow 
one another off the sea and the land. "The nations were 
angry," says the Revelator. There is no nation so small 
but that it desires to go to war. As the Prophet Joel 



says to the nations, "Come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat." 
Outside of the walls of Jerusalem is the cemetery 
of Jehoshaphat, known as the Valley of Graves. In 
figurative language the Prophet is saying to the nations, 
"Come up to the Valley of Graves!" And this is just 
where they are going. 

When we think of the appalling loss of life amongst 
these angry nations, it is grand to know that all these 
bitter experiences are not lost, and that the poor creatures 
who have suffered are not, when they die, hurled 
into eternal torment--that these poor creatures, not knowing 
what the war really is about, but demonstrating to 
the best of their ability their patriotism, are not thrown 
to the Devil to be forever roasted. Ah, no ! According 
to the Scriptures, they are falling asleep in death. Their 
sorrows and woes are all over for the present. They will 
know nothing more until He who has redeemed them will 
call them forth from the dominion of Death. 

The present war will weaken the nations, not only of 
their life-blood, but also of their wealth; and it will demonstrate 

SM419 

the inefficiency of all Gentile kingdoms to bring 

to the world peace, righteousness, satisfactory government. 

But Messiah's Kingdom, which will then be inaugurated, 

will be "the desire of all nations." This war 

and the anarchy of Armageddon, which will follow it, 

will prove conclusively the great need of Divine interposition 

in human affairs. —Hag. 2:7. 

Doubtless earth's great rulers have done the best they 
knew how to do for their peoples. Some of our very best 
laws came from Julius Caesar, in combination with the 
Mosaic code. Some of the world's rulers today are also 
doing their best; but they are confused. Having a false 
idea of what constitutes Christ's Kingdom, they seem to 
think it their mission to conquer the world. They also 
believe that they foresee a general uprising of Socialism, 
and their hearts are failing them, fearing the things coming 
upon the earth. 

While they knew that this would be the worst war ever 
known, yet they preferred it to that which they were 
striving to ward off and which they have succeeded in 
keeping off for the present. But they have lost their best 
blood, their best energy, their money, commerce, etc.; 



and when the war is ended, these nations, sorrowful and 
famine-stricken, will be greatly angered at their rulers. 
Then will come the determination for something like 
Socialism. This the governments will endeavor to put 
down, and to some extent they will succeed. Then will 
come the great explosion--the Armageddon of the Scriptures. 
Then will be the Time of Trouble, immediately 
preceding the Messianic Kingdom. 

Let all the Gentile kingdoms be 
Subjected, mighty Lord, to Thee! 
And over land and stream and main. 
Now wave the sceptre of Thy reign. 



SM420 



THE SIGN OF THE SON 
OF MAN IN HEAVEN' 



199 



"Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in 
heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, 
and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of 
heaven with power and great glory. "--Matt. 24:30. 

Various suggestions have been made by scholars 
respecting the import of this prophecy by the Master. 
Some guessed that the sign would be a Cross in the sky. 
Others thought that it would be Christ Himself, who 
would appear in some wrathful form to humanity, causing 
fear and dismay. 

We cannot say that the sign of the Son of Man in 
heaven will be His Parousia. On the contrary, the Parousia 
of Christ will not be known to the tribes, or families, 
of the earth in general, but will be known only to the most 
saintly ones of the Church of Christ. Consequently, the 
sign of the Son of Man must in some sense stand related 
to His Epiphania, or shining forth in the "flaming fire" 
of judgment, which the whole world of mankind will recognize. 
-2Thess. 1:7-9. 

The word "sign" is of broad meaning; for instance, 
crepe is a sign of mourning; the Cross represents Christianity; 
the Crescent, Mohammedanism. In other words, 
a sign is merely an indication. So when we read of the 
"sign of the Son of Man in heaven," the thought might 
properly be that something will occur indicative of the 
presence of the Son of Man—that He has taken to Himself 
His great power and has begun His reign. Since the 
Son of Man is to be revealed in flaming fire, taking 
vengeance, it follows that this sign must be some sign of 
vengeance, some indication of righteous indignation 
against wrong.-Isa. 59:17,18. 



SM421 



JUDGMENT TO BEGIN WITH THE CHURCH 

The question, then, arises. How would such a sign, or 
indication, appear in the sky, in the heavens? We reply 
that this is not the thought. On the contrary, let us 
remember that the Bible repeatedly uses the words 
heaven, mountain, sea, in a symbolical manner--the earth 
representing organized society; the mountains representing 
kingdoms, as the backbones of this organized society; 
the seas representing the restless masses of humanity, 
continually seeking to swallow up the social "earth." In 
the same symbolic terms the heavens represent the ecclesiastical 
powers of the world—churchianity. The sign 
appearing in the heavens signifies that the beginning of 
Christ's judgments will fall upon the ecclesiastical systems 
of our day. The flaming fire of judgments will first 
manifest itself in ecclesiastical affairs and circles. 

Mankind will gradually become awakened to the 
thought that a new Government is in control, and that its 
policy will be the law of "judgment to the line and righteousness 
to the plummet." Since unrighteousness is prevalent 
as a result of man's fallen condition, the conscience 
of the whole world will be awakened, quickened; and fear, 
dread, will come upon all classes everywhere. This will 
be not only because they will see the primary sign of 
Christ's righteous judgments in religious circles, but 
because they will see Him commg--drawing nearer and 
nearer in judgment; and they will recognize that they, too, 
must shortly be involved. Hence there will be mourning 
because of Him. -Rev. 1:7. 

Furthermore, it will be remembered that all the families 
of the earth have very crude and incorrect views of 
Messiah and of the object of His Second Coming and 
Kingdom. The "doctrines of devils," brought into the 
church creeds during the Dark Ages, have so made void 
the Word of God that the majority of mankind fear the 
Almighty, dread Him as their Almighty Foe, instead of 
realizing Him to be the God of all grace and the Father 

SM422 

of all mercies, "from whom cometh every good and perfect 



gift'-l Tim. 4:1; James 1:17. 

The eyes of the world have been blinded to the goodness 
of God. Terrible dread in the hearts of humanity 
will lead to the wail of fear as they perceive Christ's 
righteous judgments encircling all the earth-- 

"The signs and groanings promised 

To precede a second birth." 
Not knowing of a "second birth" and all the glorious 
blessings which Messiah's Kingdom is designed to bring 
to mankind, human hearts will be filled with dread and 
apprehension. Only those who are truly the Lord's and 
are rightly informed respecting the Divine Plan of the 
Ages will be able to lift up their heads and rejoice, knowing 
that their "deliverance draweth nigh. "--Luke 21:28. 



"THE HEAVENS BEING ON FIRE" 

St. Peter apparently described this sign of the Son of 
Man in the heavens, revealed in flaming fire. His words 
are, "The heavens being on fire shall be dissolved," and 
"the earth also [shall take fire] and the works that are 
therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10-12.) Let us 
not make the mistake of our forefathers in supposing that 
these descriptions mean a literal burning of the literal 
earth. Let us, on the contrary, realize that the symbolical 
earth and the symbolical heavens are to catch fire and 
pass away with a great commotion, while the physical 
earth will remain practically as it is, and will begin to 
undergo the transforming influences of Restitution under 
the new King, the Restorer of all things—The Christ. 

It will be noticed that St. Peter mentions the fire as 
coming to the heavens before it reaches the earth, in just 
the same order that Jesus stated the matter. The sign, 
manifestation, of the flaming fire of judgments will 
appear in the heavens; and subsequently the sign of the 
Son of Man in judgment will be seen coming nearer and 
nearer to earth's affairs, with a view to purging them 
absolutely from everything sinful, selfish, unjust. 

SM423 

We are told that the elements will melt with fervent 
heat. We see the Capitalistic element and the Labor element 
separating, the one from the other. We see the 



preparations for the great conflagration, the great Time 
of Trouble. We sometimes speak of it in this language, 
saying, "Things are getting very hot." They will presently 
be so hot that spontaneous combustion will set in. 
And the fire of that Day will be so extreme and its results 
so drastic as to fulfil the Master's words that unless those 
days should be shortened no flesh could survive. 

But because of the Elect, because of the Kingdom 
which will then be set up, those days will be shortened— 
brought to an end. Nothing will be destroyed except that 
which is injurious. The world-wide results of that flaming 
fire of Divine judgments will be corrective, preparing 
men's hearts for the blessings which the Lord is prepared 
then to give. Thus it is written, "When the judgments 
of the Lord are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the 
world will learn righteousness. "~Isa. 26:9. 

It will be noted that St. Peter, in speaking of that Time 
of Trouble, mentions that the heavens—ecclesiasticism— 
will be on fire first; and that later, the earth—society and 
its political, financial and social organizations-will be 
involved also. In harmony with this, our text tells that 
this sign, or indication, for the revealing of Messiah in 
flaming fire, will first be in the Church. Furthermore, 
according to St. Peter's statement, we are to expect that 
the ecclesiastical heavens will pass away with a great 
noise— a great commotion— before the social order is 
fully reached by the consuming fire.— 2 Peter 3:10. 

The same thought is brought to our attention in Revelation, 
where a wide distinction is made between the 
nominal church systems, called Babylon, and the true 
Church, which is admonished in advance to come out of 
Babylon and to stand in personal relationship to God 
through Christ. This general call, which belongs to the 
end of the Age, before the judgments come upon Babylon, 

SM424 

reads, "Come out of her. My people, that ye be not partakers 
of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." 
The intimation is that as soon as the loyally obedient have 
been gathered out of Babylon some drastic trouble will 
come upon her.— Rev. 18:4,5. 

We should not apply this term "Babylon" to individuals, 
but to great systems, outwardly having a form of 
godliness, but really misrepresenting the Divine character. 



the Divine Plan, the true teachings of the Bible. Of 
course, the individuals identified with the systems have 
more or less responsibility, according to their official position 
and their intelligence. In similar proportion these 
individuals may have tribulations in conjunction with the 
fall of Babylon. We do not understand the term "Babylon" 
to be applied Scripturally to any sect or party, but 
rather to refer to the general conglomeration of systems 
and denominations. Likewise, when reading of the utter 
destruction that is to come upon Babylon, we are to differentiate 
between the systems and the individuals connected 
with those systems. 

The judgments of the Lord are not designed to crush 
or destroy humanity, but to destroy utterly the systems 
of error, bondage and superstition which have fettered 
humanity and hindered them from fuller progress and 
development in the knowledge and favor of God. With 
the fall of the great systems (Babylon, confusion) men's 
eyes will begin to open; the blind will begin to "see out 
of obscurity." (Isa. 29:18.) As a result, the high praises 
of God will arise as a sweet savor. 

The fall of Babylon is declared to come speedily, suddenly 
—figuratively, "in an hour." The descriptions of 
her fall are various. In one place we read that she shall 
be utterly burned with fire. The same symbol of fire is 
used by St. Peter in referring to the same trouble and 
destruction. In another place we read that Babylon shall 
be cast like a great millstone into the sea and be found no 
more at all.-Jer. 51:58; Rev. 18:8,21. 

SM425 



"EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM" 

Throughout this Gospel Age, the Lord's people have 
with the eye of faith recognized Jesus as their Redeemer 
and Deliverer. But comparatively few have had such 
eyes of faith and understanding. The majority, as the 
Apostle declares, are blinded by Satan and by error, and 
fail to get a proper, true view of Christ. He says that 
"the god of this world" has blinded the minds of all 
unbelievers. But the gracious promise of the Lord is 
that all the blinded eyes shall be opened. 

The experiences of eighteen centuries have done little 



toward opening the eyes of the world; but the revelation 
of Messiah in flaming fire will appeal to them quickly. 
They will see Him thus— "Every eye shall see Him, and 
those also who pierced Him"~the Jews. Instinctively 
they will fear. It may require a considerable time for 
them to become fully persuaded that the One feared is 
their best Friend, who gave His life as their Redemption-price, 
and whose judgments in the earth are for the very 
purpose of breaking the bondage of fear, ignorance, 
superstition, sin, selfishness and injustice, and of allowing 
the whole world to go free from a sin- slavery which has 
long oppressed them.~Rom. 11:25-27. 

In due time they will learn that the fire of God's anger 
does not burn against the sinners for whom Christ died, 
but merely against their sins. The learning of this lesson 
will open their eyes still more widely and enable them to 
see something of the length, the breadth, the height and 
the depth of God's Love, of which the Apostle tells. ~ 
Eph. 3:14-19; Rom. 5:6-8. 

That the Jews will be in that trouble, the Bible distinctly 
marks out. It will be "the time of Jacob's trouble, 
but he shall be saved out of it." (Jer. 30:7.) The Gospel 
Church having been completed by that time and having 
passed beyond the veil, God's favor will be restored to 
Natural Israel; and the time for the special manifestation 
of that favor will be in the dark hour of Jacob's trouble, 

SM426 

when the Jews are surrounded by enemies. In and 
through that trouble the Lord will pour upon them the 
spirit of grace and of supplication, and they will look 
upon Him whom they pierced. (Zech. 12:10.) They will 
discern that they made a great and horrible mistake in 
crucifying the Friend of Sinners, their long-promised 
Messiah. We are told that they shall mourn because of 
Him, and that then the spirit of supplication will come to 
them and they will see Jesus in His real character. 

At or about that same time Divine favor will be manifested 
on Israel's behalf, and the Lord will deliver them, 
as in olden times. Their eyes of faith and understanding 
will open more and more widely. Eventually, according 
to the Bible, they will become the leaders of mankind 
in returning to God, who will abundantly pardon their 
iniquity and grant them a prominent share in the blessings 



of His Kingdom. 



"FEW STRIPES" AND "MANY STRIPES" 

The great Messianic Kingdom will not spare the rod, 
but will inflict punishments for the world's correction in 
righteousness. Some will suffer more and some less, 
according to the Master's own statements. Those understanding 
the principles of righteousness and wilfully violating 
them will be beaten heavily, "with many stripes"; 
while others, such as the heathen, for instance, who knew 
little, will receive fewer stripes, proportionate to their 
ignorance. All the stripes, however, will be reformatory, 
and with a view to helping and encouraging the transgressors 
to abandon the ways of iniquity and to walk in 
the paths of righteousness. --Luke 12:47,48. 

That will be a happy Day for earth's thousands of millions 
~a Day with the Lord, a thousand years. Everywhere 
there will be evidences of the operation of Divine 
Mercy and Justice, and the necessary lessons will be 
quickly learned by all people. We cannot doubt that even 
fifty years of Kingdom influence will make a wonderful 
change in human affairs and conditions. The blessing of 

SM427 

the Lord will come to the earth in proportion as 
God's will shall be done by mankind. 

Finally, with all sin eliminated, all imperfections gone 
and all the wilfully wicked destroyed, every creature on 
earth, as well as in Heaven, will be heard saying, "Blessing 
and honor and glory and power be unto Him that 
sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb forever and 
ever." Then, and not till then, will God's will be done 
on earth, even as it is done in Heaven; for not until then 
will there be a perfect race capable of doing God's will, 
and a tested race, all of whom will delight to do His will. 

A special lesson to God's people today is that now is 
the Church's time of calling, accepting and making their 
election sure by hearty obedience to the Divine will. Thus 
neither shall we be of the world, who will wail because of 
the sign of the Son of Man in the dissolution of the ecclesiastical 
heavens, nor shall we be identified with the ecclesiastical 
heavens, which are to be dissolved. Rather, it is 



our privilege, as followers of Jesus, to walk in His steps, 
to stand for the right, to be guided of the Holy Spirit, to 
"come out of Babylon," to "touch not the unholy thing," 
that we may have relationship and fellowship with the 
Lord, with the Savior, with the holy Apostles and with all 
the faithful martyrs and footstep followers of our Master. 

We've been watching, we've been waiting. 

For the star that brings the day; 
For the night of sin to vanish. 

And the mists to roll away. 

We've been watching, we've been waiting. 

For the beauteous King of day. 
For the chiefest of ten thousand. 

For the Light, the Truth, the Way. 

We begin to see the dawning 

Of the bright Millennial day; 
Soon the shadows, weary shadows. 

Shall forever pass away. 



SM428 



GOD'S STANDARD IS PERFECTION 

"As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in 
all manner of conversation. "~1 Peter 1:15. 

The Scriptures explicitly declare that our great Creator 
made man in His own image and likeness, and pronounced 
His creature very good. But when sin entered 
the world, through the disobedience of Father Adam, he 
was cut off from fellowship with his Creator—as a part 
of the penalty of sin. This alienation from God must 
have been one of man's most grievous trials. He must 
have hungered and thirsted to draw near to God once 
more, to have the Divine protection, the Divine love; 
otherwise he could not have been created in the perfect 
image of God. 

But as centuries rolled on, Adam's posterity became 
more and more depraved and demoralized; the original 
character-likeness to God became blurred, faint, indistinct. 
So while the desire for God still remains, in some 
it is more pronounced than in others. In some it is so 
feeble that they care little for their Creator and are easily 
satisfied by the pleasures of the world. 

Many are separated from God through ignorance, 
superstition and the doctrines of demons, as the Bible 
declares. Misunderstanding our gracious Creator, they 
are thus driven away from Him. Whatever of natural 
inclination they have had the Adversary seeks to thwart. 
As St. Paul declares, "The god of this world hath 
blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light 
of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, 
should shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:4), should scatter the 
darkness and make known to them the true character of 
God; and thus they should be drawn to Him. 

But with some of the race desire for God and righteousness 

SM429 

has prevailed above the stupefying influence of 
the world, the flesh and the Devil. This class are drawn 
by the natural inclination of their minds Godward— 
desiring to be in harmony with their Creator. While 



those who were not born of religious parents have had a 
large experience with sin and alienation from God, others, 
born in a measure of justification, have had a measure of 
fellowship with God always, as children of believers. This 
class are in a favorable condition to be drawn of God, and 
to hear His voice speaking peace to them and pointing 
them to Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, the Life.-- 
John 6:44; 14:6; Heb. 10:19-22. 



"LORD, SHOW US THE FATHER!" 

As these come to appreciate our Lord's beautiful character 
and His loyalty to the Father, and to understand 
that He came into the world to die for Adam's sin, their 
hearts respond with increasing gratitude to the Redeemer 
and to the Heavenly Father, whose Plan our Lord was 
carrying out. More and more do they long to draw closer 
to God, and to be recognized of Him as members of His 
family. Through the Word the Master instructs them 
that whoever will walk in His steps shall eventually see 
God in the fulness of Heavenly glory. 

Still further study of the Scriptures informs this class 
that the first step to be taken is one of faith. "Believe 
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved." 
Those who take this step must recognize that they are 
sinners, under the Adamic sentence, from which no one 
can be freed except in God's appointed way—Jesus. 
Then by faith they must accept Jesus as the Redeemer of 
Adam and his posterity. They must perceive that His 
death on Calvary was a sacrificial one; and that the grand 
outcome of this Ransom sacrifice will be that the Kingdom 
of God will be established in the earth for the purpose of 
uplifting mankind out of sin and death conditions—back 
to the full image of God in the flesh.— Acts 16:31. 

SM430 



THE CALL OF THE GOSPEL AGE 

Those who take this first step may know what is the 
second step; and if they have sufficient faith to take this 
step, their sins will be forgiven and they will be granted 
a new nature. This second step is to accept God's invitation 



to "present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, 
acceptable unto God, their reasonable service." Those 
who accept this invitation are thus privileged to sacrifice 
their all of earthly time, talent, wealth, etc. When they 
have so done, our Lord imputes to them individually His 
merit, and thus makes them holy and acceptable unto God, 
who immediately begets them of His Holy Spirit. 

Thenceforth they are New Creatures~"old things 
have passed away and all things become new." They are 
now counted as members of His glorious Church. Their 
sins that are past are all cleansed; and the New Creature 
has no defilement of itself. But attaching to the flesh are 
certain imperfections, which from time to time crop out. 
The New Creature is to be prompt to notice these; for the 
New Creature is the new will, which henceforth regulates 
the mortal body.--Rom. 12:1; 2 Cor. 5:17. 

Apparently some of God's dear people have not 
realized what a contract they have on hand. Some are 
inclined to be careless about watching the very things 
which they have been told to watch. It is for all the consecrated 
to remember that their first obligation is in 
respect to their own flesh, not that of others. We may 
give each other valuable suggestions, but the responsibility 
for the body rests with each as a New Creature. 
And here we have the task of our lives; for in our flesh, 
as the Apostle says, dwells no perfection. Some have one 
degree of imperfection and some another; some are more 
imperfect and blemished in one way and others in another. 
But as the Scriptures continually assure us, there is none 
righteous, none perfect, no, not one. We all come short 
and need to recognize our shortcomings; and we are to 
fight the good fight against them. 



SM431 



THE NEW CREATURE IN SCHOOL 

Whoever would be of the class to which God has called 
us must of necessity be developed; therefore whoever God 
has called, accepted and begotten of the Holy Spirit are 
in the School of Christ. Then begin the lessons which 
they must learn— they must grow in grace, in knowledge 



and in love. As the Apostle explains, they must be transformed 
—be formed over. If they are not thus transformed, 
they will not be ready for the Kingdom to which 
they are called. This transforming is not a work in the 
flesh, although it will affect the flesh to some extent. It 
is the renewing of the mind—their minds must become 
new. Thereafter matters are to be decided, not according 
to their preferences, but according to certain principles- 
justice and love. The New Creatures in Christ have a set 
of new rules, altogether different from what they had 
before they become New Creatures. 

The world has no such rules and regulations as those 
which are applicable to the New Creatures in Christ. 
Everything done by those who are in the School of Christ 
must be squared by the Rule of Justice. They dare not do 
anything that would be unjust to a neighbor, to a brother 
or to anybody. To the full extent of their ability the New 
Creatures must render justice. Many of the Lord's people 
apparently have not fully realized this fact— that obedience 
to the rules governing the new nature means absolutely 
the Golden Rule on their part toward all others. 
They must not do to others what they would not have 
others do to them.-Matt. 7:12. 

Because of failure on the part of some to recognize 
this principle, the way of the Lord is spoken evil of sometimes. 
If a Christian fails to pay his debts, or if he is 
careless as to how he involves himself in debt, it is because 
this principle of justice does not stand out prominently 
enough before his mind. As an old creature he has perhaps 
been in the habit of ignoring the lines of justice and 
of sliding along as he may be able and of leaving others in 

SM432 

the lurch. This will not do for the New Creature; for he 
has come under a set of new rules, and no matter how 
much the old creature may seek to shirk, the New Creature's 
duty is to bring the body into subjection and to see 
that justice rules in every act and word, and so far as possible 
in every thought. 



"THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD" 

To whatever extent the principles of justice control 
our minds, to that extent we have character-likeness to 
God. The cultivation of these principles in all our actions 
and dealings, in all our words and thoughts, must be our 
daily concern. It may be comparatively easy to be just 
so far as money is concerned, to say, I would pay to the 
very last penny, and would live on the plainest of food 
rather than be in debt; but it is not so easy to be thoroughly 
just in our words and thoughts. The New Creature 
is to sit in judgment on every word which his mouth 
may utter. It is no wonder that St. James says that if 
any man sin not with his tongue the same is a perfect 
man. The New Creature is to be on guard that he may be 
developed along this line, and must thoroughly show the 
Lord that he has no sympathy with injustice. 

One must be just in his thoughts before he can be 
properly just in his dealings. The man who thinks 
unjustly will act unjustly, in spite of himself; therefore 
the New Creature must be disciplined even to the control 
of his thoughts. He must never think of any one except 
with an unprejudiced mind, a calm judgment, seeking to 
give others the benefit of the doubt, if there is any doubt 
whatever. Additionally, he must heed the Lord's counsel 
that we should exercise great mercy, and that He would 
rather have us err in the sense of being too lenient than 
have us be merely just.—James 3:2; Matt. 5:7. 

But beyond justice comes love, the very highest of 
God's attributes. God is just; but He is Love, also, which 
is higher, in the sense that it implies something more than 
mere justice. Not only will God do full justice to everybody, 

SM433 

but He will do a little more—He will do something 
of love. This He shows us in His dealings with mankind. 
God was only just when He condemned the race of Adam 
as unfit for everlasting life; and He would still have been 
just if He had never provided redemption or any other 
opportunity for the world whatever. 

God is more than just, however, and so in due time He 
provided the Redeemer. This was Grace, this was Mercy, 
this was Love. And Love has been working all through 
His great Plan of the Ages, providing first the Savior, 



then making provision for the Church, that through His 
mercy we might come from the ranks of sinners up to the 
ranks of glory. To accomplish this, He has forgiven the 
sins of the Church, has encouraged them by assurances 
of His love and has overruled all things for good. 



"BE YE PERFECT" 

This, then, is the Love of God; and the New Creatures 
in Christ must have this character-likeness to God. We 
must have love, sympathy, and not merely justice. There 
is nothing of grace in the giving of justice; anything less 
than justice is wrong. But the Lord's people must be more 
than just; they are to be kindly affectioned one to another, 
tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for 
Christ's sake has forgiven them. Our Heavenly Father 
wishes His children to see that quality in His character 
and to copy it. This is what Jesus meant when He said, 
"Be ye perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect." 
We cannot bring our mortal body to that degree 
of perfection where every act would be perfect, every 
word perfect; but the mind must be in full sympathy and 
accord with God and His arrangements, and each must 
strive to the best of his ability to bring the body into harmony 
with God.-Matt. 5:48. 

As the Bible teaches, the Church class are in the School 
of Christ, being taught of God~His workmanship. By 
His providence and His Word He has been working in us, 
by our experiences, which He has shaped for us, and by 

SM434 

the opportunities which He gives us. All these things are 
designed by the Lord to bless us and to develop us in His 
own character-likeness, so that, as Jesus said, we may be 
like unto our Father in Heaven, so that we may be holy, 
even as He is holy-that our intentions, aims, desires, may 
be of exactly the same kind as His own. 

If, therefore, any one who professes to be a New Creature 
in Christ has in his heart a feeling of bitterness, envy 
or strife, let him beware! Such a condition of heart is 
dangerous; it is not of the Holy Spirit at all. Those who 
have such elements of character are not holy as the Heavenly 
Father is holy. On the contrary, as the Apostle 



explains, these qualities of character are works of the 
flesh and of the Devil; and to whatever extent one possesses 
these, they are the result of the spirit of the flesh 
and of the Devil at work in the heart. 



THE GRAND CLIMAX OF CHARACTER 

Of our Lord Jesus it was written: "Thou lovest 
righteousness, and hatest iniquity; therefore God, Thy 
God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of joy above 
Thy fellows" (Psa. 45:7)--above the angels, above the 
Church, making Him to be Head over all things to the 
Church and decreeing that all the angels shall worship 
Him. (Heb. 1:6-9.) In order to copy Him we must see to 
what extent He loved righteousness and hated iniquity. 

This, then, is the great test of character going on with 
the Lord's people, and according to these lines God is 
dealing with them. It is not merely that they are fighting 
the good fight and trying to accomplish something in their 
flesh; for the New Creature will never succeed in getting 
as good control of the flesh as he could wish. But what 
God wishes to see in His people is that their whole hearts 
are set for righteousness, that they love the right and 
hate the wrong, and that they are striving to the best of 
their ability to put down the wrong and to uphold the 
right, especially in themselves—in their own characters 
and in their own acts, words and thoughts. 



SM435 



THE HEATHEN-MESSIAH'S INHERITANCE 

"Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the heathen for 
Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth 
for Thy possession." —Psa. 2:8. 

Our text is from one of the Messianic Psalms. It represents 
our Lord as making known to His people the 
Heavenly Father's decree rewarding Him for His faithfulness 
as our Redeemer, assuring Him of His exaltation 
to the Kingdom, and declaring that with this will come 
the inheritance of all the earth, with power to subject all 
things to the Father's will. He was to have it for the 
mere request--"Ask of Me." As a matter of fact, this 
world-wide dominion has not yet come to Messiah; the 
heathen are not yet His inheritance; the uttermost parts 
of the earth are not yet His possession. Indeed, as the 
Prophet declares, "Darkness covers the earth, and gross 
darkness the heathen. "~Isa. 60:2. 

When we remember our Redeemer's love for the race, 
the love which led Him to lay down His life to seek and 
to recover that which was lost, we are at first inclined to 
amazement that He has not yet asked the Father for His 
inheritance of the heathen. We are astonished that He 
has permitted the Prince of Darkness and the reign of 
Sin and Death to exist for more than eighteen centuries 
since He suffered, "the Just for the unjust, that He might 
bring us to God." But perplexity in the matter might 
well be answered by our Lord's reply to the Sadducees: 
"Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of 
God." As we come to understand the Scriptures more 
fully, and to appreciate how the power of God will be 
exercised in bringing the heathen under the domination 
of the Redeemer, the eyes of our understanding open, and 
we are enabled to rejoice accordingly. 

SM436 



WHY DID HE NOT ASK? 

Our Lord did not ask for His great power to reign 



at an earlier date because He knew the Father's Plan, and 
was well contented with the Divine times and seasons. 
He had no wish for a change in this. He did not ask to 
receive the heathen for an inheritance at the beginning 
of the Gospel Age, but has been content to wait, and to 
place that request in its due time, in harmony with another 
feature of the Divine Program which must first be 
fulfilled. That other feature is the selection of the 
Church, the Bride of Christ, the members of His Body. 
It pleased the Father to make our Lord not only the 
world's Redeemer and King, but also the High Priest of 
an under-priesthood, the Bridegroom of the Church His 
Bride, the Elder Brother of these saints of glory whom 
the Father is pleased to develop during this Gospel Age 
as New Creatures in Christ Jesus, to be sharers of His 
sufferings and of His glory to follow. 

Meantime the heathen have been suffering no injustice. 
Born in sin, shapen in iniquity, condemned to death, 
they have been having experiences with sin and death, 
and going down into the great prison-house for periods 
of unconsciousness—until the Redeemer, at His Second 
Advent, shall call them and all mankind from this great 
prison-house, the tomb. This He foretold, saying, "All 
that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of 
God, and shall come forth."-Johii 5:28,29 R.V. 

Not only will this include the Church of the First-borns 
who have been approved of God and who, passing 
trial now, will come forth unto life eternal, but it will 
include also the remainder of mankind, those who have 
not had God's approval, all of whom, because redeemed, 
shall come forth unto judgment—trial. A fair trial will 
be theirs, to determine their worthiness or unworthiness 
of life everlasting by the manner in which they shall 
receive, or by their rejection of. The Christ of God when 
during the Millennium He shall be made fully known. 

SM437 

It was also part of the Divine purpose that the whole 
earth should be filled with people; and hence the bringing 
forth of a progeny is a part of the Divine will for mankind. 
The few short years of the present life, with an 
experience of sin and death conditions, will in due time 
be supplemented by the glorious period of the Millennium, 
with its grand opportunities for lessons of righteousness 



and its rewards for obedience. Its corrective 

"stripes," or punishments, will be to the intent that so 

many as possible may ultimately be entirely recovered 

from death conditions and brought into full accord with 

God in Christ. But those who demonstrate their unwillingness 

to come into heart sympathy with righteousness 

will be utterly destroyed from amongst the people. —Acts 3:23; 

2 Peter 2:12. 



THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY 

So, then, our Lord's reason for not asking sooner for 
the heathen as His inheritance and the remotest parts of 
the earth as His possession, was that He knew the 
Father's Plan to be a different one, the more excellent 
way; and He delighted to do the Father's will. And so 
with all the followers of Christ. As soon as they ascertain 
the Father's glorious Plan of Salvation, they find it 
to be soul-satisfying, and greatly prefer it to any plan of 
their own. Undeveloped Christians, whom the Apostle 
designates "babes" in Christ, are the ones who are continually 
praying to the Heavenly Father for a change of 
the Divine Program, imagining that their wisdom and 
their love in respect to the heathen are superior to those 
of the Infinite Creator. Nearly all Christian people have 
had their experience with such ignorance; and we are 
glad to suppose that the Heavenly Father laid not the 
sin of such presumption to our charge, but rather sympathetically 
appreciated our interest in the heathen, 
although He must have deprecated our lack of reverence, 
our headiness, our highminded assumption of more than 
infinite wisdom! 

SM438 

We are not saying a word against missions-home or 
foreign. Quite to the contrary, we believe that every 
Christian should labor with heart and hand to do all in 
his power to glorify the Father and the Redeemer, and to 
enlighten his fellow-men respecting the Cross of Christ, 
and the blessings which it secures. But while willingly, 
gladly, serving the Divine Cause, "instant in season and 
out of season," we should "learn to labor and to wait." 
We should learn that the laboring under present conditions 



is arranged chiefly for our benefit--for the development 
in the minds of the Royal Priesthood of the sacrificing 
qualities and the graces of the Holy Spirit- 
meekness, gentleness, patience, faith, long-suffering, 
brotherly kindness, love. 



"WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" 

Let us be sure, dear friends, that any theory of ours 
respecting the heathen, or any other feature of the Divine 
Program, which in any degree implies superior wisdom, 
superior energy or superior love on our part, as compared 
with that of our Heavenly Father and our Redeemer, 
must be wrong. The sooner we learn to pray 
from the heart, "Thy will be done," the better it will be 
for us, the more shall we be able to get into harmony with 
our Lord, and the more shall we be used as His ambassadors 
and representatives. The wisdom of man is foolishness 
with God, and the Wisdom of God is foolishness with 
man. Hence we must not take the human standpoint in 
investigating or reasoning upon the Divine purposes 
and Program. Rather, we must go direct to the Word 
of God, that we may be taught of God, that we may 
discern the beauty, the harmony, of His plans. 

It is written that "obedience is better than sacrifice"; 
and this being recognized, how careful it should make us 
to inquire what the will of the Lord is; to search the 
Scriptures, that we may there ascertain the Divine Program, 
and be found in harmony therewith! There we 
find that the Lord's present work is the completing of the 

SM439 

Royal Priesthood, the Royal Judge, the Royal Prophet, 
the Royal Mediator, the Great King, for the world of mankind 
—for the world's deliverance from the bondage of 
Sin and Death, and their assistance back to harmony with 
God. Thus seeing, we shall have patience in respect to 
the heathen, and strive now to make our own calling and 
election sure and to lay down our lives for the brethren, 
in assisting to build them up in the most holy faith, "until 
we all come to the measure of the stature of a Man in 
Christ"--the great Mediator of the New Covenant, of 
whom Jesus is the Head—the Church His Body. 



CONVERTING THE WORLD 

When will the world be converted? When will Christ 
ask for the heathen? When will the Father give them to 
Him? How long, O Lord? The Scriptural answer, dear 
friends, is that it has pleased the Father to select the 
"jewel" class during this Gospel Age by means which 
the world would think foolish—by means of the preaching 
of the Good Tidings. But His Program for the future 
Age is different. There are millions who have no ear to 
hear the preaching of the Cross of Christ. (1 Cor. 1:18.) 
There are millions who have no eye of faith to see the 
glorious things of God. In fact, according to the Scriptures, 
only a Little Flock, comparatively, can be brought 
into accord with the Lord under the conditions of the 
present time, because sin abounds, because Death reigns, 
because Satan, the Prince of this world, now works antagonistically 
in the hearts of the children of disobedience. 

Hence it has pleased God to have a different method of 
dealing with the world of mankind in general from that 
which He has adopted in dealing with the Church in this 
Age. In the next Age, force will be used, and not merely 
moral suasion. Force will be employed in putting down 
the reign of evil. Satan will not merely be requested to 
desist from deceiving the world, but will be bound for a 
thousand years, and be unable to deceive the nations. 

Likewise, mankind will no longer be invited to accept 

SM440 

Christ, and to give their hearts in obedience to Him; but 
on the contrary, they will be compelled to be obedient. 
As it is written, "Unto Him every knee shall bow and 
every tongue confess, to the glory of God." Offers of 
grace will no longer be held out, with reward for faith 
attached; instead, knowledge shall fill the whole earth, as 
the waters cover the great deep. (Phil. 2:10,11; Isa. 11:9.) 
As a result, no one shall then say to his neighbor 
or to his brother. Know thou the Lord! for they shall all 
know Him, from the least unto the greatest of them. 



HEATHEN FALL UNDER HIM 

Another Psalm describes Messiah's triumph in the 
Millennial Age, saying, "Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, 
O Most Mighty, with Thy glory and Thy majesty. And 
in Thy majesty ride prosperously in the cause of Truth 
and Meekness and Righteousness; and Thy right hand 
shall teach Thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp 
in the heart of the King's enemies; whereby the people 
fall under Thee." (Psa: 45:3-5.) Instead of people 
here, read heathen^ as in the original, and we have a picture 
of the conversion of the heathen as it will shortly be 
wrought. We are not to suppose that the Lord will ride 
upon a horse, or that literal arrows will literally pierce 
the hearts of His enemies. We are to understand this 
picture to signify our Lord's triumphal conquering of the 
world; and that the arrows of Truth, which will go forth 
unto the whole world, will reach the hearts of men and 
smite them down. Even so we read that when St. Peter 
preached at Pentecost that the Jews had taken and crucified 
the Son of God, the hearers were "cut to the heart" 
—with the lance of Truth. Thank God for such arrows 
from the quiver of Divine Wisdom, Justice, Love! We 
rejoice that the heathen will thus be conquered for the 
Lord, and thus eventually every knee bow and every 
tongue confess. --Acts 5:33; 7:54; Psa. 72:11. 

The work of dealing with the heathen, with the world 
—with all except the Church— will begin with the generation 

SM441 

living at the time of the establishment of the Lord's 
Kingdom. In due time it will proceed and will ultimately 
include all that are in their graves in the reverse order 
from that in which they entered. And the last shall be 
the first to come forth~"every man in his own order," 
or class.-l Cor. 15:20-23. 



DEEP HUMILIATION PROMISED THE WORLD 

Too frequently do Bible students neglect to see 
whether or not their interpretations are in harmony with 
the context of the passages under discussion. Let us not 
make this mistake. Turning to the second Psalm, we 



find that following our text is the declaration, "Thou 
shall break them with a rod of iron; Thou shall dash 
them in pieces like a potter's vessel." (Verse 9.) The 
application of this evidently is to the time of our Lord's 
Second Advent, when the selection of the Church shall 
have been completed and she shall have entered into His 
glory as the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, symbolically pictured 
as the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out 
of Heaven.--Rev. 21:1-5; 22:1-5. 

From that New Jerusalem, we are told, the River of 
the Water of Life shall flow freely, and whosoever will 
may freely partake of it. On either bank will grow the 
Trees of Life, whose leaves are for the healing of the 
nations. And the Spirit and the Bride will say. Come; 
and whosoever will may come, and take of the Water of 
Life. But in the meantime, before the nations, the world, 
will be ready for that blessing from the New Jerusalem, 
they must needs pass through a period of very deep 
humiliation— "A Time of Trouble such as never was 
since there was a nation. "--Matt. 24:21. 

As for the nations of that time, the extent to which 
they will suffer destruction will depend largely upon their 
own attitude, as is intimated by the verses following our 
text. Those of the nations who freely and heartily accept 
of Messiah's rule will be correspondingly saved from the 
breaking process. Hence it is urged, "Be wise, O ye 

SM442 

kings of the earth! Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and 
ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a 
little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." 
But while this seems to offer leniency, mercy, these 
favors are conditional on the manner in which the Messianic 
Kingdom shall be received. Other Scriptures intimate 
that all the nations, not only heathen but civilized, 
will be found in violent opposition to the Heavenly Kingdom, 
and hence that all together they will be crushed as 
the vessels of a potter.-Rev. 2:27; Psa. 149:7-9. 



THE GLORIOUS OUTCOME 

The Lord tells us that as the heavens are higher than 
the earth, so are His ways higher than man's ways, and 



His plans higher than man's plans. And this we find 
true as we come to better understand the Scriptures. 
Who ever dreamed of such lengths and breadths and 
heights and depths of "Love Divine, all love excelling," 
as are implied and included in God's great Plan of selecting 
first The Christ-Jesus the Head, and the Church, 
His Body—and then through these blessing all the families 
of the earth with a knowledge of Himself and the 
opportunities for life eternal!— John 11:25,26. 

We make no claims of universal salvation; for the 
Scriptures distinctly speak of some who will die the Second 
Death, having proved themselves not sufficiently in 
harmony with righteousness to be worthy of eternal life- 
even after being brought to a knowledge of the Truth. 
But the Scriptures show us that when all the unwilling 
and disobedient shall have been cut off in the Second 
Death, the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge 
of the glory of God. 

Let hope cheer those who weep; 

E'en now the rays of dawn 
Above the eastern hill-tops creep— 

We're near the light of morn. 



SM443 



CREED IDOLS OF CHRISTENDOM 

"The Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, " 
-2 Cor. 1:3. 

When in India, China and Japan last year, I was 
forcibly struck with the intelligence of many among these 
peoples. I visited their idol temples for the purpose of 
noticing the degree of reverence exhibited and the status 
of worshipers, and was favorably impressed. Many 
seemed sincere, absolutely unmindful of any other matter 
than their own worship. I made inquiry as to what 
importance was attached to the idol. Was it regarded 
as the god, or merely a reminder of their god? They 
assured me that the idol itself was known to be of metal, 
or stone, or wood, and was used merely as a reminder 
of their god, in much the same way that Catholics use 
the crucifix—not as worshiping the image or the picture, 
but merely having these before the mind to assist in fixing 
reverence and the spirit of worship. 



OUR CREED IDOLS WORSE 

At first I felt disposed to chide the heathen for the 
horrible features which they give their images. I said 
to myself. Why do they not make graceful, beautiful idols 
instead of horrible ones? But a little reflection brought 
me shame and confusion. I said to myself. Look at the 
creeds, the idols, the images of God, set up in Christendom. 
We have not attempted to picture our Deity in 
wood or stone or mineral, but we have written out a 
description of His character—our Christian creeds. 

These creeds stand before our mental eyes with 
exactly the same hideous features that the tangible idol 
has before the natural eye of the heathens. Each different 
creed shows a slightly different image of God, but 
they are all horrible. They all picture God as a most 

SM444 

atrocious character, more hideous by far than are any of 



the idols of heathendom.—Eccle. 7:29; Lam. 5:7. 

How could anybody carve, or cast, or model, a mute 
image, or idol, that would speak such horrible things as 
all of our creeds portray by description? Where is the 
artist who could picture a God deliberating upon the creation 
of the human family, and before beginning His work 
planning and arranging a great place called Hell (and 
some say another called Purgatory), creating fire-proof 
devils to man these, laying up fuel for use therein through 
all eternity, and then starting the human race with procreative 
powers, with the foreknowledge that billions 
would spend eternity in those horror chambers! 

Who could picture or model an image representing a 
God who would, after preparing such a place, inject new 
life and vigor into the poor sufferers so as to prevent 
them from dying—so as to insure that they must live everlastingly 
under those horrible conditions! No heathen 
was ever capable of such an imagination; and hence none 
was ever able to picture such a God, either in clay, or 
stone, or metal, or wood, or with the pen. It remained 
for the most cultured and civilized peoples of the world, 
who had enjoyed most of God's favors and blessings and 
enlightenment, to misunderstand Him most, to misrepresent 
Him worst, and to carry those misrepresentations to 
the heathen, in the name of the God of Love. 



THE HEATHEN KNOW IT, TOO 

Missionaries have indeed reached a few people and 
brought them under a measure of Christian influence, but 
their number is small; so also their intelligence. Like 
some true Christians here, they have a reverence for God 
sadly encumbered with error. The more intelligent 
classes are agnostics. Christianity, so-called, has led 
them to doubt their own religions, but it has not given 
them anything in their stead. 

When some of the higher caste natives learned that 
my preaching was different from that of the missionaries, 

SM445 

and that it presented a God of Love, and an ultimate opportunity 

to all mankind to come into harmony with 

Him, the matter spread among them. Committees were 



sent to me to inquire if I could not stay longer, assuring 
me of audiences of the higher caste natives. They explained 
that as much as they appreciated the intelligence 
of the white man and his Christian religion, they could 
not receive it because it pictured a God so terrible and so 
unjust as to be repugnant to their minds. 

"Why," said they, "our gods and our religion teach 
us to be kind, even to the dumb brutes, and to cause them 
no unnecessary pain. How, then, could we worship the 
God of the missionaries? They tell us that He has consigned 
our forefathers, from the remotest generation, to 
everlasting torture because they did not believe in Jesus, 
whose name is the only name by which any can be saved. 
We cannot believe in so unjust a God. The slightest 
degree of justice would have obligated Him to send our 
forefathers the Message in no uncertain terms." 

I felt it obligatory to apologize, not only for myself, 
but for all Christendom. I said: We Christians have 
erred. We neglected our Bible, and thus brought on the 
Dark Ages. Since then we have been trying to get nearer 
to the light as the days go by, and some of us have made 
a little more progress than others. I am preaching the 
God of the Bible, "the God of all grace, the Father of 
mercies," whose name is Love, and who is perfect in all 
His ways. Certain parables and symbolic phrases have 
been misunderstood, misapplied, mistranslated; and thus, 
while we had the best of intentions, the great Adversary, 
Satan, has kept Christendom considerably in the dark, 
and has led us to picture in our creeds a God who is 
fierce, unjust, unloving, unwise, and who is using His 
Power contrary to every principle of righteousness. Now 
the dawn of the New Age is about upon us. The thousand 
years of Christ's Reign is shortly to begin. God is 
getting us ready for it by sending blessings of every kind. 

SM446 

Furthermore, we see that we are in the Day of the 
Lord's preparation, and His faithful people are finding a 
better light shining on the Bible, and are gradually coming 
to a better understanding of it. Cling to the Bible! 
We are endeavoring to arrange so that yourselves and all 
people who are hungering for a God of Righteousness, 
Justice, Wisdom and Love may learn what the Bible 
really teaches.--Isa. 40:8. 



MISSIONARIES OPPOSE THE TRUTH 

I am sorry to say that although the missionaries are 
free to confess that the conversion of the world is an 
absurd proposition, they are not ready for the Bible 
teaching on the subject. Although they know there are 
twice as many heathen today as there were one century 
ago, they are bound, fettered by their creeds. True, they 
are seeking federation, co-operation; but the co-operation 
includes only those who are colaboring to get the heathen 
to cast away his graven and molten images, and to take 
instead a written creed image that is worse. Of course, 
few of the missionaries believe in these creed idols themselves; 
but they were sent to foreign lands to put these 
fetters upon the poor heathens, and they are not at liberty 
to do otherwise than they have been instructed. 

One would think that even then they would rejoice to 
have somebody else proclaim the Message of a God of 
Love, and one chance of salvation to every member of 
Adam's race. But they do not; they oppose our teachings 
at every step. We cannot read their hearts; we 
must therefore imagine some of them are still fettered 
by the ignorance and superstition of the Dark Ages and 
are thoroughly conscientious in their endeavor to put 
these fetters on others, thinking thereby to do God service. 

Others, we must assume, feel their responsibility in 
respect to the reports they will make to the home Boards 
of Foreign Missions. Their reports in the past have 
been colored to the very limit to show progress and to 
encourage contributions to the missionary funds. The 

SM447 

very thought brings terror- that any of their followers 
would get more light, more knowledge of God, and thus 
cease to be counted in as worshipers at the shrine of the 
hideous creed idols of the various denominations. 

Apparently for the past few years, missionary activity 
has been chiefly with the native children. Apparently 
very little religious information is being imparted. If 
only the missionaries had read the Bible to the people, 
many more in heathen lands would know about Messiah's 
Kingdom and appreciate the import of the prayer, "Thy 



Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is done 
in Heaven." 



GOOD TIDINGS TO EVERY NATION 

My visit to foreign lands was not a pleasure jaunt, 
but strictly in the interest of the true Gospel, of which 
the angels sang~"Good tidings of great joy, which shall 
be unto all people." I had heard reports which led me 
to believe that there were sincere people in heathendom 
who were feeling after the true God, if haply they might 
find Him. I believe that God wishes us to carry the Message 
to these. I have far greater interest in such, 
whether at home or abroad, than in the vast majority of 
people, who are utterly careless, utterly indifferent, 
utterly faithless, and who do not wish to know God. 

Christ's Millennial Kingdom will deal with all such, 
and open their eyes of understanding, and through chastisements 
develop the peace of God in all who will. The 
present Age is merely for the electing of those who 
hunger and thirst after righteousness. Finding such 
in heathendom I, as President of the INTERNATIONAL BIBLE 
STUDENTS ASSOCIATION, promptly took the necessary steps 
for sending the Gospel of God's Love and Justice and 
Wisdom and Power all over heathendom. 

Our association has had sermons translated into the 
languages of Japan and Korea, and into the principal 
languages of China, and into the six principal languages 
of India; and millions of copies are in the hands of the 

SM448 

people. Considerable fresh interest in Christianity has 

been aroused. Peoples in those lands who had begun to 

doubt everything religious have begun to take courage, 

and to think and study their Bible. If the missionaries 

could but catch the same spirit, what a blessed opportunity 

would be theirs! But, alas, not many of them are 

so inclined! Very generally they seem to be bitter, hostile, 

slanderous, doing everything in their power to oppose 

the light, even as Jesus declared that the darkness 

has always hated the light, because the light makes manifest, 

or shows up the darkness. —John 3:19-21. 



HOW TO KNOW GOD 

Jesus said, "This is life eternal, that they might know 
Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou 
hast sent." He knew we could not come into personal 
touch with the Almighty. He knew that we could learn 
respecting Him only through the Bible, as He said, 
"Sanctify them through Thy Truth; Thy Word is 
Truth." There is a difference between knowing about 
God and knowing God. The beginning of faith is to believe 
that there is a great Supreme Creator. It is another 
step to learn that He is wise and powerful, as indicated in 
the great Universe that He has made, and in our human 
organization with its wonderful powers for thought and 
action. Truly 

"There is a God- 
All Nature speaks!" 
At first it may occur to some that knowledge of God 
simply means to come to know that there is a God, and 
that He has provided a Savior, His Only Begotten Son, 
our Lord Jesus Christ. But the knowledge of God means 
far more than this. To the advanced and developing 
Christian it signifies an intimate acquaintance with the 
Father and with the Son~a knowledge of "the mind of 
Christ," which is a full and clear representation of the 
Father's mind.--l Cor. 2:16. 

SM449 

We grow in this knowledge by the study of the Word 
of God, by discerning through that Word the principles 
which govern the Divine conduct—as to how Divine Wisdom, 
Justice, Love and Power operate. These are progressive 
studies. Something may be learned along this 
line on the very first day of our Christian experience; but 
the end of the first year should show considerable progress 
in the knowledge of the Divine mind; and so to the 
end of the Christian's course. 

It is only as we realize something of the greatness and 
the perfection of the Divine character that we are properly 
able to estimate our own littleness and imperfection. 
Only as we see the beauties of His gracious character can 
we become intimately acquainted with God, with His 
graces and virtues— His glorious attributes. 

Then we come to investigate the more subtle qualities 



of the Divine Being, His Justice and Love. Who can 
imagine a real God who is devoid of Justice, devoid of 
Love? So surely as it is true that no human being could 
be really great without the qualities of justice and love, 
so surely is it true that there could be no real and great 
God without the same qualities. Wisdom and Power 
without Justice and Love would picture to us a demon, 
and not a God--not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

But what can we know respecting God's Justice and 
Love? We answer that there are two ways of ascertaining: 
The first way is to wait and see how His plans 
and arrangements will be ultimately carried out. If it 
is true of humanity that "by their fruits ye shall know 
them," the same must be true of the Almighty—by His 
fruits. His workmanship, finally completed. He may be 
known to be either good or bad, just or unjust, loving 
or vicious. --Matt. 7:16. 

The other way of knowing the Divine character, in 
advance of the finished work of God, would be along the 
lines of faith; and faith, in order to be intelligent, must 

SM450 

have some basis or foundation. The Bible is God's Message, 
to those who have the ears and eyes of faith. In 
it He tells us in advance what He purposes to do; and 
from what we thus hear we must determine whether He 
is just, loving and good, or whether worse than ourselves. 

If the creed idols which we have been worshiping 
truly represent God, then the consummation of His Plan 
will be awful in the extreme—enough to make all creation 
shudder. It would mean thousands of millions in 
everlasting torture without the slightest hope of any 
glory coming to God, or of any good coming to the sufferers 
or to anybody else. The only purpose to be served 
by such torture would be the satisfaction of a devilish 
disposition to witness the torture of others. Is that creed 
idol which we have worshiped a real picture of the God 
of the Bible? We know that it is not. 

The God of the Bible on the contrary declares that 
He has permitted the reign of Sin and Death, which is 
entirely just. He tells us that from among the sinners 
He will first gather out a saintly handful to be associates 
with their Savior and to participate with Him as members 



of His cabinet, or Kingdom, for the administration of 
the world's affairs, to lift humanity up out of sin and 
degradation and death back to human perfection, and 
ultimately to destroy all of those who prefer sin when 
they shall be brought to a full appreciation of it. 

The outcome of this Divine Plan of the Bible shows 
us a reclaimed humanity, in a world-wide Eden, blessed 
with a knowledge of God, and with experiences which 
will make them happy to all eternity. Our Lord tells us 
that then God's will shall be done on earth, even as now it 
is done in Heaven; and that there will be no more sighing, 
crying and dying on earth, even as there is none in 
Heaven; and that every creature in Heaven and on earth 
will everlastingly praise the Creator and the Redeemer. 
Hallelujah, such a Savior! Hallelujah, such a God! 



SM451 



PEACE DESIRED, WAR NECESSARY 

[Washington, May 25, 1913] 

"He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth. 
...Be still and know that I am God. "--Psa. 46:9,10. 

No one could be more averse to war, on general principles, 
than myself. I am an extremist in my sentiment 
for peace. Yet I cannot close my eyes to the facts of 
history—that practically every blessing has come to the 
world through war, at the cost of cruel bloodshed. Where 
would America be today had there been no War of Independence? 
Where would the nations of Europe be today 
if they had not fought to maintain their national liberties? 
Where would a refusal to fight land every nation in 
less than a year? 

There is no conflict between this particular and common- sense 
view of the matter and the teachings of our 
Savior. Our Master was not addressing nations, but 
individuals, when He directed that he who is smitten on 
the one cheek should turn the other, and be non-resistant. 
The instructions of Jesus were wholly and solely intended 
for His disciples. His followers. And they were instructed 
that they should come out from the world and be separate 
—a new nation, a holy nation. They were to expect 
to suffer persecution, even as did their Teacher. They 
had His personal promise that if they would thus suffer 
with Him for righteousness' sake, their reward would be 
by and by in the Kingdom—then they should sit with Him 
in His Throne.-Rev. 3:21. 

Jesus gave His followers no assurance that a peace 
policy would be successful and bring them earthly prosperity. 
Quite to the contrary, the Scriptures declare that 
whosoever will live godly shall suffer persecution— yes, 
must expect to endure persecution, in order to thereby 
have his loyalty to God demonstrated prior to his acceptance 

SM452 

to the Throne of his Redeemer. "If any man will be 
My disciple, let him deny himself and take up his cross 
and follow Me."-Matt. 16:24. 



THE BEATITUDES NOT FOR NATIONS 

When Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for 
they shall be called the children of God," He was not 
addressing nations, but individuals—a special class of 
individuals--those who would become His disciples by a 
full renouncement of all earthly interests. The Redeemer's 
declaration respecting nations was the very reverse 
of His statement respecting His followers. He declared, 
"Nation shall rise against nation," and there shall be 
wars.-Matt. 24:6,7. 

I fear that I shall be misunderstood; but there is so 
much confusion upon the subject that the Truth needs to 
be stated plainly. And I know of no place more appropriate 
for its statement than in this capital of the most 
peace-loving nation on earth—next to China. 

The truth is that war is not the disease, but merely a 
symptom of the disease in the body politic and in the 
affairs of earth. So long as the disease continues, its outward 
manifestation, war, is bound to continue. Need I 
say to you that the disease to which I refer is sin? Sin 
and war are inseparable. There would be only two ways 
of inhibiting war: 

(1) By converting the world of nations from a condition 
of hardness of heart, selfishness, sin, to a condition of 
righteousness, tenderness of heart, generosity; or, 

(2) By the establishment of a government or power 
not swayed by sin, to supervise, overrule and control the 
affairs of the sinners by superior strength. Is this proposition 
debatable? It is not. Its basic facts are as sure as 
mathematics, as certain as that two and two make four. 
Various scriptures may be cited corroborating this position, 
and showing that sin, selfishness, is continually on 

the warpath, either politically, socially or financially. 

SM453 

The battle has been going on ever since man became a 
sinner. At one time this selfishness manifested itself in 
buccaneering, piracy, slavery. At another time policy 
changed and the leaders of men perceived that they could 
accomplish more by milder methods, along the lines of 
politics and ecclesiasticism. Again conditions changed; 



and the wise perceived that with the coming of mechanical 

inventions into the world's affairs human slavery 

would be unprofitable, and that more could be accomplished 

with less responsibility by setting the slaves free, 

and making them work for their own living in competition 

with machinery. This course was followed. 

Next came the era of financial combination, giant 
trusts and corporations controlling the destinies of the 
human family, from peasant to king. But with all these 
changes, war has gone on. It has merely changed its 
form, merely changed its weapons, merely changed its 
methods. The basis of all these wars is selfishness; and 
so long as selfishness continues, war will continue. Success 
will mean prosperity. Failure will mean oppression. 



VARIOUS KINDS OF WAR 

You see that I am not limiting warfare to naval 
engagements, nor to battles fought with guns and swords 
and charging steeds. I am including in the great warfare 
all the social, political and financial disturbances and 
conflicts. They are all battles in which the shrewder 
minds, as a rule, conquer. And now instead of earth's 
war being ended, we see new conflicts begun from new 
quarters. Labor , having organized, is developing strength 
more and more each day. It is professedly training for a 
great conflict or battle. The battle is on; and it already 
has won some victories, and declares that its warfare 
against oppressors of every kind is only commencing. 

The dull and stupid and ignorant of a century ago, by 
free schools and educational advantages, have become 
keen-eyed and keen-witted, and alert to grasp every possible 

SM454 

advantage. Moreover, for a quarter of a century our 

great colleges have been undermining faith in the inspiration 

of the Bible, and their influence has extended finally 

to the masses. These are now declaring their doubts 

respecting a future life, and their determination that they 

will grasp at the earliest possible moment the opportunities 

of the present life, that they may share in the luxuries 

of the rich and make them common to all. If their program 

be half carried out, it means the most dreadful war 



ever known in the world's history. The Bible describes it 
as "a Time of Trouble such as never was since there was 
anation."--Dan. 12:1. 

Since the spirit of war is the spirit of selfishness in 
action, it corroborates the thought that the world was 
never more strifeful than at present, never more on the 
alert for self- gratification; and although we have blessings 
beyond the dreams of any other day, discontent is 
more general than ever before and is goading mankind 
with increasing speed to the greatest of all conflicts. 

So long as money has its value and political combinations 
can hold control, the social structure will remain 
intact and exercise itself, nation against nation, through 
fleets and armies. But as soon as the political and 
financial powers begin to crumble, the warfare will become 
anarchy, which the Scriptures describe as "every 
man's hand against his neighbor." 



WHAT IS THE REMEDY? 

The leading minds of the world clearly recognize the 
matter as I have presented it. Only a smile of sympathetic 
pity greets the proposal of well-intentioned peace 
men, such as Andrew Carnegie. Not generally have inheritance 
taxes and income taxes been legalized by those 
who will suffer by their requirements. Not of good- will, 
but of necessity, have come many of the reforms of our 
day. They are concessions wisely made. They will 
doubtless be followed by still greater concessions, which 

SM455 

also will be wise; yet all the concessions that can be made 
will not satisfy the appetite of the growing discontent. 
Each concession of the favored classes to the masses is 
like throwing food to a pursuing pack of hungry wolves. 
They stop to devour the advantage, but have their appetites 
thereby whetted for more. 

Man's only remedy is now too late. A complete turning 
of the hearts of men to God was much more nearly 
possible fifty years ago, when there was greater faith in 
the Bible, greater faith in an Almighty Creator. The 
Higher Critics have done their work well, destroying faith 
in the only Book for which Divine inspiration can be 



claimed. Education has done its part and commercialism 
its part, until the world is on fire with selfish ambition- 
desire for riches and luxuries—being desirous of obtaining 
them without cost to themselves. 



THE CHRISTIAN'S GLORIOUS HOPE 

The picture I am painting you, dear friends, would 
only harrow you and not be worth while, had I not a good 
Message of encouragement to give in offset. I will 
proceed to explain that God has foreknown the course 
of evil for the Six Great Days of earth's history-six 
thousand years— and has prepared for the Great Seventh 
Day, which will also be a thousand years long. God 
describes it as the Day, or Epoch, in which Messiah upon 
the Throne will make all things new. 

Many Scriptures may be quoted respecting the evidences 
of the night of sorrow and sin and strife, and the 
dawning of the new Day, in which righteousness will be 
enforced throughout the earth, not only by the word of 
the King, but by the Divine Power of His Kingdom. The 
words of the Prophets describing Messiah's Kingdom as 
the "desire of all nations" give us the correct thought. 

Other Scriptures show that the Time of Trouble now 
looming up as a cloud before mankind will be such a terrible 
storm of strife, bloodshed, trouble, that the world 

SM456 

will have its fill and be nauseated. Thenceforth, under 
the guidance of the new administration of Messiah, the 
spirit of a sound mind will gradually come to mankind as 
a whole; and proportionately they will turn to Messiah's 
Kingdom in loyal obedience, declaring, as says the 
Prophet, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, 
and He will save us." (Isa. 25:9.) Rich and poor of 
every nation will gradually be made aware of the changed 
conditions, and all lovers of righteousness will rejoice. 

So, then, dear friends, let us not be discouraged if 
the wars between nations continue or increase, if the 
strife— political, social, religious and financial— shall 
rage as never before. Let us think it not strange, but 
remember that all these are the motions and out-workings 
of the fallen human heart. The Bible intimates that God 



is about to give mankind an object lesson respecting the 
influence of selfishness—a lesson which they will never 
forget, and which will prove valuable to all eternity. 



"BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS" 

What we have said should in no way encourage anybody 
toward selfishness and strife, but to the contrary. 
For those who can learn by instruction God's Word is 
provided. He who closely follows the instruction of the 
Scriptures will receive a proportionate blessing. While 
the Bible is specially addressed to the few, the consecrated, 
who are the real peacemakers meant by Jesus 
when He declared, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for 
they shall be called the children of God," nevertheless in 
proportion as others recognize the right principle—the 
principle of justice and mercy, sympathy and compassion 
—they will proportionately be in harmony with the great 
King, and proportionately shield themselves from a 
measure of the trouble of the great Day of Wrath, which 
is rapidly approaching. 

We have only kind words for Mr. Carnegie and his 
fellows of the Peace Society. We merely forewarn that 

SM457 

their well-meant plans can never carry out; for God is 
not favorable for peace at the present time and under 
present conditions. "There is no peace, saith the Lord, 
unto the wicked."-Isa. 48:22. 

This word wicked includes broadly the entire human 
family; for "there is none righteous, no, not one." 
Only a comparatively small number have ceased to be 
wicked, from the Scriptural standpoint. The only ones 
justified in God's sight are those who have gone the full 
length of the surrender of their hearts to the Redeemer. 
These the Scriptures declare have escaped the condemnation 
that is on the world. These were once "children of 
wrath," even as all the others are children of wrath. 

But alas, the number who have come fully into the 
family of God is indeed small! Not many have made a 
full surrender to the Lord. Not many have received Jesus 
as not only their Teacher but their Redeemer and Exemplar. 
The majority, as the Apostle said, are still bound 



by the Wicked One--still blinded, still deaf in considerable 
measure, and cannot see afar off, nor appreciate 
fully the Divine arrangement. 

These will have a terrible experience in the approaching 
Time of Trouble, because they will not understand 
how and why the Omnipotent Jehovah will allow the 
storm of human passion and strife to work such terrible 
havoc in the world—even as they do not understand why 
the same gracious Creator has permitted the storms and 
floods, earthquakes, pestilences and famines. The full and 
satisfactory understanding of these matters is designed 
to be granted by the Lord only to His faithful few—the 
disciples of Jesus. Of these He declares, "The secret of 
the Lord is with them that reverence Him; and He will 
show them His Covenant."— Psa. 25:14. 

We are not advocating the cause of any particular 
Christian denomination or earthly Church. From our 
viewpoint there is but one Church, which includes all 
recognized by the Lord as His people. We consider all 

SM458 

such as brethren— whether Catholic or Protestant, black 
or white, old or young, male or female. 

It should not be difficult to discern that the words of 
Jesus respecting the offering of the other cheek to the 
smiter could not be applicable to the world, even in a 
figurative way. Such counsel would be utterly impossible 
for a natural man to understand. God's saintliest people 
have found great difficulty in observing this rule, even 
when its literalness is ignored and its spirit accepted as 
His teaching. All such we earnestly exhort to "follow 
peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man 
shall see the Lord" -in the sense that none but such will 
experience the glorious change of the First Resurrection, 
and be made like the Master-of the spirit nature-and 
see Him "as He is"— in His glorious spirit condition. 
The world will never see Him thus. As the Master declared, 
"Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no 
more.'-John 14:19. 

The Lord's followers, like Himself, are to be peculiar, 
and separate and distinct from the world— a New Creation. 
They are to be so devoted to the teachings of their 
Master and so filled with His spirit of love for each other 
and for all mankind that they would suffer evil and injustice 



rather than do injury to others. Our Lord Himself 
was always peaceably disposed and a peacemaker as 
respects others; and so all of His followers are to be. 
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called 
the children of God." 

I am waiting, hoping, praying 

For Messiah's glorious reign, 
For I know He'll rule in justice; 

Right and truth will triumph then. 
Worldly pleasures cannot win me. 

While I wait for that bright day; 
Worldly splendor cannot charm me. 

While its light beams on my way. 



SM459 



ST. PETER'S KEYS 

"Upon this rock will I build My Church; and the gates 
of Hell [Hades, the grave] shall not prevail against it. 
And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of 
Heaven, "-Matt 16:18,19. 

For some unaccountable reason numerous Catholics 
have gotten the thought that I am their foe, just as 
Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Baptists, etc., 
have gotten the impression that I am their foe. I am 
a foe to no human being, and especially to no Christian. 
I believe more fully than do Methodists in Free Grace- 
that ultimately God's grace will reach every human being. 
I believe more emphatically than do most Presbyterians 
that the Church is an especially elect class, and is now 
being gathered out of the world to be God's agents in 
the ultimate blessing of all the non-elect. I believe with 
Baptists that only the Elect, the immersed, will constitute 
the Kingdom of God, although I deny their claim that 
baptism in water is the real immersion. I hold, with the 
Apostle, that it is baptism into Christ's death. Similarly 
I hold to the great Catholic doctrine that there is only 
one true Church, founded by the Lord Jesus Christ 
through His Apostles, nearly nineteen centuries ago. 



THEY DENY THEIR CATHOLICITY 

I am aware that several churches claim to be Catholic 
-the Anglican Catholic, the Syrian Catholic, the Greek 
Catholic, and the Roman Catholic. Each claims to be 
the true Church and reprobates the others as heretical. 
But I take the still broader, catholic ground. I hold that 
the word catholic means general; and that any limitation, 
such as Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, etc., to that 
extent denies their catholicity. Perhaps, therefore, I 
am really saying that I am more catholic than any of 
these brethren. 



SM460 

I must prove my point or be misunderstood. I hold, 
and few, if any, will dispute it, that the one catholic or 
universal or general Church of Christ is the one mentioned 
in the Bible— "the Church of the First-borns, 
written in Heaven." If this be admitted, my next proposition 
is that the Lord in Heaven records as members 
of His true Church all the saintly— whether Roman 
Catholics, Anglican Catholics, Greek Catholics, Baptists, 
Methodists, Presbyterians, etc.-and none others. 

Have we not here the one Church, the Catholic Church, 
the universal, the only Church which the Bible recognizes? 
In the past we have been too narrow and have 
supposed that God was as narrow as ourselves. It was 
on this account that in the past Presbyterians, Roman 
Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists and Methodists persecuted 
and were persecuted, because each thought itself 
the true Church. Are we not all getting broader conceptions 
of our God and of His Church? Do we not see 
that a part of our mistake was in calling the outward 
organization the Church of Christ, instead of remembering 
that the Lord alone writes the names of the 
Church, that He alone reads the hearts, that He alone 
is the Judge, and that He alone has the right to blot 
out the names of those who become reprobates? 



RECTIFYING PAST ERRORS 

St. Paul wrote against the spirit of sectarianism, 
already manifest in his day-some saying, "I am of 
Paul"; others, "I am of Peter," etc. The Apostle 
asks, "Is Christ divided?" (1 Cor. 1:10-13.) So, today, 
if with us, he would ask, "Why Romanists, Anglicans, 
Baptists, Methodists, etc.? Is not the name of Christ 
enough?" He explains that these different names of old 
signified a sectarian spirit, the spirit of division, that 
failed to recognize the true Head of the Church, His 
true representatives and His true members. The trouble 
is the same today. The entire foundation of divided 
Christianity would disappear and all the true Church of 



SM461 

Christ—all real saints—would be speedily manifest, if 
true catholicity were acknowledged. 

The one great obstacle to unity is the erroneous doctrine 
respecting the eternal torture of all not members 
of the Church. We must open our eyes wider and see 
that many of our theories were not taught by Jesus and 
the Apostles. We must see that the Church is a comparatively 
small company of saintly footstep followers of 
Jesus, irrespective of sectarian lines; that the Bible 
teaches not that these are to look over the battlements 
of Heaven to all eternity and see all others in torment, 
but that they are to demonstrate their loyalty unto death 
and in due time be associated with Messiah in His great 
Millennial Kingdom, which will bring knowledge and 
opportunity to all the families of the earth— the living 
and the dead.-Rev. 20:11-13. 



THE TWELVE FOUNDATION STONES 

St. Paul declared that the saints of God, the true 
catholic Church, "are built upon the foundation of the 
Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the 
Chief Corner Stone." (Eph. 2:20.) The Twelve Apostles 
are here referred to in their double office— Apostles 
especially commissioned by the Lord as His representatives 
and prophets, mouthpieces, for the proclamation 
of the Message to the Church. Jesus, referring to these 
same foundation stones, pictures the Church of Glory 
as the New Jerusalem, and its twelve foundations as 
twelve precious stones, in which are the names of the 
twelve Apostles of the Lamb— no more, no less— St. Paul 
being God's choice to take the place of Judas, the betrayer 
of his Lord and Master. 

To think of St. Peter as the only foundation for the 
Church would be to deny Christ's teaching and St. Peter's 
own statement— that the entire Church is symbolically 
represented as living stones built together by the Lord 
through the Holy Spirit. (1 Peter 2:4-6.) It was a 
costly mistake when our forefathers, overlooking this 



SM462 

well-established point of Scripture, thought of the bishops 
of the Church as Apostolic Bishops, and took their decisions 
in councils assembled as the voice of God to and 
through the Church. The voice of God to and through 
the Church came only through "the twelve Apostles of 
the Lamb." All others so claiming are denounced by 
Jesus Himself as false Apostles. —Rev. 2:2. 

God's true saints of all denominations should ignore 
all human creeds and return to the Bible and its declaration 
of "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God 
and Father of all." (Eph. 4:5,6.) Are we more loyal 
to human organizations than to God, His Truth, His 
Church—all saints and one people, imbued with one spirit, 
the world around—the catholic Church? 



POWER IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH 

As St. Peter was only one of the twelve foundation 
stones of the Church, so, likewise, he was only one of 
The Twelve to whom the Lord declared, "Whatsoever 
ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; and 
whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in 
Heaven" (Matt. 18:18)— the same statement exactly 
that on another occasion He made to St. Peter only. 
But He gave the keys to St. Peter alone. 

Would it seem reasonable that Jesus should tell the 
twelve Apostles that God would do anything that they 
bade Him do— taking to Heaven whom they pleased and 
excluding whom they chose? Would it be wise or safe 
to entrust to poor humanity such dictatorial powers 
respecting the eternal interest of even one individual? 
Assuredly not! When we remember that these Apostles 
declared that they were men of like passions with others, 
that St. Peter himself dissembled on one occasion and 
on another denied his Master, we are the more convinced 
that Jesus did not mean that God would abdicate His 
authority and wisdom in favor of any twelve men. 

What, then, does this passage mean? We answer. It 
implies that the Lord would so overrule the utterances 



SM463 

and writings of His twelve Apostles as to make them 
safe guides for His Church. To these Apostles would 
be given through the Holy Spirit at Pentecost wisdom 
enabling them to understand which things of the Jewish 
Law were binding upon the Church and which not binding. 
Their decision would be absolutely right, and the entire 
Church might have confidence that what the Apostles 
bound or loosed on earth was equally bound or loosed 
in Heaven. As an illustration of this binding and loosing, 
see Acts 15:28,29. 

To get back into proper relationship with each other 
and rid of all sectarian systems, God's people must 
recognize that only the words of the New Testament 
Apostles and Prophets are authoritative, properly representing 
the Divine mind. Other things men have bound 
and loosed on earth, without recognition in Heaven. The 
things necessary to the Church are found only in the 
Bible, as St. Paul declares.--2 Tim. 3:16,17. 



THE CHURCH UPON THE ROCK 

"Other Foundation can no man lay than that which 
is laid, Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 3:11.) In the Divine 
arrangement Jesus Christ is the Foundation, the Rock, 
upon which is built the entire superstructure of His 
Church—the one Catholic, world-wide Church. On this 
Rock, Christ Jesus, as St. Peter declares, all the Church 
is being built as a Temple of God. (1 Peter 2:4-10.) 
The New Jerusalem, the Church in glory, had twelve 
foundation stones, built upon the one Foundation Rock, 
the Lord Jesus Christ. It would manifestly be erroneous, 
therefore, to suppose that our Lord abdicated His own 
place in the Church in favor of St. Peter, much as He 
loved His impulsive disciple. 

What, then, did Jesus mean when He called St. Peter 
a stone, spoke of building His Church upon "this rock," 
and declared that the gates of Hell (Hades, the grave) 
would not prevail against it? We reply, Jesus went 
down into the prison-house of death, Sheol, Hades, the 



SM464 

tomb; but on the third day the gates of Sheol, Hades, 
were opened, and He came forth. These gates will not 
prevail against the Church, as they did not prevail 
against her Lord. This is an assurance of the resurrection 
of the dead. 

To understand St. Peter's connection with the Rock 
Foundation of the Church, we should read the preceding 
context. The disciples had told Jesus the common talk 
respecting Himself. He then asked them, "Who say 
ye that I am?" St. Peter answered, "Thou art the 
Christ, the Son of the living God." This was the first 
public declaration of Jesus' Messiahship. Even the disciples 
had only now come to recognize their Teacher as 
the long-promised Messiah. Jesus answered, "Blessed 
art thou, Simon, son of Jonas; for flesh and blood hath 
not revealed this unto thee, but My Father in Heaven. 
Thou art Peter [a stone, ready for the spiritual Temple, 
the first one to publicly acknowledge Jesus], and upon 
this rock [the Truth just declared, that I am Messiah] 
I will build My Church." 

In the Greek the word Peter signifies a stone of 
moderate size, while the word here rendered rock signifies 
a mass of stone--a foundation. Our Lord Jesus 
Christ evidently meant that St. Peter's statement was 
a recognition of Himself as the great Foundation of the 
Divine Plan--Messiah. Upon that foundation truth, that 
Jesus is Christ, the Church would be built; and St. 
Peter was the first living stone to build himself upon that 
foundation by believing and confessing Christ. St. Peter 
himself gives us the same thought--that he and all 
others of the Church are living stones, being builded 
together as a holy Temple of God. This entire Gospel 
Age has been devoted to the building of these stones 
upon that great Foundation Rock, Christ Jesus. As soon 
as the great Temple of God shall be completed, this 
Gospel Age will end and the New Dispensation be inaugurated, 
for the blessing of all the families of the earth. 



SM465 

"THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM" 

To St. Peter our Lord said, "I will give thee the keys 
of the Kingdom of Heaven." What did He mean? We 
shall not suppose that any who hear my voice or are sufficiently 
intelligent to read this discourse in the newspapers 
are stupid enough to think Jesus meant that 
Heaven is locked up, and that nobody could get in except 
as St. Peter would open the door or gate. True, some 
have voiced such fantastic notions. But we refuse to 
believe that intelligent people could be in earnest in any 
such view, the absurdity of which is apparent. 

What the Lord meant is very simple, very beautiful; 
and we see exactly how it was fulfilled. He indicated 
that St. Peter, the first to confess Him, was to have a 
special honor in connection with the inauguration of the 
Church on earth. By the expression, "Kingdom of 
Heaven," is meant the Church, a class being called out 
of the world to become with Christ the ruling power of 
the world during the Millennium, through the great resurrection 
"change."--! Cor. 15:42,54. 

Jesus meant that St. Peter would be honored in being 
permitted to do an opening work in connection with the 
Church. The Bible shows us two different opening works 
and two different keys. The key is a symbol of power 
or authority or an initiative. St. Peter used his first key 
of privilege on the day of Pentecost. When the Holy 
Spirit came upon the early waiting Church, it was St. 
Peter that used this key. Standing up with the eleven, 
he lifted up his voice, explained the situation and opened 
the door to the Church of Christ for the Jews, admonishing 
them of their opportunity to enter. He told of 
the merit of Christ's death and how He had risen and 
had ascended on High, and how forgiveness of sins was, 
therefore, preached in His name. —Acts 2:14-36. 

The second key to the Kingdom of Heaven—the 
Church, the embryo Kingdom preparing for glory~St. 
Peter used three and a half years later. Then the seventieth 

SM466 

week of Divine favor prophetically appointed to the 

Jews expired, and the time came that the Gentiles might be 



fellow-heirs with the Jews of the same Promise. The 
opening work was with the household of Cornelius, to 
whom St. Peter preached Christ. The Lord blessed the 
preaching and granted the Holy Spirit to Cornelius and 
his family. Thus the Gentile door into the Kingdom was 
thrown wide open. —Acts 10. 



REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS 

"That repentance and remission of sins might be 
preached in His name to all people" (Luke 24:47). God 
never gave power to bishops, priests or ministers of any 
denomination to forgive sins. "Who can forgive sins but 
God alone?" Nor did Jesus give authority to His Apostles 
to forgive sins. They might preach repentance and 
forgiveness, but only in His name. 

Any child of God is Scripturally authorized to declare 
that Christ died for human sin, and has thus made 
arrangement by which all repentant sinners may be forgiven. 
It is an honor to be the bearer of such a Message 
from God to men; and every child of God is fully commissioned 
to tell the Divine Message to all who will hear. 

In proportion as God's people throw away their sectarian 
spectacles they can read God's Message in the 
words of Jesus and the Apostles. Let us hold fast the 
precious Word which Jesus exhorted us to search and 
which is sufficient that the man of God may be thoroughly 
furnished. Let us remember that there is only one true 
Church, each member of which is a saint, related to God 
and the Lord Jesus Christ through faith, repentance and 
remission of sin and the begetting of the Holy Spirit; 
that it is the only Church that is catholic, universal; and 
that a member of the Body of Christ is a member of that 
Body anywhere. "Now are ye the Body of Christ, and 
members in particular."--! Cor. 12:27. 



SM467 

THE SEAS IN THE HOLLOW 
OF GOD'S HAND 

"Who hath measured the seas in the hollow of His 
hand."-Isa. 40:12. 

The wonderful force and immensity of the thought of 
our text cannot be appreciated by those who have never 
been upon the great ocean. As we travel through the 
water at railroad speed and keep watch in every direction, 
yet seldom see a vessel, large or small, day after 
day, we begin to get a little conception of the world in 
which we live. It is so much larger than previously we 
were able to comprehend. Yet by the aid of the telescope 
and of mathematical calculations we perceive that 
our earth and its seas are small, in comparison to many 
other worlds. We perceive that our solar system (our 
sun and his planetary satellites) constitutes but a small 
fraction of God's great creation. Astronomers tell us 
that by the aid of sensitive photographic plates they are 
able to count about one hundred and twenty-five millions 
of suns, around which planets are revolving, as our earth 
revolves around our sun. And they estimate that probably 
only a portion of these suns is visible to our naked 
eye~so far distant are they. Astronomers estimate that 
there are millions of other suns so far distant that their 
light cannot even be discerned by photography. 

We stand appalled at the immensity of space and at 
the law and order which everywhere reign. We heartily 
assent to the words of the Prophet David, "Day unto day 
uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge; 
there is no place where their voice is not heard." The 
person who can look upon this wonderful display of superhuman 
power and believe that these worlds created themselves 
shows to the majority of us that if he has brains 
they are sadly disordered, unbalanced. The person who, 
after intelligent thought, concludes that there is no God, 



SM468 

that everything came to be what it is by chance or by the 
operation of some blind force-that person is described 
in the Scriptures in the following words: "The fool hath 
said in his heart, There is no God."--Psa. 14:1. 



"THE HALF WAS NEVER TOLD" 

On first reading our text some of us might have been 
inclined to say, Ah, a beautiful poetic extravagance! But 
not so, dear friends! As scientific instruments demonstrate 
to us the immensity of the Universe we perceive 
that the Prophet used very moderate language indeed in 
his description of the majestic power and greatness of the 
Creator, representing Him as weighing the mountains 
in His balances and holding the seas in the hollow of His 
hand and that, from His standpoint, a thousand years are 
but as a watch in the night. How insignificantly small we 
all feel in the presence of our God! No wonder some 
great men have been inclined to say that humanity is too 
insignificant from the Divine standpoint to be worthy of 
the least consideration much less to be objects of Divine 
care and providence! The Scriptures encourage us to 
reason from the known to the unknown. They tell us that 
although God is so great, so wise, so powerful. He is also 
just and loving. And the more we consider the matter, 
the more reasonable this Bible description of the Almighty 
appears. His power we see demonstrated. The 
wisdom of One so great cannot be doubted. Then we 
come to consider. Could One so wise and so powerful be 
unjust or ungenerous? Our hearts answer. No! No one 
is really great who is devoid of justice and love. So 
surely as our God is Jehovah He must possess these 
qualities. He must be the Center of Wisdom, Justice, 
Love and Power—His four cardinal attributes. 

When we came in contact with the Bible, and particularly 
after we learned something of its teachings and got 
rid of the misrepresentations which gathered about it 
during the Dark Ages-then we began to recognize it as 

SM469 

the message of Jehovah to His creatures. It informed us 



that the great Creator of the Universe is not only Almighty 
and All-wise, but loving and kind, with Justice as 
the very foundation of His Empire. From the Bible we 
learned, too, that our Creator had been pleased to make 
us in His own image, in His own moral likeness, to the 
intent that we might enjoy Him and the fruits of His 
righteousness to all eternity. From this standpoint we 
began to realize that the loftiest sentiments of the human 
mind and heart are merely the reflections of this Creator. 
Thus coming into sympathetic accord with our Maker we 
can comprehend the principles of His character—what 
justice signifies, and mercy and kindness—what is wisdom 
as contrasted with foolishness. From this standpoint we 
were enabled to see the glorious perfection of our Maker's 
character and attributes, which justify the name which 
He has taken to Himself when He declares through His 
ambassador, "God is Love." As we come to realize this 
more and more, we are grasping the Infinite; we are getting 
near to the heart of the great Eternal One, who 
weighs the mountains as in a balance and measures the 
seas in the hollow of His hand. 



"LIKE UNTO YOUR FATHER" 

Godlikeness is love-likeness; and, as the Scriptures 
declare, "Love is the fulfilling of the [Divine] Law." 
(Rom. 13:10.) Our great Creator, the only living and 
true God, is thus seen in contrast with all the gods of 
the heathen, who are pitiless, merciless, vengeful, devilish. 
From the Bible we learn that Jehovah, the True God, 
takes delight in doing good— in the exercise of His Almighty 
Power and Wisdom in the creating of beings in 
whose everlasting life and enjoyment forever He takes 
pleasure. With such glorious purposes His creative 
work began with the celestial beings, who are still enjoying 
His favor. With similar benevolence He created man 
a little lower than the angels, crowning him with glory 
and honor as the king of all creatures, on the animal, the 

SM470 

human, plane, the likeness of his Maker, who is a Spirit. 
Hearkening to the explanations of the Divine purposes 
by the Apostles and Prophets, we have received assurances 



that nothing has befallen humanity in all the dire 
experiences of the past six thousand years that the great 
Creator did not foresee. Furthermore, we have the assurances 
that Divine Wisdom purposes eventually that the 
tears and sorrows, cryings and dying—the penalty for 
Original Sin, under which man has suffered all these 
centuries—shall work no real disadvantage to His creatures. 
Instead, the end of the Divine Program will attest 
the various elements of the Divine character as nothing 
else could have done. The holy angels, who have known 
no sin, will in mankind read to eternity a valuable lesson 
of the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the wisdom and 
blessedness of righteousness. 

And even mankind, although at present suffering seriously 
under the weight of Divine displeasure and condemnation 
to death, will ultimately be so blessed and the 
weight of blessing so outweigh the sorrows of the curse, 
that every creature shall bow the knee and every tongue 
confess to Divine Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power, in 
connection with the Divine dealings with humanity. 



"JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING" 

A night of weeping six thousand years long, involving 
suffering and sorrow to twenty-thousand millions, is an 
awful thought. But the proposition is yet a different 
one when we remember that the majority of Adam's 
children die in infancy and that to those who live their 
threescore years and ten with labor and sorrow, there are 
pleasing and happifying experiences, as well as tears. 
And when we read that even the tears of a few years are 
a part of the disciplines, instructions and experiences 
which God designs shall be valuable lessons in preparation 
for a glorious and joyous eternity— then the whole 
matter begins to have a new aspect to our minds. If the 
light afflictions of this present time will work out blessings 

SM471 

for eternity then we can rejoice in them for ourselves, 
our neighbors and all humanity. And this is the Divine 
proposition. Not that God has ever purposed eternal 
life for a single rebellious soul, but that He has prepared 
blessing for all of Adam's race who shall come into full 



harmony with Himself. At present He is teaching great 
general lessons to humanity as a whole by the exceeding 
sinfulness of sin. It would be too bad if, as these lessons 
are learned, there should be no opportunity of profiting 
by them. But there will be an opportunity of profiting, 
and this is the great Message which God has sent to mankind 
and which, Scripturally, is styled the Gospel—the 
"Good Tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all 
people," through Christ. 

The night of weeping, six thousand years long, is about 
to be followed by the morning of joy. The New Day, in 
which darkness and sin will be abolished and in which 
the Sun of Righteousness will bless and heal the world of 
mankind, is a Thousand- Year Day for the blessing and 
uplifting of our race. (2 Peter 3:8.) The Bible describes 
that Day in most glowing terms. It is the Day of Messiah, 
the Day in which God's Kingdom shall come and His 
will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven, the Day in 
which the poor and needy will be lifted up from the dung-hill 
of superstition and depravity, the Day in which the 
knowledge of the glory of God shall fill the whole earth. 

And there shall be no more fear. That Day will not 
end as do others. It will not be followed by a night, but 
lead on to a glorious eternity for all of God's creatures 
who appreciate Divine goodness and, using the Divinely 
provided opportunities, will return to full harmony with 
their Creator. Such He will in turn recognize as His 
sons and, at His right hand of favor, they will enjoy 
pleasures for evermore. 



THE REVELATION OF OUR GOD 

One of old truly said, "Thou art a God which hidest 
Thyself." (Isa. 45:15.) How true! As a result the 

SM472 

world by wisdom knows not God. He is near in His 
Wisdom and Love, yet He can be seen only by those whose 
eyes of understanding have been opened. But we are 
glad that the time is coming when all the blind eyes shall 
see clearly. "As I live, saith the Lord, the whole earth 
shall be filled with My glory," "The knowledge of the 
glory of God shall fill the whole earth as the waters cover 



the great deep." (Hab. 2:14.) Then all shall see what 
God hath wrought; and our temporary blindness will but 
accentuate the glorious brightness of His Wisdom, 
Justice, Love and Power: 

"Blind unbelief is sure to err. 

And scan His work in vain; 
God is His own interpreter. 
And He will make it plain!" 

In the end it will be seen that the Divine permission 
of the reign of Sin and Death in the earth, instead of 
being a blot upon Divine character and a demonstration 
of Divine unwisdom and incompetency, will reveal the 
great Creator to His subjects. His children, as nothing 
else could have done. Besides, the experiences of mankind 
during the seven thousand years from Adam's creation 
to the end of Messiah's mediatorial Kingdom will 
demonstrate traits of the Divine character which could 
not otherwise be manifested to angels or to men. 

For instance, without the permission of sin, the element 
of Divine Justice and the unalterable opposition of 
God to all sin would never have been known to His 
creatures. His sentence upon Father Adam and his race 
and the permission of the reign of Death and Sin for 
all these centuries have demonstrated the fact that Divine 
Justice cannot be trifled with. And this reign of 
sin and the strength of the Divine opposition to sin, and 
the sentence upon sinners, in turn gave opportunity for 
the exhibit of Divine mercy, compassion, sympathy, love. 
Undoubtedly God's Love was known to the angelic hosts 
before, but not to the same extent. His dealing with humanity 

SM473 

will prove the depth of His sympathy to angels 
and to men. "God commended His love toward us, in 
that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." 
(Rom. 5:8.) Surely, as the poet declares, we have in this 
a manifestation of "Love Divine, all love excelling." 

Perhaps some of us at one time were inclined to criticize 
our Maker and to say that He had no right to redeem 
us at the cost of Calvary; that it was wrong to cancel 
the sins of one and require their payment of another. But 
we erred. It was not thus. Rightly understood, the dealings 
of the Father with the Son add still further to His 
glory-magnify still more His Wisdom, Justice, Love 



and Power. With all power and authority the Almighty 
would not command the death of His Son. For Jesus to 
become man's Redeemer meant His voluntary sacrifice of 
Himself. And how shall we understand this—the Redeemer's 
willingness to be man's Ransom-price? The 
Scriptures, replying, tell us that it was because of His 
great love for the Father, His great confidence in Him 
and His willingness to submit to the Divine will, purposes 
and arrangement in everything. Yet, notwithstanding 
the willingness of the Redeemer, the Father would not 
permit Him to engage in this great undertaking which 
would cost Himself so much, without a corresponding 
reward. Thus we read of Jesus, who "for the joy set 
before Him endured the Cross and despised the shame." 



"NO! IT IS JUST LIKE HIM" 

The Divine Plan being set forth to an old colored 
woman, she was asked if it was not strange that God 
should do such great things for us. Her answer was, 
"No, Master; it is just like Him!" 

So we say respecting the great God who made the 
heavens and the earth and sun and stars. It is not 
strange that He should have a glorious Plan for all of 
His creatures—a Plan which will fully exemplify His 
character-His Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power! 

SM474 

And amongst these wonderful things of the Divine 
Purpose none is more wonderful than that which relates 
to the Church class, "the Elect," drawn, called and begotten 
of the Holy Spirit during this Gospel Age. These, 
justified by faith instantly, are a separate class from the 
world, who will be justified, perfected, through works 
during Messiah's glorious Reign. The arrangement for 
their faith-justification through the merit of the Redeemer 
in advance of the world's justification is for the 
purpose of allowing these, who by nature are "children 
of wrath even as others," to become sons of God on the 
spirit plane, "partakers of the Divine nature." 

Dealing on lines of impartiality, God's offer to these 
members of Adam's race, a "little flock" in all, is that, if 
they join with their Redeemer in sacrifice and walk in 



His footsteps, His merit shall cover their blemishes and 
they may become for all eternity His glorious Bride and 
Joint-heir with Him in His Kingdom—that they may 
sit with Him in His Throne and be associated in the great 
work of uplifting the children of men. 

How wonderful is our God, infinite in all His qualities ! 
"Who hath known the mind of the Lord; who hath 
been His counsellor?" (Rom. 11:34.) How came all these 
wonderful things which are written in His Book, unless 
by His own knowledge? Let us bow before Him and 
adore Him, and be faithful followers in the footsteps of 
Jesus until the end of the race—until we receive the 
Crown of Life— glory, honor and immortality. 

High in the Heavens, Eternal God, 

Thy goodness in full glory shines; 
Thy Truth shall break through every cloud 

That veils and darkens Thy designs. 

Forever firm Thy justice stands. 

As mountains their foundations keep; 

Wise are the wonders of Thy hands. 
Thy judgments are a mighty deep. 



SM475 



ZIONISM IN PROPHECY 

[On October 9, 1910, Pastor Russell addressed a Jewish Mass 
Meeting, in response to a request by a Jewish Mass Meeting Invitation 
Committee. The invitation was signed by many prominent 
Hebrews of New York City. The invitation and Pastor Russell's 
response follow :~ 

New York, September 20, 1910. 

Pastor C. T. Russell, Brooklyn, N.Y. 

Dear Sir: —Your sympathetic interest in the Jewish people for years 
past has not escaped our notice. Your denunciations of the atrocities 
perpetrated against our race in the name of Christianity have added to 
our conviction that you are a sincere friend. Your discourse on "Jerusalem 
and Jewish Hopes" has struck a responsive cord in the hearts of 
many of our people. Still we doubted for a time if any Christian minister 
could really be interested in a Jew as a Jew and not merely from a hope 
of proselyting him. It is because of this feeling that some of us request 
you to make a public statement respecting the nature of your interest in 
our people and we desire you to know that the statement you did make 
was very satisfactory. In it you assured us that you are not urging 
Jews to become Christians and join any of the sects or parties of 
Protestants or Catholics. That statement. Pastor Russell, has been widely 
published in the Jewish journals. We feel, therefore, that we have 
nothing to fear from you as a race. On the contrary, in that statement 
you mentioned that the foundation of your interest in our people is 
built upon your faith in the testimonies of our Law and the messages 
of our Prophets. You may well understand how surprised we are to find 
a Christian minister acknowledging that there are prophecies of the 
Bible still unfulfilled, which belong to the Jew and not to the Christian, 
and that these prophecies, according to your studies are nearing a fulfilment 
of momentous interest to our Jewish race and, through us as a 
people, to the nations of the world. 

These things. Pastor Russell, have led to the formation of a Jewish 
Mass Meeting Committee, which, by this letter, requests you to give a 
public discourse, especially to our people. If you will kindly accept this 
invitation, will you permit us to suggest a topic for your address, which, 
we believe, will be very interesting to the public and especially to the 
Jews, namely, "Zionism in Prophecy"? 

As for the meeting: We suggest Sunday afternoon at three o'clock, 
October 9th. We have secured an option on the Hippodrome, New 
York's largest and finest Auditorium, for that date, and we hope that 



SM476 

this date and the place will be agreeable to your convenience. We 
assure you also of a large audience of deeply interested Hebrews, besides 
whoever may come of the general public. 
Trusting to hear from you soon, we subscribe ourselves. 
Yours respectfully, 

JEWISH MASS MEETING COMMITTEE. 

Brooklyn, N.Y., Sept. 21, 1910. 

Jewish Mass Meeting Committee, New York. 

Gentlemen: —Your kind invitation to address the Jewish Mass 
Meeting in the New York Hippodrome Sunday, October 9th, came duly. 

I thank you for the confidence which this invitation implies. The 
date you have selected is not only appropriate in its relationship to the 
Jewish New Year, but very suitable to my own arrangements, as I leave 
on October 12th for appointments in London and elsewhere. 

Amongst the several prominent members of your race suggested for 
Chairman of the Mass Meeting, I select Mr. John Barrondess, because 
I have had the pleasure personally of conference with him and because 
I know him to be very loyal to the interests of your people and because 
I believe him to be very highly esteemed as such in the counsels of your 
race. Faithfully and respectfully yours, 

C. T. RUSSELL. 

The Hippodrome is an Opera House with a capacity of about 
five thousand. It was crowded that day, and many failed to 
gain access. The Jewish people of New York, who number more 
than a million, have become deeply impressed by various discourses 
which Pastor Russell has delivered and were alert to 
hear his presentation of Zionism, as foretold by the Prophets. 
The speaker held his immense audience spellbound for nearly 
two hours, all apparently as unconscious of the flight of time 
as was the speaker himself. After the service the Hebrews 
could be seen in little groups discussing the subject. The 
speaker's views were evidently shared by the majority. Altogether 
the meeting was something unique. Never before did 
Jews give such attention to the message of a Christian minister; 
and never before did a Christian minister give such a message 
to the Jews.] 



WHAT PASTOR RUSSELL SAID 

While once I had been inclined to discard the Bible 
as unreliable along the lines of Higher Criticism, I subsequently 
have given it very earnest study, entirely apart 
from all creeds and theories of men. This study has 

SM477 

greatly enlightened my mind and has given me a very 
different view of the sacred Book. I now have absolute 
confidence in it. I now realize, not only that there is a 
great Creator, but that He is definite, orderly, in His dealings 
with humanity, in His shaping of earth's affairs. 
For instance. Psalm 102 mentions the time, yea, the set 
time, for the return of Divine favor to Zion. So we find 
matters all through the Scriptures. In due time David, 
Solomon and others represented Jehovah in the kingdom 
of Israel and "sat upon the throne of the kingdom of 
the Lord." Later the kingdom was taken from Zedekiah, 
the last of the line of David to sit upon the throne of 
God's typical Kingdom. When the dominion was taken 
from him the Gentile governments were recognized, but 
not in the same manner as was Israel. None of them 
was designated the Kingdom of God. None of them was 
given perpetuity of rule. 

ZEDEKIAH REJECTED- 
NEBUCHADNEZZAR ACKNOWLEDGED 

But Gentile governments were promised a lease of 
power during the period when Israel would be cast off 
from God's favor. Then at the end of the appointed 
time the Gentile lease of earthly power in turn, and God's 
original provision for Israel to represent His Kingdom 
in the world, would return. These are the set times referred 
to by the Psalmist. God's promise to David-- 
"The sure mercies of David" -were that of the fruit of 
his loins one should sit on the Throne of the Lord forever. 
The real purport of this promise was that Messiah, the 
long-promised King of Israel, would be the root and off- shoot 
of the Davidic line and blessed of the Lord; His 
Kingdom should be an everlasting one and fully competent 



to fulfil all of the Divine promises made to Abraham 
--"In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be 
blessed."-Geii. 12:3. 

So long as God acknowledged the nation of Israel as 
His Kingdom their kings were His representatives; but 

SM478 

when Zedekiah was rejected it was not inconsistent on 

the Lord's part to recognize the Gentile governments, as 

above suggested. Of King Zedekiah we read, "O thou 

profane and wicked Prince, whose time has come that 

iniquity should have an end. Remove the diadem. Take 

off the crown. This shall not be the same. I will overturn, 

overturn, overturn it until He come whose right it 

is [Messiah], and I will give it unto Him." (Ezek. 21:25-27.) 

It was at this very time that God gave the lease 

of earthly power to Nebuchadnezzar and his successors, 

as is related in Daniel's prophecy. Nebuchadnezzar 

dreamed, but forgot his vision. Daniel the Prophet, made 

prisoner at an earlier date, was by Divine providence introduced 

to the king as the one person in all the world 

able to rehearse the king's dream and to give its interpretation, 

and his power so to do is declared to have 

been of the Lord. 

NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S VISION 
OF GENTILE DOMINION 

The vision was of a stupendous image. Its head of 
gold represented Nebuchadnezzar's Empire-Babylon. 
Its breasts and arms of silver represented the Medo-Persian 
Empire. Its belly and thighs of brass represented 
the Grecian Empire. Its strong legs of iron represented 
the Roman Empire, East and West. Its feet 
of iron and clay represented Papal Rome. The iron continues 
to represent civil governments; and the miry clay, 
making them appear like stone, represented ecclesiasticism 
as it is now mixed up with the politics of the ten kingdoms 
of Europe. The whole period of time in which these 
various Gentile governments would dominate the world 
would last until Messiah's promised Kingdom. And this 
period is symbolically stated to have been "seven times"; 
that is, seven years—evidently not literal years, but 



symbolical -Dan. 2:28-45; Lev. 26:18,24,28. 

At their end the lease of earthly power of Gentile 
governments will terminate in the great Time of Trouble 

SM479 

foretold by Daniel (12:1). Then Messiah shall stand up 
in the sense of assuming control of earth's affairs and 
Gentile governments will cease; for all nations shall serve 
and obey Messiah. Then God's Chosen People, Israel, 
will come to the front in the world's affairs; for they will 
become the representatives and instruments amongst 
men of Messiah's Kingdom, which will be spiritual and 
invisible, as is that of the Prince of this world, the Prince 
of Darkness, whom Messiah will bind or restrain during 
the thousand years of His Reign of Righteousness and 
destroy at the conclusion, when He shall deliver over the 
Kingdom of earth to the Father. Mankind will then be 
perfect; for all wilful sinners will be destroyed in the 
Second Death. Meantime, not only will Messiah's Reign 
bless and uplift Israel, but through Israel the blessing 
will extend to every nation, people, kindred and tongue 
in full accord with the Divine promise and oath made to 
Abraham more than thirty centuries ago. 

All this is briefly and beautifully represented in Nebuchadnezzar's 
dream, as explained by Daniel. He saw a 
stone taken from the mountain without human aid. He 
watched and saw the stone smite the image on its feet and 
beheld, as the result, complete demolishment of the Gentile 
systems. This smiting of the image in the feet symbolically 
represents that it will be by Divine Power that 
present institutions will all come to naught preparatory 
to the establishment of the Kingdom of God in their stead. 



MESSIAH'S KINGDOM IN THE VISION 

Then Messiah's Kingdom, symbolized by the stone, 
not only will fill the place where the image stood, but 
gradually increasing, will fill the whole earth. From this 
standpoint it is not difficult for us to believe the words 
of the Psalmist that there is a time for God's gathering 
Zion, yea, a set time—fixed and unalterable. I do not 
pretend to say the day or month or year in which these 
things would be accomplished, in which the Gentile lease 



SM480 

of earth's dominion would expire and Messiah's Kingdom 

assume control. I do, however, offer a suggestion: So far 

as I can discern, the time for these stupendous events 

is very much closer than many of us had supposed. The 

seven Times, or years, of Gentile domination, reckoned on 

the basis suggested in the Scriptures themselves, should 

be interpreted a day for a year, lunar time. Seven years 

in lunar time would represent 2520 days; and these symbolically 

interpreted, would mean 2520 years—from the 

time Nebuchadnezzar, the head of the image, was recognized 

down to the time of the expiration of the lease of 

Gentile power, when the stone shall smite the image in the 

feet. So far as I have been able to determine, the year of 

Zedekiah's dethronement was 606 B.C. Thus calculated 

the 2520 years of Gentile lease of power will expire in October, 

1914. There are some who claim that Zedekiah's 

dethronement should be dated B.C. 588. If this be true 

it could make a difference of but eighteen years and give 

the date 1932. My convictions, however, favor 1914. 



ZIONISM'S FUTURE ASSURED. 

For more than thirty years I have been presenting to 
Christian people the views I am today presenting specially 
to Jews, at the invitation of your Committee. 
Thirty years ago I attempted to tell to Israel the good 
tidings that God's set time to remember Zion had come. 
But that seemingly was too early. God's set time for 
Israel to hear was still future. I am still waiting for 
God's own time and way for the fulfilment of Isaiah 40:1,2, 
and other Scriptures relating to Israel. 

About twenty years ago Providence raised up for your 
people a great leader. Dr. Herzl, whose name is now a 
household word with your race. While your people were 
unready for any message that I could give them they 
were ready for what God sent them through Dr. Herzl— 
a message of hope, a message of national aspiration which 
quickened the pulse of your people into new hope respecting 
the future of the Jews. Dr. Herzl's endeavor was 



SM481 

to have all loyal sons of Israel rise from the dust 

and aspire to be a nation amongst nations and to provide 

a home for the persecuted of their race in Russia 

and Eastern Europe. Dr. Herzl struck the popular cord 

in the hearts of the people. At first it was purely 

political, and the name of Zion meant little of anything 

religious; but gradually Dr. Herzl and all the leaders of 

the counsels of your people began to see that the religious 

element of the movement was the most powerful. 

Dr. Herzl has been succeeded by Dr. Nordau, also evidently 
a man of great talent and great patriotism; but 
Zionism languishes. I am disclosing no secret when I 
tell you that amongst the leaders as well as amongst the 
rank and file, Zionism is trembling in the balances and 
fearful of coming to naught. It has spent its force along 
the lines originally inaugurated; but it will not fail, as 
many fear. Without assuming the role of a seer I answer 
you that Zionism is about to take on fresh vigor; that its 
most prosperous days are yet to come. According to my 
understanding of the Hebrew Prophets the time of 
"Jacob's trouble" is not yet ended. FurthQr pogroms of 
Russia may be expected, and further atrocities in Roumania 
and elsewhere. It is sad indeed to be obliged to 
admit that these tribulations will probably come to you 
from professed Christians. How ashamed I feel of those 
who thus dishonor the name and the teachings of my 
Master, I cannot find words to express! They are deluded. 
They have misunderstood the Teacher whom they 
profess to follow. Their thought is that God will torment 
eternally all who do not profess the name of Christ. Controlled 
by delusion they are serving the god Adversary 
and dishonoring Jesus. But as the trials and difficulties 
of the patriarch Joseph were God's providences to lead 
him on to influence and power and honor, so will all these 
experiences and persecutions work blessings for your 
race and tend to drive them out of their present satisfaction 
and make them long for home—for Palestine. 

SM482 

These experiences, in connection with the voice of the 
Prophets, which will henceforth more and more ring in 
your ears, will be the providences of God to accomplish 



for you more along the lines of Zionism than personal 
pride and national patriotism. 

It is not my thought that the eight millions of Jews 
in the world will all go to Palestine, even though it has 
been estimated that, under most favorable conditions, the 
land could support more than twice that many. It is my 
thought that some of your most earnest and saintly people 
will go to Palestine quickly, that the rejuvenation 
there will be astonishing to the world. Further, it is my 
thought that Jews in every part of the world, in proportion 
as they come under the holy influences of God's 
promises through the Prophets, will go to Palestine sympathetically 
--by encouraging those who can better go 

than themselves and by financial assistance and the establishment 
there of great enterprises. Permit me to suggest 
that in the Time of Trouble, incidental to the transfer 
of Gentile rule to the power of Messiah, all financial 
interests will be jeopardized. Many of your race, growing 
wealthy, will surely take pleasure in forwarding the 
work of Zionism, as soon as they shall realize that it is 
of God, foretold through the Prophets. And those of 
your people of insufficient faith to use their means in 
forwarding the Lord's work at this important juncture 
will, before very long, find themselves in the condition 
pictured by the Prophet Ezekiel, who declares (7:19) 
that in this great Day of Trouble— "They shall cast their 
silver in the streets and their gold shall be removed; their 
silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in 
the day of the wrath of the Lord." The great Messenger 
of the Covenant whom ye delight in (Mai. 3:1-3) will 
test and prove you as a people. Those who worship 
idols of gold and silver, stocks and bonds, will receive 
severe chastisement at His hand before He will grant 
them a share in the coming blessings. 



SM483 



WHEN GOD WAS ALONE! 

"From everlasting to everlastings Thou art God. " 
(Psa. 90:2.) "I am Jehovah, that is My name and My 
glory will I not give to another. " (Isa. 42:8.) "To 
us there is one God, the Father , of whom are all things. " 
(1 Cor. 8:6.) "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one- 
Jehovah. "--Deut. 6:4. 

These and other Scriptures tell us of a personal God, 
the Father or Life-Giver of all, the Great One who inhabiteth 
Eternity. St. Paul declares that to the heathen 
"there are lords many and gods many, but to us there 
is but one God, the Father," and one appointed Agent 
of His in dealing with humanity—one Lord Jesus Christ 
--"and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus, Messiah, 
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." 

The Scriptures tell us of "the beginning of the creation 
of God." Hence there was a time before that beginning 
of creation when Jehovah God was alone- "He that 
inhabiteth Eternity." Not even the great Michael was 
with Him, the great Messiah, whom God has so highly 
honored and whom He declares He will still further honor 
throughout a glorious eternity. He was not with the 
Father before the beginning of creation; for He Himself 
was "the Beginning of the creation of God"— "the First-born 
of every creature." (Rev. 3:14; Col. 1:15.) He 
was the first expression or manifestation of the Divine 
attributes. -John 1:18. 



DIVINE ATTRIBUTES GLORIOUS 

This mighty God, Jehovah, self-centered, self-contained, 
is ours, the same yesterday, today and forever. 
He changes not. 

Every attribute of the Divine character was the same 
millions of years ago that it is today, but that character 

SM484 

was unrevealed. Every step of creation has tended to 



display the Divine character more and more, and each 
successive step and development of creation has brought 
forth new creatures capable of comprehending the Eternal 
One. We deem it not unreasonable to assume that 
Jehovah's creative power will continue to be exercised 
throughout all coming time. 

Astronomical photography now reveals nearly 125,000,000 
suns, around which circle systems such as the one 
which circles around our sun, and of which our earth is 
a part. We deem it not unreasonable to assume, from the 
Scriptures, that the great work of ordering all those 
hundreds of millions of planets stretches forward into 
eternity, and that the work of Divine grace, begun on the 
planet "Earth," will be continued throughout the Universe, 
not only in conjunction with the planetary systems 
we can discern, but probably with millions of planetary 
systems too far removed from us to be discerned. 



THE PERMISSION OF EVIL 

Doubtless Divine methods in connection with other 
worlds and other inhabitants will display the manifold 
wisdom of God. For instance, we understand the Bible 
to indicate that while the permission of evil in the earth 
was wise, it will not necessarily be wise or expedient for 
any reason to permit a similar reign of Sin and Death 
in any other of the millions of worlds, in connection with 
their ordering or development and their peopling with 
glorious creatures who will show forth the praises of 
the great Creator without their passing through experiences 
with sin and death such as have been permitted in 
connection with the humanity of earth. 

Can we not see a broad reason for the permission of 
evil on the earth—for the permission of the reign of Sin 
and Death, which for six thousand years has apparently 
disgraced the Creator, degraded humanity, astonished 
the angels and constituted our race a groaning creation? 

SM485 

Only when we discern that Messiah's Kingdom will 
surely bring order out of this confusion, do we begin to 
get the proper focus upon our subject and realize something 
of the greatness of our God. 



From the standpoint of the completion of the Divine 
purposes in connection with humanity, and from that 
standpoint alone, can we see illustrated Divine Wisdom, 
Justice, Love and Power. The primary lesson was 
Justice—that sin brings suffering and eventually death. 
The second lesson was that of Divine compassion, sympathy 
—Love. This lesson was manifested in the sending 
of the Redeemer and His subsequent reward of exaltation, 
and His gathering of an "elect" Church to be His associates 
in glory and in the blessing of the redeemed race. 
The Reign of Glory, the Reign of Messiah, soon to be 
introduced, will lift up poor humanity from sin and sorrow, 
from degradation and death, and give to each and 
all the fullest opportunity to return to human perfection 
and to Divine favor and everlasting life. In that work 
of human restitution, which will include the awakening 
of mankind from the sleep of death, the one great lesson 
will be the greatness of the Divine Power which will be 
exercised through Messiah, the God-like One, the Prince 
of Life, "the Prince of Glory," the Redeemer, the Regenerator 
of Adam and the whole race of mankind, his 
posterity, all of whom have shared his death sentence. 

And finally, from the standpoint of the completion 
of Jehovah's great purposes and dealings with man and 
in respect to Him, will stand revealed the Foreknowledge 
and Wisdom of God, who knew the end from the beginning 
and who foresaw how even the permission of a reign of 
Sin and Death could be made eventually to work out to 
His own glory and to the blessing and instruction of His 
creatures on both the human and the angelic planes. 
Then will be revealed to all, the glorious character of 
their Creator, and the necessity for His requirement of 
absolute righteousness and perfection. 

SM486 

Surely, the result eventually will be as the Scriptures 
declare, that all shall learn righteousness, and hate iniquity; 
and that every creature in Heaven and in earth and 
under the earth shall acclaim both Jehovah, who sitteth 
upon the Throne of the Universe, and the Lamb, the 
Redeemer, forever. -Rev. 5:13,14. 

Were we to allow ourselves to speculate respecting 
the future—respecting the Divine purposes in relation to 
the millions of worlds around us, our speculations would 



run thus: Those instructed and used of Jehovah in conjunction 

with the initial development of the Divine Plan 

in the earth will thereby be fitted and prepared to be 

the Divine Agents to other worlds. The Great Redeemer 

and His "elect" associates, after dealing with humanity 

for their uplift out of sin and death conditions, will 

surely be qualified for further service in other worlds, 

to "show forth the praises of Him who called them out 

of darkness into His marvelous light." 

And what shall we say of humanity when perfected 
at the end of Messiah's glorious Reign? Will not all be 
well prepared, not only to approve righteousness in themselves, 
but to tell in other worlds, to other races, the 
story of the fall and of the reign of Sin and Death 
resulting; and of the redemption accomplished by God's 
love; of the great restitution; and of the lessons learned? 



THE UNCHANGEABLE ONE 

The qualities of the Divine character which we have 
just considered-Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power- 
belonged to our Creator in the great eternity preceding 
creation. But there was no one at that time to appreciate 
God. It requires a full view of the perfected Plan of the 
Ages to make known to any and to all the glory of the 
Lord. As we have just seen, thus far the secret of the 
Lord and the glories of His character are known only 
to His "sons," begotten of His Holy Spirit. But the 
time nears when "the whole earth shall be full of the 

SM487 

knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover 
the great deep." He and His glorious government will 
then be "the desire of all nations"; "The glory of the 
Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together." 

Hag. 2:7; Isa. 40:5. 

St. Paul assures us that every feature of the Divine 
Plan which we see in process of execution was known to 
Jehovah from before the foundation of the world. He 
declares that these things God purposed in Himself before 
the foundation of the world. The creative processes, 
which have been operating for thousands of years, were 
all surely elaborated in the mind of Jehovah before the 



creative work began. In that purpose angels had a part 
—of how many grades we may not surely know, but they 
are variously designated in the Holy Scriptures as 
"angels, principalities and powers." Later came the 
creation of man, "a little lower than the angels" and 
crowned with earthly honor, dignity and power, in the 
image and likeness of his glorious Creator. 

These creations varied not in degrees of perfection 
and imperfection. Each was perfect on its own plane. 
Each intelligent creature was a free, moral agent, and 
hence, whether on the angelic or human plane, was created 
in the likeness of God, unblemished, but with different 
capacities and abilities. Almighty God, infinite in Wisdom, 
Justice, Love and Power, purposed the orderly 
exercise of His infinite powers, as a great Father, desirous 
of giving life and happiness to His creatures. 

These intelligent ones were designated "Sons of God" 
so long as they maintained their attitude of perfect 
loyalty to Him, their Creator and Father. Not only was 
it the Divine purpose thus to give pleasure to millions 
of creatures to be created, but it was also the Divine will 
to manifest to His creatures His own greatness and the 
perfection of His own goodness that they might enjoy 
Him and He enjoy them everlastingly. 

We are not to understand that Almighty God was 

SM488 

lonely in that great Eternity before creation began. On the 
contrary, human loneliness is largely because of human 
deficiency. What we lack we seek for in others. But 
the great Jehovah lacked nothing; He was complete in 
Himself; He needed not companionship to complete or 
to supplement His happiness. It was His pleasure to 
create, that His creatures might have joy by reflecting as 
a whole His Divine qualities implanted in them. 

The wreck of the human race produced by sin He 
well foreknew. Nor did this wrecking of human hopes 
defeat, nor was it in danger of defeating, the Divine purpose. 
It merely demonstrates to angels and to men the 
graces of the Divine character and shows unto all the 
more fully the qualities of God proper to be appreciated 
and copied by all His intelligent creatures. 



THE SEVEN-SEALED SCROLL 

When God would illustrate to us His own great personality, 
when He would show to His creatures how He 
is working all things according to the counsel of His own 
will, He pictured it symbolically in the Book of Revelation. 
In that vision the Throne of the Eternal One is 
graphically portrayed as the seat of Divine power and 
authority for the Universe, with angels as ministering 
spirits. Then is described a scroll, in the right hand of 
Jehovah~in Divine power and keeping. That scroll, 
written inside and outside, was "sealed with seven seals," 
representing the complete secrecy of the Divine purposes 
related in that scroll. From before the foundation of 
the world it had been in the hand (in the power) of the 
great Eternal. He had given hints respecting it and had 
caused it to be symbolized in the Law and to some extent 
to be described by the Prophets. But still it was a Hidden 
Mystery; for the Prophets understood not the things 
which they wrote; nor could any understand them until 
the Father's "due time."--l Peter 1:10-12. 

Not only was the Divine Program thus sealed and 
safely secreted, but it was the Divine determination that 

SM489 

it should be given only to the One who would demonstrate 
His worthiness to be Jehovah's honored Agent for the 
carrying out of those purposes—predestinated before the 
world was. The honor of being the Agent, the Representative 
of Jehovah, to carry out the Divine purposes, 
should be disclosed in advance only to the One who would 
demonstrate His worthiness to be the great Messiah, the 
great Deliverer, Prophet, Priest, Judge, King of Israel. 
High as the Redeemer stood in the Divine counsels 
and fellowship before He came into the world to be man's 
Redeemer, it was not then granted even to Him to know 
all the mysteries of the Divine Program. But by virtue 
of His high station. His perfection. His obedience, the 
privilege was given to Him first to become man's Redeemer, 
at the cost of personal humiliation and death; 
and then, if faithful in this redemptive work, it should 
be His to be glorified, exalted to the Divine nature, and 
to execute the Divine Program to its completion. First, 
He must manifest His devotion and loyalty to the Father, 



ere He could be trusted even with the knowledge of the 
Divine Program for blessing the whole world of mankind. 



"WORTHY IS THE LAMB" 

All this is declared in the account. (Rev. 5.) The 
proclamation was made, Who is worthy to receive the 
scroll and to break its seals and to execute the wonderful 
purposes of God? None was found worthy! Finally, 
One demonstrated His worthiness. He left the courts 
of glory; He humbled Himself, He "was made flesh." 
More than this, being found in fashion as a man. He 
consecrated His all to the doing of the Father's will, even 
unto death, the death of the cross. Wherefore, says the 
Apostle, "God also highly exalted Him" and gave Him 
a standing, a rank, a title above all others. (Phil. 2:7-9.) 
He commissioned Him to execute all the Divine purposes; 
and to Him He handed over the Scroll with the privilege 
of opening its seals and comprehending its message. 

SM490 

In the symbolic picture John saw a freshly slain Lamb 
at the same time that the angelic messenger declared 
that the Lion of the tribe of Judah had prevailed. Jesus 
proved Himself worthy and therefore the privilege of 
understanding the things of the Divine Plan, and the 
privilege of executing them rightfully belonged to Him. 
The Lamb slain represented the work of Jesus from the 
day He was thirty years of age and made His consecration. 
There He became dead to self and to the world. 
When He successfully finished this great contract. He 
cried on Calvary, "It is finished." 

This glorious Victor was then acknowledged by God 
and by the holy angels to be the worthy One to whom the 
Father would entrust the execution of every feature of 
the Divine Program, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain 
to receive glory and honor, dominion and might." He 
has not yet completed His great work there and then 
entrusted to Him. The Father glorified Him and set 
Him at His own right hand—the place of Divine favor- 
when He finished His demonstration of loyalty even unto 
death. As yet He has only begun His great work. The 
blessing of the Church as "the Bride, the Lamb's Wife," 



is the first step in the glorious Program; and it is not yet 
completed. Following it will come the blessing of the 
world, all the families of the earth, not only the living but 
the dead. His declaration to those now called to be His 
Bride is, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with 
Me in My Throne even as I overcame and am set down 
with My Father in His Throne. "--Rev. 3:21. 

"To us there is one God," says the Apostle. All 
wisdom and power are His. Recent electrical inventions 
assist us greatly in apprehending His greatness. What 
man can do limitedly with the telephone and wireless 
telegraphy merely hint to us of the infinite resources of 
the Eternal One~from everlasting to everlasting, God. 
But our knowledge of the Divine Justice and Love satisfies 
our hearts—our Great Creator becomes our Father. 



99' 



SM491 

'THE BEGINNING OF THE 
CREATION OF GOD' 



\" 



"In the beginning was the Word [Logos] and the 
Word [Logos] was with the God and the Word [Logos] 
was a God. The same was in the beginning with the God. 
By him were all things made and without him was not 
anything made that was made. "—John 1:1,2. 

The Logos was Jehovah God's first creative act as respects 
intelligent beings. Long before man was created, 
or our earth was brought from its chaotic condition, long 
before angels and cherubim were created. Divine Power 
brought forth a Son on the spirit plane— Jehovah's First-Begotten 
—glorious, perfect, beautiful— His own image. 

This glorious One is in our text designated the Logos, 
the Word, the Message, the Expression of God. In the 
Old Testament He is symbolically referred to as "Wisdom" 
(Prov. 8:22-30): "Jehovah possessed Me in the beginning 
of His way, before His works of old.... Then 
I was by Him, as one brought up with Him, and I was 
daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him." 

This mighty One, personified as Wisdom, is declared 
by St. Paul to be "the First-born of all creation." 
(Col. 1:15-18.) The Psalmist similarly refers to Him as 
Jehovah's "First-born, higher than the kings of earth." 
(Psa. 89:27.) Jesus thus refers to Himself as one who 
had a prehuman existence, saying, "Before Abraham was, 
I am." (John 8:14,23,52.) The glorified, ascended 
Christ, in Apocalyptic vision, declared the same great 
truth, that He was "the Beginning of the creation of 
God." (Rev. 3:14.) And again He declared, "I am the 
First and the Last."-Rey. 1:17; 2:8. 

All of these Scriptures fully corroborate the statement 
of our text that He who subsequently became the 
world's Redeemer was long before, the primary Son of 
God. He ranked first, not only in seniority, but also in 

SM492 

honor, dignity and station, above all other sons of God, 



not one of whom was like Himself—the direct Creation 
of Jehovah. "For all things were made by the Logos, 
and without Him was not one thing made that was made." 
He was not the Creator in the primary sense of the word, 
but in the secondary sense. He was the active Agent of 
Jehovah in all of His subsequent creative work. Thus He 
was not only the First-born of all creation, but, individually. 
He was also the last of Jehovah's creation. To this 
agree the words of St. Paul, "All things are o/the Father 
and all things are by the Son." 

Surely many have failed to appreciate not only the 
Divine personality of Jehovah, but also the greatness of 
Him who is styled "the Son of God." 

IN THE DARK AGES 

There was a time when God's people did not possess 
the Bible in their own language, when the ability to 
read it was extremely limited, and when nobody possessed 
such wonderful Bibles (with references and concordances) 
as are common today. It should not surprise us 
that in that far-off time confusing errors crept into the 
traditional faith of the Church. The contention of the 
Jews was that Jesus of Nazareth was an impostor and 
that His mighty works were done under the influence of 
the fallen angel, Beelzebub. Should we think it strange 
that in the heat of discussion some of the followers of 
Jesus would make extravagant claims for Him in their 
endeavor to oppose the theory that made of Messiah a 
mere sinful man? 

It does not surprise us, therefore, that early in the 
third century claims were put forward in the name of 
Christ and His Apostles which neither He nor they ever 
authorized. The Apostles declared Him to be "the Son 
of God with power," and that He was "holy, harmless, 
undefiled and separate from sinners." (Heb. 7:26.) The 
Master Himself declared, "My Father is greater than I." 
"He is above all;" "He sent Me;" "I came to do the 

SM493 

will of My Father in Heaven, and not Mine own will;" "I 
delight to do Thy will, O My God; Thy Law is written in 
My heart " -John 14:28; 6:38; Psa. 40:7,8. 
True, He also declared, "I and My Father are one"; 



but He showed in what this oneness consisted--that it 
was a oneness of will, of purpose, of work. Because He 
had fully submitted His will to the Father's will and had 
made the Father's will His own, therefore they were 
one -John 5:19-23; 10:30. 

The Master again illustrated this oneness when He 
prayed for His disciples that "they all might be one, even 
as Thou, Father, and I are one." (John 17:11,21,22.) 
Evidently the Master did not pray that His disciples 
should all become one in person, but that they should 
all become of one mind, of one heart, of one disposition 
through their loyalty and obedience to the Word 
and to the Spirit of God. And this oneness. He declared, 
was the kind which subsisted between the Heavenly 
Father and Himself. 

Leaving the simplicity of the teachings of Jesus and of 
the Apostles, some went to the extreme of declaring that 
Jesus was His own Father; that the terms Father, Son 
and Holy Spirit all applied to one person, who manifested 
Himself to mankind in three different ways corresponding 
to these names-one God in three manifestations. 
Others took a still different view and claimed that the 
Father, Son and Holy Spirit were three Gods who operated 
as one. In proportion as these unscriptural human 
theories were received, they produced confusion. And 
when asked how three persons could logically be one person, 
and how one person could be three persons equal in 
glory and power, of course no answer could be given. 
Then the subterfuge was raised, "This is a great mystery 
which nobody can explain." 

It should not surprise us from what we know of the 
structure of human nature that these extreme views were 
opposed by others of the opposite extreme, some claiming 

SM494 

that Jesus was a mere man; that He was born as are other 
men; that Joseph was His father, etc. Thus we behold the 
danger of any variation whatever from the precise teachings 
of the Word of God. 

It should be needless to say to Bible students that 
there is nothing in the Bible which declares a trinity of 
Gods. There is just one passage of Scripture quoted in 
proof of the Trinity (1 John 5:7,8); it is never quoted by 
scholars, because all scholars know that it was tampered 



with, several words having been added in the seventh century 
which are not found in any New Testament manuscript 
of earlier date. And those added words make the 
statement as a whole foolish. 

If you will turn in your Bibles to this passage, you 
may strike out the spurious words as follows in verse 
seven: "In Heaven the Father, the Word and the Holy 
Ghost, and these three are one"; and in Verse eight the 
words, "and there are three that bear witness in earth. " 

After thus eliminating the spurious additions, after 
thus removing from the precious ointment this dead fly of 
falsehood which was inserted for the very purpose of 
deceiving, and because no Scripture could be found to give 
color to the doctrine of the trinity—then you will be able 
to read that portion of the Word of God in its purity and 
simplicity. Then the "mystery" part will be gone from 
it forever. It will be in full accord with the entire Bible 
in declaring, "To us there is one God, the Father, of 
whom are all things, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom 
are all things and we by Him." (1 Cor. 8:6.) How 
absurdly the passage reads in our Common Version, stating 
that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are 
bearing witness in Heaven that Jesus is the Son of God! 

The pure Word of God presents simply and beautifully 
the fact that the great Creator, the Father of all 
mercies, is Jehovah God; and that He has an Only Begotten 
Son who is yet to be the Savior or Deliverer of all of 
Adam's race willing to accept the grace of God provided 

SM495 

in Him. And there is one Holy Spirit, "the Spirit of 
Truth," "the Spirit of Wisdom," "the spirit of a sound 
mind," the spirit of power, energy, will, mind of the 
Father— which is also the spirit of the Son, and which 
must be also the spirit, disposition, mind, will of all those 
who now come unto the Father as sons through the adoption 
which is in Christ Jesus. 

THE ONLY BEGOTTEN HONORED 

Before the beginning of the creation of God, before 
the Only Begotten of the Father became the Alpha of 
Creation, the Father had wonderful purposes in Himself 
respecting all His great Plan for the everlasting future. 



It included this world, and mankind, and the permission 
of sin, and the redemption of man from sin and its penalty, 
and the restoration to be accomplished by Messiah's 
Kingdom and the glorious work of eternity in further 
creations in world after world. 

But, as the Master declared, these things the Father 
had kept in His own power—in His own hand. He 
divulged them not to the angels, nor even to His dearly 
beloved "Only Begotten Son." We have seen how this 
Divine secret. Divine purpose, was symbolically represented 
in the scroll in the hands of Jehovah, as pictured 
in Revelation 5:1. We have seen that this revelation was 
delivered to the Lamb, the Only Begotten One, after He 
had been slain—after His consecration at Jordan, and in 
its fullness after His death at Calvary, when He ascended 
on High, glorified at the right hand of the Father's 
majesty.-Acts 2:32,33. 

But before the Logos was made flesh, before He undertook 
to be man's Redeemer, the Heavenly Father set 
before Him the glorious proposition. He informed the 
Son that He had a plan, a scroll, and that the execution 
thereof was to be given to One who would prove Himself 
worthy, by demonstrating His loyalty to the Divine will. 

We read that God sent His Only Begotten Son into the 
world, but we are not to understand from this that He 

SM496 

came under Divine command, the refusal of which would 
have meant Divine displeasure and His own degradation. 
On the contrary, we understand the matter clearly when 
we hearken to the Apostle's statement. He declares that 
Messiah left the glory which He had with the Father 
before the world was, and humbled Himself to take upon 
Himself man's form and then consecrated Himself even 
unto death-all because of the joy that the Father had set 
before Him. The joy set before the Logos was: 

(1) That thus He might serve the Heavenly Father's 
gracious purposes. 

(2) That He might recover mankind from the state of 
sin and death into which all were plunged by Father 
Adam's one act of disobedience. 

(3) Additionally He was promised the honor and distinction 
of the Messianic Kingdom by and through which 
mankind would be blessed and uplifted. 



(4) He was promised a special Bride class to be 
selected from among the redeemed race of men~a class 

having His own disposition of loyalty to God and to righteousness, 
and faithful unto death— which like Himself 
would be exalted in the Chief Resurrection from the 
earthly to Heavenly condition, far above principalities 
and powers and every name that is named. 

(5) He was promised that His own personal distinction 
would be to all eternity a participation in the qualities 
of the Divine nature; He would possess not only glory 

and honor, but also inherent life, deathlessness, immortality. 
-John 5:26; Heb. 1:1-3. 

For these joys. He left His glory. He was made flesh. 
He sacrificed His earthly life; and, being raised from the 
dead. He entered into His promised joy. Since, He is 
waiting in expectation for the completion of the Church, 
His Bride, the members of His Body, assured that then 
the Father will give Him the heathen for an inheritance 
and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession, 
that He may bind Satan, put down sin and uplift the sinner 

SM497 

and bring everlasting order out of earth's confusion 
by destroying the wilfully wicked. 

A GOD BUT NOT THE GOD 

As all Bible scholars know, the word elohim in the Old 
Testament Hebrew is of plural form, somewhat like our 
English word sheep. Thus we read in Genesis, "The 
Elohim [Gods] said. Let us make man in our image." 
This would very properly apply to the Heavenly Father 
and the Heavenly Son, in full accord with our text. 
"Without Him [the Logos] was not anything made that 
was made." The word Elohim signifies, literally, the 
mighty, the powerful, the great. Surely it would be 
strictly proper to consider the Logos mighty, great, 
powerful as the active Agent of the Almighty One, Jehovah, 
who is also styled the Mighty Elohim. 

This word elohim not only is used in respect to the 
Heavenly Father and His Heavenly Son, but it is also 
used in respect to angels as the messengers of God and of 
Christ, mighty to the doing of the will of God. (Psa. 8:5.) 
"Thou hast made man a little lower than the angels 



[elohim]. " Still further notice that this word elohim is 
used in respect to men; when Divinely appointed and 
active as God's agents they were mighty, or elohim. Thus 
we read of the seventy judges of Israel appointed by 
Moses, "The master shall bring him unto the judges (elohim). " 

Ex. 21:6. 

We have given a very literal rendering of our text, 
showing the fine distinction of the Greek original in a way 
that our English version does not show it. As Bible students 
we have not in the past been sufficiently critical in 
our study of God's Word; but now, in Divine providence, 
it is possible for those even who have practically no knowledge 
of the Greek and Hebrew to understand the Scripture 
presentations thoroughly. 

Our text in the common English version misrepresents 
the true thought of the original; but as we have rendered 
it, the matter is so simple and clear that a child may 

SM498 

understand. Jehovah God is from everlasting to everlasting 
and had no beginning. The Logos had a beginning 
—He Himself was the beginning. "In the beginning 
was the Logos and the Logos was a God." He was a 
mighty One, the Beginning of creation, the First and the 
Last Creation of the God, the Almighty One~"of whom, 
by whom and through whom are all things." 

All honor, majesty and worship belong primarily to 
the great Father of lights; and to Him Jesus directed the 
attention of His followers, saying, "After this manner 
pray ye--Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be 
Thy name." It is always therefore eminently proper in 
the highest sense of the word that our petitions should 
ascend to "the Father of Lights, from whom cometh 
every good and every perfect gift." 

It has pleased the Father to so honor His First Begotten 
Son, and to so reward His faithfulness unto death, and 
to so make Him the Head in all things over the Church 
which is His Body, that it is eminently proper that, in the 
language of the Master, "All men should honor the Son, 
even as they honor the Father." (John 5:23.) They 
should not honor the Son instead of the Father, however; 
for the Latter declares, "My glory will I not give to 
another." The exalted Christ is to be honored, yea, worshiped, 
because the Father has highly exalted Him. 



Moreover, there is a special reason why all who recognize 
Jesus as the world's Redeemer should recognize the 
propriety of including Him with the Father in their 
thoughts and in their prayers. This is because, by Divine 
appointment. He is the Church's Advocate with the 
Father--the One through whom we are acceptable to God. 
And so with the world in the future, throughout Messiah's 
Reign, this will be equally proper; for then He will 
be the world's Mediator, standing between God and men, 
until by His Mediatorial Kingdom He shall have lifted 
mankind from sin and degradation and death, back to 
actual justification and harmony with God. 



SM499 



THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS 

"I will shake all nations^ and the desire of all nations 
shall come. "--Hag. 2:7. 

The great Messiah, "King of Glory," has long been 
waited for by the civilized nations. For thirty-five centuries 
the Jews have waited for Him as the great Prophet 
foreshadowed by Moses and foretold by him (Acts 3:22), 
as the mighty King foreshadowed by their kings David 
and Solomon, and as their glorious Priest typified by 
Aaron, but especially in the combined majesty of king and 
priest foreshown by Melchizedek— a priest upon his 
throne.--Psa. 110:4. 

Free Masons have waited twenty-five hundred years 
for the same glorious personage, as Hiram Abiff, the 
great Master Mason whose death, glorification and future 
appearing are continually set before them by the letters 
upon their keystones. He died a violent death, they 
claim, because of his loyalty to the Divine secrets typed in 
Solomon's Temple. He must reappear, they claim, in 
order that the great antitypical Temple may be completed 
and its grand service for Israel and for all peoples 
may be accomplished. They claim that his presence is 
to be expected speedily. 

Christians of every shade, in proportion as they are 
conversant with the Bible (Old Testament and New), 
also believe in a great Temple Builder who died because 
of His faithfulness to the Divine plans for the spiritual 
Temple, the elect Church (1 Peter 2:4,5); Him they 
expect to come a second time "in power and great glory" 
to complete the Temple which is His Body, and in and 
through that spiritual and glorious Temple to bless Israel 
and all the families of the earth. His Second Presence 
in glory and power, but invisible to men, is believed to 
be imminent. —Rev. 1:7; 3:20. 

SM500 

The Mohammedans, who also worship the God of 
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and David and Solomon, are 
also expecting a great Heavenly Messenger to bless them 



and all peoples by the establishment of a Heavenly Kingdom. 
They have awaited His coming for centuries. They 
believe His Kingdom to be near at hand. 

The same glorious personage will fulfil all these 
desires—these hopes. Is it not time that all of these 
peoples, fearing God and hoping in His promises, should 
come together in one hope, in one expectation? It must 
be so; for do we not read prophetically, "The desire of 
all nations shall come!" 

We are well aware that great barriers lie between 
these multitudes; but we hold that these are chiefly barriers 
of superstition and ignorance. In the past they 
have pulled apart, and have slandered and persecuted 
one another. If now they will sympathetically draw near 
to each other, surely they will find much to appreciate in 
each other's hopes and aims. 

THE BASIS OF SYMPATHY 

The fact that the Jews and Mohammedans, Catholics, 
Protestants and Free Masons all base their faith on the 
Old Testament of the Holy Scriptures, is ground for the 
better understanding pleaded for. 

All Christians must accept the authority of the 
Hebrew Scriptures because the founder of Christianity, 
Jesus, and His special mouthpieces, the Apostles, taught 
nothing contrary to the Law and the Prophets. Indeed, 
they quoted from the Old Testament in proof of every 
doctrine advanced. They claimed that they neither destroyed 
nor ignored the Old Testament, but merely noted 
its fulfilment. 

The error in the past has been the general disposition 
to appeal to superstition and prejudice and bigotry, 
rather than to facts and Scripture. We must reverse 
the lever in order to attain the good results—in order to 
see eye to eye. 

SM501 

All agree that the world needs the Divine blessing! 
All agree that we have been laboring under a mistake in 
supposing that education and civilization are alone necessary 
to secure human happiness. We perceive that the 
greater the civilization the greater is the unrest, and that 
the broader the education the greater are the suggestions 



and opportunities for taking selfish advantage of 
others. All agree that only the later inventions, telephones, 
etc., and our modern and costly police precautions 
make it possible to live in civilized lands; and that, 
despite all these, murders are a hundredfold what they 
were fifty years ago. In those days a murder would be 
detailed and discussed for a year. Now we give little 
heed to several reported in each day's newspapers. 
Thousands are executed, other thousands are imprisoned 
for life; and we pay little heed—so gradually have we 
become accustomed to these horrors of our civilization 
and education. 

We oppose these with Church and mission influences, 
with Sunday-Schools, Y.M.C.A.'s, with courts. Juvenile 
and Superior; and yet they increase. We penalize the 
carrying of weapons and bombs, and wisely prohibit 
inflammatory speeches; and the better informed know 
that Christendom is like a powder-magazine which some 
unlucky friction between the classes may explode. 

ALL HOPES REALLY ONE 

Admitting that all mankind are imperfect, "born in 
sin and shapen in iniquity," we nevertheless cannot 
assent to the doctrine of Total Depravity-that there is 
nothing good in any man, or in all men. Each one who 
prays "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others" 
should concede that others, as well as himself, would prefer 
righteousness to sin, if the environment were different 
—if his appetite were not so perverse, if his will 
power were not so inadequate. So, then, whether Jew, 
Mohammedan, Catholic, Free Mason or Protestant, do 

SM502 

we not all really desire the one thing? And do we not 
admit, after centuries of endeavor along different lines, 
that God alone can send us the aid which the whole world 
so greatly needs? We do! 

Let us now formulate this "desire of all nations" 
from those Holy Scriptures which we all acknowledge. 
Let us see that it is exactly what we all have been looking 
and praying for under different names: It is the Kingdom 
of God! —the Kingdom of Allah! Its rule is to be 
"under the whole heavens" however Heavenly or spiritual 



the great Ruler will be. (Dan. 7:27.) Under its 
beneficent and uplifting influence the glorious result will 
be that God's will shall be done on earth as completely as 
it is now done in Heaven. This is exactly what the 
Scriptures declare-that sin and ignorance will be done 
away; that the knowledge of the glory of God's character 
will fill the whole earth. It means a strong government 
exercised for the restraint of sin and for the freeing 
of mankind from slavery to sin—the slavery of inherited 
weaknesses entailed by Adam's disobedience. The great 
Heavenly King, the Son of David, who will do these 
things, according to the Law and the Prophets, will have 
many titles indicating various features of His greatness. 
"He shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty 
Elohim, the Prince of Peace, and the Father [Life-giver] 
of eternal life."-Isa. 9:6. 

He is called the Savior by the Prophet Isaiah (43:3); 
for He shall "save from their sins" and from the penalty 
of sin all who shall become "His people." And all who 
will wickedly refuse His rule of righteousness and His 
assistance out of sin and death conditions will be 
esteemed "wicked" in the proper sense of that word; 
and of these we read: "All the wicked will He destroy." 

We have had too much of hatred and persecution 
because of the differences in our degrees of knowledge as 
expressed in our differences of belief. Let this cease. 
Let us unite in our love for righteousness and in our 

SM503 

hatred of unrighteousness— in-equity. Let us cultivate 
such a sympathy for the coming Reign of Righteousness 
to be established by Messiah (by whatever name He and 
His Kingdom may be handed down to us) that our characters 
shall be more and more influenced and transformed 
by the prophetic view. We are all agreed that Messiah's 
Kingdom is nigh, even knocking at the door of the world. 
In the wonderful inventions of our day we have the very 
foregleams of that Kingdom as outlined in prophecy. 
The necessities of the case also corroborate this: The 
tension between Capital and Labor will soon be to its 
limit and break; the grasp of monopoly will soon be so 
strong that the masses will be ground between the upper 
and the nether millstones; our high-tension living is calculated 
soon to have our race in the madhouse; specialists 



say, within one century. Let us believe the Word of 
God delivered by the Prophets of old. Let us prepare 
our hearts for the Great King and know that those ready 
for His rule will have the chief blessing. 

"HE MUST REIGN-UNTIL" 

According to the Bible the Reign of the promised 
great King shall not be eternal. Eventually the dominion 
of earth, originally given to Adam and lost by disobedience 
and consequent incapacity, is to be restored 
to such of Adam's race as shall attain earthly perfection 
and Jehovah's approval. Messiah's Empire will be a 
Mediatorial one and, according to the Scriptures, will 
continue only one thousand years. But we are assured 
that the period will be quite sufficient for the great work 
to be accomplished. Father Adam, after being sentenced 
for sin— "Dying, thou shall die, "--experienced the dying 
processes for 930 years. Contrariwise the world will, 
under the Messiah's rule as King and Priest (Melchizedek, 
Psa. 110:4), gradually rise up, up, up, out of sin 
and death conditions during a very similar period. 

Paradise restored will no longer be a garden merely; 

SM504 

but the whole earth, as God's footstool, shall be made 

glorious. (Isa. 60:13.) The promises of God to the 

children of Isaac and Jacob are not Heavenly or spiritual, 

but earthly. From Genesis to Malachi there is not 

a suggestion of a Heavenly or spiritual calling. If Christians 

have a Heavenly calling, it is no cause for offense 

to Mohammedans and Jews—neither of whom have conflicting 

hopes. There is no need for conflict—every 

reason for harmony. 



"TIMES OF RESTITUTION" 

Not only do the ancient prophecies foretell coming 
blessings of the Lord upon Jew and Gentile, bond and 
free, but the Law typified the same. Every fiftieth year 
with the Jew was to be a Jubilee year— a time of release 
from debts and from all bondage. The lesson is that 
Messiah's Reign will be the great time of jubilation to 



men, to all who will accept and obey His rule. The cancellation 
of debts represents that God (through Messiah) 
will thus cancel the debt of Original Sin and set free 
Adam and his race. All will then be given a fresh start 
for life eternal. The setting free from bondage in the 
Jubilee Year typed man's release from the weaknesses 
inherited through Adam's fall. It will include the resurrection 
from the dead, the great prison-house mentioned 
by the Prophet.--Isa. 61:1. 

If we see this great fact about to be accomplished 
need we quarrel about how it is to be done? Since it 
offers blessings to all who love God's righteousness, why 
dispute over details? Shall we contend with God and 
His plans and promises except to our injury? Let us 
rejoice with the Jew. God has decreed for the natural 
seed of Abraham a glorious share in the great work of 
blessing the world--to the Jew first, to the others later! 
The Scriptures clearly teach that Messiah will establish 
the New Covenant with Jacob—Natural Israel. Let all 
who reverence the Lord acquiesce in His arrangements. 

SM505 

And if the Jews shall some day see that the Oath-Bound 
Promise to Abraham meant two seeds, let them be glad 
and rejoice in their portion. If the great Messiah soon 
to be revealed in power and great glory be composed of 
"many members" on the spirit plane, what matters it to 
Jacob, all of whose promises are on the earthly plane? 
Moreover, there is no room for jealousy anyway; for 
these "Elect" who shall be on the spirit plane are of all 
nations—the Jew being there given also the preferred 
place. Furthermore the select or elect few are not either 
Christians or Jews in the ordinary usage of those words, 
but saintly, holy ones chosen by the Lord from every 
sect and party, because of their love for righteousness 
and faithfulness under trials. 



"I WILL SHAKE THE EARTH" 

The context shows us that "The desire of all nations" 
will be realized as the result of a great shaking of the 
heavens, earth, sea and all nations. This is prophetic of 
the great Time of Trouble, with which the collapse of 



present institutions will come about as precedent to the 
establishment of Messiah's Kingdom~"the desire of all 
nations," as our text declares. 

We are not left to speculate respecting the import of 
these words, "shake the heavens, the earth and the sea." 
The great theologian, St. Paul, quoted this very passage 
in his epistle to the Hebrews. (12:26-28.) He pointed 
out that the literal shaking of Mount Sinai and the terrible 
sights associated at the time of the inauguration of 
Israel's Law Covenant were but a feeble picture of the 
awful commotion which will prevail in its antitype—when 
Israel's New (Law) Covenant will be instituted at Mount 
Zion in the end of this Age at the hands of the antitypical 
Moses-Messiah, Jesus the Head and the Church His 
Body. 

The Prophet intimates that it will be a short, sharp, 
decisive shaking, quickly accomplished. And the Apostle 

SM506 

explains that it will be so thorough-going that everything 

that can be shaken will be shaken and will be removed. 

In other words, everything that is in the nature of a temporary 

make-shift for righteousness, truth, equity, will 

be shaken out of the way— not be permitted to remain; 

for the Lord will make a thorough work. St. Paul intimates 

that the Kingdom which the Church is to receive 

will be the only institution which will stand the shaking 

time and that only because the "Church of the First-borns, 

whose names are written in Heaven," will have 

the Divine approval. They will "be changed in a 

moment, in the twinkling of an eye"— established enduringly 

on the Heavenly plane at the right hand of God, 

principalities and powers being subject. 



"THE PRINCE OF PEACE" 

Notwithstanding the fact that Messiah's Kingdom will 
be introduced by a period of universal trouble, anarchy, 
etc., which will overthrow civilization and uproot every 
sinful and imperfect human organization, nevertheless 
this will eventually lead to the most profound and most 
enduring peace. In that one great lesson humanity will 
learn the futility of its own endeavors and will cry unto 



the Lord for help and for the desired peace-then "the 
desire of all nations shall come." 

Referring to this Time of Trouble the Prophet David 
declares of the Lord's work at that time, "He maketh 
wars to cease unto the end of the earth. He breaketh 
the bow, and cutteth the spear asunder." Then wonderfully 
he announces the climax of it all, "Be still and 
know that I am God. I will be exalted amongst the 
nations. I will be exalted in the earth." The only true 
basis of peace is righteousness and on this firm foundation 
Jehovah through His Anointed One will shortly 
establish it.--Psa. 46:9,10. 



SM507 

GOD'S UNPROFITABLE 
SERVANT PUNISHED 

"Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; 
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "-- 
Matt. 25:30. 

We who delight to be known as Christians, followers 
of Jesus, have heretofore been very careless in our study 
of God's Word, and have thus been disrespectful to our 
Teacher, and have gotten ourselves into a world of trouble 
and confusion of thought which is driving many into 
unbelief. We must learn to be more critical in our reading 
of the Word of God. We must not assume so much, 
but must carefully note the Master's exact statements, 
that we may be able to distinguish between His literal 
utterances and His parables, dark sayings, figures of 
speech and hyperboles. 

Take, for instance, our text. How few have ever sought 
to weigh it and to draw proper inferences from it! The 
usual custom is to conclude that it refers to an eternity 
of torture into which the majority of our race enter at 
death; whereas no such conclusion would be a reasonable 
deduction from the narrative from which the text is taken. 
It is part of a parable, every element of which is figurative. 
Whoever reads the connection will perceive that the 
person or class mentioned as going into the outer darkness 
is not represented as going into death at all. Furthermore, 
the phrase "outer darkness" could not refer to 
such a place as is generally pictured by evangelists as the 
future abode of the non-elect; for that place is invariably 
said to be the very reverse of dark, and its inmates to be 
shut in—not cast out! 

It should be noted that the person or class referred to 
in our text as cast into outer darkness, where there shall 
be weeping and gnashing of teeth, is a Christian-not a 
worldling, not a stranger, alien, foreigner to the Divine 



SM508 

promises, but one of the Lord's recognized followers. 
The punishment comes upon him, not because of murder, 
theft or blasphemy, not through immoralities, but because 
of neglect of opportunities of service. Had he been guilty 
of gross sin, he would not have been recognized of God as 
a follower of Christ, regardless of any profession he 
might make to that effect. Having become a consecrated 
believer in the Lord, he had received a talent of privilege 
and opportunity in the Master's service, and this he 
had neglected to use. 

From this viewpoint many Christian people should be 
startled and thoroughly awakened by our text; for 
undoubtedly many are in the very position described in 
the parable. An investigation of the matter which comes 
close home to themselves will assist them in the exercise 
of common sense in the interpretation of this Scripture; 
whereas the general tendency seems to be to permit unreason 
to interpret such texts as these, which are always 
inferred to belong to the very grossest, immoral enemies 
of God and the principles of righteousness. The majority 
of people are much more merciful in thinking about matters 
which are applicable to themselves; for their love is 
not yet sufficiently developed to enable them to feel an 
equal interest in their neighbor—yea, in their enemies. 



THE PARABLE AS A WHOLE 

Let us examine the parable as a whole, in order that 
we may make no mistake in the application of any of its 
parts. (Matt. 25:14-30.) It represents the entire Gospel 
Age—from the time when our Lord ascended on High, 
going to the far country, even Heaven itself. He left His 
interests in the hands of His servants-the Apostles and 
believers in general; and in their hands these interests 
have remained ever since. The whole narrative shows 
that not merely nominal Christians are meant by the 
servants, but true Christians— fully consecrated believers. 
These alone have the talents belonging to the Lord in 

SM509 

their charge for use in His service, "every man according 



to his several abilities." 

In olden times a talent represented a sum of money, 
an Attic talent being equivalent to $1,200 in our money. 
Thus to one servant five talents were entrusted, representing 
$6,000; to another, two talents, representing 
$2,400; and to another one talent--$ 1,200. But while the 
matter is here stated merely from the financial point of 
view, all will agree that such a statement is only for convenience; 
and that the real thought in the parable is that 
these talents represent not only financial ability, but also 
social standing, education, mental equipments, etc. 



THE TALENTS COMMITTED TO SOME 

Those who hear the Lord's voice calling them as sinners 
to repentance are not as yet His servants, nor are 
they entrusted with any of His talents. They are still 
strangers, aliens and foreigners, without God and having 
no hope. (Eph. 2:11-13.) But after they have learned 
of the grace of God in Christ and of the provision made 
in Him for the covering of the sins that are past and of 
the blemishes which are present, then if they rejoicingly 
accept Him as their Savior they thereby take the first step 
toward God. Being thus justified by faith, they have 
peace with God as respects their former sins and the condemnation 
under which they realize that they had rested. 
(Rom. 5:1-3.) But still they have not yet become servants 
of God. However, they are in that attitude of mind 
where the Lord would be willing to accept them as His 
servants; and hence the Apostle invites such, saying, "I 
beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present 
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, 
and your reasonable service. "--Rom. 12:1. 

In his consecration the believer thus lays at the Lord's 
feet his life, his time, his influence, together with whatever 
property or mental endowment he may possess—all for 
the Lord, "to be used in joyful service for the glory of 

SM510 

our King." It is at this juncture that the Scriptures represent 
that we are begotten again by the Holy Spirit to 
newness of life, newness of aim, newness of purpose. 
"Old things have passed away; behold, all things have 



become new." (2 Cor. 5:17.) It is these New Creatures 
whom God recognizes as His servants, consecrated to His 
service; and it is this class which is represented in the 
parable under discussion. To these servants He gives 
various talents to be used by them. 

Some one may ask, "What are these talents?" We 
reply. The very talents which they possessed before consecration, 
and which in consecration they laid at the 
Lord's feet. These He now gives over to them, gives into 
their custody, thus making them rewards of their own 
time, influence, means, education, mental ability, etc. 
From this viewpoint we can see how some have one talent, 
others two talents, and still others five talents; for no two 
of the Lord's people are exactly alike in mentality, in 
influence, in opportunity or in wealth. Each, however, is 
responsible for exactly the amount thus entrusted to his 
stewardship, plus whatever increase he may be able to 
effect; and his love for his Master and his loyalty as a 
servant are to be tested by the degree of activity he will 
exercise in the use of these talents, opportunities, etc., 
under his care. 

Although the parable represents the faithfulness of 
the one having the five talents and of the other having 
the two talents, and the unfaithfulness of the one having 
but one talent, this we are to understand is merely an illustration. 
It is possible for the person having the one talent 
to be faithful, and equally possible for those having two 
or more talents to be unfaithful. Indeed, our experience 
has been rather along the line that those possessing the 
most talents are as likely to be amongst the unfaithful as 
are those who have but the one talent. It is not unreasonable 
to suppose that by far the majority of those consecrated 
to the Lord have possessed only one talent. 

SM511 

Hence the Lord's statement of the parable is undoubtedly 
the most appropriate one, applicable to the larger 
proportion of His people who will prove derelict, unfaithful, 
in the use of their consecrated ability in His service. 
As a matter of fact, the Lord tells us that not many of 
those who have money talents will accept His invitation 
at all. Not many of them will make consecration of themselves, 
so as to place their natural talents at His disposal 
or make it possible for them to become stewards of the 



same. The Scriptural statement, we remember, is that 
not many great, not many wise, not many learned, not 
many rich, not many noble, according to the course of this 
world, but rather the poor, rich in faith, hath God chosen 
to be heirs of the Kingdom.--! Cor. 1:26-28; James 2:5. 



APPORTIONING REWARDS TO THE SERVANTS 

"After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh 
and reckoneth with them." The reference here is 
undoubtedly to our Lord's Second Advent, and indicates 
that then His first work will be with the Church, not with 
the world. To this agree the words of St. Peter: "Judgment 
must begin at the House of God." (1 Peter 4:17.) 
In this we have a most positive assurance that the servants 
of the parable are not worldly people at all, who have 
neither lot nor part in this matter, and who are not in 
any sense of the word stewards of the grace of God. 
True, the Lord causes His sun to shine upon the just and 
the unjust, and His rain to fall upon good and bad alike. 
But He recognizes none as His servants except those who 
have come to Him in the appointed way— "No man cometh 
unto the Father but by Me."-Johii 14:6. 

If we have the right understanding of "the times and 
seasons" outlined in the Scriptures, we are now living in 
the very time of the Second Advent of Christ~the time 
during which He is reckoning with His servants, preparatory 
to assuming the Kingdom control of the world. 
This transfer of the world to Immanuel's Government will 

SM512 

be accomplished through the overthrow of present institutions 
—financial, political, social and religious—in "a 
Time of Trouble such as was not since there was a 
nation."-Daii. 12:1. 

This reckoning of course must include the resurrection 
change of all the faithful in Christ Jesus, mentioned 
in the Apostle Paul's description of the First Resurrection. 
(1 Cor. 15:42-44.) Those who during this Gospel 
Age have been faithful to the Lord in the use of the talents 
committed to them are in line for the glory, honor 
and immortality of this First Resurrection, by which they 
will enter into the joy of their Lord. The Apostle's statement 



respecting these--that they will differ in the degree 

of glory received "as star differeth from star in glory" ~ 

is corroborated, if not directly by this parable under consideration, 

at least by the corresponding parable of the 

pounds. (Luke 19:12-27.) There the stewards are specified 

in parabolic form: Our Lord declared that one of the 

faithful should have authority over ten cities, another 

over five, etc., in His Kingdom. 



THE TALENT HID IN THE EARTH 

But now comes the particular feature of the parable 
from which our text is taken. The servant who had but 
one talent entrusted to him hid it in the earth. In excusing 
himself for not having made better use of it, he intimates 
that his heart was filled with fear instead of with 
love for his Lord; for he thought of his Lord as unjust, 
hard, unmerciful, unloving, exacting. He had a bad theology. 
Alas, how many Christian people are in a similar 
plight! Having a wrong conception of the Lord's character 
and purposes, they are deterred from using in His 
service what talents they possess. Evidently this class is 
pictured most distinctly in this parable. The hiding of 
the talent in the earth is full of meaning. It implies that 
the opportunities and abilities consecrated to the Lord are 
being buried in earthly interests, earthly affairs—business 

SMS 13 

or pleasure, family or society or what not--to the 
neglect of the stewardship, and hence to that extent in the 
repudiation of the original consecration. 

If you, my dear brother or sister, are not in the place 
of this unfaithful servant, you probably recognize the 
likeness of some of your fellow servants. They are not 
bad people; they are not wicked. They are moral, honest 
in their dealings with their fellow men—though not honest 
with the Lord in the use of their consecrated talents. 
Now that you see the person or the class represented by 
the unfaithful servant in the parable, doubtless your love 
and your sympathy begin to exercise themselves toward 
these dear neighbors, friends and relatives. You begin 
to hope that in God's mercy they are not to be sent to 
eternal torment because of their carelessness in respect 



to their consecration vow. 



THE PUNISHMENT BAD ENOUGH, HOWEVER 

Although there is nothing in the parable to indicate 
eternal torment for this class of unfaithful servants, nevertheless 
the punishment outlined is certainly bad enough, 
severe enough. Our hope is that this discourse may prove 
helpful to some who are now in this attitude, to the intent 
that before their earthly accounts are called for they may 
take their talent out of its earthly investment, and with 
redoubled energy and zeal apply it according to their original 
covenant, hoping in the mercy of God for forgiveness 
of their previous laxity; and that by His grace they may 
yet hear His words: "Well done, good and faithful servant; 
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." 

The first part of the punishment meted to the unfaithful 
servant is the loss of the talent—the loss of the opportunity 
and privilege of service as a co-laborer with the 
Lord. This implies that the unfaithful one can have 
neither part nor lot in the Kingdom-cannot be accepted 
as a member of the glorified Body of Christ. His failure 
to use his consecrated talent signifies his failure to make 
his calling and election sure. 

SM514 

The second feature of the punishment is the being cast 
out from the light and from the privileges enjoyed by 
those who are the Lord's faithful followers. To be thrust 
into the outer darkness of the world is to lose what light, 
privilege and appreciation of spiritual matters had been 
previously enjoyed. The third feature of the punishment 
is that the unfaithful servants shall share in the great 
Time of Trouble with which this Gospel Age is to end~ 
the time of anarchy and confusion which the faithful class 
of the Lord's people shall be accounted worthy to escape, 
as our Lord declared.—Luke 21:36. 



THREE CLASSES OF CONSECRATED CHRISTIANS 

The parable merely mentions the punishment of the 
unfaithful servant without showing what the result will 



be~how he will be exercised by the tribulations through 
which he will pass. But the great Teacher who spake 
the parable sent a message later on to His people in which 
He indicated just where all unfaithful servants may be 
found, and through their tribulations be enabled to some 
extent to recover their standing and obtain a share in the 
Divine blessing—although not in the Kingdom class. We 
refer to Revelation 7:9-17. There we see the unfaithful 
servants after they have passed with weeping and gnashing 
of teeth through the great tribulation which marks 
the full end of the Age. We see that their severe experiences 
will work with many of them such a change that 
they will gladly acclaim their Lord, and rejoice to be servants 
in His Temple and before His Throne. 

Faithfulness in the use of their talents would have 
given this class a place with their Lord in His Throne, 
even as He promised. (Rev. 3:21.) But in His great 
mercy, while rejecting them from association in the 
Throne and while causing them to pass through merited 
tribulation for their unfaithfulness. He will nevertheless 
permit them to come up through that tribulation, washing 
their robes in the merit of His sacrifice. To those who 

SM515 

are rightly exercised by these experiences He will give 
the palm of victory, but not the crown; for this is reserved 
for the faithful servants alone. 

But it is not our thought, nor that of the Scriptures, 
to guarantee that all of the consecrated shall be either in 
the Throne or before the Throne, shall be either crowned 
with our Lord as joint-heirs or else stand as servants with 
palms of victory in their hands. The Scriptures bring to 
our attention still another class amongst the truly consecrated, 
namely, such as are described in Heb. 6:4-8 and 
10:26,27. "There is a sin unto death" —the Second 
Death. But this sin is something beyond the sin of hiding 
the talent in the earth-neglecting the covenant made with 
the Lord. From that wilful sin unto death there is no 
hope of recovery, either in this Age or in that to come. 

Let us arouse ourselves, dear fellow servants of the 
King of Glory. Let us use every talent that we possess 
to "show forth His praises who hath called us out of 
darkness into His marvelous light." Let us develop in 
our hearts more and more the graces of the Holy Spirit- 
meekness, gentleness, patience, brotherly kindness, love. 



"For if these things be in you and abound, they will make 
you that ye shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the 
service of the Lord;. ..and so an entrance shall be 
ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom 
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."--2 Peter 1:8-11. 

Take my will and make it Thine; 

It shall be no longer mine; 
Take my heart, it is Thine own; 

Thus in me Thyself enthrone. 

Take my love, my God; I pour 

At Thy feet its treasure- store; 
Take myself~I wish to be 

Ever, only, all for Thee. 



SM516 



TO HELL AND BACK! WHO ARE THERE 

"Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell, neither wilt 
Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. "-- 
Psa. 16:10. 

Although the caption of my topic has a sensational 
aspect, I assure you all that it is not really so, that I shall 
treat the subject most earnestly and prove every assertion 
most conclusively from the Scriptures. God forbid 
that I should treat lightly a subject which has caused 
more distress, more heartache, more sorrow of mind, than 
all other subjects combined—caused these distresses to 
the very best among the Lord's followers. I care not to 
specially address those who are so selfish as to regard 
merely themselves and their family connections, and who 
are quite content that all others might suffer an eternity 
of torture so long as their friends are saved from such a 
calamity. I would reach especially those whose hearts 
and heads have been troubled almost to the extent of distraction 
over this subject— those who have wept and 
prayed as they remembered sons and daughters, friends 
and neighbors, parents and children, who died without 
having accepted Jesus as their Savior, without having 
taken upon them the only name given under Heaven and 
among men whereby we must be saved.— Acts 4:12. 

I hold that it is the best of God's people, the tenderest 
of heart, the most Christlike, who have had trouble with 
the question of eternal torment. I know how to sympathize 
with them because once I had similar distress of 
mind, and like others was obliged to say, "If I believe 
this doctrine and meditate upon it, it will surely make 
me crazy, as it has done hundreds and thousands of 
others." Such loving hearts have found a palliation but 
not a relief, not a satisfaction, in the thought that somehow, 

SM517 

perhaps, somewhere, at some time, God's character 
would be cleared of the dreadful stain cast upon it by this 
doctrine, which we believed to be the teaching of God's 
Book, the Bible. 



I, too, once so believed and feared, and was ashamed 
of my God because of the injustice, lovelessness, devilishness 
implied in the theory taught me from infancy, that 
God, knowing the end from the beginning, had created 
our race under conditions as we see them; that He provided 
a great place called hell for their torture, and created 
a corps of fireproof devils to attend to the matter, 
and provided also fuel enough to perpetuate the torture 
to all eternity. I felt thankful indeed to realize myself 
an object of Divine mercy and favor, but my heart went 
out for the thousands of millions of human beings of 
civilized as well as heathen lands who had gone down into 
death utterly ignorant of "the only name given under 
Heaven and among men whereby we must be saved" ~ 
"neither is there salvation in any other." 



THE PASTOR'S EARLY EFFORTS 

That I thoroughly believed this doctrine you may 
know when I tell you that at 17 years of age it was my 
custom to go out at night to chalk up words of warning 
in conspicuous places, where working-men passing to and 
fro might see them, that peradventure I might save some 
from the awful doom. And the while I wondered why 
God, who is of infinite power, did not blazon forth some 
words of warning upon the sky or cause angel trumpeters 
to announce positively and forcefully the doom to which 
the world in general was, I supposed, hastening. I was 
an admirer of the great Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon, 
and esteemed him very highly for the honesty and 
candor which made his sermons so dreadfully hot, believing 
that he was an exceptionally honest minister, and that 
others were grossly derelict in not preaching hell strenuously, 
in proclaiming eternal torment continuously. 

SM518 

But I am here this afternoon, dear friends, to explain 
to you how in great mercy God opened the eyes of my 
understanding to see that the doctrine of eternal torment 
is not the teaching of the Bible, but on the contrary is a 
misrepresentation and blasphemy of the great and holy 
name. I am here to prove to you that the doctrine of 
eternal torment has come down to us from the Dark Ages 



in the hymns and catechisms and creeds, and that it is 
contrary not only to reason, but also to God's Word. 

Demon gods—vicious, spiteful, merciless—are known 
to all the heathen peoples. The Bible alone of all religious 
books teaches a God of love, sympathy and compassion, 
sympathetic with His creatures and desirous of 
rescuing them from their fallen estate. It was during the 
Dark Ages when the spirit of Christ, the spirit of love, 
became so nearly extinct even among Christians, that 
they thought it perfectly proper and pleasing to God that 
they should tear one another limb from limb on the rack, 
that they should burn one another at the stake, that they 
should torture one another with thumb screws and fill each 
other's mouths and ears with molten lead— it was at that 
time and by some of our deluded ancestors that this doctrine 
of eternal torment was torn from heathendom and 
engrafted upon the teachings of Jesus and His Apostles. 

We find indeed that the inquisitors of old justified the 
tortures of their fellow creatures with the very claim 
that they were thus copying God, and that their victims 
would receive still worse treatment when after death 
they should come into the hands of the Almighty. People 
will copy their conceptions of the Creator— how necessary, 
therefore, that we have the right conception, that 
we worship a God who is greater in Justice, Wisdom, 
Love and Power than ourselves. With such a terrible 
misconception of God the wonder is that Christianity 
made any progress at all. The only offset has probably 
been the thought of the love of Jesus and of His willingness 
and endeavor to rescue men. 

SM519 



INFIDELITY FOSTERED BY HELL THEORY 

Intelligent people everywhere are very generally discarding 
the doctrine of eternal torment as being contrary 
to reason. But, alas, thinking that it is taught in the 
Scriptures these same intelligent people are rejecting the 
Bible, losing faith in it, drifting into unbelief in general— 
into Christian Science, spiritism, theosophy, etc. 

If this afternoon I shall succeed in proving to you that 
the Scriptures do not teach this unreasonable theory of 
eternal torment, which is supposed to be built upon its 



statements--if on the contrary I shall show you that the 
"hell" of the Scriptures is logical and reasonable, I shall 
hope to have planted the feet of some upon firmer ground, 
to have re-established to some extent faith in the Bible 
as the Word of God and to have prepared your minds 
to see that as this error is not of Scriptural foundation, 
so likewise all the unreasonable teachings of the creeds 
of the Dark Ages are without foundation in the Bible. I 
hope thus to lay a foundation for your future growth in 
knowledge and in grace. I could not possibly ask for you 
of the Lord a greater blessing than has already come to 
my own heart and life through better knowledge of the 
Scriptures along these lines. 

I will endeavor to give you Scriptural proofs that the 
hell of the Bible is not a place of torment at all; that the 
word refers to the state of death, the tomb, the grave. I 
shall show you that the Scriptures teach that both the 
good and the bad alike go to the Biblical hell, the tomb, 
and that their hope of salvation is a resurrection hope- 
to be delivered from the power of death by the Redeemer 
in God's due time. 



THE HELL OF THE BIBLE 

You are all aware that the Old Testament portion of 
the Bible was written in the Hebrew language and the 
New Testament in the Greek. We will commence with 
the Old Testament. We find that the word "hell" everywhere 
throughout the Old Testament is a translation of 

SM520 

the Hebrew word "sheol, " which occurs altogether 66 
times, and is translated three different ways in our Common 
Version; 32 times grave, 31 times hell and three times 
pit. It should have been translated grave or pit or tomb 
in every instance. Indeed, in two instances, where it is 
rendered hell in the Common Version, the marginal reading 
says, "Hebrew, the grave." 

One of these is Jonah 2:2. Jonah is represented as 
telling how he prayed to God while he was in the belly 
of the great fish. He was buried alive, entombed. Our 
Common Version reads, "Out of the belly of hell cried I"; 
the literal meaning is, "Out of the grave-belly I prayed." 



Adding these two instances to the last we would have 

grave 34 times, pit three times and hell 29 times, or the 

word is erroneously rendered 29 times out of 66. I shall 

not weary you by giving you all of these 66 passages, 

nor is this necessary; for we have a free pamphlet to 

which you are all welcome on request. It takes up 

every text in which the word hell occurs, from Genesis 

to Revelation, and every passage which in any sense of 

the word appears to teach an eternity of torture. It 

analyzes these with their context and shows what they 

do and what they do not mean. It will convince any fair-minded 

man who will give it careful reading. 

In passing I remark that much of the difficulty on 
this subject has arisen from careless handling of the 
Word of God, adding to its statements in our minds if not 
in our words. For instance, when we read in the Bible, 
"All the wicked shall God destroy" (Psa. 145:20), we 
unwittingly said to ourselves, "Destroy must mean preserve, 
preserve in fire, preserve in torment, preserve 
with devils eternally." Thus we distorted the Word of 
God to our own injury as well as to the injury of others. 
Similarly the word die; when we read in the Scriptures, 
"The soul that sinneth it shall die" (Ezek. 18:20), we 
perverted the Word of God as we would not think of 
perverting any other writings and said, "Die must here 

SM521 

mean live, live in torment eternally with devils in suffering." 
Similarly the word perish; on reading in the 
Scriptures that the "wicked shall perish" (Psa. 37:20), 
we turned the language upside down and said, "Perish 
means preserve." Thus our confusion continued; we 
were blinded by the Adversary on the lines on which he 
has blinded the entire heathen world, hindering the glorious 
light of the goodness of God from shining more and 
more into the hearts of men.~2 Cor. 4:4. 



GRAY HAIRS IN HELL 

The first occurrence of the word Sheol is in connection 
with the patriarch Jacob and his twelve sons. His two 
youngest sons, nobler than their brethren, were most 
beloved by Jacob. Joseph, his favorite, clothed in his 



handsome coat of many colors, was sent to his brethren, 
who were pasturing the sheep at a distance from home, 
to take them delicacies and bring back word of their welfare. 
The brethren, moved with envy, first thought to 
kill him, but subsequently sold him to the Ishmaelites, 
who in turn sold him to the Egyptians, in whose land 
under God's providential care he in after years became 
ruler next to the king. Meantime the brethren took the 
peculiar coat of many colors, bedraggled it in the blood 
of a goat and in the dust, and sent it home to Jacob, 
inquiring if he recognized it. He answered, "Alas, it is 
Joseph's coat; wild beasts have devoured him! I will 
go down to Sheol to my son mourning." (Gen. 37:35.) 
What did he mean? Did he mean by Sheol a place of 
fire and torment? Did he believe that Joseph, his best 
son, had gone there, and that he, Jacob, also expected to 
go to that place? No, we answer. He meant that evidently 
Joseph was dead, and that he would mourn for his 
favorite son the remainder of his life, until he also should 
go into the state of death, into Sheol, into hell. 

The second occurrence of the word is a little further 
on in the same narrative. The brethren had been to 
Egypt to buy corn, because of famine in Canaan. It was 

SM522 

necessary that they should go for more, but they explained 
to Jacob that the Governor, whom they knew not 
was Joseph, had required of them that if they came again 
they must bring with them Benjamin, their brother, the 
one whom Jacob now specially loved. Jacob protested, 
but finding that there was no escape he finally told them 
to take Benjamin, but declared also that if they did not 
bring the lad back safe they would bring down his own 
gray hairs in sorrow to the grave, Sheol. Jacob evidently 
meant not that he would go to a place of eternal 
torment if Benjamin did not return, but that a failure to 
bring Benjamin back would hasten his death through 
sorrow. Does any sane person have any doubt as to the 
meaning of Sheol in these instances, the first two occurrences 
in the Bible? No! you have no doubt, nor reason 
for any. And the word has the same meaning exactly in 
its every occurrence throughout the Scriptures, as you 
will see when you read carefully our free pamphlet. 



HELL IN OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE 

Just a word in defence of the translators of our Common 
Version English Bible. All living languages are 
subject to variation in meaning, and this seems to have 
been particularly true of the English. To illustrate, the 
word hell at one time meant the grave in the English 
language. But gradually this meaning has been dropped 
out of the word, until now it is never used in ordinary 
conversation. As illustrations of its use in bygone times 
we find in ancient English literature reference to the 
helling of a house, meaning not the burning of the house 
nor the torturing of it, but the thatching of it. Similarly 
we read of the farmer helling his potatoes, the meaning 
of the expression being not the roasting of potatoes nor 
the torturing of them, but the putting of them into a pit 
for preservation from the frosts, etc., until needed. 

As for the translators of the Revised Version they 
seem to have been too honest to use the word hell as a 
translation for Sheol and Hades, but not honest enough to 

SM523 

tell the people the truth on the subject. Hence you will 
find that in the Revised Version no translation at all is 
given, but the Hebrew word Sheol in the Old Testament 
and the Greek word Hades in the New Testament are used 
instead of the word hell when grave is not used. The 
translators evidently anticipated what occurred; namely, 
that the public, knowing nothing about Greek and Hebrew, 
would esteem this as an attempt to do away with hell, 
whereas the real animus of the translators was to perpetuate 
it. The translators knew that the public would 
say that hell was just as hot and just as real, although 
now called Sheol and Hades. They knew that the public 
would never suspect that the wool was being pulled over 
the eyes of their understanding to hinder them from seeing 
the plain teaching of God's Word, that Sheol means 
the grave or tomb or death state—nothing more, nothing 
less. 

PRAYING TO GO TO HELL 

Job, one of the most prominent characters of the Old 
Testament, one especially mentioned as a favorite with 



God, made a most eloquent prayer that he might go to 
hell, to Sheol, to the tomb. And no wonder, poor man; 
for surely in his case was fulfilled the statement, "Many 
are the afflictions of the righteous!" (Psa. 34:19.) 
Unwilling to suicide, he craved relief from his sorrows 
and troubles in death. Refresh your memory respecting 
his troubles. The Almighty, while approving him, permitted 
the Adversary to vex him sorely, to the extent of 
taking away every earthly possession except the mere 
thread of life itself. His children, gathered for a birthday 
party, were killed by a cyclone; later his flocks and 
herds and property in general were destroyed. Finally 
his health gave way, and he broke out in boils from head 
to foot.-- Job 1:6-22. 

To add to his sorrows his friends and neighbors, 
instead of consoling him, turned against him and declared 
that he had been acting the part of a hypocrite, and that 

SM524 

God was now exposing him—showing His disapproval. 
In vain did Job protest his innocence and appeal to the 
Lord, until subsequently the Lord gave His verdict in 
favor of Job against the friends. But as though all these 
trials and difficulties were not enough for the poor man, 
to cap the climax his wife exclaimed, "You are accursed 
of God and should die!" Then poor Job poured forth 
his prayer for death, saying: "Oh, that Thou wouldst 
hide me in Sheol until Thy wrath be past!"— Job 14:13. 

Does anyone of sane mind think that poor Job, after 
passing through all these afflictions, was in these words 
praying to God to cast him into a place of eternal torment, 
to be the sport of devils? No; such a supposition 
would be irrational. Very evidently Job meant that, if 
God were willing, he would be glad to die, to go into 
Sheol, the tomb, the state of death. 

SHEOL NOT DESIRABLE FOREVER 

But Job had a hope for the future-he was not desirous 
of being annihilated; hence his prayer is, "Oh, that 
Thou wouldst hide me in Sheol [hell, the tomb] until 
Thy wrath be past." The "wrath" here mentioned is 
elsewhere called the "curse." Back in Eden, when our 
first parents were perfect, by disobedience they brought 



upon themselves the Divine sentence of "curse" or 
"wrath" —the death sentence, which includes all mental, 
moral and physical degeneracy known to our race, and 
which has been afflicting us as a whole for now 6,000 
years. Job was looking beyond the period of the permission 
of this "curse" or "wrath" to a time future, 
when the "curse" would be removed, and instead of it a 
"blessing" would come to every member of the race, 
himself included. As a Prophet he recorded his hope of 
a coming Redeemer: "I know that my Redeemer liveth, 
and that He shall stand in the latter day upon the earth." 
Through this Redeemer's work he realized that the 
"curse" would be abolished, and his prayer to be hid in 
SM525 

Sheol, the grave, the tomb, was merely until the "curse" 
the wrath" would be over—until the great blessing 
time, the Millennial Reign, should begin. His prayer 
continuing shows his hope of a resurrection, "that Thou 
wouldst appoint me a set time and remember me." Then 
particularly referring to the resurrection, he says, "Thou 
shall call and I will answer Thee, for Thou wilt have 
regard unto the work of Thy hands. "--Job 14:15. 

We remember also the Prophet David's prayer for 
deliverance from death. He said, "Oh, save me for Thy 
mercies' sake. For in death there is no remembrance of 
Thee; in Sheol [hell, the tomb] who shall give Thee 
thanks?" (Psa. 6:4,5.) We remember the good King 
Hezekiah also, whose life was spared 15 years in answer 
to prayer. In thanking the Lord for this he said, "Death 
cannot celebrate Thee; Sheol [the tomb] cannot praise 
Thee."-Isa. 38:18. 



QUOTE THE ENTIRE PROVERB 

One of Solomon's inspired proverbs much quoted is, 
"Do with thy might what thy hand findeth to do." But 
very rarely do we ever hear the remainder of the quotation, 
namely, "because there is neither wisdom nor knowledge 
nor device in Sheol [the grave] whither thou goest." 
(Eccl. 9:10.) How reasonable is this statement, rightly 
understood—there is no wisdom nor knowledge nor work 
in the hell to which the good and the bad, all mankind, 
have been going for the past six thousand years! The 



dead are really dead, extinct, except as God has provided 
for them a resurrection from the dead, a reawakening 
to sentient being. The very moment of their awakening 
will seem to each to be the next moment to the one in 
which he died; for there is no wisdom or knowledge in 
the tomb, in Sheol, in hell. How wonderful the goodness 
and mercy of God will appear to the great mass of our 
race when they are awakened from the sleep of death 
and learn for the first time of the goodness of God, that 

SM526 

instead of having provided devils and torture. He has 
provided through His Son an opening of the prison doors 
of the tomb and a setting at liberty of the captives of 
death, providing also for their future uplift out of sin 
and degradation under the favorable conditions of the 
Millennial Kingdom of God's dear Son. 



SHEOL IS IN THE GREEK HADES 

We now call your attention to the fact that the word 
Sheol in the Old Testament, which we have shown means 
merely tomb, the death state, is the exact equivalent of 
the word Hades in the New Testament Greek, which likewise 
means the tomb, the state of death. For instance, 
in Psalm 16:10 we read, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in 
Sheol" (hell, the tomb), and we find St. Peter quoting 
this on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:27-31), "Thou wilt 
not leave My soul in Hades," hell, the grave. St. Peter 
proceeds to explain that David spoke this not respecting 
his own soul, but the soul of Jesus, and thus foretold our 
Lord's resurrection from the dead on the third day. 
How simple, how plain the entire matter is from this the 
Scriptural standpoint! 

Take another illustration: the prophet Ho sea 
declares, "I will ransom them from the power of Sheol 
[the grave, hell], I will redeem them from death: O Death 
where is thy sting? O Sheol [grave, hell], I will be thy 
destruction." The Apostle Paul quotes this passage in 
his great discourse on the resurrection, saying, "O Death 
where is thy sting? O Hades [grave], where is thy victory?" 
(1 Cor. 15:55.) What could be simpler, plainer? 
All that we need is to get the smoke of the Dark Ages 



out of the eyes of our understanding, and to allow the 
true light from the inspired Word of God to speak to us 
plainly and be its own interpreter. 

See the dead risen from land and from ocean; 

Praise to Jehovah ascending on High; 
Fall'n are the engines of war and commotion; 

Shouts of salvation are rending the sky. 



SM527 



THE OATH-BOUND COVENANT 

"God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs 
of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it 
by an oath. "~Heb. 6:17. 

Only those who have strong living faith in the 
Almighty God and His Son Jesus could have much interest 
in the words of our text. To the evolutionist these 
words have little meaning, as he is looking to a natural 
development rather than to any supervening power of 
God to bring the blessing which the world so greatly 
needs. To the Higher Critic, the Apostle's reference 
to God's dealings with Abraham is nonsensical, believing 
as he does that the statements of Genesis are foolishness, 
written hundreds of years after the death of Moses. 

However, some of God's true children, whose eyes of 
understanding have not yet been opened to a clear apprehension 
of the Divine Plan of the Ages, may be inclined 
to question what interest we could possibly have in God's 
oath to Abraham-given more than 3,000 years ago. 
Such are inclined to say to themselves, "That event was 
helpful to Abraham, but has nothing whatever to do with 
us or our day." It is our hope that an examination of 
this covenant, which God attested with His oath, as stated 
in our text, may be helpful to many of the Lord's people 
today, enabling them to see that God had a Plan in Abraham's 
day; that He is still working according to that 
Plan; and that its completion will be glorious—a blessing 
to His creatures and an honor to Himself. 

The context shows distinctly that the Apostles and the 
early Church drew comfort from this Oath-bound Covenant, 
and clearly implies that this same comfort belongs 
to every true Christian down to the end of this age— to 

SM528 

every member of the Body of Christ. The Apostle's 
words imply that God's promise and oath were intended 
more for us than for Abraham— more for our comfort 
than for his. 
Doubtless Abraham and all of his family, Israel after 



the flesh, drew a certain amount of blessing and encouragement 
from this covenant or promise; and the oath of 
the Almighty—which doubly sealed it—gave double 
assurance of its certainty of accomplishment. But the 
Apostle intimates in the words quoted that God's special 
design in giving that covenant and in binding it solemnly 
with an oath, was to encourage Spiritual Israel— to give 
us a firm foundation for faith. God well knew that, 
although from His own standpoint 3,000 years would be 
but a brief space, "as a watch in the night," nevertheless 
to us the time would appear long, and the strain upon 
faith would be severe; hence the positive statement, and 
the still more deliberate oath that bound it. We cannot 
but wonder at such condescension upon the part of the 
great Creator— that He should stoop to His fallen 
creatures, and above all that He should condescend to 
give His oath on the subject. An upright man feels that 
his word should be sufficient in any matter, and, therefore, 
would hesitate except under special conditions to 
confirm his word with an oath. How much more might 
the Heavenly Father have so regarded the matter! But 
our text explains the reason for such condescension. He 
was "willing more abundantly to show the unchangeableness 
of His Plan." 

It was not God's purpose to show His Plan to everybody 
—to the world in general— nor has He done so. The 
world by wisdom knows not God, understands not His 
great and gracious operations which for thousands of 
years have been gradually unfolding, and which are now 
near of accomplishment. God wished to show the natural 
seed of Abraham something of His Plan; and hence they 
were granted an external glimpse of it; but the Apostle 

SM529 

points out that the clear showing of the matter was especially 
designed for the "heirs of the promise." 



JOINT-HEIRS WITH JESUS 

Our Lord Jesus was the great Heir of the Abrahamic 
Promise, and the faithful of His consecrated people of 
this Gospel Age are declared to be His joint-heirs in that 
promise, which is not yet fulfilled. For its fulfilment not 



only the Church is waiting, as the Bride or fellow members 
of the Body of Christ, to be participants with the 
Lord in the glories implied in the promise, but additionally 
the whole creation (the entire human family) is 
groaning and travailing in pain together, waiting for the 
great fulfilment of that Oath-bound Promise or Covenant. 

Those who follow the Apostle's argument and realize 
that we as Christians are still waiting for the fulfilment 
of this promise, will be anxious to know what are the 
terms of this covenant which is the hope of the world, 
the hope of the Church, and the object of so much solicitude 
and care on the part of God, in that He would 
promise and then back His word with His oath. We 
answer that every Christian should know what this promise 
is, since it lies at the foundation of every Christian 
hope. The Christian who cannot understandingly call 
to mind this Oath-bound Covenant or Promise evidently 
lacks information very necessary to his spiritual growth. 

How can this hope be an anchor to our souls in all the 
storms and trials and difficulties of life, in all the opposition 
of the world, the flesh and the Adversary, if we do 
not know what the hope is, if we have not even recognized 
the promise upon which this hope is based? 

Let us awake in time, dear friends, before the poisoned 
darts of infidelity strike us and wound us and poison our 
minds, and blind the eyes to the glorious things of God's 
Word. Need I quote the promise~the one so repeatedly 
referred to in the Apostolic writings—the one which is 
the basis or anchorage of our souls? It was made to 

SM530 

Abraham and reads thus: "In thy Seed shall all the 
families of the earth be blessed." It was the promise for 
the future and not for Abraham's own time. The world 
was not blessed in Abraham's day, nor did he even have 
a child at the time this promise was given. Isaac did not 
fulfil the promise; he was merely a type of the greater 
Seed of Abraham who in due time would fulfil it. Jacob 
and his twelve tribes. Fleshly Israel, did not fulfil the 
promise, but still looked for a greater Messiah to fulfil 
it, to bless them and through them all the families of the 
earth. The Apostle Paul referred to this very promise, 
declaring that the Seed of Abraham mentioned therein is 
Christ. All Christians agree to this, even though they 



have not distinctively and properly associated it with 
the declarations of the promise. But the Apostle makes 
clear to us that, in saying that Christ is the Seed of 
Abraham, he had in mind not only the Lord Jesus as the 
Head of the Body, the Head of The Christ, but also the 
overcoming saints of this Gospel Age as the Body of 
Christ. This he distinctly states in many places; for 
instance Galatians 3:16,29. Here he declares the matter 
expressly, saying: "If ye be Christ's then are ye 
Abraham's Seed, and heirs according to the promise." 

THE SEED NOT COMPLETE 

The Seed of Abraham is the Gospel Church, with her 
Head the Lord Jesus, as the Apostle states again, saying: 
"We, brethren, as Isaac was [typified by Isaac], are the 
children of promise." (Gal. 4:28.) It follows that the 
Seed of Abraham mentioned in the promise is not yet 
complete, for the Gospel Church is not yet complete and 
will not be until the full close of this Gospel Age, the 
Harvest time of which we believe we are now in. But 
what a wonderful thought is involved in this plain interpretation 
of the Divine Word. It is big with hope for 
Spiritual Israel, the Spiritual Seed, and no less it seems 
a blessing to the natural seed. Fleshly Israel, and ultimately 

SM531 

the Millennial blessings to all the families of the 
earth. Let us examine these three hopes: The hopes 
for these three classes center in this Oath-bound Covenant. 
Let us thus obtain what the Apostle tells us was 
the Lord's intention for us; namely, strong consolation- 
strong encouragement. 

All through the prophecies the Lord foretold the sufferings 
of Christ and the glories that should follow; 
nevertheless the glories to follow have been granted much 
more space in the Divine Revelation than the sufferings 
of this present time. The implication suggested by the 
Apostle is that when the glories of the future shall be 
realized, the trials, sufferings and difficulties of the present 
time will be found not worthy to be compared. But 
those glories and blessings have been veiled from our 
mental vision, and instead a great pall hangs over the 
future in the minds of many of the Lord's people. With 



some it is merely a mist of doubt and of uncertainty; 
with others it is the smoke of confusion, blackness and 
despair as they think of their own friends in connection 
with an eternity of torture, and the probability that a 
large majority of those whom they love will spend an 
eternity of horror in torment—from the Dark Ages. 

OURS IS THE CREAM OF THE PROMISE 

Now, what hope and interest has the Church of Christ 
in this promise made to Abraham? To us belongs the 
very cream of the promise, "The riches of God's grace." 
The promise implies the greatness of the Seed of Abraham 
—which Seed is Christ and the overcoming Church. 
This greatness is so wonderful as to be almost beyond 
human comprehension. The overcomers of this Gospel 
Age, who "make their calling and election sure" in 
Christ, are to be joint-heirs with Him in the glorious 
Millennial Kingdom, which is to be God's agency or channel 
for bringing about the promised blessings-the blessing 
of all the families of the earth. How great, how 

SM532 

wonderful, the exaltation of the Church is to be beyond 
human conception. As the Apostle declares, "Eye hath 
not seen, neither ear heard, nor hath it entered into the 
heart of man [the natural man] the things that God hath 
in reservation for them that love Him"— that love Him 
more than they love houses or lands, parents or children 
or any other creature— more than they love themselves— 
and who show this by walking in the narrow way, in the 
footsteps of their Redeemer. 

Again, the Apostle John speaks of the great blessings 
coming to the Church as the Seed of Abraham: "It 
doth not yet appear what we shall be [how great we shall 
be made in our change] , but we know that when He shall 
appear we shall be like Him." (1 John 3:2.) The Apostle 
Peter has a word on this subject of the greatness that 
shall belong to the Church, the Spiritual Seed of Abraham, 
saying, "God hath given unto us exceeding great 
and precious promises, that by these we might become 
partakers of the Divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4.) To 
whatever extent we are able to grasp the meaning of 
these wonderful promises, they speak to us of blessings. 



favors, "exceedingly, abundantly more than we could 
askorthink."--Eph.3:20. 

PROMISE TO THE JEWS 

The second class to be blessed under this Abrahamic 
Covenant is Fleshly Israel. We are not forgetting that 
the Jews were a rebellious and stiff-necked people; that 
they slew the Prophets and stoned the Lord's ministers 
and caused the crucifixion of our Redeemer. Nevertheless, 
the Scriptures clearly hold forth that after they 
have had a period of chastisement, which they have been 
undergoing as a nation since the Lord's crucifixion, and 
after Spiritual Israel shall have been glorified in the 
Kingdom, then a blessing from the Lord will come upon 
Natural Israel. They shall be saved or recovered from 
their blindness, and as the Prophet declares, "They shall 

SM533 

look upon Him whom they have pierced and mourn for 
Him," because the eyes of their understanding shall be 
opened. We rejoice, too, that the promise is clear and 
distinct that the Lord will pour upon them the "spirit of 
prayer and supplication. "--Zech. 12:10. 

The Apostle Paul elaborates this subject. In Romans 10-11, 
he points out how Israel failed to obtain the special 
blessing of this Abrahamic Covenant by rejecting 
Christ—how only a remnant received the great blessing 
and the mass were blinded. In Chapter 1 1 he proceeded 
to explain that their blindness is not to be perpetual, 
but only until the Church shall have been gathered out; 
and that then the Lord's blessing will come to fleshly 
Israel, saving them from their blindness and granting 
them mercy through the glorified Spiritual Israel. I 
trust that every hearer will feel interested enough in this 
feature of the Divine Plan to examine carefully Romans 11:25-33. 
The Lord will do this for the natural seed, 
not because of their worthiness, but because of His 
promise made to the fathers: "For this is My Covenant 
with them, when I will cancel their sins." 

But if God is to have mercy upon the Natural Israelites, 
whom He declares to have been stiff-necked, hard-hearted 
and rebellious, would it surprise us that the 
Divine, benevolent purpose should be to bless others 



than the Jews-others who had not in the past the 

favors and privileges of this favored nation, and whose 

course, therefore, was less in opposition to the light? 

It should not surprise us, and so we find in this great 

Oath-bound Covenant a blessing for all nations—all peoples. 

Let us look at the promise again-remembering 

that our Heavenly Father made it deliberately and subsequently 

bound Himself to its provisions by an oath, so 

that we might not only be sure that He could not break 

His word, but doubly sure that He could not break His 

oath, and therefore without peradventure this promise 

shall be fulfilled. It reads: "In thy Seed shall all the 

SM534 

families of the earth be blessed."-Geii. 12:3; 22:17,18. 

What is the blessing so greatly needed by all mankind? 
It is the very blessing that Jesus declared He came 
to give, saying, "I am come that they might have life, 
and that they might have it more abundantly." Ah, yes! 
Life! Life! Life! It is life that the whole world needs, 
and our Lord Jesus declares Himself to be the great 
Life-giver. Indeed, in the Syriac language, in which 
probably our Lord discoursed, the word Life-giver is the 
equivalent to our word Savior. Jesus came to save man 
from sin and from the penalty of sin— namely, death. It 
is a human invention of the Dark Ages to attach eternal 
torment as the penalty for sin. It is the Divine arrangement 
to attach to sin a reasonable and just, but an awful 
penalty— Death! It is because we are sinners that we 
are all dying creatures, and for the Lord to give life 
implies that He will take away the sin and all necessity 
for this penalty. Hence, "Christ died for our sins." 

THE MILLENNIAL PROMISE 

The great blessing of forgiveness of sins which are 
past, and even the blessing of being awakened from the 
sleep of death, would profit mankind but little if the 
arrangements of that future time-the Millennial Age- 
were not on such a scale as to permit a thorough recovery 
from present mental, moral and physical weakness. 
Hence we are rejoiced to learn that in that time Satan 
will be bound, every evil influence and every unfavorable 
condition will be brought under restraint, and the favor 



of God, through the knowledge of God, will be let loose 
among the people— "the knowledge of the Lord shall fill 
the whole earth as the waters cover the great deep." 
Blessing! Ay, favor upon favor, blessing upon blessing, 
is the Lord's arrangement and provision. All shall know 
Him from the least unto the greatest, and none shall need 
say to his neighbor or brother, "Know thou the Lord."-- 
Isa. 11:9; Jer. 31:34. 

SM535 

But so accustomed have we all become to measuring 
the Divine Plan by our narrow minds that I doubt not 
there may be some ready to say, "I believe. Brother Russell, 
that in your love of heart you would delight to do 
good in this manner to the whole world of mankind, and 
so would we; but God's ways are not so great as our 
conceptions would be." Stop, my dear brother! You 
are looking at the matter from the wrong standpoint. 
Remember that our God is all-wise, all-just, all-loving, 
all-powerful, and that it is His own Word that declares 
that as the heavens are higher than the earth so are His 
plans higher than our plans, and His methods higher 
than our methods. (Isa. 55:8,9.) As the poet has 
expressed it: 

"We make God's love too narrow 
By false standards of our own." 

It is time for us to wake up to the fact that we are no 
better than our God, but that we are poor, imperfect 
creatures of the dust, fallen by nature; and that it is 
time for us to stop misconstruing the Divine Character 
and Plan as against His creatures, and to hearken to the 
Lord's own Word when He declares, "Their fear toward 
me is not of Me, but is taught by the precepts of men." 
It is time for us to be praying for ourselves and for each 
other as the Apostle prayed for some, saying, "I pray 
God for you that the eyes of your understanding may be 
opened, that ye may be able to comprehend with all 
saints the lengths and breadths and heights and depths— 
to know the love of Christ, which passeth all knowledge." 
-Eph. 1:18; 3:18,19. 

Do not misapprehend us. We are not teaching that 
the heathen, the imbecile and unregenerate in general 
shall be taken to Heaven, where they would be utterly 
out of harmony with their surroundings and require to 



be converted and to be taught. Such an inconsistent 
view we leave to those who are now claiming that in the 
hereafter these classes will be saved in their ignorance. 

SM536 

We stand by the Word of God, that there is no present 
salvation without faith in Christ Jesus, and hence that 
the heathen and the imbeciles have neither part nor lot 
in the salvation of the present time. We stand by the 
Scriptures which declare that any who are saved in the 
present time must walk in the narrow way, of which the 
dear Redeemer says there be few that find it. We stand 
by the Scriptures which say that salvation at the present 
time is only for the "little flock" who through much 
tribulation, shall enter the Kingdom. We stand by the 
Scriptures, which say that this Kingdom class now being 
developed is the Seed of Abraham under the Lord their 
Head, the Elder Brother, the Bridegroom. We stand by 
the Scriptures which say that through this Christ, when 
complete, blessings shall extend to every member of 
Adam's race—the blessings of opportunity to know the 
Lord, to understand the advantages of righteousness, the 
opportunity of choosing obedience and by obedience 
obtaining everlasting life. 

JUDGMENT-DAY OPPORTUNITY 

The blessings of the future will be of such a kind that 
every individual who does not have his full opportunity 
in this present life will have it then—not an opportunity 
to become members of the "little flock," not an opportunity 
of becoming members of the Seed of Abraham, 
not an opportunity to have part in the great "change" 
from human nature to Divine nature, not an opportunity 
to sit with the Lord in His Throne, but an opportunity 
to obtain that which was lost— human perfection, 
everlasting life under human, earthly, paradisaical conditions; 
an opportunity of coming again into the Divine 
likeness, almost oobliterated in the human family through 
the 6,000 years of fall. 

As our hearts go out with sympathy towards the poor 
groaning creation in heathen lands and in home lands, 
and as we take pleasure in doing the little now possible 



SM537 

for us to do, what is our joy when we think of that future 
glorious opportunity that is to be ours, and of the great 
results that are to accompany it? Surely the hearts of 
the Lord's people are stimulated as we contemplate the 
meaning of this great Oath-bound Covenant! Surely, as 
the Apostle declares was God's purpose, we have strong 
consolation in our ineffectual efforts to bring the majority 
of mankind to an appreciation of God's mercy and love 
now. It gives us consolation also in respect to our 
neighbors, friends and members of our own families who 
are not saints, who are still blind to the grace of God as 
we see it, the grace which has brought salvation to our 
hearts in the present time, and which eventually is to 
bring salvation to the uttermost in the resurrection. 

It encourages us further, as the Apostle points out, to 
lay hold upon the hope set before us--to take a firmer 
grasp of the Divine character and Plan. It gives our 
souls encouragement beyond measure when we see how 
gracious is the character of our Heavenly Father, how 
wonderful is the Plan He has devised, and how He has 
been carrying it forward step by step up to the present 
hour. We realize that by His grace we are what we are 
and have been called to joint-heir ship with our Redeemer, 
as members of the Seed of Abraham. We reason that if 
the Lord so loved us while we were sinners, that much 
more does He love us now that we have accepted Christ 
and are under the robe of His righteousness and seeking 
to do those things in harmony with the Divine will. 

When darkness seems to hide His face, 

I rest on His unchanging grace; 
In every high and Stormy gale. 

My anchor holds within the veil. 

His oath. His covenant and His blood 

Support me in the 'whelming flood; 
When all around my soul gives way. 

He, then, is all my hope and stay. 



SM538 



THE HEREAFTER 

"There shalt be no more death, neither sorrow nor 
crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former 
things are passed away. "--Rev. 21:4. 

Mankind instinctively believe in a future life; for to 
the majority of minds it does not seem logical that death 
ends all. So surely as we believe our Creator to be all-wise, 
we must assume that He has some purpose in connection 
with our race, not attained as yet, something 
beyond the capacity of attainment in the present life, 
under present conditions. Even without a Divine Revelation, 
therefore, we would be justified in anticipating a life 
beyond the tomb. But speculation upon such an important 
subject, of such vital interest, is not necessary. We are 
glad that our Creator has given us in the Bible clear intimations 
respecting His purposes in relation to mankind 
in the future. Nevertheless these purposes were kept 
secret, not revealed, until the First Advent of our 
Redeemer. Thus the Apostle declares that "Christ 
brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." 
The future life was invisible before, not brought to 
light; and its terms could not be clearly discerned. 

Without any Divine Revelation, we see a sufficiency on 
every hand to cause astonishment and to call anxiously for 
explanations. We see the world of mankind weak and 
depraved, sighing, crying and dying. "Transitory" is 
written upon everything human. The Scriptures assert 
that we of today are living under "a reign of Sin and 
Death," and that this dominion has lasted for over six 
thousand years. Why are these things so? Is it not true 
that there is but the one God? Is it not true that His creatures 
on the spirit plane are perfect, that in Heaven there 
is neither sighing, nor crying, nor dying? There is no 
reign of Sin and Death there, no hospitals, no asylums, no 

SM539 

jails, no penitentiaries. All is harmony, perfect, pure, in 
full accord with the Almighty. Why are conditions so 
different on this earth of ours? 



BECAUSE ONE MAN DISOBEYED 

The Bible alone offers us an explanation of the situation. 
It tells us that God created our race as pure, as perfect, 
as holy, as happy as the angels, and that He placed 
our first parents in Eden, surrounded with everything 
beautiful and desirable. It explains that our fall from 
that perfection into mental, moral and physical decrepitude 
came as a result of disobedience to God. It explains 
that "the wages of sin is death," that "the soul that sinneth, 
it shall die," that all the souls produced by Father 
Adam and Mother Eve are dying souls, in consequence of 
our sin-inheritance. This is bad enough, sad enough; and, 
as was designed, our hearts cry out after the living God, 
for His mercy and compassion, that He would save us 
from death, save us from destruction. The answer of 
Divine Justice is, that we are unfit to live—that our Creator 
graciously designs that sinners shall not be immortal. 
But, hearkening, we hear a message assuring us that God 
has looked down in compassion and "heard the groaning 
of the prisoners." He foreknew our helplessness under 
the reign of Sin and Death, and in His Plan made provision 
for our case in advance- -"before the foundation of 
the world."-Eph. 1:3-6. 

After four thousand years of this reign of Sin and 
Death, exhibiting Divine Justice without mercy, our Creator 
revealed the wonderful features of His Program. He 
sent forth His Son, "that he, by the grace of God, might 
taste death for every man" -not for the elect Church 
merely, but for all the families of the earth. Hence it is 
written that Jesus "gave Himself a Ransom for all"; and 
again, that "He is the Propitiation [satisfaction] for our 
sins [the Church] , and not for ours only, but also for the 
sins of the whole world."-l Tim. 2:5,6; 1 John 2:2. 

SM540 

So, then, the death penalty pronounced against our 
race, which would have reduced Adam and his posterity to 
the hopeless condition of beasts, as respects eternal life, 
God had already purposed to set aside through the sacrifice 
of Christ. Nevertheless, He permitted Sin and Death 
to reign from Adam to Moses, and from Moses to Christ, 



and from Calvary to the present. He has contented Himself 
with laying the foundation for the world-wide blessing, 
in the death of the Redeemer. He purposes ultimately, 
the Bible assures us, to offer to Adam and all of 
his children complete deliverance from sin and death. The 
arrangement is that, "since by man came death, by man 
came also the resurrection of the dead. For as all in 
Adam die, even so all in Christ shall be made alive. But 
every man in his own order."~l Cor. 15:21-23. 

"DOCTRINES OF DEMONS" 

The truth about this matter is severe enough. It 
shows forth Divine Justice, intertwined with Divine 
Mercy and Love. We admit our present unworthiness of 
life eternal, and feel grateful for proposed assistance 
through Christ. But our great Adversary, operating 
through ignorance, superstition and fear, seized the 
opportunity to deceive us and misrepresent our Creator 
by bringing in what St. Paul designated "doctrines of 
demons." (1 Tim. 4:1.) These have been promulgated, 
not merely in heathen lands, but amongst the civilized. 
These false doctrines have tended to alienate the hearts 
and minds of humanity from God and His revelation. 
They have put a barrier between God and mankind. 

These "doctrines of demons" are presented from various 
standpoints, but they are alike in one respect; namely, 
they all teach that God deceived our first parents when He 
told them that "the wages of sin is death." These "doctrines 
of demons" assert the contrary- -that man cannot 
die, but must live somewhere to all eternity. Thus on the 
basis of man's fears, this doctrine that God thrust immortality 

SM541 

upon His creatures, the demons built up for us a 
theory so horrible as to be nauseating and terrifying to 
every sane, healthy mind. These "doctrines of demons" 
have been promulgated far and near, and with various 
colorings, but in essence they are all the same. They have 
come down from the Dark Ages, represented in all our 
creeds. Catholic and Protestant. 

Our Catholic friends have developed this thought to a 
nicety. They tell us that of those who die, only a mere 
handful are fit for Heaven and go there immediately. 



They tell us that the most reprehensible class, heretical 
rejectors of Divine Truth, will be sent to a hell of eternal 
torture, where they will never die. They assure us, however, 
that the number who will receive this extreme punishment 
is small in comparison with the race as a whole. 
They tell us that the majority. Catholics and Protestants, 
civilized and heathen, are unfit for Heaven at death, and 
likewise not deserving of eternal torture; and that thus 
the great mass of mankind, nine out of every ten, go at 
death to Purgatory, there to suffer for centuries or for 
thousands of years in expiation of sins, and for purification 
of their souls, that they may be eventually fit for 
Heaven and its blessings. Our hearts rebel at such a view 
of the Hereafter. While giving our Catholic friends, 
and our own forefathers who were Catholics, credit for 
being as sincere as ourselves, we conclude that the light of 
our day and of our intelligence will not permit us to 
believe and rejoice in such a view of the Hereafter as this. 
We say to ourselves. Surely the Great God has something 
nobler than this in reservation for His creatures. 

PROTESTANT VIEWS WORSE 

What shall we say of the Hereafter from the standpoint 
of our Protestant creeds? How do these compare 
with the Catholic views foregoing—how much worse? 
When our forefathers thought they had found something 
erroneous in the teachings of Papacy, when they concluded 

SM542 

that Purgatory was not to be found in the Bible, 
they heroically determined to cast it out of their creeds. 
But alas! When discarding it, they did not realize that 
they were making a bad matter worse. They held on to 
the "doctrine of demons," that God had created man so 
that he could not die, and could not be destroyed; and so 
they proceeded to interpret matters along that line. Realizing 
the Scripturalness of the proposition that only the 
saintly were fit for Heaven, and rejecting the theory of 
Purgatory, they logically consigned all except the saintly 
thereafter to eternal torture. Alas, how inconsistent it is! 
How strange that we ever thought Divine Foreknowledge, 
Wisdom, Justice, Mercy, Love and Power should have created 
man to the number of thousands of millions, with 



the foreknowledge and fore-intention and desire that they 
should suffer an eternity of torture! 

PARTING OF THE WAYS 

Thus, my dear hearers, you with myself and others of 
the intelligent people of the world, find ourselves today in 
a most trying position. Our hearts have repudiated the 
doctrine of eternal torture as being un-Christlike, unworthy 
even of a devil. We can believe neither in a Purgatory 
of centuries, nor in eternal torture as a consequence or 
penalty for Adam's disobedience in eating of the forbidden 
fruit, nor as a penalty upon his children for not living 
perfect lives when they were "born in sin and shapen in 
iniquity" and "prone to sin as the sparks to fly upward." 
Our hearts cry out for the living God and the true light 
upon His dealings. 

Under this awakening intelligence, thousands of noble 
men and women are leaving God's Book, and leaving all 
of the churches to go after Theosophy, Christian Science, 
and especially after Evolution, with its companion teaching 
of Higher Criticism—that the Bible is thoroughly 
unreliable. We are living now in a time of great falling 
away from the faith when few intelligent people any 

SM543 

longer believe in the Bible. Our colleges and universities 
--and, sad to say, our theological seminaries-are 
busy turning out unbelievers— infidels. Nor are these 
people wicked or immoral in their unbelief. They are as 
well-meaning as ever, but have lost their way. They 
reject the Bible because they believe it to be the foundation 
of the various inconsistencies in their creeds. They 
are stumbling for lack of knowledge. They cannot believe 
that man's hereafter is one of centuries of suffering, or of 
eternal suffering. 

SEEKING THE OLD PATHS 

The Lord, through the Prophet Jeremiah, tells His 
people to "inquire for the old paths"; and this is the 
appropriate lesson for each of us. We do, indeed, need 
to discard the creeds of the past, not because they contain 
nothing of truth, but because error commingles in them 



to such a degree as to make them perversions of truth as a 
whole. We need to take off the creedal spectacles with 
which we have hitherto been studying God's Word, and 
come to the Bible afresh, to hear its message. Thus coming, 
many of us have been surprised as we have found its 
purity, consistency and harmony with itself. We have 
already intimated the Bible view of man's death sentence, 
and the Bible presentation that Christ died for our 
redemption, and the Bible assurance that as a consequence, 
in "due time," "the knowledge of the glory of 
God shall fill the whole earth." We have also the Bible 
assurance that not merely the living will profit by the provision 
of God's grace, but that "all that are in their 
graves shall come forth" to share in and to be blessed by 
the favorable conditions which God will inaugurate. 
The Bible declares that the penalty for sin is being 
experienced by humanity at the present time—the death 
penalty--and that the Redemption-price of Christ's death 
is sufficient for the sins of the whole world. It declares 
that on account of this redemption, ultimately the resurrection 

SM544 

of the dead shall take place~"all that are in their 
graves shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and come 
forth." Because of the Divine purpose that there shall 
be a resurrection of the dead the Bible everywhere—in 
both the Old and New Testaments- speaks of those who 
have died, both good and bad, as being "asleep," and the 
promise is that "they that sleep in the dust of the earth 
shall awake "-Dan. 12:2; John 5:28,29. 

Nor will they come forth to similar conditions of sorrow 
that now surround us all. On the contrary, the First 
Resurrection is to be composed of the holy, the saintly; 
and they are to be associated with their Redeemer as His 
Bride and Consort, to assist in delivering and restoring 
mankind. Later the imperfect, who have not had their 
full trial— the great mass of mankind— will be brought 
forth, that they may learn the ways of righteousness, that 
they may learn to know God and Jesus Christ, and in due 
time be lifted out of the conditions of sin and death. 
Then will come the time mentioned in our text, the Hereafter 
for the world. How joyful is the message, "there 
shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor 
dying; for the former things have passed away!" Ah, 



how different is God's proposition of a general uplift of 
the worthy and their assistance back to perfection—to all 
that was lost in Adam! How different is this from the 
"doctrines of demons," which have perplexed us, which 
have divided the Church of Christ into numberless sects 
and parties, and which have almost driven us from Christ 
and the Bible! 

LIFE, NOT IMMORTALITY 

Thus we see that God's provision in Christ for mankind 
is that each individual member of our race may yet, 
if he will, attain to everlasting life through the merit of 
Christ's Sacrifice, and through the operation of His Kingdom. 
Each may attain to all that was lost in Adam and 
redeemed at Calvary; namely, human perfection and 

SM545 

Edenic blessedness. But additionally, note the blessing 
which God has provided for the Church—a spiritual blessing, 
a change of nature. These are called out now from 
amongst men, that they "might be a kind of first-fruits 
unto God of His creatures." (James 1:18.) These are 
to be a Royal Priesthood, associated with Christ now in 
the priestly work of sacrificing, presenting their bodies 
living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is their 
reasonable service. And when the sacrificing shall be finished, 
they are to be joined with Christ in the glories of 
His Kingdom, and share with Him in the work of blessing 
mankind. These are the Elect who, in God's providence, 
shall by and by uplift and bless the non-elect. These are 
the ones to whom will come the promised "glory, honor 
and immortality." Our Redeemer brought to light life 
eternal for the world, and immortality for the Church. 
Let us then be glad and rejoice in the Hereafter that 
God has provided; and let us search His Word more diligently 
and more carefully than ever, that we may know 
the things which God has freely given to us. Thus we 
may avail ourselves of our present privileges and opportunities 
and by and by hear the Master's "Well done! 
Enter thou into the joys of thy Lord." 



I see a new creation rise, 

Through merit of His blood; 
I see the dead of earth arise, 

Washed in the cleansing flood. 

They rise to walk in Heaven's light. 

Forever free from sin. 
With hearts made pure and garments white. 

And Christ enthroned within. 

Amazing grace! what joy to know 

The virtue of His blood! 
Our Father's wisdom planned it so; 

His Son our Ransom stood. 



SM546 



THE OVERTHROW OF SATAN'S EMPIRE 

"And He laid hold on the Dragon, that old Serpent, 
which is the Devil and Satan, and He bound him a thousand 
years,... that he should deceive the nations no 
mor^. "--Rev. 20:2,3. 

Long has the world been taught the fable that Satan 
is in some far-off and unknown place called Hell, stoking 
fires and causing untellable anguish to millions of our 
race. But the Bible tells no such fable. It represents 
Satan as a great and powerful spirit being-"the Prince 
of this world." (John 14:30.) Again it styles him the 
ruler or "god of this world, who now worketh in the 
hearts of the children of disobedience." (Eph. 2:2.) He 
has a great spiritual empire amongst men, which controls 
through ignorance, superstition and fear, the vast majority 
of the human family. The Bible declares him to be 
the great expert in deceiving the people-making darkness 
appear to be light, falsehood appear to be truth, 
and truth appear to be falsehood. It declares that God 
has permitted Satan thus to rule as a prince, but has 
never authorized him—that his power is purely usurpation, 
based upon these deceptions. It tells why God has 
permitted him, what object will be served eventually by 
the permission of evil, how Satan shall be restrained or 
bound during the thousand years of Messiah's glorious 
Kingdom, and that eventually he will be utterly destroyed 
-annihilated.-Rev. 20:7,9. 



SATAN ORIGINALLY A GLORIOUS ANGEL 

The Bible story is that Satan was created perfect, an 
angel of very high rank, named Lucifer, which signifies 
bright, glorious, intelligent. He was the first creature 
of God to rebel against the Divine arrangement. Pride 

SM547 

and ambition beclouded his wisdom. He desired to become 



a king, an autocrat, in some realm of his own, 

which he apparently fancied he could rule more wisely 

than could Jehovah. Beholding the newly created Adam 

and Eve, with procreative powers and authority from 

God to fill the earth with glorious perfect human beings, 

Satan concluded that he would never have a better opportunity 

than this for establishing himself as a great king. 

If he could alienate man from the Creator, he would soon 

have an empire of his own. He succeeded in tempting 

Adam to disloyalty—disobedience to God—and thus 

barred him from Divine favor. But later, he found that 

God's pronouncement, "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23), 

was not an idle threat; and that all of his subjects 

were dying. The blight of sin was upon his kingdom, 

and the only way he could continue it at all was through 

continued deceptions. 

His next move was to establish a new race, infused 
with fresh blood. The fact that God had not punished 
Satan's disloyalty was, no doubt, a surprise to all the 
holy angels. It appeared as though Satan were too powerful 
for God to punish him. Hence, when Satan presented 
the proposition that the angels should materialize 
as men and beget human children of the human mothers 
of the race, a considerable number of the angels deflected, 
and participated in the proposition. As the Bible declares, 
"they left their own estate," or condition. The 
Bible tells us that the result of this unauthorized union 
was a new race, physically giants, "men of renown"— 
intellectually strong, but morally perverted. The record 
further is that this new race filled the earth with violence, 
dominating, enslaving, mistreating humanity. 



WHAT THE DELUGE ACCOMPLISHED 

Foreknowing these conditions, God had arranged for 
a flood; for mankind had become so corrupt under these 
evil influences that a continuance of those conditions could 
no longer be beneficial. The entire race, except Noah's 

SM548 

family of eight persons, were drowned in the Deluge. 
Not a word in the Bible tells that these antediluvians 
went to eternal torture, but everything in it teaches that 



they died—lost life entirely. But because God purposes 

their eventual deliverance from death during the thousand 

years of Christ's Reign, therefore the Bible teaches 

that they fell asleep in death, not to be awakened until 

after the Millennial dawn and the establishment of righteousness 

in the earth. Then they are to come forth, not 

all at once, but "every man in his own order." 

St. Peter (2 Peter 2:4) and St. Jude (Jude 6) inform 
us that from the time of the Deluge, Satan and the other 
angels of lower order, who were misled by him into misuse 
of their powers, were put under chains of darkness 
until the judgment of the great Day, now at hand. This 
signifies their restraint, their hindrance from materializing. 
Since then, their dealing with mankind has been, 
not open as before, but in darkness, in deception, etc. 
Satan is called the Prince of Darkness, of evil, of sin, of 
error. Jesus styles him the "father of lies"; and because 
it was through his misrepresentations that Adam 
and his race came under the Divine sentence of death, 
therefore Jesus styles Satan "a murderer from the 
beginning. "--John 8:44; 2 Cor. 4:4. 

For approximately four thousand years this mighty, 
wicked spiritual prince has not only been the Prince of 
demons, "the angels that sinned," but also, by deception, 
the god or ruler of humanity. His rule of darkness has 
not been an open one, which the race would resent, but 
a reign through deception and through the wickedness 
of humanity— "children of disobedience."— Eph. 2:2. 

The work of Satan and his demon hosts is manifest 
amongst the heathen peoples. As St. Paul declares, these 
are so deceived that they really worship the demons 
instead of God-ignorantly. (Acts 17:23.) The demonology 
by which they have been deceived has operated 
through dreams, visions and spirit mediums. 

SM549 



CHRISTENDOM IS SATAN'S TRIUMPH 

When God entered into a Covenant with the Israelites 
at Mount Sinai, His Law forebade them to have anything 
to do with these evil spirits, whose communications 
were through necromancers, wizards, etc. The Divine 
command was that no such agents of the Evil One were 



to be permitted to live in the land of Israel. But by putting 
darkness instead of light, Satan brought many of the 
Israelites under the influence of his errors, so that in the 
days of Jesus one of His most prominent works was that 
of casting out demons from those who had come into so 
close contact with the evil spirits that they were obsessed 
by demons. The same was true of the Apostles, who 
also cast out demons. A notable instance was that of 
the maid that brought her masters much gain through 
soothsaying—fortune telling. St. Paul commanded the 
evil spirit to come out of her, and forthwith her power 
to foretell events, etc., was at an end.—Acts 16:18. 

The teachings of Jesus and the Apostles brought a 
great light into the world and established new standards, 
in proportion as their teachings were received. The Bible 
tells us that as the darkness hates the light, so those who 
are under the influence of Satan's falsehoods hate the true 
Message of God, promulgated by Jesus and His followers. 
Much of the persecution of the children of light must be 
ascribed to Satan and his hosts. As we read, "The Devil 
shall cast many of you into prison," etc. (Rev. 2:10.) 
Throughout the eighteen hundred years of this Gospel 
Age there has been a warfare between the light and the 
darkness, between Satan's false teachings, insidiously 
ingrafted into men's minds, and the teachings of the Lord 
and His people, who received these into good and honest 
hearts. Pride and ambition were stirred up in the 
Church; and those who should have been humble followers 
of Jesus were misled into pomposity, with a form of 
godliness, but denying its power.-2 Tim. 3:1-5. 

About the year 325 A.D., the Bishops of the Church, 

SM550 

misled by Satan, proclaimed themselves to be successors to 
the Apostles in power and Divine authority; whereas 
the Bible declares that there were only "Twelve Apostles 
of the Lamb." (Rev. 21:14.) We see clearly that the 
Church has their testimony in the Bible as fully today as 
ever; and, as St. Paul, who took the place of Judas, 
declares the Word of God is sufficient, that the man of 
God may be thoroughly furnished. (2 Tim. 3:17.) The 
deluded Bishops, claiming Divine authority, made many 
changes from the teachings of the Bible, claiming that 
they individually had the same inspiration as the Apostles. 



They additionally fortified their position by holding 
Apostolic Councils, and through these making creeds 
which for more than twelve hundred years entirely supplanted 
the Bible. 

The first of these creeds claimed to be a simplification 
of the Bible story, making Bible study unnecessary. The 
Nicene Creed was made in the year 325 A.D., at the 
Council of Nice, attended by three hundred and eighty-four 
Bishops, at the invitation of Emperor Constantine, 
who paid their expenses. According to his promise, he 
backed up this creed, made at his suggestion and in harmony 
with his assurances. Hundreds of thousands of 
the heathen forthwith flocked into the Christian 
churches, with practically no knowledge of God or of the 
Bible. Considering it impossible to immerse these multitudes, 
the Bishops sprinkled them, claiming full authority 
for their action; and the heathen following of the Emperor 
are said to have been baptised by the dipping of 
boughs and branches of trees into water and the 
sprinkling of it upon them en masse! 

For more than twelve centuries anybody found in possession 
of the Bible, or studying it, was suspected of 
heresy and liable to persecution; for why should they 
study the Bible when the Emperor and the so-called Apostolic 
Bishops had declared the Nicene Creed to be a 
condensation of the Bible, and all that was necessary to 

SM551 

be believed? During those twelve centuries in which 
the professed followers of Jesus were without the guidance 
of the Bible, the so-called Bishop-Apostles met from 
time to time and made new creeds containing fresh 
errors—the very errors which have troubled the whole 
world ever since, and which are still troubling us and 
confusing us. 

The Bible, speaking of the influence of these false 
doctrines of the civilized world, declared that all nations 
"were made drunk by the wine" of false doctrine. (Rev. 17:2.) 
Gradually we are getting over the drunken stupor 
of error which has so beclouded our faculties that they 
led us to think of our Almighty Friend and Creator—the 
God of all grace, the Father of all mercies, from whom 
Cometh down every good and perfect gift- to think of 
Him as a great devil, who from the beginning has plotted 



knowingly and intelligently for the creation of the race, 
nearly all of whom were to spend an eternity in torture. 



SATAN HAMPERED REFORMATION 

Any one familiar with history realizes that both Catholics 
and Protestants are truer and nobler men and 
teachers since the Reformation time than they were before. 
We are not blaming humanity for the reign of 
darkness. We are charging the matter to our great 
Adversary, Satan, as the Bible does. It has ever been 
his custom to pose as an angel of light--a leader--to 
defend the Truth and to spread knowledge; whereas in 
reality he has always persistently continued to be the 
enemy and adversary of God—seeking to thwart every 
feature of the Divine Plan. No doubt at many times he 
has thought himself successful, not catching the spirit of 
the Divine Program or realizing that God is able to make 
all of his machinations to work out eventually for good. 

When in the Sixteenth Century the light of the Reformation 
began to break, the people began to look past 
the Bishops and to inquire what Jesus and the Apostles 
had said. They wanted the Bible. But for a time the 

SM552 

Bishops stood in their way. It was in the year 1526 
A.D., exactly twelve centuries after the making of the 
first creed, that Professor Tyndale, a godly man and a 
scholar, translated the New Testament into English and 
sought to give it to the British people. Although printing 
and paper had been invented, he could not have his 
work published in Great Britain; for the power of the 
Bishops was too strong. No printers dared offend them. 

Professor Tyndale finally succeeded in having his 
work printed on German presses in the city of Hamburg, 
and then imported these New Testaments into London. 
They appeared in the shop windows, and the people 
rejoiced. But the masses found themselves unable to 
read; for education was only amongst the favored few. 
They started to have Bible readings—to hire scholarly 
persons to read to them. But the Bishops, learning of 
these things, bought up the entire edition of Tyndale's 
New Testament and publicly burned the books in front 



of St. Paul's Cathedral, in London-Protestant Bishops 
of the Church of England! They reasoned that if the 
people got back to the Bible, they would ignore the creeds 
and those who had made the creeds; and that thus their 
own honor and influence be lost. They foresaw also that 
all the creeds would be challenged by Bible authority, 
and that their Apostolic claims also would be challenged 
by the words of Jesus, who declares that those who so 
claim "do lie."-Rev. 2:2. 

But the Lord's time came for the Bible to return 
gradually to its proper place. The Bishops found that 
the people were murmuring against their course; and 
in forty years the murmuring reached such a height that 
the Bishops found it wiser to bring out a Bible translation. 
They called it the Bishop's Bible, in order that 
they might draw back to themselves the favor of the 
people, and thus offset their previous Bible burning. But 
they warned the people that in reading the Bible they 
must interpret it by the creeds which the Bishops had 

SM553 

made during the preceding twelve centuries; that otherwise 
they would be heretics and suffer eternal torment. 

The matter worked well. Then the Catholics said, 
"Why cannot we similarly give the people the Bible, 
and yet hold them down to creedal interpretations of it?" 
So they prepared at Douay College, France, the Douay 
Bible, and gave it to the Catholics, with similar warnings 
that there was great danger in reading it, and that whoever 
interpreted it otherwise than by the creeds would 
be heretics and could not even get off with Purgatory, 
but would go down to eternal torture. 

In addition to these handicaps, we must remember 
that all the reformers who really appreciated the Bible 
had their minds warped and twisted by twelve centuries 
of human misrepresentation of the Divine character and 
Plan, under the malevolent influence of "the Prince of 
this world." Hence, although the translations of the 
Bible are generally good, they are interspersed here and 
there with the mental coloring of the translators. Nor 
can we wonder at this. Twelve centuries of error and 
darkness must greatly becloud the mind and require time 
to be dislodged. 



SECT FOLLOWED SECT SEEKING LIGHT 

Again Satan sought to block the path of Christian 
progress from the darkness to Ught by encouraging sectarianism. 
Yet each sect was really seeking more light; 
and Satan, as the Prince of Darkness, succeeded in 
leading some this way and some that way, and in perpetuating 
and to some extent increasing the confusion of 
doctrines, until today the vast majority of even those 
who profess full consecration to God are perplexed, 
bewildered. The fire of Higher Criticism and of Evolutionary 
theories emanating from the colleges is bringing 
up the false faith of many, as St. Paul foretold would 
be the case with those who built their faith with the wood, 
hay and stubble of human tradition, and who did not 

SM554 

sufficiently search out and build with the gold, silver 
and precious stones of Divine Truth. ~1 Cor. 3:12. 

The eminent Cardinal Newman expressed the sentiment 
of all honest Christians in his hymn, which has 
met with such general favor everywhere. In it he says: 
"Lead, kindly Light, 

Amid the encircling gloom; 
Lead Thou me on. 

The night is dark. 
And I am far from home: 
Lead Thou me on." 
Like the Cardinal, all Christian people are coming 
to realize that they have been in an encircling gloom; 
and that somehow or other, error, false doctrine, has 
been the cause of that gloom. All Christians, as well as 
the Cardinal, realize the need of a Divine Light to guide 
the people of God. They realize that they are still in 
the dark night, and that the morning of Divine blessing 
has not yet burst in upon the people of the world. Thank 
God, however, it is breaking now ! We are in the dawn 
of the glorious Millennial Kingdom. 

Soon the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing 
in His beams. (Mai. 4:2.) Soon Satan will be bound for 
a thousand years, to deceive mankind no longer. (Rev. 20:2.) 
And then, a little later, according to the Word 
of the Lord, Satan and all those who will then intelligently 
sympathize with his wrong course, and who refuse 



obedience to God under the blessed influence of Messiah's 
Kingdom, will be destroyed in the fire, or judgment, 
which will come down from Heaven—the Second Death, 
from which there will be no redemption, no recovery. 
(Rev. 20:9.) Of those St. Peter declares that they shall 
perish like natural brute beasts; and St. Paul tells us 
that they shall be punished with everlasting destruction. 

Although Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, 
Lutherans~all~admit, as does the Cardinal, that 
they are encircled in the gloom and the darkness of the 
night everywhere about, nevertheless each consoles himself 
with the thought that it is no more dark or gloomy 

SM555 

with him than with those of other sects. Evidently this 
is the truth. But the difficulty has been that although 
there are many sects, parties and divisions amongst the 
people of God, there is no more authority in the Bible 
for one of these sects than for another. The only Church 
of the Bible is "the Church of the First-borns," whose 
names are "written in Heaven"~"in the Lamb's Book 
of Life " -Heb. 12:23; Rev. 21:27. 

The course which God's people should have pursued 
would have been to keep free from any sectarian bondage 
and to continue to walk in the light of the Truth, instead 
of binding themselves with human creeds and staking 
their minds back to the teachings of Luther, Calvin, 
Wesley and others. It is not too late yet to step out 
from all human bondage and to obey the command of 
the Lord's Word, which says that we should walk in the 
Light, and not sit in sectarian darkness. The Bible tells 
us that "the path of the just is as a shining light that 
shineth more and more unto the perfect day." (Prov. 4:18.) 
We are now in the beginning of that perfect Day; 
and all who are walking in the light, and are free from 
bondage, are receiving blessings from the Lord; for it 
is "due time."--l Tim. 2:6. 

It is safe to say that no ministry of education in any 
of the so-called orthodox sects believes the creed of his 
own denomination or would think for a moment of 
defending it before the public. A Baltimore minister, 
recently challenged by one of his congregation as to the 
truthfulness of the creeds respecting the eternal torment 
of all except the saintly believers in Christ, said, "George, 



George, I do not believe those things one bit more than 
you do! But, George, I am bound to preach them. I 
cannot help myself! " 

Alas, poor man, how terrible his slavery! What 
mighty power could bind him to slander his Creator? 
The wealth of the world should not be worthy of the 
slightest consideration if it could be obtained at such 

SM556 

a price. The sale of the Almighty's name and character 
necessarily seem worse to us than the course of Judas 
Iscariot in the selling of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. 
Additionally, how much more would any honorable man 
demand for deceiving the congregation who trusted him 
and who supplied a living for himself and his family? 
How much money should it require of any honest man 
to keep his confiding flock in ignorance of his real views 
and of the teachings of the Bible? 

Alas, alas, how much hypocrisy appears to be in the 
world under the cloak of religion! The ministers of 
today have taken vows to preach creeds which they do 
not believe, and are quietly assenting to those creeds and 
allowing their congregations to think that they believe 
them, when privately they confess to their fellows and 
to many of their congregations that they have no faith 
whatever in those teachings. As with the pulpit, so with 
the pew! How many bankers, doctors, lawyers, far too 
intelligent to believe the monstrosities of the creeds, 
nevertheless back with their personal influence and their 
money those very creeds which dishonor God, and which 
have driven thousands of sensible people away from all 
denominations! Would these same men be so dishonest 
in respect to their vows to the Masons or the Odd Fellows 
or other human organizations? Would they support 
things which they did not believe? We cannot think so. 

The only explanation we have for such a terrible 
course of hypocrisy is that these good people do not 
realize what they are doing and believe themselves justified 
in professing a lie because others so do. Surely the 
hour of awakening and of decision is upon us. If I am 
correct in teaching that Messiah's Kingdom is at the door, 
surely it is time to be sobered up from the false doctrines, 
time to be very penitent for our share therein, time to step 
out of all false representations into the liberty wherewith 



Christ has made His people free (Gal. 5:1), and time 
to profess the Truth and to uphold it and it alone. 



SM557 



PASSOVER IN TYPE AND IN ANTITYPE 

"Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore 
let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the 
leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened 
bread of sincerity and truth. "~1 Cor. 5:7,8. 

The Passover ceremonies, the first institution of 
Divine favor with the nation of Israel, prefigured the first 
institution of Divine favor inaugurated by our Lord 
Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, or Holy Communion. As 
the Apostle indicated in our text, the Jewish Passover 
was a foreshadowing, or typifying, of the better things, 
the real Passover, with which we Christians have to do. 
We are not wholly dependent upon the Jewish type for 
our information, however; for we have clear. Divine statements 
by our Lord and His Apostles respecting the relationship 
between Christ and His Church and respecting 
the special salvation of the Elect. Nevertheless, we find 
in the Passover type many details which assist us greatly 
in the understanding of the Antitype. 

First of all we should notice that the Passover directly 
affected only the first-borns of Israel, although it indirectly 
affected all the remainder of Israel. That is to 
say, the last plague upon Egypt was the death of all their 
first-borns; and the Passover celebrates the fact that the 
first-borns of Israel were spared, or passed over, by the 
destroying angel in that night. As the younger children 
of the Egyptians were not endangered, neither were the 
younger children of the Israelites. Hence the latter were 
not passed over. Yet they were certainly interested in 
the passing over, or sparing, of the first-borns, not merely 
because of their relationship, but because in the Lord's 
providence those first-borns became leaders and deliverers 
of the people on the next day, as they went forth 
from Egypt.-Num. 8:17,18. 

SM558 

Furthermore, those first-borns of Israel, exchanged 
by Divine direction for the entire tribe of Levi, were 
thereafter represented in them; and they, as the sacrificing 



priests and the teaching Levites, became the ministers 
of the Law Covenant for that nation. The antitype 
of this was distinctly pointed out by the Apostle Paul; 
namely, that the elect Church of this Gospel Age is "the 
Church of the First-borns, which are written in Heaven." 
These are to be the "able ministers of the New [Law] 
Covenant."--Heb. 12:23; 2 Cor. 3:6. 

These first-borns alone are being dealt with during 
this Gospel Age, or "night." These alone are in danger 
of a death penalty. As the Apostle declares, if we sin 
wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the 
Truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for our sins, but 
a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, 
which shall devour us as the adversaries of God 
and of righteousness. (Heb. 10:26,27.) Nevertheless, 
the whole world of mankind is certainly interested in this 
Church of the First-borns, in its successful passing over, 
its attainment of everlasting life; for these are the Royal 
Priesthood and the instructors of the New Covenant, 
which is shortly to be sealed, and by the terms of which 
all the families of the earth are to be blessed. All mankind 
will receive the blessing of reconciliation to God 
through the knowledge of the Truth and through the 
blessings of the Millennial Kingdom, associated with the 
New Covenant.- Jer. 31:31-34. 



JESUS THE PASSOVER LAMB 

Having noted the first-born class, we should discern 
clearly also the Passover lamb, through the merit of 
whose blood the passing over of the first-borns was 
effected. The lamb is a peculiarly innocent animal, 
wholly unprepared for defense or resistance, and thus a 
suitable picture, or type, of our Lord, who was non-resistant 
and who fully and freely surrendered His rights 
and His earthly interests on our behalf~on behalf of the 

SM559 

First-borns. True, others than the First-borns will ultimately 
profit by His sacrifice, but these especially and 
peculiarly so. Thus far God's only dealings during this 
Gospel Age are with this class. These alone have an 
Advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous. 



(1 John 2:1,2.) These alone thus far are reconciled to 
God. 

All of God's blessings to the unbelievers must come 
in the future, under the New Covenant; for only believers 
can be justified by faith and receive the blessings of the 
Faith Covenant—the Abrahamic Covenant. "The Lamb 
of God, which taketh away the sin of the world," first 
saves, or passes over, the Church of the First-borns, and 
later in the Millennium will bless all who become Abraham's 
seed. 

There are pictures of the Church which represent her 
as participating with the Lord in His sacrifice; but this 
Passover type is not one of these. The Passover lamb 
represented our Lord Jesus Christ as "the Lamb of God, 
which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29.) 
But the sin of the world has not yet been taken away. 
Our Lord has not yet applied His merit for the world, 
but only and expressly for the Household of Faith. In 
another sacrifice, which represents our Lord and the 
Church conjointly sacrificing, as Head and members, the 
body of the animal was cut into various pieces and laid 
with the Head upon the altar, thus typifying Christ Jesus 
as the Head and the Church as His members. (Exod. 29:15-18.) 
But provision was made that the Passover 
sacrifice was not to be divided. It was to be eaten whole 
--not a bone was to be broken. It represented, not Christ 
and the Church, but Christ alone in His sacrifice. —Exod. 12:46; 
John 19:36. 



"IN THAT NIGHT" 

Be it remembered that the passing over took place in 
the night, not in the daylight. When the morning 
arrived, the Israelites went forth out of the land of Egypt 

SM560 

to liberty, to freedom from bondage. But during the 
night they were still in bondage, waiting for the deliverance 
which could come only after the passing over of the 
first-borns. That night of the type represented this 
Gospel Age. 

This same thought is given by our Lord when He 
says, "Let your light so shine before men"; again. 



"Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a 
bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all 
that are in the house." (Matt. 5:15,16.) The Apostle 
Peter expresses the same thought, saying, "We have 
also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well 
that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark 
place, until the Day dawn and the day star arise in your 
hearts." (2 Peter 1:19.) Again, the Prophet, speaking 
of the Church, says, "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, 
and a light unto my path."--Psa. 119:105. 

Numerous other Scriptures refer to the new Millennial 
Dispensation as the Morning in which the Sun of 
Righteousness shall arise with healing in His beams, and 
in which the shadows of superstition and works of darkness 
shall all be driven away. The appropriateness of 
this figure must be evident to every reasonable mind. 
God's people are children of the Day in the sense that 
their hopes and sentiments belong, not to the darkness of 
sin, not to the night-time, but to the Day, to the Reign of 
Righteousness, for which they are praying, "Thy Kingdom 
come; Thy will be done on earth, even as it is done 
in Heaven." 

Eighteen centuries ago our Lord said that He had 
come as a Light into the world, but that men loved darkness 
rather than light. (John 8:12; 3:19-21.) Only a 
few yet recognize Him as "the true Light." But eventually 
He will "light every man that cometh into the 
world." (John 1:9.) Indeed, His Church are invited to 
become associated with Him as lamp-bearers; and if 
faithful in permitting their light to shine now, they will 

SM561 

by and by be parts of that great Sun of Righteousness 
which shall heal the world with its beams. Our Lord 
pointed this out in the parable of the Wheat and the 
Tares. He declared that in the end of this Age He would 
gather the wheat into the barn; and that then should "the 
righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their 
Father." (Matt. 13:43.) Alas, that so few have "an 
ear to hear" and accept the wonderful teachings of the 
Divine Plan ! 



BLOOD ON THE DOORPOSTS ALL NIGHT 

The Israelites were instructed that the blood of the 
lamb must be sprinkled on the doorposts and the lintels 
of their houses that night. This indicated that all who 
would belong to the Household of Faith must believe in 
the precious blood of Christ, and thus be "justified by 
faith" irrespective of denomination. To believe thus 
would make us members of the Household of Faith; but 
it would not determine whether or not we would be of 
the First-borns. The Very Elect, the Saints, the Royal 
Priesthood, have this place of seniority in the Household 
of Faith—not by reason of natural years, but by reason 
of spiritual development. They are priests, elders, in 
the sense of their primacy of development in the character-likeness 
of their Redeemer, which also indicates 
their faith and obedience. 

We cannot emphasize too strongly the fact that this 
is the Scriptural teaching. We are not merely to believe 
that Jesus lived, that Jesus died. We are especially to 
believe that He died SACRIFICIALLY, "the Just for the unjust," 
and are to accept our share of the redemption 
which He secured by His precious blood. The sprinkling 
of the blood upon the doorposts in the type implied public 
confession of the precious blood of the Lamb of God, in 
His death and in its efficacy for us, which is thus signified. 

It will be remembered that the Israelites were enjoined 
against going out of the house during the night; 
for when the Lord would pass through to smite the 

SM562 

Egyptians, He would see the blood upon lintels and doorposts, 
and would not suffer the destroying angel to come 
into their houses. (Exod. 12:1-13.) The injunction that 
those under the door sprinkled with blood should not go 
out from under it during that night had special application 
and force with respect to the first-borns. Antitypically 
it signifies that if any of us who are of the First-borns 
should go out from under the blood, in the 
sense of denying the merit, the efficacy, of the blood of 
Jesus, the penalty of such a course would be death-the 
Second Death-hopeless extinction.-Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-31. 



EATING THE LAMB 

As the blood of the lamb marked the household of 
faith, not merely the first-borns of that household, so 
the eating of the lamb was not merely for the first-borns, 
but for all the household. So our Lord said, 
"My flesh is meat indeed"; and again, "This is the 
Bread which came down from Heaven; he that eateth 
of this Bread shall live forever." (John 6:55,58.) In 
other words, not only was it necessary that Jesus should 
die, a meritorious Sacrifice, but it is also necessary that 
all who would have profit through His Sacrifice must 
feed upon Him-must appropriate the merit of His Sacrifice. 

The eating of the lamb pictured, or typified, the appropriation, 
by the Household of Faith, of those earthly 
rights and interests which were forfeited by Adam's disobedience 
and redeemed by Jesus' death. In other words, 
it signifies our appropriating justification from sin. We 
eat by faith, and therefore are said to be "Justified by 
faith." By faith we are permitted to count ourselves 
as fully reinstated in God's favor through the merit of 
Christ's Sacrifice, even as we were debarred from Divine 
favor through the demerit of Adam's sin. The eating of 
the lamb signifies the appreciation of these things and the 
appropriation of them to ourselves. The more we eat, the 
greater is our feeling of satisfaction in respect to our 

SM563 

freedom from condemnation and our reinstatement in 
Divine favor through the merit of our Passover Lamb. 



THE BLOOD OF THE NEW COVENANT 

Year by year for more than sixteen centuries the 
Jews kept the Passover by Divine decree—not merely the 
sacrifice of the lamb and the eating of it on the same 
night, after the doorposts had been sprinkled with blood, 
but additionally a feast of seven days following. That 
Passover feast represented the joys and rejoicings, the 
blessings and favors of relationship to God, based upon 
the merit of the Passover lamb-its sacrifice and the 
eating thereof. Yet the Jews understood not the meaning 
of what they did. It was not necessary that they should 



understand. When God's due time came, the explanation 
would be granted. 

That due time came on the night in which our Lord 
was betrayed--the night of the fourteenth day of the 
first month, the very night of the typical killing of the 
Passover lamb. The Master gathered about Him His 
twelve Apostles. They had their usual Passover supper 
of roast lamb; and afterwards our Lord introduced what 
we familiarly term "The Lord's Supper"~a new symbolization 
of the antitypical Passover. 

What our Lord introduced was to take the place of 
the Jewish ceremony with His followers, to carry out 
the same thought, but on a higher plane, as representing 
a clearer, better understanding of the matter. Instead of 
the lamb would be the unleavened bread, representing 
our Lord's flesh. This He distributed to His Apostles, 
saying, "This is My body, which is given for you; this 
do in remembrance of Me." (Luke 22:19.) The eating 
of that unleavened bread represented their appropriating 
to themselves of the merit of Christ's sacrifice—their 
justification by faith. 

Then our Lord added a new feature--"the cup." For 
while all believers might partake of the bread, might 
realize justification through the merit of His sacrifice, 

SM564 

yet only a certain class of believers were invited to partake 
of the blood. The cup represented death. Ordinarily, 
under the Jewish Law, the partaking of blood would 
represent blood-guiltiness, or responsibility for the 
death. (Lev. 17:10-14.) But our Lord gave His disciples 
fruit of the vine as symbolic of His blood; and He urged 
upon them its appropriation, saying, "This cup is the 
New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you," and 
"for many." "Drink ye all of it."-Luke 22:20; Matt. 26:27,28. 
This invitation to drink of His blood signifies a participation 
with Christ as His members in a sacrifice of earthly 
life, earthly interests, hopes, aims, ambitions— everything. 
All who accept this invitation to drink of His 
blood thereby pledge their lives in the same service for 
which He gave His life. This thought is entirely additional 
to anything in the Jewish Passover type. There is 
no intimation that any of the household were to partake 
of the blood of the slain lamb. Nevertheless we who now 



accept our Lord's proposition to share in His blood and 
lay down our lives with Him in defense of the Truth, 
thereby mark ourselves as elder brothers in the Household 
of Faith, members of the First-borns with our 
Lord, our Redeemer, and as prospectively the Royal 
Priesthood. 

Therefore whoever intelligently partakes of the 
Memorial Supper thereby indicates two things: (1) His 
faith in Jesus as the Passover Lamb, and his appreciation 
and participation in the merit of Jesus—his justification 
by faith; and (2) his membership in the Body of Christ, 
all the members of which agree to be broken—membership 
in that "little flock" whose faithfulness is manifested 
by drinking of the Master's cup— sharing with 
Him in His sacrifice, suffering with Him in order to reign 
with Him -1 Cor. 10:16,17; 2 Tim. 2:11,12. 



SM565 



"TONGUES OF FIRE" 

"These signs shall follow them that believe: In My 
name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new 
tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink 
any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay 
hands on the sick, who shall recover. "—Mark 16:17,18. 

From all parts of the world, but especially from the 
Pacific coast, have come reports of what its friends call 
a fresh Pentecostal blessing-an outpouring of the Holy 
Spirit, etc., and what its opponents call a religious insanity. 
The movement is amongst so-called "holiness 
people" of various sects andparties--"missions," as 
their meetings are generally styled. People who have 
been seeking and claiming "divine healing" seem to be 
among the most susceptible. Amongst these are some 
who give evidence of deep sincerity and a superficial 
knowledge of God's Word. Though generally swift to 
speak and slow to hear, they, through indolence or fear, 
neglect systematic study of the Divine Message. They 
seem to come under the head mentioned by the Prophet, 
"My people perish for lack of knowledge. "--Hosea 4:6. 

Reports of the movement in various directions seemed 
so absurd that we declined to believe them, supposing 
that since they were sent out by the secular press the facts 
must surely be misrepresented. Now, however, the 
"flame," as it is called, has reached Pittsburgh, where at 
one of the Christian Alliance Missions we have had an 
ocular demonstration of this delusion. 

What we see here corresponds well with the general 
reports from elsewhere. The meetings are "bedlam"; 
everything is confusion, prayers to God are yelled or 
groaned or barked-yelped. Now and then some one 
"gets the blessing" and falls in a trance-like condition 

SM566 

on the floor, to remain rigid perhaps for hours. Another 
begins to talk some sort of gibberish interspersed with 
English. Another in a different guttural mumbles and 
then gives an interpretation in English. These are said 



to have the "unknown tongues" of Pentecost; but we remember 
that foreigners present recognized those tongues 
as bona fide and got a Gospel Message from them, according 
to the inspired record.—Acts 2:8. 

The people in attendance pay little heed to what is 
uttered by these "tongues" and their interpretations. 
Some are simply curious and attend as a free show; others 
are too engrossed with their desire to have a trance or an 
"unknown tongue" to do anything else than groan their 
prayers to God for those "gifts," as evidences of His 
favor. Frenzied hugging and kissing and rolling on the 
floor (reported from elsewhere) are amongst the evidences 
that these poor people are surely under some spirit 
influence. And it certainly does not appear to be "the 
spirit of a sound mind."~2 Tim. 1:7. 



EVIL WORDS FROM EVIL SOURCE 

It is quite true that there was confusion at Pentecost, 
caused by so many speaking at once in foreign languages; 
but nothing in the record implies insanity or fanaticism; 
nor could we expect either from such sound logicians as 
their writings show the Apostles to have been. On the 
contrary, our experiences corroborate the declaration of 
St. Paul, that the operation of the Holy Spirit of God 
in our hearts and minds has been favorable to the development 
of greater soundness of mind, by reason of our heed 
to the Word and its wisdom, which cometh from Above. 
A WATCH TOWER reader in Los Angeles, Cal., writes that 
a neighbor woman got this so-called gift of tongues; and 
that a reputable Chinaman hearing her, said that he 
understood her quite well--that she spoke his dialect of 
Chinese. Pressed for an interpretation he declined, saying 
that the utterance was the vilest of the vile. 

SM567 

In our judgment, the facts justify the conclusion that 
these "flames" are of all unholy spirit, of Satan: that 
he is now producing a poor counterfeit for the deception 
of a class whom he cannot reach through Spiritism, 
Christian Science, Hypnotic New Thought nor Higher 
Critic Evolution theories. 

Is it asked. Why would the Lord permit Satan to 



delude honest souls? We reply, that He has permitted 
"doctrines of devils" these many centuries amongst the 
heathen (1 Tim. 4:1), some of whom doubtless are also 
honest. The time for the binding of Satan is not yet- 
though we believe it is very near. (Rev. 20:2.) Doubtless 
Satan realizes better than we can how the binding or 
restraining is coming, and is actively maneuvering to 
avoid it; while God, on the other hand, is willing to permit 
his activity because it can now serve a purpose—a sifting 
work— which must reach and touch every class and condition 
of professed Christians everywhere; to test and 
prove them. Thus we consider this one of the many 
delusions of our day. Mark the Apostle's forceful words 
respecting this day of trial with which this Age ends and 
the next is ushered in. He says: For this cause "God 
shall send them strong delusion that they should believe 
a lie." Why? "That they [who fall] all might be [thus] 
condemned"— be manifested as not right, as out of harmony 
with God-as unfit to be of the "Bride" class. But 
why so? "Because they received not the Truth in the 
love of it," but "had pleasure in untruth."-2 Thess. 2:10,12; 
Matt. 24:23,24. 

In other words, "Present Truth" has been sent hither 
and thither throughout the bounds of Christendom that, 
like as a magnet would attract all the particles of steel 
within the radius of its influence, so the Truth might 
attract all the "Israelites indeed," for further schooling 
and ripening, preparatory to their "change" to Kingdom 
glory. Meantime, the Lord allows Satan to organize 
various human agencies, those not of His "Very Elect," 

SM568 

that such may fall farther and farther from the Truth, 
until finally none will "stand" except the Elect, and they 
"on the sea of glass mingled with fire." (Rev. 15:2.) All 
others are to fall more or less, though some will subsequently 
be rescued from the catastrophe- "saved so as 
byfire."-lCor.3:15. 



AN UNINSPIRED RECORD 

I have chosen this especial text for two reasons: (1) 
Because it is the one most frequently quoted by those who 



advocate the thought that all Christians should be known 
by the peculiar gifts it specifies, and able to speak with 
unknown tongues, to cast out devils, to heal the sick, etc. 
(2) Because I wish the more pointedly to call to your attention 
the fact that these words are not a part of the 
original Gospel by St. Mark. It is well known to all 
critical students that St. Mark's Gospel closed with the 
sixteenth chapter and eighth verse. From the ninth verse 
to the conclusion, as shown in our Common Version, was 
an addition to the original manuscript. This is demonstrated 
by the fact that these verses are not found in 
the original MSS. of the New Testament. The oldest 
Greek MSS. and the most authentic every way, are known 
as the Vatican MS. 1209, and the Sinaitic MS.--both 
written somewhere near the year 350. Neither of these 
contains Verses nine to twenty, including our text. The 
earliest Greek MS. containing these verses is the Alexandrian, 
the date of which is credited to the fifth century. It 
seems rather remarkable to us, therefore, that there 
should be amongst scholars any who would use the words 
of our text as though they were of Divine inspiration or 
Apostolic authority. 

However, the conclusions based upon these words deserve 
our consideration everyway, because of the fact that 
the Scriptures clearly show that our Lord and the 
Apostles and some members of the early Church did 
possess many of these gifts of the Holy Spirit, and did 
exercise them somewhat after the manner described in 

SM569 

these interpolated words we have taken as our text. We, 
therefore, invite your attention to what we believe to be 
the Bible teaching on the subject of the "gifts of the Holy 
Spirit" and the "fruits of the Spirit." 



"GIFTS" IN THE EARLY CHURCH 

That our Lord ever spoke in unknown tongues is not 
stated; but that He cast out demons, healed the sick and 
awakened the dead is recorded, and also the fact that He 
sent forth His disciples clothed with power and authority 
to do the same things is also declared. We are to notice, 
however, that although Jesus did many wonderful works. 



they are expressly stated to have been for signs-- "These 

things did Jesus, and manifested forth [beforehand] His 

glory" —the glorious work of His Kingdom, which is to 

completely liberate mankind from the thraldom of sin, 

sickness, demons and death, in proportion as the laws of 

the Kingdom shall be obeyed. We are not, then, to understand 

that it was the Divine will in our Lord's day, nor 

since, that all sickness should be cured by Divine power, 

that all demons were to be cast out, etc., but rather that 

just a sufficiency of this kind of work was to be accomplished 

to give evidence of the change of dispensation-to 

testify to Jesus and His disciples~to authenticate their 

ministry and teachings as Divine. 

Nor were these healings merely performed upon those 
who were converts to the Lord—upon those who had accepted 
Him as the Messiah, had believed in Him and had 
become His disciples. On the contrary, the miracles 
recorded came not to those who were the Lord's disciples, 
but to those who were pronounced sinners. As an illustration, 
take the case of the impotent man at the Pool of 
Bethesda. Its five porches were continually crowded with 
the sick, as we read,-- "In these lay a great multitude of 
impotent folk, the blind, the halt, the withered." Yet, 
to only one of these did the Lord address Himself, saying, 
"Rise, take up thy bed and walk; and immediately 
he was made whole, and took up his bed and walked." 

SM570 

And that this man was not a believer in Jesus is evidenced 
also by the narrative; as we read, "He that was 
healed wist not who it was that had healed him." That 
he was not a saint is also testified by the narrative; for 
we read that Jesus later said to him, "Behold, thou art 
made whole; sin no more lest a worse thing come upon 
thee." (John 5:3,13,14.) Other evidences in the same 
line might be given, but are unnecessary. 



USE AND VALUE OF THOSE "GIFTS" 

After our Lord's death, resurrection and ascension 
came the Pentecostal blessing, the baptism of the Holy 
Spirit. As an evidence or witness to this baptism, but 
not a part of it, were gifts similar to those which Jesus 



had exercised; and these were generally distributed 
amongst all believers at that time, as we read that a 
measure of the Spirit was granted to every man in the 
Church to profit withal—for his profit and for the general 
advantage of the cause with which all were identified 
—the establishment of the Church. The Apostle Paul, in 
writing to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12:4-31), clearly indicates 
that the Holy Spirit operated in the early Church. 
Some had the gift of tongues, others a gift of healing, 
others a gift of interpreting tongues, etc., while some had 
several tongues or languages at their command, and some, 
notably the Apostles, apparently enjoyed all of these gifts. 
The Apostle exhorted the Church in general to not only 
covet and desire these gifts, but to recognize between 
them—that some were preferable to others. The Apostle 
says, "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all 
teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the 
gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all 
interpret?" "Covet earnestly the best gifts." The 
Apostle suggests further that one who had the gift of 
tongues should pray that he might also receive the gift 
of interpretation of tongues. -1 Cor. 12:29-31; 14:1. 

The Apostle distinctly foretells the discontinuance of 
these "gifts," saying, "Whether there be prophecies, 

SM571 

they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; 

whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." (1 Cor. 13:8.) 

He clearly intimates the reason for the discontinuance 

to be that the Church would gradually come 

into a more developed condition, in which these gifts 

would no longer be necessary, but give place to a higher, 

nobler and more certain manifestation of the indwelling 

of the Holy Spirit. He says, "We know in part and we 

prophesy in part, but when [as] that which is perfect is 

come, that which is in part shall be done away." He 

illustrates this by saying, "When I was a child I spake 

as a child and understood as a child, but when I became a 

man, I put away childish things." (1 Cor. 13:9-11.) We 

have not yet reached the standard of perfection and full 

membership in Christ, and shall not reach it until our 

change in the First Resurrection; but as members of the 

Lord's Body, His Church, His Ecclesia, we properly have 

made progress from the infantile condition at the beginning 



of this age. This is in harmony with the Apostle's 
injunction that milk is for babes and strong meat for those 
more developed; and that it is our duty, as the Lord's followers 
in the School of Christ, to grow in grace and 
knowledge and love. 

These "gifts" in the Church had prevailed for several 
years at the time the Apostle addressed the saints at 
Corinth, whom he exhorted that they should desire the 
best gifts. He found them, like children, interested chiefly 
in speaking with unknown tongues, and gently reproved 
them for considering these a high attainment and evidence 
of great favor with God. Not that He discouraged 
the speaking with tongues; for, as he explained, he could 
thankfully say that he could speak with more tongues 
than they all; but he wished them to realize that they 
might have these gifts and yet come very far short of 
being acceptable to the Lord. He would have them understand 
that the "fruits" of the Spirit were a higher manifestation 
and better testimony than the "gifts." The 

SM572 

"gifts" were miracles, tongues, interpretations, etc.; the 
"fruits" were faith, hope, joy, love. When exhorting 
them to desire the best "gifts" he added the suggestion 
respecting the "fruits" of the Spirit as still better, saying, 
"Yet show I unto you a more excellent way" --an 
evidence of Divine favor far beyond that of the "gifts." 

To demonstrate the better value of the fruit of the 
Spirit, love in the heart and in the life (with its concomitants 
of joy, peace, kindness, etc.), he gave an illustration, 
saying. Though I could speak with the tongues of 
men and with the angelic tongues also, if I were devoid 
of love, it would indicate that I had become like sounding 
brass or a tinkling cymbal. As a brass horn will make a 
noise when it is blown, yet have no appreciation of itself, 
so some possessing the miracles, gift of tongues, etc., 
might exercise these in a perfunctory manner and be lacking 
of the real Spirit of the Lord and His Truth. The 
power to work miracles might be there and operate 
through them, and yet they might have no more relationship 
to it than the cymbals have to the power which strikes 
them. Taking the still higher gifts of prophecy and 
understanding of mysteries and knowledge, and even rising 
in the scale of attainment to the position of mountain-moving 



faith, all these, as the Apostle declares, would 
amount to nothing unless the fruit of the Spirit were 
developed, namely. Love. These various gifts might 
serve a purpose, but without Love the purpose would only 
be for others, and not a blessing to the individual himself. 

Progressing still further in his comparison, the 
Apostle shows that even generosity is not sufficient; for 
though he were generous and self-sacrificing to the extent 
of giving all his goods to feed the poor and yielding up 
his body to be burned in his faithfulness to the Lord, yet 
should he not develop Love, the great fruit of the Spirit, 
he could have neither part nor lot with the Lord in His 
Kingdom, and all these other gifts would profit him 
nothing as respects membership in the Heavenly Kingdom, 

SM573 

as a member of the Body of Christ. Therefore, he 

concludes that "Love is the principal thing" —far beyond 

all gifts, however honorable and useful they may be. Progressing 

in his argument, he shows that while the gifts 

would depart, this grace, this fruit of the Spirit, would 

continue-continue down to the end of the age--yea, and 

go far beyond into the eternal future. Referring to the 

"fruits" of the Spirit, which he desired them to cultivate 

and to esteem as preferable to the "gifts," he says—Now 

these abideth, faith, hope, love, but the greatest of 

these [the most important of all] is love, for love never 

faileth. It will not only be the essential quality without 

which we cannot gain an entrance to the life eternal and 

the Heavenly state, but it will continue throughout all 

eternity to be the quality or characteristic of all that shall 

enjoy Divine favor forever. 



PROFIT OF "GIFTS" IN THE CHURCH 

A little reflection will make clear to us the value, yea, 
almost the necessity of the gifts to the Church in its 
infantile state. The Apostle explains the character of 
their religious gatherings: they met and one had a psalm, 
another a prayer, another an exhortation, another a hymn, 
another an unknown tongue, another an interpretation of 
that tongue, another a gift of prophecy. Their meetings 
were thus made interesting, entertaining and profitable. 



The prospect of messages coming from the Lord through 
unknown tongues, and the prospect of getting an interpretation 
of these also, would draw the believers together 
and maintain their interest and help to give them 
food for thought and discussion. They had no Bibles at 
first. The New Testament was not yet written; the Old 
Testament, written on parchments, was not only clumsy 
to handle, but very expensive, and the Synagogues which 
could afford a complete copy were considered very fortunate, 
and these copies were kept with great care and 
merely read from on the Sabbath day in the hearing of 
the people who attended. The early Church, cast out of 

SM574 

the synagogues, were really without any particular source 

of instruction except as they could call to mind the preaching 

of the Lord and the Prophets as they had heard them 

in early life. Hence this provision of the Lord for the 

gifts of prophecy and understanding of mysteries and 

communication through unknown tongues and the interpretation 

of the same, were all designed to teach them 

their dependence upon the Lord and to draw them together 

for mutual instruction, and show them that the 

Gospel message was not given to them individually but 

collectively as a Church. All these good offices were well 

served by the gifts, and in due time the believers were 

taught to look beyond the gifts and to cultivate the fruits 

of the Spirit. 

Gradually the New Testament grew--the four Gospels, 
the Epistles of Paul, Peter, John, James, etc. —and with 
this growth of written instruction the necessity for the 
gifts proportionately died away. They were not necessary 
as at first for the establishment of the Church nor 
for its instruction. It is quite in harmony with this that 
in general the Apostolic epistles of the New Testament 
make comparatively little reference to the "gifts" of the 
Spirit, but persistently counsel the putting away of the 
filth of the flesh and the cultivation of the fruits of the 
Holy Spirit. No intimation is given anywhere that the 
Lord's people were to expect a repetition or continuance 
of the Pentecostal blessings, tongues, etc., but rather that 
they were to go on toward perfection—the perfection 
which will be attained only in the resurrection, but for 
which resurrection they were to be prepared by the cultivation 



of the fruits and graces of the Spirit. We are to 
notice carefully that the one baptism of the Holy Spirit 
which came upon the believers at the first was nowhere 
promised to be repeated, and that it was separate and 
distinct from the "gifts" which at first accompanied, but 
which subsequently were to give place to the fruits and 
graces of the Spirit, and did give place to these. 

SM575 



"OPPRESSION OF THE DEVIL" 

The Scriptures do clearly teach that Satan had much 
to do with the bringing in of mother Eve's temptation, 
which led up to Father Adam's disobedience. He is 
justly in the Scriptures styled "a murderer from the beginning." 
Indirectly he is the murderer of the 20,000,000,000 
of our race who have already gone down into the 
tomb. Indirectly, at least all sickness, pain and sorrow 
may be thus traced back to him. He has still more to do 
with us through beguilements and temptations of our 
weakening flesh. He has led the majority of our race 
from bad to worse, mentally, morally and physically. For 
it should be recognized that sin in its every form is death 
dealing—every sinful and impure thought has its reactionary 
effect upon our minds and bodies, tending to produce 
therein weakness and disease—dying conditions. 

Naturally and quite properly the inquiry comes. Is not 
the Lord Jesus still interested in releasing all those "oppressed 
by the Devil"? Like the Heavenly Father, he 
surely "changes not"; hence he is still interested in the 
release of our race from the power of sin and death, and 
of "him who hath the dominion of death, that is, the 
Devil." (Heb. 2:14.) And if so, should not we expect that 
the healing of disease and expelling of demons would be 
still the Lord's work throughout this age— irrespective of 
the fact that now His Church has been established in the 
world upon a good footing, and has no need of the "gift" 
for instruction, having instead, in the hands of all, the 
Bible— both the Old and the New Testament? We answer. 
Yes— undoubtedly all this is true. Why, then, is it asked, 
should not the same healing of the sick progress now? 
Why should not this be one of the main duties and 
privileges of all believers, after the manner of their Lord 



and the Apostles? 

We reply that while the Lord proposes a great work 
as the Good Physician in the healing of the diseases of 
the world, mental, moral and physical—while He proposes 

SM576 

that ultimately this shall be accomplished on a 
much larger scale than anything which He did at the First 
Advent, yet the time for this is not yet. What Jesus and 
His Apostles did in the beginning of the age, as we have 
already seen, affected only a very small fraction of the 
world—only a very small fraction indeed of those with 
whom they were in contact. The real work of healing and 
restitution, according to the Scriptures, belongs to the 
future, to the Millennial Age, to that epoch which will follow 
the Second Advent of our Lord— to His work as the 
Prophet, Priest and King in the lifting up and blessing 
everyway of all who are of the millions whom He redeemed 
with His precious blood. The work of this age 
is not a restitution work except, as already noted, in the 
early Church it was a foreshadowing of coming good 
things. The work of this Gospel Age is not a work of 
healing and restoring mankind. 

The Times of Restitution have not yet come, and will 
not come, as the Apostle points out, until the Second 
Advent of our Lord. (Acts 3:19-21.) Now we are in the 
time when work the very reverse of this is in operation— 
a sacrificing work. All will admit that our Lord did not 
use His healing powers on His own behalf, but that, on 
the contrary. He sacrificed, laid down. His life in the 
service of truth and righteousness; that in three and a 
half years He so spent His vitality— when "virtue went 
out of Him and healed them all" -that at the time of His 
crucifixion He was very weak, as evidenced by the bloody 
sweat and the fact that He was not able to bear His own 
cross as did the others in the procession. All will admit 
that the Apostles did not use their powers for their own 
restoration, nor have we any record of their ever praying 
for the healing of themselves or for each other to be 
healed of disease. Even when Trophimus was sick, nigh 
unto death, the Apostle makes no intimation of prayer 
for his healing; and when Timothy had dyspepsia, instead 
of praying for his restoration to health, or sending 



SM577 

him a blest handkerchief or napkin, the Apostle wrote him 
respecting his diet, "for thy stomach's sake and thy 
often infirmities." (1 Tim. 5:23.) All must admit, then, 
that the healings were done upon those outside the 
Church, and evidently were for a time only, and would 
constitute no basis that the Church should expect miraculous 
intervention on behalf of its members. Quite to the 
contrary, these were all exhorted to lay down their lives, 
to seek not to spare them, save them, which implied not 
praying for their deliverance from these diseases or ailments 
which came to them as the result of their self-denials, 
services, self-sacrifices. Rather they were to 
delight in these, while exercising a reasonable prudence 
and care, which would make the most of all earthly advantages 
as a part of their stewardship to be used in the 
service of the Master. 

We see, then, that in the Lord's order restitution to 
physical health and strength was not designed either for 
Jesus, the Head of the Church, nor for the Church, His 
body, but for the world. We see also that the time is not 
yet come for the bestowment of this blessing upon the 
world, but that it delays until the sacrificing of the Church 
with her Lord shall be accomplished—until the Church 
glorified, sharers of the Heavenly Kingdom with the Redeemer, 
shall shower the blessings of restitution, health, 
mental, moral and physical, everywhere throughout the 
earth, granting to all the fullest opportunities to come 
back, to be released from the power of sin and death and 
from all the dominion of the great Adversary, who will 
then be bound for a thousand years that he may deceive 
the nations no more until the thousand years be finished. 
-Rev. 20:2,3; Heb. 2:14,15. 



SM578 



CHURCH CALLED TO SANCTIFICATION 

"This is the will of God, even your sanctification. "— 
1 Thess. 4:3. 

Christians alone, the fully consecrated, are here 
addressed by the Apostle Paul. He is inciting them to 
full development as God's children, to their full setting 
apart for God. He would remind them that it is not 
sufficient to make a profession of consecration, to promise 
to live a sanctified life merely; but that it is of the 
utmost importance to fulfil their vows to the Lord, to 
day by day pay that which they have covenanted. Christians 
are to abound more and more in the fruits of the 
Spirit, as the context enjoins. The word sanctification 
means a setting apart to holy service. God is holy; and 
any instrument that He would use and recognize must 
also be holy. "Be ye holy, for I am holy," He says to us. 

The Only Begotten of the Father was holy; else He 
could not have been man's Redeemer. The Church must 
be holy; else God would never deal with them. This principle 
also applies to the angels; they must be holy in 
order to have the favor of Jehovah. And so mankind 
must become holy before they can be pleasing to the 
Father or have any fellowship with Him. God has a will 
for the sanctification of the whole world of mankind. But 
He is not exercising that will at present; He is now 
seeking only the class which is to compose the glorified 
Church of the future. 

The world cannot be sanctified without the great 
Mediator. Hence God has provided for them the Mediatorial 
Kingdom, through which His blessings will be 
received. The willing and obedient will finally attain to 
full holiness, full separateness from sin. As many as 
during the Messianic Reign will take hold of the opportunities 
then granted will be made blameless by the close 

SM579 

of that period; and if they then stand their final test, 
they will be wholly acceptable to the Father. It is 
because the Father cannot accept them until they have 



been made perfect, and then have been tested as to their 
establishment in righteousness, that He now keeps the 
world at arm's length and cut off from fellowship with 
Himself. Only the sanctified can be granted communion 
with God and recognition from Him. 



THE CHURCH'S SETTING APART DIFFERENT 

The setting apart of the Church is different from the 
setting apart to righteousness which will be the world's 
experience during the next Age. The Church's setting 
apart, or sanctification, requires the grace of God in 
large measure; for they are called to a sacrificial death, 
and nothing but a perfect sacrifice could be accepted. 
That they may be able to thus sacrifice themselves, a 
special provision for the covering of their blemishes 
is necessary. So their perfection is reckoned, not actual. 
The difficulty with our setting apart at this time lies in 
the fact that it means to go contrary to our own preferences, 
because of the present disordered condition of 
things in the world in which we live—a condition which 
is manifested in ourselves as human beings. Hence, the 
sanctification for which God now calls is the doing of His 
will under unfavorable circumstances, within and without. 
Those who do His will under these unfavorable circumstances 
have set before them the high reward of becoming 
joined in heirship with Christ in His Kingdom, sharers 
of His glory and power. 

This sanctification which begins in us at the time when 
we consecrate ourselves to the Lord and when we are 
accepted of the Father by the begetting of the Holy 
Spirit, thus bringing us into the anointed Body, must 
increase more and more. As we progress, our sanctification 
should take in a broader and deeper scope. As 
a Christian matures, there should be more of him, so 

SM580 

to speak. Day by day the Lord shows us more fully 

His will-things which we did not see at all at the beginning 

of our sanctification-because we are growing in 

grace and in knowledge. This increase in knowledge 

is not only a good sign that we have made progress in 

grace, but also an indication that we are more fully set 



apart to sacrifice. Thus we have still more grace, then 
more knowledge, then more sacrifice. The Christian way 
leads onward to fullness of character development; and 
the rugged way grows dearer and sweeter as the pilgrim 
toils along, clasping the hand of his unseen Guide. 
Our daily experiences are testing our hearts; and 
this is by the will of the Lord. He knows that if our 
hearts are loyal, we will do the best we can to control our 
flesh; and it is our earnest endeavor, our fixity of will 
to walk faithfully in the narrow way, that He is watching 
to see. After we have been set apart, sanctified, as a 
babe in Christ, we gradually become sanctified on a much 
larger scale. We become developed in this process of 
sanctification, growing more and more like our Lord. 

NOT CALLED TO LIVE IN A CLOISTER 

To be sanctified does not mean, as some have mistakenly 
thought, that we must separate ourselves entirely 
from every one else in the world, avoiding any contact 
with them. Such would have a very improper idea of 
our real Calling. Their opportunities of service would 
be very circumscribed; and they would have little or no 
opportunity to cultivate sympathy with the sinful, suffering 
world, whom the Church are to judge and assist 
in the incoming Age. 

To be sanctified does not mean the cutting of ourselves 
off from any contact with the world. If this had 
been our proper course, our Savior and Lord, would have 
so done. But on the contrary. He sought opportunity 
to assist and bless those about Him, to point them to 
the way of Life. He was the friend of "publicans and 

SM581 

sinners." He never assumed a "holier than thou" attitude. 
Yet our Lord was sanctified, set apart for God, 
in the most absolute sense. Those who think they must 
withdraw themselves completely from their fellows have 
failed to get a true grasp of the Scriptures. We are 
to avoid sin as far as possible, but sin could find us in 
a monastery or in a convent as well as anywhere else. 

The Master was constantly mingling with men, striving 
to uplift and instruct them, yet He was not of them. 
And so it is with the enlightened children of God, who 



are following in the Master's footsteps. 

As Christians, our greatest work is in ourselves— 
subduing our own flesh, conquering and uprooting our 
earthward tendencies and resolutely, persistently training 
them Heavenward. And we should be able to see in 
ourselves continued progress in this direction. The 
process of bending toward Heaven that which by nature 
bends toward earth and the things of earth is a painful 
one; and we often long for rest and complete deliverance. 
But let us cheer ourselves and one another with the 
thought that the struggle will soon be over and the victory 
won, if we faint not. How glad we are that the reign of 
Sin and Death is almost ended, and the full deliverance 
of the saints of God is so near! 



TWO PARTS TO SANCTIFICATION 

The words "sanctification" and "consecration" are 
not improperly used interchangeably. Both refer to a 
devotion of both heart and life to the Lord and His 
service. This devotion, this setting apart, is a continuous 
matter, which ends only when our sacrifice is consumed 
in death. 

There are two parts to sanctification. The first part 
is our own, and the second part belongs to God. He 
sanctifies only those who sanctify themselves. "Sanctify 
yourselves," and "I will sanctify you." We must first 
give up our own will and accept His will, setting ourselves 

SM582 

apart for the Lord. In such He is pleased to do a great 
work. The initial part of that work is the begetting of 
the Holy Spirit. This makes of us New Creatures in 
Christ, members of the Anointed Body. Our sanctification 
is then begun. 

When the Master in His closing prayer with His 
disciples prayed for those "who should believe on Him 
through their word," He evidently had in mind those 
who would manifest their faith in Him by a consecration, 
dedication, of themselves to God. His petition, we see, 
was not that the Father would use some miraculous power 
to bring people in general to a conviction of the Truth 
and to a spirit of devotion to Him. This is not the 



thought; for those for whom He petitioned had previously 
reached that point. His time to deal with the world 
at large had not yet come. 

When the work of sanctification has commenced in 
us, we are then prepared to grow, and not until then; 
for before that time there is no embryo New Creature, 
the new life has not even begun. But after the nucleus 
of the new nature is present in us, we are ready to make 
progress, both in grace and in knowledge. Having now 
come into the family of God, we are to learn of Him as 
dear children. We are to study-not the laws of gravitation, 
electricity, the sciences, etc., although all true law 
and science is of God--but concerning spiritual Truth. 
The Lord's people must be inducted into a knowledge 
of God's glorious character and of His will concerning 
us. His children. Through this knowledge we shall be 
enabled to grow up into the likeness of our glorious 
Pattern furnished us by the Father. Thus the work of 
development leads into all the avenues of our being. 
"This is the will of God, even your [complete] sanctification." 
The Spirit of the Lord is to abound in us. 

Then, also, the children of God are to edify one 
another, to build one another up in the most holy Faith. 
The influence of the precious promises and of words of 

SM583 

counsel have more and more a sanctifying effect upon 
our hearts and lives. This leads us to a still deeper 
appreciation of God and His love and of those who are 
His. Thus we grow in grace, in further knowledge, and 
in all the precious fruits of the Holy Spirit-- "love, joy, 
peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, 
self-control. Against such there is no law." (Gal. 5:22,23.) 
This is the complete sanctification which God 
purposes to accomplish in all those who set themselves 
apart for Him, providing that they keep their sacrifice 
firmly bound to the altar until it is completely consumed. 



DILIGENT COOPERATION ESSENTIAL 

All this preparation is necessary, that the children 
of the Lord may make their "calling and election sure." 
It is not sufficient that at the beginning they say, "Here, 



Lord, I give myself to Thee." But it is absolutely essential 
that they develop a strong, enduring Christian 
character, a crystallized character, which cannot be injured 
either by the pestilential doctrines of error abounding 
in this "evil day" or by the fiercest winds of 
adversity. Thus only can we be fitted for the great work 
which the Lord has for this anointed class in the future— 
beyond the veil. So we see clearly that unless this work 
of sanctification progresses to completion we shall not 
enter into the Kingdom. 

In connection with the Word of Truth, which has 
such sanctifying power and without which we cannot 
attain a position with Christ on His Throne, the Lord 
gives us disciplinary experiences. These are to assist 
in keeping us in the "narrow way," that we turn not 
aside into a wrong course. They are also designed to 
call our attention to our weaknesses, in order that we 
may correct them as far as possible. They are to develop 
us, to prove us, to establish us in righteousness. These 
experiences cause us to realize more fully our need of 
the power of the Word and of the power of prayer. Thus 
they drive us to the Source whence all our help comes. 

SM584 

The more we absorb and assimilate the Word of God, 
the stronger we shall be in character. To the faithful, 
the Apostle Peter assures us, the Lord will minister "an 
abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our 
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Whoever neglects to 
use the means provided for his development is not making 
progress. The sanctifying power of the Word and of 
prayer must accomplish their designed work in us; otherwise, 
we shall never gain the promised reward of the 
faithful overcomer. 

OUR ALL-SUFFICIENT GUIDE 

Every child of God should beware of any teaching 
which is independent of the inspired Word of God, and 
which claims that Christ or the Holy Spirit speaks to 
advanced Christians directly. This is a dangerous delusion 
of the Adversary, which cultivates spiritual pride 
and boastfulness, rendering powerless the warnings and 
counsel of the Holy Scriptures. The deluded ones become 



possessed of the idea that they have progressed beyond 
the majority of God's children; and that now the voice 
of the Lord speaks to their inner ear, guiding them in 
all their affairs. Satan, taking advantage of this delusion, 
which he has brought upon them, leads them captive 
at his will. We have learned of just such cases. All the 
instruction which we receive from the Lord comes to 
us through the written Word. "The Word of God is 
sufficient, " declares the Apostle, "that the man of God 
may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good 
works." (2 Tim. 3:15-17.) "Christ loved the Church, 
and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and 
cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, " again 
declares the same Apostle.--Eph. 5:25,26. 

We are not ignorant of the devices of Satan and of 
all the "wicked spirits in high places," which would lead 
us astray to our downfall. Let us ever be on the alert, 
and keep close to the written Word, "which is able to 

SM585 

make us wise unto salvation." We are told that God 
sanctifies the Church, and that the Spirit of God does 
this work in us. Both are true. It is the Holy Spirit, 
or power, of God operating through His Word that He 
has designed shall do this work in our hearts, in our 
characters. ~2 Cor. 3:18. 

In the contemplation of all that is lovely as embodied 
in Christ, of all that is pure and holy and beautiful—as 
shown in the Bible~we are changed little by little into 
the same blessed likeness, from glory to glory. Let this 
good work of sanctification go until every grace adorns 
the spotless robe of imputed righteousness given us by 
our Father through Christ. Let us mark well the love 
of the Master, His gentleness. His patience. His meekness. 
His zeal. His personal integrity. His self-sacrificing 
spirit. Mark well; then imitate His example. 

It is by this means that we are sealed, impressed, 
with the image and likeness of our Lord. This seal, this 
impression, is to grow deeper as the days go by, until 
it has become so indelible that nothing can remove it. 
Let us take diligent heed that we do not by any means 
mar or blur this precious seal, but that it may remain 
clear and bright. Let us be very careful not to do anything 
that will bring smiting of conscience, nothing to 



wound our new mind. Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit 
of Christ in us. Let us keep close to the Heavenly Father 
by prayer and study of the Word. Thus shall we be 
wholly sanctified, and "made meet for the inheritance 
of the saints in light." 

I want a godly fear, 

A quick, discerning eye. 
That looks to Thee when sin is near, 

And sees the tempter fly; 
A spirit still prepared. 

And armed with jealous care; 
Forever standing on its guard. 

And watching unto prayer. 



SM586 



DEATH IN ADAM-LIFE IN CHRIST 

"Since by man came death, by man also comes the 
resurrection of the dead; for as all in Adam die, even 
so all in Christ shall be made alive. But every man in his 
own order- -Christ the First-fruits; afterwards they that 
are Christ's during His presence."— \ Cor. 15:21-23. R.V. 

Once we considered most unkind, most unjust, the 
Bible declaration that our Creator condemned all of 
Adam's race with him, on account of his "original sin." 
But now, in the light of the clearer unfolding of God's 
Word, we are privileged to see differently. Now we 
perceive, not only that God did no injustice to Adam's 
children, but on the contrary that in this very particular 
He did them a great kindness--that His act was in the 
interest of humanity in general. We are aware that this 
statement will appear paradoxical to those who have not 
yet gotten the proper focus upon the Divine Plan. 

The key which unlocks the difficulty is the proper 
appreciation of the penalty imposed upon Adam and his 
race. The erroneous, unscriptural view of this penalty, 
which came down to us from the Dark Ages, teaches that 
God damned Adam and Eve, and every child born to 
them, to an eternity of torture at the hands of the devils. 
This unscriptural, irrational view of the wages of original 
sin has caused all our difficulty. Indeed, it is safe to say 
that no other false doctrine held by God's people ever 
drove so many intelligent minds away from God, from 
the Bible and from the fellowship of the Church. 

Can we fault such people? Surely not! Indeed, in 
our day matters have come to such a pass that, even if 
this view be propounded in any congregation of Christian 
people anywhere, not one in ten would confess to believe 
it. And it is to their credit that their hearts and their 
heads have outgrown this theory of the dark past. 

SM587 

Christian people heartily repudiate these creedal 
misrepresentations of God and His Word. Nevertheless, the 
subject is not clear to them; and they fear that to repudiate 



this doctrine would be to repudiate the Bible and 
to become infidels. Just here is their mistake. The 
majority of professed Christians are not Bible students. 
They know what they THINK about the Bible, what they 
BELIEVE it teaches, what they have been TOLD it teaches, 
and what the catechism SAYS that it teaches. But they 
have never made a critical investigation of the Bible 
themselves to LEARN for themselves what it really does 
teach, to have a "Thus saith the Lord" for their belief. 



"THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH" 

However we read our Bibles in the past, we read into 
them from the creeds of a darker time the mischievous 
error that when the Word of God declares a death penalty 
for sin it really means the reverse of this~life~eternal 
life in eternal torture. Who was authorized so to twist 
the inspired words in such a devilish fashion? Who had 
the right to add to God's Word and to make void its 
true teaching in this way? Hear the words of the 
Apostle: "The wages of sin is DEATH; but the gift of 
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
(Rom. 6:23.) What statement could be more simple? 
The wicked will not be granted life at all, either in 
pleasure or in pain. They are under sentence of death- 
destruction. Eternal life is a GIFT; and it will be given 
only to those to whom it will be a blessing—to those who 
will accept it through Jesus Christ our Lord. All others 
will experience the very death penalty which God pronounced 
against Father Adam and his race when sin first 
entered the world. 

Let us turn to Genesis and note the statements made 
to our first parents respecting sin and its penalty. Let 
us note that, without the twisting of theology, we would 
have no difficulty whatever in understanding the Divine 

SM588 

sentence, as evidently our first parents had done. The 

sentence pronounced upon Father Adam for his disobedience 

was, "Dying, thou shall die." "Dust thou art, 

and unto dust shall thou return." "Cursed is the ground 

for thy sake. In sorrow shall thou eat of it all the days 

of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth unto 



thee;... until thou return unto the ground from 
which thou wast taken." (Gen. 2:17; 3:17-19.) How 

beautifully simple, clear and rational! God took from 
our first parents the privilege of living, because they did 
not use their blessing in harmony with His Law. 



"ALL IN ADAM-ALL IN CHRIST" 

There would have been no hope of a future life, good 
or bad, had not God in His mercy provided the Savior— 
the Life-giver, as the Syriac renders the word. In God's 
due time He set before His Son, the Logos, the opportunity 
of becoming man's Redeemer. The Logos was 
made flesh (John 1:14), and obediently gave Himself 
in death--"tasted death for EVERY MAN." As by one 
man's disobedience the sentence of death passed upon the 
race of Adam, even so by the obedience of "the Man 
Christ Jesus" unto death, justification to life passed for 
all the race—the opportunity to return to the original 
perfection possessed by Adam before he fell. Now we 
see the wise reason for permitting the sentence to pass 
through one man's disobedience to all of his posterity. It 
was in order that one Sacrifice for sin might make 
possible the reconciliation of the entire race. 

Now read our text and drink in its depths of beauty 
and force. The resurrection of mankind from the sin, 
death and tomb condition to the full perfection and image 
of God from which the race fell in Adam, is the salvation 
which God has provided for all. Whoever shall fail to 
attain the full recovery from sin and death conditions 
will have himself to blame for rejection of the glorious 
arrangements which God has made in and through Christ. 

SM589 



THE FIRST RESURRECTION 

God divides the salvation of mankind into two parts: 
that of the Church to spirit nature, and that of the world 
to perfected human nature. The first He is accomplishing 
during this Gospel Age. The second He will accomplish 
through Christ and the Church during the Millennial 
Age—during Messiah's Reign of a thousand years. 



The Church, the "little flock" of saints, who are 
called, tried and tested in the narrow way during this 
age, are to constitute the "First Resurrection" class 
and to become the Bride of Christ, "the Church of the 
First-borns." These are to be associated with the great 
Redeemer in His future work. These shall be made like 
Him, changed from earthly to Heavenly nature, sharers 
of His glory, honor and immortality. After the glorification 
of the Church, the Kingdom of God under the 
whole heavens will be inaugurated. Then will begin the 
blessing, the salvation, the uplifting, the resurrection, 
of mankind in general from sin and death conditions— 
not to spiritual conditions, but to perfect earthly life in 
a perfect earthly home-Paradise restored. 

All the willing and obedient shall be blessed by the 
great Life-giver who, eighteen centuries ago, died, the 
Just for the unjust, and who during the interim has been 
selecting those who will be His associates in the work 
of human uplift. With this Bride class He will reign 
to bless all the families of the earth. As for the wilfully 
disobedient, the intelligently wicked, we read: "All 
the wicked will He destroy." (Psa. 145:20.) He will 
not preserve them in torture or otherwise. They will 
die the Second Death. But none will die the Second 
Death because of Adam's transgression. Christ died for 
that transgression, and will release Adam and all his 
race therefrom, even while holding them responsible for 
every wilful transgression, and giving them stripes or 
punishments therefor, in order to teach them to love 
righteousness and to hate iniquity. —Acts 3:19-23. 



SM590 

GOD'S OATH BINDS ABRAHAMIC COVENANT 

"I have sworn, saith Jehovah... that I will 
greatly bless thee, and I will exceedingly multiply thy 
seed as the stars of Heaven and as the sand which is 
upon the seashore... and in becoming thy seed shall 
all nations of the earth bless themselves. "--Gen. 22:16-18. 



[At the invitation of numerous Jewish societies Pastor Russell 
addressed a Jewish mass meeting early in 1911, at Cincinnati. 
The audience was estimated at above five thousand Jewish men, 
and crowds were turned away. Ladies were in evidence only 
in the boxes. 

Pastor Russell was introduced to the audience by Attorney 
Rodimus, Editor of the official organ of the Zionists, "The 
Nation," who served as Chairman. In a few well-chosen words 
he presented the speaker as a friend of Israel, whose message 
of comfort and consolation, based upon his interpretation of the 
Hebrew Scriptures, had aroused Zionists to fresh interest in 
their own Holy Scriptures which promised to give to Zionism a 
religious propulsion far beyond anything yet expected by the 
Association. Whether the audience could agree with all of 
Pastor Russell's deductions or not, they surely would accord him 
a hearing as their guest of the hour, and weigh carefully his 
words-especially his references to the Law and to the Prophets. 

The occasion of a Christian minister being welcomed by 
Hebrews to address them on religious subjects is an anomaly in 
the world's history. This does not signify, however, any deflection 
of the Jew from the tradition of his fathers; but, quite to 
the contrary, brings to the world's attention the fact that a 
Christian minister, an acknowledged student and interpreter of 
the Bible, has recognized that the Jew still has a part, separate 
and distinct from the Christian, in the Divine program.] 

Men and brethren, it affords me pleasure to address 
you, and I take this opportunity to thank the numerous 

SM591 

Jewish societies at whose invitation I am here. I am 
not a Jew! I am a Christian. But here I am in danger 



of being misunderstood. I am not a Christian of the 
ordinary sectarian type, according to whose creeds every 
Jew and everybody else except the elect are fore-doomed 
of God to an eternity of torture, because of not having 
recognized one of your brethren, Jesus, as the Messiah 
sent of God. I have not the slightest sympathy with 
that misrepresentation of the Divine Plan and of my 
Master's instructions. 

My Master and Teacher was one of your brethren, 
Jesus by name. No other Jew ever made so profound 
an impression upon the Gentile world. No other Jew ever 
magnified, and made honorable in the sight of the whole 
world, the Law of God given through Moses. No other 
Jew ever more highly honored the prophecies of the Jewish 
Scriptures. I esteem it a privilege to emulate His 
example who, in my opinion, was the most wonderful 
representative of our race. Incidentally, I am glad to 
note that intelligent Jews the world over join with me in 
this tribute—that they recognize that none but a great 
Personality could have made so deep an impression upon 
the intelligent masses of the world, even though they do 
not recognize Him as the Messiah. 

Once, like many others, I misunderstood the teachings 
of my Master and His Apostles, and supposed that Moses, 
the Law Covenant of the Jewish people and the prophecies 
of your sacred Scriptures were all done away, all 
canceled, all renounced. But, my friends, a more thorough 
study of the New Testament has taught me that 
all of its presentations are founded upon the testimonies 
of the Law and of the Prophets; and that their teaching 
is that much, yea, the better part of all of God's glorious 
promises to your nation are still future and, I believe, 
now about to be realized. I congratulate you upon the 
glorious promises that are yours as a people, not yet 
fulfilled, but amply secured to you by the word and oath 

SM592 

of our unchangeable God. Permit me to refresh your 
memories respecting some of God's gracious promises. 



GOD'S COVENANT OATH-BOUND 

I remind you that your nation began with Father 
Abraham; that the foundation of your nationality, upon 
which all the hopes which thus far have brought you 
most wonderfully preserved as a people to the present 
hour are built, is God's promise to Abraham and His 
oath of assurance that that promise would be fulfilled. 
If it seems strange to us that the Almighty should condescend 
to make oaths to His creatures respecting the 
gracious gifts of His hand, I remind you that God knew 
what Abraham did not know; namely, that the promise 
attested by that oath would linger thirty-nine hundred 
years without accomplishment. 

God foreknew that without His oath to that promise 
you as His people would naturally feel that He had forgotten 
it or that something had occurred to alter or 
amend the Divine program. Hence the oath, and the fact 
that this great Covenant is called the Covenant of the 
Oath, in which God swore by Himself, because there was 
not a greater, saying, in the words of our text, "Surely 
in blessing I will bless thee and will multiply thy seed, 
and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless 
themselves; for thy seed shall be as the stars of Heaven 
and as the sand upon the seashore." 

This Divine Promise and the Oath which makes it 
sure has been the Gibraltar of your faith and has kept 
you separate from all other nationalities for all these 
long centuries. And let me say that I am not here today 
to urge you to join any of the numerous Churches of 
many denominational names; but, quite to the contrary, 
I urge you to remain Jews and to strive more earnestly 
and more intelligently than ever to be worthy of, and 
therefore to attain, the glorious things which God has 
promised to you as the natural seed of Abraham-natural 
heirs of that Abrahamic Covenant. 

SM593 



JACOB'S PROMISES ALL EARTHLY 

I remind you that from Genesis to Malachi nothing 
in your Holy Scriptures implies a change of nature from 
human to spiritual. Nothing intimates that you will ever 



be like the angels. The prophetic promises, on the contrary, 
tell us of restitution to the former estate—to 
human perfection and to an Eden home restored—world-wide. 
The Jubilee system of your Law once practised 
taught the same lesson. On the fiftieth year every slave 
was set at liberty, and every piece of property reverted 
to its original owners. In this God is picturing man's 
return to harmony with Himself —his liberation from the 
bondage of Sin and Death, his restoration to the image 
of his Creator, from which through sin he fell, and the 
return to him of the dominion of the earth in its glorious 
perfection. There your Prophets declare, "Every man 
shall sit under his own vine and fig tree, with none to 
molest or make afraid." "They shall not build and 
another inhabit, but long enjoy the fruit of their labor." 
I remind you of the wonderful word-pictures drawn 
by the Prophet Isaiah. He tells how the wilderness shall 
blossom as a rose and the solitary place be glad; that 
streams shall break forth in the desert. The blessing of 
the Lord shall be upon the earth and it shall yield its 
increase. He tells that then the inhabitants "shall no 
more say, I am sick" —when all the blind eyes shall be 
opened and all the deaf ears shall be unstopped; when the 
lame shall leap and all shall be glad. The Prophet Jeremiah 
tells us that then it shall no longer be necessary to 
say to one's neighbor or to one's brother, "Know thou 
the Lord, because all shall know Him, from the least 
unto the greatest." The Prophets Isaiah and Habakkuk 
explain that in that glorious time the knowledge of the 
glory of God shall fill the whole earth, as the waters 
cover the sea. Those blessed conditions, my friends, can 
not yet come to the world, according to the Scriptures, 
until first God's blessing shall be upon His people, according 

SM594 

to the Oath-bound Covenant, that through you 
the blessing shall extend to all the nations of the earth, 
when the Law shall go forth from Mt. Zion and the Word 
of the Lord from Jerusalem. 

I am sure that I speak directly to your hearts when 
I say that that glorious picture of human Restitution is 
far more captivating to your hearts than any suggestions 
of a Heavenly kind—which you cannot comprehend. We 
may discuss the earthly blessings in the language of the 



Scriptures. But even if we could describe the angelic 
conditions beyond the veil of human sight, they would 
seem intangible to you in comparison. And if I had the 
authority to offer any choice respecting these earthly 
blessings described by the Prophets and certain spiritual, 
intangible. Heavenly, inconceivable, incomprehensible 
things, you would surely say. Let others have their choice, 
but give me the glorious things promised to the seed of 
Abraham by the Lord through the Law and the Prophets. 
And so it is to be, my dear friends. Those blessings are 
to come to you; for God's Promise and Oath so testify. 

Had we the time and were this the opportunity, it 
would afford me pleasure to discuss with you what I 
clearly see in the Law and the Prophets respecting your 
race, and indicating that the fulfilment of those blessings 
is just at the door. Should you so desire and should this 
great Auditorium be again placed at our disposal, I will 
take pleasure in calling your attention to the things that 
are written in the Bible which, alas! the Jews, as well as 
the Christians, have neglected to study. What are your 
prospects, according to the Scriptures? We read, "A 
King shall reign in righteousness and princes shall 
execute judgment." Is not that Israel's King? And is 
not the period of His Reign the time for which you have 
so long waited, when your nation shall have the Divine 
measure of blessing and become the Divine channel, not 
only for your own uplifting, but for the blessing of all 
other nations, as the Oath-bound Covenant declares? 

SM595 



A HEAVENLY KING OF GLORY 

Possibly some of you have imagined Messiah's Kingdom 
an earthly one and Messiah Himself a great man. 
It is but natural that we should pull down to our own 
level of thought the glorious things of Divine promise. 
But doing so in this case is a mistake. Messiah, the great 
King, will not be a man, but a Spirit Being, Jehovah's 
honored Agent, whose glory and honor will be far higher 
than that of angels, who will be His ministers. 

Do we not remember how it is written in the Book of 
Daniel (7:13) that Messiah, the great King, shall come 
in the clouds of Heaven? To Him the Ancient of Days 



will give the dominion and government and all peoples 

and nations and languages shall serve Him. Surely we 

are not to expect Messiah to come as a man and to conquer 

the world with a Jewish army, with cannons and dreadnaughts. 

No, my dear friends. God has another method 

by which earthly powers shall melt before His glorious 

Kingdom in the hands of Messiah. 

Soon the next verse will have fulfilment. The mountains 
will melt like wax at His presence. From the 
Heavenly ones will come the message of God's righteousness; 
and all the people of the world shall see His glory 
—the glory of the Divine character in the righteousness 
of the Divine Kingdom. All worshipers of idols of 
every kind will be ashamed. Those who are worshiping 
mammon, stocks and bonds, houses and money, will, as 
Mr. Carnegie has declared, be ashamed of riches which 
they cannot account for along the lines of the Golden 
Rule. The next verse, dear friends, tells of yourselves 
and how this Message of the Kingdom will affect you, 
saying, "Zion heareth it and rejoiceth; glad are the 
daughters of Judah because of Thy decrees, O Jehovah!" 

Then follows the message that is particularly due today 
to all, both rich and poor, "Ye that love the Lord, 
hate evil. He will perserve the lives of His pious ones." 

Studying the Bible from this standpoint I am sure 

SM596 

that, with myself, you will see that the Divine predictions 
of Messiah's Kingdom indicate that it will have a glory 
and a power super-human, in the light of which Solomon's 
glory and riches and wisdom and honor will fade. Indeed, 
was not Solomon merely a foreshadowing of the 
great King of Glory, the Heavenly One? And I, too, a 
Christian, am looking for the same Messiah mentioned 
by the Prophets. I, too, pray to God continually, "Thy 
Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in 
Heaven." Not only so, but all Christian people must 
surely come to this same position; thus the gulf between 
the Jew and the Christian grows less and less until the 
consummation when the same glorious majesty, "the 
desire of all nations," shall come.--Haggai 2:7. 

In conclusion, I ask you to note the critical translation 
of my text which I have given. According to the Hebrew, 
the nations are to bless themselves in the Seed of Abraham. 
In other words, after the establishment of Messiah's 



Kingdom, when your nation shall have been reorganized 
and brought into favor with God under the New Covenant 
(Jer. 31:31-34), and when the princes of all the earth 
under Messiah's direction shall be Israelitish— Abraham, 
Isaac and Jacob and all the holy Prophets--then the door 
of opportunity, first to the Jew, will stand open to all 
nations, that they all may come in, under the gracious 
terms of that New Covenant, as servants of God, become 
in this adopted sense the children of Abraham. This is 
the significance of the words of our text. The nations 
shall bless themselves in Abraham's seed—by becoming 
through faith and consecration to God members thereof. 

Hail to the brightness of Zion's glad morning. 
Long by the Prophets of Israel foretold! 

Hail to the millions from bondage returning! 
Gentiles and Jews the blest vision behold. 



SM597 

CHURCH'S SHARE IN 
PENTECOSTAL BLESSING 

"Ye have an unction from the Holy Spirit, and ye all 
know it. "-1 John 2:20. 

The Lord's anointed people have much advantage 
every way. But their anointing does not permit them to 
know all things at the present time, as the Common 
Version translation declares; for the Apostle Paul himself 
tells us, "Now I know in part; but then shall I know 
even as also I am known." (1 Cor. 13:12.) What St. 
John wished to impress upon his hearers is that whoever 
has received the anointing of the Holy Spirit has received 
a blessing of which he has evidence and assurance. He 
is not left to mere imaginings respecting his anointing 
by the Lord. The word unction, used in our text, is not 
common today. Therefore the Greek original is better 
rendered anointing, as in the Revised Version. The 
thought is the same, however—that of softening, smoothing, 
oiling-that which characterizes true Christians. 

In the Scriptures various expressions are used to represent 
the blessings of the Lord conferred upon His 
consecrated people at Pentecost and throughout this 
Gospel Age. Sometimes these expressions refer to the 
different phases of the operation of the Lord through His 
Holy Spirit upon His people. Consequently these different 
expressions represent different viewpoints merely. 
For instance, we read that the early Church was baptized 
with the Holy Spirit; that is, they were immersed in the 
Holy Spirit—for the entire room in which they were 
sitting was filled with the Spirit of the Lord, from which 
a share of blessing, an unction or anointing, was imparted 
to them. Again, that influence referred to in the Scriptures 
as a begetting of the Holy Spirit pictures to our 
minds this same influence or unction or anointing from 
on High as the beginning of a new life, a new nature. 



SM598 

This same unction or influence is also referred to as 
our quickening— another representation of the development 
of the new life in us as New Creatures. But the 
clearest and most beautiful illustration of the Holy 
Spirit's influence upon the people of God during this 
Gospel Age is that of our text--the anointing. This is 
the figure or symbol by which the Lord foreshadowed 
this blessing in the types of the past. The Church which 
He is calling out from the world to be heirs of God, 
joint-heirs with Jesus Christ their Lord, if so be they 
suffer with Him, is promised a share of their Lord's glory 
as kings and priests unto God during the Millennium. 
They are promised that the work of the Lord begun in 
them at the time of their anointing of the Spirit, their 
begetting of the Spirit, will be finished or completed in 
the First Resurrection. The message is, "Blessed and 
holy are they that have part in the First Resurrection; on 
such the Second Death hath no power, but they shall be 
priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him 
a thousand years. "--Rev. 20:6. 



THE TYPICAL ANOINTING 

Looking back into the Mosaic Law, which St. Paul 
assures us was "a shadow of good things to come" (Heb. 10:1), 
we find that the high priest of Israel was anointed 
with an especially prepared anointing oil, and that this 
anointing constituted the Divine evidence of his call to 
the priestly office. The oil was of peculiar composition, 
olive oil being the basis, with perfumes, etc., added; and 
the Israelites were not permitted to compound a similar 
oil, to the intent that it might be shown typically that 
the Holy Spirit thus represented is different from everything 
else in the world, and that its anointing or authorization 
is superior to any other.~Ex. 30:23-33. 

When the high priest was consecrated to his office, the 
anointing oil was poured upon his head. (Lev. 8:12.) In 
the antitype the Lord Jesus, the Head of the Anointed 

SM599 

Body, received the anointing of the Holy Spirit at His 



baptism--at the very time of His consecration to sacrifice, 
at the age of 30 years. The anointing oil poured 
upon Aaron's head is described by the Psalmist prophetically 
as running down from his head even to the 
skirts of his garments. (Ps. 133:2.) Thus is pictured the 
complete Christ, Head and Body; and thus we are shown 
that the same anointing which came to the Head at His 
baptism must ultimately extend to the very last members 
of the Body of Christ, down at the close of the Gospel 
Age. The fact that the Body receives of the anointing of 
the Head is also illustrated in the type; for the under 
priests, sons of Aaron, did not receive the anointing directly, 
being reckoned as members of Aaron's body. 

So with the Church of Christ, the anointing of the 
Holy Spirit, which came to our Lord at His consecration 
at Jordan, continued with Him during His ministry, 
and was perfected in Him at His resurrection. Not until 
He had ascended on High and had appeared in the presence 
of God for the Church did He receive permission, 
authority, of the Father to communicate the Holy Spirit 
to all who had consecrated themselves as His disciples. 
His members. (Acts 2:33.) The same Holy Spirit which 
He had Himself received of the Father at His consecration 
He now communicated to His followers. It was 
represented in the anointing oil poured upon Aaron's 
head and flowing down to his shoulders and over his 
body. This same anointing of the Holy Spirit has continued 
throughout this Gospel Age--not that there is a 
new Pentecost for each individual member of the Body 
of Christ, but that whoever through faith and consecration 
becomes a member of the Anointed Body comes 
under this unction, this anointing, which has continued 
to be upon the Church throughout this Age, and will 
continue until the last member of the Body has made his 
calling and election sure to membership in The Christ. 

As Aaron's call to the office of priesthood was signified 

SM600 

by the anointing oil, so with our Lord at His anointing 
at Jordan, and so with all the members of His Body 
as they come into fellowship with Him. Their receipt 
of the Holy Anointing is their call to the Lord's service 
here and hereafter—a service of suffering, self-denial, 
etc., in the present time, but a service of glory and honor 



hereafter. St. Paul declares, "No man taketh this honor 
unto himself, but he that was called of God, as Aaron 
was." (Heb. 5:4.) As our Lord Jesus could not, and 
did not, anoint Himself, and constitute and authorize 
Himself to be a priest, so likewise not one of His followers 
could make himself a priest unto God. No one 
can have a right to serve in the capacity of a priest unless 
he be anointed of the Holy Spirit; and as our text 
declares, all who have been thus anointed know it. 



ISRAEL'S KINGS TYPICALLY ANOINTED 

Because our Lord and His Church are to be God's 
representatives, not only in the priestly office, but also 
in the kingly office during the Millennium, therefore this 
was also typed. The kings of Israel typified the King of 
Glory; and of David and Solomon it is written that they 
"sat upon the throne of the Kingdom of the Lord"-- 
typically. In due time, antitypically. The Christ, the 
greater David, the greater than Solomon, shall sit upon 
the Throne of His glory; and before Him shall be gathered 
all nations, whom He shall separate—the sheep from the 
goats--during the Millennial Age. This great King of 
the incoming Age was typified by Melchizedek, who had 
centered in him both the kingly and the priestly office; 
for it is recorded that he was a priest upon his throne 
(Gen. 14:18; Heb. 7:1-3.) Similarly The Christ of glory, 
Jesus the Head and the Church the Body, will be the 
enthroned Priest; or, as expressed under another figure, 
"we shall be kings and priests unto God, and shall reign 
on the earth."-Rev. 5:10. 

To show that the Anointed Company would exercise 

SM601 

the ruling authority as well as the priestly functions, the 
Lord so arranged the type of the outpouring of the Holy 
Spirit that every one who served as king of Israel should 
be anointed with the holy anointing oil—typical of the 
Holy Spirit-the same oil that was used in the anointing 
of the high priests. This type is made still more luminous 
when we remember that David was anointed to be 
king over Israel when he was but a lad— many years 
before the death of Saul. No priest, however, could be 



anointed until the time of the beginning of his priesthood. 

The antitypical teaching of this fact is that Christ 

and His followers are to begin their work as priests immediately 

after they receive their anointing. From that 

moment their sacrificing should commence and should 

continue until the consummation-even unto death. But 

the same anointing which they have received as respects 

the kingly office has a future fulfilment. 

Our Lord was anointed to be a King, but He did not 
at once assume kingly functions. Likewise we, as members 
of His Body, the Church, have in our anointing of 
the Holy Spirit a recognition of our coming kingship and 
joint-heir ship with Him, if we remain faithful. But we 
do not as yet enter upon any ruling mission. That 
kingly and authoritative work is reserved until we shall 
have been changed to His image and likeness at the First 
Resurrection. Then, raised in glory, raised in power, 
raised spirit beings and thus made like Him, we shall be 
sharers of His glory as the Priest upon the Throne—the 
antitypical Melchizedek. 



WHY THIS SUBJECT IS LITTLE UNDERSTOOD 

However it may have been in the days of the Apostles 
under their direct and correct instruction, we may be 
sure that there is a great deal of uncertainty upon this 
subject today, on the part of very many Christian people 
respecting their having been begotten of the Holy Spirit. 
That is to say, some who have been thus begotten do not 
know it, are uncertain of it. This should not be, and 

SM602 

would not be if it were not for the confusion of mind 
which has come down to us from the Dark Ages respecting 
the Holy Spirit of God. Some of the most devout of 
the Lord's people have been confused by the errors of the 
Dark Ages which teach that there are three gods; whereas 
the Bible distinctly enunciates that there is but one 
living and true God- the Father, of whom are all things; 
that there is one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all 
things; and that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit or Power 
or Influence which proceeds from the Father and from 
the Son— the influence or power with which we are 



anointed -1 Cor. 8:6; John 15:26; Acts 2:33. 

Not a text of Scripture anywhere declares a trinity 
of gods. The unity between the Father and the Son is 
distinctly declared to be that of mind, purpose, will, not 
that of person. The ordinary superstition that there are 
three gods who are one in person seems too absurd for 
discussion. If three, how can they be one? If one, how 
can they be three? But when we take the Scriptures as 
they read, then we obtain a reasonable, proper conception 
of the subject. Our Lord Himself assures us, "My 
Father is greater than I;" "The Father sent Me;" "I 
ascend to My Father and your Father, to My God and 
your God." When we then come to consider the anointing 
which came upon the Church at Pentecost and has 
continued with it ever since, we find nothing that is 
absurd or unreasonable, but quite to the contrary. This 
is the anointing which the Father gave to the Son at 
His consecration, and which the Son was permitted to 
extend to all who by consecration became recognized as 
members of His Body, His Church. 

The absurd and confusing thought which perplexes 
so many minds is the thought that the Holy Spirit is another 
god, who stays with us and enters into each one of 
the Lord's consecrated people as a person. Thus the 
Holy Spirit as a person is supposed to inhabit thousands, 
yea, millions of people! To any proper mind there is 

SM603 

something altogether incomprehensible in this teaching. 
As soon as we imagine one complete person so divided 
up as to inhabit millions of other persons at the same 
time, we have destroyed all personality. The Scriptures 
call for no such absurdities, but tell us plainly that the 
Holy Spirit is the influence or power from the Father 
and from the Son by which we are anointed, consecrated, 
recognized as the Lord's people, members of the Body 
of Christ, the Church of the living God. 

For centuries this doctrine of the Trinity was supported 
by one text; namely, 1 John 5:7, which now all 
scholars of all denominations acknowledge to be spurious. 
Only within the last century have many of the old manuscripts 
of the Bible been found; and this text is not in 
any of those written prior to the seventh century. The 
evidence is so unquestionable that the learned men who 



translated the Revised Version of the Scriptures, although 
all Trinitarians, omitted this verse entirely, recognizing 
that it was fraudulent, introduced with a view to 
proving the doctrine of the Trinity at a time when that 
doctrine was gaining ascendancy and found itself handicapped 
by the fact that there was no statement of Scripture 
in its support. 



GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT EVERYWHERE 

The Scriptures do not teach Divine Omnipresence, as 
some have assumed and others have declared. Not a 
word in the Bible from first to last makes any such statement 
or gives ground for any such inference. What it 
does teach is much more reasonable and consistent in 
every way; namely, that God is not everywhere present, 
but that Heaven is His Throne; that our Lord Jesus is 
not everywhere present, but that He has sat down with 
the Father in His Throne of Heavenly glory. But the 
Scriptures plainly teach that both the Father and the 
Son are representatively present in believers through 
the Holy Spirit—the holy influence, the power of God, 
which is everywhere present. 

SM604 

However difficult it may have been to realize this in 
the past, some of our modern inventions should help us 
greatly to appreciate the declaration of the Holy Writ to 
this effect. For instance, in my Study there is a long-distance 
telephone, over which at times I speak to people 
at great distance in a manner that only a few decades ago 
would have been considered impossible. Thus I can 
know definitely what is occurring in another city at a 
given moment just as well as if I were on the spot and 
could see with my own eyes. Can humanity under Divine 
guidance attain such a proficiency in the use of the 
elements of nature as to possess such a knowledge of 
things of this world; and shall we suppose that He who 
formed the ear and the eye, and who gave us our intelligence, 
is not able by powers of His own to know what is 
occurring in any part of the Universe as He may please? 

What is this power by which the Lord knows? someone 
may ask. We answer, the Holy Spirit, Holy Power, 



Holy Influence. Still another illustration of our times 
enables us to grasp in some degree an appreciation of 
the Lord's greatness and His ability to know through His 
Holy Spirit; namely, wireless telegraphy. And we are 
even told of a new invention of wireless telephony! How 
wonderful it seems that even without a wire without any 
direct connection, we should be able to communicate at a 
distance! Even likenesses are transferable after this 
manner! Again we ask. What shall we say of the 
Almighty and His Holy Power, by which He can know 
not only of our words and deeds, but also of our very 
thoughts and the intents of our hearts? Surely we 
may well bow in humble reverence before this great 
Divine Power of God! But we only confuse ourselves 
if we think of the Holy Spirit as another God, limited as 
to personal presence to one spot at one instant. Let us 
take God's Word, God's way, and free ourselves from the 
troublesome confusion of the Dark Ages, which finds no 
support in the Word of God. 

SM605 



"ANOINTING FROM THE HOLY ONE" 

Be it noted that our text does not declare that we are 
anointed WITH the Holy One, as though the Holy One 
became the oil, or influence; but that it teaches clearly 
that the anointing which we have received came from the 
Holy One— as the Apostle Peter explains, from the 
Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, we recall 
St. Paul's statement that all things are of the Father 
through the Son. Our begetting to the spirit nature is of 
(or from) the Father, but by (or through) the Son. The 
anointing which we have received, we have already seen, 
was typified or pictured in the anointing oil of old, and 
signified a Divine blessing to the Lord's Priesthood, who 
ultimately shall be kings, joint-heirs with our Lord Jesus 
in the Kingdom. 

This holy anointing implies a power and authority; 
and again we use an illustration. Let an electric car represent 
a justified believer in the Lord Jesus; let a dynamo 
suitably connected with a trolley represent our consecration; 
let a wire represent our Lord's gracious promises 
given to His disciples when He ascended on High, after 



having told them to tarry at Jerusalem until endued with 
power from Above. The car standing with the trolley on 
the wire and with the motor properly connected, etc., will 
represent the Christians at Pentecost before the Holy 
Spirit came upon them. 

In this picture Heaven itself would represent the 
power house; and the turning on of the electric power 
would represent the shedding forth of the Holy Spirit. 
When it came, it operated upon all who were in contact 
with the wire; and none others. Such were moved, 
energized, by the Spirit, the influence, the power from 
God, and spoke in His name— sometimes in one demonstration 
and sometimes in another. But in every case 
the Holy Spirit was the invisible power, however differently 
it may have operated in various cases and for 
various reasons; and in every instance the maintenance 

SM606 

of the power of the Holy Spirit upon the individual was 

dependent upon the continued contact of his faith—just 

as the relationship of the car and its motor to the current 

was dependent upon a trolley connection, which well represents 

faith. Break the connection, break the faith; and 

the power is gone. 

So thus, only as we abide in the Lord through faith, 
only as we continue to recognize Him as our Head and to 
heed His Word and to hold fast to the precious promises 
therein, can we maintain our relationship to the Holy 
Spirit which He has set forth for all who are of this way. 
As the electrical current will not take the place of a 
trolley or of a motor, so the Holy Spirit in us will not 
take the place of faith or of consecration. But if faith 
and consecration are in proper order, the Holy Spirit 
will quicken or energize them for the service we desire to 
render and the confidence we are seeking to enjoy. 



THE EFFECT OF THE ANOINTING 

As already intimated, the effect of the anointing will 
be to energize us in the Lord's service. Our contact with 
the Lord and His Holy Spirit will not only quicken our 
mortal bodies, but energize our faith also, and day by day 
will open wider and wider the eyes of our understanding. 



that we may be daily the better able to comprehend the 
lengths, breadths, heights and depths of the Divine 
Character and Plan, that we may rejoice therein. 

To the Jew this olive oil used in the anointing had a 
very wide range of usefulness. It served him as a food 
often, instead of butter. It served him as a medicine. It 
served for a light. In general, olive oil, olive berries and 
the olive tree were the symbols of peace. In considering 
olive oil in connection with such an anointing, therefore, 
we have several very beautiful and forceful thoughts as 
respects the blessing conferred by the anointing. In 
harmony with this, the Holy Spirit is represented as 
being not only an anointing for our priestly service of 

SM607 

sacrificing now and for our glorious service of the future 
as kings with our Lord, but also a peace-producing and 
light-giving influence. And is this not the effect of the 
Holy Spirit upon all who receive it? Does it not tend 
toward the enlightenment of our minds, on account of 
which the Apostle declares of the Anointed Company 
that they have the spirit of a sound mind? (2 Tim. 1:7.) 
Is it not in line with this thought that he assures us that 
in proportion as we receive more and more of this Holy 
Spirit, this anointing influence, it will produce in us the 
peaceable fruits of righteousness and will grant to us 
that, the eyes of our understanding opening wider, we 
shall be able to comprehend with all saints the lengths, 
the breadths, the heights and the depths and to know the 
love of Christ which passeth all human understanding? 

This influence or power with which we are anointed is 
designated a Holy Spirit or influence, a spirit of love. 
Thus it is contrasted with the worldly spirit of selfishness 
and sin. The latter is of the earth earthy; the former is 
Heavenly. The latter is common to the natural man in 
his fallen condition; the former is granted only to the 
New Creature in Christ Jesus. The latter is a spirit of 
ambition, envy, hatred, malice, strife; the former is a 
spirit of joy, peace, benevolence, goodness, mercy, 
brotherly-kindness, love. Oh, how different are these two 
spirits! The spirit of envy is not a person; nor is the 
spirit of love a person. But the father of envy and of 
murder, the one from whom this spirit first emanated, is 
Satan, who was a murderer from the beginning. On the 



other hand, the new mind, the Holy Spirit which we have 
received from the Father through the Son, is similarly 
not a person, but an influence. O blessed influence! Let 
us be more and more filled with it. As the Apostle urges: 
"Be ye filled with the Spirit. "--Eph. 5:18. 

The Apostle James points out that this Holy Spirit 
which the Lord's consecrated people have received is one 
of wisdom, that it brings blessings which the worldly 

SM608 

spirit of selfishness, strife, cannot bring. The one, he 
declares, is Heavenly, holy; the other is earthly, devilish. 
He explains that the wisdom which comes from Above 
is first pure, then peaceable, easy of entreatment, full of 
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy. 
(James 3:17.) It has a smoothing, oiling, unctuous 
effect upon all who receive it. They become more 
and more like their Father in Heaven. True, there are 
some differences of natural disposition by which some 
are less hindered than are others from receiving the 
Spirit of the Lord in large measure. 

In proportion as we had been able to discern sin and 
to reject it from our hearts, in that proportion we were 
able to receive the spirit of holiness appreciatively; and 
this of course was in different measures as we differ one 
from the other according to our natural constitutions 
through heredity. Hence the Apostle Paul exhorts us to 
be filled with the Spirit— an exhortation which may apply 
to us all the time. Just as the motor in the car must be 
connected with the live wire by the trolley, so we should 
ever be in contact with the Lord and His precious 
promises. Otherwise we lose the power; we lose the 
assistance; we lose the strength and grace necessary for 
our aid, comfort and development. 

The Apostle furthermore urges that we put off, empty 
ourselves of our natural tendencies received through 
heredity. We are to put away all these: Anger, wrath, 
hatred, envy, strife—works of the flesh and of the Devil. 
In proportion as we realize that these are contrary to the 
Spirit of the Lord, and in proportion as we desire to be 
filled with that Spirit, will be our earnestness in putting 
away the wrong spirit, the wrong condition— in emptying 
our hearts of the things pertaining to the perverted flesh, 
that they may be filled with the things of the Spirit of 



God, that we may be sanctified and made ready for the 
Master's use in the service of the present time as well as 
in the future glory.--Rom. 8:28,29. 



SM609 

A BLESSED HOPE FOR 
SUFFERING HUMANITY. 

"We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth 
in pain together until now. And not only they but 
ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, 
even we groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, 
to wit, the redemption of our Body. "--Rom. 8:22,23. 

Only for a short time will any thoughtful person 
question the declaration of the Apostle—that the human 
family taken as a whole is a groaning creation. He does 
not include the Church for reasons which we shall see 
shortly, yet he points out that the Church also groans 
under present conditions. As we pass along the streets, 
and hear the strains of music which occasionally come to 
us from public and private performances on instruments 
of music, as we hear the laughter and see the throngs 
going to theaters, expositions, ball games etc., we might 
be inclined at first to say there is a good share of the 
creation which does not groan much. But as we look more 
closely at the facts as they come to us in daily course we 
find that much of the laughter is hysterical and an offset 
to tears, that much of the music is paid for on business 
principles to cheer and enthuse others, and some of it indulged 
in with the desire to drown care. 

Similarly those who attend places of amusement do so, 
not because they are happy, but because they are unhappy. 
Groaning in spirit, they are seeking something 
to drive dull care away~to assuage their disappointments 
and heartaches. We believe that the experiences 
in life will generally agree with us that childhood is life's 
happiest hour, and that with the coming of greater knowledge 
and responsibility come cares, disappointments, 
heartaches and crosses to the world of mankind in general. 

SM610 

Let us remember, too, that what we know of the 
world is in many respects best, most favored and least 



burdened section— America. 

Looking into the Bible we are informed respecting 
the angels and the joys of Heaven, and given to understand 
that no sorrow enters there, nor any tears, nor any 
dying. We inquire. Did not the same God who created 
man create the angelic hosts? Why then should there be 
so wide a distinction, so wide a difference between the 
conditions in earth and in Heaven, that our Redeemer 
should teach us to pray that ultimately God's Kingdom 
should come to earth and His will be done on earth as it 
is done in Heaven? Why does He tell us that the faithful 
in the resurrection will be made like unto angels, neither 
shall they die any more? Why are we not like the angels 
now? Why do we die? Why are we sick? Why are we 
imperfect in our mental, moral and physical powers? 
Why are we deficient in our physical strength? The answer 
to these questions requires superhuman wisdom. 
There must be a reason; otherwise the same just, loving, 
gracious God would treat His human creatures. His 
human children, as kindly, as generously, as His spiritual. 
Why is it, that all of our blessings are of hope while all 
the blessings of the angels are actual and present? 



"GOD LOOKED DOWN AND BEHELD" 

Still seeking information we inquire of the Bible respecting 
man's condition, why it is as it is and how it 
came about. We note the prophetic declaration that God 
"looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from 
Heaven did the Lord behold the earth; to hear the groaning 
of the prisoner; to loose those who are appointed to 
death." (Psa. 102:19-21.) This is in full conformity 
with the Apostle's statement, and adds the further explanation 
that the groaning is because man is a prisoner 
and under death sentence. But when did he become a 
prisoner? When did the death sentence come upon him? 

SM611 

The Scriptures answer that our race was sold under 
sin—became the slave of sin-and that the experiences of 
sorrow, degradation, imperfection and death are all 
parts of the wage of this great taskmaster. Sin. The 
Apostle declares that "the wages of sin is death," and 



personifies Sin and Death, representing them as the great 
monarchs that are now ruling the children of men. He 
declares that Sin and Death have reigned, and as a matter 
of fact we know that the whole race is subject to these 
monarchs. (Rom. 6:23; 5:14,21.) The tomb, into which 
both good and bad go, is the great prisonhouse where all 
are figuratively said to sleep, waiting for the Morning of 
the blessed Millennial Day when Messiah shall come, shall 
vanquish Satan, who has the power of death, and shall 
deliver the captives from the chains of sin and from the 
prisonhouse of death, Sheol, Hades, the grave. 

Mark the Redeemer's words, "I am He that liveth and 
was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore and have 
the keys of death and of Hades [the grave]." (Rev. 1:18.) 
Note again the prophetic statement along the same line, 
referring to Messiah and the work of His gracious Kingdom 
when it should be established. We read, "I, Jehovah, 
have called Thee in righteousness and will hold 
Thine hand and will keep Thee and will give Thee for a 
covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles~to 
open the, blind eyes to bring out the prisoners from the 
prison; and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house." 
(Isa. 42:6,7.) And again, "The Spirit of Jehovah 
is upon Me, because Jehovah hath anointed Me to 
preach the good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me 
to bind up the broken-hearted; to proclaim liberty to the 
captives and the opening of the prison to them that are 
bound."-Isa. 61:1. 

Our Lord personally preached from this text, and 
declared Himself to be the One who would fulfil this 
prophecy—who would release our race from its slavery 
to sin and its bondage to death. The assurance of the 

SM612 

Word of the Lord is that we have Divine sympathy, and 
that a Savior adequate to all the conditions has been 
supplied by the Heavenly Father, and that the world 
merely awaits the proper time for Him to act, to strike off 
these shackles, to unlock the prison door and to let all the 
prisoners go free from this condemnation. 



ORIGIN OF MAN'S SLAVERY TO SIN 

A matter which is so general as to include every member 
of the race in this slavery to sin-and-death conditions 
is very noteworthy, and it is profitable that we hearken 
carefully to the Word of God for all explanation for it. 
The Apostle gives the explanation, saying, "By one 
man's disobedience sin entered into the world and death 
as the result of sin, and thus death passed upon all men 
because all are sinners." (Rom. 5:12.) Turning back 
to Genesis we find the Apostle's words abundantly supported 
by the history of Adam and his deflection from 
obedience to God and his rejection from Divine fellowship, 
including his expulsion from Eden, that he might 
be thus subjected to dying conditions because of his disobedience, 
his sin. There the slavery began; there the 
groaning and dying of our race had its start. The Creator's 
words were, "Thorns and thistles shall the earth 
bring forth to thee; in the sweat of thy face shall thou 
eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it 
wast thou taken; for dust thou art and unto dust shall 
thou return."--Geii. 3:18,19. 

Nothing could be plainer, simpler, more easy of comprehension 
to those who had no human philosophy and 
smoke of the Dark Ages to becloud their vision. It is 
most evident that the groaning began with Father Adam, 
and that it has continued ever since, as his posterity has 
lost more and more the perfection of the image and likeness 
of God in which Adam was created, and has become 
more and more depraved mentally, morally and physically, 
until now "there is none righteous, no, not one"; 
none perfect either in word or deed. (Rom. 3:10.) To 

SM613 

will aright may be present with us, as the Apostle suggests, 
but how to perform all that we will is another 
matter. As he again declared, "Ye can not do the things 
that ye would." (Gal 5:17.) The difficulty is that the 
dying conditions have left us imbeciles as respects absolute 
good, and weakened as respects resistance of the 
temptations of the Adversary. The explanation is sufficient, 
as no human speculation on the subject is. Thank 
God that with the explanation the Bible holds out before 
us the hope referred to—the hope of the deliverance of 



our race from this bondage of the prison-house. 

Our context notes these facts, saying, "The creature 
[humanity] was subject to vanity [frailty, imperfection, 
weakness], not of its own will but by reason of him that 
subjected it [by reason of Adam's transgression]." 
Nevertheless, we read that this subjection to frailty was 
not without hope, a good hope, a great hope, a blessed 
hope, and this in the Bible is called 



"THE HOPE SET BEFORE US IN THE GOSPEL" 

We note the context which declares that although the 
creature, mankind, was subjected to sorrow, imperfection, 
dying, through another, through Father Adam, he is not 
without hope; for "the creature itself also shall be 
delivered from the bondage of corruption [death] into 
the glorious liberty of the sons of God." (V. 21.) This 
is a remarkable declaration, for be it noted that it is not 
referring to the Church, the Elect, the Little Flock, but 
to the creation, the world in general. Do other Scriptures 
support this declaration that God proposes ultimately to 
deliver the human family from bondage to sin and death 
--from bondage to corruption? Yes, we reply. This 
was the very statement of the angels promulgated at the 
time of the announcement of our Savior's birth, "We 
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto 
all people."-Luke 2:10. 

Moreover, the Scriptures give us a philosophical explanation 
not only of why the reign of Sin and Death has 

SM614 

been permitted, but of how and where their reign shall 
be annulled and humanity be delivered. The declaration is 
that the Lord Jesus paid the penalty for Adam, and that 
this works not only a release of Adam himself from 
Divine condemnation to death, but works also the release 
of all those who came under Divine condemnation through 
Adam's sin-the entire groaning creation. All the Scriptures, 
in speaking of the deliverance of the groaning 
creation, point to Messiah as the Divine Agency in effecting 
this deliverance. We have already quoted the declaration 
of Jesus and the prophets to the effect that He 
shall open the prison doors and set the prisoners at 



liberty. We remember also the words of the angels on 

the subject of good tidings of great joy which shall be 

unto all people, that it was because a Savior had been 

born--the anointed Lord, Messiah. Thus all through 

the Scriptures every hope of the race as respects deliverance 

from sin and degradation to eternal life is based 

upon Messiah and His work—His sacrificial work finished 

at Calvary and His work of glory during the Millennial 

Age, which will be begun at His Second Advent. 



"THE LIBERTY OF THE SONS OF GOD" 

In the context which I have quoted the Apostle declares 
that the groaning creation shall yet be delivered 
from its bondage to corruption into the liberty of the sons 
of God. The meaning of this is clear. The corruption 
came upon all through Adam, the deliverance from that 
corruption is to come to all through the second Adam. 
All are to be delivered from such bondage, however they 
may use the deliverance, or the privileges of liberty. 
Those who use it rightly will come into harmony with the 
Redeemer and with the Heavenly Kingdom, and will be 
blessed eventually with eternal life. Those who reject it 
after they come to understand fully, and comprehend its 
lengths and breadths, will thus be choosing for themselves 
the Second Death. The liberty of the sons of God, their 
freedom from corruption, death, is here distinctly shown. 

SM615 

The angels are not subject to, not bound by, such corruption, 
such dying conditions. They as sons of God are free 
from corruption, from death. 

Adam, in his original perfection, was a son of God, 
as the Scriptures declare (Luke 3:38), but he lost his sonship 
for himself and for all of his race and received instead 
degradation and bondage to corruption. The hope 
for Adam and for his race, then, in Christ is deliverance 
from the power of sin and death into the liberty proper 
to them as sons of God. The entire Millennial Age, as the 
Scriptures show us, will be devoted to this work of setting 
free the human family from the various bondages of ignorance, 
superstition, weakness, heredity, and of bringing 
back all who will by restitution processes to the original 



image and likeness of God, and making them again 
human sons of God like unto Father Adam before he 
sinned, plus a large and valuable experience gained 
during the six thousand years of the fall and also through 
the one thousand years of the raising up—the Millennial 
Age, the Resurrection Age. 

Note the Apostle's argument on this subject in a preceding 
chapter leading up to our text. After telling that 
sin entered by one man's disobedience and that it was 
communicated to all of the race, he declares, "For as by 
the transgression of one many died, much more did the 
grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, 
Jesus Christ, abound unto many. For if by the transgression 
of one, death reigned through the one, much more 
shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the 
gift of righteousness, reign in life through the one, even 
Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression the 
sentence came upon all men to condemnation, even so 
through the one act of righteousness the free gift came 
unto all men to justification of life. For as by the disobedience 
of one man many were made sinners, so by the 
obedience of one shall many be made righteous. "~ 
Rom. 5:12,15,17-19, R.V. 

SM616 

How beautifully clear is this statement by the Apostle! 
We wonder how it was that we so long overlooked the 
true import of these words. We perceive that our eyes 
were holden and blinded by the unscriptural theory that 
when the Church, the "little flock," the saints, should be 
selected, all the remainder of mankind would be condemned 
to an eternity of torture! Since we have gotten 
rid of that delusion, our eyes are opening more and more 
to behold the lengths and breadths and heights and depths 
of God's great plan of salvation, which first deals with 
the Church during this Gospel Age and subsequently will 
deal with all of the redeemed—all of the children of Adam 
condemned for Adam's disobedience and bought with the 
precious blood of Christ, and to be justified for their condemnation 
and set at liberty by the great Redeemer when 
he shall in due time take unto Himself His great power 
and reign.-Rev. 11:15-19. 



WHY SO LONG DELAY 

The question is frequently asked, Why should God so 
long delay to bring these blessings to the world? If God's 
Plan indeed be higher and nobler than any of the plans 
and theories of men, why has it not yet been demonstrated? 
Why are there not yet evidences? Why has He 
permitted the world to remain so long in its slavery to sin 
and death--4,000 years and more before He sent the 
Redeemer—nearly 2,000 years since that Redeemer has 
purchased the world, and yet only a mere handful of the 
race has as yet even heard of the only name given under 
Heaven and amongst men whereby we must be saved? 
Why the delay? Does it not contradict God's claims of 
love and sympathy and power? If He has the love which 
longs to help the world, does He lack the power? Is He 
unable to accomplish His good purposes? Or if He has 
the power, does He lack the love, the will? 

The Scriptures assure us that the love of God is boundless, 
and that He has already accomplished for mankind 
a redemptive work at the cost of the life of our Lord 

SM617 

Jesus. They assure us, too, that God's Love is the same 
today that it was eighteen centuries ago, that Divine 
Power is almighty, and that it only waits for the proper 
time to come to exercise itself for the full accomplishment 
of the Divine will and for the full blessing of all the 
families of the earth, through the Messiah, the Redeemer. 

The explanation of the delay is fully given in the 
Scriptures, which assure us that before the Divine Plan 
shall extend to the world for its blessing and uplift, another 
work must first be accomplished; that God's purpose 
to bless Adam and his race is a restitution promise, 
and that the Millennial Age will be "times" or years of 
restitution, uplifting mankind from the mental, moral 
and physical degradation into which it was plunged during 
the six thousand years of the reign of Sin and Death. 
It will also be a time for blessing the physical earth, and 
making it the proper home for the perfect race, the footstool 
of God, filled with the glory of God. 

But before doing this God purposed a work, if possible 
still more wonderful, namely, the selecting of the 
Little Flock, the elect Church, who, instead of being restored 



to human perfection, will prove her loyalty to the 
Lord by her self-sacrifice, even unto death, and be granted 
a share with Christ in the First Resurrection—a change 
from earthly nature to Heavenly nature—far above 
angels, principalities and powers, like unto her glorified 
Redeemer and Head. This work of selecting the Church 
has been an important one, and has occupied a long 
period; and those who now have the privilege of becoming 
members of this elect Church and joint-heirs with the 
Redeemer cannot esteem the privilege too highly, but 
should with the Apostle count that any loss or sacrifice 
would be as dross in comparison with the excellency of 
the blessings promised. 



"WE OURSELVES ALSO GROAN" 

Turn again to our text and context. Note again how 
the Apostle differentiates between the Church and the 

SM618 

world and the groanings of each. Of the Church he says, 
"We ourselves also groan within ourselves, waiting for 
the adoption, to wit, the deliverance of our Body." The 
world, without God and without hope, groans in doubt 
and despair, but the Church-having a good hope as an 
anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast, entering into that 
which is within the veil— cannot groan after the same 
manner as the world. 

But notwithstanding all our hopes, all our joys in the 
Lord, all our fellowship one with the other, we that are 
in this Tabernacle do groan, being burdened. All of our 
joyful anticipations of the future, and our realization of 
the present that all evil things even are working together 
for our good and preparing us for the glory to come- 
all these do not hinder us at times from feeling a measure 
of the trouble, sadness and discouragement of our earthly 
environment. Our physical, mental and moral weaknesses 
at times assert themselves so strongly that we cannot 
as New Creatures do as we would; we cannot exult 
in tribulation even though in our hearts we may rejoice. 
As the Apostle suggests, we are at times "in heaviness 
through manifold temptations." (1 Pet. 1:6.) But ours is 
not an outward groaning, or should not be. As our text 



suggests, we "groan within ourselves." It is a subdued 
groan, a modified one, because of the offset of our 
glorious hopes. 

Note again that the Apostle shows that while both the 
world and the Church groan, they are waiting for different 
things. We are waiting for the deliverance of our 
Body (not bodies, in the plural); we are waiting for the 
deliverance of the Church as a whole. Some of the members 
have gone before, but finally the entire Body of 
Christ, which is the Church, will be completed. Then we 
shall see our Lord and will be with Him and share His 
glory, a united Church, a united Body of Christ, beyond 
the veil. For this we wait, we hope, we pray. 

But the world, the groaning creation, knows not of the 

SM619 

Divine Plan. Its groaning is of a hopeless character; 
but we may know what God has provided for mankind 
even though the world be blind and in ignorance of this. 
We know that through The Christ, during the Millennial 
reign, all the families of the earth will be blessed with 
recovery from death, and with enlightenment and restitution 
assistances to righteousness and eternal life, and 
that only the incorrigible will die the Second Death. 

And so the Apostle says that the groaning creation is 
"waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God." We 
are the sons of God. As the Apostle says, "Now are we 
the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall 
be [how glorious] ; but we know that when Christ shall 
be revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him 
as He is." (1 John 3:2.) We see then that the world's 
hope is in the glorified Church, whose glorious Head is 
the Redeemer Himself. When this Church shall be exalted 
in Millennial glory the world's time of blessing will 
begin. Then all the groaning creation shall be liberated 
and have the opportunity of coming out of the corruption 
of death, mental, moral and physical, and into liberty 
and perfection of life as the sons of God, all of which 
privileges have been secured for them through the merit 
of the precious blood. 

How glad we are that in this dawning time of the New 
Dispensation the true light is shining from the Divine 
Word, as well as throughout the realm of nature! How 
glad we are that we no longer must think of the Church 



alone as the subjects of salvation and the world as a 

whole the subjects of condemnation and eternal torture! 

How just, how reasonable, how loving, are the Divine arrangements! 

To see these things should draw our hearts 

near to the Lord in appreciative love, and we should 

worship with the greatest devotion One whom we thus see 

worthy of praise and adoration. 

We are not, however, to expect the world to be able to 
realize these things. It is not the Divine purpose that 

SM620 

they should grasp the Plan. As the Master said to the 

faithful disciples of old and still says to us, "To you it 

is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but 

to outsiders all these things are spoken in parables and 

dark sayings, that hearing they might hear and not understand." 

They will both hear and understand in due 

time, but now is the time for the calling out of the Elect, 

the perfecting of the saints, etc. 

Let us whose ears and eyes have been blessed of the 
Lord respond with all gratitude and humility, not merely 
with outward praise of our lips, but also with our hearts 
let us confess His loving kindness and tender mercy; and 
let this appreciation more and more sanctify our hearts 
and separate us from the world, its aims, its selfishness. 
Let us fight a good fight against sin, especially in our 
own mortal bodies; for even though the imperfections of 
the flesh be not counted against this New Creation, begotten 
of the Spirit, nevertheless the fact that we possess 
the Spirit of the Lord should lead us more and more to 
desire that perfection which is most pleasing and acceptable 
to Him, and to strive, therefore, to the extent of our 
ability; not trusting to the attainment of that perfection, 
but relying upon the merit of that great Atonement 
Sacrifice, offered once for all and sufficient for the sins 
of the whole world. 

Jesus, our great High Priest, 

Hath full atonement made; 
Ye weary spirits rest; 

Ye mournful souls be glad: 
The year of Jubilee is come. 
Returning ransomed sinners home. 



Extol the Lamb of God, 

The all- atoning Lamb; 
Redemption through His blood, 

To all the world proclaim: 
The year of Jubilee is come. 
Returning ransomed sinners home. 



SM621 



THE LIVING AND TRUE GOD 

"God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must 
worship Him in spirit and in truth. "--John 4:24. 

The structure of the brain places veneration at the 
very top, and thus by implication conforms the statement 
of the catechism that "Man's chief end is to glorify God 
and to enjoy Him forever." However great the depravity 
of our race in the dark places of the earth, this 
element of veneration, of an instinctive appreciation of a 
God and a feeling of responsibility toward Him, constitutes 
a foundation upon which to build, to reconstruct, 
to reorganize the depraved elements of character. Without 
this fulcrum, missionaries and philanthropists might 
well lose all heart and all hope in respect to the moral and 
social uplift of the masses and the classes. Whoever, 
therefore, is intelligently a friend to his race must do 
everything in his power to maintain this center of mental 
balance of mind and to utilize it as an essential feature 
in the Divine arrangement for human well-being. Whoever 
in any manner or degree undermines this element of 
the mind is surely doing a destructive work, instead of a 
constructive one, whether he realizes the fact or not. 

But, alas, that we must say it, some of the most intelligent 
of our most intellectual day are rapidly drifting 
away from the fundamental truth that there is a living 
and true God! These intellectuals are accepting the 
thought of an impersonal God. From our standpoint 
this is tantamount to saying, "There is no living and true 
God." This is the position taken, not only by Theosophists 
and Christian Scientists, but also by many scientific 
and professional thinkers. Rarely is an attempt 
made to define the impersonal God. Rather the term God 
is used merely as a concession to popular sentiment and 

SM622 

the "ignorance of the unlearned." Those who hold this 
view often use the word nature as a synonym for God. 
Their thought really seems to be that there is no intelligent 
Creator in the Universe; that our sun, stars and 



planets are governed by what they term "natural laws," 
and that humanity prospers and progresses merely as it 
learns by experience the operation of these laws, and 
seeks co-operation and avoids conflict with them. 

Christian Science, dealing less with the scholastic and 
more with the ordinary reason, attempts to explain that 
the word God simply signifies Good. And then with 
something of a play upon words, which confounds the 
reasoning faculties of the untrained mind, it tells us that 
whatever is useful is good and therefore is God. Proceeding 
with the explanation, it declares that every tree 
and rock have good or usefulness in them, and hence to 
that extent have God in them. Elaborating further, it 
says that God is in the air, because of its vitalizing effect; 
that He is in the flower because of its goodness and usefulness 
for beauty and fragrance; that He is in the tea-kettle 
because of its usefulness; likewise in the table, the 
floor, the ceiling— in everything. Whoever entertains 
such views proportionately destroys his faith in a personal 
God, "the Living and True God," and in the Bible 
as His revelation. 

How could an impersonal God have a purpose, a will, 
a plan, a program? How could it give a revelation of 
that purpose or program in the Bible or otherwise? "He 
that Cometh unto God must believe that He is, and that 
He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." He 
shall be found of them. "He that seeketh findeth." 

But our Christian Science friends meet our objection 
with the assertion that Buddhists and Theophists hold 
the same view, and that they represent a large proportion 
of the human family. Furthermore, they claim that the 
same thought of an impersonal God is taught in all the 
principal creeds of Christendom, when they declare 

SM623 

faith in an omnipresent God. Alas! we must admit that 
the charge is well founded; and that the seed of error on 
this subject was planted in our minds and confessions of 
faith long ago. Be it noticed, however, that this inconsistency 
cannot be charged against the Bible, for although 
our confessions of faith were ostensibly made to be in 
harmony with the Scriptures, the truth is that not one 
word of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, declares 
Divine omnipresence, but every utterance on the subject 



affirms the personality of the Father, and that our Lord 
Jesus is the "express image of His person. "~Heb. 1:3. 



THE GOD OF THE BIBLE A PERSON 

"God is a spirit," but He is a being, a person. The 
Scriptures distinctly tell us that a spirit has not flesh and 
blood, as we have; but they as distinctly inform us of the 
Divine personality, and use the members and qualities 
of the human body to bring the Creator within the range 
of our apprehension. The Hand of the Lord (His Divine 
Power), and the Eye of the Lord (His Divine Wisdom) 
are in every place. The Ear of the Lord is bowed down 
to hear the groaning of the prisoner. And the Heart of 
the Eternal is most wonderfully kind. Heaven is His 
Throne and the earth is His Footstool. True, these expressions 
are pictorial, figurative; nevertheless they 
figure not an impersonal Creator, but a personal One, 
who feels, who thinks, who exercises His power; who has 
displeasure with those who are sinful and who loves those 
who seek to do His will, to walk in righteousness. 

Whoever cultivates this thought of a righteous, personal 
God, assists in establishing his own heart along 
lines of corresponding character. He seeks a further 
knowledge of such a Creator; seeks his compassion and 
His protecting care, and learns to love Him, as he never 
could appreciate nor love Nature or any disordered conception 
of a space-pervading non-entity. He whose mind 
and heart grasps the Scriptural Personality of the 

SM624 

Heavenly Father catches the significance of our Savior's 
words, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And 
not one of them shall fall to the ground without your 
Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 
Fear not, therefore; ye are of more value than 
many sparrows. "--Matt. 10:29-31. 

Such may worship in spirit and in truth proportionate 
to their knowledge of the Infinite One, whom they were 
directed to address, "Our Father, which art in Heaven." 
Thinking of the Almighty as everywhere present is entirely 
unsatisfactory to our comprehension, which calls 
for a God whose Throne is in Heaven. This was the same 



thought that our Savior again impressed on the women 
who met Him after His resurrection. To these he said: 
"I have not yet ascended to my Father and to your 
Father; to my God and to your God." Thus the general 
trend of Scriptural testimony confirms the thought which 
we receive by nature, and intensifies and elaborates it, 
by giving location and quality of heart, mind and power. 
Regardless of the truth of the two theories, the Bible 
presentation is surely the more helpful to humanity. To 
have no personal God must eventually signify to the reasoning 
mind no Law-Giver, no Judge, no Justice, no Love, 
no Mercy, no personal relationship as between father 
and child. Thus would be lost the very basis of Christian 
faith and doctrine. 



INFINITELY SUPERIOR TO OUR HIGHEST IDEALS 

The Scriptural presentation of the Almighty is, therefore, 
the one most consistent to our reason and most helpful 
to us; namely, that He is a great God, infinite in His 
Wisdom, His Justice, His Love and His Power. His 
personality has Heaven for His locality, but His influence 
and powers pervade the Universe. We may but 
imperfectly imagine the various channels of His information 
and the innumerable agencies through which He can 
exercise the Almighty Power. But in the light of present 
SM625 

day invention, we have at least suggestions of it; for cannot 
man communicate by wireless telegraphy over hundreds 
of miles? And not only so, but cannot he use the 
Hertz-waves for the transmission of power? And can 
he not with the telescope greatly enlarge his vision, and 
with the microscope see things otherwise indiscernible? 

And if puny man, imperfect and fallen, "born in sin 
and shapen in iniquity and of few days and full of 
trouble," can thus enlarge his natural powers, what 
limitations might he justly or wisely set upon the intelligence 
and powers of his Creator? "He that formed the 
eye, shall He not see? He that formed the ear, shall He 
not hear?" He that gave to humans the sense of justice, 
shall we not consider Him the very embodiment of Justice? 
He who gave us the power of sympathy, compassion 
and love, shall we not consider Him, the Author of 



our powers, as infinitely superior to our highest ideals? 

For our present purpose it is not even necessary that 
we be believers in the Bible in order to formulate before 
our minds something of the glorious character and attributes 
of our Maker. True, correct views of the 

teachings of the Scriptures will surely aid us in our conceptions; 
but at this time we are addressing not merely 
believers in the Scriptures, but also unbelievers. We 
urge, then, that rational thought on the subject bids us 
believe that man is the highest type of earthly intelligence, 
and this teaches us that there must be an intelligent 
Creator as much superior to us as we are to the 
crawling worm. Yea, more than this. He who gave us our 
intelligent being must be separated from us by a still 
wider gulf than that which separates us from the worm. 
And it is but a logical process of reasoning that the 
noblest of our talents and powers are but feeble reflections 
of the same qualities in our Creator. 

From this standpoint, how great is the God which our 
intelligent reason would picture! How worthy of our 
reverence, our devotion, our love, our service! The 

SM626 

Scriptures assist us by showing that the blemishes which 

we find in ourselves and others are the results of disobedience 

to the Divine instruction. 

IGNOBLE CONCEPTIONS OF A DARK PAST 

Filled with so noble a conception of Deity, we would 
naturally hasten to worship and bow down, but are 
stopped by the voices from the Dark Ages, which misrepresent 
the Almighty, implying that He is not the embodiment 
of Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power. These 
voices assure us that, although He has commanded us to 
love our enemies, and to do good to them that hate us, 
persecute us and say all manner of evil against us falsely, 
nevertheless the Almighty, who gave these commands, 
does not love nor forgive His enemies, but has made preparation 
for their eternal torture. 

There is something wholly inconsistent between these 
voices from the past and the voices of our reason. It is 
claimed by many that the Bible substantiates the voices 
of the Dark Ages, the creeds. But we hold that this is a 



mistake, partly attributable to poor translation and 
partly to misunderstood parables. The reasoning mind 
surely rebels against the theory which in the Dark Ages 
held sway and led to the Inquisition and the stake. And 
it is glad that it has gotten rid of so gross a misconception 
of the "Father of Lights." A well-balanced and reverential 
intellect will rejoice to find and to recognize a God 
who not only is not devoid of Justice, Wisdom, Love and 
Power, and on a plane lower than our own, but is infinite 
in these attributes and worthy of reverence and worship. 

We assent that the Divine Word, the Bible, has been 
greatly misrepresented by us all in the past, and deserves 
reconsideration. If our forefathers read the Bible with 
smoking lamps and blurred vision, and nevertheless got 
some blessing, what a power of God it would be to us 
now if, in the light of the electric arc, we should find it 
the Store-house of Divine grace and truth, perfectly coordinated 
and surpassing our highest ideals! 



SM627 



DUAL PERSONALITY OF THE CHRISTIAN 

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 
workethfor us afar more exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory."-! Coy, A'Al. 

Few, even amongst Bible students, discern that the 
true Church of Christ is wholly distinct and separate 
from the remainder of mankind; and that the Scriptures 
speak literally when they declare that the Church is a 
New Creation and its members New Creatures. As 
with the natural man there is a human begetting and a 
human birth, so with these New Creatures in Christ there 
is a spirit begetting, which will culminate in the First 
Resurrection—their spiritual birth, when they shall "be 
changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," thereafter 
to be glorious spirit beings, joint-heirs with their 
Redeemer in His Millennial Kingdom and the great work 
of blessing all the families of the earth. 

On reading St. Paul's words, "Though our outward 
man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" 
(2 Cor. 4:16), the majority, even of Christians, are inclined 
to apply it to all mankind and to look for an outward 
and an inward man in all with whom they come in 
contact. Such a misunderstanding on the part of a 
Christian is apt to result in one of two things: (1) Scrutinizing 
himself and recognizing to some extent his own 
twofold nature, he mistakenly supposes that all mankind 
are the same as himself; or (2) Looking at the world in 
general and perceiving no such dual personality as the 
Apostle mentions, he doubts his own dual nature, and 
thus fails to receive any profitable lessons from St. Paul's 
statement recorded in our text. 

This confusion is increased by the fact that nominal 
Christianity includes three classes: (1) A class which 
claims to be Christian merely because the name is popular; 

SM628 

(2) A class of justified believers in the Cross of 

Christ, the scope of whose consecration is merely to avoid 

sin in its crudest form and to live decent, creditable lives; 



(3) A class that has gone beyond that just described, has 
recognized with appreciation the Divine mercy already 
received, and in response has made a full consecration of 
life to the Lord--a consecration even unto death, a consecration 
to serve the Lord and to walk in His steps whatever 
the cost, a consecration to sacrifice earthly interests, 
advantages, privileges, etc., as well as to avoid sin~in the 
interest of truth, and all those principles of righteousness 
which represent the Heavenly Father and His Son our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

This last class is of course that which the Master denominated 
a "little flock," and which continues to include 
"not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not 
many noble." But it is this class alone that receives 
spirit-begetting, the "earnest of our inheritance" of 
those great blessings which "God has in reservation for 
those that love Him" more than they love houses or lands, 
parents or children, husband or wife, or even life itself. 
These spirit-begotten ones, the smallest section of those 
who profess Christ, are the only class addressed throughout 
the New Testament; for these are prospectively "the 
saints," the "Elect," so frequently mentioned by the 
Apostles and uniformly addressed in the opening of each 
Epistle -1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1; Phil. 1:2. 

A CLASS NOT OF THIS WORLD 

Some may have thought that the Apostles were exceptions 
to every rule, and that their sacrifice of earthly 
interests, their sufferings of persecution in the flesh, and 
their self-denials in the interests of the Gospel service 
were not designed of the Lord as illustrations or examples 
for the remainder of the Church. This is a mistaken 
view which will, if entertained, hinder us from obedience 
to St. Paul's injunction, "Be ye followers of me, even as 

SM629 

I also am of Christ"; and his declaration, "Ye became 
followers of us and of the Lord."~l Cor. 11:1; 1 Thess. 1:6; 
Eph. 5:1,2. 

True, our Lord Jesus was not only the Redeemer, but 
also the great Shepherd and Guide of His followers. True, 
He sent forth the Twelve Apostles as His special representatives 
and mouthpieces in the establishment of the 



Church, a mission which entailed upon them special obligations 

and duties, as well as special privileges and opportunities. 

Respecting all of His followers. His 

"sheep," He says, "They are not of the world, even as I 

am not of the world." To them He says, "If the world 

hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. 

If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; 

but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen 

you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." 

Again, "If any man will serve Me, let him follow Me; and 

where I am, there shall My servant be. "--John 17:16; 

15:18,19; 12:26. 

That all of our Lord's followers—not only the 
Apostles, but the very humblest of the sheep-are included 
in these conditions and in the rewards promised 
to the faithful, is distinctly shown in our Lord's references 
to His Second Coming and to the blessings then to 
be administered to all of His faithful disciples, amongst 
whom He includes, not only His Twelve Apostles (who 
are indeed to have the most honorable position in glory), 
but also every member of "the Church which is His 
Body." In the parables of the Pounds and the Talents 
our Lord evidently addresses those who will be alive at His Second 
Advent, and speaks as if they were the representatives 
of all of His faithful followers throughout 
the Gospel Age, to each one of them He has entrusted 
certain gifts and responsibilities as His servants, as New 
Creatures in Christ -Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27. 

Changing times and circumstances vary conditions; 
but the principles enunciated in the Scriptures continue 

SM630 

in force and meaning. In civilized lands it is no longer 

customary to crucify, to stone to death, to beat with rods 

or to burn at the stake. The Gospel of Christ has made 

a deep impression upon the world and its general sentiments, 

even though the message has influenced only a 

"little flock" to accept full discipleship and willingness 

to "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." It is still 

true, however, that even in this present Age, "all who 

would live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution" 

(2 Tim. 3:12)-more refined, more civilized, 

but in some respects no less bitter and malicious than that 

of times past— sometimes causing excruciating pain, sorrow 



and heartache. 



"YOUR BRETHREN THAT PERSECUTED YOU" 

It is still true that as the persecution of our Lord's 
time came from the nominally religious and orthodox of 
His day and nation, and as all the persecutions of the 
Dark Ages were instituted by the professedly religious 
and professedly orthodox, so likewise today. More of 
the pain and sorrow, more of the mortification of our 
flesh, come from the professedly religious, professedly 
orthodox, professedly brethren, than from any other 
class. In every instance the difficulty arises from the fact 
that these nominally religious people who would persecute 
the members of the Body of Christ do so because of mistaken 
conceptions of the Divine will and because they 
lack the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God, the Holy 
Spirit, the Spirit of Love. 

The Scriptures explain that Satan exercises a great 
influence upon the world, blinding many with prejudice 
and using them unwittingly as his tools; and that God 
permits him to do so for the better ultimate accomplishment 
of the great and glorious Divine purpose. Of those 
who crucified our Lord St. Peter declares, "I wot, brethren, 
that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your 
rulers." (Acts 3:17.) Of the same class St. Paul says, 
"Had they known they would not have crucified the Lord 

SM631 

of Glory." (1 Cor 2:8.) Similarly, those of the Dark 
Ages who burned one another at the stake, doubtless 
thought, as did Saul of Tarsus, that they verily did God 
service. Blinded as to the real purpose of God, and not 
appreciating His Spirit of love, they served Satan and 
sin, while supposing that they were serving God. 

Undoubtedly the same is true today of those who after 
a more refined manner oppose, speak evil of and misrepresent 
their brethren. Nevertheless, from first to last, 
God has been so overruling in the affairs of His people 
that blessing has resulted to those who are New Creatures 
in Christ. While their outward man has suffered, has 
been mortified and has perished, their inward man—their 
new nature—has been renewed, strengthened, upbuilt in 



the image of God. Their trials have made them more 
nearly, as New Creatures, exact copies of God's dear 
Son -Rom. 8:29. 



NEW CREATURE'S BATTLE WITH HIS FLESH 

Thus far we have considered only those attacks upon 
our mortal bodies which come from without, and have 
seen how, as our text declares, "our light affliction, which 
is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding 
and eternal weight of glory." From this viewpoint we 
realize that all the persecutions, trials, sorrows, pain, 
which come to our flesh are really blessings in disguise; 
for our human nature must be utterly destroyed before 
we as New Creatures can be perfected in the First 
Resurrection. It may surprise some of the Lord's dear 
people to note not only the Apostle's exhortation that 
we endure and appreciate the Lord's providences respecting 
persecutions from without, but also the fact that our 
zeal as New Creatures leads us to make an attack upon 
our flesh from within. St. Paul assures us that there is 
a continual warfare to be waged between the old nature 
and the new, and that so antagonistic are their interests 
that the development and final victory of the one means 
the overthrow and destruction of the other. Hence we 

SM632 

are exhorted to "fight the good fight of faith and to lay 
hold on eternal life."--l Tim. 6:12. 

The Scriptures inform us that our courage, our persistency 
and zeal in the fight against the old self and its 
natural tendencies, this fight in the interests of the Heavenly 
Kingdom and its Divine Law means to us either 
victory or defeat as respects our attainment of the 
glorious prize set before us in God's Word—joint-heirship 
with Christ in glory, honor and immortality, the 
Divine nature. It is to the "more than conquerors" that 
the blessed promises of the Scriptures apply. Our Redeemer 
is the Captain of our salvation, the Leader of all 
these conquerors, without whom they would be unable to 
gain the victory. But by His grace and assistance, they 
shall triumph, in harmony with the promise. —Rom. 8:37. 

This battle between the New Creature and his old 



nature is referred to by the Apostle when he exhorts the 
New Creature, saying, "Mortify therefore your members 
which are upon the earth" --deaden them. (Col. 3:5-10.) 
First of all, surrender your human will to death, that 
you may have no will of your own, but may adopt in the 
fullest measure the mind of Christ, the will of the 
Heavenly Father, that as the will of the New Creature 
it may henceforth dominate your life more and more until 
it shall control every thought, word and deed. This 
mortifying, or killing, is to grapple with every organ of 
our mortal bodies and not only to render them dead to 
sin, but to quicken and encourage them with the holy 
spirit of the New Creature. 

From the time of our spirit-begetting henceforth, our 
hands and all of their doings, our feet and all of their 
goings, our tongues and all of their words, our eyes and 
all of their visions, are to be dead indeed to sin, dead to 
selfishness, dead to everything except the new mind, the 
spirit of holiness which, controlling these members of 
our mortal body, is to use them incessantly in the service 
of God, the service of Christ, the service of the brethren, 

SM633 

the service of the Truth and, so far as opportunity may 
afford, in the service of humanity. But let us not forget, 
however, that the real service of humanity will come during 
the Millennial Age, and will be granted only to those 
New Creatures who in the present time fight a good fight 
against the old man and his natural inclinations and in 
favor of the New Creature, controlled by the Divine will. 

As the natural man perishes, the New Creature is 
developed. At first the natural man is comparatively 
strong. But if progress is made, eventually he will be 
quite in subjection to the New Creature. While the outward 
man is perishing, the new man is growing day by 
day. Eventually this will mean a thorough preparation 
for the complete "change" for the birth of the spirit in 
the First Resurrection. Since there is no development 
or schooling in the grave, and since no one can enter the 
Heavenly condition except those who in the School of 
Christ in the present life have been "made meet for the 
inheritance of the saints in light," it follows that, as St. 
Peter suggests, all who are spirit-begotten need to give 
all diligence to make their calling and election sure; for 



if they do those things which the Apostle enumerates, 
they shall never fall, but an abundant entrance shall be 
ministered unto them into the everlasting Kingdom of 
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.~2 Peter 1:5-11. 



WARNING NECESSARY TO SOME 

Here a word of warning seems necessary. Some of 
the Lord's people have the erroneous impression that 
actual perfection in every thought, word and deed is the 
Divine requirement. This is a mistake. Such perfection 
in the flesh is an impossibility. The perfection which 
God requires is, according to the Scriptures, a perfection 
of the heart, a perfection of the will. "Blessed are the 
pure in heart" —the pure in desire, and hence the pure in 
endeavor. God's Elect are selected from various stations 
in life, and hence are some more and some less 
noble by nature, some more and some less injured by 

SM634 

the fall of Father Adam. Therefore we are not to expect 

that all these will reach the same plane of outward self-control 

in the present life. 

The Scriptures point out that the Lord's judgment of 
His people will not be according to their outward attainment, 
but according to their inward development. Hence 
some of them who are naturally noble, and who are held 
in more or less high estimation amongst men, might in 
the Lord's estimation be unfit for the Kingdom and its 
high honors and responsibilities. On the other hand, 
some of those whom the Apostle denominates, according 
to thQ flesh, "the mean things of this world," and who 
according to men might never be highly esteemed in the 
flesh, might in the Lord's estimation be highly esteemed 
because of His knowledge of the loyalty of their hearts— 
their loyalty to Him, to the brethren, to the principles of 
righteousness—and their fullness of the spirit of love. 
Undoubtedly there are some great surprises in store for 
the time when the Lord will make manifest His judgment. 
His decision, as to who are His Body members. 

In conclusion, let us who recognize ourselves as New 
Creatures in Christ, begotten of the Holy Spirit of God, 
fight a good fight against the old nature, putting off more 



and more of the works of the flesh—anger, wrath, malice, 
hatred, strife—and putting on more and more the character 
fruits of the Holy Spirit— meekness, gentleness, 
patience, long-suffering, brotherly kindness, love. The 
possession of these Heavenly qualities will not make us 
popular with the world; for the spirit of darkness hates 
the spirit of light, which constantly reproves the wrong 
spirit. But these fruits and graces of God's spirit of 
love constitutes a panoply which will enable us to withstand 
all the fiery darts of the Adversary and to assist 
others in the good fight. Finally through the grace of 
God in Christ these qualities will perfect us as conquerors, 
yea, more than conquerors, through Him who loved 
us and bought us with His own precious blood. 



SM635 



DEVELOPMENT OF CHRIST-LIKENESS 

"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good 
unto all men, especially unto them who are of the Household 
of Faith. "-Gal. 6:10. 

Development of character-likeness to our Lord Jesus 
Christ is the first duty of every consecrated child of God. 
"Hereunto we were called," as the Apostle suggests, not 
especially to do something for somebody else, but especially 
to develop our own individual character- -to fight 
a good fight, to lay hold on eternal life, to get the blessings 
which God has invited us to have. Nothing that we 
can possibly do for others should be considered as appropriate 
for taking the place of the work which He has 
given us to do for ourselves individually. 

Apparently many good people make a mistake along 
this line. We see the great institutions of the various 
denominations arranging for the world's conversion and 
entertainment, but at the same time there is a lamentable 
neglect to provide for their own growth in grace and in 
knowledge of the Word of God. All this is contrary to 
the teachings of the Bible. What God's people are to 
do for the world is to be merely secondary, merely what 
opportunity may offer. Their chief work is to be for 
themselves. It is important that we get this thought well 
grounded in our minds. Otherwise it might be with us 
as St. Paul points out~that while preaching to others, 
we might ourselves become castaways. ~1 Cor. 9:27. 

But while we are developing ourselves, and while 
assured by the Scriptures that in due time we shall reap 
if we faint not, there is, nevertheless, something we can 
do beyond ourselves. As we have opportunity, we may 
do good to anybody, to everybody. These opportunities 

SM636 

are various. But in choosing what we shall do, we should 
remember the Apostle's injunction, "As we have opportunity, 
therefore, let us do good unto all men, especially 
unto them that are of the Household of Faith." 
To our understanding, the Household of Faith is composed 



of those who have "the faith once delivered unto 
the saints." (Jude 3.) To accept that faith means 
much more than to say, "Good Master, what good thing 
shall I do?" It means that one who has the faith as set 
forth in the Word of God would take the steps which the 
Master indicated as necessary for membership in the 
Household. Therefore there are a great many people 
who have not entered the Lord's Household at all. The 
Master did not say, "If you wish to be numbered amongst 
My disciples, you may do thus; or, if you prefer, you 
may do so-and-so." On the contrary. He said, "If any 
man will come after Me, let Him deny Himself, take up 
his cross, and FOLLOW ME."-Matt. 16:24. 

Addressing the Household of Faith, St. Paul declared, 
"Ye are called in ONE HOPE of your calling." (Eph. 4:4.) 
The invitation given to the Church of the Gospel 
Age was but one invitation; and those who accepted it 
are declared to be a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a 
Peculiar People. (1 Peter 2:9.) We learn, however, 
from other Scriptures that amongst those who accept the 
invitation and consecrate themselves to God there are 
two classes, the Little Flock, and the Great Company, 
the antitypical Priests and Levites. The one class faithfully 
perform their consecration vow. The other class 
lose their first love in a measure. While they do not 
become enemies of God, they live an indifferent life. 
They are not overcomers. Although they serve in many 
ways, and although on the whole they are good people, 
yet they do not come up to the standard set for admission 
into the priestly class. Therefore they will not have an 
abundant entrance into the Messianic Kingdom, but must 
"wash their robes and make them white in the blood of 

SM637 

the Lamb"; for to some degree they have been derelict. 
(Rev. 7:9-11.) They will constitute the antitypical 
Levite class, who will have a future service to perform in 
connection with the Royal Priesthood. 



WHO CONSTITUTE THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH? 

In seeking for opportunities of service, the Lord's 
people are to recognize that they are to discriminate in 



favor of the Household of Faith rather than the world 
of mankind. Whatever time we do not need for ourselves 
should be used in connection with the members 
of the Household of Faith. Should any one ask, "Why 
should you not give all your time to those who are not 
of that Household? Why should you not do slum work, 
etc.?" we reply that those who are engaged in such work 
are a class who do not understand the Divine Plan. We 
are not finding fault with them, however; for we sympathize 
with everything that makes for human uplift. 
But first of all should be our own personal uplift; and 
next should be our work for the Household of Faith. 
The reason this order of procedure should be followed, 
is that God Himself is dealing only with that Household 
at this time. 

Those who are doing slum work, etc., have the thought 
in mind that God is dealing with mankind in general now, 
and that now is the world's only opportunity for getting 
eternal life. With the erroneous thought that mankind 
are in danger of eternal torment, this class feel that they 
are doing right to neglect themselves and everything 
else in order to do this work amongst the degraded. If 
they had the knowledge of God's plans which the Bible 
gives, they would know that the Lord is not now dealing 
with the world, but only with the Household of Faith. 

This statement is in harmony with the words of Jesus, 
who prayed not for the world, but for those whom the 
Father had given Him. (John 17:20,21.) Those who 
came from the sinner class He received—those who had 

SM638 

an ear to hear His message. Whoever accepted that 
message was treated as a member of the Household of 
Faith. To such our Lord ministered especially, even 
neglecting His own temporal interests to do so. We may 
be sure, however, that He never neglected His own spiritual 
needs; for the development of Himself as a New 
Creature was His first obligation-as it is our first consideration. 
-2 Peter 1:4-11; 3:18. 

In the strictest sense of the word, the Household of 
Faith is the Family of God; those who have offered 
their bodies to God in sacrifice and have been accepted 
by Him and have been begotten of His Holy Spirit. All 
such belong to God's Family. Some of them are making 



good progress, growing strong, tall, broad; others are 
merely "babes in Christ." We might, however, make a 
distinction between the Household of God and the Household 
of Faith. The latter seems to be a broader term 
which includes those who are drawing near to "the faith 
once delivered to the saints" and are seeking to attain 
it; those who are prospective members of the Family of 
God, who will finally become so strong in faith and zeal 
that they will render a reasonable service and will present 
their bodies as living sacrifices, "holy, acceptable 
to God." -Rom. 12:1. 

We perceive this to be the proper course for development 
in character-likeness to Christ. First, we are to 
make our own calling and election sure by cultivating 
all the fruits and graces of the Holy Spirit; then we are 
to keep on the alert to note and to gladly avail ourselves 
of all opportunities in the service of God which in His 
providence are opened up to us. These we are to use 
primarily in favor of the necessities of the Household 
of Faith, and then on behalf of anybody and everybody 
who may need assistance. The helping of those in need 
does not mean, however, that we should give them luxurious 
things or enough to last them the remainder of 
life, but that we should give them enough to assist them 

SM639 

through their stress—a coat, a hat, a dress—whatever 
we could spare that they might need. If we see anyone 
who apparently is in condition to have the eyes of his 
understanding opened to the Truth of God's Word, we 
might well consider it a good opportunity for us to assist 
him. Thus we might neglect our temporal interests and 
spare the time to help such a person. But under no 
conditions should we neglect our own spiritual growth. 



"STUDY TO SHOW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD" 

In order to grow in the fruits and graces of the Holy 
Spirit, it is necessary that we study the Word of God. 
Furthermore, since we have the treasure of the new mind 
in earthen vessels that are leaky by nature, it is necessary 
that we study continually. No true Christian, therefore, 
would think for a moment of ceasing to study the Word, 



whether by direct reading of the Bible or by reading 

THE STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, which put the Word of 

God into a form especially arranged for topical study. 

A certain amount of spiritual refreshment comes also in 

connection with the morning hymn, the Manna text and 

the Vow. This refreshment we recommend to be partaken 

of every morning before breakfast—if possible as a 

family; if not, then individually. A few minutes spent 

in thinking of Heavenly things, in returning thanks to God 

and in singing a song of praise should result very 

profitably spiritually. In some way the Lord's people 

should keep in touch with His Word continually; otherwise 

the New Creature life will wither. 

There is also another kind of study which seems to 
be overlooked, even by those who study His Word faithfully. 
The study to which we now refer should be in 
progress from the moment when we awaken in the morning 
until we fall asleep at night. We should continually 
study to apply what we already know respecting God, 
respecting the Bible, respecting His will, respecting our 
duty toward others and toward ourselves, respecting the 

SM640 

Golden Rule, etc. In other words, every Christian should 

daily, hourly, continually, be studying more and more 

how to put 0j5^ anger, malice, hatred, envy, strife, evil- speaking, 

and all other works of the fallen flesh and of 

the Adversary; and with equal perseverance he should 

be studying diligently how to put on the graces of the 

Holy Spirit—meekness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering, 

brotherly-kindness, love. 

All of the Bible, all that we learn respecting it, all 
the lessons taught us by Divine providences, and all the 
advantages we receive from fellowship with the brethren 
—all these are merely preparations for the great study 
of life— how best to perform the will of God in thought, 
word and deed. We emphasize this kind of study for 
the reason that we perceive that many of the Lord's 
people do not understand the matter. They seem to 
think that their spirituality depends upon the number of 
hours which they spend in Bible study. Thus they are 
grasping only a fraction of the Truth. The great blessings 
come from our efforts to apply the principles which 
we have already learned from the Bible. This study 



requires, not that we should have our Bibles ever in hand, 
but that we should continually bear in mind the things 
which we have already studied from God's Word, in 
order to make practical application of them in the affairs 
of life, in our thoughts, words and doings toward God, 
toward our fellowmen, toward ourselves. 

If to the right or left I stray. 

That moment. Lord, reprove; 
And let Thy goodness chase away 

All hindrance to Thy love. 
Oh, may the least omission pain 

My well-instructed soul. 
And send me to the blood again, 

Which makes and keeps me whole. 



SM641 



THE CHURCH "CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST" 

"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet 
not I, but Christ liveth in me. "--Gal. 2:20. 

In an age when human ingenuity taxed itself to the 
utmost limit to invent cruelties to torture the victims 
of public revenge or hate, crucifixion certainly had a 
bad preeminence. Amongst the Romans it was reserved, 
with few exceptions, for slaves and foreigners, being considered 
too horrible and disgraceful for a Roman citizen, 
no matter what might have been his crime. This mode 
of death was the greatest possible indignity that could 
be heaped upon any offender, whether considered in 
the light of a public disgrace or of physical anguish. 

Crucifixion was a slow, lingering process of dying, 
lasting always for hours and often for several days. 
Usually the victim was bound to the cross as it lay upon 
the ground. The hands and the feet were then nailed 
to the wood; and the cross was elevated and planted in 
the socket to receive it. This gave the body a terrible 
wrench; and great was the agony that followed. The hot 
sun beat upon the naked body and uncovered head- 
which in our Lord's case was pierced with the additional 
cruelty of the crown of thorns. The ragged, undressed 
wounds festered and became inflamed; shooting pains 
darted from them through the quivering flesh. Added 
to this the agony of an increasing fever, a throbbing head 
and a raging thirst; and even the slightest movement 
intensified the anguish. As death drew near, swarms of 
flies gathered about to increase the torment, from which 
there could not be any relief. As no vital organ was 
directly assailed, life lingered on until the power of 
endurance was completely exhausted. 

SM642 

The ultimate physical cause of our Lord's death, however, 
is believed to have been literally a broken heart. 
Otherwise He would probably have lingered much longer; 
for crucifixion seldom produced death within twenty-four 
hours, and victims have lingered as long as five days. 



Pilate and the guard were surprised to learn that Jesus 
had died so soon. Instead of lingering long, He died 
suddenly, and before He was fully exhausted; for He 
had conversed with the thief and had commended His 
mother to St. John's care. He had declared His great 
work finished; and then with a strong voice, which indicated 
considerable remaining strength of both body and 
mind. He had cried, "Father, into Thy hands I commend 
My spirit," and died instantly. In the agony of Gethsemane 
the heart and the blood vessels had been affected. 
The palpitation of the heart had been so intense as to 
cause a bloody sweat—a phenomenon rare but not unknown, 
produced by intense mental excitement. Already 
weakened by such an experience, a repetition of the 
anguish probably ruptured the heart, causing instant 
death.-Luke 22:44; 23:46. 



"CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST" FIGURATIVELY 

Since actual, literal crucifixion signifies a torturing, 
slow but sure death, the figurative crucifixion must closely 
resemble it; otherwise the figure would have no value. 
When we say that any one is taking up his cross to follow 
Christ, we mean that the person is consecrated and is 
taking the first step of self-denial in espousing the cause 
of Christ. Even though it be with fear and trembling, 
he is submitting willingly to painful humbling and contempt 
in the sight of the world and of the chief priests 
and their blind followers, in order that he may share with 
the Master and all the members of the Anointed Body the 
coldness and scorn of the world and of many whom they 
seek to bless. Yet in so doing we are not alone, as was 
our Lord and Head; for we have comfort and sympathy 
from Him as our High Priest and from our fellow members 

SM643 

in His Body, the Church. With our Lord, however, 
none could sympathize. He was the Fore-runner on this 
race course; and of the people there was none with Him. 
But, some one may ask, where does our cross-bearing 
begin, and where our crucifixion? Where does it end? 
How much does it involve? We answer. Circumstances 
alter cases to some extent; and each must apply the 



matter in his own case. To enable us to do this, let us 
examine three notable examples of such cross-bearing— 
our Lord, St. Paul and St. Peter. 



"CONSIDER HIM WHO ENDURED" 

Born under the conditions of the Jewish Law, our 
Lord could not begin His service—ministry—until He 
was thirty years old, although His earlier years were 
evidently spent in studying prophetic utterances concerning 
God's Plan and His own share therein. This is made 
evident in the only record of His boyhood. When but 
twelve years old He was seeking information concerning 
the Heavenly Father's business, and was found amongst 
the eminent teachers asking questions relating to the 
prophecies. —Luke 2:42-52. 

At thirty years of age He had His first opportunity to 
begin the work which He had come into the world to do. 
Using the figure in our text, we might say that then He 
took up His cross when He came to John to be baptized 
of him in the Jordan. This was a cross—a humiliation; 
for the masses of the people were, like John the Baptist, 
ignorant of the deep meaning which our Lord attached 
to immersion as a symbol of death. John and the people 
used it only as a symbol of washing, cleansing or reformation 
from sin. Nor was it proper for our Lord then 
to explain to them a symbol which belonged to an age 
and a work not to be made known until the Pentecost 
following His death. Nor would they have understood 
if He had explained. 

But it became our Lord to set the example which, as 
their Leader, He would afterward expect all His disciples 
SM644 

to follow. Hence, as in His actual death He who knew 
no sin was counted amongst the transgressors, so in its 
symbol—the water immersion— He was "numbered with 
transgressors" (Isa. 53:12), who were there figuratively 
washing away a sinful past to make a new start in life. 

For the sinless Lamb of God thus to be misunderstood 
was doubtless a heavy cross; but it opened the way to a 
still clearer appreciation of the Father's will, which He 
had come to perform. Obedience in taking up the figurative 
cross proved Him worthy of continuing in the 



Father's service—even unto death. The Holy Power of 
God which came upon Him there enabled Him to see 
more clearly His future pathway down to Calvary; but 
it also brought clearer and clearer apprehensions of the 
exceeding riches of Divine favor and of the high exaltation 
in reservation for Him at the end of the narrow way. 



THE VICTORY IN THE WILDERNESS 

Under the increased illumination of mind which followed 
His spirit-begetting at Jordan, our Lord was led 
by His spirit of consecration into the wilderness, there to 
consider more fully in private the Father's Plan and 
His own future course in obedience thereto. There the 
cross grew heavy as He more fully realized the shame, 
ignominy and self-abasement to which His consecration 
would lead. Moreover, the Tempter threw all his weight 
upon the already heavy cross by suggesting other ways 
of doing good which were more agreeable to the flesh 
than was the way of sacrifice. But after counting the 
cost, our Lord refused any other method, whether Satan's 
or His own, and chose to have God's will done in God's 
own way, saying again, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O 
My God!"-Psa. 40:5-8. 

With this victory our Lord grew stronger; and the 
cross seemed lighter as He came out of the wilderness 
figuratively crucified, willingly delivered up to die- 
hands, feet, each and every talent and power restrained 
from self- service- all offered up as a sacrifice to God in 

SM645 

the carrying out of the Divine Plan, whatever that might 

involve, whether the dying process might prove to be 

of longer or shorter duration or of more or less pain. 

Now He more fully understood the meaning of His consecration 

vow made at Jordan. 

As a man, then, when He began His ministry our 
Lord's will was already dead to every human hope and 
ambition-dead to His own human plans and control. 
Yet He was not dead in the sense of being insensible to 
the scoffs, pains and piercing words which He would 
encounter, but crucified-delivered up to death. The 
pinioned, bleeding members-human talents, rights, etc.- 



quivered and twitched; but they always remained pinioned 
—crucified, delivered up to death—to the last, as 
when He prayed in Gethsemane that the cup of ignominy 
might be omitted. During all these three and one-half 
years of our Lord's ministry He was crucified in this 
figurative sense. That is to say. He was delivered up 
to death— His will. His talents. His all, bound and pinioned 
—in harmony with the Father's Plan. And every 
deed of His by which "virtue [vitality, life] went out 
of Him" to bless and heal in mind and body the sinners 
about Him was part of His dying, and finally ended in 
death— even the literal death of the cross. 



ST. PAUL'S EXPERIENCE 

St. Paul was not literally crucified, but ended his 
course by being beheaded— as became a Roman citizen. 
Yet figuratively he tells us long before his literal death, 
"I am crucified with Christ." That is to say, "I am 
delivered up to death. My will, my self-control, my 
talents and powers, my rights, my lawful ambitions as 
a man— all these are pinioned and bound by my consecration 
vow, so that having no will or plan or way of 
my own, I may be fully able to let the Holy Spirit-or 
mind or will— of the Master dwell in me and rule my 
every act to His service. But I am not so dead that I 
do not occasionally feel a twinging of the flesh and have 

SM646 

a suggestion as to another way and as to what would or 
would not be necessary. I keep my body under, however, 
subject to the will of God, saying, as did the Master under 
similar circumstances, 'Not my will but Thine [Heavenly 
Father] be done.'" 

Many get the idea that our Lord and the Apostle 
referred only to sinful desires when they spoke of figurative 
crucifixion. They read the Apostle's words as if 
he meant, "My sinful ambitions and desires I keep under 
and crucify." They interpret our Lord to mean, "Not 
My sinful will be done, O Father, but Thy holy will." 
This is a mistake. Our Lord was holy, harmless, undefiled, 
separate from sinners (Heb. 7:26); and as such 
He could not have a sinful will or desire. He had no 



wish to kill, steal, blaspheme, covet the possessions of 
others, nor to bear false witness, nor to backbite, nor 
slander, nor do any other sinful thing toward God or 
toward man. On the contrary. His will was to do good 
only, to honor God and to bless men. 

But as a man, our Lord had a mind, a strong mind 
or judgment as to HOW good could best be accomplished, 
as to HOW God could be most highly honored and men 
most effectually blessed. Had He followed His own 
judgment and will as to the best methods of honoring 
God and blessing men, it would probably have been along 
the line which naturally suggests itself to other GOOD 
judgments and wills--along the line of political and 
social reforms, in securing pure government for the 
people, in meting out justice to the oppressed, in establishing 
hospitals, asylums and colleges, and in cleansing 
the religious system of His day. But although such a 
good will would have doubtless accomplished much temporary 
good, it would never have worked out the grand 
deliverance for the race which we now see that God's 
comprehensive Plan of the Ages is designed to work out. 
Such a plan did not occur to the mind of even the perfect 
Man Christ Jesus; for it is beyond the scope of human 

SM647 

thought and reasoning. But knowing that His Father 
was greater than He, our Lord rightly reasoned that 
implicit submission to Jehovah's will was the proper 
course, whatever it might involve. 



WHY CRUCIFIXION OF WILL IS PROPER 

The nearer a person is to perfection, the stronger is 
his will and the more difficult to crucify. The more confident 
any one is that his will is good and for good and 
blessing to others, the more difficult it is to see good 
reasons for surrendering it. Thus our dear Lord knew 
that it was needful for Him to die in order to provide 
the Ransom-price for the world and shrank not from it; 
but knowing also that pain, public scorn and contempt 
as a criminal were not part of the penalty. He questioned 
their necessity-whether the Father was not asking of 
Him as the Redeemer more than the penalty of Adam's 



sin. Therefore He prayed, "Father, if it be possible, 
let this cup pass from Me" —nevertheless I claim no 
rights; I attempt neither to follow My own ideas nor to 
exercise My own will; I leave all to Thy wisdom; "Thy 
will be done." 

Evidently our Lord did not see then what for our own 
advantage and strengthening He has since showed us 
who are following in His steps, crucifying our own wills, 
etc. —that extreme trial of obedience, even unto the 
death of the cross, was both expedient and proper, because 
of the very high exaltation to the Divine nature, 
for which His implicit obedience to the Father's will in 
giving our Ransom-price was to be the test of worthiness. 

As followers in our Lord's footsteps we have neither 
such strong wills to overcome and crucify nor the proportionate 
strength of character whereby to overcome 
them. But we have the advantage of knowing clearly 
why so extreme and exact obedience is necessary in all 
who would be accounted worthy of a place in that select 
Body of Christ, the Church, which is to be so highly 
honored with our Lord Jesus, our Redeemer and Head. 

SM648 



HOW WE FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS 

The Apostle Paul did not mean the crucifying of a 
sinful will or sinful desires, plans, etc., when he said, "I 
am crucified with Christ." Elsewhere he refers to the 
same thing, saying that he desired to be "dead with 
Him," and to have "fellowship in His sufferings." So, 
then, if Christ's crucifixion was not the crucifixion of a 
sinful will and sinful desires, neither was St. Paul's, nor 
are ours as followers of the spotless Lamb of God. 

True, St. Paul and other followers of Christ were by 
nature sinners and children of wrath even as others, and 
hence were very much less than perfect, compared with 
the Undefiled One. But their first step of faith in Christ 
showed them that they had no right nor privilege to 
will or to do wrong; and in accepting of justification 
through the death of Christ, they confessed not only 
sorrow for sins past, but repentance and change from 
sin for the future to the extent of their ability, realizing 
that the imputed merit of the Ransom covered not only 



past sins, but also all unwillful weaknesses and errors 
future. This change of will from sin to righteousness 
preceded their call to follow Christ, to suffer with Him 
and to share with Him the high exaltation to the Divine 
nature. Thus we see that with us, as with our Lord, 
it is our good human wills, our good intentions and our 
good plans—not actually perfect as our Lord's, but 
reckonedly so through His imputed merit-that are to 
be crucified, delivered up to death with Christ and to 
share in His sacrifice. 

As our Lord set aside and crucified His own will, accepting 
of the Father's will instead, so we as His footstep 
followers set aside or crucify our wills or desires— no 
matter how good and wise they appear to us— to accept 
instead the guidance and direction of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, who still delights to carry out the Father's Plan, 
the perfection of which He can now fully appreciate. 



SM649 

SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST 
AND HIS CHURCH 

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery 
trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing 
happened unto you. But rejoice inasmuch as ye are 
partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory 
shall be revealed, ye may be glad with exceeding joy. "— 
1 Peter 4:12. 

While we understand from Scripture that present evil 
in general shall ultimately be overruled of God and made 
to minister good, yet we are far from thinking that "all 
is for the best," or that everything which occurs in the 
world was foreordained of God and brought about by 
Him. No; we must remember that since Adam's disobedience, 
the Paradise whose perfection and blessings 
were suited to the perfect man has been done away with; 
and that the sin-cursed race has been condemned to the as 
yet unfinished and imperfect earth. The Garden of Eden 
was merely a little spot finished beforehand, in order to 
provide a perfect trial for the perfect man Adam. 

By the time that man has been restored to manhood 
as represented in Adam, the earth also shall have reached 
the perfection as represented in Eden. Meantime, the 
turbulence of nature—cyclones, earthquakes, etc., incident 
to the unfinished work-continues, and constitutes part 
of the evil to which the entire race of Adam became subject 
through the sin of their father, and from which they 
will shortly be released as a result of the work accomplished 
by our Redeemer. 

But in all this confusion of nature the Scriptures 
teach us that there is a class under special Divine supervision, 
and that to these nothing out of God's order can 
happen. This is the consecrated class, the members of 
the Anointed Body— The Christ. We know that all 

SM650 

things work together for good to them that love God, to 



those who are the called according to His purpose. 



WHY CHASTISEMENTS ARE NECESSARY 

While it should be a cause of sorrow to us that we 
should need special chastisements to recall us to duty, 
yet we must not forget that these are evidences that we 
are still reckoned of God as amongst His sons; and that 
such chastisements are thus a demonstration of His love 
for us and of His desire that we make our calling and 
election sure to the grand prize for which the consecrated 
class is running. In view of this fact any consecrated 
follower of the Master who receives such corrections in 
righteousness should not think it STRANGE. 

But while such trials should not be thought strange, 
St. Peter in our text evidently meant more than this; for 
he says, "Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of 
Christ's sufferings." Our Lord did not suffer because of 
disloyalty or failure to keep His contract. His Covenant 
of Sacrifice. He did not suffer because of spiritual 
drowsiness and conformity to the world. Nor did He 
suffer because of self-will leading Him to ignore the 
Father's will and word, nor because some plan of His own 
must be dashed to pieces. The sufferings of Christ were 
from no such cause as any of these. Hence to the extent 
that we share His sufferings it must not be as chastisement 
for evil nor in the renouncing of evil, but a suffering 
wrongfully—undeservedly. His was a suffering for well-doing 
and for the Truth's sake; and to be sharers or 
partakers of His suffering, on account of which we may 
rejoice and anticipate coming glory, we must take heed 
to the cause of the suffering. We only deceive ourselves 
if we count sufferings for sin as part of our suffering 
for Christ, and on that account expect the glory to be 
revealed.-l Peter 4:14-16. 

We are well aware that "this is a hard saying," and 
that many will not permit themselves to believe it. The 
terms "sufferings of Christ" and "sacrifice" have long 

SM651 

been misused. Many reckon themselves as sacrificers 
with Christ because they have abandoned some practice 
which they consider evil--such as profanity, the use of 



stimulants, extravagant dressing, dancing, etc. If these 
things are wrong, then no one ever had a right to them. 
Hence it cannot be a "sacrifice" with Christ to discontinue 
anything which is wrong in and of itself. 



WHAT THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST INCLUDE 

What, then, are the sufferings of Christ which we 
may endure for His sake? some one may ask. We reply, 
the word Christ signifies anointed; and hence those 
sufferings could not have commenced with Jesus until 
after He had been anointed of the Holy Spirit at the time 
of His water immersion at Jordan—after John the 
Baptist had immersed Him in water as a symbol of His 
consecration unto death. So, too, it is with all of the 
followers of Jesus in the narrow way of sacrifice. Not 
one of us could share in the sufferings of the Anointed 
unless first we had consecrated ourselves to God, and had 
been accepted in the Beloved and begotten of the Holy 
Spirit, thus becoming members of the Anointed Company. 

The sacrifice and sufferings of Christ Jesus included 
every item of mental and physical pain and of self-denial 
experienced as a RESULT of His consecration, until it 
was completed in death. Therefore it included the denial 
of all laudable and proper human ambitions which our 
Lord as a perfect man must have experienced more than 
could imperfect men. It also included the reproach which 
He bore from His fellow men for the sake of the Truth, 
especially from the teachers of the nominal church of His 
day. It also included His weariness and exhaustion 
caused not only by preaching, but through the giving out 
of His own vital energy for the good of others in healing 
the sick, etc.--Mark 5:30. 

Similar to these are the sufferings of Christ which 
His footstep followers may well rejoice to have shared, 
when the time shall come for the glory to be revealed. 

SM652 

They begin with the hour of our consecration; and if we 
are faithful, they will end only with our death. With us 
as with our Head and Pattern the sacrifice consists in 
denying ourselves things which are lawful and proper, 
in our endeavors to honor God, to promote Truth and to 



help in any way those in need, especially them of the 
Household of Faith. Apparently, most of the Body of the 
Anointed Company will, like their Head, spend more of 
their sacrificed time and substance in supplying spiritual 
wants of men than in providing for physical needs, although 
the latter should not be neglected. 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF SUCH SACRIFICES 

Perhaps before your consecration you were ambitious 
in the exercise of legitimate business talent. But your 
consecration demanded time and thought for the careful 
study of God's Word, that you might acquaint yourself 
with Him and with His will concerning you, and that you 
might communicate this knowledge to others. To obtain 
the necessary leisure to accomplish this work, you had to 
curb your business ambition. Both your time and your 
talent were yours no longer; for you had consecrated 
them to the Lord. Hence, although business was still 
needful, it became secondary; and your Father's business 
was first. Therefore your former ambitions were 
restricted to necessity and to the promotion of the 
Heavenly Father's business. 

Perhaps you had taken great pleasure in making home 
elegant, in dressing yourself and your family in elegance; 
and you had said that this was right because you had 
earned your money righteously, and you felt sure that 
God loves beautiful things and that His Heavenly Home 
and family are elegant. But now with time and money 
fully consecrated, you realize something of the pleasure 
of sacrificing with Christ by denying yourself such luxuries, 
and by restricting your outlay of the Lord's time 
and money to the providing of things needful and decent 
in the sight of all men. 

SM653 

It may be that you were fond of company, and passed 
many a pleasant hour in music, social chat, harmless 
dancing and innocent amusements and games. Now, 
while not condemning these innocent recreations in the 
world, your Covenant of Sacrifice with Christ demands 
that your time, money and influence formerly thus used 
shall, except so much as may come within the range of 



necessities or emergencies, be faithfully accounted for 
to God; that your rights and privileges in these things 
shall be sacrificed; and that the time, money and influence 
be used in the service of God. 

Possibly you once were interested in politics, in the 
temperance question, in the prevention of cruelty to 
animals, in the subject of international peace, in the 
prison reform movement, in a labor union, etc., etc. Many 
an hour, many a dollar, and the full weight of your influence 
you give to these worthy objects, which you still 
believe to have been well spent in an endeavor to do good. 
But now you find that your consecration vow compels you 
to pursue a different course, and that these plans which 
were your own will and way for doing good must be sacrificed 
to God's plans; and you must follow your Leader. 

Furthermore, as you mark carefully our Lord's 
course, you will perceive that although He was in 
sympathy with every moral reform, yet He used His time 
and influence wholly in preaching the Gospel—the Glad 
Tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. And 
as you came more fully to appreciate the Lord's ways, 
you realized that these moral reforms, which would be 
carried forward by the kind and benevolent of the world 
just as well without you, could never reach perfection 
until Messiah's Kingdom shall obtain control. Then you 
realized, as you had not done at first, the necessity of the 
work in which you should be engaged- -that the preaching 
of the "Good Tidings of good" things to come was 
God's method of developing you, as well as other consecrated 
followers of our Lord, for a share in that great 

SM654 

and successful Moral Reform which shall obtain throughout 
the world when the King of Glory and His Bride are 
enthroned in power. 



OPPOSITION FROM FORMER FRIENDS 

Formerly you not only delighted to do generously, 
giving to everything and speaking favorably of all, but 
you also appreciated highly the good will and favor of 
all toward you. This showed a good spirit and a broad 
heart which none could help admiring; and such admiration 



is always sweet. We may be sure that the perfect 
man Jesus would have enjoyed doing these very things. 
But under His Covenant of Sacrifice He must and did 
deny Himself this enjoyment. He must and did rebuke 
sin, error and hypocrisy; and thus He forfeited (sacrificed) 
the good opinion and the admiration of the nominal 
church of His day. Instead of quietly letting the Scribes 
and the Pharisees alone, He must and did sacrifice His 
inclination for peace in order to advance the Truth, 
honor God and bless the people. 

So have you found it, also. You could no longer give 
to everything; for by your Covenant of Sacrifice with 
Christ you had already given to God ALL THAT YOU HAD. 
Now you are merely God's agent or steward; and you 
can give nothing without consulting His directions and 
ascertaining whether it will go to advance truth or error. 
You no longer have option or choice; and of course some 
who once thought you whole-hearted and generous will 
now consider you narrow-minded, bigoted. 

This will be true also in regard to doctrinal matters. 
Once you carelessly and ignorantly—though benevolently 
—supposed that all denominations of Christians believed 
alike, and merely took so many different routes to 
Heaven, appointed by God, in order that each person 
might have a choice of form of worship. Then your 
friends called you a broad-minded Christian. But after 
your consecration had led you to a study of God's Plan 
as recorded in His Word, you perceived your mistake. 

SM655 

You saw that you never had been a Christian in the full 
sense before, and that many of the doctrines taught by 
all the denominations are contrary to God's purposes as 
revealed in His Word. Thus you began to be what the 
world calls "narrow-minded", and were obliged to oppose 
certain systems as well as doctrines. Finally, with a 
further search of your Heavenly Father's plans and purposes, 
you found that the various systems calling themselves 
churches and laying down rules and doctrines for 
faith and practise are ALL OF THEM mere human arrangements, 
and that their doctrines are self-arranged and 
self-binding, a mixture of truth and falsehood blinding 
and confusing to both saint and sinner. 
When you found that the Church mentioned by our 



Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles is not one of the 
man-made systems, nor yet all of them together, but that 
it is composed of the class who, having consecrated their 
all to God, were accepted through the Redeemer and had 
their names written in Heaven, then an additional trial 
came upon you. Would you or would you not sacrifice 
your honor, your social standing, "your good name" and 
your "broad-minded" reputation for THE TRUTH? 

That was one of the severest of your SUFFERINGS; 
yet with the Master you said, "Father, glorify Thy 
name." And as you saw the counterpart of this in our 
Redeemer's sacrifice, you heard Him say, "It is sufficient 
that the disciple be as his Lord. It has occurred to you 
as I forewarned you: When they shall say all manner of 
evil against you falsely (and often ignorantly) for My 
sake, rejoice and be exceedingly glad; for great is your 
reward in Heaven." In your rejoicing you no longer 
think strange of the fiery trials that encompass you. 
Hereafter let us more and more rejoice in such sufferings 
-rejoicing that we are counted WORTHY to suffer for 
Christ's sake now; for whoever thus suffers faithfully 
unto death shall also be counted worthy to reign with 
Him in the life to come. 



SM656 



DIVINE ECONOMY IN THE RANSOM 

"There is one God, and one mediator between God and 
men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a Ransom 
for all, to be testified in due time. "~1 Tim. 2:5,6. 

The Ransom is the very center of all the New Testament 
teachings, the general touchstone by which we may 
determine what is Truth and what is not Truth in respect 
to every feature of the Divine Plan. The Ransom may 
be likened to the hub of a wheel, from which various 
spokes radiate in every direction to a general periphery, 
or circumference. In the great Plan of God for human 
salvation the Ransom constitutes the very central feature, 
and from it radiate all the doctrines which end in the 
fullness and completeness of that Divine Plan. Indeed, 
from whatever viewpoint we look at this subject, it is 
both beautiful and consistent. 

Yet there was a time with you and with me, and 
doubtless with all the thinking public, when it seemed 
strange that there could be any necessity for a Ransom; 
for we had not then come to understand our great Heavenly 
Father's Character and Plan. At that time we would 
have been inclined to say, "Oh no! God would never in 
any sense of the word have a Plan or Program which would 
necessitate the shedding of blood! He would not 
wish to have any one die for the wrong doings of another! 
Such a proposition would be unjust." But in so expressing 
ourselves we would be reasoning falsely; and this 
is just what many earnest people are doing today. Many 
thoughtful people are saying, "I do not believe in this 
idea of a necessity for a human sacrifice." Nevertheless 
this thought of a Ransom is found throughout the Scriptures; 
and when we get the right conception of the subject 
from the Bible viewpoint, we see such a wonderful 

SM657 

beauty, such a wonderful consistency, in this whole matter 
that we are amazed, and long for the time when all the 
world shall see it. 

Different phases of God's Plan strike different individuals 
amongst His children in slightly different ways. 



Some are more attracted by one particular, and others 
by another. With me it has always seemed very wonderful 
to note the element of economy exhibited by our 
Heavenly Father, who apparently never wastes anything. 
So, also, with our Lord Jesus. After He had, by Divine 
Power, fed thousands from a few loaves and fishes. He 
instructed His disciples to gather up the fragments, that 
nothing be lost. (John 6:12.) Surely this injunction 
must have seemed strange to them. Why should the 
Master, who had power to create on so large a scale, be 
so careful about the fragments? Doubtless, too, every 
scientist has marveled at the Divine economy in nature, 
where all things are balanced, and merely change their 
form as they pass from one condition to another—whether 
from solid to liquid or from liquid to gas, etc. Apparently 
God has a principle of perpetual motion in nature, by 
which nothing is lost, but reappears in another form. 



ECONOMY SHOWN IN RESPECT TO REDEMPTION 

This Divine quality of economy is manifested even in 
the great Plan for human salvation. When first my mind 
grasped this thought, I exclaimed, "Wonderful! Nobody 
but our Heavenly Father Himself would have 
thought about this principle!" Having been reared by 
Presbyterian parents, I had been indoctrinated in the 
Shorter Catechism during childhood; and as my parents 
had never strayed away from the Bible into Evolution 
and Higher Criticism, I had all the advantages which 
accrue from the Westminster teachings about the fall of 
man and original sin. Although we had wrong conceptions 
as to what constitutes the penalty of sin, nevertheless 
we had the facts—that our first parents were created 
perfect and placed in a perfect environment in Eden, that 

SM658 

they had sinned and had come under God's curse, and that 
somehow the result was that all our race was still under 
that curse, which we thought was eternal torment. We 
did not understand the Bible as thoroughly as now. 
Later in life, when my mind began to see that the 
penalty of sin is death— not life in any condition— I began 
to inquire how it was that, if there is to be a redemption. 



one person could die for an entire race; for the proposition 
did not seem reasonable. In reply my teachers told 
me that in the three and a half years of His ministry, 
and especially during the short time of His crucifixion, 
our Lord Jesus suffered as much as all the human family 
would have suffered. But the longer I ponder over this 
statement, the more unreasonable it appeared to me. 
Finally, I came to understand the meaning of the word 
Ransom; and then this subject ceased to be a mystery. 



A PRICE THAT CORRESPONDS 

A careful study of the word Ransom with the aid of an 
unabridged concordance brought to light the fact that the 
Greek word thus rQndQrQd--antilutron—mQans a price 
that corresponds. Any one can study the matter out for 
himself in Strong's or in Young's Concordance. Gradually 
we began to get the correct idea that our Lord Jesus 
Christ gave Himself a Ransom, a Corresponding-price, 
for all mankind. Then we began to understand the 
Apostle's words, "As by a man came death, by a man 
came also the resurrection from the dead." (1 Cor. 15:21.) 
There was one man who sinned— Adam, who 
brought the death penalty upon all his posterity. There 
was one Man who died, the Just for the unjust-Christ 
Jesus. Thus we have the corresponding-price. 

But we had been taught that there are three persons 
in the Godhead, that our Lord Jesus was the second of 
these, and that God cannot die. Again we inquired of 
our teachers, and were told that being God our Lord could 
not really die— that His body alone died. So again we 
were confused. But further study of our Bible began to 

SM659 

clear our heads from all the nonsense and confusion which 
crept into the Church during the Dark Ages, and we saw 
that the doctrine of the Trinity is not found in the Scriptures 
at all. Then we saw that Our Lord was the Son of 
God, as He Himself had declared, "the Beginning of the 
creation of God." (Rev. 3:14; Col. 1:15.) Next we saw 
that the thought contained in the word Ransom did not 
call for a God to redeem a man, nor could a spirit being 
of any rank do so; for there could be no correspondency 



between them. Finally the matter cleared up in our 

mind; and we perceived that whoever would redeem man 

must himself be a man—the full equivalent of the man 

who sinned. This thought helped us to understand all 

that the Bible said about our Lord's having left the 

Heavenly glory and becoming a man.-Phil. 2:6-11; 2 Cor. 8:9; 

John 1:14. 



DOCTRINE OF INCARNATION UNSCRIPTURAL 

But we had greatly been troubled about the subject 
of incarnation, as even some of the Truth people seem to 
be; for they still misuse this word. There is nothing in 
the Bible on this subject, and there is no truth in this 
doctrine. Incarnation means an assuming of a human 
body. It would mean that our Lord in His prehuman existence 
assumed flesh-materialized, just as He and two 
angels did back in the days of Abraham. (Gen. 18:1,2.) 
The three were incarnated. They were still spirit beings, 
but appeared to Abraham as men, and ate and talked with 
him. But this was not true with our Lord Jesus at His 
First Advent. He who was rich became poor for man's 
sake— not that He merely pretended to be poor; not that 
He acted as if He were poor and so assumed an inferior 
body for awhile. On the contrary He "was made flesh"— 
not assumed flesh. Do you perceive the difference? He 
was "the Man Christ Jesus," not "appeared to be the 
Man Christ Jesus." He left the glory which He had with 
the Father before the world was; He laid it aside; He divested 
Himself of that glorious condition on the spirit 

SM660 

plane, and exchanged His life on the spirit plane for a 
human nature, in order to be a corresponding-price for 
the man who sinned— Adam. 

The Bible explains that it was a perfect man that 
sinned. Therefore whoever would ransom him must also 
be a perfect man— a corresponding-price. No matter how 
great the angel, no matter how glorious the Logos, no one 
on a higher plane of being would do. Nor would anything 
below the human plane do. The finest bullock in all the 
world could not be a real sin-offering or actually take 
away sin. Nothing higher or lower than perfect humanity 



would atone for the sinner. A perfect man had sinned. 
Only a perfect man could redeem the sinner.~Psa. 40:6-8; 
Heb. 10:1-10. 

Then came the thought: How could this one Man 
Christ Jesus by this one death redeem all mankind- 
Adam and his thousands of millions of children? When 
my mind perceived the Scriptural teaching on this subject, 
I received a wonderfully broad thought of God's 
Wisdom, by which He planned it all in advance, so that 
only one death was necessary. Then I saw the marvelous 
economy of the Divine Plan for human salvation. Nobody 
but God could have thought of such beauty and 
symmetry. Only one man was tried at the bar of Divine 
Justice, and condemned to death. By the laws of heredity 
his condemnation came upon all his posterity, all of whom 
die because of his original sin. If God had tried and condemned 
two men or ten men or a hundred men or more, 
their redemption would have required an individual redeemer 
for each one. 



THE ECONOMY OF THE DIVINE PLAN 

Often when a child I wondered why God did not give 
all mankind the same opportunity that He gave Adam, 
why all were not permitted to come into Eden and have a 
fair chance as Adam had. But in later years when I came 
to see the beauty of the doctrine of the Ransom, the reason 
seemed very simple. If you and I had been brought 

SM661 

into the world under conditions similar to those under 
which Adam was, we would have done just as he did, for 
the same reason that he did--lack of experience. We 
are therefore not faulting Father Adam and Mother Eve; 
but we are extolling our great and wise God. He was not 
taking any chances to see whether one out of a hundred 
thousand might do differently, and planning to provide 
a redeemer for every one who did wrong. What confusion 
such a plan would have wrought! 

For instance, suppose that God had placed fifty 
perfect human beings on trial in Eden at the beginning, 
and that one half of them had sinned—twenty-five sinners 
and an equal number of saints; and suppose that there 



had been provided a Paradise for the saints and the 
cursed condition for the sinners. Condemnation on one 
side of the fence, and blessing on the other— what confusion 
there would be! Then when it came to the redemption 
of the sinners, it would require that the twenty-five 
saints die for the twenty-five sinners. Where would the 
matter have ended then? "Thine eye shall not pity; but 
life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand 
for hand, foot for foot," is the Law of Justice. (Deut. 19:21; 
Exod. 21:23-25.) And God operates His Government 
along the line of Justice, as the Psalmist intimates. 

Should some one wonder why God operates along the 
line of Justice rather than Love, we reply: In His great 
mercy God sees best to exercise absolute Justice in order 
that Love may operate impartially toward all. But because 
mankind are fallen from their original perfection 
God instructs us to work along the line of love; for we 
need to exercise mercy and to learn the great lesson of 
loving-kindness toward all. Let us not forget that God 
did not create the imperfect conditions which we see all 
around us. Imperfection is the result of disobedience. 
When during the Millennium God shall have brought the 
human race back into harmony with Himself, and when 
every creature in Heaven and on earth shall be in full 

SM662 

harmony with Him, all their lessons on right and wrong 
learned perfectly, and all able and willing to do righteously, 
then no one will need mercy. All will be able to 
meet the just requirements of God's Government, and 
they will not be harmed by His Divine arrangements; for 
God's Justice is for fair dealings toward every one of 
His creatures. But now we must make an allowance 
because we are sinners ourselves and all around us are 
likewise sinners. ~Psa. 89:14. 

God does not now deal with the fallen race of Adam. 
If we desire to draw near to Him we must lay hold upon 
the One who is able to save to the uttermost all who come 
to the Father through Him—Christ Jesus our Redeemer. 
All God's mercy is exercised through Christ. God does 
not exercise mercy directly. He maintains the even tenor 
of His rule of righteousness, but makes special provision 
for the sinner race through Christ Jesus. Forgiveness 
of sin, and everything relating to repentance and reformation 



of life, come through our Lord Jesus Christ- 
through the Ransom-price which He has provided. 



HOW THIS ECONOMY OPERATES 

This economical feature of the Divine Plan is a most 
wonderful thought. By one man's disobedience God permitted 
the results of that transgression to affect all of 
Adam's children. All mankind were involved under the 
original sin of the one man. "Wherefore as by one man 
sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so death 
passed upon all men." (Rom. 5:12.) Then in due time 
God so arranged that the sin of the one man, Adam, would 
be met by the Man Christ Jesus; that thus Adam would 
in due time be freed from the death penalty; and that all 
his children, who inherited death as well as weakness and 
imperfection through him, would also be amenable to this 
one redemption—that the one Ransom-price was sufficient 
for Adam and all his posterity. 

To me this is the most wonderful thought in the whole 
Plan of God. I have gloried in this thought of God's great 

SM663 

Wisdom manifested in His arrangement through Christ 
Jesus, through the Ransom. The more we meditate upon 
it, the more wonderful it becomes; for it is the very 
central feature of God's great Plan for human salvation, 
its very brightest spot. Do you not agree with me that 
it is a wonderful thing? 



RANSOM FAR-REACHING AS THE CURSE 

Our text declares that our Lord gave Himself a Ransom-price 
for all. He did so for all in the sense that 
eventually its benefits will extend to every member of the 
Adamic race. The mere giving up of His life did not 
extend a blessing to all mankind; but the giving up of His 
life was the basis upon which God will permit Him in due 
time to establish His Millennial Kingdom and to bring 
in the blessings of Restitution for the whole race during 
the thousand years of His Reign. If it had not been for 
the Ransom, there could have been no Restitution. The 



whole race of Adam had been condemned to death in their 
first father. Therefore it would not have been proper for 
the Man Jesus to attempt to bring out from under condemnation 
those whom the Justice of God had sentenced 
to death. 

Adam and his posterity were sentenced to death, not 
to eternal torment, as some erroneously suppose the 
Scriptures to teach. (Gen. 2:17; 3:17-19; Ezek. 18:4,20; 
Rom. 6:23.) Before there could be a resurrection, it was 
necessary that this death penalty against the race be met. 
As by man came death, by a man must come this cancelling 
of the death penalty, in order to make possible a 
resurrection, a raising up of the dead. There is no other 
way by which any may have a future life. Therefore all 
this great Divine Plan for the blessing of the world hinges 
upon this first step of the program—the Ransom. 

St. Paul says that the Ransom was for all. When the 
Apostle says that our Lord gave Himself a Ransom—a 
Corresponding-price— for ALL, his thought evidently is 
that this was the purpose lying behind the sacrifice of 

SM664 

Christ Jesus. By this we do not understand that our 
Lord has yet made an application of His sacrifice to all; 
for God's due time for blessing all men has not yet 
come. Moreover, it would not have been appropriate for 
our Lord to make the application of the merit of His sacrifice 
in advance-at the First Advent-and then to come 
back later on— at His Second Advent— to deal with mankind. 
Therefore the whole matter is held over until the 
due time comes for dealing with the Adamic race. Meantime 
Adam, who fell asleep thousands of years ago, and 
others of his posterity can await in sleep for that glorious 
Day when He who redeemed them shall place the merit 
of His sacrifice on behalf of Adam and all his race, shall 
make application of it, paying it over to Divine Justice, 
and then take over mankind as His purchased possession. 
Our Lord gave Himself— gave up His life, surrendered 
His life— with this end in view. This was the program 
set before Him— that He was to surrender Himself to 
death, and that this would be the basis upon which He 
might become the great Mediator between God and men, 
the great Restorer of mankind, the long-promised Seed of 
Abraham, to bless all the families of the earth. 



WHY THE DELAY OF EIGHTEEN CENTURIES 

Just here some one may ask, "Why is it that our Lord 
did not make application of the merit of His sacrifice at 
Pentecost? Why this long delay of eighteen hundred and 
more years before He begins this work of blessing the 
world?" We reply, If it had not been that God had 
planned to have associated with our Lord in this glorious 
work of blessing a Church, an Anointed Body of footstep 
followers of Jesus, there would have been no delay 
of eighteen centuries. In other words, if the Church had 
not been included in God's Plan, then when our Lord 
Jesus had risen from the dead and had ascended on High 
to appear in the presence of God, doubtless He would have 
offered the value of His sacrifice for the whole world of 
mankind, and at once would have taken over the Adamic 

SM665 

race and begun His Reign for their blessing. But because 
this was not the Divine Plan, therefore our Lord did what 
He did--He appeared in the presence of God for US, for 
the CHURCH, and not for the world at all.--Heb. 9:24. 

Thus far, then, our Lord has appeared only for His 
Church. He has not as yet appeared for the world. After 
the Church shall have been glorified with Him and exalted 
to the Divine plane of glory, then our Lord will appear 
for the world. Meantime, however. He is dealing with 
His Church, taking the Church class out of the world, as 
He said: "Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you 
out of the world." (John 15:19; 17:14.) The Church, 
consecrated believers, have escaped the condemnation 
which is still on the world. (2 Peter 1:4; Rom. 8:1-4.) 
But the world is still under condemnation. As yet our 
Lord has appeared only for the believer; He has not 
done anything for the unbeliever. His death, which will 
be the Ransom-price for all mankind after it has been 
turned over on their behalf, has not yet been applied for 
them; but it will be applied "in due time." 

You remember that in His prayer the night of His 
apprehension our Lord said: "I pray not for the world, 
but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are 
Thine." (John 17:9-11.) Yet a few hours later He died 



for the world, and all mankind are included in what our 
Lord is to do- "a Ransom for all, to be testified IN DUE 
TIME." But since He knew that it would be more than 
eighteen hundred years before that due time would come. 
He could not with propriety pray for something so far in 
the future. But the Father had given to Our Lord the 
Church. The Divine purpose was that during this long 
period of time this class would be gathered out of the 
world under certain conditions, in order that they might 
be with the Lord and share His exaltation, might be His 
companions in His glory, honor and immortality—the 
Divine nature. Therefore our Lord prayed for them on 
the night in which He was betrayed, as was right and 

SM666 

proper. He had called His twelve Apostles, and five 
hundred had believed on His word. The work thus begun 
would continue until the full number of the Elect would 
have been called, chosen and accepted in Him. 



THE NEXT FEATURE OF THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

The Bible assures us that in due time our Lord will 
pray for the world, and that He will be heard. "Ask of 
Me; and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, 
and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy 
possession." (Psa. 2:7-9.) When the first feature of the 
work, the selection of the Church, shall have been completed, 
when the Church shall have passed into Heavenly 
glory, then will come the "due time" for the next feature 
of the Divine Program. Then our Lord will make application 
of the Ransom-price on behalf of the sins of the 
whole world. He will say in substance, "Father, I now 
appropriate for the world of mankind this value of My 
death as the offset to Father Adam's death. I now apply 
it to Adam and all his children, as their Purchase-price; 
And now I ask for them. I ask Thee to give them to Me 
according to Thy promise to give Me the heathen-the 
world of mankind." Then the Father will turn them over 
to our Lord as His purchased possession. 

The fact that He who redeemed the race of Adam is 
to be the One to give them their trial for life everlasting, 
during the thousand years of His Reign, is the very best 



guarantee that mankind will have a fair, full, complete 
trial, a just, reasonable, loving trial at the hands of a 
loving Redeemer, who will do everything proper to be 
done in order to help them out of their weaknesses and 
imperfections and to bring them back to the full perfection 
of human nature, lost through Father Adam's original 
sin in Eden, but redeemed by our Lord at Calvary. 

That is to say, the Redemption-price was laid down 
at Calvary; and in due time that Redemption-price will 
be applied, or given over, surrendered to Justice in exchange 
for the world of mankind. Thus the Ransom work 

SM667 

will have been accomplished, the whole world taken possession 

of by our Lord, and He shall reign for a thousand 

years, the "Times of Restitution spoken by the mouth 

of all the holy Prophets since the world began. "--Acts 3:19-23. 



DIVINE METHOD OF DEALING WITH THE CHURCH 

Now, my dear brethren, we have before our minds the 
Ransom, the necessity for it, the time when the Sacrifice 
for sin was made, and the time when the merit of that 
sacrifice is to be applied for the world of mankind. But, 
meantime, the Church receives an imputation of that 
merit. We do not have that merit applied to us, however; 
we do not get the real thing; for that would be 
Restitution, which is not for the Church at all, not according 
to our Covenant of Sacrifice. We have covenanted 
to give up earthly things. The Church will not get Restitution, 
therefore; and that is what our Redeemer purchased 
with His death. He did not purchase the Divine 
nature, but purchased Father Adam and all of his posterity 
according to the flesh-human nature. The giving of 
our Lord's human life forms the Purchase-price for 
Adam and his race—the world.— John 6:51. 

The Church has given up the human nature in sacrifice, 
and has been begotten to the spirit nature. Therefore 
we shall never reach human perfection. But while 
developing as New Creatures in Christ, we need an imputation 
of the merit of His Sacrifice to cover our blemishes 
and imperfections resulting from the original sin 
and transmitted to us by the law of heredity. Our Lord 



did not need any such imputation; for He was "holy, 
harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners," and the 
Father had agreed to accept such a sacrifice for Adam. 
Our Lord needed no one to make good for Him. He was 
acceptable to God as a full offset to Adam. As a reward 
for the work which our Lord was to accomplish for 
mankind the Father gave Him the promise of glory, honor 

SM668 

and immortality- -the Divine nature; and our Lord has 
attained it.-Phil. 2:8-11. 

To those who, during this Gospel Age, will surrender 
their wills to God and permit their lives to go down into 
Death in obedience to the Divine will, the Father has 
promised a share with Our Lord in His glory, honor and 
immortality as His Bride and Joint-heir. "Be thou 
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life." 
(Rev. 2:10.) But before we can present our bodies a 
living sacrifice a difficulty must first be removed; for we 
are members of the sinner race, and God cannot recognize 
sinners. We have already been condemned to death in 
Adam. We are by nature members of that sinner race 
upon whom the sentence of death already rests. Before 
we can offer ourselves to God something must be done to 
release us from the death sentence resting upon us. That 
something was done when our Lord had "ascended on 
High and appeared in the presence of God for us"~the 
Church. There He made an arrangement with the 
Father by which the merit of His sacrifice has been 
imputed to those who have followed in His steps, laying 
down their lives in sacrifice. 



DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IMPUTATION AND APPLICATION 

The best illustration I can think of to bring out the 
difference between imputation and application is that 
of a note as contrasted with money. Suppose that I had 
need for a thousand dollars to carry my business through 
today, but did not have that sum in ready money. But 
suppose a friend who had the thousand dollars would 
send word to me, "I will endorse your note for the sum 
that you need." That endorsement of a note would be 
equivalent to giving me the money; for the bank would 



accept the note as instead of one thousand dollars. 
So our Lord does not give us restitution when we 
present ourselves to Him in sacrifice. Instead, He imputes. 
That is to say, we give a promissory note~we 
promise God that we will sacrifice our life and all that we 

SM669 

have now, and all our hopes of the future restitution to 
perfect humanity; in other words, we give up all our 
rights as human beings in order to follow in the footsteps 
of our Redeemer. We figuratively make our note 
to this effect; and our Lord Jesus endorses it, gives to it 
a value which it otherwise would not have. This is the 
imputation of our Lord's merit as it comes to the Church. 

This imputation does not excuse us from anything, 
however; for when we offered ourselves in consecration 
we agreed to give up everything that we possess. All 
our claims to restitution are forever gone. If we should 
fail in what we have undertaken as New Creatures, we 
cannot receive restitution with the world; for we have 
relinquished all our rights as human beings. If we become 
careless in sacrificing our life, it would then be our 
Lord Jesus' duty, as our Advocate, to see that we are 
obliged to do what we had agreed to do. This is the 
secret which has led to the formation of the Great Company 
class. They do not go forward to lay down their 
lives voluntarily; and therefore they are pushed, so to 
speak, by Divine providence into a place where they must 
suffer. When brought into this position by the great Endorser, 
the Advocate of the Church (1 John 2:1), the 
really loyal ones will suffer death rather than deny God 
and His arrangement. But the disloyal ones will draw 
back from carrying out their Covenant of Sacrifice, and 
thus do despite to the favor of God. Eventually all such 
will die the Second Death. 

The imputation of the merit of our Redeemer's sacrifice 
to the Church in advance of its application for 
the world enables us to lay down our earthly life in order 
to win the great prize of glory, honor and immortality— 
the Divine nature. This is the most wonderful opportunity 
that could come to any member of the fallen race- 
that our Lord could impute to us that which would enable 
us to become sacrificers and to attain to joint-heirship 
with Him in His Millennial Kingdom. 



SM670 



PSEUDO-APOSTLES OF THE PRESENT DA Y 

"And thou hast tried them that say they are Apostles, 
and are not, and hast found them liars. "--Rev. 2:2. 

For centuries past there has been a class of men in the 
world who have been claiming to be Apostles, but who are 
not Apostles, according to our text. The Bible shows us 
unmistakably that God never purposed more than twelve 
Apostles of the Lamb. Let us refresh our memories on 
this point: Our Lord Jesus said to the Twelve, "Verily 
I say unto you, that ye which have followed Me, in the 
regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne 
of His glory, shall also sit upon twelve thrones, judging 
the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matt. 19:28.) There were 
to be only twelve Apostolic thrones, no more. Again, in 
Revelation 12:1, the Church is shown as a woman clothed 
with the sun (the Gospel), having the moon (the Jewish 
Law) under her feet, and having on her head a crown of 
TWELVE STARS (her Divinely appointed, inspired teachers). 
We see that there were only twelve of these stars 
authorized by God, St. Paul taking the place of Judas. 

We remind you of another picture of this matter, 
given by our Lord Jesus to John the Revelator. In 
Revelation 21:1-5,9-27, the glorified Church is pictured as 
coming down from Heaven to begin her great work of 
blessing the world. Now note particularly that this glorified 
Church is shown as having twelve foundations, and 
in them the names of the TWELVE APOSTLES of the Lamb. 

So we see, dear friends, that it is through some very 
serious blunder that our Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, 
and Church of England friends have Bishops claiming to 
be Apostles. Such claims are unscriptural. 



SM671 

GOD'S WORD MUST BE SPOKEN FAITHFULLY 

Jesus says that those who make claims of being Apostles 
when they are not, are lying. We are not to follow 
what the customs of the past centuries have taught us, 
but what the Lord Jesus Himself says. He is the authority. 
We have a measure of sympathy for these gentlemen 
who have dropped into certain positions and have 
been taught for centuries that they were Apostles, like 
the original Twelve appointed by our Lord, having the 
same inspiration and speaking with the same authority. 
We have sympathy for them in that they are sadly deluded, 
but we should remember what Jesus said and take 
the right viewpoint. "Thou hast tried them which say 
they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them 
liars." We are not speaking uncharitably, dear friends; 
for we are to speak the Lord's Word. "He that hath 
a dream [an imagination], let him tell a dream; but he 
that hath MY WORD, let him speak My Word FAITHFULLY." 
(Jer. 23:28.) If we hold back for fear of man, we shall 
share in the sin of adding to the Scriptures. 

The great claims once made have been discarded, or 
at least this class do not attempt to speak with the authority 
of former days; for mankind are becoming more 
enlightened and their claims would appear absurd. Yet 
they still claim that they are the only ones who have the 
right to authorize any to preach, that if they do not 
ordain a man, he has no right to speak in the name of the 
Lord at all. They claim this right because they are 
"Apostolic Bishops." They are, however, not pressing 
even this claim with the former vigor. Other church 
leaders inquire: "Why do you stand aloof from us?" 
and they do not quite like to tell fully their reasons. 
They hesitate to say, "We are the Church; we are the 
Apostles; and you have no right to preach unless we 
ordain you." Hence they are in a somewhat vacillating 
condition today. 

About four years ago the Bishops of the Episcopal 

SM672 

Church held a meeting in Detroit, and there passed resolutions 
that they would be willing to fraternize with other 



denominations provided these others were orthodox, 
which meant, provided they were in harmony with the 
teachings of the Church of England Bishops. Anybody 
else would be unorthodox, would have no right to preach. 



HOW PEOPLE BECAME DEPENDENT ON CLERGY 

These claims of Apostolic Succession in the past got 
the Church into trouble and confusion from which we 
have not yet recovered. The great mass of Christian 
people are still bewildered. Beginning some time before 
the year 325 A.D., this doctrine of Apostolic Succession 
had been growing. The bishops were beginning to "lord 
it over God's heritage." This lording came in very 
gradually, as such things generally do, and was associated 
later with the declaration that the people were the 
"laity," and that the Church was the "clergy." All had 
the general thought that the Bishops were Apostles and 
had their authority from the Lord. 

We are to remember that until a few centuries ago 
copies of the Bible were so scarce that a Bible was really 
worth a fortune, because Bibles had to be printed out by 
pen, by scholars, of whom there were very few. They 
had to be printed upon fine vellum parchment, as printing-presses 
and paper were not then invented. Hence 
there were very few who had Bibles or who could read 
at that time. Under such conditions the people were 
dependent upon the Church Bishops. When these began 
to claim that they were Apostolic Bishops, they gave the 
people to understand that they alone had received authority 
from God to read and interpret the Scriptures. 

Jesus said to the Twelve Apostles that whatsoever 
they should bind on earth should be bound in Heaven, 
and that whatsoever they should lose on earth should be 
so considered in Heaven. Their writings were especially 
supervised by the Lord and their doctrinal utterances 
inspired. (2 Cor. 12:7; Gal. 1:11,12.) St. Paul assures 

SM673 

us that "the Word of God is sufficient, that the man of 
God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every 
good work." (2 Tim. 3:16,17.) Hence we need no 
further doctrinal utterances, no more Apostles than the 



original Twelve—the Apostle Paul by the Lord's choice 
taking Judas' place. Since the advent of printing and 
since the close of the 1,260 symbolic days— 1,260 years— 
of Papal persecution. Bibles have been printed and scattered 
far and wide by Bible societies, and education has 
become general. Today Bibles are everywhere and very 
cheap, so that all can read. 



ORIGIN OF THE NICENE CREED 

Let us go back to the year 325 A.D. By that time 
the bishops in the Church were claiming Apostolic authority. 
They were the living Apostles, whose teachings 
were the voice of God. But those "Apostles" did not 
agree among themselves, as did the early Apostles, the 
real Apostles; for when we read the writings of the 
Apostles appointed by our Lord we find that they all 
agree. But in the year 325 A.D. a positive stand was 
taken as to belief. The Council of Nicea was called by 
Emperor Constantine. He was apparently a worldly-wise 
man, and thought be could make a good stroke of 
policy by joining in with the Christians, who were coming 
to the front all over the Empire. 

The Emperor was not baptized until the day of his 
death. He merely professed Christianity for policy's 
sake. While we cannot judge his heart, still the policy 
idea was there surely, as evidenced all through the matter. 
In the year 325, he sent out a call throughout the 
Empire to the Bishops of the churches to come to the 
city of Nicea for a general convention, offering to pay 
all expenses. About 384 Bishops came together-far 
from the entire number. This conference was the first 
of what was called an Ecumenical Church Council, aside 
from one held at Jerusalem by the Apostles of Jesus 
themselves. This was claimed to be another meeting of 

SM674 

Apostles. The Emperor, noting that there was disagreement 
as to doctrine, and supposing that the Bishops were 
fully authorized, as they claimed, made the proposition 
to them that they agree among themselves as to what 
were the correct, orthodox doctrines, and that thereafter 
whatever was taught by any that was different from these 



doctrines should be heterodox-heresy. He proposed to 
join the Church, with the understanding that they were 
to mutually support each other. Then the pagan peoples 
would flock into the Church by hordes. The Emperor 
would back up their doctrines and punish all heretics. 
Thus the Nicene Creed, the first of the great creeds, 
was formulated—by these self-appointed Apostolic Bishops. 
So between the Bishops and the Emperor a heavy 
hand was laid upon the people, who were uneducated; the 
Church leaders had them largely at their mercy. That 
was the end of Bible study; there was no more use for 
the Bible. They were to follow the Nicene Creed. They 
had Apostles inspired by God right with them, who could 
teach them all they needed to know. 



BIBLE RESTORED AFTER TWELVE HUNDRED YEARS 

From that time on for twelve hundred years the Bible 
was an unknown Book to the masses. In the year 1526, 
Professor Tyndale, a scholarly Christian man, not satisfied 
with the teachings of the Church Bishops, translated 
the Greek New Testament into English, that the people 
might know what were the teachings of Jesus and His 
Apostles. He was compelled to go to Germany to get 
his translation printed (printing-presses then being in 
use), because of the adverse influence of the English 
Bishops. The Testaments were then imported to London. 
The people were anxious to get them. It was 
proposed that Bible classes be started and educated men 
employed to read to the people. 

What did the Bishops then do? They heard about 
the movement, and they bought up the entire edition and 
burned the books in front of St. Paul's Cathedral. The 

SM675 

spot is marked to this day. And these were Protestant 
Bishops of the Church of England! They were worldly-wise 
men and knew what would be the effect if the people 
learned of the real teachings of the Bible. Their own 
power and influence would soon be gone. The people 
would soon be asking uncomfortable questions. Tyndale 
later suffered martyrdom. 
For forty years the people complained, wondering 



why the Bible had been taken from them. Finally the 
Bishops concluded that policy demanded that they let 
them have the Bible. So they got out a special edition, 
which they called "The Bishops' Bible." This they 
gave to the people, warning them of the danger of giving 
it any other interpretation than that given by the Bishops, 
assuring them that eternal torment awaited them otherwise. 
The Catholic Bishops were then practically forced 
to do likewise, and they issued the Douay Version for 
Catholics, giving their people the same warnings. Thus 
the influence of the Bible was largely nullified. 

But the Bible could not be fully put down. Later, 
the entire Scriptures were translated into the various 
tongues of the people. After the beginning of the Nineteenth 
Century education began to be much more general, 
and Bible Societies sprang up. People began to read for 
themselves as never before. Since then superstition has 
been gradually breaking down, and people dare to think. 
Some are still fettered by superstition, but the number 
is lessening. These creeds are so absurd that no intelligent 
minister, we believe, would think of defending the 
creed of his own denomination. 



BIBLE FORETOLD THE GREAT FALLING AWAY 

It is the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church that 
all of their own people are to go to Purgatory at death. 
No Catholic expects to go to Heaven. They must first 
have certain experiences in Purgatorial tortures to fit 
them for Heaven. To be a heretic, from the Catholic 
standpoint, is to commit the worst of crimes. Heretics 

SM676 

are bound, not for Purgatory, but for eternal torment. 
So a devout Catholic has great fears of being a heretic. 
Thus we find but comparatively few Catholics even today 
who dare to read the Bible. 

How much trouble all this nonsense has caused! The 
Bible foretold it all. The Apostle Paul declared that 
"many would depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing 
spirits and doctrines of devils." (1 Tim. 4:1-3; Acts 20:29,30.) 
It is upon these seducing spirits that we lay 
the blame-Satan and his fallen angels. We are not 



claiming that our Catholic and Episcopalian friends have 
intended to perpetrate a fraud, nor any of the others. 
But with the Apostle Paul we claim that they were deceived 
by the great Adversary. We are beginning to 
see that a God of Love would never have such a Plan 
for His creatures as is taught by the creeds. We are 
living in a day when more light than ever before is due 
upon God's Word. We are living at the dawning of the 
glorious New Dispensation. We are nearing the time 
when, according to the Bible, "all the blind eyes shall be 
opened and the deaf ears unstopped." Thank God! 



ARMAGEDDON NEAR-GOD'S KINGDOM TO FOLLOW 

The present great war in Europe is the beginning of 
the Armageddon of the Scriptures. (Rev. 16:16-20.) It 
will eventuate in the complete overthrow of all the systems 
of error which have so long oppressed the people 
of God and deluded the world. All iniquity of every 
kind will go down. The glorious Kingdom of Messiah 
is about to be set up in the earth, for the deliverance of 
the world and the establishment of permanent righteousness. 
We believe the present war cannot last much 
longer until revolution shall break out. The nations 
are rapidly impoverishing themselves. 

Great Britain has already expended thirteen billions 
of dollars in the war, and her minister of finance says that 
another year of war will require nine billions more. That 
will make twenty- two billions. At five per cent interest, 

SM677 

this would mean that one billion, two hundred millions 
would have to be raised each year by the British people 
just to keep the interest paid, to say nothing of the principal. 
Do you think they can afford to pay such an 
amount? Not at all! We believe that all those bonds 
will be repudiated. The same is true of France and Russia. 
Germany is impoverishing herself. All these governments 
are madly attempting to embargo future 
generations. All are saying, "We must conquer!" 
Well, we shall see how it will all end! We stake our 
opinion on the Bible. All these nations will soon pass 
away. There will not be a kingdom left in all Europe. 



Then Anarchy will follow. 

None of these nations is Christian, as their course 
unmistakably shows. Every one has violated international 
law. They are willing to barter away millions of 
lives of their people for the paltry gain of a little more 
territory and commercial benefit. Selfishness is rampant. 
If violation of law is anarchy, then we already have anarchy 
amongst the nations. They are all under the 
domination of "the prince of this world"~Satan. The 
Bible declares what is soon to come~"every man's hand 
against his neighbor." 

How thankful we are that while this awful trouble 
must come, because of man's sin and selfishness, yet the 
Word of God points out that upon the ruins of the present 
order shall come the Kingdom of God's dear Son! Man's 
extremity will be God's opportunity. The voice of Messiah 
shall be heard. He will command, "Peace, be still!" 
and the raging billows of human passion will be calmed, 
and all tumult will cease. He will bring order out of 
chaos. When men have reached the point of despair, 
deliverance will come; for then they will begin to cry to 
the Lord. And He will be entreated of them and will 
help them. God's Kingdom will assume full control of 
the affairs of the world, and will prove to be "the desire 
of all nations." 



SM678 



TWOFOLD OBJECT OF GOSPEL PREACHING 

"This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all 
the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall 
the end come. "--Matt. 24:14. 

In the words of our text our Lord Jesus Christ makes 
a statement as to the purpose of the Gospel Message of 
the present Age. That purpose is quite different from 
what Christian people in general have thought it to be. 
Many have supposed that the object to be attained during 
this Age has been the conversion of the world. But not 
so, according to the Scriptures. The end mentioned in 
our text is not the end of the world, but the end of the 
preaching of the Gospel. After the preaching of the 
Gospel has accomplished its work, this kind of preaching 
will no longer be necessary. The work of this Gospel 
Age, as laid out by the Master, is not the conversion of 
the world, but the preaching of the Gospel as a witness 
to all the nations. 

There is a distinction between the Gospel of the 
Kingdom and the Kingdom itself. The Gospel of the 
Kingdom is the Message concerning the Kingdom, the 
Glad Tidings of the Kingdom. When this Message shall 
have accomplished its work of gathering out a special 
class from amongst the people to constitute the Bride of 
Christ, then the Kingdom itself will be inaugurated and 
will begin its work, which will be for the salvation of the 
world at large. So we make the distinction between the 
Gospel of the Kingdom and the Kingdom. The Gospel 
is the announcement beforehand that the Kingdom is 
coming. When the Kingdom comes, of course the preaching 
that it is coming will be at an end; for the entire 
object of this preaching is to prepare for this coming 
Kingdom of God "under the whole heavens." 



SM679 

WHY BUT FEW HAVE HEARING EARS 

The Scriptures inform us that since our Lord's ascension 
to the right hand of the Majesty on High, He has 
been waiting until the time shall come for the Heavenly 
Father to make His enemies His footstool. (Heb. 10:12,13; 
Psa. 110:1.) In other words, He is waiting until His 
glorious Kingdom shall be inaugurated for the blessing 
of all the families of the earth. Meantime, those who 
hope to reign with Him have an important work to do in 
themselves, co-operating with their Lord in the preparation 
of themselves for their great future exaltation. 
Additionally, they are to proclaim the Gospel Message, 
preaching it to every one who has an ear to hear, in order 
that the full number of the Bride class may be gathered 
in and fitted for their positions in the Kingdom. 

But not many will hear this Message of the Kingdom. 
The great majority of people are filled with their own 
ideas. Some are engrossed in money making, in pleasure 
seeking, in art, in music, etc. As a result, comparatively 
few have an ear for the Truth of God, the Message of the 
Kingdom. But upon the few who have the hearing ear, 
this glorious Message has a marvelous effect; for it 
transforms their entire lives. 

In calling out this class God uses no force, no coercion. 
It is strictly a voluntary matter. The Gospel 
Message is only for those who appreciate it; and they will 
receive a great blessing. As the Master said to His disciples, 
"Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your 
ears, for they hear." (Matt. 13:16,17.) When our 
Lord was preaching in Palestine, comparatively few had 
an ear to hear. The majority were too full of their own 
ideas and projects. And thus it has been all down the 
Gospel Age. 

However, God is not blaming those who have no ears 
to hear the Message of the Gospel; and neither should 
we. We do not smite a blind man because he does not 
see. On the contrary, we sympathize with him. So we 

SM680 

should do with those who have no spiritual sight. There 
are very many who lack spiritual sight, many who cannot 



exercise faith in what they cannot see; and according to 
the Scriptures they are not responsible for their failure. 
As the Apostle Paul says, "The god of this world hath 
blinded the minds of them that believe not." For this 
reason they cannot see. (2 Cor 4:4.) Later on, under 
the Messianic Kingdom, these blind eyes will be opened.-- 
Isa. 35:5-10. 

So then, we perceive that this Message of the Kingdom 
was never designed to reach those now blinded by 
the Adversary. And this class forms the great majority 
of mankind. God never purposed that the Kingdom 
Message should convert the world, but that the Kingdom 
itself should do this work when it is established in the 
earth. The Message is designed for only a "little flock." 
"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure 
to give you the Kingdom," said the Master. (Luke 12:32.) 
Only the Royal Family will get the Kingdom. 
All others will be the subjects of the Kingdom. 



THE PRICELESS PEARL NOW OFFERED 

The earth is the one rebellious province in God's Universe. 
There are only a few members of Adam's race 
who are inclined to listen to the Word of God and to follow 
its instructions. By nature our minds are all more 
or less twisted through the Adamic fall, and not one is 
fit to be a member of God's Royal Family. But there are 
some who have a disposition of heart to do right, who 
hunger and thirst after God and righteousness. It is to 
such that the good Message of the Kingdom appeals. 
The Gospel attracts those who have an interest in the 
things of God, but passes by those who lack such interest. 

God is seeking for those who, when they learn of His 
wonderful Plan for human salvation from sin and death, 
will become so thoroughly engrossed in it that they will 
practically forget everything else. Thenceforth His 
Plan will be the only thing of special value to them. Some 

SM681 

of us have found it even so in our own cases. All other 
things are but secondary—eating, drinking, the kind of 
clothing we wear, whether we are poor or rich, etc. We 
desire merely to be neat in person and to have sufficient 



food to give us the strength required for what our Lord 
has given us to do. 

With us the main object in life is the attainment of 
the great Heavenly treasure to which the Gospel called 
our attention. We are like the merchantman who was 
seeking goodly pearls, and who, when he had found one 
pearl of great price, sold all that he had and bought that 
pearl. (Matt. 13:45,46.) The Kingdom of Heaven, the 
Messianic Kingdom, with its glory and honor and with 
its privileges in connection with the world's uplift to 
human perfection, constitutes the great prize peculiar to 
this Gospel Age. Never before this Age was this prize 
possible of attainment; and the opportunity to attain it 
will end with this Age. 

Everybody is seeking something in life. The vast 
majority have before their minds some object or aim, to 
the attainment of which they expend their energies. 
Some are seeking the pearl of large financial influence in 
their community. Others seek the pearl of great wealth, 
the finest house in town, etc. Still others bend every 
effort to become famous musicians or great singers. A 
young woman may have before her mind the pearl of a 
cosy home, with a kind husband and little children. So 
there are pearls of many kinds and sizes. Whoever has 
no worthy object in life, no high ideal before his mind, is 
indeed a pitiable creature. 

But the Pearl of great price presented to us in the 
Scriptures far eclipses all other pearls in value. Whoever 
possesses this Pearl will be in harmony with God. 
The majority of mankind have no God, although everybody 
really needs Him; for we were created so. The 
highest organs in the human head show that worship of 
our Creator is a natural requirement of man's being. 

SM682 

But the race is so fallen from its original perfection, and 
our God has been so grossly misrepresented to us, that 
few realize their need. What we were told concerning 
Him was so terrible that we did not care to know anything 
more about Him. Contrary to our nature, we 
turned aside because of these misrepresentations of His 
character. Nevertheless, the first step is to come into 
harmony with God, to become His child, and to learn that 
"like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth 



them that reverence Him."~Psa. 103:13. 



HOW TO SECURE THIS GREAT PEARL 

As we examine this Pearl more closely, we see a marvelous 
beauty that we had not noticed before. We see 
that God has made a wonderful offer to those who will 
renounce the world and consecrate themselves fully to 
Him, to follow in the footsteps of their Redeemer, faithful 
even unto death. For these the Heavenly Father has 
in reservation great glory, high honor and a change of 
nature from human to Divine. (2 Peter 1:4.) These 
constitute the Church of Christ, and the Church will be 
joint-heir with Christ Jesus in His Kingdom, through 
which God has purposed to bless the world. 

Whoever gets the Pearl will have the privilege of 
being associated with our Lord Jesus in the work of 
helping the world up out of ignorance, superstition and 
sin. For a thousand years this wonderful privilege will 
be afforded to Christ and His Church--the privilege of 
raising to human perfection and everlasting life all of the 
poor, fallen race of Adam who will accept the offer. Who 
would not rejoice at the prospect of uplifting the world 
from sin and death conditions to perfection and life! 
What would not we give thus to bless and uplift all our 
relatives and friends who are not now interested in the 
Kingdom! How glad we are that all mankind will have 
the privilege of hearing and knowing about God! 

But this is not all. After Christ and the Church 
shall have brought the poor world back to perfection, 

SM683 

righteousness and life, the Church will be forever associated 
with her Lord, to show forth the riches of Jehovah's 
grace throughout the ages of eternity. (Eph. 2:4-7.) 
Surely this is "a Pearl of great price." 

Are we asked what we must give to secure this Pearl? 
In the parable, the merchantman sold all that he possessed 
to obtain that Pearl; and so must we. It makes 
no difference whether we have much or little, we must 
give our all. We must yield ourselves wholly and unreservedly 
to God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. In one 
sense the Pearl is very cheap—practically a gift; for the 



most that any of us may possess is as nothing in comparison. 
Yet in the sense that in order to purchase it 
we must submit ourselves fully to the Lord, henceforth 
to have no will of our own in anything, to suffer reproach, 
scorn, persecution, loss of friends, tribulations-all necessary 
to our preparation for future service—the cost is 
considerable. But whoever has once gotten a glimpse of 
the Pearl will gladly pay the price. 



CONDITIONS FOR OBTAINING THE PEARL 

Whoever accepts this wonderful offer which God has 
made must enter into a Covenant of Sacrifice with Jehovah. 
(Psa. 50:5.) Day by day he must thereafter carry 
out his Covenant. He must study the course followed by 
our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our great Exemplar; then 
he must walk in the Savior's steps. He must deny himself 
—put himself fully into the hands of our Lord— and 
enter the School of Christ, learning daily lessons of faith 
and obedience. 

After we have consecrated ourselves fully to the Lord, 
all that we have is His; and we are only His stewards, 
who must render to Him an account for our use of time, 
influence, means, strength, and all. We have very little 
to render to the Lord at best. When the time necessary 
for eating, sleeping, earning a livelihood, etc., is deducted, 
we have not much left for active service for God. Therefore 
we are, so far as we are able, to redeem the time 

SM684 

from earthly affairs, spending as little as possible commensurate 

with duty and necessity in housework, business, 

etc. Some of the earthly treasures can be relinquished 

in the interest of the Heavenly treasures, that 

more time may be given to the study of God's Word, in 

helping the brethren along the good way, and in proclaiming 

the Message of grace to others. 

The number who will obtain this Pearl is limited. 
During the entire Gospel Age only 144,000 are to be selected 
to form the glorified Church class. This number, 
we believe, is very nearly complete. Therefore if we 
wish to be winners of the prize we must be up and doing. 
The time is short; and we must be about our Father's 



business. It is the Father's business that we cultivate 
the fruits of the Holy Spirit—putting away malice, 
hatred, strife, and putting on meekness, gentleness, patience, 
brotherly-kindness, love. This is the Father's 
business; and by so doing we are getting ready to carry 
on His business by and by. He wishes us to attend to 
our own education now, and to do all that we can to help 
others to get their education also. This is not the time 
to attend to the interests of the world. 

This does not mean that we shall do nothing for the 
world, however; for we are to do good unto all as we 
have opportunity, especially to the Household of Faith. 
Seek first the Kingdom of God for yourself; and afterward 
look after the brethren and those needing your 
assistance. Be kind and considerate toward all. Watch 
for opportunities to give a pleasant word or a smile—to 
your grocer, your iceman, your milkman, your butcher, 
etc. Do kindly by them. They will see that you are different 
from others, and that you are not trying to pick 
a flaw in everything that they have. This does not mean 
that you are to be willing to be taken advantage of, but 
that you are showing a kindly spirit towards them. By 
so doing, you may pave the way for speaking the Gospel 
Message to them afterwards. 

SM685 

We cannot know how much good may result from 
these seemingly small things. Thus doing, we shall be 
showing forth the Lord's praise, which is to be our constant 
aim. All of this is preparing us for the Kingdom, 
laying up treasures to buy this great Pearl. To do so 
will take all that we have, however much or little. There 
is no other way to secure it. 

With the majority, the sole object of life seems to be 
something to eat or to drink, a little pleasure, some attractive 
apparel, etc. Comparatively few know for what 
they are living or why they are in the world. To live in 
this way is to live like an animal. Rather than to have 
our mind in such a state we would prefer to be blotted 
out of existence. But how glorious it is to lift our 
thoughts and minds to things Above, to live for God and 
for the eternal future! Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive 
the glories which God has prepared for them that love 



Him above all else. 



GOSPEL WITNESSING ALMOST COMPLETED 

The Gospel of the Kingdom has been preached in all 
the world as a witness unto all nations. The end of the 
present Dispensation is at hand. The shaking process, 
which is to remove everything not in full harmony with 
the incoming Messianic Kingdom, is progressing. The 
Bride of Christ will soon be complete beyond the veil. 
The time of the deliverance of the Church is at hand. 
The end may come very suddenly. We wish only our 
Father's time and way. Let us, then, be faithful unto 
death. Daily we are learning patience, cheerful endurance, 
submission to the will of the Lord. All this is 
shown in the faces of the Lord's dear people. Let us 
continue thus to let our light shine; and soon, we trust, 
we shall gain the Pearl of Great Price—in the Kingdom. 



SM686 



THE GREAT WHITE THRONE 

"I saw a Great White Throne and Him that sat on it, 
from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away; 
and there was found no place for them. "--Rev. 20:11. 

[Novembers, 1914] 

The shaking described in Hebrews 12:27 is now in 

progress, and will continue until all things are removed 
which are out of harmony with the Divine standards. 
As a result of this shaking there will be "a Time of 
Trouble such as never was since there was a nation." 

Everything false, bogus, inequitable, will be shaken. 
In financial parlance this is equivalent to saying that 
the "water" will be squeezed out of all the stocks and 
bonds. By methods once sanctioned, but now ever5rwhere 
reprehended, stocks and bonds have been issued for sums 
far beyond the actual value of the properties. These 
stocks and bonds have cost their present owners varying 
sums from nothing up to par; but their actual value is 
what the properties would cost, plus a reasonable percentage 
of allowance for right of way and business "good 
will." In ordinary times these had a market value built 
upon hope of their future prosperity. Now, however, 
the general public has become aware of the real situation 
and is fearful to touch at any price these shares and 
bonds of over-capitalized companies, and the most sound 
and solvent of them share the public distrust. Now, in 
the opening of the New Dispensation, when everything 
is being "shaken," we are to expect that all such stocks 
and bonds will be shaken in value until ever)^hing like 
dishonesty and inequity shall have been shaken out. 

Forty years ago the world's great bankers and financiers 
concluded that it would be to their interest to demonetize 
silver and have only a gold standard. This 

SM687 

finally accomplished what they foresaw and intended: 
it curtailed the world's monetary supply and enabled 
the bankers the better to control the entire situation 



throughout the world. By an elaborate banking system 
(valuable in some respects), it made each gold dollar 
chase itself and do the work of five dollars or ten dollars, 
assisted by bank checks and drafts. Thus the profits 
of the larger banks increased amazingly by reason of 
higher discount and interest charges, making them rich 
at the public expense. 

The public, of course, acquiesced in the law demonetizing 
silver and making gold the single standard. But 
they did it under misapprehension, because they believed 
the bankers' tale--that this was really the best thing for 
the people, and not merely a measure in the interest of 
the banker and at the expense of the people. It is perhaps 
but fair to say that less than one-half of the bankers 
understood the philosophy of the matter; the others were 
guided by the wealthier and more astute, who did fully 
understand. 

The result has been great profits to the bankers, and 
great power; for without them, railroad stocks and bonds 
could not be handled successfully. The bankers took 
over large issues of railroad stocks and bonds, by what 
is known as the underwriting process. They were capable 
sales agents for the bonds at a good round percentage 
of profit, advancing money on the bonds and holding 
them for sale to the public. 



THE DAY OF RECKONING 

Now we see fulfilled the Scripture declaration, "He 
taketh the wise in their own craftiness." (Job 5:13.) 
How so, do you ask? I reply that the great banks have 
their vaults well filled with these bonds and stocks on 
which they had hoped to make large profits; but which, 
on the contrary, they are now unable to sell at any price. 
These stocks and bonds reckoned in as part of the banks' 

SM688 

assets, show them to be wealthy, with immense surpluses; 
but now the "water" is to be taken out of these stocks 
and bonds. It will show an immense shrinkage in the 
resources of these banks. They will become suddenly 
poor without actually losing a cent, by reason of the 
market value of their securities falling. 



This fact is realized by all banks. They realize that 
if the Day of Reckoning has come, and their holdings— 
their securities—are to be reckoned at their actual value, 
it will mean that instead of large resources and surpluses, 
some of the richest banks will become insolvent 
and be called upon by the government, either to close 
their doors or to make good their shortage. And right 
there will be their difficulty; for the rich men of the 
world have their capital invested similarly, and the reaction 
will be bound to unfavorably affect all the great 
commercial enterprises of the world. As all went well, 
amazingly well for the bankers and the wealthy by reason 
of the demonetization of silver, so when the Day of 
Reckoning shall have fully dawned, things will go especially 
hard with these same people. And, although the 
stoppage and the reconstruction will involve the whole 
world, poor and rich alike, nevertheless in many respects 
the rich will feel the pressure most. 

The liquidating process had already begun before the 
present European war started. The Hartford and New 
Haven Railroad, the Chicago and Rock Island, and others, 
have been called to account. With these the "water 
squeezing" processes of the law have been threatening, 
and will undoubtedly accomplish their thorough "shaking." 
But meantime, the war, waiting not for the more 
gradual processes of the law and the ordinary business, 
has brought the financial world to a crisis. The nations 
of Europe are being shaken. The casualties of the war 
already amount to a million and a half of human beings, 
and hundreds of millions of dollars. And it is only begun. 
Financial values there are greatly impaired, as are 

SM689 

also national credits. The thing wanted is gold, and as 
in every war, this precious metal has practically disappeared 
in the nations at war. Their home securities will 
not be salable for cash, and a general attempt will be 
made to sell American securities—American stocks, 
bonds, etc. But who will buy these? America will be 
practically the only market for them, and as we have 
already seen, American banks and bankers are loaded 
down heavily. 

When we learn the immense amount of these American 
shares and bonds held in European hands, we need 



not wonder that American bankers pale at the thought 
of their being dumped upon the American market. Reliable 
financial authorities declare that Europe has about 
five thousand millions of dollars invested in American 
securities. If but one-fifth of these be sacrificed to realize 
gold, it will mean an avalanche--a financial deluge. 
American banks, already overloaded with these "securities," 
cannot purchase all; hence, prices will tumble and 
wrecks follow. 



EFFECT OF SILVER DEMONETIZATION 

In view of these matters, is it any wonder that American 
bankers fear to see the Stock Exchanges open for 
business? Had the Exchanges not closed promptly when 
they did, we would have had the most terrible panic ever 
known. By the closing of the Exchanges that awful panic 
was temporarily averted. By their closing, the owners 
of the stocks and bonds have been hindered from realizing 
upon them; thus the face value of these stocks and 
bonds has been preserved and thereby the banks and 
bankers have been permitted to continue to count these 
shares and bonds at fictitious prices which nobody would 
pay for them today. 

Had silver not been demonetized, bankers would not 
have had as easy a time as they have enjoyed in cornering 
the financial market, and getting large rates of interest 

SM690 

and premiums; but neither would they be in the 

same distress at the present time, for the world would 

have had twice as much money with which to do its business. 

When we consider that the gold coin of the world 

is not sufficient for even the paying of the interest of the 

debts, we perceive how the banking institutions have had 

the people, figuratively, by the throat, and now are being 

choked themselves by their own device. 

The interest upon the debts cannot be paid in gold 
because there is not enough of it to pay the interest. 
Hence the only thing remaining to be done is to issue 
more bonds, payable in gold also, and the interest payable 
in gold. Now that nobody will buy the bonds, what 
is to be done? Interest on foreign holdings of American 



"securities," estimated at only four per cent per annum, 
means a drainage of two hundred millions of dollars 
every year in gold, needed to pay that interest. Now we 
seem to be coming to a dead stop through this war; and 
the wheels of finance which worked so favorably for the 
bankers in the past, are turning in the opposite direction 
and lacerating them financially. 

Apparently our financial "house of cards" is trembling 
and about to fall. Various expediencies are being 
tried by the governments and the ablest financiers of the 
world. We might hope that their skill would accomplish 
the end they desire, and save the present institutions— 
financial—from being "shaken" to pieces. But, if we 
are right in our understanding of the Scriptures—if the 
great Day of Settlement has come, in which all the shakable 
things are to be shaken and nothing remain except 
that which cannot be shaken, then we may be sure that all 
human effort will fail, and the greatest of all crashes of 
a financial kind that have ever happened will take place. 

It will be noticed that I am saying nothing new--that 
what I have just said has been said in part at least, by 
many, and published in the newspapers. I am merely 
bringing together these things, and showing their relationship 

SM691 

to the testimony of the Bible, that we are now 
in the great day of "shaking." To some this will be 
considered a fanatical pessimism, because the vast majority 
of people have absolutely no confidence in the 
Bible. Nevertheless, when these things shall come to 
pass in the very near future, some may be helped to an 
understanding of the true situation—to a recognition of 
the fact that the "shaking" upon the nations— financial, 
social, political and religious-is of the Lord, and not 
accidental. 

Under normal conditions American business should 
be prospering as never before, because her commercial 
competitors are at war, and unable to properly attend to 
their commercial interests. Likewise, American securities 
should be in demand, because all securities of foreign 
countries have depreciated by the war. But with 
the gold standard and an insufficiency of gold, the business 
of the entire world is stagnated. The world's needs 
and wants are as great as ever, but it has not the gold 



wherewith to purchase. The demonetization of silver 
seems to be referred to by the Prophet Ezekiel (7:19) 
saying, "They shall cast their silver into the street" -- 
treat it as a commodity and not as money. The Prophet 
then tells how gold will become scarce and eventually be 
completely withdrawn by the people hiding it as though 
it were an unclean thing, as the Hebrew text implies— 
"Their gold shall be removed." Thus neither silver nor 
gold will be available. 

Railroad magnates, and the bankers who hold their 
securities, perceive that if it is difficult to raise money 
for the meeting of the interest on the bonds it will be 
more difficult to issue new bonds to replace maturing 
ones, no matter how sound and well managed the railway 
may be. Is it any wonder that the trepidation of the 
financial and political princes of the earth is great, as 
they look into the future! Their well-grounded fears 
were prophesied by our Saviour as one of the signs of 

SM692 

the present time: "Men's hearts failing them for fear 
and for looking after those things coming upon the 
earth"--the social order--and because of the shaking 
of the heavens, the ecclesiastical systems. -Luke 21:26. 



FEAR HUMANITY'S BANE 

Sin made moral cowards of our race. From early 
infancy fear and apprehension especially in respect to 
things future, have been impressed upon us. We realize 
that we are imperfect, that our God is perfect, that perfection 
is the only standard which He could approve, and 
that some kind of punishment for sin must be expected. 
The Adversary, taking advantage of our forefathers, 
misrepresented the Almighty, and has used our fears to 
alienate us from Him and to wrest and distort His Message 
to us in the Bible. St. Paul assures us that this is 
Satan's general procedure; that he puts light for darkness 
and darkness for light. Thus it comes that our text, 
which is really one of the most beautiful and comforting 
in the whole Bible when understood, has to many become 
a lash in the hands of their fears. ~2 Cor. 4:4. 

Our text is one of the symbolisms of a Book filled 



with symbols. God's people, guided by His Holy Spirit, 
in due time will appreciate these symbols. For many 
of them, that due time is already here. The Throne is 
Messiah's; it represents His Mediatorial Dominion of 
earth for a thousand years. Its whiteness symbolizes 
the purity, the justice, of His Kingdom of Righteousness 
under the whole heavens. 

The heavens and earth which will flee from the presence 
of the great Immanuel will not be the Heavens of 
God's Throne, nor the earth which He has given to the 
children of men. The heavens and earth which will flee 
away, and for which no place will be found, are, of 
course, the symbolical ones. 

In Bible symbology the earth represents established 
civilization; the sea, the restless, dissatisfied masses of 
humanity; and the mountains, human governments, kingdoms, 

SM693 

which constitute the backbone of present social 
institutions. The symbolic heavens represent spiritual 
influences—Ecclesiasticism, Churchianity. Thus interpreted, 
our text declares that when Messiah assumes control 
of the world, the result will be that the social system 
of today, as well as present day ecclesiasticism will 
pass out of existence-no place will be found for them. 



SATAN NOW THE PRINCE 

Some may ask. Whatever may be said of the four 
thousand years before the coming of Christ, may it not 
be claimed that He has been reigning ever since His 
ascension to the right hand of God? We answer. If the 
Redeemer of men has been reigning as the King of earth 
for the past nineteen centuries, there should be something 
in the Bible to so teach. 

On the contrary the Master's own words tell us that 
Satan is the Prince of this Age; that Christ's Kingdom 
is not of this world (Age); that He will come again and 
receive His followers to Himself; that He went into a far 
country to receive title to His Kingdom and to return 
to take possession of it; and that at His Second Coming 
He will be the great King of Glory.-John 14:16,30; 
18:36; Matt. 21:33; 25:14,31. 



When we scan the pages of history during the past 
eighteen centuries, we are convinced that Messiah has 
not been King. To think of Him as such, with the omnipotent 
power we accredit to Him, would be to charge Him 
with responsibility for bloody and atrocious persecutions, 
for wars, famines and pestilences. Surely, no right-minded 
person, after mature consideration, can rationally 
accept the theory that we have had the glorious Messianic 
Reign of Righteousness for the blessing of the 
whole world, the uplifting of humanity. 

No one can think that the Reign of the great Mediator 
is in the past. We must agree with our text that it is 
in the future; and that, when established, its effect upon 
present institutions—political, social, financial, religious 

SM694 

—will be such that they will flee away; no place will be 
found for them. From this standpoint alone there is 
hope for the world. 

Today we are living at the climax of civilization. Yet 
we behold more clearly than ever before that the deeply-ingrained 
selfishness of humanity is a blight upon all 
our blessings. Selfishness is to be found everywhere. 
Although a semblance of righteousness is insisted upon 
and violators of that standard are styled criminals, nevertheless 
it seems impossible to legislate equity, justice. 
Men's keen intellects find opportunities for circumventing 
the laws and committing theft, murder, etc., without 
danger of punishment. 



THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT 

Neither Jehovah God nor His Representative, Messiah, 
can in any sense or degree be a party to injustice 
or inequity. The fact that injustice has been permitted, 
that inequity has been the rule for centuries, is to be 
accounted for by the fact that during all this period the 
world has been under the reign of Sin and Death, the 
reign of Satan, "the Prince of this world," and of the 
darkness of selfishness and evil— all of which his name 
represents; that the world has not been under the dominion 
of Messiah, the Representative of Jehovah and His 
righteousness, and love. 



The New Dispensation which Messiah's Kingdom will 
usher in is pictured in our text. It will be the world-wide 
dominion of purity, holiness, righteousness, justice, 
truth- -a Great White Throne. No wonder we read that 
the symbolical heavens and earth, representing the old 
order of things-social, ecclesiastical-will vanish away! 

But let no one think for a moment that ecclesiastical 
princes, financial princes and political princes will voluntarily 
acknowledge that the hour has come for a full 
surrender to Messiah and to all the principles of His absolute 
righteousness. On the contrary, these privileged 

SM695 

members of our race will be more and more drawn together 
for mutual protection-for the preservation of 
the special privileges which have come into their possession. 
Even now we see the prophecy of the Second Psalm 
fulfilling. We are in the very time when the Lord, 
through the Prophet David, calls the great ones of earth 
to recognize the true situation of our wonderful day— 
that the Day of Messiah has arrived, and that He should 
be recognized and His principles of righteousness obeyed. 

But no! The prophecy declares that we are in the 
day when the people, the masses, will have foolish imaginations 
—when they will think that by their own strength 
they can inaugurate a reign of righteousness along the 
lines of Socialism, or by anarchy. The people must 
learn that their help is in the Lord and not in their own 
frail arm. They must see the force of the words, 
"Blessed are all they that put their trust in Messiah." 



"BE INSTRUCTED, YE JUDGES!" 

On the other hand, the money kings, earthly rulers 
and ecclesiastical princes are taking counsel together 
for the preservation of present inequities of the world, 
by which they are profiting. The Lord declares that in 
this they are banding themselves against Him and His 
newly-appointed King, Messiah. For over a century human 
liberty has been making progress, despite every 
endeavor to restrain it. Earth's potentates perceive the 
rising tide of human intelligence and of demands for 
equal rights. They perceive that unless something be 



done to counteract this general movement, the special advantages 
of the privileged classes will disappear. Even 
now they are taking counsel together how to break the 
restraints which the people are putting upon them, and 
how to reinaugurate a reign of autocracy, such as prevailed 
a century ago, but upon a higher plane, controlled 
by brighter wits, restraining more intelligent masses. 
Would that the cultured and influential princes of 
earth could take the proper view of the situation and 

SM696 

realize the fallacy of their counsels, the impossibility of 

averting the great changes which are upon us by reason 

of the time having come for Messiah to take unto Himself 

His great power and reign! Could the wise of earth 

realize the situation and fully submit themselves to the 

Divine requirements of absolute justice and truth, what 

a blessing it would be to the world! If these princes 

would turn their attention from the grasping of power 

and money to the enlightenment and uplifting of the 

people, they would become ministers of the New Dispensation, 

which would be ushered in with rejoicing. But 

the Lord informs us that this will not be the case; and 

that as a result Messiah's Kingdom will be ushered in by 

"a Time of Trouble such as was not since there was a 

nation."--Daii. 12:1. 

God is no respecter of persons. Hence, before His 
Judgment Throne punishments will be meted out to small 
and great, when found to be violators of the principles 
of justice. Would that I could impress this upon many 
of the lower classes who are crying out against injustice 
in high places, while practicing similar injustices themselves. 
Let it be remembered that the Great White 
Throne speaks blessings only to those who love righteousness 
and hate iniquity. 

The Master said, "My Word shall judge you in the 
Last Day." The books then to be opened will be the 
words of Jesus, of His Apostles and of the Prophets of 
old. Then all shall see the oneness of the Divine Message 
of righteousness, and each who would have everlasting 
life must conform his living and his thinking to those 
standards therein contained. At the end of Messiah's 
Reign, those whose names will have been written upon 
the new Book of Life will be found worthy of everlasting 



life; those whose names are not therein written will be 
destroyed in the Second Death. —Rev. 20:11-15. 



SM697 



THE BROTHERHOOD OF CHRIST 

"Love as brethren; be tender-hearted, be humble-minded, 
not rendering evil for evil, reviling for reviling, 
but contrariwise blessing. For hereunto were ye called, 
that ye should inherit a blessing. "~1 Peter 3:8,9. R.V. 

It is praiseworthy that the founders of the city of 
Philadelphia named it as they did, the "City of Brotherly 
Love," thus implying the good intentions of their hearts, 
their love of peace, of brotherhood, of mutual welfare. 
And who can doubt that the benedictions of those founders 
have to some extent exercised a beneficent influence 
in the affairs of this great city? Nevertheless, none of 
us can be unaware of the fact that unbrotherly words 
and deeds have wrought sorrow, bitterness, woe and 
death to many within its precincts. We may at first be 
inclined to wonder why this should be so, why sin seems 
to be so much more contagious than righteousness, and 
why as the Scriptures declare, our entire race is prone to 
sin as the sparks fly upward. Shall we suppose that those 
who gave the name were so much better, so much nobler, 
so much more God-like than their progeny of today? 

We would not be disposed to make so sweeping a statement. 
We believe that there are some today as good and 
noble and true as ever lived of Adam's race. Nevertheless, 
we remember the words of the Apostle respecting 
our day and the end of this Gospel Age, to the effect 
that "evil men, and leaders astray, shall wax worse and 
worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Tim. 3:13.) 
Again he says, "This know also that in the last days perilous 
times shall come. For men shall be lovers of self, 
lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient 
to parents, unthankful, unholy, lacking natural affection, 
truce-breakers and slanderers, without self-control, fierce, 
despisers of those who are good, traitors, headstrong, 

SM698 

puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 
having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof." 
-2 Tim. 3:2-5. 



The newspaper testimonies and the court records 
show a vast increase in the criminal tendencies which 
fully correspond to those prophetic statements; and 
naturally these conditions raise before the mind the 
query, Why should the world be giving such evidences 
of increasing depravity, whereas many have hoped that 
the spread of general intelligence and the multiplication 
of Bibles would by this time have converted the world? 

It is just about a century since most of the large Bible 
and Tract Societies were organized, and missionary effort 
amongst Protestants was undertaken with fresh zeal and 
hope. The century past is notable in the world's history 
for its religious zeal, its missionary effort and its general 
dissemination of the Scriptures, far in excess of any 
other. Yet today we find from statistics that, with the 
largest possible allowance for heathen professions and 
counting as Christians all who make any pretension 
toward civilization, regardless of their faith in Christ- 
still, where there were 600,000,000 of heathen a century 
ago, there are now 1,200,000,000. Where a century ago 
the colleges and theological seminaries of the world were 
almost without exception loyal to God, to the Bible and to 
Christ, there is scarcely an institution of learning today in 
which the doctrine of human evolution and the Higher 
Critical teachings in opposition to the Bible are not publicly 
taught, and even amongst the very few where these 
are not taught, we challenge the naming of a single one 
whose professors are all loyal to the Bible, so that they 
do not in private oppose the Word of God and the Divine 
Plan therein set forth. And it is in line with all these 
things that we behold so alarming an increase of selfishness 
and injustice, wickedness, crime. 

"BECAUSE ALL ARE SINNERS" 

The explanation of the situation is found in the 

SM699 

Apostle's words, "By one man's disobedience sin entered 
into the world and death as a result of sin, and thus death 
passed upon all men because all are sinners." (Rom. 5:12.) 
For four thousand years this inward, downward 
course, has prevailed, carrying mankind in some parts 
of the world into very deep degradation, and as a result. 



as the Prophet says, "Darkness covers the earth and 

gross darkness the heathen." (Isa. 60:2.) The light that 

was started by our Redeemer nineteen centuries ago conflicted 

with the darkness, and the children of the light 

overcame it, meanwhile spreading a refractive light and 

influence wherever the Lord's saints reside. 

But within the last half century, under the Lord's 
providence, inventions have brought to the world marvelous 
machinery, which the Scriptures inform us belong 
to the "Day of His Preparation" for the on-coming Millennial 
epoch. These inventions have quickened the 
minds and bodies of those coming in touch with them, 
stimulating their ambitions for knowledge, for improvement 
of their temporal affairs and for the accumulation 
of wealth. While in many respects there has been a great 
benefit and blessing connected with these, the fact that 
they appeal to the selfish propensities of humanity, already 
over-developed, has caused the blessing to operate 
injuriously to many. The increase of knowledge, combined 
with the increase of selfishness and with the high 
tension at which people are now living, affects the increase 
of crime and the decrease of brotherly love we 
have already noted. 

A TESTING TIME FOR CHRISTENDOM 

Various Scriptures point out the present and immediate 
future as a time of severe testing upon Christendom. 
It is the time for the ushering in of the Millennial 
Kingdom of God's dear Son, not along the lines anticipated 
by many, the conversion of the world, but along 
contrary lines, the completion of the Church, her glorification 
with her Lord, the Bridegroom, as His Bride, and 

SM700 

then the inauguration of a Reign of Righteousness, 
justice, equity, for the blessing and instruction of the 
world, and for the uplifting out of sin-and-death conditions 
of all who will hearken to the message of that 
glorious Day for which the world has waited so long. 
As suggested, the new era will be inaugurated in a 
manner totally unexpected by Christendom; and hence 
her testing at this time will be the more crucial. It will be 
here with Christendom as it was with the Jews in the 



time of our Lord's First Advent, of which our Lord Himself 
said, "Ye know not the time of your visitation." 
(Luke 19:44.) If Christendom today would awake and 
realize the true meaning of present conditions, it would 
mean a great change to the comparatively few who have 
made full consecration to the Lord--but others would 
not be able to believe or receive the lesson; for it is 
written, "None of the wicked shall understand." 

As for the consecrated, as the Scriptures declare, the 
New Dispensation is coming upon them as a thief in the 
night. Only such as are living up to their consecration 
vows will be granted Divine assistance in the understanding 
of the present situation. The others of the consecrated 
will go on in partial or complete ignorance until 
brought to their senses by the complete collapse of present 
institutions, political, social and religious, which the 
Scriptures show will precede the inauguration of the 
Millennial Kingdom. As for the world in general, and 
particularly the educated, they are rapidly dropping the 
thought of a personal God and a Divine Plan in respect 
to human affairs. They are rapidly reaching a rationalistic 
standpoint of thought— worshiping Mammon, wealth, 
station, education, etc., with merely a form of godliness 
without its power.-l Thess. 5:1-6. 

In these words the Scriptures call our attention to the 
fact that while the great Millennial Morning of blessing 
for all mankind is nearing, there intervenes a dark period, 
a short season of terrible trouble and anarchy. This 

SM701 

comes as a just retribution upon those who, having had 
a knowledge of God and His righteousness, appreciated 
more the things of Mammon. The lesson to them will 
be a very severe one, but in the Lord's providence, a very 
profitable one eventually, as the trouble of that awful 
period which is nearing will plow deeply their hearts and 
prepare many, we trust, for the blessing of the Millennial 
Kingdom, which will follow. 

Already we see a great struggle between the nations, 
between capital and labor, between the Word of God on 
one hand and the creeds of the Dark Ages and the various 
forms of new theology and agnosticism on the other. 
Everywhere the Scriptures predict that the crash will 
be with terrible force; but with equal plainness they 



assure us that following that awful experience God will 
turn unto the people the pure Message, that they may 
all call upon the name of the Lord to serve Him with 
one consent. (Zeph. 3:9.) They assure us that when 
the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth the 
inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. (Isa. 26:9.) 
If Divine Wisdom says that this is the best manner 
for giving mankind the needed lessons preparatory 
to the introduction of the Kingdom of Light and Blessing, 
all of God's consecrated ones will say, "Amen! True 
and righteous are Thy judgments. Lord God Almighty! 
Who shall not come and worship before Thee when Thy 
righteous acts are made manifest? "--Rev. 15:4; 16:5. 

CHURCH NOMINAL-CHURCH REAL 

Considering Christendom, or the civilized portion of 
the world, as the Church of Christ in name—including 
all denominations and all associated or connected directly 
or remotely- we have seen that the difficulty on account 
of which the great trouble is coming upon them is that 
love has given place to selfishness. There was enough 
selfishness in all by nature, but it has been enormously 
exercised and enlarged in influence amongst the civilized 
in recent years; and the terrible anarchy in which the 

SM702 

present age is about to close will be the fruitage of that 
selfishness. The Scriptures point this out, not only in 
these passages I have just quoted, but in others which 
declare in so many words that in the coming trouble every 
man's hand will be against his neighbor and against his 
brother— everyone for himself. But now let us turn from 
this view of the Church nominal and the trouble coming 
upon it and seek for that true Church hidden in the 
nominal mass that bears the name of Christian. 

Christendom nominal is estimated at 400,000,000 and 
represented by several hundred creeds and organizations. 
In this great mass the Lord's faithful few, styled the 
"little flock," may be rather difficult to discern. We are 
to look for them everywhere— in all denominations and 
outside of all. We are to remember that the Lord has 
not left Himself without a witness, but today it would 
be true as in Elijah's time when the Lord said to the 



Prophet, "Yet I have seven thousand in Israel, all the 
knees which have not bowed to Baal." (1 Kings 19:18.) 
We may surely hope for a still larger number who are 
not bowing either to sectarianism or to the golden calf 
of Mammon. How shall we know these true followers 
of Jesus, of whom it is written, "The Lord knoweth 
them that are His"? What are some of their characteristics? 
In what are they peculiar and different from the 
nominal mass? By what name are they to be known? 
Are they a coterie of the rich or of the learned or of the 
great? The Scriptures answer. No! and assure us that 
amongst them will be found not many great, not many 
wise, not many learned, but chiefly they will be of the 
poor of this world, rich in faith, heirs to the Kingdom. 
We must look then for some other sign, some other 
characteristics by which we may know them. 

"BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW" 

Our Redeemer's words give the key suggesting the 
characteristics for which we should seek. He says: "By 
this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye 

SM703 

have love for one another." (John 13:35.) He emphasizes 
this, saying, "A new commandment I give unto you, 
that ye love one another as I have loved you." (John 13:34.) 
Ah, we get the thought that the Church is a 
blessed brotherhood of all those who not only love God 
supremely, so that they delight to do His will, even at 
the cost of self-interest, but who also love one another 
as Christ loved them, which signifies to the extent of 
willingness to lay down their lives for one another! We 
look in vain for such an organization amongst men. We 
perceive various bundles or organizations under various 
names, all professing love, but none of them even dreaming 
of union with such bonds of love. We are not forgetting 
the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Presbyterians, 
the Methodists, the Episcopalians, the Lutherans, the 
Roman Catholics, etc. But none of these claim to be 
such a brotherhood as our Lord has described. They 
do indeed claim to give special attention to each other's 
interests, and to have certain reverence for God, but not 
to the extent that our Master intimated—not to the extent 



of laying down their lives in doing the will of the Father 
and in their love for the brethren. 

The Apostle Peter in our text points out that the 
Lord's followers should love as brethren— as proper 
brethren— as true brethren ought to love. He points out 
to them that this will mean tender-heartedness, humble-mindedness 
and forbearance to resent injuries and revilings. 
That the proper brotherly love would not only 
submit to all this without retaliation, but on the contrary 
would return a blessing. Oh, such love— such a high 
standard of love! How many of us, how few of us, have 
ever realized the standard of brotherly love that would 
be appreciated by our Lord- the standard that He demands 
as a condition of our being His brethren, the 
standard He implies in the prayer that He taught us, 
saying, "Forgive us our transgressions as we forgive 
those who trespass against us"! 

SM704 

The same Apostle points out that to be of the Lord's 
true disciples not only means an exercise of faith in 
God, and in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the forgiveness 
of our sins through Him, but that it means more than 
this. "Seeing that ye have purified your souls in your 
obeying of the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned 
love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a 
pure heart fervently." (1 Peter 1:22.) Ah, there it is, 
dear brethren! We not only believe and receive forgiveness 
of the Lord, but we receive a knowledge of the Truth, 
a knowledge of His will; and then it is for us to put that 
knowledge into practice, to weave it into our thoughts 
and words and doings, to obey it to the extent of an 
unfeigned love for the brethren. This is to be before 
our minds as the proper, grand outworking of the Truth 
which the Lord grants to us. The Truth is designed to 
sanctify, as our Lord declared, "Sanctify them through 
Thy Truth; Thy Word is Truth." As this Truth gains 
control of our words and thoughts and doings, it will 
cast out the spirit of selfishness from our desires and 
create in us new ambitions, desires, and love for the 
Father, for the brethren, including our Elder Brother, 
Jesus, and that will gradually become more and more 
fervent. It will not be merely an outward courtesy, a 
feigned love, but an inward heart sentiment. 



Hearken to the Apostle John on this subject. He 
says: "Marvel not, brethren, if the world hate you." We 
are not to expect any special sympathy from the world, 
but rather that they will misunderstand us. But we are 
to expect something different from amongst the brethren, 
as the Apostle proceeds to show: "We know that we 
have passed from death unto life because we love the 
brethren." Whoever then does not love the brethren 
cannot be sure that he has passed from the death condition 
to the free condition of mind and heart. How 
anxious we should be to be able to have this testimony of 
the Apostle corroborate our hopes that we are New Creatures 

SM705 

in Christ, that we have passed from the kingdom of 
darkness into the Kingdom of God's dear Son, and from a 
condition of condemnation and death, to a condition of 
justification to life. But the Apostle continues, "He that 
loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth 
his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer 
hath eternal life abiding in him." Crucial words these for 
the brethren! Let us not lose their import, their value, 
let us test our hearts, our standing with the Lord, by 
our love or our lack of love for the brethren, as the 
Apostle here by inspiration directs. But the Apostle is 
not through with this subject; he caps the climax by 
saying: "Hereby know we love, because He laid down 
His life for us, and we also ought to lay down our lives 
for the brethren."-! John 3:14,17. 

WHO ARE THE BRETHREN? 

If by their fruits we shall know them, there are not 
many brethren of this kind in the world. The early 
Church showed some noble examples of such brotherhood, 
Jesus Himself being the Elder Brother who laid down 
His life on our behalf. The Apostles and many in humble 
stations followed closely in the Master's footsteps; and 
some we believe all the way down through the centuries 
have similarly been found; and some today, we also 
believe, are to be found in all denominations and outside 
of them who have this general character-likeness--but 
they are few. The Apostle comments of our Lord, "He 
is not ashamed to call them brethren." (Heb. 2:11.) 



Like Him they have consecrated their lives to the 
Father's business, the service of the Truth. 

Recognizing that God is now taking out of the world 
people for His name, it is their chief concern in life to 
be co-laborers together with God in the finding of this 
elect class and in assisting them to make their calling 
and election sure. Neither time nor influence nor money 
is too precious for these to spend in this service—yea, 

SM706 

life itself with them as with the Master and the Apostles 
is being gradually used up along this line-- "This one 
thing I do." These brethren indeed must eat, sleep, and to 
this end must not be slothful in business; but their chief 
employ and joy and fervency of spirit is in serving the 
Lord by serving the brethren. 

True, some of these brethren, with loving hearts and 
noble desires, striving to follow the Pattern, fail to copy 
it perfectly because of "weakness of the flesh." St. 
Paul, one of these, declared what is true of all, "I cannot 
do the things that I would." Our ideals and our standards 
are superior to anything to which we can attain. 
We continually find that the meanness, the selfishness, 
which is a part of our old nature, still lurks in the 
crannies of our mortal flesh and requires to be dealt with 
and sometimes takes advantage of us; for to will is 
present with us, but how to perform the will of our new 
minds is another matter. Hence, with some of the most 
loyal of the brethren there is occasionally a necessity 
for humiliation in confessing that in an unguarded 
moment a word or act had misrepresented the real sentiment 
of the heart. But even such a failure and confession 
may be overruled of the Lord for a blessing and the 
experience may prove to be valuable in strengthening 
the mind, in guarding the lips for the future and in developing 
also the meekness and humility which in God's 
sight are characteristic elements of great value. 

"WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS!" 

The Apostle urges the importance of our new relationship 
of brethren in Christ and sons of God, and impresses 
it upon our minds, saying: "What manner of persons 
ought we to be in all holy living and godliness—looking 



for and hasting unto the day of Christ!" (2 Peter 3:11,12.) 
How true! When we remember our own imperfections 
and blemishes and how much the Lord must overlook 
and forgive in us, how generous it should make us in 
our sentiments toward the brethren who are with us seeking 

SM707 

to walk contrary to the course of this world, a self-sacrificing, 

self-denying life! How their weaknesses 

should appeal to us ! How their struggle should call 

forth our sympathy and words of encouragement! How 

we should realize that they, like ourselves, have the opposition 

of the world, the flesh and the Adversary! And 

how we should resolve that by the Lord's grace they 

should have amongst the brethren everything to console 

and uplift and encourage the new nature and nothing to 

discourage it! How kind our words and deeds, how 

thoughtful for their welfare this should make us ! 

Let us more and more approximate this glorious 
standard set before us in the Gospel. And let us remember 
furthermore that while this love of the brethren is 
specially emphasized and specially to be considered a 
criterion for the Lord's Household, yet there is another 
step just beyond; namely, to love our enemies, to do good 
to them that despitefully use us and persecute us. Indeed, 
some of the strongest of our difficulties sometimes come 
from brethren—more or less blinded and deluded by the 
Adversary, who sometimes take such a position as Saul 
of Tarsus before his eyes opened to the facts of the case. 

We must have such a love of the brethren that if they 
say all manner of evil against us falsely we will still 
not render evil for evil or railing for railing, but contrariwise 
blessing, as our text directs. To follow this 
Divine instruction will bring to us polishing such as 
could come from no other quarter, no other experience, 
such as will make us more and more conformed to the 
image of God's dear Son, who had such experience at 
the hands of His brethren according to the flesh and the 
professed Church of God, and in those experiences he 
was followed by the faithful ones of the early Church. 
And similarly today let us not marvel if the trials and 
persecutions and opposition come chiefly from those who 
have named the name of Christ—some of them nominal 
brethren and some of them doubtless true brethren. 



SM708 



"THE VESSELS OF A POTTER" 

"Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same 
lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto 
dishonor?"-Rom.9:21. 



In our text you will note what the Apostle here calls 
attention to, that from the same lump of clay the skilled 
potter can make a graceful ornament—a vase, for 
instance, for the mantel and for the holding of flowers, or 
a loving cup, or a ewer for the carrying of water, or a 
slop urn, a receptacle for filth. All of these vessels are 
useful, hence in one sense of the word they are all honorable, 
all valuable. Nevertheless there is a dignity, an 
honor that belongs to the vase, the cup, the ewer, that 
does not attach to the slop urn. The clay is the same for 
all of these, but the choice or election as to which shall 
be which is with the potter. This is the lesson of our 
text. It points us to God as the One who has begun the 
good work in us, and who, if we submit ourselves to Him 
properly, will complete that good work unto the Day of 
Jesus Christ, when it shall be finished in the First Resurrection 
in the Millennial Morning. 

The Apostle declares that as the potter has the power 
or right to make such vessels as he may please, so God 
has the right or power to do what He will with His 
creatures. As to what the great Divine Potter will make 
of the human clay must be left to Himself; and only as 
we learn the real character of God can we judge of what 
would be His good pleasure in respect to the varieties of 
His handiwork. Knowing Him as we do—as He reveals 
Himself in His Word to us-as a good God who delights 
not in iniquity, but delights in the truth, and all of whose 
works glorify Him, we have this assurance that His work 
is perfect, and when brought to completion the variety of 
more honorable and less honorable vessels of His creation 

SM709 

will all be found to His praise. The remainder He will 
destroy-all that will not be praiseworthy, all who refuse 



to have His good work accomplished in them. 

So, then, we may expect that eventually God's great 
work in humanity will show a variety of vessels, some to 
more honor and some to less honor; but that amongst His 
works will be none evil, none devilish, none bad. The 
Scriptures nowhere intimate that Satan and his associates, 
the demons, are adversaries of God because 
they were created thus. On the contrary they tell us that, 
while God's work was perfect, these fell from their first 
estate of harmony with God by disobedience to Divine 
regulations--in other words, that they defiled themselves. 
Similarly our race, the Scriptures inform us, was created 
perfect, upright, in the image of God, in the person of 
Father Adam. The sin, the imperfection, the blemish we 
see, we are distinctly told is not the work of God, but the 
work of the Adversary and the penalty for disobedience. 

"OUT OF THE SAME LUMP" 

The Apostle is not discussing the good angels nor the 
fallen ones, but merely mankind. Adam and his race are 
the clay in the hands of the Potter in the Apostle's illustration. 
The unfitness of this human clay for any purpose 
through Adam's disobedience is the teaching of the Scriptures, 
but they also teach us that God Himself provided 
the great remedy for the healing of this unfitness, so that 
now as the great Potter He can deal with the clay and 
fashion it as it has pleased Him. It is from this standpoint 
that the Apostle discusses the subject, the standpoint 
of redeemed humanity. 

Of the same lump, of the Adamic family, the Lord 
made choice first of all of the nation of Israel, Abraham 
and his seed. That lump of clay was specially mixed, 
ground, reground and made more and more plastic 
during the centuries in which they were specially under 
the Divine handling, to make them ready for the moulding 

SM710 

and shaping influences of the Holy Spirit, which came 

at Pentecost. Indeed, vessels of a certain kind, quite 

honorable, too, were formed during the Jewish Age, as 

the Apostle points out to us in Hebrews 11, when recounting 

those whose lives were shaped by their faith in God 

and in His promises. Honorable vessels were they— 



Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the Prophets. But really 
the great work, and in some senses of the word the first 
work of the great Potter, began with our Lord and His 
Apostles and has proceeded throughout this Gospel Age. 
During this time the Divine Potter has been making His 
artistic vessels, the vessels to the highest honor-vessels 
of glory, honor and immortality. These vessels of glory 
and honor are represented in the Scriptures under various 
names—members of the Body of Christ, the Bride 
of Christ, the Lamb's Wife, the Little Flock, the Heirs of 
God, the heirs of the Abrahamic Covenant promise, the 
more than conquerors. Of these the Apostle writes, "Beloved, 
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet 
appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall 
appear we shall be like Him." These, then, are pertinently 
mentioned in our text as— 

"VESSELS UNTO HONOR" 

The great Potter will not exhaust His skill in His 
preparation of these vessels of honor; but having use 
also for other vessels to lesser honor— vessels, however, 
of great usefulness in His plan and purpose— He will 
proceed during the coming Age to the preparation of 
these other vessels, and their preparation indeed will proceed 
much more rapidly than has the work of this present 
Gospel Age. Why? Because, first, the work that is now 
in progress is a much more delicate one, requiring special 
skill and care, as each vessel of honor receives peculiar 
shaping and forming for its own position of honor in the 
Heavenly Kingdom. On the contrary, the work of the 
coming Age in dealing with humanity in general as clay 
will be along more mechanical lines; as, for instance, 

SM711 

articles of utility for menial service not only receive 

less care at the hands of the potter, but are turned out 

very largely by machinery which the potter merely superintends. 

So it will be with the great Potter in the handling 

of the human clay during the Millennial Age; the machinery, 

the patterns, the grinding of the clay, etc., will 

all be very largely accomplished in advance of the introduction 

of the Millennial Day, and the shaping of 

humanity under the laws of the Kingdom will be a uniform 



and a comparatively rapid work. General laws will 
govern, and each will make his progress as he conforms 
to those laws. 

Now, however, the Lord deals with His Church as with 
sons. He considers our frame. He deals with us not according 
to the flesh, but according to our individual 
minds, spirits, intentions of heart. Each son, each vessel 
of the class now being developed, has his own special 
fitting and preparation, his own special place in the 
glorious Kingdom to which he has been invited. It is 
God that worketh in us, not only to produce the new mind, 
the consecrated heart, through the promises of His Word, 
but also works in us to do, to accomplish so far as in us 
lies. His good pleasure. The same influence, the exceeding 
great and precious promises of God's Word, operate 
by faith upon these special vessels of honor now being 
produced under the Potter's hands. 

"THE FLAMES SHALL NOT HURT THEE" 

Not only does the choicer product of the ceramic art 
receive a special moulding and shaping of the potter; but 
after all of its lines and curves have been studied carefully 
and fashioned it is specially fired, burned. Indeed, 
it is not exposed to the flames at all, but is carefully covered 
with an earthenware case or sagger. How this 
speaks to us of the special moulding and fashioning care 
with which the Heavenly Father deals with every son 
whom He receiveth during this Gospel Age, forming, 
shaping, transforming, conforming the lines of his character 

SM712 

likeness in harmony with those of the great Pattern 
which He has set for us. And this transforming work is 
not done by might or by power, by force or compulsion, 
but "by My Spirit, saith the Lord."--Zech. 4:6. 

The fiery trials which must try these for their perfecting, 
for the fixing of their character, for their completion, 
are all subject to the Divine supervision, and 
the assurance is given us that all things shall work together 
for good to these because they love God and because 
they have been called according to His purpose to 
be vessels of highest honor and kingly glory with their 
Redeemer during His Millennial Reign. These, styled 



the Lord's jewels or precious ones, whose number will be 
completed and who will be gathered at the beginning of 
His Second Advent, have required a long time for their 
development-more than eighteen centuries-notwithstandin^ 
the fact that they are in all but a Little Flock, 
144,000, who will stand on Mount Zion, having their 
Father's name written in their foreheads. The Apostle 
inquires. Shall the clay say unto the potter- 

"WHY HAST THOU MADE ME THUS?" 

The intimation of the Apostle is that the clay, whether 
formed by the potter into a vessel of honor or one of less 
honor, has no right whatever to complain. Whatever the 
potter shall do to the clay will be an honor to the clay. 
Without the exercise of his power and skill it would never 
be anything more than clay; and to be made into a vessel 
of more or less honor would be a blessing indeed. Hence 
the bulk of humanity with whom the Lord will deal during 
the Millennial Age and by the machinery and laws 
of the Millennial Kingdom, will be shaped and fashioned 
along the lines of restitution to human perfection, will 
have no cause whatever to complain or murmur against 
the great Divine Potter that they were not elected vessels 
of highest honor and distinction—that they were not of 
the Elect Church, called during this Age to be the Bride 
of Christ and Joint-heir with Him in His Kingdom. 

SM713 

On the contrary, mankind will have everything to be 
thankful for, and so the Scriptures indicate that eventually 
every knee will bow and every tongue confess, to 
the glory of God, His work of grace, truth and restitution. 
They declare that ultimately, when the plans of the 
great Potter shall be fully accomplished, every creature 
in Heaven and in earth shall be heard ascribing praise 
and thanksgiving, honor, dominion, majesty and might 
to Him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb.- 
Rev. 7:12; 5:12,13. 

That great Millennial Day and its great work of fashioning 
humanity according to the designs of the great 
Creator will be very different in many respects from the 
present Age; but instead of a fiery trial for each individual, 
Satan, the great Adversary, will be bound for the 



thousand years and be permitted to deceive the nations 
no more until the thousand years are finished. The grinding, 
humbling and preparing of the human clay for that 
glorious epoch are being accomplished now, when the 
forces of evil through the reign of Sin and Death are causing 
the entire human family to suffer, to groan, so that the 
Apostle speaks of the world as a "groaning creation"-- 
groaning and travailing together in pain, waiting for the 
manifestation of the sons of God.~Rom. 8:19,22. 

The manifestation of the sons of God signifies the 
manifestation in glory of the vessels of honor which the 
Lord is now preparing. His Little Flock, the Church. 
When these shall shine forth with Jesus in the glorious 
Kingdom of the Father, the world's groaning and travailing 
in pain shall be ended; for the Adversary will be 
bound and the curse will be lifted. Henceforth none shall 
suffer except for his own wilful wrongdoing, and the restitution 
processes of moulding and fashioning mankind 
shall gloriously progress throughout that epoch. 

But will there come any burning day and fiery trials 
upon those of the Millennial Age? Yes, we answer; the 
Scriptures clearly point out that at the close of that Day 

SM714 

the whole earth will become a furnace of trial to humanity 
in general. The Scriptures inform us that Satan 
will be loosed from his prison-house and go forth to 
tempt, to try, to test, all those that dwell upon the whole 
earth, whose number will be at that time as the sand of 
the sea--thousands of millions. The test will be applied 
to all; for it is the Divine purpose that such should be 
tested. Those in perfect accord with the Potter will stand 
the test, and prove their characters to be strong, crystallized 
by this test, while others not in fullest harmony 
with the great Potter shall be melted under the fiery 
trial of that time. The proportion of those who will 
stand to those who will then fall is not indicated in the 
Word of God; and we must not be wise above what is 
written. It is sufficient for us to know that every true 
and loyal member of the race, redeemed by the precious 
blood of Christ, will have the fullest opportunities for 
becoming a vessel of the Lord to some honorable purpose 
and service if he wills, and that those whose wills are not 
fully submissive to the Lord will be ultimately destroyed 



from amongst the people and not be preserved for torture. 
Rev. 20:7-10. 



"VESSELS OF WRATH FITTED FOR DESTRUCTION" 

Following our text, which speaks of the vessels unto 
honor and unto less honor, the Apostle speaks of vessels 
of wrath, saying, "What if God, willing to show His 
wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much 
long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; 
and that He might make known the riches of His glory on 
the vessels of mercy, which He had afore ordained to 
glory, even us?" 

The Apostle's showing that the fact that God has refrained 
from manifesting outwardly either His love for 
the Church or His wrath against evil doers is no argument 
against the lesson He is teaching. It is true the 
riches of God's grace for the Church called to glory and 
being prepared for glory has not yet been made manifest, 

SM715 

but this is no proof that this will not be made manifest 
in His own due time. Similarly, the fact that the Lord 
has denounced those who love and work iniquity, but has 
not yet manifested His opposition to them and is not now 
fighting against them, but really allowing them in many 
respects to prosper—this is no argument against the 
ultimate fulfilment of His designs. He awaits the revelation 
of His glory in the Church, and of His wrath. His 
displeasure, against those who are His opponents. But 
the tarrying time both of glory and of wrath is sure to 
end, and the purposes of the Lord are sure to be accomplished. 
We have seen who constitute the vessels of 
glory, that they are the very Elect, the saints, the Royal 
Priesthood of this Age. Who then constitute the vessels 
of wrath fitted for destruction? The answer will be apparent 
to all familiar with the potter's art—they are the 
vessels which, after experiencing the potter's care and 
skill, prove defective, blemished, unfit for his use. These 
represent such as receive the grace of God in vain, or 
such as the Apostle describes as dogs who return to their 
vomit, as sows that return to their wallowing in the mire 
after being washed.— 2 Peter 2:20-22. 



This same class St. Paul describes in Hebrews 6:4-6; 
10:28-31, as falling away from the grace of God after they 
had received mercy and forgiveness, and the begetting of 
the Holy Spirit and instruction from the Lord, being made 
partakers of the Holy Spirit. For such, the Apostle says, 
"There remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins—nothing 
but a certain fearful looking forward to judgment and 
fiery indignation which would devour them as adversaries" 
--utterly destroy them as vessels fitted for destruction. 
We are to remember, however, that these 
vessels fitted for destruction include none of those whose 
hearts are right toward God, and whose difficulties are 
merely of weakness of the flesh through heredity, besetments 
and temptations. No; the Lord has made full provision 
for these, and all their blemishes according to the 

SM716 

flesh are covered from His sight. He is dealing with them 
not according to their flesh, but according to their spirits, 
their minds, their wills, their intentions. So long as they 
are at heart the Lord's and seeking to fight the good fight 
of faith and to have His will accomplished in them, so long 
they are His; and nothing shall by any means pluck them 
out of His hand. 

The vessels fitted for destruction are not condemned 
because of any unintentional weakness, but because of disloyalty 
of heart through pride or ambition or intentional 
preferences for sin. The decision of the Lord in respect 
to both of these classes will be manifest at the close of 
this Age, when the vessels fitted for destruction will be 
recognized as having gone to the Second Death, and when 
the vessels of mercy fit for glory shall shine forth as the 
sun in the Kingdom of their Father as joint-heirs with 
their dear Redeemer. 

"VESSELS OF A POTTER DASHED TO PIECES" 

Our Lord (Rev. 2:27), pointing to the time of His 
Second Advent and the establishment of His Kingdom, 
declares that the nations of that time will come under the 
rule of His iron rod, under the Reign of Justice and 
Divine Law, and that they all shall be dashed to pieces 
as potters' vessels. In many respects this is a different 
figure from the one we have just been discussing. Nevertheless 



there is a relationship, as we will show. While the 

Lord as the great Divine Potter has been moulding and 

fashioning the vessels of mercy and of glory to be the 

Kings and Priests of the world during the coming age, 

the Adversary has undertaken to be a potter, and, cooperating 

with human tendencies and ambitions, has 

created some wonderful vessels. These are found in high 

positions in Babylon, in the Church and in the seats of 

popes, cardinals, bishops, kings, princes, financial magnates, 

etc., etc. The work of the Adversary seems to be 

much greater, much more glorious, much more honorable, 

than the work of God, who, describing His vessels of 

SM717 

mercy, declares that amongst them are not many wise, 
not many learned, not many great, not many noble, not 
many rich, according to the course or judgment of this 
world.-l Cor. 1:26-29. 

On the contrary, Satan has found and exalted many of 
the rich and worldly great as his vessels. The kingdoms 
of this world make a great show in many respects, a 
show of power, a show of strength, a show of virtue. But 
from the Lord's standpoint they are all unfit for His purposes, 
are in His way. He purposes the establishment of 
the Heavenly Kingdom as instead of these, and in the context 
under consideration shows that when His time shall 
come for establishing His Little Flock, for establishing 
the Reign of Messiah and his faithful saints, the Royal 
Priesthood, the power shall be exercised in the hands of 
the great Redeemer, which will utterly dash in pieces all 
the existing institutions, that seem so great and so wonderful, 
those vessels of the Adversary potter. They shall 
be broken to shivers. The Holy Spirit foretold this long 
before our Redeemer's birth, using through the Prophet 
David the very same words. (Psa. 2:9.) The Prophet 
Daniel refers to the same great events, and calls that 
period of dashing to pieces earthly institutions a Time of 
Trouble such as never was since there was a nation; and 
our Lord, after quoting that prophecy, supplements it 
with the statement, "No, nor ever shall be." (Dan. 12:1; 
Matt. 24:21.) He thus gives us His assurance that the 
Time of Trouble upon the whole world, which is nearing, 
which will wreck present institutions and establish the 
Kingdom of God, will be the end of all such troublous 



times--the poor groaning creation shall never again pass 
through such an experience. 

The Apostle Paul, pointing down to this same Time of 
Trouble and to the overthrow of present institutions in 
conjunction with the establishment of God's Kingdom, 
tells us that that will be the time for the inauguration of 
the New Covenant, under which God will have mercy 

SM718 

upon the whole world of mankind and forgive the transgressions 

of the past that are properly attributable to 

Adamic weaknesses, and begin through Christ the glorious 

work of restitution, in harmony with all things spoken 

by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world began. 

(Heb. 12:18-29; Acts 3:19-21.) He says that the introduction 

of this New Covenant will correspond to and 

be the antitype of the introduction of the Law Covenant; 

that as in the introduction of the Law Covenant there 

were fearful sights and sounds, the voice of trumpets and 

of words, and the entire mountain shaking until all the 

people were in fear, so the antitype of this will be still 

greater, when not only the social structure (the earth) 

would be shaken, but also the ecclesiastical structure (the 

heavens). He declares that all things that can be shaken 

will be shaken, and then adds that we, the Gospel Church, 

the vessels of mercy prepared for glory, will receive the 

Kingdom which cannot be shaken, intimating that all 

other things will be shaken and overthrown. Our Kingdom 

alone will stand the tests of that time; in it alone 

God will be well pleased, and its influence will then begin 

to be felt throughout the whole earth, to the glory of God 

and to the blessing of mankind. 

Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what 
manner of persons ought we to be? Seeing that present 
earthly institutions will come to naught very shortly because 
not pleasing to the Lord, what should be our course? 
Ah! as the vessels of mercy being prepared for glory, we 
should see to it that we are fully submissive to the moulding 
and fashioning influences of the great Potter, that our 
words and thoughts and doings be all conformed to harmony 
with His perfect will, that we be so thoroughly 
plastic in His hands that He can form us into vessels of 
the highest honor and glory and usefulness in His Kingdom 
for which we pray, "Thy Kingdom come!" 



SM719 



JESUS ADVOCATE OF BELIEVERS ONLY 

"I write unto you that ye avoid sin. Yet if any man 
sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ 
the Righteous; and He is a propitiation for our sins: and 
not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole 
wor/^'-lJohn 2:1,2. 

In the past we have not been sufficiently discriminating 
in our study of the Word. Failing to notice that the 
salvation of the elect Church is a matter separate and 
distinct from the world's salvation, we have applied the 
various Scriptures dealing with sin and its forgiveness 
in a loose manner, which has failed to bring us clear-cut 
views on the subject. For instance, with the gradual 
opening of the eyes of our understanding we note in our 
text the declaration that our Lord's sacrifice is a propitiation, 
satisfaction for our sins, the Church's sins, and 
not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 
We perceive that in this text the Lord sharply differentiates 
between the Church and the world, between our 
salvation and the world's salvation. 

True, at one time there was no difference, for we were 
all "children of wrath even as others" still are; but we 
who have heard the voice of the Heavenly Father speaking 
peace through Jesus Christ, we who have accepted 
that Message, we who have been reconciled to God through 
the death of His Son, are no longer of the world, but, from 
God's standpoint, constitute a separate and distinct class, 
a small minority, "a little flock." The Scriptures tell us 
that we are called, chosen, separated from the world. 
Our Master's words are, "Ye are not of the world, but I 
have chosen you out of the world." "Ye have not chosen 
Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you." 



SM720 

OUR ADVOCATE, THE WORLD'S MEDIATOR 

At another time we hope to take up the subject of 
Christ the Mediator, and to then show that it will be during 
the Millennial Age that Christ will act as Mediator 
between God and man: that as He has already laid the 
foundation for the great work of reconciling the world 
unto the Father through the sacrifice of Himself, he will 
during the Millennial Age complete that work by reconciling 
the world to the Father— as many of the world under 
favorable opportunities will be glad to come to a knowledge 
of the Divine character and plan and to obedience 
to the Divine requirements. The Scriptures properly 
enough speak of our Lord Jesus as already the Mediator, 
from the standpoint that He has already been honored by 
the Father and indicated as the One who shall perform 
that great work of mediation—the One who must reign 
until He has put all enemies under His feet, and caused 
every knee to bow and every tongue to confess to the glory 
of God the Father. (1 Cor. 15:25; Phil. 2:9-11.) The 
time for doing this work, however— the time for exercising 
His power as the Mediator and putting all things into 
subjection— is still future. 

Just now we wish to emphasize the thought that our 
Lord Jesus is not the Church's Mediator before the 
Father, but the Church's Advocate. There is a sharp 
distinction to be drawn between the two thoughts. A 
mediator implies a hostility between two principals, requiring 
the intervention of a third party; and this is not 
the case with the Church. We are not rebels. We are not 
alienated from God, but now through faith in the blood 
we are children of God, and our Redeemer assures us, 
"The Father Himself loveth you." (John 16:27.) Even 
before the time came in the Lord's plan when the Kingdom 
would be established, the rebels subdued, we were 
glad to hear the Father's voice speaking peace through 
Jesus Christ, and we came to Him. Surely, then, there is 
no need of a Mediator between the Father who loves His 

SM721 

children and the children who love their Father. However, 
the basis of our acceptance with the Father was our 



hearty renunciation of sin and our acceptance of the 

sacrifice of Jesus as covering our blemishes and condemnation 

of the past, and our acceptance of the Father in 

Christ was on condition that we would henceforth walk 

in His steps—not after the flesh but after the Spirit, as 

set forth in the perfect Law of Liberty, the Law of Love 

to God and man. 

It may be asked then. If we are children of God and 
the Father Himself loveth us and has accepted us in Christ 
through the merit of His atoning blood, why should we 
need an Advocate with the Father? We reply that the 
Father's requirement that our hearts be perfect in love to 
Him and to all is beyond our ability--not beyond our 
desires, our endeavors, our intentions, but beyond our 
accomplishment, because we have the treasure of the new 
mind in earthen vessels—in imperfect bodies, born in sin, 
shapen in iniquity, on account of which the Apostle says, 
"We can not do the things that we would." (Gal. 5:17.) 
This constitutes our need of an Advocate with the Father; 
otherwise we should lose the standing already granted to 
us through faith. 



"FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES" 

This brings up the subject of forgiveness of sins. 
Some are inclined to say: If our sins were forgiven once 
why should we repeat the matter at the Throne of Grace? 
Why should we continue to acknowledge ourselves sinners 
when the Word of the Lord assures us that our sins and 
iniquities are covered from His sight, that we are justified 
freely by His grace from all sin? There is a measure 
of correctness in this argument, but in other respects it 
is incorrect. So far as the original sin is concerned— our 
share in the Adamic condemnation that passed upon all 
men— the Scriptures assure us that we have escaped the 
condemnation which is on the world.— Rom. 8:1-4. 

To whatever extent, therefore, we believe the testimony 

SM722 

of the Lord's Word that our sins are covered, that 
we are escaped from that condemnation, it would not be 
proper for us to reiterate to the Lord prayers for forgiveness 
of our share in original sin. That is all past 



and gone, and the proper attitude of faith in God's assurance 
forbids that we should repeat requests along that 
line. However, it would always be proper for us to 
acknowledge the Lord's goodness in having forgiven us 
for our share of original sin, and to thank Him for having 
lifted our feet out of the horrible pit and out of the miry 
clay of sin and its condemnation, for having placed our 
feet upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, and having put in our 
mouths the new song of rejoicing, thanksgiving and 
praise, which is our privilege and our joy since we have 
passed from condemnation to justification, from being 
children of wrath to joint-heir ship with Jesus our Lord. 

There are more sins than our original sin. These in 
the Lord's prayer are designated trespasses; and these 
should be considered, should be mentioned at the Throne 
of Grace daily. As New Creatures we have entered into 
a covenant with the Lord to walk in Jesus' steps in the 
narrow way, according to the Law of Love. And we all 
find continually that, however sincere and loyal our 
hearts are to the principles of righteousness and love, we 
come short of the perfect standard because of weaknesses, 
blemishes and imperfections of the flesh. These trespasses 
against the Law of Love should be mentioned at 
the Throne of grace. It is to these that the Apostle is 
referring in our text. In the preceding context he is 
directing us how we should maintain fellowship with the 
Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, that, so far from 
our imperfections separating us again from the Father 
and from the Son, our joy may be full, our fellowship 
complete. He tells us that as New Creatures we must 
walk in the light according to the new nature, according 
to truth, according to righteousness: we must not walk in 
sin, in darkness, according to the fallen human nature. 

SM723 

But since we have the treasure of the new mind in a 
blemished earthen vessel, since our spotless robe of 
Christ's righteousness must be worn continually, and thus 
be brought in contact with the world, the Apostle intimates 
that it would be impossible for us to preserve it 
without spot or wrinkle. Nevertheless our wedding-robe 
must be without spot or wrinkle if we would be acceptable 
at the end of the age as members of the Heavenly Bride 
at the Marriage Feast. How then shall we do? What 



must be our course in view of these apparently contradictory 
conditions? The Apostle explains that the blood 
of Christ not only met first the obligations of the past, 
satisfying, setting aside the condemnation which was 
against us as members of Adam's race—but that the 
same merit of the same sacrifice of Christ may be used 
for the cleansing of every spot, every imperfection, 
every blemish. He says, "The blood of Jesus Christ, 
His Son, cleanseth us [keeps cleansing us] from all sin." 
(1 John 1:7.) Thus and thus only can the Lord's children 
in the present time continue to abide in fellowship with 
the Father and with the Son, and be prepared for the 
glorious change of the First Resurrection. 

"IF WE DECEIVE OURSELVES" 

The Apostle, surmising that some would claim that 
they had reached perfection and that their daily life was 
perfect, puts in a warning word, saying, "If we say that 
we have no sin [that we are free from any breaches of the 
perfect Law of Love toward God and man] we deceive 
ourselves and the truth is not in us." We make God 
a liar, and indicate that His Word is not in us~that we 
have not properly studied or understood His Word. 
There is no more serious condition for the Lord's people 
to get into than to imagine that they are perfect in the 
flesh. It implies that they are blind to many of their own 
failings. We may be sure that their neighbors and friends 
and kindred can discern blemishes in them, and that much 
more the Heavenly Father discerns, as He declares in His 

SM724 

Word that they come short of glorifying Him—that they 
come short of the full glory of perfection which the perfect 
Law of Love demands.— 1 John 1:8-10. 

While, therefore, faith in the Lord and a knowledge 
of His Word shows us clearly that we are purged from 
our old sins, that from the Divine standpoint these are all 
covered for the Household of Faith by the robe of Christ's 
imputed righteousness, we see on the contrary that daily 
imperfections crop out, notwithstanding our best endeavors 
to walk as nearly up to the standard of the Divine 
Law as possible-we see that we can not do the things 
that we would. 



More than this, as year by year we grow in grace and 
knowledge and love we see ourselves more clearly, so that 
after making progress in the Christian way for years, the 
best of the Lord's people will see more of their own 
blemishes than they noted in the beginning of their 
Christian experience. They daily see more clearly than 
before the lengths, breadths, heights and depths of the 
Divine Character and of the Divine Law; and as they look 
into the perfect Law of Liberty they discern more clearly 
day by day, and behold as in a mirror their own natural 
imperfections and shortcomings. Such would be completely 
discouraged did they not realize the significance of 
the Apostle's words in our context. He says, "If we 
confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our 
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 

The Apostle, we see, is not referring to the question 
of mortal sin again, and the applying for a new robe of 
Christ's righteousness. All that was done in the past. 
That robe is now ours, and must never be laid off if we 
would abide in Divine favor. But our robe must be spotless, 
and hence the gracious provision of the Father 
through the Son that the blood of Christ may upon our 
application be applied to cleanse us from all sins, even 
the slighter ones. Thus has the Lord provided that we 
may keep our garments unspotted from the world by 

SM725 

making use of this privilege granted us of coming with 
courage to the Throne of Heavenly Grace that we may 
obtain mercy (in respect to our shortcomings or trespasses) 
and find grace to help in time of need.~Heb. 4:16. 

Nothing in this, properly understood, suggests any 
carelessness on the part of those who would keep their 
garments unspotted from the world. Imbued with the 
Spirit of the Father and of the Son, with a love for righteousness, 
they are, as the Apostle suggests, to "hate even 
the garment spotted with the flesh" (Jude 23), and 
strive continually and with growing persistency and carefulness 
to avoid such blemishes and the necessity for confessing 
trespasses. But although this necessity grows 
less and less as we grow stronger and stronger in the 
Lord and in the power of His might, nevertheless, so long 
as the New Creature must operate through the earthen 
vessel, we must not feel discouraged with our best endeavors 



for righteousness, but the more earnestly wait 
for and hope for the glorious resurrection change, in 
which we shall receive glorious spirit bodies, which our 
Lord has promised to the faithful-perfect in every particular. 
Thenceforth we shall know no sin, and need no 
further to confess trespasses; for that which is perfect 
shall have come, and the new mind, the New Creature, 
thenceforth will be able to express its high and glorious 
sentiments of obedience to righteousness perfectly. 

"THEY WASH THEIR ROBES" 

The Lord brings to our attention the fact that there 
will be two classes saved during this Gospel Age, as well 
as another class that will be saved during the Millennial 
Age. All saved during this age are believers in the Lord 
Jesus Christ, "justified through faith in His blood." 
(Rom. 5:9.) But the classes saved during this Gospel 
Age do more than believe, do more than repent, do more 
than seek to live righteously. Both classes make a 
covenant with the Lord to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. 
Both classes receive the white robe of justification as a 

SM726 

result of such faith and consecration. One of these classes 
we have already referred to—the class which seeks to 
live up to its consecration daily, hourly, and which keeps 
its garments unspotted from the world, "without spot or 
wrinkle or any such thing." This class in the Scriptures 
is designated a "little flock." 

The other class is designated the Great Company. 
Concerning the latter company note the statement, 
"These are they who come out of great tribulation, having 
washed their robes and made them white in the blood 
of the Lamb." (Rev. 7:14.) This class, failing to keep 
their robes unspotted, failing to go to the Lord in prayer 
with every discovery of trespass, get their robes sadly 
bedraggled through contact with the world. They were 
vexed with the first spot, and with the second, and so on, 
but gradually they became more careless and less and less 
appreciative of the absolute spotlessness of the robe. For 
this reason they will not be accounted worthy of the high 
honor which the Lord proposes to give to the "little 
flock." But before they can obtain any honor or any 



place in the everlasting Kingdom it will be necessary that 
they should pass through fiery experiences, disciplines, 
for their correction, for their purification. In some parts 
of the Scriptures this trial is referred to as the "fiery 
trial which shall try you." (1 Pet. 4:12.) Its primary 
reference is to a great tribulation in the end of this Age, 
through which all except the Little Flock may be expected 
to pass. —Luke 21:36. 

In this tribulation time there will be a general cleansing, 
a general turning to the Lord on the part of these 
consecrated ones and an acceptance by the Lord; for we 
read that they shall come up out of the great tribulation 
and be granted palm branches, and be permitted to serve 
the Lord in His Temple before His Throne. We notice, 
however, that the Little Flock, who keep their garments 
unspotted by daily, hourly, applying for their share of the 
precious blood for this purpose—these receive the higher 

SM727 

honor; and instead of being before the Throne are in the 
Throne as the Bride, the Lamb's Wife. Instead of having 
palm branches, representing victory, they have crowns, 
which represent victory on a higher, grander plane, approving 
them as "more than conquerors" through Him 
who loved them and bought them with His precious 
blood.-Rom. 8:37. 

In other words, the Great Company mentioned here 
are chastened through tribulations to the point of the 
abjuration of sins and the cleansing of the robe, and attain 
to the spiritual nature and will be highly honored 
servants of the Lord during the Millennial Reign, while 
the Little Flock will be joint-heirs with their Lord in that 
Kingdom. The two classes are represented to us in Psalm 45. 
The Little Flock is the Bride, all glorious with raiment 
of fine needlework and gold, representing the embroidery 
of the fruits of the Spirit and the gold of the 
Divine nature, while the Great Company are represented 
by a larger company- "the virgins, her companions, that 
do follow her" into the King's presence. 

The little flock in this symbolization of Revelation are 
pictured as 144,000, 12,000 out of each tribe of Israel. 
Natural Israel, as we have previously seen, was a typical 
people. The real Israel of God is Spiritual Israel. The 
promises and opportunities, however, went first to Natural 



Israel; and as many out of all the tribes who were 
of right condition of heart and received the Master were 
granted the liberty to become members of the House of 
Sons. (John 1:12.) The remainder of that nation were 
cast off from participation in the chiefest blessing--to 
subsequently have an opportunity in the Millennial Age 
of attaining to an inferior blessing. Their casting off left 
vacancies in the appointed numbers of the twelve tribes; 
and it is to those vacancies that the Lord during this 
Gospel Age has been inviting those who have an ear to 
hear the Truth and who have earnest desires of accepting 
it. Many more will be called than will be chosen to this 

SM728 

place. The world in general is not called, but only those 
who have an ear to hear. The Great Company, although 
called, failing to respond with full appreciation, fail to 
secure membership in this Spiritual Israel class, the 
Little Flock. Yet, as we have seen, they will come through 
much tribulation and disciplines of the Lord to a grand 
position, but far inferior to that of the "Very Elect." 

"WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE" 

The world has no advocate with the Father, but "we 
have." The consecrated Household of Faith is represented 
in Heaven itself by Him who redeemed the whole world. 
After our Lord had finished His sacrifice at Calvary, 
been raised from the dead on the third day, spent 
forty days with the disciples, establishing them and preparing 
them for the work before them. He then ascended 
up on High, there to appear in the presence of God on 
our behalf, as today's text declares, to be our Advocate. 
(Heb. 9:24.) The figure is a peculiar one. An advocate, 
an attorney, appears to answer for his client, not to answer 
for others; and so, although our Lord has laid down 
the Ransom-price for the sins of the whole world, or, as 
today's text says, is a Propitiation for the sins of the 
whole world, nevertheless He did not appear for the 
whole world. The world has not retained Him as an 
Advocate. Only believers have come into this relationship, 
and consequently only for these does He appear, 
only for these has He made satisfaction. Only these, 
therefore, have been brought into covenant relationship 



with the Father, as the Scriptures indicate. 

The same Jesus, on the basis of the same Sin-offering 
finished at Calvary, will in the next Age take up the 
cause of the world--not as an Advocate, not as appearing 
before the Father for them and having them justified 
through faith, but as a Mediator between God and man. 
God stands for His own Justice. Mankind in general, the 
world, are in more or less of a rebellious attitude, lovers 
of sin, blind to their true interests. The Mediator undertakes 

SM729 

a work on their behalf, to bring in reconciliation between 

God and these His rebellious subjects, and to 

recover the latter by opening the eyes of their understanding, 

by giving them valuable lessons and experiences 

respecting the blessings of righteousness and the undesirableness 

of sin, and thus to bring back as many as possible 

to fellowship with the Father, and to restore them mentally, 

morally and physically to the original likeness of 

God. By the end of that Millennial Age the Mediator 

will be ready to introduce the perfect members of the 

race to the Father, blameless and irreprovable; for all 

those rejecting His ministries of reconciliation will have 

been cut off in the Second Death. Thenceforth there will 

be no more sorrow, pain, sighing, crying, dying, because 

all the former things will have passed away. The Mediator 

will have effected His grand work of destroying sin 

and bringing in everlasting righteousness. 

How precious the thought that, while the world is 
mentally, morally and physically poisoned by sin and 
blind to its own best interests, the time shall yet come 
when they will be blessed with the opening of the eyes of 
their understanding and with all the assistances necessary 
for their recovery! And how the Lord's words resound 
in our ears, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see; 
and your ears, for they hear." (Matt. 13:16.) We may 
well thank God that the light of the knowledge of His 
goodness has shined into our hearts; and that we no 
longer need to wait for the Mediator's work to reconcile 
us, but that now in advance turn to the Lord promptly, 
as soon as we have heard of His grace in Christ. And 
how gracious is His provision in all respects, for our 
adoption into His family, our begetting of the Spirit to a 
new nature, that we may become heirs of God and joint-heirs 



with His Son in the glorious Kingdom, which is to 
bless the world~"all the families of the earth." 



SM730 



THE LORD'S HOUSE OVER ALL 

It "It shall come to pass in the last days, that the 
Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established in the 
top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; 
and all nations shall flow unto it. "~Isa. 2:2. 

Our text has not yet been fulfilled, but we believe the 
beginning of its fulfilment to be near. It pictures Messiah's 
Kingdom, for which Christian people have long 
been waiting and praying, "Thy Kingdom come; Thy 
will be done on earth as in Heaven" —the same Kingdom 
for which the Jews so long waited and are still waiting. 
Our text relates, not to the spiritual part of the Kingdom, 
but to that which belongs to the natural seed of 
Abraham. A great mistake has been made by many 
of us in the past, in that we have not discerned and 
acknowledged the two Israels, Spiritual and Natural, and 
the separate rewards and blessings apportioned to these 
by the Divine promises of the Scriptures. Both are to 
be used of God in fulfilling the promise made to Abraham 
—in blessing all the families of the earth. 

Only a "little flock" is to be selected during this 
Gospel Age and tried, fitted and polished and eventually 
changed from human to spirit nature, "like unto the 
angels." These with their Lord and Head, will constitute 
the great Mediator of the New Covenant, under 
which all the families of the earth will be blessed. After 
the completion of Messiah, Head and Members, on the 
plane of glory, the New Covenant will be inaugurated 
with Israel, as the Scriptures distinctly teach. (Jer. 31:31-34.) 
Our text, therefore, waits for its accomplishment 
until the last member of the elect Church of Christ 
shall have passed beyond the veil. 

SM731 

ISRAEL THE EARTHLY REPRESENTATIVE 

In the symbolic language of the Scriptures a mountain 
always symbolizes a Kingdom. Hence the Mountain of 



the Lord's House means the Kingdom of God, and that 
Royal House or Family recognized by Him. For instance, 
we read that David sat upon the throne of the Kingdom 
of the Lord, and that God made a Covenant with him, 
"even the sure mercies of David," viz., that none but 
his seed, his posterity, would ever be recognized as the 
Divinely appointed representatives of God in kingly 
authority and power. In other words, Messiah was to 
be the offspring of David, the great antitypical David 
(Beloved) who must "reign from sea to sea and from 
the river to the ends of the earth." Under this power 
or rule Israel will be exalted amongst the nations and 
used as the Divine channel of blessing for all people, 
that eventually all the families of the earth may come to 
the true knowledge of God and to a full opportunity of 
becoming children of Abraham by faith and obedience. 

The Messiah—King on the spirit plane, the Son of 
God (and like God invisible to men, as are also the 
angels)~is the antitypical David and the antitypical 
Solomon, the wise, the great, the rich. In the days of 
His flesh He was the Son of David according to the flesh, 
though begotten of a Divine life not tainted by any human 
imperfection. He was, therefore, holy, harmless, undefiled 
and separate from sinners. His faithfulness to the 
will of the Father made Him subject to all the experiences 
of a life of suffering and death, as expressed in 
His own words, "The cup which My Father hath 
poured for Me, shall I refuse to drink it?" His obedience 
unto death, even the death of the cross, demonstrated 
His loyalty to the last degree and He received the 
high reward apportioned. "Him hath God also highly 
exalted and given a name that is above every name, that 
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow both of 
things in Heaven and things in earth." 

SM732 

Exalted to the right hand of Divine favor He waits 
only for the Father's time to take to Himself His great 
power and reign. (Rev. 11:17.) Meantime, in harmony 
with the Divine will, purposed before the foundation of 
the world. He acts as Advocate for such as have the 
hearing ear and the obedient heart, and will now respond 
to the special invitation of the Gospel Age. That call is 
to leave the world, its sins, its pleasures and its hopes. 



and to walk by faith in the exceeding great and precious 
promises of God—the things which eye hath not seen 
nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of 
man. These are the Heavenly things promised them 
as the Bride and Joint-heir with their Redeemer in His 
glorious Kingdom to come and its blessed work of uplifting 
Israel and the world. 

IN THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS 

We have before our minds the antitypical House of 
David, Messiah's kingly household, the Royal Priesthood, 
Divinely prepared. As a Kingdom it will be at the top- 
above all the kingdoms of earth. Not only will this be 
true of the spiritual Kingdom (invisible to men as the 
angels are invisible), but it will include also an earthly 
Kingdom composed of "Israelites indeed." At their 
head as princes in all the earth will stand the resurrected 
Ancient Worthies, perfected as men and samples of what 
all mankind, by obedience to the laws of the Kingdom, 
may attain to with eternal life. Those Ancient Worthies 
are enumerated in the Scriptures-Abraham, Isaac, 
Jacob, the Prophets, etc., and described by St. Paul in 
Hebrews 11:38-40. 

To these belong the earthly promises of the Old Testament. 
They never heard of the Heavenly or spiritual 
promises. Their loyalty will find its reward in the fact 
that they will come forth from the tomb no longer blemished 
and imperfect, but fully, completely restored to 
the perfection originally enjoyed by Father Adam. Additionally, 
these will have the special guidance and instruction 

SM733 

of Messiah (Head and members) in all the affairs 
of mankind. Thus as the Master said, speaking of that 
time, "Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the 
Prophets in the Kingdom." (Luke 13:28.) The world 
will have contact with them and will be blessed by their 
instruction. But the world will never see Messiah, 
except as they will see His mind. His disposition. His 
character, through these. His earthly representatives in 
the Kingdom. He fully meant it when He declared before 
He died, "Yet a little while and the world seeth Me no 
more. But ye shall see Me." (John 14:19.) The Apostle 



assures us that we shall see Him as He is, because 
we shall be like Him. The Church will experience the 
First Resurrection change from earthly to Heavenly 
nature -1 Cor. 15:50; 1 John 3:1,2. 

ALL NATIONS FLOW UNTO IT 

God's Kingdom will be represented in the earth by 
Israel—especially by these saintly men of Israel, resurrected 
perfect, who will be the special appointees and 
representatives of the glorified Messiah's Rule. As it is 
written, "instead of the fathers [the ancient saintly ones 
were styled "the fathers," as Jesus was styled the Son 
of Abraham and David] shall be Thy children, whom 
Thou mayest make princes in all the earth." (Psa. 45:16.) 
These princes, acting under and continually in contact 
with the spiritual Kingdom and rulers styled in the 
Scriptures "the Royal Priesthood" will, of course, be so 
superior in their wisdom and power as to command the 
obedience of the whole earth. The nation of Israel, with 
whom they are related, would naturally respond more 
quickly than others to the new order of things, which is 
just that for which they have been waiting and praying 
for more than thirty centuries. 

In these words the Lord through the Prophet assures 
us of the wonderful success which will attend the establishment 
of the New Empire of earth, the dominion of 
the Prince of Light, which supersedes the dominion of 

SM734 

the Prince of Darkness, when Satan shall be bound for a 

thousand years, that he may deceive the peoples no more. 

Messiah's Kingdom will be high above all other Kingdoms, 

not only in its grandeur, majesty and authority, 

but also in the lofty principles which it will represent. 

Thus it is written, "He shall lay righteousness to the 

line and justice to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep 

away the refuge of lies." (Isa. 28:17.) Nevertheless, 

as the world shall come to appreciate the new order of 

things all nations shall flow unto it, flow up to it-contrary 

to the downwardness of fallen human nature. It 

will make manifest such wonderful rewards for righteousness 

and obedience to God, and it will so make manifest 

the stripes that must attend all wilful disobedience 



to the Divine arrangement, that the Scriptures will be 
fulfilled which declares "that when the judgments of 
the Lord are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the 
world will learn righteousness. "~Isa. 26:9. 

For six thousand years humanity has been learning 
"the exceeding sinfulness of sin," its downward tendency 
in every sense of the word. Every form of government 
has been tried in an endeavor to secure the greatest 
amount of blessing. But the uniform results have been 
that those exalted to place and influence and power have 
proved themselves unequal to the opportunities and temptations 
of the positions and have abused them selfishly. 
Whoever is acquainted with history realizes the truthfulness 
of all this. If some of us have hoped that the 
general education of the masses and the general enlightenment 
of the race would abolish sin and selfishness and 
demonstrate the truthfulness of the proverb, "Honesty 
is the best policy," we are willing to confess that this 
has been a mistake. We perceive that the greater the 
wisdom and intelligence granted to a selfish mind and 
heart the greater will be its opportunities for evil. 

As a consequence the world is losing confidence in 
itself. All, whether politicians or judges or governors, 

SM735 

great or small, of one party or another, of one nationality 
or another—all are accused of being "tarred with the 
same stick" of selfishness. The Bible clearly indicates 
that this distrust is not without reason and that the great 
Time of Trouble soon to come upon every nation (Dan. 12:1) 
will be the direct result of this loss of confidence. 
The Bible description of the matter briefly summed up 
is that every man's hand shall be against his neighbor. 
(Zech. 8:10; 14:13.) It will be after that great Time of 
Trouble shall have thoroughly sickened humanity as 
respects itself and any hopes it might have had of bringing 
about a Millennium by its own efforts—that God will 
manifest His Kingdom in the top of the mountains- 
higher than all other kingdoms every way, and all people 
shall flow toward it. As it is written, "The desire of all 
peoples shall come."-Hag. 2:7. 

This is described in the verse following our text which 
reads, "And many people shall go and say. Come ye, let 
us go up to the Mountain [Kingdom] of the Lord, to the 



House [Temple] of the God of Jacob; and He will teach 
us of His ways and we will walk in His paths: for out of 
Zion [the spiritual, unseen Kingdom of Messiah] shall go 
forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem 
[the seat of earth's empire to be]. And He shall judge 
among the nations [rewarding and punishing justly], and 
shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their 
swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning 
hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, 
neither shall they learn war any more." 

All Christians agree that these words apply to the 
Messiah's Kingdom. They tell us clearly and distinctly 
of how the judgments of the Lord will be abroad in the 
earth, causing wars to cease and the knowledge of the 
Lord to fill the whole earth as the waters cover the great 
deep. (Isa. 11:9.) Notwithstanding, therefore, the 
picture of the intervening trouble, which Divine Wisdom 
sees necessary for the humbling of human pride let us 

SM736 

rejoice in the glorious arrangement God has made on 
mankind's behalf. And let the Church of Christ specially 
rejoice in the favored position offered to her in 
connection with the world's salvation—a seat with the 
Redeemer in His glorious spiritual Throne and share 
with Him in the great work of blessing Natural Israel 
and all the families of the earth. 

O HOUSE OF JACOB, COME! 

We have already noted that this prophecy belongs to 
Natural Israel and not to Spiritual Israel. As the first 
verse declares, it concerns Judah and Jerusalem. By the 
time this prophecy will have begun to be fulfilled. Spiritual 
Israel will be beyond the veil. It is in full harmony 
with this that we read in the fifth verse, "O House of 
Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord!" 
This is particularly the time when this message to Natural 
Israel should go forth. We understand the Scriptures 
to teach that during the next few years the Lord 
will have special dealings with Israel in connection with 
this call. He will point out to them the way of righteousness 
and the great privileges that are theirs as a 
people, because of Divine promises to their fathers. 



Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, etc. But only those who 
respond by turning to the light of God's Word to walk 
in it will be in the proper condition of heart and obedience 
to promptly get the blessing at the beginning of 
Messiah's Reign. Those most prompt to respond will 
get the greater blessing. 

Verses 6-10 portray some of the reasons why God's 
favor has been withdrawn for a time from Natural Israel 
—aside from the fact that His special favor was for the 
time to be given to Spiritual Israel. Then follows a 
description of the Time of Trouble, in which present 
institutions will succumb, to be followed by Messiah's 
Empire. Let us read some of these verses and note their 
applicability to our day and the correspondence between 
these statements and very similar pronouncements in the 

SM737 

Book of Revelation, applicable also to the time in which 
we are living. We will quote and paraphrase. 

WHAT THE TROUBLE WILL ACCOMPLISH 

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the 
haughtiness of man shall be bowed down; and the Lord 
alone shall be exalted in that Day. One of the greatest 
obstacles in the pathway of humanity, hindering approach 
to truth and righteousness, is pride. The Almighty God 
is not sufficiently reverenced. The very learned men of 
all our colleges seem more and more to doubt that there 
is a God and that the affairs of earth are subject to any 
other regulations than those of chance, except as the 
learned can regulate them. The Time of Trouble, when 
the various theories of man will be tried and found wanting, 
will demonstrate most thoroughly that the wisdom 
from Above is neglected in favor of earthly wisdom. 
The Lord says in another place, "The wisdom of their 
wise men shall perish and the understanding of their 
prudent men shall disappear." This will go from bad 
to worse; and all the Wisdom of the learned and the 
methods to which they have trusted will prove futile. 
The result will be the glory of the Lord and the humbling 
of human pride. 

For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be heavy upon 
every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one 



that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low, and upon 
all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up 
(the ecclesiastically great) and upon all the oaks of 
Bashan (the politically strong); upon all the high mountains 
(the kingdoms of the world) and upon all the hills 
that are lifted up (the smaller princedoms); and upon 
every high tower and upon every fenced wall (representing 
human organization for strength and protection) and 
upon all desirable prospects and ideals of earthly ambition, 
the arm of the Lord will be heavy. The result will 
be that the loftiness shall be bowed and the haughtiness 
shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in 

SM738 

that day; and the idols shall be utterly abolished. (Isa. 2:12-18.) 

God must be first under the new order of 

things. No peace or blessing will otherwise result. 

HIDING IN ROCKS AND CAVES 

Those in distress and perplexity will in that Time of 
Trouble flee to the holes and the rocks and the caves of 
earth in fear. As Revelation (6:16) expresses it. They 
shall call to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the 
face of Him that sitteth upon the Throne." We are not 
to understand this more literally than its context. It 
does not signify that people will be so foolish as to literally 
pray for rocks to fall upon them, when they could 
more easily destroy their lives in another way. The 
thought is the very contrary of this—that they desire 
protection, shielding, hiding, covering from the trouble 
of the coming Day of the Lord. These shelters of the 
rocks and caves of the earth symbolically represent the 
attempted protection of human organizations, insurance 
companies, secret societies, etc. But none of these will 
be able to protect from the trouble which is coming and 
which will be world-wide, involving every earthly thing 
and interest, religious and secular, financial and political. 

This will take place when the glory of the Lord and 
His majesty are manifested in connection with His 
standing up to assume command of the world and when 
He will shake terribly the earth (society), that everything 
contrary to righteousness and holiness may be 
uprooted and overthrown. St. Paul pictures that same 



Time of Trouble and declares that the only thing that will 
not be shaken will be whatever is in harmony with God's 
Kingdom of righteousness. --Heb. 12:26-29. 

Though round about Him clouds and darkness 

Obscure the beams of dawning day, 
Above the clouds, upon the mountains. 

The Watchers see the morning ray. 



SM739 

NEARING THE DESIRED HA VEN OF REST 

"So He bringeth them unto their desired haven. "— 
Psa. 107:30. 

Our context seems to describe the Church of Christ 
and her billowy journey from Pentecost down to the time 
when the last member of the Church, which is the Body 
of Christ, shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling 
of an eye and when all together united with Him He shall 
present them faultless before the presence of His glory 
with exceeding joy. (Jude 24.) That certainly is the 
desired haven of all those who have been begotten of the 
Holy Spirit, who have been taught of God and who have 
learned something at least respecting the things that 
eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered 
into the heart of man the things which God hath in reservation 
for them that love Him.--1 Cor. 2:9. 

It is of that desired haven that the Prophet speaks 
representing Christ and the Church, saying, "I shall be 
satisfied when I awake in Thy likeness." (Psa. 17:15.) 
O dearly beloved, we may be content whatever lot we 
see, since we realize that we are under the guidance and 
leading of our Lord and since we know that all things 
are working together for good to them that love Him, to 
the called ones according to His purpose! We may be 
content in the midst of all the sufferings and trials and 
difficulties of life, but we are not satisfied. We are content 
because our Lord assures us that present lessons, 
experiences and disciplines are necessary for our fitting 
and preparing for the Heavenly Kingdom and for the 
future glory. But we shall be satisfied only when we 
get those eternal verities of which now we have only the 
promise, or hope. But what a hope is ours; what a glorious 
hope! No wonder the Apostle referred to it as 
that "blessed hope" and connected it with the glorious 

SM740 

appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at His 
Second Advent.--Tit. 2:13. 

More and more, as we study our Father's Word and 
come to understand the deep things of the Divine Plan, 



do we find this hope to be a blessed one, the one our 
dear Redeemer had in mind when He said, "If I go 
away I will come again and receive you unto Myself." 
(John 14:3.) The Apostle again refers to this "blessed 
hope" of ours, saying that it is to our souls an anchorage, 
sure and steadfast, entered within the veil, because we 
believe in Jesus. Faith is the cable by which that glorious 
promise or hope that the Lord has given us holds 
us fast and secure, not moved amidst the storms and 
trials of life. I remind you that this hope, as the Apostle 
explains, was originally set forth in God's promise to 
Abraham—the promise which He not only repeated but 
made oath to--the only promise made with an oath, 
secured and held fast by the most solemn declaration 
imaginable, the word and oath of Jehovah God. 

"WHICH HOPE WE HAVE" 

This promise which constitutes our hope, our anchorage 
in Christ, is contained in the Word of God to Abraham, 
"In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be 
blessed." What a hope we may entertain for the world 
of mankind in general! If they are all to be blessed they 
are not in any hopeless position or condition. They have 
indeed gone down into the silence of the tomb, into Sheol, 
into Hades; but He whose word cannot be broken and 
whose oath is inviolate declares that they yet shall all be 
blessed. And this we see signifies that they must all be 
awakened from the sleep of death. No wonder the Apostle 
exhorts that we should sorrow not as others who have 
no hope; for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again 
let us also believe that all who sleep in Jesus will God 
bring from the dead through Him. (1 Thess. 4:13,14.) 
Ah, yes, we are glad that which would have been 

SM741 

death in the most absolute sense, in the sense that it 
applies to the brute creation, is not God's ultimate provision 
for mankind. How glad we are that in His love and 
sympathy He provided even before our fall that we be 
redeemed with the precious blood of Christ! How glad 
we are to know that the precious blood was in due time 
shed to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in 
everlasting righteousness! —Dan. 9:24. 



"SOME BETTER THING FOR US" 

How glad we are that the ultimate results of that 
precious sacrifice and of our Lord's consequent resurrection 
to power and great glory as King Immanuel mean 
eventually the blessing of all these sons and daughters 
of Adam who have gone down into death; that their death 
condition has been turned into what is figuratively sleep, 
a period of unconsciousness, from which they will awaken 
in the glorious Resurrection Morning! Who that has 
sympathy for his fellow-creatures, the groaning creation, 
could help rejoicing to know of so great salvation that 
God has provided for the world! Indeed, we need not 
sorrow as others who have no hope. We believe that 
Jesus died, that He rose again, that in due time He is to 
be King of kings and Lord of lords, and that He must 
reign as Immanuel, God with men, until He shall have 
put down all insubordination and until the last enemy, 
even Adamic death, shall be destroyed and the whole 
world of mankind shall have been lifted out of it back 
to all that was lost in Adam and was redeemed by Jesus 
Christ our Lord—excepting only those who wilfully, 
intelligently and of their own responsibility, when they 
shall have been given those glorious opportunities, reject 
them and die the Second Death. —Acts 3:23. 

But if our cup of blessing overflows with the thought 
of all the blessings that are coming to all the families 
of the earth when during the Millennial Age the Lord 
will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, when Immanuel 

SM742 

shall reign for the blessing of waking and uplifting of 
all from sin and death, and when Satan shall be bound, 
our joys are made superabundant when we appreciate 
the fact that God has called us in advance of the world, 
not only privileging us to know of His gracious purpose 
for mankind but offering to us a special share, a special 
salvation still higher, still grander, one which eye hath 
not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the 
heart of man,— even joint-heir ship with our Redeemer 
in his glorious Kingdom as His Bride. No wonder the 
Apostle speaks of lengths, breadths, heights, depths of 



the Love of God, which passeth all understanding! What 
was there in the world of mankind that should attract 
Him to grant mankind a redemption, an opportunity for 
restitution, and what was there in us whom He has now 
called in advance that we should be called the sons of 
God, that we should be made joint-heirs with His Son! 
We can only wonder and be in amazement at the Love of 
God which passeth all understanding. 

THE CHURCH ON A STORMY SEA 

So, then, dear friends, we have a double hope, a hope 
for the world and a special hope for ourselves, for even 
as many as the Lord your God shall call, even as many of 
them as shall make their calling and election sure by 
faithful response to the terms and conditions of the call. 
These hopes all center in that Abrahamic promise, the 
world's share being that they shall be blessed through 
the Seed of Abraham, and the Church's share that she 
shall be associated with her Lord as the Seed of Abraham, 
in harmony with the Apostle's words, "If ye be Christ's, 
then are ye Abraham's Seed, and heirs according to the 
promise."--Gal. 3:29. 

When we think of the Church of Christ we must drop 
from our minds the various churches of men. We must 
remember that there is but the one Church of Christ, and 
that it includes all who are truly His through faith, consecration 
and obedience. Sectarianism, great or small, 

SM743 

has no part in the Divine arrangement as revealed in 
the Scriptures. The Church which the Lord recognizes 
is the "Church of the First-borns, whose names are 
written in Heaven." (Heb. 12:23.) Consequently no 
church history gives the record of the experiences of the 
true Church. What we know of it must be based upon 
the testimonies of the Lord's Word, and our own experiences 
and inferences drawn from these. The Lord said 
that whosoever would live godly would suffer persecution, 
that whosoever would faithfully be His disciple would 
find crosses, trials and would be hated of all men for His 
sake. Our own experiences will doubtless corroborate 
these Scriptural declarations. We all agree that the 
Christian course is a strenuous one, conflicts with foes 



within and without, battling, struggling, fighting for life, 
for the life eternal, for the life which has already been 
begotten in us of the Holy Spirit and which must seek to 
grow, to develop that it may be perfected in the First 
Resurrection. —Rev. 20:6. 

The Scriptures tell us something of the experiences 
of the early members of the Church that they "endured 
a great fight of afflictions partly whilst being made a 
gazingstock, both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly 
whilst being companions of them that were so used." 
(Heb. 10:32,33.) We have every reason to believe that 
similar conditions have prevailed with this same consecrated 
class all the way down from the Apostle's day to 
the present time. Furthermore, we have every reason to 
believe that similar conditions will continue to the very 
close of the Church's experience on this side the veil, 
until the last member shall have finished his course and 
until the Church shall be exalted beyond the veil, perfect, 
satisfied, having reached their desired haven. 

We see, then, that these stormy experiences apply both 
to the whole Church and to each individual member. It 
is true that there are certain storms, difficulties and trials 
common to the whole world of mankind; and, as the 

SM744 

Apostle says, "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth 
in pain together until now,... waiting for 
the manifestation of the sons of God." But these storms 
which come to the Church are specially peculiar and 
different in some respects from all that come to the 
world. They come to us because we are not of the world, 
because we are separate from the world and its spirit, 
its aspirations, and are following the new aspirations and 
leadings of the Lord. Notice the Master's words, "If 
the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it 
hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would 
love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but 
I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world 
hateth you." (John 15:18,19.) So to speak, when we 
leave the world we start on our voyage to our haven of 
rest, the glorious Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem. 
With some the beginning of the journey is peaceful 
and conditions are favorable, so there is more or less of 
a temptation to coast about and to feel at home on the 



ocean instead of steering straight for the haven of rest. 
With others the stormy winds blow from the very start, 
suggesting the impossibility of the journey, in order that 
we might be affrighted and turn back, having concluded 
that as the cost of our home going would be too great 
we must abandon the project. These two influences are 
very successful with many; and they turn back after they 
had once concluded to take the journey in harmony with 
the Lord's invitation to follow Him, to endure hardness, 
to separate themselves from earthly interests and to seek 
His blessing and favor. 

Our appeal is to those who have not been turned back 
by the allurements of peace and calm, who have not been 
discouraged by the storms and threatening aspects, but 
who have started with full courage upon the course to 
the Heavenly port. Of such we confidently assert that 
they had not been long in the way until storms and billows 
assailed them and the Adversary threatened to overwhelm 

SM745 

them with opposition or with temptation and 
allurements. This is the experience of the Lord's people 
in general, and the one which the Scriptures warrant us 
in expecting for all, "The servant is not greater than 
his Lord" ; and the experiences of the Master are to be, 
in a considerable degree at least, the experiences of all 
those who will walk in His footsteps. 

In our context the Prophet describes graphically some 
of our trials, difficulties and experiences, picturing them 
as the stormy troubles of the sea, saying of these 
mariners, "They mount up to heaven, they go down 
again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble, 
they reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken 
man and are at their wit's end. Then they cry unto the 
Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their 
distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the 
waves thereof are still. Then they are glad because they 
are quiet; so He bringeth them unto their desired haven," 
through such experiences of storm, trial, difficulty, the 
seeking of the Lord in prayer, waiting upon Him and 
trusting Him, experiencing quiet and relief and enjoying 
His presence and blessing. Then another storm arises 
—more trouble, adverse winds, prayer again, drawing 
near the Lord, having His sustaining strength further 



manifested, new hopes, new courage, new wisdom from 
on High. Thus by these various storms of life and the 
various blessings of sunshine and favor and the various 
lessons which we are thus learning, our Heavenly Father 
and our Lord are gradually bringing us to the desired 
haven, gradually instructing us in the right way, gradually 
fitting and preparing us for His presence and glory! 

Indeed, we are assured that these lessons are absolutely 
indispensable to all those who will attain to the 
glorious things which God hath in reservation for them. 
The Apostle likens us to human sons and asks, "What 
son is he whom the Father chasteneth not," and suggests 
that if the chastening be thus necessary and if we receive 

SM746 

none, it would indicate that we are not really sons but 
bastards, not really in the Father's love and favor. It 
is a part of the great lesson of faith and trust that we 
shall be able to recognize the hand of the Lord in all 
of our difficulties, to see the silver lining in every cloud 
of trouble, and to realize that all about us are the protecting 
powers of our God; that He holds us, as it were, 
in the hollow of His hand and that nothing of evil or 
trouble can by any means hurt us if we abide in trust, 
faith and obedience under His protecting care, seeking 
to learn the lessons which He would teach us. Thus He 
is bringing us to the desired haven. He is bringing us 
to that condition of heart and character which He can 
approve as worthy of life eternal, the glorious reward of 
the inheritance of the saints in light.~Col. 1:12. 

"NO LION SHALL BE THERE" 

We have remarked that the world indeed has its 
tribulations now, but they are not of the kind that come 
to us who have joined the standard of the Lord and made 
consecration of our lives to be soldiers of the cross and 
to fight a good fight under His banner. Neither will the 
world ever have similar experiences to ours. The Lord's 
dealings with the world in their Judgment Day, the 
Millennial Age, will be along different lines entirely from 
those which He pursued in dealing with the Church, the 
Body of Christ. It is because the Church is called to so 
high a station, joint-heir ship with her Lord, that it is 



required of all who would attain to that glory, honor and 
immortality that they shall be able and willing to endure 
hardness as good soldiers of God; that they shall overcome 
the world, the flesh and the Adversary and come off 
more than conquerors through our Lord's assisting grace. 

But notice that while the Church's trials are crowded 
into a few years of experience, the world's trial day is 
to be a thousand years long, and the conditions will be 
very different. That which makes our voyage stormy is 
largely the opposition of the world, the Adversary, and 

SM747 

our own fallen flesh brought into temptation by its surroundings 

which are not favorable to us as New Creatures 

and which cause us continual distress. In the next 

Age, in the Millennium, when Satan is bound and the 

Reign of Righteousness is instituted, the world of mankind, 

then on trial for life eternal or death eternal, will 

find everything in every way more favorable to the way 

of righteousness than at present. 

How grand a time that will be for the world! What 
a blessed thought it is that earth's millions who have 
known so much of sorrow, pain and trouble will then 
know so much of blessing and of the Lord's favor, and 
that He will wipe away all tears from off all faces and 
bring in everlasting righteousness, and that all those 
found faithful to the end shall ultimately not only reach 
the human perfection lost in Adam and an earthly paradise 
for a home, but life eternal through the dear Redeemer 
and the operation of His glorious Kingdom! 
How glad we are for them that such blessings are awaiting 
them! We are content, however, to have the storms 
and billows in the present time, and the tribulation necessary 
for our development, that we may be heirs of God 
and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord. 

A SYMBOLICAL PICTURE 

Call to mind the night in which our Lord sent the 
disciples by boat across the Sea of Galilee while He 
remained in a desert place to pray! Call to mind the 
storm which arose, and the great distress in which they 
were! Call to mind how later on they beheld Jesus 
walking on the water! Call to mind how their hearts 



were at first affrighted but afterwards calmed as they 
realized that it was indeed their Lord and that He was 
present with them and had all power! Then call to mind 
how Peter at this time became so courageous that he 
even suggested a willingness to walk on the water if our 
Lord would consent! Call to mind his fear when he 
saw the billows tempestuous! Call to mind that finally 

SM748 

our Lord Himself entered into the ship, and that immediately 
it was at the land and there was a great calm! 
Perhaps this narrative was given us as a picture of the 
experiences of the Church individually and collectively. 
Individually we have such experiences. The Lord, 
although not forgetting us, hides Himself for a time and 
permits the storms of life, the billows of trouble, to 
assault us. Then He manifests Himself; and the storms 
no longer cause us dread and fears. We are able to 
endure them because of our realization of the Lord's 
presence and care. 

Some of us might even essay to ignore the storms, 
and yet this, perhaps, is rash, as illustrated in St. Peter's 
case. But from the time we have the Lord's presence 
we have peace, and ultimately He brings us to the desired 
haven of Heavenly rest. Applying the picture to the 
Church collectively it is equally fitting: Storms and 
trials have beset the way of the Lord's faithful all 
through the journey from Pentecost until now. In the 
morning watches He has appeared. In the light of His 
Word we discern His presence. Our hearts are comforted; 
the storms and billows of life have no terror for 
us in the presence of our Master, in whom we trust. As 
He takes His seat in our midst we find ourselves at the 
close of the journey, at the desired haven. We have not 
yet fully reached that consummation except by faith. We 
are still nearing the port; but the realization of the Lord's 
favor and presence is our comfort and our strength. Let 
us continue to the end of the journey, and presently we 
shall effect our landing on the other side the veil. That 
will be glory for us, that will be satisfaction, that will 
be more than heart could wish or tongue could tell. 
"We shall be satisfied when we awake in His likeness," 
when we share in His glory, when we shall be like Him 
and see Him as He is, when we shall participate with 



Him in the glories of the Millennial Kingdom for the 
blessing of mankind! 



SM749 

"EVEN THE WINDS AND THE WAVES OBEY' 



"What manner of man is this? For even the winds 
and the waves obey Him. "--Matt. 8:27. 

Our text is taken from the Gospel narrative of the 
storm on the Sea of Galilee, during which Jesus was 
asleep in the hinder part of the vessel, until the sturdy 
seamen, appalled by the storm, cried to Him, "Master, 
carest thou not that we perish?" Then the Savior arose 
and rebuked the storm; and there was a great calm. 
When the fishermen-disciples beheld this they said, 
"What kind of person is this that even the winds and 
the sea obey Him!" 

We have great sympathy for the fellow-countrymen 
of Jesus who, failing to understand Him, caused his execution, 
considering Him a menace to their institutions. 
His wonderful words. His wonderful words of life, of 
which it is recorded that the public declared, "Never 
man spake like this man," and in general His wonderful 
personality seemed really incongruous with His general 
demeanor. Not claiming to be Jehovah, not claiming 
to be His own Father, as some now teach, but on the 
contrary declaring, "My Father is greater than I." 
He, nevertheless, claimed a special relationship to God; 
and this He demonstrated by such miracles as the one 
of our lesson. Had He done and said those things as 
a member of one of the popular sects of His day, He 
would have been reverenced. Had He joined in with 
the Pharisees and winked at their interpreting the Law 
in one way for the people and in another manner for 
themselves. He would have received much honor from 
the rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant. But 
He antagonized all these by His humility in mingling with 
the common people, accepting some of them as His special 
disciples and sending them out as His representatives. 

SM750 

This specially branded Him as foolish in the eyes of the 
worldly-wise. This specially discredited Him, not only 
as a man and a teacher, but particularly as one who 
claimed to be the Messiah, the King of Glory, who was to 



set up an Empire. We can well see why worldly-wise 
people of that day or this day would consider such a 
person a fraud, a pretender, a deceiver. Appearances 
were against Him. 

"ART THOU A KING THEN?" 

Picture the Great Teacher walking with His twelve 
Apostles, a nondescript crowd of those who heard him 
gladly--not many great, not many learned, not many 
rich, not many noble. Hear Him telling them—those who 
acknowledged themselves to be ignorant and unlearned 
(Acts 4:13)--that, if faithful to Him, He would grant 
them to sit with Him in His Throne judging the twelve 
tribes of Israel. The statement surely seemed fraudulent; 
and He had not the heart to condemn the Jews who 
so misinterpreted Him. St. Peter did not condemn them, 
but distinctly said, "I wot, brethren, that in ignorance 
ye crucified the Prince of Life, as did also your rulers." 
-Acts 3:15-17; 1 Cor. 2:7,8. 

Can we wonder that the learned Jews of that day 
were confused? They did indeed hear of His miracles— 
His recovering of sight to the blind and of strength to the 
withered hand of the impotent man; and, in the case of 
Lazarus, at least, they had demonstration of His power 
over the dead. They perceived that these miracles were 
having an influence upon the masses— that they detracted 
from their own esteem amongst the people. They knew 
that many of Jesus' sayings were wonderfully wise, and 
that His criticisms of their own inconsistencies were 
remarkably sharp. Yet withal they said, "We know that 
He is a fraud, because of His peculiar claim to be the 
Messiah and the Son of God. This claim of His discountenances 
all of His teachings and mighty works. It 

SM751 

cannot be true that He is the Messiah that our nation 
has waited for these more than sixteen centuries. God 
would surely send Messiah a sufficiency of demonstration 
of glory and power to convince the most intelligent of our 
nation, the Scribes and Pharisees and Priests. What 
they all dissent from and denounce, must be false." 



FOR THE GOOD OF THE NATION 

The Jewish wise men of eighteen centuries ago concluded 
that a man who set the masses agog with anticipation 
of Himself as the Messiah-King, yet who was without 
an army and without financial backing for a campaign, 
would present their nation to the Romans in a 
ludicrous light. As a result they might have taken from 
them at the word of the emperor the civil and religious 
privileges and rights they were enjoying. They took 
counsel and determined that in the interests of the peace 
of the nation this golden-tongued Miracle-worker should 
either be exposed as a fraud or be killed. They tried 
first to expose Him by trapping Him in His language in 
the presence of His followers and the multitude. But 
His intellect was keener than theirs; and the thrusts they 
made at Him rebounded to their own discomfort and established 
His own standing in the estimation of His followers 
and in the eyes of the people. One of these efforts 
to show up the hollowness of His claims and their fraudulency 
and to discourage His followers is worthy of 
particular notice, as it furnishes us the key to the sentiment 
of the rulers and also to the real facts of the case, 
which those rulers failed to discern. 

"THE KINGDOM IN YOUR MIDST" 

The influential Jews said, "Let us question this fraudulent 
Messiah respecting His pretensions, not with any 
hope of correcting Him, but with a view to opening the 
eyes of His followers to the weakness and fallacy of His 
teachings. Then they will see the hollowness of the hopes 
they are entertaining and their foolishness in leaving 

SM752 

their various avocations to become His followers, in the 
hope of sitting with Him in His throne. They will see 
that He has no prospect of ever securing a throne, and 
that they are merely deluded by Him in such expectations." 
They inquired of him, "When will your Kingdom 
appear? How long will it be before you sit upon your 
throne and have followers with you in the throne? 
How long before this Messianic Kingdom will rule in 
Palestine and extend from its borders to the ends of the 



earth? After you have answered us this question we 
will ask you others respecting your financial support and 
resources—your own qualifications, and your subordinate 
officers; the arms for your soldiers and the supplies necessary 
for such a world-campaign as you are about to begin, 
according to your teachings." 

The great Teacher's brief answer entirely silenced 
every objection. His teachings, had these men been 
"Israelites indeed," would have been so deeply impressed 
upon them that they would have followed up the matter 
with an entirely different line of questioning than at first 
contemplated. But they were insincere. Hence when 
their questions, intended to entrap the Teacher and Master, 
were answered and foiled, they merely acknowledged 
their defeat by their silence. The answer was not, as 
imperfectly translated in our Common Version—the 
Kingdom of Heaven is within you, hypocritical Pharisees, 
but. My Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven, of which I 
am the King, will not appear at all. It will be an invisible 
Kingdom— it comes not with observation or outward 
show. Ye shall neither say, Lo, it is here, nor, Lo, it is 
there; for it will be everywhere in the midst of you, 
amongst you, invisible but all-powerful.— Luke 17:20-22. 

Truly, what manner of man was this, and what manner 
of message and Kingdom was His, so different from anything 
the Jews had ever expected! Can we wonder that 
only a comparatively small proportion of them were in 
the heart attitude to receive this message respecting a 

SM753 

spiritual Kingdom? We cannot wonder! Even His most 
intimate disciples did not grasp the depth of His teaching 
until after His death and resurrection they, at Pentecost, 
received the special enlightenment foretold. -Joel 2:29. 

ISRAEL'S HOPES MERELY DEFERRED 

Then understood they the true depth of the teachings 
of Him who spake as never man spake. Then they comprehended 
that He was the Only Begotten Son of God 
who, in obedience to the Divine Program for Israel and 
the world, had left the Heavenly courts and glory of the 
spirit nature and been made flesh— "The Man Christ 
Jesus." (1 Tim. 2:5.) Then they understood, not only 



that He was a perfect man, but that through the anointing 

of the Holy Spirit, which came upon Him at baptism. He 

was indeed God's Anointed, the antitypical Priest, antitypical 

Prophet and antitypical King--not that He was 

these in the flesh, but that the new spirit nature begotten 

in Him through that anointing, was perfected in the resurrection, 

and that it is the glorified Christ on the spirit 

plane who will accomplish all the great things predicted 

through the Prophets, blessing all Israel and all nations, 

in God's due time. Then they understood the meaning 

of the Master's words to the Roman Governor, "My 

Kingdom is not of this Age; for if it were, then My 

servants would fight for Me and I should not be delivered 

to death." Then they perceived that His Kingdom will 

be not the less real and powerful, but the more so, 

because a Heavenly one, a spiritual one, which, in due 

time, in the Age to come, will operate through the nation 

of Israel, just as was originally promised and expected. 

The Apostles discerned that the hopes of their nation 
were not blasted, not destroyed, but will all have fulfilment, 
though the time of fulfilment was deferred. And 
they see two reasons for the delay: 

(1) In order to make the Messianic blessing as great 
as God designed that it should be~world-wide and unto 
eternal life—it was necessary that a great sacrifice for 

SM754 

sins should be made—a sacrifice typed for centuries in 
Israel's Atonement Day sacrifices-a sacrifice in two 
parts. These two parts are shown in Israel's Atonement 
Day— the bullock of the sin-offering and the Lord's 
goat of the sin-offering. Jesus Himself fulfilled the first 
of these, the merit of which has been applicable to the 
saintly few of Jews and Gentiles who have, during this 
Gospel Age, made a full consecration to walk in the 
Redeemer's footsteps. The secondary part of the sacrifice, 
the offering of the goat, pictures the sacrificing company 
of the Lord's faithful disciples throughout this Age. 
These, under cover of His righteousness, suffer with Him 
sacrificially.-Heb. 13:11-13. 

Their reward is to be a share with the Redeemer on 
the Heavenly, spirit plane, participating in His glory, 
honor and immortality and in His great work of dispensing 
the Messianic blessing to Israel and the world. 



How ashamed will all men be when the Times of 
Restitution mentioned by St. Peter (Acts 3:19-23) shall 
be ushered in! How astounded all will be at the goodness 
of God and His faithfulness in respect to all His 
promises ! How the eyes of all humanity will look back 
to the days of Jesus in the flesh, when He appeared 
amongst men to lay a foundation for His glorious Messianic 
Kingdom by offering Himself in sacrifice for the 
sins of all the people, that thereby He might purge from 
sin all who ever will come to the Father through Him, 
and will thus have the right to restore the willing and 
obedient to full perfection and to destroy the rebellious 
in the Second Death. Ah, then all will know, as never 
before, the force of the words of our text, "What manner 
of man is this?" They will know Him as having been a 
man. The Sent of God. They will know Him as the now 
Highly Exalted One, far above men and angels, rewarded 
with the very highest reward which Jehovah could give 
to His Beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased and 
by whose stripes Israel and we all are healed. 



SM755 



DECISION IN CHARACTER BUILDING 

"Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.... As for 
me and my house, we will serve the Lord. "--Josh. 24:15. 

Indecision is one of the greatest foes to character 
building, while the liberty or privilege of choosing, 
exercising our wills, is one of the grandest blessings 
accorded to humanity, and is an important element of 
man's likeness to his Creator. True, we see will, decision 
of purpose, manifested on every plane of life, even by the 
crawling worm or snail. But the human will, more richly 
endowed by the Creator, has a higher range, which includes, 
especially, decision in respect to the higher moralities, 
taking hold of questions of justice and love which 
affect and influence all of life's affairs. Look where we 
will we find that the people who are successful in any department 
of life are those who have purpose and will and 
determination-whether it be good, bad or indifferent. 
We see also that those who have no fixity of purpose, will, 
intention, are unsuccessful. As the Scriptures declare, 
"A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways"; and 
if we look into the teachings of history we find this same 
lesson taught by all the past. It may, therefore, be well 
settled in our minds that one of the chief difficulties of 
the majority of the race is lack of decision, indecision of 
purpose. -James 1:8. 

Worst of all, observation shows us that the vast majority 
of our race are in this very condition of uncertainty, 
indecision—they have no positive aim, no fixed purpose in 
life. As a consequence they are unhappy, discontented, 
and, like the chaff, ready to be blown hither and thither 
by every wind. These discontented ones, purposeless, 
aimless, half awake, are the dangerous element of society, 
which will very shortly bring to the world the awful 

SM756 

anarchy which the Scriptures clearly show will close the 
present age and usher in the New Dispensation. 



USHER IN THE MILLENNIUM 

Many as they pass through the streets can read in the 
countenances of their fellow-creatures the indecision, the 
lack of a fixity of purpose or real aim in life. Some look 
sour, sullen. They feel a grudge against their neighbors, 
who, because of purpose and decision, are more successful 
in the various affairs of life. Others have a resigned 
and despondent look, which intimates that they see no 
prospect in the future, and are merely enduring the present 
existence through a fear that the future may be worse. 
Other faces show eagerness--a desire to find a successful 
path, a realization that it is difficult to find and a hope 
that they may be amongst the favored few. Still other 
faces indicate that the mind is thoroughly dormant, that 
the individual merely eats, sleeps, talks and walks after 
the manner of the brute creation, without so much as desiring 
a purpose or inquiring, "What was the object of 
my creation? How may I best attain that object? What 
will tend to my intellectual and physical welfare and 
what to my injury?" Still other faces show intenseness 
of purpose, endeavor; but the eager, anxious, careworn 
countenance indicates that the ambition or purpose is not 
on a high level, but a low one, on a selfish plane— "Me and 
my wife, my son John and his wife: us four, no more." 

How few faces indicate that their owners are well-balanced 
in mind, that they have a purpose in life, and 
that it is a noble, honorable, exalted purpose, generous 
and benevolent toward others! This, however, should be 
esteemed the ideal face, the one which indicates that the 
higher elements of the mind are in control, that the animal 
instincts for food and raiment have not run away with 
the manly qualities created originally in the image and 
likeness of God. Whoever recognizes this as the proper, 
the ideal condition, should search diligently to find the 
secret of it. That secret will be found to be a fixity of 

SM757 

purpose an establishment of mind and will, along the 
lines of wisdom and righteousness, and in opposition to 
sin, injustice, etc. 



CHOOSING WISELY AND UNWISELY 

While it is very important that we make a wise choice, 
come to a correct decision, follow right principles, in many 
instances there are certain particulars in which even a 
poor choice, an unwise purpose, might be more desirable 
than none. For instance, a determination to be rich cannot 
be classed as a good or honorable or trustworthy 
ambition. Nevertheless, by occupying his time, awakening 
his energies, stimulating his brain, it may prove a 
source of much rest and comfort to the one who makes 
such a decision and who lays out his life for its accomplishment 
as a goal. Whether he accomplish his aim or 
not, it at least gives him a purpose in life which, by engaging 
his talents, gives him refreshment, ministers to 
his comfort, and makes him ten-fold more useful to society 
than the purposeless man. Not that we are commending 
such a course as a worthy one, but merely noting that 
though unworthy it is better than none. 

When we consider that the average of life is thirty-five 
years, and that remarkably few of the race attain to 
seventy years, and that to the majority the present 
existence is but the vestibule to a future life, when we 
note the present tendency on the part of the entire civilized 
world to strive for money, wealth—not merely for 
the necessities, comforts and luxuries for themselves and 
their dependents, but for the accumulation of wealth 
which neither they nor theirs can ever hope properly 
to make use of—when we perceive that to gain wealth the 
majority are willing to sacrifice almost everything of 
virtue and character, time, energy, relationship and communion 
with God and even life itself— we realize that 
this choice indicates a serious unsoundness of mind, an 
unbalance which amounts almost to monomania. Nevertheless 
we repeat that such an unbalance, such a monomania, 

SM758 

is preferable to no choice, no decision of the will, 
no purpose in life. 

All reasonable people, then, will agree (1) that there 
is an advantage in making a choice, in reaching a decision 
in life as to what we will do with our time, our talents, 
our influence; (2) that the choice may be a wise or an 
unwise one, and (3) that we all need counsel in respect to 



what would constitute a wise choice, a wise decision, so 
that we may make the most of our opportunities and 
attain the largest degree of blessing out of life in its 
present condition and also its hope for the future. To 
such a one comes the query, Where shall we obtain the 
counsel, the assistance so necessary to us~so necessary 
to our prosperity in the life that now is and in that which 
is to come? 

Children should properly look to their parents for 
assistance and guidance in this matter. Yet, as we have 
just seen, the parents themselves have generally reached 
no decision, and are therefore quite incapable of instructing 
those for whom they are naturally responsible. Both 
parents and children, rich and poor, educated and illiterate, 
need counsel upon this subject, and are beginning 
to find this out. They are looking about in various directions, 
taking note of the examples of the good and the 
great, but are as apt to copy the wrong as the right. 

THE SCRAMBLE FOR WEALTH 

To the majority today comes the desire for wealth, 
and the suggestion that to acquire wealth they should 
copy the methods employed by the wealthy. One thing 
is evident; namely, that no man could accumulate millions, 
much less hundreds of millions, of money by his 
own toil on any adequate basis of distribution amongst 
men, as a reward for services rendered to the world. We 
are not meaning to suggest that there is an equality of 
value for services, but simply that the inequality is not 
so great actually as the differences in wealth would imply. 
Common report, discounted one-half, would leave 

SM759 

the majority of people to suppose that the wealthy attained 
their stations by partly dishonest or disreputable 
means. Such thoughts add to the general discontent. 
To the beginner, who sets out to be a worshiper of 
Mammon, the lesson is that to succeed he must not be too 
particular in respect to the justice, truthfulness and 
honorableness of the means he will employ in acquiring 
wealth. This signifies a bad start, with the intention to 
fight against the voice of conscience throughout the remainder 
of life. Near by stand the advocates of religion 



and science calling for recruits and assistance, but both 
assure the inquirer that they will appreciate him the 
more if he has a backing of wealth and influence amongst 
the wealthy. And in answer to his queries they frankly 
tell him that it is true that to come to them under these 
favored conditions will mean that he must not be thoroughly 
religious, thoroughly truthful, thoroughly conscientious. 
And as he investigates the possibilities along the 
lines of science, he finds that while the word science is 
synonymous with truth, yet really some of the most renowned 
scientists have gotten their reputations by mere 
guesses and pretensions rather than by their knowledge 
and presentations of facts. If the inquirer has not something 
to guide him in the matter, this also speaks to him 
of the necessity of bowing not to conscience—of being 
worldly-wise. In other words, "the end justifies the 
means." 

If next he turn to religion, his ears are saluted with a 
Babel of confusing advice: creeds from the Dark Ages 
and some more modern appeal to him, telling him of three 
gods in one person or of "the same substance." This he 
cannot understand; for it is not understandable. He cannot 
believe it in the true sense because no one can properly 
believe what he cannot understand; but he is solemnly 
told that to doubt this will mean his eternal condemnation 
in torment at the hands of demons. He is told that God 
is Love, and in the next breath that He created a place of 

SM760 

torment for the great masses of humanity even before He 
created them, and that fire-proof devils and fuel for all 
eternity have long been provided. When he doubts how 
a God of Love could have devised such a plan, he is again 
threatened that to deny that such a procedure is a loving 
and a just one would surely be a ground for his condemnation 
to suffer that eternal torment. He is urged to confess 
these matters which he cannot understand or believe, 
and to call himself a Christian, to go out into the world 
and make money as honestly as possible and to contribute 
liberally to the Church, and is told that he will be granted 
a free pass to eternal happiness in the future. 

The whole matter seems so unreasonable, so preposterous, 
that the majority of thinking people cannot 
take this proposition seriously; nevertheless, through 



fear they treat it as though they partially believed it. 
Ostensibly they serve the Lord, in reality they serve 
Mammon, selfishness in their churches, in themselves, in 
their families.--Matt. 7:21-23. 

THE "STILL SMALL VOICE" 

Aside from these voices there is another, which, however, 
very few can hear. The majority hear only the 
Babel of unreason. The few harken to the Word of the 
Lord, with its testimony that the great Creator of all 
things is just, wise, loving and powerful; that the present 
condition of humanity, moral and physical decrepitude, is 
the result of original sin, and is in effect the outworking 
of its sentence, the death sentence, upon the race; that 
there is no hope of a full recovery from these adverse 
conditions except as God Himself shall render the aid. 
His message through His Word is that while His Justice 
has condemned the race as a whole. His Love met the requirements 
of justice—that the Son of God left the glory 
of the Father, became a member of our race, and, as such, 
redeemed it from the death sentence and made possible, 
not only an awakening from the tomb, but also a full 
restoration back to the original perfection, the image and 

SM761 

likeness of God, lost by Father Adam and by us all 

through his disobedience. The still small voice through 

the same Word of God tells us that Divine Wisdom is controlling 

in the matter, and has set the Millennial Age in 

the future as the time in which Almighty Power will be 

exercised for the deliverance of the world from its bondage 

to sin and death and its restoration to Divine favor. 

Wisdom assures us that Divine Power will be exercised 
at that time for our relief, and will be quite sufficient. 
Wisdom also explains that in the interim between 
the time when Christ died for our sins and the time when 
He will inaugurate the Millennial Age for the blessing of 
the world, it is the Divine Plan to select from amongst 
men a Little Flock of peculiar character, of peculiar 
loyalty to righteousness, to truth, to God and to all that 
are in accord with Him; that this Little Flock is to constitute 
the Bride of Christ, His joint-heir in the Millennial 
Kingdom, participating with Him in His work of blessing. 



restoring and uplifting mankind. The same voice explains 
through the Word that only by accepting Christ 
and the assistance He will gladly grant, can any ever attain 
to the eternal life conditions which Divine Wisdom 
has provided for us~that all who refuse the Divine favor 
will be cut off in the Second Death, from which there will 
be no deliverance. 

CHOOSING THE BETTER PART 

All this is reasonable, God-like. How strange it is 
that so few have an ear to hear this glorious Message! 
How strange that they do not reject as unworthy the 
various substitutes offered them! Why do they not listen 
for the still small voice of the Lord? Why should they 
not expect that He who created us in His own image and 
likeness would have a purpose respecting us which would 
be worthy of His own character, and which He would not 
be ashamed to reveal to His people? Now they can understand 
why St. Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel of 
Christ, and why our Lord declared that He had come to 

SM762 

seek and to save that which was lost.~Rom. 1:16; Luke 19:10; 
1 John 2:2; John 1:9; Luke 2:10,14. 

What now shall he choose whose eyes of understanding 
are opened to this glorious vision of God's goodness, 
mercy and love, which will ultimately bless all the families 
of the earth? The effect of this glorious picture will 
be to cheer and encourage his heart. He can surely from 
this standpoint realize that for him, no matter how 
adverse his conditions and environments in the present 
life may be, God has a glorious epoch in reservation, 
with blessed possibilities for all. This view of matters 
may satisfy him for a little while—some may be so contented 
therewith that they will make no further inquiry; 
but others on the contrary will be so overpowered with 
the glorious vision of God's real character and Plan that 
they will bow their hearts before Him in wonder, admiration, 
love, and their cry will be as was that of the 
Apostle Paul when his eyes were opened, "Lord, what 
will Thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6.) It is this class 
that the Lord is seeking during this Gospel Age. Others 
receive the grace of God in vain now, and will miss the 



special calling of the Elect Church, and have their portion 
and opportunity with the world in general. 

The bowing of the heart to the Creator and Redeemer 
signifies the renouncement of the human will and preference 
and the acceptance of the Divine instead. No other 
course imaginable is so safe, so sane, so reasonable as 
this—to acknowledge our continued dependence upon 
our Creator, to acknowledge our own unwisdom and that 
of our fellows, to seek the wisdom from Above to make 
the wisest and best use of the fragment of the present 
life yet at our disposal, and to make sure of the eternal 
life which the Lord has promised to them that love Him. 
It is insufficient that we consider these matters and 
think favorably of them. They will not be ours unless 
we come to the point of definite self- surrender. Many 
make a great mistake there. They want to be the Lord's, 

SM763 

they want to accept His promises, they want to have His 
peace in the present and in the everlasting future, but 
they shrink from definitely covenanting themselves to 
the Lord. They tell us sometimes that they fear to do 
so lest they should not be able to keep the agreement— 
lest they should make no better success at it than some 
nominal church members with whom they are acquainted, 
whose lives belie their professions. We reply that the 
Scriptures clearly intimate that we are not sufficient of 
ourselves for such a covenant, and that God does not 
even propose to make a covenant with us except as the 
Lord Jesus is recognized as the Endorser of our promises, 
and His endorsement which He proffers us is accompanied 
by His guarantee of assistance in every time 
of need; that He will not suffer us to be tempted above 
that we are able to bear, but will with each temptation 
provide a way of escape, and cause all our experiences 
to work together for our highest good.~l Cor. 10:13; 
Rom. 8:28; John 16:27. 

FAITH IS ESSENTIAL 

It is in accord with all this that the Scriptures assure 
us that faith in the present time is indispensable to our 
acceptance with the Lord and our continuance in His 
favor. Those who cannot exercise the faith cannot be 



of the faithful class now being the recipients of His 
favor. Those who can and do exercise faith, hold to 
the Divine promise, walk to the best of their ability in 
the footsteps of the Lord, and trust to the covering of 
the merit of our Redeemer—these only inherit all things 
--these only are to be the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, the 
Very Elect.-Rom. 8:37-39. 

Following faith comes confession, and it also is indispensable. 
We are assured that with the heart man believeth, 
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 
(Rom. 10:10.) Those who can exercise the faith, 
but are restrained from telling to others the joy that 
they have found, their relationship to the Lord and the 

SM764 

glorious prospects of the future, are not of the kind 
whom the Lord will count worthy of a share in the Little 
Flock, the Kingdom class. His own words are, "He that 
is ashamed of Me and My Word, of him will I be 
ashamed." Manifestly such will not be fit for the glorious 
position to which the Lord has called us if they are 
so weak of character as to be ashamed of the Lord and 
His Word of grace. They are not overcomers in the 
Scriptural sense of the word, but must be laboring under 
the fear of man that bringeth a snare. Such may receive 
a blessing in the future, but cannot be granted the great 
blessing that is now being offered and which will be dispensed 
to the worthy in the First Resurrection. 

As choice, decision, was necessary in the accepting 
of Christ at all, even by faith in our hearts, so another 
step in decision, determination, is reached and tested by 
our willingness or unwillingness to confess the Lord and 
His Word before others. But the first decision in the 
heart is the most important step of all. After we have 
fully and irrevocably given our all to the Lord, it is a 
comparatively easy matter, if our hearts remain faithful, 
to confess Him and His Word of grace. If it be asked 
how we shall confess the Lord, we reply that the 
Scriptural program for these is baptism in water, which 
symbolizes our full consecration even to death, and by 
which we are symbolically raised to walk in newness of 
life in our Redeemer's footsteps. This was not to be 
done for us by our parents when we were infants, nor 
by our godfathers or godmothers standing sponsors for 



us, but was to be our own individual act after making our 
consecration and coming to an understanding of the 
Lord's arrangement. 

"ME AND MY HOUSE" 

Joshua, who uttered the words of our text, properly 
understood himself to be the head of his household, their 
representative under Divine arrangement. His consecration, 
therefore, meant the carrying of a consecrated 

SM765 

man's influence to every member of his trusting household. 
It meant that as a proper father he would have a 
large and good influence over all the members of his 
family, and that this influence would all be turned to the 
Lord—into channels of righteousness in all matters and 
affairs of the family. It must have meant, therefore, 
that Joshua would thenceforth honor the Lord by worship 
in his household and in all his ways acknowledging 
Jehovah. It meant the reverence of the entire household 
for religious things; it meant the influence of the 
head of the family in connection with the Almighty in 
leading his family to make similar individual consecration 
to the Lord. And a similar course is a proper one 
for every one of us. First of all we must see to our own 
hearts, reach a positive decision, get right with God, 
come under His blessing and care, and the promise of 
His Word through Christ. Then the business of life 
should be to bring our families and neighbors and all 
with whom we have influence, who have ears to hear and 
hearts to appreciate the Divine Message, into similar 
accord, similar consecration. 

Let us choose, let us decide today, dear friends, if we 
have not already decided this most important of all 
questions. If in the past our course has been a double-minded 
one, let it not be so in the future. If in the past 
we have chosen unworthy, selfish ambitions, or foolish 
ones founded on our own surmises or those of others, 
let us not be content with any of these, but realizing the 
foundation of truth and of grace let us choose wisely, 
put our affairs in the hands of the One who is able to 
bring order out of confusion, and to speak peace to our 
troubled souls, and harmony to our discontented lives. 



and whose Message by and by is to cause the assuaging 
of all the storms of passion and avarice which are now 
raging in the world, and to bring in that everlasting 
peace which the Lord, has promised under the reign of 
Him who will be the Prince of Peace. 



SM766 



"THERE IS A SIN UNTO DEATH" 

"If any man see his brother sin a sin not unto death, 
he shall ask and God will give him life for them that sin 
not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say 
that he shall pray for it. "~1 John 5:16. 

The Lord's proposition to mankind is life or death- 
life on condition of their hearty acceptance of the Divine 
will and obedience to it; death on condition of their rejection 
of the Divine will, their love for sin and failure to 
be responsive to the Divine requirements. Life and 
death from the Scriptural standpoint are finalities—life 
everlasting or death everlasting. All mankind are to be 
judged to ascertain which shall be the portion of each— 
which shall enter life everlasting, which shall be consigned 
to death everlasting. The assurance of the Divine 
Word is that those who attain to life everlasting will 
attain bliss everlasting; that is to say, that God has made 
no provision for the giving of life everlasting under any 
except the absolutely perfect conditions that will insure 
joy, blessing and happiness. There is no provision in 
God's great Plan for an everlasting condition in woe, 
sorrow or pain or trouble. Hence the assurance is freely 
given that those who come into harmony with the Lord 
shall have all tears wiped away from all faces and that 
there shall be no more sighing, no more crying, no more 
dying, for the former things shall have passed away.- 
Rev. 21:4; 22:3; Ezek. 48:35. 

On the other hand, the death everlasting will be the 
penalty inflicted upon all who do not eventually come into 
the fullest heart harmony with the Lord. They shall be 
as though they had not been; or, as the Apostle Peter 
declares, they shall be utterly destroyed from amongst 
the people; or, as the Apostle Paul expresses it, they 
shall be destroyed with an everlasting destruction; or, 

SM767 

as the Lord expressed the matter in a parable of the 
sheep and goats, they shall go into everlasting punishment. 
(Ob. 16; Acts 3:23; 2 Thess. 1:9; Matt. 25:46.) 



The punishment for sin being death, it would in the case 

of such be an everlasting one, and in that sense of the 

word different from the blight of death which for the 

past six thousand years has rested upon the whole human 

family. What we now know as death is in the Scriptures 

designated sleep, because God has made provision for 

the awakening of all from the present death- sleep in the 

glorious Morn of the Resurrection. Without such a resurrection 

such a death would be everlasting, for as the 

Prophet has declared, "There is neither wisdom nor 

device in the tomb whither thou goest."~Eccl. 9:10. 



THE CROSS THE CENTER OF HOPE 

And were it not for the redemptive work of Christ, 
begun at His baptism, finished at the cross, there would 
be no release of humanity from the tomb; for God by 
His own edict has closed every avenue and channel of 
hope, so that the eyes of the whole world might be turned 
to the Crucified One, even as the serpent-bitten Israelites 
of old were all caused to look at the brazen serpent, which 
prefigured our Lord and His payment of our penalty. 

But some will say. Why did our Creator pronounce 
a death sentence on our race, under which we have suffered 
for the past six thousand years as a "groaning 
creation," and then provide a Ransom for all in the person 
of His Son, and then make a provision for a Second 
Death for some? We answer that the matter is entirely 
clear from the Scriptural standpoint. God dealt originally 
with our first parents when they were perfect, in 
His own image and likeness. They were on trial. If 
obedient to God they might continue to live; if disobedient 
they would die and return to the dust whence they were 
taken. This was the just edict—that none were worthy 
of life everlasting except as they would be obedient to the 

SM768 

Creator, whose laws are righteous altogether, and in 
the interest of all who love righteousness. Our Creator 
foreknew that the death sentence working in Father 
Adam would impair his entire race, and that none of 
them, therefore, would be worthy of life everlasting. 
Hence the sentence against Adam prevails against all of 



his posterity, inheritors of his weaknesses and blemishes, 
which indeed have increased continually during the six 
thousand years of the reign of Sin and Death. 

THE DIVINE PURPOSE 

The Divine purpose, foreseeing the fall, arranged in 
advance for the redemption accomplished at Calvary, to 
the intent that Adam and all of his race, having had an 
experience with sin and a taste of the exceeding bitterness 
of its results, might be granted another trial for 
life. There is no partiality with God, and this privilege 
of a fresh trial is alike to every member of Adam's race 
as well as to Adam himself. In his case the fresh trial 
constitutes a second trial, or a second chance of obtaining 
eternal life. But in the case of his posterity this chance 
for opportunity for attaining eternal life will be the first 
chance, except as they might be reckoned as having shared 
with Adam in the fall, and thus in the losses of that 
original or first chance. Individually, however, the 
chance or trial for life or death which comes to each 
member of the human family will be practically the first 
and only chance that any of them will have. 

Since our God is just, it stands to reason that if He 
has provided a way of mercy and salvation for Adam and 
his family—if He purposes to give to each of them a 
chance for life eternal—then we may be sure that it will 
be a righteous, a fair, a full opportunity. The fact that 
it is the Almighty who has purposed this great opportunity 
for life to our race, sentenced to death in Adam, 
guarantees us that every member of our race, therefore, 
shall come to an accurate knowledge of the Truth and 

SM769 

to a full opportunity of embracing righteousness on 
fair, equitable and reasonable terms; and that only such 
as have enjoyed such terms and opportunities and knowledge 
have had their trial for life. Others, who have not 
yet enjoyed full, fair opportunities of clear knowledge 
and of opportunity for obedience, have not yet had their 
trial for life. Of this class is the great mass of mankind, 
the heathen world, and in all lands the infants who 
die before reaching years of knowledge and discretion, 
and the mentally unbalanced, the idiotic. None of these 



surely have had the opportunities of deciding for themselves 
the question of life or death by an intelligent 
acceptance of the Lord and His way of righteousness. 

"IN THE WORLD TO COME" 

The Apostle speaks of the world to come—that is, 
the Age to come in which righteousness will prevail. (2 Pet. 3:13.) 
And we are assured that it is there, in 
that Day, that these classes enumerated, which constitute 
the great majority of mankind, will have their opportunity 
and testing, to determine whether they shall have 
life everlasting or death everlasting— whether they shall 
enjoy an eternity of Divine favor or whether they shall 
be utterly blotted out, extinguished. 

Since the great majority of mankind have not possessed 
the opportunities of testing and trial for life or 
death in the present life or in the "present evil world," 
as the Apostle designates the epoch during which sin and 
ignorance and superstition prevail as darkness over the 
earth and as gross darkness covering the people (Gal. 1:4), 
it therefore follows, that the time of God's provision 
for the great majority of mankind is in the "world 
to come"— the Age to come— the Age or epoch in which 
Christ shall reign and God's will shall be done on earth as 
in Heaven. That Kingdom Reign of the Redeemer will insure 
to the great mass of mankind, therefore, a most equitable 
test to determine their worthiness or unworthiness 
of the life eternal which is the gift of God.— Rom. 6:23. 

SM770 

But now we come back to the civilized and intelligent 
and the educated; and we say. Are not all who live in 
civilized lands on trial for life or death in the present 
time? We answer No! the great majority of them are 
not. The great majority who reside in Christian lands 
are blind and deaf as respects the Divine character and 
Plan, and are thoroughly incompetent to make a choice 
as between good and evil. They are not all alike blind. 
Perhaps none of them are totally blind as to what constitutes 
right and wrong on some questions. There are 
few, for instance, who do not know it is wrong to commit 
murder; but apparently there are few who recognize that 
it is murder from God's standpoint to speak evil of a 



neighbor. Their eyes are holden, more or less darkened 

by custom and heredity; and they are depraved. If they 

were judged according to their present light, while under 

the domination of present weaknesses of the flesh, the 

great majority would certainly be condemned as imperfect. 

Even if their actions were left out of account 

altogether they would be imperfect in their ideals, imperfect 

in their endeavors, imperfect in their wills, and 

hence would be subjects of the Second Death, unworthy 

of life eternal, the gift which God has provided only for 

those who attain to a heart-likeness to Himself. 

"IF WE SIN WILFULLY" 

In view of the foregoing, the Apostle's words are 
perfectly plain, when discussing this question of the 
sin unto death. He does not indicate that murderers, 
thieves and blackguards of the world as being the subjects 
of this death. They are not on trial yet. We do 
not know what will be the verdict in their cases. God 
has chosen a certain order in which He will give the 
opportunity for attaining life eternal. Some are granted 
this opportunity in the present life; others, the great 
mass, will be granted the great opportunity or trial or 
test in the world, the age, to come, under the Kingdom 

SM771 

conditions. It might be suggested that the conditions 
of the Kingdom in the future will be much more favorable 
than the conditions of the present time. To this we 
answer, in some respects. Yes. However, the Lord has 
a method of compensation which seems to overcome all 
the difficulties, and guarantees to every member of 
Adam's race a full, fair, kind, generous, impartial test 
respecting their worthiness or unworthiness of the gift 
of God, eternal life. 

First, the Lord seeks for the class known in the 
Scriptures as the "Very Elect." They are chosen 
according to two conditions: (1) Their faith; (2) Their 
loyalty to God and His Laws. These are chosen in the 
present time when sin is still permitted to have great 
influence and power, while the whole world is still blind 
and serving Mammon, selfishness. Those invited to be 
of this elect class are such as have been favored of the 



Lord with more of a hearing ear than the majority of 
the race possessed. Indeed, they "have much advantage 
everyway," amongst others the testimony and the Divine 
revelation through Jesus, the Apostles and Prophets. 
The knowledge enables them in advance of the world 
to discern the principles of righteousness and to strive 
for them. Their weaknesses do indeed hinder them from 
doing what they would. But the Lord has arranged a 
compensating feature by which He deals with them not 
according to their weaknesses and imperfections, but according 
to their intentions and efforts, so that, with the 
best of intentions and loyalty to the Lord, their imperfect 
works are accepted as though they were perfect and they 
are credited accordingly in the Divine records. 

These, justified by faith, covered with the merit of 
Christ's righteousness, consecrated to the Lord's service 
even unto death, are the Lord's special treasure. His 
jewels. These have the assurance of eternal life; and if 
they continue faithfully in the same way in which they 
have begun they are in no danger at all of losing it. But 

SM772 

if they turn from the way of righteousness they are the 
very ones who could sin the sin unto death. In a word, 
they are the only ones who at the present time, through 
justification and Divine favor and knowledge, are really 
upon trial for life or death everlasting. They have 
entered the race for the life eternal which God has 
offered; and only through failure will they miss it--and 
the failure, we are assured, cannot be one of ignorance 
or weakness, but must be a wilful one. In other words, 
the Lord has so taken this class under His supervision 
that all things necessary to their attainment of eternal 
life are guaranteed them; and only by their wilful, intelligent 
neglect and refusal of the terms and assistances 
can they cut themselves off from the Lord and from the 
everlasting life which is His gift to all who maintain 
their relationship to Him. 



DOCTRINAL AND PRACTICAL SIN UNTO DEATH 

None of the Lord's people are righteous in the perfect, 
absolute sense that in thought, word or deed they 



come up to the Divine standard. But all of the Lord's 
people may be righteous under His gracious arrangement; 
namely, that if their hearts be true, loyal and 
perfect toward Him, none of their blemishes or imperfections 
of the flesh shall count for anything. So, then, 
the sin unto death must be a sin against light and 
knowledge, and must be committed with a reasonable 
degree of wilfulness-otherwise it would not be unto 
death. The Scriptures speak of this as a sin, as though 
it were simply one transgression or transaction. Nevertheless 
the context shows that we are not liable to sufficiently 
stumble into this condition of alienation and 
opposition to God; but that rather the matter comes on 
gradually, little by little, until the heart is completely 
turned away from the Lord. It behooves us, then, to be 
on the alert for the beginnings of evil in our hearts, 
which might ultimately lead later on to the complete 
alienation which would mean for us the Second Death. 

SM773 

In the Epistle to the Hebrews the Apostle seems to 
indicate that the sin unto death should be looked for to 
approach us in one of two forms. The first of these 
he describes in Chapter 6:4-9; the second he describes in 
Chapter 10:26-32. 

In the first of these he seems to picture a moral 
retrogression in the words, "As touching those who 
were once enlightened and tasted of the Heavenly gift, 
and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted 
the good Word of God, and the powers of the age to come 
if these fall away, it is impossible to renew them again 
unto repentance, seeing that they crucify to themselves 
the Son of God afresh and put Him to open shame." 
The context here seems to indicate a falling away in 
the sense of falling into sinful practices-giving away to 
besetting sins, ceasing to resist the Adversary and his 
works, ceasing to avail themselves of the grace of God 
provided in Christ for their deliverance from bondage to 
sin. There was a hope of recovering them from all 
manner of evil and sin through the Message of the 
Gospel, through the power of the Holy Spirit. But if 
after having enjoyed all the privileges and mercies which 
the Lord has provided, they then turn to their wallowing 
in the mire like the sow (2 Pet. 2:22), it gives evidence 



that they have not the real heart-love for truth, purity 
and righteousness, and that they are not worthy of the 
life everlasting. 

But while giving this warning, the Apostle in the 
very next verse assures his hearers that he is persuaded 
better things of them--things which must accompany 
salvation and without which salvation to life eternal 
would be impossible. He is persuaded of them that 
they desire to be in accord with the Lord, and that they 
will avail themselves of the opportunities provided them 
through His Word, through the fellowship of the Spirit 
and through the assistances of the brethren. And so, 
dear brothers and sisters, we assure you today that 

SM774 

when we point out this matter of the Second Death, and 

that we who are the Lord's consecrated, spirit-begotten 

ones alone could commit this sin unto death, nevertheless 

we are persuaded of you all that, so far from desiring 

to see how near you could go into sin, you on the contrary, 

do not love sin but hate it as your foe, and are 

striving to walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. 

I can assure all such that the grace of the Lord is sufficient 

for us, that His strength is made perfect even in 

our weakness. 

The second, or doctrinal, deflection which might lead 
to the Second Death is very explicitly stated to be a 
rejection of the Lord Jesus as our Redeemer from sin 
and death. Of course those who have never seen these 
things, those who like the world are blind to them, could 
never sin against them. Those who know not what the 
Ransom is, who see not into the Divine Plan, could 
neither gain the life now through faith and obedience 
nor could they be condemned now to the Second Death 
on the score of rejecting that which they have not seen. 



ATTAINMENTS MEASURE RESPONSIBILITY 

We, dear brothers and sisters, by the grace of God, 
have had the eyes of our understanding widely opened 
to see the grace and mercy of God toward us and toward 
the world in the great gift of His Son, of our Redeemer. 
We have seen how He "tasted death for every man," 



and how eventually this is to be available to all. If by 
any circumstances or means we shall now be turned 
aside from this faith, from this trust, it would mean that 
we had previously rejected the Lord's leading; that He 
had ceased to be our Guide; and that it was under the 
leadings of the Prince of Darkness that we could get into 
such an attitude, where we thus do despite to the spirit 
of grace, favor, in rejecting the only name, the only 
sacrifice, the only means by which there is forgiveness 
of sins and fellowship with the Father. 
The Apostle specifies, "If we sin wilfully after we 

SM775 

have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth 

no more a sacrifice for sin." Again we see that it 

is we who have tasted, we who have received, we who 

have had knowledge, we who have already benefited by 

the sacrifice to the extent of being justified by faith in 

the blood. This passage, therefore, does not refer to 

the world, who have never seen, never known, never been 

justified. Their trial is future. It refers to the saints, 

who are now on trial. The Apostle proceeds to speak 

of what this sin might be, saying that those who committed 

it trampled underfoot the Son of God and counted 

the blood of the covenant wherewith they were once 

sanctified as a common thing, doing despite to the Spirit 

of God's favor, which was manifest in the great Gift 

at Calvary. (V. 29.) Alas, that we must say it, but on 

every hand we have evidences that many, many are rejecting 

the Atonement work of Christ, renouncing it and 

even in some cases denouncing it, counting the blood of 

Christ, the death of Christ, as a common thing, as an 

ordinary death, and not as a special holy sacrifice valid 

for the cancellation of our sins. Many both in pulpits 

and pews are rejecting the mediatorial work of Christ 

and all the promises of God to the effect of forgiveness 

of sins through faith in the blood. 

Our hope is that many of these are merely tares, who 
never knew really of the grace of God, who only imperfectly 
at any time trusted in Christ. Our hope is 
that they were never justified through faith in His blood; 
and that therefore their opportunity for hearing correctly, 
understanding and appreciating fully lies beyond 
in the world to come—the Age to come—the Millennial 



age. Nevertheless, while it is not for us to judge the 
hearts, it is for us to warn, to caution, all those who ever 
have appreciated the grace of God in Christ to hold the 
same confidence of their rejoicing firm unto the end. 
It is for us to warn all who are even thinking along the 
line of rejecting the precious Sacrifice of Christ to look 

SM776 

well to what they do, to reconsider the matter, to consider 
that probably they have gotten into their present 
attitude of unbelief because of unfaithfulness, because 
of coldness, because of inattention to their vows to the 
Lord. We counsel them that no one ever got into that 
position suddenly or without some previous deflection 
along other lines, and that they should, therefore, look 
carefully to the pathway over which they have been 
going to see where they switched off, where their hearts 
became cold toward the Lord, that they may return to 
their first love, to fidelity to the Lord, and to an appreciation 
of the great redemptive value of the blood, 
the Sacrifice of Christ. 

It is also our duty, dear brethren and sisters, to warn 
those who are still holding fast the previous Word, still 
trusting in the precious blood, still appreciating the 
grace of God and still sanctified, that they take heed 
against insidious sin, insidious errors, lest by these they 
should be gradually switched out of the way and gradually 
find their course leading farther and farther away from 
harmony with the Lord and fellowship with those 
who are His in the appreciation of His Word. The 
switch on the railway track has a very small beginning, 
but it steadily turns the car aside in a very different direction. 
And so with our minds, our hearts, our attitude 
toward the Lord--a little deflection on some point 
seemingly not so important, may lead farther off, eventually 
to alienation from the Lord. 



"MUCH SORER PUNISHMENT" 

The context proceeds to call attention to the fact 
that those who despised Moses and his law died without 
mercy. Then it adds that those who have heard the voice 
of the antitypical Moses, if they despise that voice and 



that Law, will have "much sorer punishment" than did 
the typical Israelites who despised the message of the 
typical Moses. 
The word "sorer" here does not signify more painful; 

SM777 

but in the old form of language in which the Bible 
was written it simply signifies severer or more weighty 
punishment. The Scriptures inform us in line with our 
subject of today that the punishment of sin, the wages 
of sin, is death, the Second Death; and that this Second 
Death—which results to those who despise God's Plan 
in Christ after they know it, have benefited by it and 
appreciated it—will indeed be a sorer, a more severe 
death penalty than the one which came upon those who 
rejected Moses and his message; for those executed for 
disobedience to Moses were merely types of those who 
will suffer the Second Death. 

They merely suffered a temporary suspension of life. 
They are all included in the world redeemed by the 
precious blood of Christ; and they will all, therefore, at 
some time have a glorious opportunity of coming into 
full accord with the Lord and, if fully obedient to Him, 
of attaining life everlasting. Their death, therefore, did 
not mean everlasting death, but merely temporary death, 
and sleep of death. The punishment that will come upon 
those who wilfully and intelligently reject the Ransom 
and count the blood of the covenant a common thing, will 
be a Second Death, a much more severe and terrible 
punishment than that shown in the type, as the antitype 
is always on a larger and weightier scale than the type. 
Those who thus reject Christ's work fall out of the hands 
of Mercy, which God provided, into the hands of Justice; 
and the sentence of Justice against all imperfection is 
described as everlasting destruction— the Second Death. 

LITTLE FOXES SPOIL THE VINES 

After stating the matter thus plainly the Apostle 
exhorts us to confidence and loyalty, saying, "Call to 
remembrance the former days when, after ye were illuminated, 
ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly 
whilst ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches 
and afflictions, and partly whilst ye became companions 



of them who were so used." The Apostle thus urges us 

SM778 

to look back to the beginning of the way, and to maintain 
the zeal and love which then began and which should be 
increasing day by day as the years go by. He exhorts 
that we cast not away our confidence; that while seeking 
to go on in the way of the Lord we keep well in line with 
all our blessed experiences of the past. Thus, for 
instance, our appreciation of the redemption accomplished 
in our Lord's Sacrifice for us will only be enhanced 
as we grow in grace and knowledge along the proper 
lines. Growth in grace and knowledge will not deprive 
us of the original joy and favor which came to us through 
the mercy, love and grace of God, but will rather enhance 
the value of these. And thus pressing on continually, 
maintaining the foundation and adding the superstructure 
of faith and obedience, we shall be found by 
the Lord when He comes to make up His jewels. 

Let us not only be on our guard against the great sins 
that we have considered, the open enmity against God 
through wicked works or through falling away from the 
doctrines of His grace, but let us remember that it is 
the little deflections from the Divine Word that lead 
astray. Let us take heed to our steps lest we be switched 
off by the great Adversary, who every here and there 
along the pathway is permitted of the Lord to test us, to 
prove us, and thus, if we are faithful to the Lord, to 
make us more and more strong in faith and in obedience 
and more ready for the Kingdom. The least deflections 
from the teachings of the Word are very sure to bring 
us into trouble. Let us, therefore, take more and more 
heed to all the jots and tittles of the Master's Word, not 
only for the exhortations and instructions given us by 
Himself, but also those given through the Apostles, especially 
appointed to be our guides in the way to the Heavenly 
Kingdom. He who is faithful in the little things 
will be faithful in the great. He who is unfaithful in the 
little things and inattentive to the Divine messages will 
more than likely fail to make his calling and election sure. 



SM779 

JEHOVAH'S GOOD PLEASURE 
SHALL PROSPER 

"When thou shah make His soul an Offering for sin, 
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the 
pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall 
see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied. "— 
Isa. 53:10,11. 

Our text pictures our dear Redeemer as the Man of 
Sorrows and acquainted with grief, who poured out His 
soul, His being, unto death--who made His soul an offering 
for sin, for the redemption of Adam's soul, which 
was forfeited because of sin, and incidentally for the 
redemption of Adam's race, involved in sin and its death 
penalty through him. The Apostle reminds us that it 
was through one man's disobedience that sin entered 
into the world and death as a result of sin. (Rom. 5:12.) 
He thus assures us that there would have been no such 
thing as death in the world aside from sin; and that thus 
sin and death constituted the curse which has blighted 
and blemished everything of an earthly kind. 

Our Lord tells us that the whole world was thus lost 
through Adam under Divine sentence of death, and that 
He came to seek and to recover that which was lost—to 
restore it to its former condition. All will concede that 
our dear Redeemer was moved by a most noble impulse 
when He responded to the Father's gracious Plan of Salvation 
and gave Himself a Ransom for all, to be testified 
in due time." (1 Tim. 2:6.) None will deny that it was a 
great humbling of self for the "chief est among ten 
thousand" to humble Himself to a lower nature, the 
human nature, and take our form and be born in the 
fashion of men, that He might redeem mankind. But the 
proper enough question arises. Has the great Sacrifice 
realized a proper return? Do the results justify so great 
a cost? What has been accomplished by His death? 



SM780 

In our context the Lord through the Prophet foretold 
this offering of our Lord's soul as the Corresponding-price, 
the Ransom, for Adam's soul, being, life, existence, 
as the payment of the penalty for original sin. It foretells 
the results of this Sacrifice with equal clearness, stating 
that, "He shall see His seed, shall prolong His days, and 
the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand." In 
considering this matter we must remember that the 
Church of this Gospel Age is nowhere spoken of as the 
"seed of Christ," the children of Christ, but on the contrary 
are styled His "brethren," or His "espoused." 
The Apostle Peter notes our relationship to the Lord 
when he says, "The God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ hath begotten you." (1 Pet. 1:3.) Hence we who 
are thus begotten of God are directly the children of the 
Father, and not the children of our Lord Jesus. He is 
our Elder Brother. This agrees well, too, with His own 
declaration on the subject, saying to Mary after His 
resurrection, "I ascend to My Father and your Father, 
to My God and your God." 

But that our Lord is to be a Father is distinctly 
prophesied. One of His titles, whose meaning will be 
most explicitly seen by and by in the Millennial Age, is 
the "Everlasting Father," who bestows upon His 
children everlasting life. We see the Scriptural picture 
then, that the sins of the world, atoned for by the Lord 
Jesus, will in due time all be canceled, and every sinner 
in due time be brought to a full knowledge of the Lord, 
that he may avail himself of the blessing of forgiveness 
and restoration to Divine favor provided in the "only 
name given under Heaven and amongst men whereby we 
must be saved."--Acts 4:12; Isa. 9:6. 

This blessing comes in advance to consecrated believers 
of this Gospel Age, who are justified by faith and 
granted the privilege of being begotten again by the Holy 
Spirit to a new nature and to joint-heir ship with Jesus 
in His Kingdom and its glorious work. But for the world 

SM781 

in general, the time for God's blessing to reach them will 
be by and by, when all that are in the graves shall hear 
the voice of the Son of Man and come forth, and they that 



hear (obey) shall live--shall be gradually brought up out 
of sin-and-death conditions to the full perfection of life 
and human nature. That class, the world, dealt with during 
the Millennial Age under the terms of the Kingdom, 
will not be begotten of the Spirit to a new nature as are 
we of the Gospel Church, but attain instead, by obedience, 
restitution to the perfection of human nature. 

Because Jesus gave His life. His soul, in exchange 
for Adam's life or soul, thus purchasing the race from 
the control of sin and death, therefore the restoration to 
be effected during the Millennium for the world is indicated 
as being the direct work of our Lord Jesus Himself 
and not the Father's work, although the Father was the 
Author of the entire Plan of Salvation. It is because the 
life that will be restored to mankind was the direct purchase 
of our Lord Jesus at the cost of His own life or 
soul, that the giving of this life to the world during the 
Millennium by the resurrection and restitution processes 
is accredited to our Lord Jesus as His own work; and 
that He, therefore, is styled the Father of the world, the 
second Adam, who will take the place of the first Adam, 
having purchased him and his posterity by His own 
blood. His own sacrifice, by making His own soul an 
offering for their sin. As the second Adam He is to 
be the world's Father, the Giver of everlasting life to 
all those who will obey Him. He is not the Church's 
Father; for the Church does not receive back the forfeited 
human life, but instead is begotten to the spiritual 
higher nature by the Holy Spirit, as already shown. 



GOD'S PLEASURE TO PROSPER IN HIS HAND 

This feature of our text has not yet been fulfilled. Who 
will say that the pleasure of Jehovah is now being fulfilled 
in the world? Who will say that the present reign 
of Sin and Death is the good pleasure of the God of love 

SM782 

and mercy, who declares that He has no pleasure in our 
dying? Only in a very limited sense could it be said that 
any part of Jehovah's pleasure has been accomplished by 
our Redeemer. It pleased the Father to put the Son to 
grief, to permit the dire troubles and calamities which 



came upon Him in connection with our redemption. 
This does not signify that the Lord took pleasure in the 
sufferings of the Redeemer, but that it was the Lord's 
plan that our dear Redeemer should be tried, tested and 
proven worthy, and thus prepared for the glorious honors 
of His exaltation and for the great work which He is yet 
to accomplish for the uplift of mankind. It was the 
Father's Plan rather than the Father's pleasure that our 
Lord fulfilled in His obedience even unto death, even the 
death of the cross. --Rev. 5:1-7. 

Similarly we may say that the Father's pleasure, in 
the sense of plan, is being fulfilled throughout this Gospel 
Age in the sufferings of the Church, which is the Body of 
Christ—in the trials and afflictions which came upon the 
Apostles and upon all the faithful in Christ Jesus from 
their day to the present time, to the end of the Age. The 
Scriptures assure us that the Lord counts the sufferings 
of the faithful ones—endured for the sake of righteousness 
and their loyalty to God, His people and His Word- 
as very precious, as a sweet odor, as an evidence of their 
love, their devotion and their faith in Him and His promises. 
In this sense God's good pleasure. His good Plan, 
is outworking gloriously, and from this standpoint all 
who are the Lord's people may with the Apostle declare 
that they glory in their tribulation, knowing that tribulation 
worketh patience and helps to develop the various 
fruits and graces of the Spirit in heart and in life. From 
this standpoint all these may rejoice in tribulation, and 
count it all joy when their names are cast out as evil, 
realizing that they are partakers of the sufferings of 
Christ, that by and by they may with Him also share His 
exceeding glory.-Eph. 5:1,2. 

SM783 

From this standpoint, the Church, which is the Body 
of Christ, under Jesus its Head and Redeemer, is a sharer 
with Him in His entire work present and future, as the 
Apostle declares. If we suffer with Him we shall also 
reign with Him; if we be dead with Him we shall also 
live with Him. (Rom. 8:17; Col. 3:4.) From this standpoint, 
the brethren of Christ, His members. His Body, 
the Church, are filling up that which is behind of the 
afflictions of The Christ. (Col. 1:24.) From this standpoint 
the entire Church is pouring out its soul unto death 



in harmony with the Apostle's exhortation, "I beseech 
you, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies 
living sacrifices to God, which is your reasonable service." 
(Rom. 12:1.) Hence, aside from the redemptive 
work, the value of which proceeded from our Lord alone, 
and was necessary to every member of the human family 
—aside from this, the Church of Christ, as His Bride, is a 
sharer in all of His sufferings and will be a participator 
in all of His joys and blessings. 



JOINT-SACRIFICERS AND JOINT-HEIRS 

Thus, as our text declares, it will be true of all those 
who lay down their lives in harmony with the call to 
sacrifice, that they shall all, nevertheless, prolong their 
days-gain through the sacrifice immortality, and in them 
all the Father's glorious Plan shall prosper. It prospers 
in their present sacrificing and in their present development 
of character; and by and by it will prosper in the 
entry of the great King, when He shall take to Himself 
His great power and reign. When He shall sit upon the 
Throne of His glory during the Millennial Age, then we 
shall sit with Him in His Throne as His Bride; and 
before that Throne for a thousand years all people shall 
be gathered to be guided, to be assisted, and by all these 
experiences to be judged and to enter into the everlasting 
conditions beyond the Millennium- all others as goats, 
as adversaries, being destroyed in the Second Death, the 
punishment which God has already declared must come 

SM784 

to all who will ultimately, wilfully, intelligently, refuse 
His offer of eternal life upon His terms of obedience to 
righteousness. Then "He shall see of the travail of 
His soul and shall be satisfied." 

So far as the world is concerned the pleasure of Jehovah 
God has not in any sense of the word been accomplished 
in them. The Apostle reminds us that "the 
whole creation is groaning and travailing in pain together" 
—"waiting for the manifestation of the sons of 
God." (Rom. 8:19,22.) This surely is not the pleasure 
of God-the sufferings of His creatures; for although He 
may be pleased that His consecrated, spirit-begotten ones 



should suffer for a time, this is because the sufferings in 
their case are working out for them a far more exceeding 
and eternal weight of glory. (2 Cor. 4:17.) But in 
respect to the world this is different. The weight of sin, 
degradation and sorrow is upon the world, and Divine 
displeasure is still their portion. They have not yet 
heard of the only name given under Heaven and amongst 
men whereby they must be saved. As the Apostle declares, 
the whole world lieth in the Wicked One. God's 
pleasure respecting them has not been accomplished. 

As to what the Divine Plan or purpose or pleasure is 
on the world's behalf we must note the prophetic declaration 
of the oath-bound promise made to Abraham, "In 
thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." 
The blessing of all the families of the earth is still future; 
for the development of the Seed of Abraham is not yet 
completed- -the last members of the Body of Christ have 
not yet suffered with Him; the afflictions of Christ have 
not yet been made full. Hearken to the Apostle, "If ye 
be Christ's then are ye Abraham's Seed, and heirs according 
to the promise." (Gal. 3:29.) We see, then, that 
the spirit-begotten Seed of Abraham must first be developed 
through trials, disciplines, testings, sacrifices, 
before it can be used as God's agency in dispensing His 
blessings to all the families of the earth. 

SM785 

"TO BE TESTIFIED IN DUE TIME" 

There is a due time connected with every feature of 
the Divine arrangement. "In due time God sent forth 
His Son," "in due time Christ died for the ungodly," 
in due time this favor of God shall be testified to all mankind. 
That due time has not yet arrived. Hence the 
testimony thus far has been only to those who have the 
ears to hear and who have been called according to the 
Divine purpose to be of the elect Seed class. But so 
surely as one part of the Divine purpose has been accomplished 
we may be confident that the other features 
will be. The Divine Word is sure, "the pleasure of 
Jehovah shall prosper in His hand." With the close of 
this Age, with the completion of the Body of Christ, 
which is the Church, the great Redeemer will take unto 
Himself His great power and reign~to subdue everything 



evil, including the binding of Satan, and to liberate 
and scatter abroad everything favorable to truth and 
righteousness, so that the darkness of sin and degradation 
may all be scattered by the glorious sunlight of Divine 
grace, truth and power. 

Referring to that time when Jehovah's pleasure shall 
prosper in the hands of The Messiah, The Christ, the 
Apostle tells us that He must reign until He shall have 
put all enemies under His feet. He also explains to us 
that all the power and authority of that Reign will be 
granted to The Christ by the Heavenly Father, and that 
at the close of that Millennial Reign The Christ shall 
deliver up the Kingdom of God, even the Father, that 
He may be all in all—to Him who did put all things under 
Christ, whose was the Plan, whose was the Power, and to 
whom shall be glory forever. 

Accustomed to the reign of Sin and Death and to the 
non-interference with these on the part of the Lord, many 
are unable to conceive how the Millennial Age could be so 
different from the present one—so much more favorable 
to truth and righteousness. What we need to do is to 

SM786 

take the Lord's Word for it. Most explicitly has He 

shown that the trouble in the present time is ignorance; 

that this ignorance is largely the work of the Adversary 

—"the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them 

that believe not," that mankind are more or less willingly 

ignorant and have had much to do with the blindness that 

has come upon themselves; that they were not so created 

in the beginning, but that their degradation has come as 

a result of their failure to appreciate the Lord and 

respect His Word. The assurance is that the remedy for 

all these ills will come with the Kingdom for which, we 

pray, "Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth 

as it is done in Heaven." With the establishment of that 

autocratic Kingdom under the direct supervision of the 

Lord and His glorified Church, the "Little Flock," to 

whom it is the Father's good pleasure to give the Kingdom 

(Luke 12:32), will come the greatest reformation 

the world has ever known— from the reign of Sin and 

Death mankind will be transferred to the Reign of Righteousness, 

with its reward of life eternal to all those who 

will obey the laws of that righteous Government. 



What a glorious prospect this holds out! This indeed 
will be the pleasure of the Lord as ultimately accomplished 
in the world. Then, as our Lord declared through 
the Prophet, none shall need to say to his neighbor. Know 
the Lord, for all shall know Him from the least even unto 
the greatest; then there shall be no more curse, no more 
sighing, no more crying, no more dying, because all the 
former things shall have passed away. (Jer. 31:34; Rev. 21:4.) 
Then every creature in Heaven and in earth shall 
be heard acclaiming praise to Him that sitteth on the 
Throne and to the Lamb. (Rev. 5:13.) Oh, how different 
it will be when the Lord's good pleasure shall have prospered 
at the hand of His Anointed One, The Messiah! 

Our Lord states the matter moderately. We may 
know assuredly that the grand results of the great Divine 
Plan of redemption and restitution will much more than 

SM787 

merely satisfy the Redeemer—will much more than 
merely compensate Him for the travail of His soul, for 
His humiliation. His suffering. His death. Ah, yes! Our 
Lord Himself declared that He would be thoroughly satisfied 
if, after He had served the Father according to the 
Divine Plan faithfully, even unto death—if then He 
should be received back where He was before. His 
prayer was, "Glorify thou Me with the glory which I 
had with Thee before the world was." (John 17:5.) He 
asked no more. But God, who is rich in mercy and rich 
in His rewards to all those who diligently seek and serve 
Him, would not be content to give back to the Redeemer 
merely the blessings He had previously enjoyed and laid 
aside to be our Savior. No! We are dealing with a 
King whose are the riches of grace and loving kindness. 

The Apostle assures us that our Lord Jesus was personally 
exalted very highly in His resurrection, far above 
angels, principalities and powers and every name that 
is named. (Eph. 1:21.) He has already received personally 
much more than a requital for His sacrifice. And He 
will be privileged to awake the sleeping thousands of 
millions of Adam's race— whom He purchased with His 
precious blood, and who have been preserved in Sheol, 
Hades, the tomb, in the sleep of death— to bring these to 
a knowledge of the Truth after their awakening, and to 
grant them then of the opportunity for reformation and 



harmony with God and the attainment of eternal life. 
Oh, how great a reward all this will be for Him who loved 
us and bought us ! Surely He will be more than satisfied 
with the Heavenly Father's bountiful provision for 
His personal glory and exaltation, and for the honorable 
work which He will do for Adam and his race. 

And let us still remember that what is true of the Lord 
is also true of the Anointed Body, His Church. Let us 
remember that He calls us His Royal Priesthood, and that 
He has declared through the Apostle that our resurrection 
change shall also bring us to glory, honor and immortality 

SM788 

and make us His joint-heirs in the Kingdom 
and sharers with Him in all the glorious future work. We 
hear the testimony again, through the Apostle John, 
that we cannot now know what great things we have been 
called to, but that we have the assurance that in our 
glorious change we shall be made like Him and see Him 
as He is. Shall not, therefore, we also as His faithful 
followers, be satisfied—more than satisfied with God's 
gracious arrangements and provisions as they shall thus 
be worked out on our behalf and through us on behalf 
of the world? 

The Apostle's words recur to us again, "What manner 
of persons ought we to be?" How can we be thankful 
enough for the great things God has done for us? How 
can we appreciate highly enough the wonderful privileges 
we now have of laying down our lives for the 
brethren, and realizing according to the Lord's Word 
that this is accepted as though it were a sacrifice on our 
part and constitutes us joint- sacrificers with our dear 
Redeemer, under whose robe and merit we have forgiveness 
of sins and the Divine blessing and favor! 

Let us remember that the time is short. If we have 
not yet made our full consecration to the Lord it is time 
we are doing it, as the door to this high calling will soon 
be closed, and the door then be opened by which the world 
of mankind will attain restitution blessings, honors and 
privileges. Let us be prompt to humble ourselves under 
the mighty hand of God, and to do with our might what 
our hands find to do and what His providences may open 
for us. Our present experiences are likened to a schooling. 
If we are already in the School of Christ, how 



prompt and earnest we should be in learning the lessons 
that we may be ready for the graduating day! The 
trials and testings cannot last long in any event. A 
little while and they will all be over; a little while and we 
shall see Him and shall triumph in His grace! 



SM789 

MORNING COMETH-NIGHT ALSO 

[Pastor Russell's last written sermon] 

"Watchman, what of the night? The morning cometh, 
and a night also!"—Issi. 21:11,12. 

The literature of the world shows that intelligent men 
have refused to believe that the Divine purpose in the 
creation of our earth has yet been attained. Continually 
we find references to the "Morning of the New Day" —to 
the Golden Age, etc., etc. Not to the longings of men's 
hearts, however, but to the promises of our God, do we 
look for real instruction on this subject. 

The Bible most emphatically declares that the entire 
period of human history thus far has been a night time. 
The Prophet David explains, "Weeping may endure for 
a night, but joy cometh in the Morning." (Psa. 30:5.) 
Thus prophetically we are assured that there will be a 
Morning whose glory, brightness and blessing will fully 
compensate for all the dark shadows of the night time 
past. Our text is another prophecy along the same line. 
The message of the Lord is: "The Morning cometh!" 
St. Paul writes that up to his time the world had been 
under a reign of Sin and Death, and not under a Reign 
of Righteousness and Life. (Rom. 5:21.) He also points 
out that the Day of the Lord will come gradually and 
stealthily, taking the world unawares— "as a thief in the 
night."-l Thess. 5:1-6. 

All of the Apostles assure us that it is not God's purpose 
to permit the reign of Sin and Death to continue 
forever. They tell us that the Divine Program is that 
Messiah will, in the Father's appointed time, take unto 
Himself His great power and reign King of kings and 
Lord of lords-putting down sin and every evil thing, and 
lifting humanity up, and granting a Divine blessing where 
for six thousand years there has been a Divine curse. 

SM790 

The Bible writers explain that this does not signify a 
change in the Divine Program, but that God had purposed 
this thing in Himself from before the foundation of the 
world; and that although He had permitted sin to enter 



and death to reign over the children of Adam, He had also 
made fullest provision for the Redeemer to die for our 
sins and eventually to become the Restorer and Life-giver 
to Adam and his race--to as many of them as will accept 
everlasting life on the Divine terms. 

The Apostles tell us that during the night time, 
since Jesus' death, God has been doing a special work- 
selecting from mankind a special class, a saintly few, 
"the Church of the First-borns, whose names are written 
in Heaven." These are not taken from any one nation 
or denomination; but this "little flock," to whom it is the 
Father's good pleasure to give the Kingdom, is composed 
of all the saintly followers of Jesus who walk in His steps 
in the "narrow way" during this Gospel Age. Their experiences 
are to qualify them for association with their 
Redeemer in His Messianic Kingdom. Their trials, their 
obedience and their sufferings for righteousness' sake are 
to work out for these a far more exceeding and eternal 
weight of glory. Suffering with the Master for the 
Truth's sake in the present life, they are to share His 
glory, honor and immortality in the life to come and to 
be joint-heirs with Him in His Kingdom. 



THE KINGDOM SUNRISE NEARING 

Among the Lord's people even, few yet understand 
that Jesus distinctly teaches that the "Sun of Righteousness" 
which will arise, and whose light will constitute the 
New Day, will be composed of the Church of Christ— 
glorified—changed from human to Divine nature by participation 
in the "first resurrection." Jesus tells this in 
the parable of the wheat and the tares. He declares that 
in the end of this Gospel Age all of the wheat class will be 
gathered into the Heavenly Garner and~"then shall the 

SM791 

righteous shine forth as the SUN in the Kingdom of 
their Father." (Matt. 13:43.) We must not think that 
this signifies the Church without the Redeemer, but must 
remember that "Jesus is the Head of the Church which 
is His Body."-Eph. 1:22,23. 

How wonderful, how beautiful and how appropriate 
are the word-pictures of the Bible! Ah, they are inspired 



pictures ! No one but the Lord knew of the great Divine 
Plan; no one but Him, therefore, could give these pictures 
of its development. The Bible, in various terms and 
similes, attempts to give us a little glimpse of the glorious 
conditions of that New Day. It and the Kingdom will be 
the desire of all peoples. In that day the righteous will 
flourish and evil-doers will be cut off from life. During 
that thousand-year Day of Messiah's Kingdom Satan is 
to be bound, "that he may deceive the nations no more." 
(Rev. 20:2,3.) Landlordism will come to an end; for~ 
"they shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not 
plant and another eat the fruit thereof... but shall 
long enjoy the work of their hands." (Isa. 65:22.) The 
earth is to yield her increase. Streams are to come forth 
in the desert places; the solitary places are to be made 
glad. The entire earth is to become like the Garden of 
Eden. It is God's foot-stool, and He declares that He will 
make it glorious. It is not to be burned up with literal 
fire, as we once supposed. It is to "abide forever." 
(Eccl. 1:4.) "He formed it not in vain; He formed it to 
be inhabited. "-Isa. 45:18. 

WONDERFUL FOREGLEAMS OF LIGHT 

But the most wonderful thing the Bible tells us respecting 
that New Day is the great intelligence and enlightenment 
which it will bring to every creature. "The 
light of the knowledge of the glory of God shall fill the 
whole earth as the waters cover the face of the great 
deep." (Isa. 11:9.) "And they shall teach no more every 
man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying. 
Know the Lord; for they shall all know Me, from the least 

SM792 

of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord." (Jer. 31:34.) 
Ultimately every knee shall bow and every 
tongue shall confess, to the glory of God. 

What an enthusing prospect the Bible holds out before 
the Church and so many of the world as can exercise a 
measure of faith to believe! The world indeed sees to 
some extent that great blessings are coming; but just 
what these are and how they are to come, mankind know 
not; for "the world by wisdom knows not God." The 
worldly wise have rejected the Bible, and do not trust it 



as a Revelation from God. Thus the wise are caught in 
their own craftiness. Their boasted wisdom ensnares 
them and blinds them to the Divine Revelation. Nevertheless 
some of our great thinkers, Mr. Edison and others, 
are rapidly seeing that the world is just on the verge of 
the most wonderful inventions and knowledge, which will 
transform the face of the earth and the people thereof. 
They are corroborating the Bible unwittingly; for they 
believe it not and know not of its messages. 

THE DAWNING BEGAN IN A.D. 1874 

Let us not stop now to discuss the darkness of the 
Night and its weepings. Let us awake, and take note of 
the fact that the dawning of the New Age is already here. 
We have been in it and enjoying many of its blessings for 
the past forty-two years. But these blessings came so 
stealthily, like a thief in the night, that few recognize 
their import. Some few have been calling attention to 
the fact that we have been in the Millennial dawn ever 
since the year 1874. Bible chronology quite clearly 
teaches that the six thousand years from Adam's creation 
have ended—six great Days of a thousand years each, 
mentioned by St. Peter- "a Day with the Lord is as a 
thousand years." (2 Pet. 3:8.) Now the great Seventh 
Day, also a thousand years long, has commenced. We 
have been enjoying its dawning. It is to be a grand Day! 
What wonder if the dawning be remarkable! 

SM793 

It may surprise some to be told that the past forty-two 
years mean more to the world in increase of education, 
increase of wealth, increase of all manner of labor-saving 
inventions and conveniences, increase of safeguards 
and protections for human life, than did all the 
six thousand years which preceded them-many times 
over. The world has probably created a thousand times 
as much wealth during these forty-two years as during 
those entire six thousand years preceding. Yet these 
changes came so gradually that few have noticed them. 



FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY EVERYWHERE 

Forty-two years ago man labored from sun to sun; 
today we are rapidly reaching an eight-hour day. Forty-two 
years ago nearly all the labor of the world was done 
with sweat of face; today it is nearly all accomplished by 
machinery. Forty-two years ago the sewing machine was 
just reaching perfection; today it is everywhere indispensable. 
So with the thousand household conveniences! 
So with nearly all of our sanitary and plumbing arrangements! 
So with the farm implements, reapers and 
binders, mowers, automobiles and gas engines, etc., etc., 
all belong to these forty- two years. In our cities our 
modern conveniences are wonderful! Solomon in all his 
glory never dreamed of such things as the poorest human 
being in America may enjoy! 

Prophecies respecting streams in the desert and the 
wilderness blossoming as the rose are having fulfilment 
—not miraculously, but in harmony with the Divine order 
of an increased intelligence amongst men. Artesian wells 
are being drilled, irrigating canals constructed, not only 
in the western part of the United States and Canada, but 
also in far-off Mesopotamia. The results are marvelous. 
Land previously not worth fencing is valued today at 
$500 per acre. The increase of knowledge has been supplemented 
by governmental arrangements for the distribution 
of that knowledge amongst the people. The soils 

SM794 

of various localities are being analyzed at public expense, 
and the tillers of the soil are given knowledge as respects 
what kind of fertilizers are required to bring satisfactory 
results. Under these conditions it does not surprise us 
to know that as much as 156 bushels of corn have been 
raised to a single acre, and that 600 bushels of potatoes 
and over are not an uncommon record. 

Is not the Bible being fulfilled? Who can dispute these 
facts? What do they signify? We answer that they 
exactly corroborate the Divine declaration which 
describes our day: "Many shall run to and fro; knowledge 
shall be increased; the wise [of God's people] shall understand, and 
there shall be a Time of Trouble such as never 
was since there was a nation. "--Dan. 12:4,10,1. 



INCREASE IN WORLD-WIDE DISCONTENT 

We are in the Morning mentioned in our text. Ah, 
what a glorious Morning! How changed the human conditions 
from those of our grandfathers! How thankful 
the whole world should be! Paeans of praise should be 
rising from all people of the favored lands of civilization, 
and helping hands should be outstretched to carry the 
same blessings to heathen lands. But is it so? Are the 
people happy and rejoicing and appreciative of the New 
Day—the gift of Divine providence? 

No! in proportion as the blessings of God have come, 
the discontent of humanity has increased; and unbelief, 
not only in respect to the Bible as the Divine Revelation, 
but in many instances in respect to the very existence of 
an intelligent Creator. Notwithstanding the great increase 
in the world's wealth, and the fact that there are 
some noble souls who are using their share of the wealth 
in praiseworthy manner, nevertheless the general operation 
of the law of selfishness prevails; and all the legislation 
which has been enacted, or which can be enacted, 
fails to restrain the great giant institutions—corporations 
—of our day, fails to hinder them from the exploiting 
of the masses in the interests of comparatively few. 

SM795 

Did God know all these things? What will He do 
about them? Will He bring in the Millennial blessings, 
and risk that men shall take for granted that they have 
won the secrets of nature by their own wisdom and perseverance, 
and forget God entirely? Will they become more 
discontented? Would a Millennium of discontent be advantageous? 
What will God do about it? 



THE DARK NIGHT ALREADY SETTLING 

According to the Bible God foreknew of the conditions 
of our day as we are now reviewing them; and in 
our text He gives a key to the solution— elsewhere in the 
Scriptures made very plain. Through the Prophet God 
tells of the dark night coming— after the Morning Dawn 
had well ushered in-a dark storm-cloud just at sunrise. 
This dark hour is described in Daniel's prophecy and also 



in Jesus' prophecy, to be "a Time of Trouble, such as 
never was since there was a nation." 

Bible students see this great Time of Trouble already 
beginning in the letting loose of the winds of strife in 
Europe. In the light of the Bible they perceive that the 
result of this war will be great weakening of the nations 
—governments of the earth, and increased knowledge and 
discontent amongst the people. The next phase of the 
trouble, according to the Bible, is to be the great "earthquake" 
such as never was since man was upon the earth- 
not a literal earthquake, but a symbolic one-a revolution. 
Then the third great phase of the calamity, the darkest 
of all, will be the symbolic fire of anarchy, which will 
destroy utterly our present civilization. And then, in the 
midst of that most awful Time of Trouble, Messiah, the 
great King, will take His great power and exercise it, 
with the result that the raging waves of the sea of human 
passion will all be quieted; the fires of anarchy will all 
be extinguished, and the Reign of Righteousness and 
Peace will begin. 

Cannot we see the wisdom of the great Creator's 

SM796 

Program— that He will allow mankind to convince themselves 

of their own impotency; of their need of a God 

and that there is a God and that His glorious purposes 

for humanity are revealed in His Word? Ah, no wonder 

that the Bible speaks of that revelation of the Lord 

as "the still small voice of God," speaking to mankind 

through Messiah's Kingdom! No wonder the Lord declares 

that "then He will turn to the people a pure Message, 

that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to 

serve Him with one consent"!— Zeph. 3:9. 

We rejoice that such glorious things are coming— even 
if it is necessary that the world reach them through the 
tribulation of the Time of Trouble. Happy are those 
whose eyes and ears of understanding are open now, and 
who are in such heart relationship with the Lord that 
He can make known to them in advance something of the 
riches of His grace and loving kindness and tender 
mercies, and can show them how all the troubles that are 
coming are intended to work out blessings for the human 
family. Surely as we come to the knowledge of the Divine 
character and Plan, our perfect love for God casts out all 



fear; and we are able to rejoice in all of His prophecies 
and promises. 

Watchman, tell us of the night; 

Higher yet that star ascends. 
Traveler, blessedness and light. 

Peace and truth its course portends. 
Watchman, will its beams alone 

Gild the spot that gave them birth? 
Traveler, ages are its own; 

See, its glory fills the earth. 

Watchman, tell us of the night. 

For the morning seems to dawn. 
Traveler, darkness takes its flight. 

Doubt and terror are withdrawn. 
Watchman, will earth's sorrows cease. 

And God's will on earth be done? 
Traveler, yes, the Prince of Peace, 

Earth's appointed King, has come! 



SM797 

INDEX OF SERMONS 



Page 



Abrahamic Covenant, God's Oath Binds 590 

Advocate for Believers Only 719 

All Are Debtors to Grace Divine 375 

Appalling Lack in Everyday Life 349 

Ark a Type of Christ 341 

Armageddon, Forces Mustering for 232 

Atonement Necessary, Blood 69 

Babylon Mystic, Destruction of 404 

Beginning of the Creation of God 491 

Binding of Satan 94 

Blessed Hope for Suffering Humanity 609 

Brotherhood of Christ 697 

Character-Building, Decision in 755 

Chief Source of Persecution 216 

Christ and His Church, Sufferings of 649 

Christ-Likeness, Development of 635 

Church Called to Sanctification 578 

Church Crucified with Christ 641 

Church's Share in Pentecostal Blessings 597 

Church, The True 120 

Confidence in God's Word, Need of Great 176 

Covenant, The Oath-Bound 527 

Covenant with Death 107 

Creation of God, Beginning of the 491 

Creed Idols of Christendom 443 

Death in Adam 586 

Decision in Character-Building 755 

Desire of All Nations 499 

Destruction of Mystic Babylon 404 

Development of Christ-Likeness 635 

Distress of Nations with Perplexity 412 

Divine Economy in the Ransom 656 

Divine Justice in the Deluge 61 

Divine Plan Hidden in Abraham's Family 200 

Dual Personality of the Christian 627 

"Even the Winds and the Waves Obey" 749 

"Filthiness, Put Away All" 388 

Forces Mustering for Armageddon 232 



SM798 

Page 

God Preparing for the Harvest 184 

God's Oath Binds Abrahamic Covenant 590 

God's Plans versus Man's Plans 77 

God's Secrets, Who May Know? 5 

God's Standard Is Perfection 428 

Gospel Preaching, Twofold Object of 678 

Great White Throne 686 

Haven of Rest, Nearing the Desired 739 

Head Must Rule Members of the Body 356 

Health, The Science of 322 

Heathen-Messiah's Inheritance 435 

Heaven and Earth Being Shaken 316 

Hereafter 538 

Hope for Suffering Humanity, A Blessed 609 

Humanity Deluded by Demon Doctrines 128 

Imprisoned Spirits, Preaching to 192 

Infinite Wisdom and Love 168 

Israel's New Covenant 208 

Jehovah's Good Pleasure Shall Prosper 779 

Jerusalem the Holy City 396 

Jesus the Advocate of Believers Only 719 

Judgment Day Pictured by Jesus 224 

Judgment Day, The World's 148 

Justice in the Deluge 61 

Kingdom, Seeking First the 364 

"Lazarus, Come Forth!" 35 

Light, The True 240 

Living and True God 621 

Love, The Principal Thing 272 

Melchizedek Priesthood 136 

Messiah's Inheritance~The Heathen 435 

Messiah's Sharp Arrows 50 

"Morning Cometh-Night Also" 789 

Need of Great Confidence in God's Word 176 

New Covenant, Israel's 208 

Noah's Ark a Type of Christ 341 

Oath-Bound Covenant 527 

Overthrow of Satan's Empire 546 



SM799 

Page 

Passover in Type and Antitype 557 

Peace, The Secret of True 262 

Peace Desired-War Necessary 451 

Pentecostal Blessings, Church's Share in 597 

Persecution, Chief Source of 216 

Preaching to Imprisoned Spirits 192 

Pseudo-Apostles of the Present Day 670 

Purpose Hidden in Abraham's Family 200 

"Put Away All Filthiness" 388 

Queen in Gold Attire 251 

Ransom, Divine Economy in the 656 

St. Peter's Keys 459 

Satan, Binding of 94 

Satan's Empire, Overthrow of 546 

Science of Health 322 

Seas in the Hollow of God's Hand 467 

Secret of True Peace 262 

Seeking First the Kingdom 364 

Sign of the Son of Man in Heaven 420 

Sin unto Death, There Is a 766 

Sufferings of Christ and His Church 649 

The Deceptive Way 156 

The Lord's House Over All 730 

"There Is a Sin unto Death" 766 

To Hell and Back. Who Are There? 516 

Tongues of Fire 565 

Two Distinct Salvations 42 

Twofold Object of Gospel Preaching 678 

Unprofitable Servant Punished 507 

Vessels of a Potter 708 

Way, The Deceptive 156 

When God Was Alone 483 

Where Are the Dead? 18 

Who May Know God's Secrets? 5 

Who Then Shall Be Saved? 303 

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing 286 

World's Judgment Day 148 

Zionism in Prophecy 475 



WHAT 
PASTOR RUSSELL 

SAID 



{QB Flyleaf} 



To the King of Kings 
and Lord of Lords 

IN THE INTEREST OF 

HIS CONSECRATED SAINTS, WAITING 
FOR THE ADOPTION 



This Work is Dedicated 



"To make all see what is the fellow- 
ship of the mystery which from the 
beginning of the world hath been hid in 
God." 
"Wherein He hath abounded towards 
us in all wisdom and prudence, having 
made known unto us the mystery of HIS 

will, according to HIS good pleasure 

which He hath purposed in Himself; that 

in the dispensation of the fullness of the 

times He might gather together in one all 

things, under Christ," 

Eph 3:4,5,9; Eph.1:8-10 



QB PREFACE 

The Birth of This Question Book 



AFTER waiting nearly all summer, for the friends to let me 
know whether or not they desired copies of the 1916 Souvenir 
Convention Report, I placed an order with the printer for what I 
thought would be an ample supply, based upon the orders on 
hand. 

The presses started and about one half of the book was 
printed and the type disposed of when Pastor Russell died. 

Immediately the friends began to send in their orders for the 
Reports, stating they MUST have Brother Russell's words, 
especially the reports of the various Question Meetings. 

The result was, that all the available supply was quickly 
exhausted, and no prospect of another edition. 

What to do for the friends was the question, until we believe, 
the Lord impressed upon our mind to compile all the questions 
and answers as they have appeared in the various Souvenir 
Convention Reports for the past twelve years, with other 
questions answered by Pastor Russell, making a classified list 
of all, according to the year answered, and binding them in a 
substantial book form. 

The result is the birth of this present volume of about seven 
hundred pages, which we pray, and trust will be to the glory of 
God, to whom it is dedicated, and for the blessing of His 
consecrated children, for whose use it has been prepared. 

Several of the friends have assisted in the work of 
preparation ;in connection with which our hearts have been 
greatly blessed. 

If others get the blessing from the use of this book, which we 
believe is in store for them, we will feel well repaid. 

May the Lord's blessing go with it. 

Yours in HIS service, 

L.W. JONES, M.D. 



{PageQ5} 

WHAT 
PASTOR RUSSELL 

SAID 



This Book Consists of Hundreds of Questions Answers by 

Pastor Russell Only, Covering about Twelve Years 

of the Convention Reports and Several Years of 

the Watch Tower. Wherever a Question is 

from the Watch Tower the Letter (Z) 

Follows the Year. Otherwise it is 

from a Convention Report 



AARON~Re Antitype When Blessing. 

Q5:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--When Moses and Aaron 
came out to bless the people, who did Aaron represent? 

ANSWER.— I presume that Moses would there stand for 
and represent God's divine law, blessing the people, and that 
Aaron was standing for or representing the high priest who had 
performed the sacrifice. Moses the law-giver stood there as the 
representative of justice, and the priest who had made the 
sacrifice stood there to bless also. So Christ will stand as the 
antitype of Aaron in that picture to bless the world during the 
thousand years, and right beside him will be the divine law, as 
represented by Moses. God's whole law and every power of 
God will be there to bless and put into operation the 
arrangements that have thus been effected. 

AARONIC PRIESTHOOD-Should Be Applied Antitypically. 

Q5:2:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-2-Have we any Scripture 
to show that the Aaronic priesthood will exercise their priestly 
office in the Millennial Age? 

ANSWER. -One Scripture that might be understood so to 
teach is found in the book of Malachi, which says that when 
the Lord shall come into His Temple, "He shall sit as a refiner 
and purifier of silver; and He shall purify the sons of Levi and 
purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the 
Lord an offering in righteousness. "-Mai. 3:3. 

Some might apply this Scripture to the sons of Levi in a 
literal way. But we think that it is antitypical, that the Church 
constitutes the Levitical system and that these are the spiritual 
Levites whom the Purifier will make ready, that they may offer 
unto God an acceptable sacrifice, as antitypical Levites and a 
Royal Priesthood. 

ACCIDENTS-ln Millennium. 

Q5:3:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-3-Will there be accidents 
and death during the Millennium aside from those of sinners 
going into the Second Death? 

ANSWER. -While the reign of Christ will be a reign of 
righteousness unto life, we are not to understand that Adamic 
death will be at an end as soon as Messiah has begun His reign, 
for it is stated that He must reign until He has put down all 
enemies. (1 Cor. 15:25,26.) It is understood that people will 
be more or less in the Adamic death during the 

{PageQ6} 

thousand years and will rise gradually out of Adamic 



imperfection and death to the perfection of the human nature. 
We should remember that the Kingdom as it will be established 
in the beginning of the Millennial Age will consist of the New 
Jerusalem—that is, the glorified Church, of which Christ is the 
Head. (Rev. 21:1-8.) During the thousand years the world will 
be coming into accord with this arrangement. For all such as 
will come into harmony there will be a blessed arrangement by 
which they will be protected from any penalty for 
imperfections. We may reasonably suppose that after 
perfection is reached there will be no more accidents, just as 
we have reason to suppose that in heaven there is no necessity 
for surgeons, doctors, ambulances, etc. "Nothing shall hurt or 
destroy in all God's holy mountain (Kingdom)." (Isa. 1 1 :9.) 
God's will shall be done on earth as it is done in heaven. We 
read that there shall be no more sighing and no more crying 
and no more dying. 

ADAM-The Tree of Life, the Tree of Knowledge. 

Q6:1 :: QUESTION (1907)-1-Did Adam eat of the tree 

of life before eating of the tree of knowledge? If so, why did he 

not live forever? 

ANSWER.-I answer that the word "tree of life" is in the 
plural. All the trees of Eden were trees of life. They were all 
good for food, beautiful to look upon. They were trees, the 
eating of which would have maintained the life which God had 
given to Adam. They were not trees to give some kind of a 
charm to him, which would hinder him from ever dying. That 
is not the thought. They were trees of life in the sense that 
their fruit, partaken of, would have permitted our first parents, 
if they continued to eat, to live, and would have supplied all of 
the wastes of their systems so that they would never have 
needed to die. They had been eating of these trees, so far as 
our understanding of the Scripture goes, for a little over a year 
before they were led into temptation by the Adversary and ate 
of the forbidden kind of trees. We understand this tree of the 
knowledge of good and evil was not one tree, but one kind of 
trees, and of that particular kind of trees, they were not to eat. 
And when God, therefore, would have them die. He drove them 
out of the garden, away from the trees of life, and into the 
unprepared earth, where they must till the ground and battle 
with the thorns and thistles, until they were to return to this 
earth from whence taken. The penalty was death and the 
intimation is that if the Lord had allowed them to remain in 
Eden, they would not have come into a dying condition, but 
would have remained in full vigor and strength of their human 
nature, notwithstanding their being sinners. 



ADAM-Why Given Second Trial? 

Q6:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-If Adam has had a trial 
and failed, will he have another and if so, what for? Why 
should he be resurrected if he failed in the first trial? 

ANSWER.— The reason that he is to have a resurrection 
and another trial is because God willed it so, and that is the 
very best reason. Now, if you want to know why, we may do 
some guessing, perhaps, to our advantage. 
I think the reason God willed it so is that in some respects 
Adam did not have a trial under the most favorable conditions 
that God could have arranged, although his trial was a just trial. 
He was fully equipped mentally, 

{PageQV} 

but a great temptation came to him, and because of the lack of 
experience he failed. AWhat was the trial or temptation? 

You remember that the Apostle tells us that Adam was not 
deceived; he knew what he was doing, that he was eating the 
forbidden fruit, violating God's command, and that it meant 
death. There was no ignorance about it. Why did he do it? I 
think the narrative bears out the thought that he did it because 
of sympathetic love. He had been without a wife, and while 
the various kinds of birds could twitter, and the other animals 
make some commotion, such were not satisfactory to man, so 
after God gave him a wife, bone of his bone, and flesh of his 
flesh, and he had enjoyed that sweet companionship, and he 
realized that he would lose her and that he would be alone 
again after she disobeyed, he said, I will eat with her and die 
with her. If she must go out in the unprepared earth and die, so 
will I. So, really this is a very noble feature of the first man's 
character, and the condition of his trial, you will see, made it a 
very severe trial. Now, then, I think it would be just like our 
Heavenly Father to say: Adam, at the time you did that, you 
did not know fully what I could or would do for you, and what 
you might have had at that time if you had been obedient. 
Now, Adam, I intend to redeem you and all your race. You 
will have a demonstration of my love, and after you have 
learned of the height and depth and length and breadth of my 
love, I will expect you to fully and perfectly keep my law and 
live forever, but if you do not obey, then you will die the 
second death and will never have another opportunity for 
restitution. 



ADOPTION-To Whom Does Spirit of Adoption Apply? 

Q7:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-1- "But ye have received 

the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father." Does this 

expression, "spirit of adoption" apply to our Lord Jesus? 

ANSWER.— No. Our Lord never was anything else than a 
Son. In no sense was He an adopted Son. God sent His Son 
into the world. When in the world He was a Son. His Sonship 
never ceased. He remained a Son, faithful, unto the death of 
the cross. When God raised Him from the dead. He still was a 
Son, raised up to the highest glory. Nor does this word 
adoption' fit well to the Church's experience. God does not 
adopt us in the flesh. He only has to do with us as New 
Creatures. And we become New Creatures not by adoption, 
but by the begetting of the Holy Spirit. The Diaglott gives 
the preferable translation. 

ADVERTISING-What Name to Use? 

Q7:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-By what name would you 
suggest that the local classes advertise their meetings, so as to 
avoid the confusion of a multiplicity of titles, such as: 
"Millennial Dawn, "Believers in the Atonement," "Believers in 
the Precious Blood, "Bible Students," etc. 

ANSWER. -It is a difficult matter to know how to 
advertise, not for ourselves, but difficult to keep from being 
misunderstood by the people. "Church of God"; "Church of 
the Living God"; "Church of Christ." Any of those names 
would suit us very well, and we would have no objections to 
them, but we find that there are various denominations who 
have appropriated those titles, not that we think they have a 
right to apply them to themselves, but we would like to 

{PageQS} 

live in peace. It is a difficult matter to decide, and each class 
will have to do that for themselves. 

ADVERTISING-Attitude of Elders and Deacons. 

Q8:1:: QUESTION ( 19 10)- 1- What should be the 
proper relationship between the duties of elders and deacons 
as to advertising small conventions and pilgrim meetings? 
ANSWER.— As to advertising, who should supervise the 
matter— where should instructions be looked for? My thought 
is, that the proper course would be for the instructions on 
advertising to come from the home office, because there we 
have the largest amount of experience; not because we are 
wiser than other people, but because those who are entrusted to 



the work there are supposed to be and ought to be persons of 
exceptional ability and of wide experience, and since we have 
to do with so many advertising schemes and arrangements in so 
many parts of the world, it gives us an opportunity of judging 
that people otherwise might not enjoy. Therefore my thought 
would be that they would do well to look for special advice 
from Brooklyn on this subject. As to who would have it in 
charge: An elder is elected specially for spiritual things and to 
look out for the spiritual interests of the Church, yet the 
advertising is a part of the spiritual interests of the Church; it is 
so closely identified with the spiritual interests of the Church 
as to be worthy of the very best ability you have in any class. 
You cannot give it into too good hands; and indeed the right 
spirit would be that all should join in together, and if the one 
who has the best ability be found, not amongst the elders, but 
amongst the deacons, then all ought to be glad to rather favor 
his taking the more prominent part in connection with the 
work. In other words, we ought to sink all personality in every 
service of the truth and try to get at the best methods and in the 
shortest and most satisfactory way, as far as our judgment will 
direct us and guide us, and look for more wisdom. 

ADVERTISING-Proper and Improper. 

Q8:2:: QUESTION (1915)--2--It is showing the spirit of 
Babylon to solicit advertising contracts from merchants for 
space on Photo Drama announcements? 

ANSWER. --It would not be proper to say to a merchant, 
"Advertise with us and thus contribute something to a good 
cause." That would not do. It would be begging for the Lord's 
cause, a thing we are not authorized to do. But if I were a 
merchant and had an opportunity to put an advertisement into a 
Photo Drama announcement, I would think it would be one of 
the best chances of advertising I ever had. I would think I was 
receiving a benefit. If for $1 or $2 I could have my business 
card circulated all over the neighborhood, I would say, "These 
little leaflets showing about the Drama will interest the people; 
and while reading the notes about the pictures, they will also 
read about my business." I would think I had good value for 
my money. If any man thought that he was not getting good 
value he ought not to put his advertising in. It is a purely 
business transaction. 

In soliciting the advertisement, one should not mention the 
religious feature. We do not do this at all. It is purely 
business, so far as the merchants are concerned; and I would let 
them advertise all that they choose. The fact that we 



{PageQ9} 

do not permit advertisements in The Watch Tower does not 
signify that to do so would be wrong. I see nothing wrong in a 
merchant's advertising his wares. If I were publishing a daily 
newspaper, I would expect to sell advertising space. 

A brother who owns a newspaper consulted me a little about 
his advertising. He said that the merchants in his vicinity were 
accustomed to advertise, and that some of the best advertisers 
were dealers in liquor and tobacco. I told him that I would not 
put any liquor advertisements in. I would put in advertisements 
of shoes or clothing or groceries or hardware, and would solicit 
such advertising, if I were running a newspaper. I see nothing 
wrong in advertisements in newspapers. I would see nothing 
wrong in putting six or eight pages of advertisements into The 
Watch Tower, if the articles advertised were staples that every 
one wanted to buy. But since The Watch Tower goes into the 
home and represents me in a special way, I like to have all the 
space used for religious matter—not, however, because the 
advertisements would be wrong. 

Once we put into The Watch Tower a notice about Miracle 
Wheat. Many of you saw it. We believe we did right in 
putting that notice in. We also put in a notice about some kind 
of beans and one about some special cotton. Some of the 
friends were benefited by each of these notices. We also put in 
a notice recently about a cure for cancer. We have had 
hundreds of letters come in from Truth friends, and hundreds 
from others; and a great many have reported good results. To 
some extent this has helped forward the Truth. People saw that 
we were not trying to get their money, saw that we were trying 
to do them good, and became interested. 

AFFECTIONS-Crucifying the Affections of the Flesh. 

Q9:1 :: QUESTION (1907)-1-And they that are Christ's 
have crucified the flesh and the affections thereof." Does this 
include unnecessary affections between consecrated brothers 
and sisters? Is this not part of our sacrifice? 

ANSWER. -In taking such a passage as this, we must be 
careful to take other passages of Scripture with it, so we may 
be sure we are within the proper limit. If one passage of 
Scripture could contain the whole message of God, we would 
not have the entire Bible. Therefore the importance of the 
matter, if we would understand the way of the Lord, and the 
will of the Lord in many things, that we should have a 
comprehensive view of all the Scriptures that might bear on the 



subject. 

Now the apostle in his letter to the Corinthians lays down 
certain relations that should obtain between husbands and 
wives. He there specifies that the one should not defraud the 
other, and then he gives an intimation of certain limitations 
both ways in respect to relationship between husband and wife 
in the Lord. But I think that it is a proper enough thought to 
say that while it does not signify the entire elimination of 
everything that might belong to the natural man and the natural 
woman, it would mean that, having crucified these, having 
given up the affections and the lusts of the flesh, they are 
seeking to live on a higher plane, and should spend their time 
and energy in that which would be most profitable to 
themselves and most to the glory of the 

{PageQlO} 

Lord, and for the greatest good to others with whom they may 
have contact. Therefore, to have thus given up our affections, 
and ourselves to the Lord, would mean that according to our 
limitations—and these are not the same with any two persons, 
but each one according to the limitations of his own flesh-each 
shall seek to bring himself into that degree of subjection so that 
the very thoughts of his mind may be in harmony with the 
Lord, as well as all the acts of life. It is a general principle. It 
is not a principle that you could apply to another brother or to 
another sister; they must apply that for themselves, and you 
must apply it to yourself; and let each to the best of his ability 
do what he believes will be to the glory of the Lord and for the 
good of himself and others. And this is the moderation of 
which the Scriptures speak. 

AFFLICTIONS-To Whom Do Christ's Apply? 
Q10:1:: QUESTION (1910)-l-If St. Paul's filling up 
the afflictions behind of Christ, for Christ's body's sake, were 
on behalf of the Church, how can this Scripture be used to 
mean that the Church suffers on behalf of the world as the 
antitype of the Lord's goat, while Paul said his sufferings were 
for the sake of the Church? Does the text apply to the Church 
or to Paul only? 

ANSWER. -The Church and Christ all suffer the same 
suffering and for the same purpose. We are to be sharers in the 
sufferings of Christ and not in any other kind of suffering. You 
are not suffering for the world, and the goat did not suffer for 
the world— not at all. The sufferings are merely the killing. 
The goat had nothing to do with what was done with the blood. 



Some forget that. We are very apt to forget that all this typified 
back there was the killing of the bullock and the killing of the 
goat. Who did the killing of the bullock? The high priest. 
Who did the killing of the goat? The high priest. Then the 
goat did not kill itself, did it? No. The point to be seen is this: 
Our heavenly Father told Jesus he would be pleased to have 
him lay down his life in the interest of the Lord's cause and the 
Lord's people, and Jesus showed his loyalty in so doing; and 
Jesus told you and me that we might go and do likewise and lay 
down our lives in showing our loyalty for the brethren. Now 
that is all you have to do with it. You haven't anything to do 
with how God shall reward that. The reward that God 
promises you if you lay down your life for the brethren, is, that 
you shall be a member of the Body of Christ, which is the 
Church. The promised reward to Jesus was that if he would 
lay down his life for the brethren, he should be the great 
Messiah, the King of Glory; the promise to you and to me is 
that we shall be members of his Body. It was not God's 
promise to him that certain things should come to the world as 
a result. The blood of Jesus is going to bring forgiveness of the 
world's sin, and what may be done with your sacrifice may be 
counted in by him really to the world, but you have nothing to 
do with that; that is not your part; you are laying down your 
life in the sense of sacrificing your life as the Lord 
commanded; you have nothing whatever to do with what he 
will do with the blood afterwards; that is not your concern. 
Your part is to do your part, and my part is to do mine. We are 
filling up the afflictions of Christ, the same afflictions that he 
had and for the same purpose; all of them go for the Body of 
Christ, which is the Church. 

{PageQll} 

You and I are serving the Church; we are not to serve the 
world. What God will do with the merit of that sacrifice is 
another matter altogether. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES--Re The Second Death. 

Q11:1:: QUESTION (1907)-l-Would it have been 
possible for any of the Ancient Worthies to have entered the 
second death? 

ANSWER.--I think not. In the time of the Ancient 
Worthies, God had made no offer at all to the world, and since 
they had not been released from the Adamic death, they could 
not have gotten into the second death. So, you see, not until 
Christ had died for Adam's sin, not until He had risen from the 



dead to be the judge of the quick and the dead, not until then 
would it be possible for anybody to get out of the Adamic 
death, and not until they got out of the Adamic death could 
they get into the second death. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES-HOW Receive Spirit Life? 
Q1 1 :2:: QUESTION (1908)--2-If it is true that only 
those begotten of the spirit, who must live in the gospel age and 
have their trial in this dispensation in order to have a begetting 
and consequent birth as a spirit being; if it be true that only 
those begotten of the spirit can expect to have spirit bodies and 
spirit life, how can the Ancient Worthies who lived and died 
before the gospel age ever receive anything more than human 
perfection? How can they ever be given a spirit nature at or 
following the close of the Millennial age? 

ANSWER. --In writing a letter to Brother Woodworth 
about a year ago, I incidentally mentioned something that led 
me to this conclusion, that the Ancient Worthies would receive 
spirit natures at the end of the Millennium; it is not positive, 
but what I think is reasonable, and satisfactory to my mind, 
though it may not be to everybody; I did not attempt to argue 
the matter or present it in force to Brother Woodworth, but he 
grasped the thought and in a letter he wrote back to me he 
incidentally referred to the matter, and that letter was 
published, and I forgot to strike out that part. Now I will say 
that it is my intention to treat that subject in an article in the 
Watch Tower soon. I have intended it for some little while; I 
have received a good many letters asking for the evidence, and 
before very long you will get it in better form than I could give 
it now in answer to this question. So I hope that will satisfy. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES-Their Test. 

Q11:3:: QUESTION (1910)-3-Have the Ancient 
Worthies been sufficiently tested to assure us that none of 
them will go into the second death? Will they be only mentally 
and physically perfect? 

ANSWER.— We do not know that they have been 
sufficiently tested as respects character. Apparently the Lord, 
according to St. Paul's declaration in the letter of Hebrews, has 
a very high estimation of these Ancient Worthies and their 
faithfulness, and God has indicated that they are acceptable to 
him. Now if you and I were to use our judgment— which we 
are not to do— but if we were to use our judgment, for instance, 
in a case like that of Samson, we would be inclined to wonder 
whether Samson had really developed a character of sufficient 
likeness to the divine character to be beyond the necessity for 



further testing. A meager account of his life, and the slaying of 
several thousands with the jawbone of an ass, and afterwards 

{PageQ12} 

getting his hair cut short, etc., would not be proof to us that he 
had the character; and yet, that the Lord saw something about 
Samson's character that pleased him is the record, and you and 
I are evidently not competent to judge in the matter. But what 
we do find is this; that God in his arrangement places the entire 
number of Ancient Worthies under the New Covenant 
arrangement, and we think that that is very blessed for them, 
because if there were any lapses on their part they would be 
still under the covering power of the Great Mediator of the 
New Covenant, and their indiscretions or imperfections or 
failures to properly exercise the proper spirit in every matter 
would all come under the review of the Great Mediator, who 
would have full power to treat with them as well as with others. 
We think, therefore, that it is very well and very nice to know 
that the Ancient Worthies are under the New Covenant 
arrangement and under the Great Mediator. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES--Re Trial For Life? 

Q12:1:: QUESTION (1910 Z) 1 Were Ancient 
Worthies on trial for life? 

ANSWER. —The Ancient Worthies were not on trial for 
life or death; they were never brought to that condition of 
intelligent opportunity for eternal life which would make them 
amenable to a sentence of death. Such a condition of 
knowledge and opportunity did not obtain in the world until 
our Lord came. "Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ;" "he 
brought to light, life and immortality." These were never 
disclosed before our Lord's time, and consequently no such 
responsibility, as now exists, had come. 

In a certain sense the Jewish nation had been typically 
justified and was typically on trial for life or death, but this was 
not an actuality so far as life and death eternal were concerned, 
because God knew in advance that they could not keep the law, 
and that they could never have eternal life under it; and he had 
arranged in advance that they should be redeemed from the 
curse of the law irrespective of anything they might themselves 
do in the matter. Hence it was only in the typical, or figurative 
sense, that they were on trial for life or death. 

The Ancient Worthies "had this testimony that they pleased 
God." They pleased him in that when they ascertained his will 
they set about doing it, even before he gave it to them as a law 



or obligation, even before he could ask them to obey him and 
promise them eternal life for their obedience. Abraham 
manifested his faith in God although there was no redemption 
yet accomplished in the world. Christ had not yet come. And 
although Abraham was not on trial for life or for death God 
granted Abraham his favor and declared that he pleased him; 
and his word tells us that "a better resurrection" is to be not 
only to Abraham, but to all these Ancient Worthies--a 
resurrection to human perfection. But since human perfection 
will come only under the mediatorial reign of Christ, the 
Ancient Worthies will not be introduced to the Father in the 
complete sense until the close of the Millennial Age. 

Hence, they will not have life, in this fullest sense, until that 
time, when, at the close of the Millennial Age, the Kingdom 
shall be delivered over to the Father. What they will have in 
the meantime will be the perfection of human nature 

{PageQlS} 

and all the blessings that God provides for mankind, through 
the great Mediator. But they will not come into actual and 
personal relationship to God, so as to be determined worthy of 
eternal life, until the completion of the Millennial Age, because 
that age is set apart for the very purpose of determining who of 
all mankind may have eternal life, aside from the spirit-begotten ones 
of the present time. At the close of the 
Millennial Age, when all mankind shall be in perfection of 
being, they shall be tried of the Father for their worthiness or 
unworthiness of eternal life—just as Adam, while enjoying 
perfection, was tested as to whether or not he was worthy to 
have life made perpetual or eternal. 

Since the Ancient Worthies will be a part of the world under 
the New Covenant arrangements, it follows that they will not 
have this decision of the Divine Court, Divine Justice, 
respecting their worthiness of eternal life until the completion 
of the Millennial Age, until the conclusion of the trial at the 
end of that age, which will bring to them, as it will bring to all 
others who are faithful, the great reward of life eternal. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES-Relationship to God in Millennial Age. 

Q13:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-Will the ancient 
worthies be in relationship with God during the millennial 
age? 

ANSWER. —Yes, we answer, the ancient worthies will be 
in covenant relationship with God through this new covenant, 
through the Mediator of the new covenant, throughout the 



millennial age; but they will not be in any personal, direct 
relationship with God until the end of the millennial age. All 
those who receive the blessings of the millennial kingdom must 
obtain them through the great Mediator, and through the new 
covenant which he sealed with his blood on behalf of every 
nation, people, kindred, and tongue. The ancient worthies who 
have already demonstrated their loyalty to God will have a 
special blessing in that they will come forth perfect in the flesh 
and not attain perfection by gradual processes; they will come 
forth with perfect human bodies; as their minds were already 
fully in accord with God's, so their bodies will be in full 
accord with the divine law at the very beginning. However, it 
will be very fortunate, we believe, for those ancient worthies 
that they will still be under that new covenant, and still be 
under that Mediator; because they might, with all their past 
experiences, make some failures. Why? How? Because, so far 
as we may judge, while they had considerable experience, they 
did not have that full experience which must come to the 
church. Amongst those ancient worthies that are mentioned in 
the Scriptures, we note the name of Samson. We have no 
reason to suppose that Samson was, in any sense of the word, 
disloyal to God; he was loyal, he was obedient, he was full of 
faith in God. Because of these qualities he is counted an 
overcomer, and will be one of the sharers in the special 
blessings of that time; but, to say that Samson had a full, wide, 
diversified knowledge of all these things which will be required 
of a perfect man, is quite another proposition. And so, we 
think it will be entirely possible that with limited experience 
some of these ancient worthies might still make some mistake 
unintentionally during Messiah's reign. If so, being under the 
blood of the covenant, with the Mediator between them and 
divine justice, they would have a necessity for this, and get a 
blessing from this very condition. 

{PageQ14} 

ANCIENT WORTHIES--Re Spirit Nature. 

Q14:1:: QUESTION (191 1)--1 --Is it your thought that 
the ancient worthies receive spirit nature? If so, will they 
occupy a higher nature than the Great Company? 

ANSWER. ~I have no private information on this subject, 
dear friends. The Lord has not told me anything about it. You 
know there are always people to whom it would seem as 
though the Lord is always talking so much that they would 
have to neglect nearly everything else. I am not one of that 
kind. I am only a plain man who knows what is written. I have 



told you all I know on the subject, and that is, that, so far as I 
can see, the ancient worthies will come forth human beings, 
perfected in human nature to be princes in all the earth for the 
thousand years of Messiah's reign, and at the end of that time, 
certain things that I have already indicated to you seem to my 
mind to be implied; but I am not sure; it seems to be implied, I 
think, that God will then grant them the reward of a higher 
nature. That is all I can say. And I don't know whether it will 
be any higher than the great company, but I think not. I do not 
know. You see it is good to be able to say you do not know, 
sometimes. Some people try to make out that I claim I am 
infallible, and know everything. You are all witnesses that that 
is not true. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES-Spirit Plane Vs. Second Death. 

Q14:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-How will the ancient 
worthies be on the spirit plane at the end of the millennium 
without going into the second death? 

ANSWER. --Well, the brother does not understand it. We 
believe there is an intimation, a hinting, as it were, a suggestion 
that those ancient worthies of the past, after serving a thousand 
years as perfect men in the flesh, princes in all the earth, 
earthly representatives of the heavenly kingdom, will be 
granted a share in the heavenly phase, and will be granted a 
change from the earthly nature to the heavenly nature. I do not 
know how to say it any plainer than that, and I will leave it just 
there. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES--Re Covenant Relationship. 

Q14:3:: QUESTION (1911)-3-When will the ancient 
worthies be in covenant relationship with God? 

ANSWER. -Just as soon as they are resurrected under the 
new covenant arrangement they will be in covenant 
relationship with God through the new covenant; but they will 
not be in any direct and personal relationship with the Father 
until the end of the thousand years, when the mediator of that 
new covenant will turn all things over to the Father, and the 
new covenant will be no more. Then they will be in personal 
covenant relationship with God-just the same as you and I 
enter into personal relationship with God through Christ now. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES-Their Resurrection. 

Q14:4:: QUESTION (1911)-4-Whendo the Ancient 
Worthies get their resurrection? 

ANSWER.— Their resurrection will be due as the first 
amongst the world— the first of earthly nature to receive 



resurrection. The church will get her resurrection first, like her 
Lord, on the spirit plane, to the spirit nature, to the heavenly 
condition; then will come the other part of the 

{PageQ15} 

salvation, the world's salvation; and the Ancient Worthies will 
be the first to get their blessing, and their resurrection on that 
plane; and that will be after the establishment of the kingdom, 
because it is that kingdom which is to bless the world and lift 
them up. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES-Not Represented in Court. 

Q15:1:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-Were the Ancient 
Worthies in the condition represented by the Court of the 
Tabernacle? 

ANSWER. --In their day the antitypical priest had not 
come and the antitypical tabernacle and court had not been 
established; hence, they could not be in it. But according to 
their hearts, as expressed in their conduct, they must have been 
members of the household of faith. It is our understanding 
that, ultimately, they may be granted a place with, and as a part 
of, the Great Company, the antitypical Levites of the 
antitypical court condition. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES-Spirits of Just Men Made Perfect. 

Q15:2:: QUESTION (1913) -2 -Heb. 12:23. "... 

and to the spirits of just men made perfect." To which class 

does Paul here refer? 

ANSWER.— There might be two ways of viewing this 
matter, but we will only mention one, which is the correct 
view. We will not quarrel with one who may take a different 
view, for the Apostle does not explain what he meant, but we 
think he meant the Ancient Worthy class, and our reason for 
thinking that he refers to these in this verse is, that he seems to 
have referred to the Church class elsewhere. He seems to refer 
to the Church by "the firsts born whose names are written in 
Heaven." That would seem to take in all the Church of the first 
borns just the same as the tribe of Levi were counted in as 
altogether representing the first born of Israel, not only the 
priests, and so that statement "the Church of the first borns 
whose names are written in Heaven" would include both 
Church and Great Company. So if both are included, what 
other class could be referred to? Our thought would be, then, 
that he refers to the ancient worthies and to the fact that their 
lives, their spirit of life, would be made perfect when in the 



resurrection they would come forth perfect beings, not 
imperfect beings as they went down. The majority of mankind 
will come forth to be gradually perfected, but the just men 
whose lives will then be perfect will have their grand share 
because their hearts were already tested in that previous time. 

ANCIENT WORTHIES--Re Resurrection Of. 

Q15:3:: QUESTION (1914 )-3--Brother Russell, will 

the Ancient Worthies be resurrected before the last member of 

the Great Company has passed beyond the vail? 

ANSWER. --I am rather inclined to think not. But I am 
not sure. The reason why I would not expect them to be 
resurrected before the Great Company have passed beyond the 
vail is this: The whole Church of the First Born, including the 
Little Flock, the priestly class and the Great Company, all of 
these are the first fruits and have the imputation of the merit of 
Christ, and so far as my judgment would go, the giving of the 
merit of Christ for the sins of the world would not take place 
until the special imputation of it to the whole Church would all 
have had its effect and all to be gathered beyond the vail would 
be gone. That is my opinion. 

{PageQ16} 

ANCIENT WORTHIES--Re Resurrection Of. 

Q16:1:: QUESTION (1915)--l--Would the Atonement 
arrangement permit the resurrection of any of the Ancient 
Worthies before the resurrection of the Church? 

ANSWER. --I think the Ancient Worthies could not be 
perfected until the Church has been completed. The Body of 
Christ must necessarily pass beyond the veil before any of the 
Ancient Worthies are awakened. The Apostle's words to this 
effect are quite emphatic: "that they, without us, should not be 
made perfect" (Heb. 1 1:40), implying that the perfection of the 
Church will be first. That is the same thought elsewhere 
brought to our attention. The Body of Christ is spoken of as 
being of the First, or Chief Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:23; Rev. 20:4-6), 
not only first in rank, but first also in order of time— "The 
Christ, the First-fruits." We understand that Christ's merit 
could not be released to apply to any others until all (both 
classes of the Church) who now have the imputation of this 
merit have finished their course. 



ANGELS-First Dispensation in Subjection to Angels. 

Q16:2:: QUESTION (1906)--2- Where in God's Word 
does it say tiiat during the first dispensation the uplifting of 
mankind was left to the angels? 

ANSWER.— We answer that it does not say so anywhere. 
It is merely an inference we draw from two facts. First, we 
find that there were angels in connection with humanity at that 
time, and we reason from that fact that God must have placed 
them there, or given them some responsibility with the race 
else they would not have been there. Second, we have the 
statement of the Apostle in the New Testament in which he 
refers to our Lord Jesus and the coming kingdom, saying, that 
God will not put that kingdom in subjection to the angels. So 
when he says that God will not put that kingdom in subjection 
to the angels it gives us the inference that there was a time 
when the world was in subjection to the angels. And looking 
back we see the time when it was in subjection to the angels, 
and when those angels kept not their first estate, but were more 
or less subdued by the wickedness of mankind. 

ANGELS-Proof They are on Trial, Materialization? 

Q16:3:: QUESTION (1908)-3-Upon what Scriptures 
do we depend for the thought that the fallen angels are now 
upon trial? First, how does it harmonize with the reference in 
1 Cor. 6:3, "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" Second, 
do the Saints judge in any sense before the body is completed? 
If so, in what sense do they judge? 

ANSWER. -I answer that the matter is stated as well as 
we know how to state it in a number of the Watch Tower of 
about a year ago; I think it was the October number of 1907, in 
which we suggested that to our understanding the fallen angels 
are now on judgment, on trial, and, briefly stated, we there set 
forth that our judgment on the matter is that this trial, or 
judging, or testing, of the fallen angels will be along the line 
probably of their previous trial or testing, as recorded in 
Genesis 6th chapter, the first five verses, where they saw the 
daughters of men that they were fair and took unto them wives 
of such as they would; and for that transaction they were cast 
down, and have been restrained for now these forty centuries 
intervening. Now the fact that 

{PageQl?} 

they are going to be put on trial again implies that the Lord 
expects that during all of this period of four thousand years or 
more some of them will doubtless have learned the lesson of 



the wrong course they have taken; that they will have learned 
the great lesson respecting their own isolation from God, and 
from the holy ones, and they will have also learned a great 
lesson respecting the influence of sin on humanity, and they 
will have learned a great lesson from the fact that Christ has by 
the grace of God tasted death for mankind, and the power of 
God to raise Him from the dead, and the fact that those who are 
obedient to God have a blessing, and those who are disobedient 
to God have a curse. I think they have had a good opportunity 
in these four thousand years to learn these lessons. The 
thought is that their judgment will be a testing or proof to see 
to what extent they have learned righteousness during this long 
interval. I would suppose that amongst those fallen angels 
there are some who have come to view matters in their true 
light, and who long for fellowship with God and the holy 
angels, and they are in a measure separated from the evil ones, 
even in their spirit condition, and that they, knowing the law of 
God that they shall have no communication with humanity, 
abstain from all communication; that they are not of those who 
attempt communication through spirit mediums, and tappings, 
and rappings, and handwritings; that they have come into a 
measure of harmony with God and feel the restraint of 
obedience upon them. Now then, I ask myself, in what way 
could these angels be tried in the Millennial age? In what way 
could they have a trial there? I see no way, because it is not a 
sentence they have been waiting on ; they have been under 
their sentence for four thousand years. The judgment they are 
waiting on is the judgment similar to the judgment the world is 
waiting on,— namely, a fresh trial; and that fresh trial will 
imply an opportunity for sin, and an opportunity, therefore, of 
getting free from this bondage that has been upon them for four 
thousand years. To our understanding, during the Millennial 
age the world of mankind will be protected from every such 
evil influence. The Lord says that Satan shall be bound for a 
thousand years, that he may deceive the nations no more. That, 
to my mind, is a guarantee that not only Satan himself will be 
unable to tempt or deceive the world, but that the fallen angels 
will have no power during the Millennial age. When, then, 
could they have the power? I answer that the power, or 
privilege, or liberty, would seem to apply to the present time, 
and that this is the proper time just when we are coming down 
into the change of dispensation, when the Lord tells us there is 
to be a great time of temptation. "The hour of temptation 
which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell 
upon the earth." Now what would be more appropriate, do you 
think, than that these angels would be permitted a way by 



which they could apparently circumvent the divine sentence of 
restraint on them, and should seemingly get the power, or 
privilege, to materialize, apparently contrary to the divine 
intention? We know nothing can be done contrary to God's 
will in the matter, that He has full power to restrain, but He 
may permit them to deceive themselves into thinking they have 
gotten around the divine arrangement, 

{PageQlS} 

and so, taking pleasure in doing these things which they desire 
to do, what would that mean to us, dear friends, and to the 
world of mankind? It would mean the great hour of trial, or 
temptation, the Scriptures speak of. It would mean a wonderful 
time of trouble, it would mean a great intervention from this 
evil power over which there has been a restraint of God's 
providence for over four thousand years. The world has been 
more or less protected from these evil beings, except when any 
one wilfully gave over his mind in some sense to their power. 
Now if they get more liberty and more privilege than they 
formerly had, you can see it would be a great temptation to 
mankind. And would it not be at the same time a great time of 
trial, or judgment, or testing, upon them? I think it would. 
And as one after another would seem to get liberty to 
circumvent the divine plan, it would test all of the angels who 
have any desire for sin. Well, now, you say. In what way do 
the Saints judge angels? "Know ye not that ye shall judge 
angels?" Is it not these fallen angels the Saints are to judge? 
Yes. Then how have we anything to do with it? I am sure, 
dear friends, that so far as putting a test on them is concerned I 
do not know how it is, but I am trying to think, and this comes 
to my mind: How could this be that we would judge them or 
bring the test to them? I am supposing that we are judging the 
angels now, in the sense that we are putting the testing on 
them, that they are learning from the Church, of course. My 
understanding is, that these fallen angels have no opportunity 
of learning from God, and from the holy Spirit, or from a 
Bible; and they have no means of learning from the world the 
divine will and the divine plan. Where would they get their 
information respecting God's will? I think they know very well 
by this time where, and only where, they can get any 
information respecting the future, namely: from the Church of 
Christ, so I do not doubt for a minute that to whatever extent 
the fallen spirits are present with us at this convention they are 
seeking to find out something. This is just what I should 
expect. They know where to go for information. They are not 



going to the nominal church for information; they are too well 
informed, they know there is no use going there, just as you 
know there is no use for you to go there, they know where to 
look for the truth; and I suppose they are looking amongst the 
Lord's people and hearkening to what things the Lord by His 
holy spirit and through His Word has made known to those 
who are His in these last days, and that, therefore, the things 
which you and I may see, and understand, and declare, are the 
things which are judging them, or becoming a test to them. As 
they come to know these things, they are tested by them. Now 
that is the kind of judging that shall put these tests upon the 
angels. This information respecting the Lord's will, and 
respecting the time in which we are living, comes from the 
Saints who are in this world, from the Saints in the present life, 
and we are merely at any time the representatives of all the 
Saints, for we represent our Lord Jesus in the world, so we can 
say we are His representatives or ambassadors, and certainly 
we represent all the other members who have gone to the other 
side the vail as well. The Lord's will and the truth respecting 
the whole matter 

{PageQ19} 

may, by the grace of God, be brought to the attention of not 
only one another, but these fallen angels, and then the test will 
come on them that they may see what God's will is, and what 
the right thing is, and what to expect also at this time. Just the 
same as you and I are brought under a measure of judgment 
now, a measure of testing,~"The Lord your God doth judge 
you, doth prove you," and yet it is not God speaking from 
heaven that proves you; it is God speaking through His Word; 
thus it is God speaking through the testimony of present truth 
that is judging you and me. Our judging is coming in this way 
in the present time. Marvel not, therefore, if their judging will 
come in the same way that our judgment is coming to us. We 
are being judged--"My word shall judge you in that day." The 
Lord's Word is the test now to the nominal church. Those who 
are receiving the Word are standing fast in it, and are getting 
the blessings from it. Those who are unfaithful to the Lord's 
Word, and following cunningly devised fables, and doctrines of 
men, and walking after their own desires, are proving 
unfaithful, and the Word is judging them, is telling where the 
right line is, —not only telling you and me, but telling through 
us these fallen angels. 



ANGELS~Re Angels Being Sons. 

Q19:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--l--How is it that the angels 
are called the sons of God when we are told that Jesus our 
Saviour was God's only begotten Son? 

ANSWER.— This way: The words "only begotten" must 
be given the right force. In our Lord's prehuman existence, He 
was the only one begotten directly by the Father. While the 
angels are the sons of God, they are not directly begotten by 
God, but they were created by our Lord Jesus Christ, for all 
things were made by Him, and therefore He made the angels, 
not by His power or by His authority, but by the power and 
authority of the Father. See Fifth Volume. 

ANGELS-Restoration of The Fallen. 

Q19:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2- Will any of the fallen 
angels be restored, and if so, how can this be done without a 
ransom? 

ANSWER.— We have no definite information respecting 
the fallen angels, except where the Apostle says, "Know ye not 
that ye shall judge angels?" This word "judge" as used in the 
Scriptures represents a trial. The inference, then, is that if they 
are to have a further trial, then some of them will have an 
opportunity of benefiting by that trial. 

They fell from their condition of holiness through a measure 
of temptation, and in the long period since their fall they have 
had abundant opportunity to see the error of their course, and if 
they will, to reform. We notice, furthermore, the Apostle Peter 
tells us that our Lord Jesus by His death and resurrection 
preached to the spirits in prison, thus referring directly to the 
fallen angels who kept not their first estate, but were cast into 
Tartarus and restrained in darkness or prison by that chain. 
The Apostle Peter's statement amounts to this: The fallen 
angels, now called demons, had a certain great lesson preached 
to them: it was the manifestation of God's great mercy to 
mankind in making the arrangement for the redemption of 
mankind, and the fallen angels could see that if the Lord was 
gracious to mankind, there was a possibility that He might also 
show mercy to them sometime. Our answer is that there is 
hope 

{PageQ20} 

for the fallen angels. Our supposition is, dear friends, that 
since the time Jesus by His death and resurrection preached 
that sermon to the angels, the holy as well as the fallen ones, 
that some would reform and manifest their reform and we may 



reasonably infer such would refrain from any further 
disobedience; and, therefore, during the past eighteen hundred 
years, there have been two general classes of these fallen 
angels, some faithful and returning to righteousness, and others 
still out of harmony with God, practicing sin and following 
Satan. 

Does this require a ransom? We answer. No. If the angels 
had been condemned to death, then a ransom from death would 
have been necessary. They were merely restrained in darkness 
and kept from using their powers. If it had been a death 
sentence, then it would have required one holy angel to become 
the ransom for each fallen angel, because they would have 
come under condemnation individually. With mankind it is 
different; you and I were not condemned individually, but 
came under the condemnation through Father Adam, hence the 
redemption of Father Adam means not only the redemption of 
himself, but also of all his posterity. Thus God's plan is that 
Christ might be the ransom for all by being the ransom for one; 
but no such arrangement would be possible for the fallen 
angels, but they are subject to their own individual sentence. 

ANGEL-Re Thinking Peter An Angel. 

Q20:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 What is your 
explanation of Acts 12:15, "And they said unto her, 'thou art 
mad,' but she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then 
said they, 'it is his angel.'" 

ANSWER. —You remember the circumstances. It was 
Peter who had been in prison, and the angel had led him out of 
prison, and led him a certain distance, and he went to a house 
where prayer was being made; it was in the middle of the night, 
and they were still praying when Peter knocked at the door. 
You remember little Rhoda came to the door, she ran back and 
told them that Peter was at the door, and then they said, "Oh, it 
could not be him." 

"Oh, it is him," said Rhoda. 

"Well, it must be his angel." 

Why should they say it was his angel? Well, my dear 
friends, they were not inspired to say it was his angel. We do 
not know that any of those people who were praying on that 
night were inspired, so I would not pay a particle more of 
attention to what they would say on the subject than I would to 
what you might say. We take our instruction from whatever 
the Lord and the apostles said. The apostle did not say 
anything about him being an angel. What they meant we might 
all guess alike. You have my full liberty to guess all you 
please. If you would like to know what I would guess, I 



suppose they had some of the ordinary ideas that there might 
be some kind of an impersonation, or something like that. I do 
not know what they had in mind; nobody else knows. 

ANGELS"Re Fallen, On Trial. 

Q20:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-Are the fallen angels on 
trial now, and when will they receive judgment? 

ANSWER.— In one sense of the word we may suppose 
that the fallen angels may have been more or less on trial since 

{PageQ21} 

the time that they were consigned to the chains of darkness. 
They were all transgressors, and as soon as the divine judgment 
against them was rendered and they were confined in chains of 
darkness, it became notice to all that they had seriously 
interfered with the divine will and were under condemnation, 
and I should not be at all surprised if some of them had a 
feeling that they wanted to reform. But the particular time 
when we think that something of this kind may have been true 
of them was when our Lord's death and resurrection from the 
dead preached a great sermon to the fallen angels respecting 
divine love for mankind and divine mercy, thus arranging for 
man's reclamation from sin and death; that as the angels would 
see this, it would become such a sermon to them of divine 
mercy that they would have hope for themselves. And if any of 
the angels who had respect to God's law, and who would have 
any hope of divine mercy, would manifest their faith and hope 
by continuing to live contrary to sin and in harmony with 
divine righteousness, I am sure they have had a terrible trial; 
that the fallen angels would give them all kinds of persecution, 
and probably any persecution that we would have would be 
inferior to such persecution that they may have had, because 
we can very well imagine that were the fallen angels permitted 
to do toward those that are loving righteousness as they choose, 
it would mean a very hard lot for those who wished to do 
better. So then in this sense of the word, that judgment or trial 
of the fallen angels has been in progress just the same as the 
judgment and trial of the church has been in progress, to see 
whether or not we love righteousness and hate iniquity, what 
we will endure for righteousness' sake. So then any of the 
fallen angels who had any respect for God and righteousness, 
and who had any hope that God's mercy might be extended 
them, would undoubtedly be on trial in this sense, that it would 
be a testing of their loyalty; everything that would come against 
them would test, or prove, or judge, them with reference to 



their loyalty to God. But there would seem to be at the end of 
this age, or at the opening of the new dispensation, some 
special test or trial that would come upon them. Respecting 
that we know very little. All we know is, we are told that they 
are in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great day. 
Just what that signifies is a problem. The judgment of the great 
day may not refer to them so particularly as to us of the world. 
There is a special judgment of this great day about to be 
manifested, when all the kingdoms of this world will be 
judged, when all present institutions are going to come under 
trial, and the fire of that day will try them, the fire of that day 
shall try all in the church, and these fallen angels are held in 
chains of darkness until that time, the thought being that then 
the four winds will be loosed and it means that they will no 
longer be under restraint or chains of darkness, but be able to 
manifest themselves. We will see a little later. Ask me about 
1915 something about this, and I think I will know more. 

ANGELS-Are Materializations as IVIales Only? 

Q21 :1 :: QUESTION A Brother (1913)--l--Is it likely 
that these fallen angels will be permitted to materialize in the 
form of males only? 

ANSWER. --Brother Russell~No; so far as I know, 
brother, there have been manifestations in the form of females. 
We have 

{PageQ22} 

not the time, and I do not know that it is necessary, to give any 
illustrations in the matter, but merely answer the question. 

ANGELS-When Will Fallen Be Destroyed? 

Q22:1:: QUESTION (1909)-1-Will the fallen angels be 
destroyed at the end of this harvest period, or will they be 
bound with Satan and be destroyed with him at the end of the 
Millennial age? 

ANSWER.— I, of course, do not know, but I can give my 
guess and my reason. Their trial and Satan's trial seem to be 
different matters. He was not tempted except by his own 
ambition, and so far as we know he has manifested no 
contrition, and the Scriptures do not show that any mercy will 
be extended to him, but that he will be destroyed. 

The angels had had a long period in seeing his prosperity and 
success and God's apparent lack of power in restraining him. 
Then there was their intercourse with the human family. His 
was a pure selfishness and an attempt to gain power. So far as 



these angels are concerned that left their habitation or first 
condition; special mention is made in Jude and in Peter, that 
they are reserved in chains of darkness until the judgment of 
the great day. Now, does that refer to the judgment of the 
Millennial Day, or to the present time? We think that it refers 
to the judgment of the present time, because they were reserved 
in chains of darkness, and apparently they will have the power 
to get free from those chains of darkness now. We surmise that 
as they are getting loose now, they imagine that God is not able 
to hold them. They are getting free from their restraint, which 
will be a part of the world's time of trouble, which is not only 
of human arrangement but also from the evil angels. So then, if 
during these centuries during which they have been under 
restraint, some of them have learned to wait on the Lord as the 
Scriptures imply, and to have repented, now will be the time 
for them to show their loyalty during the time when all the 
other angels will have the temptations to do evil. Remember 
that the word "judgment" used here is in the sense of trial and 
not sentence. They are reserved in the chains of darkness until 
the trial time of the great day. The question might be asked. 
Will those who are found unworthy in this testing time be 
destroyed now, or be with Satan for the thousand years? Our 
thought is that they will be destroyed now, that after their trial 
is fully ended, God will have no particular purpose in 
maintaining them. We do not know; that is merely our guess. 
You may guess different, and if you do, we will not quarrel. 
Where the Lord's Word speaks positively, we will speak. If 
you want my thought, you have it, but if you want your own, 
keep it. 

ANOINTING-Vs. Sealing. 

Q22:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-What is the difference in 
the anointing and sealing in the following Scriptures: "Now he 
that stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us is 
God; who hath also sealed us." 

ANSWER. —The anointing is one picture. I will call your 
attention to the picture given in the Scriptures. I have already 
spoken of Christ, Jesus the head and the church his body, and 
this picture was used in the case of the typical priesthood. We 
read about Aaron as the priest. He in his own person typified 
Jesus and typified the 

{PageQ23} 

whole church, the royal priesthood, and the holy anointing oil 
that was poured on his head ran down even to the skirts of his 



garments. What does that mean? It means the anointing of 
Aaron as a whole, and the anointing the apostle speaks of that 
you and I come into. When we come into Christ we come into 
the anointing. The anointing belongs to the entire body God 
has foreknown and predestinated, and if you and I come into 
membership in that body, and maintain our membership, we 
are members of the Anointed One, and we are under that 
anointing; as the apostle says, "The anointing you have 
received abideth with you, and shall be in you." 

But the sealing is something that goes beyond that. The 
apostle says. Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit, and ye were 
not only anointed with the Holy Spirit, but ye were also sealed. 
The sealing in your case and in mine is still going on. What 
does it signify? It is the imprint of the Lord's character upon 
you; he is impressing you more and more; you are being sealed 
with the Holy Spirit. How long will it continue? Unto the day 
of redemption. If you allow the impress to go on in you, you 
will become more and more a copy of God's dear Son, and that 
is the condition upon which you and I may abide in him; we 
not only receive the anointing at the beginning, but we also 
receive the Spirit and have the marks of saintship and 
discipleship. 

ARCHANGEL-Are There Others? 

Q23:1 :: QUESTION (191 l)--l--So far as I have been 
able to determine from the Scriptures, Michael is the only 
Archangel mentioned. Is it your thought that there are others? 
ANSWER. --I have just the same thought. 

ARMY-Who Constitutes God's? 

Q23:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Have you, to any extent, 
changed your views as to what power shall constitute God's 
Army, since the publication of the Dawn treating that question? 

Does the saying, "Workingmen, unite, you have nothing to 
lose but your chains; you have a world to gain," convey any 
suggestion to our minds regarding the matter? 

ANSWER.— No, I see no reason to change my views, not 
that we hold that our views could not be changed; we have the 
same right to change our views as any body else. We see no 
necessity to change. We think the Lord is going to use millions 
of people as His army who are not saints and who will not 
know that they are serving him. We read that he will use the 
wrath of man to praise Him. They will be doing a work to 
praise Him and will not be aware of the fact, just as he can use 
Satan as His servant during this Gospel age to turn the 
grindstone upon which the Lord's jewels are being polished. 



He thinks he is grinding us to powder, but he is only putting a 
polish upon the jewels. 

As to the second part of the question concerning the question 
of workingmen uniting, yes, I think that would be a suggestion 
along the line, namely, that the Lord will probably use the mass 
of mankind as they will probably constitute the Lord's great 
army. On the one side will be gathered the princes of the earth, 
captains of industry, captains of finance, with as many as they 
can gather to their influence. Then on the other side will be a 
great army of discontented, along the line of Socialism, 
claiming that it is God's remedy. We answer that we do not 
doubt the 

{PageQ24} 

sincerity of their hearts and intentions, but we do not think they 
will be able to accomplish what they desire, but will make a 
failure of the matter. After they come to a place where they 
think they are getting everything within their grasp, and then 
find that the money powers will not let them do what they want 
to, they will feel so rebellious against their condition that 
instead of going into Socialism, it will go into Anarchy, then 
God will let the world work out their destruction, and after that 
God will come in and by His own power will bring peace and 
order out of the confusion, and will establish the Kingdom of 
His Son and the Bride, the Lamb's wife. 

APPLICATION--Re Adam? And His Race. 

Q24:1 :: QUESTION ( 19 16)-- 1 --When will the merit of 
Christ's sacrifice or the ransom price be applied for Adam? 
Will this include the whole Adamic race? 

ANSWER. —It will be impossible for the Lord to impute 
his merit for Adam till the whole church is taken, for this 
endorsement is an embargo for Adam and his race, we 
therefore must pass through our trial first before that merit can 
pass on and be imputed to Adam and his race. 

On this ransom price for Adam and his race, we might 
elaborate a little further: Why this embargo for the Church? 
Why not with Adam outside the church before the Church was 
complete? It is on deposit with God the Father, just as if 
mortgaged by this imputation made with the church. How is 
that affected? In this way: All the church have agreed they will 
die according to the flesh. Nobody else has been received into 
the church. One not entered into Christ has not entered the 
church. Justice demands all shall go into death; first, those that 
will follow his footsteps; they will lay down their lives 



willingly, gladly, sacrificially and enter into the heavenly 
glory--the highest. Then the Great Company class. Those who 
will seek to hold on to the earthly life and through fear of death 
all their life time are subject to bondage. Will they be allowed 
to go on in that way? If so they will die the second death 
because they have not laid down their lives. What will Jesus 
do for these? In the Bible it is represented as the Lord Jesus 
laying hold upon the scape goat class, and they are led away by 
the hands of a fit man, representing how the Great Company 
are turned over to satan for the destruction of the flesh. Why? 
Because that is part of the Covenant, their flesh must either be 
sacrificed willingly or be destroyed, one or the other. Now 
when their bodies are turned over and they have washed their 
robes, and have suffered they will have learned their lesson. 
They failed to get into the sacrificing class, but since they were 
loyal to God when brought to the test, they are counted worthy 
of life on the spirit plane. Not the highest plane, the Divine 
nature, but like the angels on a lower plane. All will be 
counted worthy who get everlasting life, but these when put to 
the test who would not deny the Lord and would rather suffer 
are counted worthy. The picture in Rev. 7, is, "Therefore are 
they before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in 
His temple." The little flock class are more than merely 
conquerors; more than merely getting in. The Bible says they 
are more than conquerors. They will sit with the Lord in His 
throne and be His joint heirs and partakers of His Divine 
nature. The 

{PageQ25} 

others coming in finally under stress and suffering rather than 
be disloyal to God, they will get a good reward, thank the Lord. 
They did not have the spirit of sacrifice, of suffering for 
Christ's sake willingly, voluntarily, they had to be pushed in the 
fight. They fought well when pushed in, but were not like their 
captain who went into the fight himself. 

Now there is a third class, Heb. 6 and Heb. 10. The apostle 
says those that fell away and turned their backs upon the blood 
of the covenant and counted it a common thing; they will die 
the second death. That is why Jesus said, I guarantee all these 
will go into death. The one class into second death because 
they are unworthy. The other class are pushed into taking their 
place for right or wrong— and when all have died, then the 
mortgage is all recovered, for the notes have been paid; they 
have all died, not any of them having an earthly life. The one 
class gets new life on the Divine plane, another gets new life 



on the spirit plane, and another class, those who die the second 
death. 

APPLICATION-Repetition of. 

Q25:1 :: QUESTION ( 19 16)-- 1 --Will the application of 
Christ's merit need to be repeated? 

ANSWER.— This will never need to be repeated. It is a 
completed work the Father planned before the foundation of 
the world. He left the glory with the Father for this very 
purpose; the same he has been working out these 1900 years of 
this Gospel age, and 1,000 years more will be necessary to 
fulfill this. Thank God, Hallelujah what a Saviour. Hallelujah, 
what a plan! Hallelujah, what a Father we have to give us this 
great plan! Think of it! More than that, my dear friends, the 
Bible says you are to be like your Heavenly Father. You are 
children of God when begotten of the spirit. If a child is well 
begotten, and had a good mother and good father, the child 
would be like the father every time. If Adam and Eve had 
retained their perfection, their children would all have been like 
Adam himself, perfect, grand characters. Now God has started 
a new race of spirit beings all begotten of the spirit. Then we 
will be like unto our Father. One mother, one covenant under 
which we were all begotten and which will develop us and 
bring us to the glorious liberty of our Lord, and we will be 
much like our Father. He is kind to the unthankful. Getting 
more like our great Redeemer and more like our Heavenly 
Father. The whole object of our life, of our faith, should be to 
develop character likeness. 

atonement-How Performed in Captivity? 

Q25:2:: QUESTION (1908)-2-If not one jot or tittle of 
the law should pass away until all be fulfilled, how was the 
typical atonement day sacrifice performed when the Jews were 
in captivity, or the ark not in the holy? When did this type 
cease? 

ANSWER. -I had never thought of that question. I 
believe I will have to think over it a little more before I answer 
it. 

ATONEIWIENT-How Often Were Sacrifices Of Lev. 9? 

Q25:3:: QUESTION (1910)-3-In Lev. 9, wastheblood 
of the bullock and the blood of the goat taken into the Most 
Holy? 

{PageQ26} 



If not, why not? Are the sacrifices referred to in Lev. 9 the 
same as those referred to in Leviticus 16, and how often was 
that sacrifice of Lev. 9 offered? 

ANSWER~We answer that the description of the 
killing of the bullock of the sin-offering and the goat of the 
sin-offering in Leviticus 9 was in connection with the 
consecration of the priest, while the description in Leviticus 16 
is in connection with the atonement for the sins of all the 
people—the world—the Day of Atonement sacrifices. They 
are, therefore, not exactly the same, though they cover in 
many respects the same points. For instance. Was not our 
Lord's consecration closely identified with the work of 
atonement? Yes. Your consecration unto death as the 
antitypical goat is closely identified with the atonement work. 
So these two types, the one relating to the consecration of the 
priesthood, and the other relating to the atonement work, are 
closely related, though not exactly the same. In the case of 
Leviticus 9, you remember the blood was not taken into the 
Most Holy, because that was not a picture of the Atonement; 
that was not a picture of that feature of the work; it was a 
picture of the consecration, and showed how the bullock must 
die, and how the goat must die; whereas the one in Leviticus 16, 
picturing the Atonement Day, making satisfaction for sin, 
properly included the sprinkling of the blood in the Most 
Holy to make the atonement for sins. 

ATONEMENT-Sacrifices For Ensuing Year. 

Q26:1:: QUESTION (1910)-l-Were the Atonement 
Day sin-offerings for the year previous or for the ensuing 
year, and how do we know? 

ANSWER.— I answer they were for the ensuing year. 
We know because at the end of a year they were all under 
their sins again, and they were to bewail themselves and to be 
in sackcloth and fast until the Atonement Day sacrifices had 
been offered, and the blood sprinkled, and the priest would 
come out and offer the blessings which made them reconciled 
to God for the year following. 

ATONEMENT--Re Sacrifices In Captivity. 

026:2:: OUESTION (1911)-2-Whenthe Jews were in 
captivity to Babylon, did they observe their annual atonement 
sacrifices? 

ANSWER— They did not, for the very simple reason 
these sacrifices could not be made at any other than the 
appointed place. There could be no such atonement sacrifices 
away from the proper place and arrangements. So we may be 



sure that during those years of captivity they had no 
atonement day sacrifices. 

ATONEMENT--Re Delivery of First-Born. 
Q26:3:: QUESTION (1911)--3--Will all of the firstborn 
have been fully delivered before this day closes? 

ANSWER— You have the answer to the question 
already; they will all have entered into their glory when the 
sacrificing is ended, and long before the day will close, 
because the day will take in the dealings with the world. 

ATONEMENT--Re Its Close. 

Q26:4:: QUESTION (1911)-4-Whendoes theDay of 
Atonement close? 

{PageQ27} 

ANSWER-The Day of Atonement under the Jewish 
law was a twenty-four hour day repeated every year in that 
typical system. The antitype of that Atonement Day we 
understand to be that period of God's blessing which began 
with our Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrifice. That was the 
opening of the Day of Atonement. Now, the other sacrifice, 
the sacrifice of the goat, has been continuing during this Day 
of Atonement. In other words; the church is invited to share 
with Christ in his sacrifice, and that great Atonement Day is 
still going on; the atonement work is not finished. The 
sacrificing feature of the Atonement Day will soon be over 
we believe, viz.: when the last member of the elect Body of 
Christ shall have passed into death; that will be the end of the 
sacrificing, but it will not be the end of the atonement, 
because the Day of Atonement not only includes the day of 
sacrifice, but also the day of using that sacrifice in the work 
of blessing. In other words, the whole thousand years of 
Christ's reign also belongs to this atonement work, because 
the construction of the word means at-one-ment. Now, the 
sacrificing of this present time is for the purpose of producing 
that at-one-ment, and when the sacrifices are ended and 
offered before the Lord, it will be the basis for the at-one-ment, but 
it will take all of the thousand years to apply that to 
the world and for the world to be made at one with God. So 
then the Day of Atonement in the proper and fullest sense of 
the word is twenty-eight hundred years or more long, and we 
have passed the middle of it now; and the latter part of it is 
going to be very fine. 



ATONEMENT--Re Merit. 

Q27:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-Woulditberightto 

say that all the merit of our Lord's sacrifice is imputed to 

each and every individual when Scripturally he becomes a 

believer? 

ANSWER— No; the entire merit of our Lord's death was 
already in the hands of Justice when Jesus ascended up on 
high, but it was not applied in any degree nor to any person. 
According to the Divine intention that merit is to be applied 
for Adam's original sin and for all the sins of his children, 
which are the result directly or indirectly of original sin. 
Thus we might say that every member of Adam's race has a 
personal, individual interest or share in that redemptive merit, 
coming to him by Divine arrangement. 

Our Lord left the early Church with the instruction that they 
should tarry at Jerusalem for the anointing of the Holy Spirit, 
the evidence of their forgiveness of sins and of their adoption 
as children of God. He ascended on high and appeared in the 
presence of the Father—for the entire Church of the First-borns. The 
imputation of His merit was for them all, as well 
as for the representative few of the Lord's followers who 
waited for the blessing in the "upper room." 

ATONEMENT-High Priest-Censer-Holy of Holies. 

Q27:2:: QUESTION ( 19 13)-2-Is it the correct 
thought that the High Priest took the censer containing 
burning coals into the Holy of Holies? If so, what is the 
antitype for this? 

ANSWER.— We do not have any knowledge of any 
record that the High Priest ever took the censer into the Most 
Holy. The order of the Day of Atonement, you will 
remember, was that the High Priest slew the bullock; then he 
took the blood of the bullock and fire from off the brazen altar 
and went with the two into the Holy, there to offer incense 
upon the fire before the veil. 



{PageQ28} 

not behind the veil; in the Holy, not in the Most Holy. We 
have no knowledge 

of any sacrificing to be done in Heaven, and the fire would 
represent testings: our Master did not have any testings in 
Heaven; his testings were on earth. This, then, would 
evidently be the proper interpretation to put upon the type. 
The censer with the coals of fire, you will remember, was 
placed on top of the golden altar. The Apostle Paul, in giving 
an account of the contents of the Most Holy states that this 
altar, the golden altar, was in the Most Holy, but we think it 
was a mistake either by the Apostle himself or some copyist; 
he could not have said that, for the account in the Old 
Testament is very distinct, that the altar will be in the Holy. 
The only article of furniture in the Most Holy was the Ark; in 
the Ark, you will remember, was the Law, Aaron's Rod that 
budded and the Golden Pot of Manna; on the cover the two 
Cherubim; the blood was to be sprinkled upon the mercy-seat 
and before the mercy-seat, forming a cross. Fire, wherever it 
is used, would symbolize trials, difficulties and testings. The 
fire that is here referred to in the Holy where the incense was 
crumbled upon the coals of fire represents our Lord's three 
and one-half years' ministry; during these three and one-half 
years He was using all His perfect powers in the service of 
the Lord, the Truth and the brethren. Every time that incense 
touched the fire it produced a smoke of incense, and so the 
life of Jesus was one continual offering of this incense before 
the Lord, and as a result of the sacrifice of Christ thus 
accomplished. He was counted worthy to go beyond the veil 
to the Most Holy. 

He was not worthy to be the great High Priest until He 
finished His sacrifice. The sacrifice made at Jordan was not 
finished until Calvary. It took all the three and one-half years 
to finish this work of crumbling the incense on the fire, and 
you will remember in the type we read that the High Priest 
must offer this incense upon the altar in order that the smoke 
might penetrate beyond the veil so that He die not, so that 
when He attempted to pass under the second veil the cloud of 
incense would be covering the mercy- seat and He would not 
die. If the cloud of incense were not covering the mercy-seat 
He would die, and this shows us that the Lord Jesus Christ 
could not have entered the glory beyond unless He had 
finished His sacrifice and offerings. 

You remember there were three fires in connection with this 



matter. This was the one fire in the Holy representing God's 
view of our Master's sacrifice, it was a sweet incense to God; 
and then there was another view of that same sacrifice: He 
was represented by the burning of the fat in the court, the 
court condition representing the condition in which the human 
nature could conceive the matter; all who were in the court 
condition of justification recognized that He was indeed the 
Son of God, as was represented by the burning of the fat 
which makes a very clear light; and then, you remember, there 
was the fire burning outside the camp on which was burned 
the hide, horns, etc., of the bullock, and that represented how 
the Lord's sacrifice appeared to the world; it was a stench to 
the world; He was making a mistake and spoiling a good, 
valuable life by speaking about the Kingdom, and going about 
with these poor disciples. These three pictures describing our 
Lord from three standpoints, firstly, the world's standpoint, 
the sacrifice of Christ was not in line with the spirit of the 
world; secondly, the viewpoint in the court of the disciples of 
Jesus, He was holy, harmless, undefiled as a Savior; and 
thirdly, God's view referred to now in this 

{PageQ29} 

question, the burning of the incense in the Holy, not until all 
three fires, all three phases of the Lord's sacrifice were past 
was He ready to pass beyond the veil. 

ATONEMENT-Cleanse for What Year. 

Q29:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--Did the Atonement 
Day sacrifices typically cleanse the people for the year past 
or for the year following? 
ANSWER--For the year following. 

ATONEMENT-Basis Of. 

Q29:2:: QUESTION (1916)--2-Whatis the basis of the 
atonement? 

ANSWER— The Bible tells us it was the sacrifices for 
sin and this is all testified in the Covenant God made with 
Israel at Sinai, a representation of the better covenant. There 
stood Moses representing a greater than Moses. What did he 
do? First he slew the sacrifice for the sin offering and it was 
on the basis of this sacrifice that there could be a covenant 
and it was the blood of those sacrifices sprinkled in order to 
accomplish that covenant; so here we have better sacrifices 
than those. These typical sacrifices were merely on an earthly 
plane, but here we have a better sacrifice, Jesus the antitypical 



bullock and the Church the antitypical goat. This church 
sacrificing has been going on for more than 1800 years and 
shortly it will all be finished and the blood will be in the 
hands of the great Mediator. Look back in the type and see 
what He will do with the blood. First sprinkle the table of the 
law. When Moses had sprinkled the tables of the law he was 
ready then to sprinkle the people with the same blood. Now 
the basis was the blood. While the blood of Jesus was the 
fundamental, important thing, it pictures how that the blood 
of His saints be counted in with him.~All the followers in the 
footsteps of Jesus are being gathered, their blood being 
sacrificed and that blood in the type is for the reconciliation 
of the world bye and bye. Not that we are adding anything to 
the value of it, but showing how we would be associated with 
Jesus in the present time, and share the glory, which is to 
follow as soon as the church will be completed. Then we 
understand the right time will have come for Jesus to receive 
the world and become the King of the world and establish His 
kingdom from sea to sea. He will be ready then to ask the 
Father for the world and then He is ready to appropriate His 
sacrifice for the world. It is to be given fully and completely 
on behalf of the world at that time, and He will he ready to do 
that just at the time of completion of the church when we are 
all with the Lord in glory. The 2 Psalm says, "Ask of me and 
I will give thee the heathen," etc. The whole world are 
heathens from God's standpoint. The word heathen is the 
same word translated Gentile and the same word translated 
people. God had a people and there were other people 
outside that were not God's people. They were heathen, and 
only those in harmony with God are His people, and they 
were to he distinct from the others. "Ask of me and I will 
give thee the people, and the uttermost parts of the earth for 
thy Possession." 

BABYLON~Re River Euphrates. 

Q29:3 :: QUESTION (1911)--3--Literal Babylon was 
built on the literal Euphrates river, while mystic Babylon sits 
on the mystic Euphrates. Then what is the mystic river? 

{PageQ30} 

ANSWER~We are going to have a sermon on that very 
subject before long, and you will get the answer there, 
perhaps. But just briefly I will say the mystic Euphrates 
would represent people according to the explanation given us 
in the Scripture. Thus the waters upon which the woman 



sitteth are peoples and nations and tongues, and the turning 
away of the waters of the mystic Euphrates from the 
antitypical Babylon, or from the mystical Babylon, would 
signify the turning of the people away. And they are turning 
away a good deal now, according to what we read in the 
newspapers. Very small congregations are to be had 
everywhere. By the way, about three weeks ago when I was 
in Boston, the assistant editor of the Boston Congregationalist 
came to me on Monday after our sermon on Sunday and said, 
"Pastor Russell, may I ask you a question." 

"Yes." 

"I am assistant editor of the Congregationalist, and I was out 
on Sunday at the Boston theater, and it was a hot day, and as I 
looked over that audience and saw four thousand people there 
under that roof on a hot day and sitting for that length of time, 
I began to wonder why it is that our largest churches in 
Boston here, and our most eloquent preachers, and finely paid 
choirs, only have from twenty to forty or fifty to seventy at a 
meeting. How is it? Will you tell me what you say about it?" 

I said, "I think, my friend, that the Bible explains that by 
saying there was a famine in the land— not a famine for bread 
or for water, but a famine, saith the Lord, for the hearing of 
the Word of the Lord." I said, "I think those people wanted to 
hear something about the Word of the Lord." 

BACK SLIDERS-With What Greeting? 
Q30:1 :: QUESTION (1909)-l-How should we greet 
those who have left the class and call us worse than Babylon? 
Shall we give them a hearty greeting when they come to our 
meetings? 

ANSWER—I think not, why should you? I am going to 
be specially hearty to those who are specially like my dear 
Redeemer, marked with the character likeness of my 
Redeemer. I would not be so hearty with those who have left 
the class, just to let them see that there is a difference, 
otherwise they might think they were better than those in the 
class; because they had become obstreperous in some way. 
They should be greeted according to the Apostle's words, 
"Mark those who cause divisions and offenses." Mark those 
who are tending toward division, and don't make them your 
bosom companions, don't elect them as elders, etc., for that is 
just the wrong thing. Don't encourage anybody who has a 
strifeful condition. Lay him on the shelf and let him have 
strife to himself. Let us be careful that we do not cultivate 
anything in our own hearts, of their spirit. Let us be gentle, 
but firm. If any such should approach me, I would shake 



hands with him. I would not say, No, I will not shake hands 
with you. But I would not make of them my bosom 
companions. We want to remember what they said of the 
Apostles in the early church, "They took knowledge of them 
that they had been with Jesus." We want to make our bosom 
companion our Lord Jesus. We want to be with Jesus, and 
those who have most of His character likeness will be most 
like Him. They are all those who have the spirit of Christ. 
He spent more of His time and chose those who should be 
near Him from among those who had most of 

{PageQ31} 

His spirit, Peter, James and John. These three were with Him 
on the Mount of Transfiguration, and they were nearest Him 
in the garden of Gethsemane. Counsel with those who 
have the spirit of the Lord. 

BAPTISM-ln the Name of the Holy Spirit. 

Q31 :1 :: QUESTION (1907)-l-Some one has asked 
why we baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
of the Holy Spirit, if the Holy Spirit is not a person? 
ANSWER. —First, that is the formula given in the 
Scriptures, and secondly, because it is the right thought. We 
do not baptize in our own name, or in the name of the Baptist 
Church, or in the name of some other church. But what 
authority do we recognize? Do we recognize the Father's 
authority and sanction to baptize? Yes, indeed. Do we 
recognize the Son's authority and sanction to baptism? Yes, 
indeed. Do we recognize that the Spirit sanctions this matter 
of baptism? Yes, indeed. Well, then, we perform the baptism 
in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 
as representing that which is the will of God, and in every 
sense the spirit of the Lord's will and teaching. The thought 
is, the matter of baptism is approved by the Lord Jesus, 
approved by the Heavenly Father, and approved by the spirit 
of holiness, the spirit of God, the spirit of the truth. 

BAPTISM-Words Used in Service. 

Q31:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-The doctrine of the 
Trinity being unscriptural, why, in baptizing, do we baptize in 
the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? 

ANSWER.— Because the Lord Jesus seemed to give that 
formula when He said, "In the name of the Father, and of the 
Son, and of the Holy Spirit." 

What name? 



Why, in the authority, not in the likeness of the death of the 
Father and of the Son and Holy Spirit because the Father and 
the Holy Spirit did not die, and we are not baptizing them into 
the Father, and into the Holy Spirit. We are baptized into 
Christ, but in the name of, the Father, and of the Holy 
Spirit. It is not merely something that our Lord Jesus 
instituted and wished us to commemorate, but He wished us 
to know that when we did that we were doing something in 
harmony with the will of the Father, and of the will of the 
Holy Spirit, as well as in Harmony with His own Spirit. 

BAPTISM--Re Remission of Sins. 

Q31 :3:: QUESTION (1909)--3--(Acts 2:38,39), "Then 
Peter said unto them. Repent and be baptized every one of 
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and 
ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is 
unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, 
even as many as the Lord our God shall call." If, according to 
Peter's command, all the called must be baptized for the 
remission of sins in order to receive the Holy Spirit, how do 
you harmonize this with the Scripture that the Jews only were 
baptized for the remission of their sins? 

ANSWER. --I answer that the Scriptures do not say what 
you think they do here. Read it over a dozen times. Most 
people have to read anything over a half dozen times. You 
need not feel hurt, because others have to do the same. How 
many Scriptures have you read a hundred times? A great 
many. 

{PageQ32} 

Now, what Peter does say is, that those who were before 
him should be baptized for the remission of their sins, that 
they might receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and then he 
goes on to prove that he is right in the statement because the 
promise is unto you, and to your children, and also to 
them that are afar off, but he does not say that those afar off 
needed to be baptized for the remission of their sins, for they 
were the Gentiles. The promises were not only to you and 
to your children. Peter, speaking under the inspiration of the 
Holy Spirit, as the mouthpiece of God, said, "Also to them 
afar off," but he was not saying how those afar off could be 
received, nor what kind of a baptism was necessary for them. 



BAPTISM-Were Jews Commanded To Be Baptized. 

Q32:1:: QUESTION (from the audience) (1911)--! --Was there any 

command to the Jews from Jehovah to be 

baptized? 

ANSWER— I have just said there was nothing in the law 
whatever. What John did was something special for the 
occasion, that Jesus said if they had believed John and would 
have taken what he said, they would have been ready and 
would have believed him. John's was a special message, a 
special baptism for a special purpose, and not such a matter as 
contemplated getting outsiders in, for he did not assume to get 
anyone in. When Jesus came to John, John knew that Jesus 
was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners. 
John objected and said, "Not so. Lord. If either one of us 
should be baptized, if either one of us is a sinner, I am the 
one, not you, and you should baptize me rather than I should 
baptize you." But Jesus did not baptize John and he did not 
explain to John the philosophy at all. He said merely, "John, 
suffer it to be so now; I will not explain to you why." Now we 
may know the why. Jesus did not have any sins to wash 
away, therefore it should not be as our friend has suggested, 
that this is an example for all sinners, that they shall wash 
away their sins, for how could Jesus who had no sins, be an 
example to all sinners to wash away their sins? The answer 
we have to make is that what Jesus did is something new, and 
peculiar and special, different from anything that John had 
done at that time, or before or after. He was performing 
something that John did not understand at all. Jesus was 
laying down the foundation for a new order of things and by 
his baptism he was symbolizing not the putting away of the 
filth of the flesh, not the putting away of sin, for he had no 
sin, but he was symbolizing the full consecration of his life, 
even unto death. And as he thus laid down his life, in the 
picture, by a baptism into death, not by washing away of sins 
but by baptism into death, as Saint Paul says, so all believers 
whose sins are forgiven are privileged to be baptized into 
death with him, because they have no sins to be washed away, 
but they are to be baptized into his death, as St. Paul declares 
in the sixth chapter of Romans, "So many of us as were 
baptized into Jesus Christ, into this glorious body of the 
Messiah, of which he is the head—so many of us as were 
baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death— not 
baptized for the remission of sins, not baptized into water, but 
baptized into his death." And then so many of us as were 
baptized into death with Christ, giving up our wills to do the 
will of the Father, even unto death, as he did— so many of us 



as take this position, the Scriptures tell us it is pleasing 

{PageQ33} 

in God's sight, and that we should symbolize this matter, 
symbolize this consecration, by a water immersion as Jesus 
symbolized his consecration by a water immersion. So we 
will follow his example. 

BAPTISM--ln The Name of Who? 

Q33:1 :: QUESTION (1911)--l-"Baptizing them in the 

name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Would 

it be right to say that this implies three baptisms in one—namely: in 

the name of the Father for our justification, in the 

name of the Son for our sacrifice, and in the name of the Holy 

Spirit to be baptized for our Spirit's begetting? 

ANSWER. -We answer, "No." To my understanding 
that would not be the thought at all. We are baptized in the 
name of-that is, by the authority of; not merely that Jesus 
says. This is something of mine that I give you, but he would 
give us the understanding that this baptism that he enjoined 
upon the church was a baptism in the name of, that is, by the 
authority of, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; just 
the same as if he were using a firm name. Smith, Jones and 
Brown, and Smith was talking about the matter, he would not 
merely say. Go and baptize in my name, but do it with the full 
authorization of the whole firm. Smith, Jones and Brown. So 
Jesus says. Go and baptize in the name, by the authority of, 
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

BAPTISM-Re All Apostles Receiving John's. 

Q33:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-Didallthe Apostles and 
Israelites indeed receive a water immersion, either John's or 
our symbolic immersion? 

ANSWER.-We know about the Apostle Paul, that he 
received water baptism, but he did not receive water baptism 
in the same sense that converted Gentiles receive water 
baptism. He was a Jew and there were different conditions 
for the Jews. The Jews, by virtue of the law covenant which 
applied to them only and not to the Gentiles, were already in 
relationship with God and when a Jew therefore would 
believe in Christ, Christ, so far as his mind would be 
concerned, took the place of Moses, stood instead of Moses to 
that one who was a Jew and who believed in Jesus. And if he 
as a Jew was already in Moses, then as a Jew, when he had 
recognized Christ as the antitypical Moses, he was already in 



the antitypical Moses, by faith. Therefore he did not need the 
same kind of baptism into Christ that a Gentile would need, 
and none of the Jews did have such a baptism at that time. 
The baptism that the Jews observed was a symbolic washing 
away of their defilements, as Jews. That is to say, it 
represented merely a cleansing of their flesh, coming back 
into harmony with the divine law and putting away the filth of 
the flesh. 

John did not preach the baptism that you and I observe now. 
He preached a baptism especially for the Jews, especially to 
them as sinners, saying, "Repent, reform, and be baptized." 
Did he say he baptized into Christ? Oh, no, they were 
already baptized into Moses. But, repent and be baptized and 
wash away your sins. What sins did they wash away? Why 
all things against the Mosaic covenant, against the law 
covenant, all the outward transgressions they had committed 
that they could have avoided. Thus they were to indicate that 
they turned from them, repented of them, and 

{PageQ34} 

put them behind them. They were going to walk now in a 
clean, pure life to the extent they were able. That is what all 
of those Jews did who came to John for baptism. We have no 
reason to think that any of the disciples participated in that 
baptism, or that John the Baptist did himself. Why not? 
Because they were not of the class that were called sinners at 
that time. John the Baptist was not a sinner. He was seeking 
to walk as best he could in harmony with the Lord. Neither 
were the disciples sinners. They were all striving to walk as 
near as they were able as holy men, walking according to the 
standards of the law ; they did no willful sin against the law. 
Therefore we see why there is no record whatever that any of 
the Apostles, except Saint Paul, were immersed. There is no 
record that John the Baptist was immersed. When Jesus came 
to John the Baptist to be baptized, John said, "Why no, I 
would not think of baptizing you ; you are not a sinner, you 
have no sins to wash away. You have not been living in open 
violation of the law; I am not calling such as you. If either 
one of us needed to be baptized, why I would be the one, 
rather than you. You are holy, harmless, undefiled, and 
separate from sinners. I am not so perfect as that, but still I 
do not need to he baptized either." 

So all the Jews stood in a peculiar condition, different from 
any others. The Gentiles, however, were totally out of 
relationship with God; it was necessary that they should be 



brought into relationship with him. As long as they were not 
to go into Moses and be transferred from Moses to Christ, 
they were brought directly by baptism and faith and 
obedience into Christ direct, instead of going through the 
channel of Moses. I am not sure that I make this plain. It 
would take at least an hour to discuss baptism. If there is any 
question on this point I will entertain it, but if you are all 
clear, I need not go further into the matter. 

BAPTISM-Kind of Sins John's Remitted. 

Q34:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--Was John's baptism for 
the remission of avoidable or unavoidable sins against their 
law covenant? 

ANSWER~It was for the remission of avoidable sins, 
gross sins, and the godly Jews were not intended nor expected 
to come to John to be baptized. It was for the sinner class—for all 
classes that realized they were out of harmony with 
God. He said, "Now come, if you want to get ready for 
Messiah's kingdom, and try to keep the law the best you are 
able and take this water immersion, accepting this as a sign of 
your putting away sin and starting a new course of life. This 
is all that baptism meant to the Jews. That was not a regular 
institution. It was a peculiar thing that belonged just to the 
end of the age, and John tried there to especially prepare a 
people by this preaching of holiness and putting away of sin 
for the Messiah; for the testimony is that if they had believed 
John they would have believed Jesus. If they disbelieved 
John and disregarded what he said, and were not careful to 
come back into harmony with God, and become as holy as 
they were able to do, then they were not in a condition to 
receive the message God had to give. 

BAPTISIM-Why Water a Type? 

Q34:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-Why is this water 
baptism of Jesus spoken of as a type? Was it a symbol in His 
case as in ours? 

{PageQ35} 

ANSWER. -Yes, just as in our case-a symbol of His 
consecration, a symbol of His going into death, and of His 
resurrection from the dead. All this was symbolized in His 
case exactly as in ours. 

While sometimes spoken of as a type, strictly speaking it 
was not a type. Sometimes words are used in a loose way. It 
was a symbol, not a type. If I ever used the word type in 



connection with it, it was because the right word slipped me, 
and the wrong word came in. 

BAPTISM-Was Water or Spirit First in Jesus' Case? 

Q35:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-Was Jesus baptized in 
water before He was baptized of the Spirit? Which was first? 

ANSWER— The account seems to imply that God made 
the manifestation of the descent of the Spirit on Jesus after 
His baptism. Jesus was baptized into death before He went 
into the water, in the sense that He had given up His own 
will, in the sense that the Apostle quotes from the Old 
Testament, "Lo, I have come as it is written in the volume of 
the book, to do Thy will; I delight to do Thy will, O my God." 
He came to do everything written in the Book concerning 
Him. He was already dead to His will, otherwise He 
would not have come to John. But God's manifestation of His 
acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice of Himself apparently waited 
until after Jesus had performed the symbol. So we read that it 
was after He came up out of the water that the Spirit came, 
and God gave that outward sign. This outward sign was not 
for all, but for John-John saw, John bore record, etc. 

BAPTISIVi-lsraelites Re John's. 

Q35:2:: QUESTION (1913)-2-In the type did the 
Israelites indeed have need of John's immersion? 

ANSWER-We do not understand that the Israelites 
indeed had any need of John's immersion, because John was 
not notifying the saintly of the Israelites to come to his 
immersion. He was inviting those who were living in a 
condition of sin to come. There is no evidence whatever that 
John the Baptist was ever immersed by his own baptism, and 
when Jesus came along he objected and said. Why you are 
not a sinner, why should you come to me? I am baptizing 
sinners, telling them to get out of disobedience and come back 
into harmony with Mosaic Law. Jesus did not stop to argue 
the matter with John, because John could not have 
understood; it was not due time for John to understand, he 
was not of those begotten of the Holy Spirit; none were 
begotten of the Holy Spirit until Pentecost. Therefore, Jesus 
did not argue the matter with him, but merely said, John, 
permit it to be so now; I know what I am doing. Jesus was 
making a type of a new thing. He was not joining in John's 
baptism at all. He was not washing away His sins in order to 
come back into harmony with the Law, because He had never 
been out of harmony with the Law. 



BAPTISM-Questions Asked Candidates. 

Q35:3:: QUESTION (1913 Z) 3 What are the 
questions usually put by Brother Russell when receiving 
candidates for water immersion? 

ANSWER.— You will notice that they are on broad lines—questions 
which any Christian, whatever his confession, 
should be able to answer in the affirmative without hesitation 
if he is suitable to be acknowledged as a member of the 
Church of Christ: 

{PageQ36} 

(1) Have you repented of sin with such restitution as you 
are able, and are you trusting in the merit of Christ's sacrifice 
for the forgiveness of your sins and the basis of your 
justification? 

(2) Have you made a full consecration of yourself with all 

the powers that you possess— talent, money, time, influence— all to the 

Lord, to be used faithfully in His service, even unto 

death? 

(3) On the basis of these confessions, we acknowledge you 
as a member of the Household of Faith, and give to you as 
such the right hand of fellowship, not in the name of any sect 
or party or creed, but in the name of the Redeemer, our 
glorified Lord, and His faithful followers. 

BAPTISM-Water Immersion Re Our Lord And The Apostles. 

Q36:1:: QUESTION (1913)-l-Seeing that our Lord 
Jesus symbolized His consecration by immersion in water, 
how was it that the Apostles did not do so? 
ANSWER.-I do not know. (See F446) 

BAPTISM-Our Lord's. 

Q36:2:: QUESTION (1913-Z)-2-Was ourLord 
baptized in water before He was baptized of the Holy Spirit? 

ANSWER. -The Scriptural account of our Lord's 
baptism at Jordan seems to imply that God made the 
manifestation of the descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus after 
His baptism in water. He was baptized into death before 
He went into the water, in the sense that He had given up 
His own will; in the sense that the Apostle quotes from 
the Old Testament— "Lo, I come: in the volume of the Book it 
is written of Me; I delight to do Thy will, O My God." (Psa. 40:7,8; 
Heb. 10:7.) Our Lord came to do everything written 
in the Book concerning Him. 

Our Lord was already dead to His own will; otherwise 



He could not have gone to John at Jordan. But God's 
manifestation of His acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice of 
Himself apparently waited until after Jesus had performed the 
symbol. So we read that after He had come up out of the 
water, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove. God gave that 
outward sign, not for all, but for John', who "saw and 
bare record," as the Scriptures declare. --(John 1:32-34). 

BAPTISM-Not Certain of Consecration. 

Q36:3:: QUESTION (1916)-3-Take the case of a 
young brother who is not certain that a consecration 
symbolized sometime ago was complete, and is not certain 
whether he is spirit-begotten, or not. What would be your 
advice in such a case? 

ANSWER. ~I advise you to make certain. If anyone is 
uncertain about a matter of that kind, I think the best thing to 
do is to make certain of it. This would be my advice on all 
such matters. In this case, I would make a full consecration 
of my whole soul, mind and strength to the Lord, and ask Him 
to graciously receive this through Christ, and I would believe 
that He would do so. If nothing be left out I know this to be 
exactly what God requires, and by faith I would lay hold upon 
that proposition and say, I am the Lord's and He is my Father. 
With respect to evidences of my having received the Holy 
Spirit, I would look for them in various ways: in a growing 
desire on my part to know the Lord, to be acquainted with 
Him, and therefore 

{PageQ37} 

the study of His Word that I might become acquainted; and 
my desire to serve Him, and to seek opportunities in which I 
might serve Him; all of these would indicate that I had the 
same spirit that was in Christ Jesus, the same as prompted and 
moved Him, that led Him in doing the Father's will. I would 
expect that the eyes of my understanding would get clearer 
and clearer, so that I might be able to comprehend with all the 
saints the lengths and breadths, heights and depths of God's 
great love and plan, and I would go on in that way, and 
believe that in doing so I would obtain the prize. 

BEAST-Number Of. 

Q37:1:: QUESTION (191 1)-1-What about the 
number of the beast, 666? 

ANSWER.— There are various interpretations given to 
this. I am not specially prepared to say all about my view of 



the matter, except that I believe it would represent the title of 
papacy. There are three Latin words inscribed on the Pope's 
crown, Vicarius Felii Dei, the Vicarious Son of God. This 
title attached to the Pope would seem to be an illegitimate 
one. He is not the vicarious Son of God; he is not the vicar of 
Christ ; he is not reigning instead of Christ ; and therefore 
every intimation to the effect that he is the substitute or 
representative of Christ in reigning power would seem to be 
that much of a blasphemy. Not that the Pope and the 
Catholics understand that they are blaspheming. I presume 
they feel fully confident that this is all very true of him. But 
to our understanding it is untrue, and he is in a false position, 
and is really anti-Christ, or the counterfeit Christ, as the Bible 
would express the matter. 

BEGETTING-To the Divine Nature. 

Q37:2:: QUESTION (1907)-2-Are we begotten to the 
divine nature, or only to the spirit nature? 

ANSWER. --I answer that the begetting of the spirit is to 
the spirit nature, but in the case of our Lord, it is, must be, to 
the divine nature or nothing. Why? Because if He had failed 
to be more than a conqueror and worthy of the divine nature, 
according to the divine plan, then He could not have been 
acceptable at all. He could never have come into any 
secondary place. His begetting of the spirit must eventuate in 
the divine nature or nothing. But in the case of the church, 
we may say it is a little different; that while our begetting is 
of the spirit, and while the Lord intends that this shall be the 
highest form of the spirit nature, if we are faithful and follow 
in the footsteps of the Lord, yet there will also be some of this 
class begotten of the spirit who will never reach the divine 
nature, but will be, so to speak, sidetracked from the divine 
nature; therefore, we prefer to put it that the church is 
begotten to the spirit nature, and some of them get beyond 
this to the divine nature. The Great Company will reach the 
spirit plane yet not be of the divine nature. 

BEGETTING AND THE QUICKENING-Manifestations Of. 

Q37:3:: QUESTION (1907)-3--Comparingthe 

spiritual with the natural birth, what manifestations should we 

expect at the begetting and what at the quickening? 

{PageQ38} 

ANSWER— I would say that in comparing the spiritual 
begetting with the natural begetting, we would not expect 



much of any kind of manifestation at the begetting. It is a fact 
that it does take place, and the demonstration is found later, 
and so, if we are begotten of the Holy Spirit, we may have 
some consciousness of it, but the outward demonstration 
would not be very marked to anybody else; there would 
possibly be some manifestation to others; it would be the 
quickening, the energizing motion that would be the 
indication of a personal life. So when we are begotten of the 
Holy Spirit it quickens our mortal bodies, energizes us in the 
Lord's service, and we begin to have the love that moves and 
wants to serve God and the brethren, and to do good to all 
men as we have opportunity. 

BEGETTING-Spiritual, Real or Reckoned. 

Q38:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1--Is the spirit begetting a 
real or a reckoned condition? Will there ever be any in the 
great company who have not at some time as individuals been 
appointed a place in the little flock? 

ANSWER. --We answer, there never will be in the great 
company, so far as we know, anybody who did not have an 
opportunity of entering the little flock and failed to get in 
because of not fulfilling their vows of consecration. 

The only exception to this would be that we understand the 
Ancient Worthies really belong to the same class, and in this 
sense of the word, they never were invited to this high calling. 
They voluntarily sacrificed much and suffered much, and they 
have great honor of God, and this is the only part of the great 
company or antitypical Levite class that does not have an 
opportunity to come into the little flock. 

As to whether the spirit begetting is a real or a reckoned 
condition, I would say that it is a real thing. What do you 
mean by a real thing? Some people think that a real thing is 
something that you can put your hands on or see. Not real in 
the sense of tangible, but real in the sense of being bona fide 
and not a theory-a fact. How do we know it? This way, dear 
brother: The Lord's provision is that any of these who have 
been begotten of the Holy Spirit must be born of the Spirit or 
die the second death. You have actually given up the earthly 
nature, you must do that before you could he counted at all. 
'Whoever gives up restitution rights is dealing with God, and 
He is not to be trifled with. It is so real that if you give up the 
earthly rights, you can never get them back again. 

BEGETTING-To Divine or Spiritual Nature. 

Q38:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2- Are we begotten to the 
divine nature or to the spiritual nature? 



ANSWER--I answer that the divine nature is a spiritual 
nature. In the first volume of the Scripture Studies we had 
originally written that we were begotten to the divine nature, 
but finding so many of the Lord's dear people seemed to have 
difficulty in the matter, we thought it would save difficulty in 
the matter if we substituted the words "spiritual nature," 
instead of "divine." That change does not mean that there has 
been any real change. We believe that that was a proper 
statement to make that we are begotten to the divine nature, 
and that is a spiritual nature. The Scriptures prove that we are 
begotten to the divine nature. Peter said, "Unto you are given 
exceeding great and precious promises that by these 

{PageQ39} 

you might become partakers of the divine nature." These 

precious promises of the divine nature, of glory, honor and 

immortality are the begetting power that enters into our hearts 

and that the Lord uses through His Holy Spirit to work in us 

to will and to do His good pleasure. He assists us all along 

the way that we may make our calling and election sure. We 

are called to the divine nature. Are we begotten to the same? 

Yes, you are all called in the one hope of your calling—whether you get 

to it or not, it is one hope. 

Very well. Brother Russell, how is it that the Great 
Company does not attain to that nature and yet both are 
begotten to it? It could be this way, dear friends. Take an 
illustration from nature: This matter of the begetting of the 
Holy Spirit is founded upon the begetting of the natural being. 
In the case of the natural birth, the begetting is the same, 
whether that which is born is male or female. Here are two 
classes that God is developing from the same begetting, the 
members of His Body and the Great Company. To carry the 
matter further, those who have made it a study say that there 
is no perceptible difference until after the third month from 
begetting, whether the child is to be a male or a female. Just 
so with the spiritual; after the begetting, no one can tell for a 
while whether he is one that will attain to the divine nature or 
not. The matter is in the balance; it depends upon himself 
how he has received the engrafted word. If it causes you to 
will and to do, then you will be of the Little Flock. 

BEGETTING-Priorto Entering Holy. 

Q39:1:: QUESTION (191 1)-1 -Can One be Spirit-begotten prior to 

entering the holy place in the tabernacle.? 

If so, please explain when and where Spirit-begetting takes 



place. 

ANSWER. —There was no Spirit-begetting indicated in 
connection with entering the tabernacle. The Spirit-begetting 
was indicated in the anointing oil. It nevertheless was a fact 
that only the anointed priests were allowed to enter into the 
tabernacle. The Holy of the tabernacle stood for and 
represented the condition of consecration into which you and 
I have entered now. Since and at the time we became priests, 
and the time we were begotten of the Holy Spirit, that 
moment, that instant, we passed from the one condition into 
the other condition, into the Holy— and now since our 
begetting of the Spirit we are said to be seated with Christ in 
the holies, in the heavenlies, in this higher position 
represented by the tabernacle, itself. 

BEGETTING-Yet Not Accepted. 

Q39:2:: QUESTION (191 l)-2-Could we properly 
speak of one as having a Spirit-begotten life, and yet say that 
he has not been' accepted of the Lord to run for the prize? 

ANSWER. -No. We answer that all who are called at 
all are called in the one hope of their calling. All who are 
begotten of the Holy Spirit at all, are begotten with a view of 
their being priests. All of those who will enter the great 
company class, typified by the Levites, or such as have had 
this opportunity and have failed to make good the opportunity 
and are therefore as far as the prize is concerned castaways, 
or not found worthy of the priestly office, therefore are 
merely granted as a favor a share in the Levitical service. 

{PageQ40} 

BEGETTING-Re Begetting Not Followed by Quickening. 

Q40:1:: QUESTION (1915)-l-If anyone is begotten 
of the Holy Spirit and that person should never become 
quickened to activity in God's service, what will be the result? 

ANSWER. -We are not wise enough to say, dear 
brethren what might be the result. We know that this is a 
picture of the spiritual plane drawn from natural conditions. 
We know that any child begotten and never quickened will 
never mature; it will die. So on the spiritual plane; we would 
suppose that anyone begotten by the Holy Spirit and never 
reaching the point of quickening, or activity, would never 
have spiritual life, either in the present time or in the future, 
and would fail to be born of the Spirit. But there is a 
possibility that the Lord might deal with such; that having 
been begotten of the Spirit and failing to be quickened, that 



person might come forth on the natural plane. But we think 
the figure is against it. Therefore we would not wish to set it 
forth as a doctrine or teaching. 

BEGETTING-Through Whom? 

Q40:2:: QUESTION (1916)--2-Are we begotten of the 
Holy Spirit through Jesus? 

ANSWER.— I don't know what that question means. 
Jesus does not do the begetting of the Church, and yet the 
begetting comes through Jesus. I make a double answer. Our 
begetting is of the Father, as the Apostle says, "The God and 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has begotten us." That tells us 
who begat us; and the condition upon which we were 
begotten of the Father was the work of Jesus—through His 
death, and through the application (imputation) of His merit 
we were counted worthy to be begotten of the Holy Spirit. 
Jesus has something to do with it in the way of bringing us to 
the state where we could be begotten, but He is not the One 
who begets; and yet, "All things are of the Father and by the 
Son, and we by Him." This would correspond with what we 
find recorded respecting the day of Pentecost: when the 
Apostles were there in the upper room they were waiting for 
that which Jesus had promised them, and Jesus said it was the 
promise from the Father, and then St. Peter said the Father 
gave it to Jesus and Jesus shed it forth upon the Church at that 
time; so, that was the begetting of the spirit. We want to take 
in the whole scope of the matter. 

BEGINNING-Re Logos. 

Q40:3:: QUESTION (1909)-3-(John 1:2), "The same 
(Logos) was in the beginning with God." What beginning is 
here referred to? Does it refer to the beginning of all things 
which were made by the Logos, or to the beginning of the 
Logos himself? If it refers to the beginning of the Logos, how 
could he have been with the Father before he existed? 

ANSWER.— The word "beginning" is rather an indefinite 
word. When we think of our Heavenly Father, the Word tells 
us that He had no beginning. It would be difficult to imagine 
that He had a beginning, and it would be difficult to imagine 
that He had not a beginning. The difficulty is that our minds 
are finite. There is a difference between our minds and God's 
mind, just as there is a difference between our mind and the 
mind of a dog. I might have an intelligent dog and I should 
say. Jack, go and get the sheep, and he would get every one of 
them. But suppose I should say to him. Jack, I want to talk to 
you about astronomy. 



{PageQ41} 

or about God. Jack would not know anything about God, 
because his brain is not up to the capacity to receive it. God 
has not given the dog ability to reason beyond a given point. 
God has given us a wide range of reasoning, so that we can 
reason about moral questions and scientific questions, but 
none of us have such a mind as will grasp the eternal one. 
You will be in difficulty if you try to think of God having a 
beginning; it is beyond our capacity. Take as an illustration: 
Suppose you had a cannon that would throw a cannon ball at 
great speed for thousands and thousands of miles and never 
stop. O, you say, it would have to stop. Why? It would 
come to the end of space. What is the end of space? You 
can't imagine what the end of space is, and you can't imagine 
a cannon ball going forever and never coming to the end of 
space. So we will have to conclude that we have limitations 
to our brains. I cannot explain the beginning of God, for the 
Scriptures say that He had none. 

What beginning, then, is meant here? Why, the Lord's 
beginning when Jehovah created Him, and from that 
beginning, from the time Jehovah created Him, He has been 
with the Father. 

BIBLE-Addressed to A Lady or Christ's Bride. 

Q41 :1 :: QUESTION (1909)--l--Should we understand 
John's second epistle, as a letter from John to a private 
individual, or as a letter from Christ to His espoused Virgin? 

ANSWER.--! understand it to be from John to a private 
individual. What is true of one individual, however, would be 
true of a number of individuals in the Church of Christ, since 
we are members of the one body. The epistle to the 
Corinthians was not written to the Church at Saratoga 
Springs, but since the Church at Corinth and the Church at 
Saratoga Springs are under the same rules and regulations, the 
epistle is applicable to both. Likewise the second epistle of 
John. 

BIBLE-Re Creation of Earth. 

Q41:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-TheBible tells of 
creation. Out of what was the earth created? 

ANSWER.-The Bible does not tell of the creation of the 
material of the earth. It begins by saying, "Now the earth 
was." It already was, but it was without form and void, and 
darkness was on the face of the deep; and the creation that is 



mentioned for the six days is not the mention of the creation 
of matter, but the bringing of order out of the matter. 

BIBLE-Re Its Inspiration. 

Q41:3:: QUESTION (191 1)--3 --Do you believe in the 
inspiration of the Bible? 
ANSWER— I do believe in the inspiration of the Bible. 

BIBLE-lnfallibility. 

Q41:4:: QUESTION (191 l)-4-Do you believe the 
Bible infallible? 

ANSWER. -I believe the Bible as God gave it is without 
error. It would not he grammatical to say that the Bible is 
infallible. I will say that the Bible is unerring. Only a person 
can be infallible, you know, and I will make the explanation 
here that there are passages in the common version of the 
Bible that are not in the old manuscripts of the Bible, and 
some of these passages have caused confusion. 

{PageQ42} 

BIBLE-Re Being Without Error. 

042:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)-1 -Do you believe the 
Bible absolutely devoid of error? 

ANSWER.— There are certain parts of the Bible that are 
purely historical. The Books of Kings and Chronicles and the 
books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, are purely 
historical, and there is no particular need of inspiration in 
regard to these, unless it would be that divine providence 
would guide them so that they would not leave out what 
should be in. But where a history is written, it is not of 
necessity that it should be inspired, because all truth is good. 
If Saint Matthew, for instance, wrote that Jesus said thus and 
so, he is merely telling what he heard, what he knew to be the 
facts. He did not need to be inspired to tell the truth, any 
more than you need to be inspired to go out of here and tell 
what I have said: you should tell it straight; so there is no 
need of any inspiration about it. Now, I would say there are 
passages in Kings and Chronicles where evidently an error 
has been made. These are historical books, and there are little 
slips somewhere in the way the thing has been recorded. 
Both books cover the same period of time, but one gives it a 
little different from the other. We may see some day just how 
they can be harmonized, but at present we do not. 



BIBLE--A Minister's Greatest Troubles. 

Q42:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2-If the Bible has been 
misinterpreted on many vital points, how are we to 
understand the Bible, if we are not educated enough to know 
these things? 

ANSWER— Ministers are less able to interpret the Bible 
than any other class of people in the world. The Theological 
Seminaries do not teach Bible interpretation, but instruct the 
student how to defend the various creeds, and how to choke 
off investigation, and to make the investigator feel foolish. 
Nothing troubles a minister more than Bible questions. 

Our advice to those who want to know the Truth is to search 
the Scriptures and use Concordances and every Bible help 
that will assist them in a proper and rational understanding of 
the Scriptures. But be sure that the subject is approached 
honestly and prayerfully, with a desire to know the Truth and 
without sectarian prejudices. Remember the words of the 
Master, "Sanctify them through Thy Truth; Thy Word is 
Truth." 

BIBLE STUDY-Method of. 

Q42:3:: QUESTION (1911)-3-How would you advise 
the study of the Bible? Would you advise thinking it out for 
yourself first, or reading the comments before trying to 
reason it out? 

ANSWER. -Of course I am not sure that I understand 
the questioner's full meaning, but I would say, my dear friend, 
God declares that when our Lord Jesus ascended upon high, 
he gave gifts unto men. Then tells us what those gifts were: 
"And to some he gave apostles, and to some he gave prophets, 
and to some the working of miracles." Now then some of 
these gifts are with us today. There are some that have a 
natural teaching ability, but all have not the same ability as 
teachers. So the apostles ask. "Are all apostles? Are all 
prophets? Are all teachers?" No. Then he goes on to say that 
God gave these to the church for a certain purpose. What is 
the purpose? For the edifying of the saints, 

{PageQ43} 

for the work of the ministry, the work of service, serving the 
body of Christ, "Until we all come to the full stature of a man 
in Christ." That is to say, Jesus is the head, already glorified; 
now he has given these gifts to the church that they may 
develop one another as the various members of the body of 
Christ, until the whole body will be completed. Now if God, 



through Jesus, gave these special gifts to the church, we 
understand that it is a part of the duty of the church to use 
these gifts wherever they find them. So then it would not be 
the wisest course for a Bible student to study the Bible by 
himself. If many have been studying the Bible for years 
without making much out of it, we must look to see how the 
Lord is leading, what is the Lord's providence. We are not to 
take anybody's word or judgment in the matter; we are to have 
the thing proved to us, and the Word of God is to be standard 
for everything we receive; but whether it comes to you in a 
few seconds through somebody else, is another matter. 
Whenever it comes to you, it is for you to prove that which 
you receive, and to see that it is in harmony with God's Word. 

BIBLE~ln Millennial Age. 

Q43:1 :: QUESTION (1908)--1--Will the world of 
mankind need the Bible in the Millennial age? 

ANSWER.--"Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, and a 
lantern to my footsteps." And the reason we need the Bible 
now as a lamp and a lantern is because we are in a dark time, 
until the day dawn, and the day-star arises. After the day-star 
arises you will not need the lantern. The world will have 
something better than the lantern. But I think the Bible will 
always be with the world, just the same as you have a history 
of France. Do you need the history of France? You are not 
going to live a hundred years in the past, but it is interesting 
for you to read the history of France. Do you need the history 
of the Jews? You are not going to be a Jew, are you? No, but 
it is interesting for you to know the history of God's dealings 
with the Jews and His providences and how these things work 
out. So I think the world will get a great blessing from the 
Bible when they see how the prophecies were written 
aforetime, and how they were fulfilled. I think it will be a 
great text-book of learning for them, but they will not be 
dependent on the Bible; it will not be their instructor then as 
now. It will be a sort of side-light, or as a picture of the times 
gone by, that will help to make them have greater reverence 
for the Lord and for His promises, and for all of His dealings 
of the past. 

BIBLE-ln Heaven. 

Q43:2:: QUESTION (1908)-2-Do you think the Bible 
will be used by anybody but the world? Do you think the 
Church will use the Bible after passing the vail? 

ANSWER.— No, when we go to heaven, we will not 
have any spiritual Bibles. 



BIBLE-Used by Whom in Millennium? 

Q43:3:: QUESTION (1908)--3--Will anybody else but 
the world use the Bible? 

ANSWER.— There will not be anybody else here to use 
it; they will all be the world, except the Ancient Worthies. 
They may refer to it occasionally, and also the Dawns, but it 
will not be their guide, because the Ancient Worthies will be 
under the direct supervision of the Spiritual Church; all 

{PageQ44} 

the instructions will come direct from the Church to the 

Ancient Worthies, and from the Ancient Worthies to all the 

people, and they will not be dependent upon the Bible. But 

you can suppose that Abraham, for instance, will be very 

pleased to read the account in Genesis, and the prophesies, 

and will be very pleased to read in the New Testament where 

Jesus said He was before Abraham. Abraham will look at 

that and say, Jesus said that; how true it was; and how little I 

expected anything like that! And he may, for all I know, be 

interested in reading the Dawns, and a lot of other books—perhaps the 

history of France, and see how they used to think 

it was a glorious thing to butcher each other; and he may go 

and look at some statues and war monuments and say, 

Why did they make that statue? 

He was a great man. 

What did he do? 

Oh, he led one company of men; they had guns, and 
powder, and bullets and killed a whole lot of people. 

Is that the reason they called him a great man? 

Yes. 

So in the future they will be looking back at these histories 
of the wars with very peculiar interest to see what kind of 
madness could come into the human family, how crazy 
people could get, to kill one another— over some trifling 
matter, -whether they should be Democrats or Republicans; 
or whether they should be Methodists or Presbyterians. We 
are only beginning to get the spirit of a sound mind; we have 
not a sound mind yet, we are getting the spirit of a sound 
mind, the disposition of it, and it is coming to us more and 
more every day. Thank God for it! 



BODY OF SIN--Re the "Old Man." 

Q44:1 :: QUESTION (1911)-- -"Knowing this, that the 
old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be 
destroyed; that henceforth we should not serve sin." Does the 
"old man" and the "body of sin" have reference to one and 
the same thing? 

ANSWER-No. My understanding is that the apostle 
meant here by "old man" in your case your "old man," or your 
"old woman," as the case might be; that is to say, your old 
human nature—that which you gave up when you came to the 
Lord, that which he accepted as your consecration, and my 
body, if the Lord accepted it. This is our "old man." This 
used to be the man, but we have become new creatures. Now, 
this old body, all the interests of the flesh, are crucified with 
Christ. We have given them all up. As Jesus' flesh hung 
literally on the cross, so your flesh was given up in 
consecration, that the Lord may use it in any way pleasing to 
him— whether upon the cross or in some other way, it is none 
of your concern, since your human will is fully submitted to 
death. "Not my will, but thy will be done"— this is the "cross" 
will; this is the will that is dead; this is the will that is 
crucified with Christ, and all of the body's interests were 
given with that will; all of these interests are likewise 
crucified. But now, what for? What did Christ die for? 
Well, he died that the body of sin might be destroyed. What 
do you die for? That the body of sin might be destroyed. 
How many bodies of sin are there? Only one. There is but 
one body of sin. What do you mean? I mean that sin is 
personified. We are living under a reign of sin. 

{PageQ45} 

It is not a person, it is not a man. Sin that is reigning is here 
used as a figure of speech, and the apostle says that Christ 
died with a view to destroying this body of sin in the world. 
And what are you giving your life for? Where does your life 
come in? You also are obliged to destroy this body of sin, this 
great sin system with which we have to do. As the apostle 
says, "You have given up your very life with Christ that you 
might share with him in destroying this great body of sin that 
has been reigning as a great king over mankind. If ye have 
given up your life and consecrated yourself, how could you 
any longer live in harmony with sin? Not at all. You are 
bound to be in opposition to sin in every form in which you 
find it; that is part of your covenant; that is part of what you 
have done with your body. It has been taken away from being 



a servant of sin, a servant of this great principle now ruling, 
and have become a servant of God and righteous; and the 
battle is on between righteousness and sin. Righteousness is 
one figure, representing the Lord and his kingdom, sin is the 
other figure, representing Satan and his kingdom, and there is 
a conflict on between the two; and we are in with Christ for 
the destruction of the sin, of this body of sin, this great ruler 
that has ruled the world for the past six thousand years; and 
the fight will be on for yet a little while, and to some extent 
the fight will be on for a thousand years yet, because all 
through that thousand years Christ, and you, and I, with him 
on the plane of glory if we are faithful, will all the while be 
putting down, bringing into subjection, until the last enemy 
shall be destroyed, which is death. The body of sin, the 
whole sin system, will then be wholly overthrown, utterly 
destroyed. 

BREATHED-The Lord Breathed on Them. 

Q45:1 :: QUESTION (1905)--1--What is meant by John 20:22 
when it says that our Lord breathed on them, etc? 
ANSWER. —Our Lord was giving them a pantomimic 
teaching. He wanted them to understand that in sending them 
out they were not to exercise power belonging to themselves, 
but the power of God through them, therefore, he gave them 
the illustration of breath, or his spirit, which he wished to 
communicate to them. He did this as a sample of his spirit 
power, influence or mind in them, by which they would cast 
out devils, heal the sick, etc., in his name. 

BRIDE-ls Bride Complete? 

Q45:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-Have allof thebride 
class passed beyond the vail, and are the great company the 
only ones left upon the earth. 

ANSWER.— I hope not, my friends. I have no inside 
information, but I hope we are still permitted to hope that we 
may make our calling and election sure by walking in the 
footsteps of Jesus. I have no reason to think that the bride 
class is complete. 

BUSYBODY-Prov. 16:28. 

Q45:3:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-3 -Please explain 
Proverbs 16:28: "A forward man soweth strife, and a 
whisperer separateth chief friends." 

ANSWER— I would think it is as plain as the nose on a 
man's face. If I knew how to make a proverb like that, I 
would feel insulted if some one asked me to explain it. I am 



not bright enough to make it, and I a not stupid enough to 

{PageQ46} 

try to explain it, except to explain the obsolete words of the 
text. A forward man is a bad man, whose acts and words tend 
to produce envy, bitterness, misunderstandings, strife. A 
whisperer is a busybody or slanderer. 

CAIN AND ABEL-lnto What Country? 

Q46:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1-When there were no 
other inhabitants of the earth but Adam and Eve, and Cain 
and Abel, into what country did Cain and Abel go to take unto 
themselves wives, there being but four people (the above 
named) upon the earth, according to Scripture? 

ANSWER~The Scriptures do not say there were no 
more than four people upon the earth. The Scriptures do not 
mention the daughters of Adam, and the supposition would be 
in harmony with the record, that when Cain took a wife, he 
took one of his sisters. There was no objection to a brother 
and sister marrying then, for in many respects they would be 
better adapted. The reason for their not marrying today is that 
the race has so deteriorated that for a brother and sister to 
marry, their children would inherit the characteristics of the 
family to such an extent that they would go insane, and 
therefore the law forbids it, even to cousins and second 
cousins. 

This is quite a contradiction, you see, to the doctrine of 
evolution. 

CAMP-How Many Camps. 

Q46:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-"Together with Him 
without the camp"~does this mean to go out in the second 
camp, or are there two camps? 

ANSWER— The Apostle says. Let us go to Him without 
the camp. In the English of today we would say. Let us go to 
Him outside the camp. We do not use the word "without" the 
camp in that same way today. Let us go to Him outside the 
camp-what does that mean? Well the camp would represent 
that condition of things which claimed to be in harmony with 
God. Look back in Jesus' day: Jesus went outside the camp. 
Was it the Gentile camp? No. What was the camp with 
Him? The camp in Jesus' time was composed of all those who 
professed to be God's people, holy people—all the Jewish 
people who professed to be in harmony with the Lord. What 
would it mean that He went outside the camp? He was 



pledged in his faithfulness and loyalty to God to take His 
stand which took Him outside of the sympathy and fellowship 
of those who were not fully Israelites indeed—all the Jews that 
were Israelites indeed in whom was no guile could appreciate 
it, and they, like the disciples, were in the attitude of the 
Levites that were approaching the Holy and drawing near to 
the Lord, and were, like the Levites, ministering in the Court. 
This would represent the attitude of all believers inside of that 
white curtain. But those who constituted the camp at that 
time were nominal professors who did not appreciate fully, 
and Jesus in order to be faithful to God and His message was 
obliged to stand for the truth, for that which is right, and that 
brought Him out of sympathy and out of accord with the great 
nominal mass of the Jewish people. Now the Apostle says. 
Let us go to Him outside the camp. What does this mean? It 
meant to the Apostles of old that they should also take the 
same stand toward the law that Jesus took toward the law; the 
same stand toward the Pharisees and scribes and the 

{PageQ47} 

doctors of the law that Jesus took. Then to those afterwards 

who became associated with the Gentiles, as, for instance 

Paul, Silas, and Barnabas, who ministered to the Gentiles, we 

think outside the camp meant outside the synagogue of the 

Jews and all of those who professed to be in harmony with 

God that were living in Rome, or wherever they might be—whoever stood 

for and claimed to be God's people constituted 

the camp. What does it mean today? The camp today means 

all of Christendom, all the dear people who claim that they 

are spiritual Israelites, that is God's camp. It is found 

principally in the United States and Europe. And all of God's 

people who are sincerely following in the footsteps of Jesus 

will find that they will not be appreciated by the general 

camp. In other words, the nominal church will not generally 

appreciate the spirit of the Lord and the teachings of the Lord, 

and therefore all who would be faithful to Jesus and walk in 

his steps will find themselves today just as much out of 

accord with the camp of today as Jesus and the Apostles 

found themselves out of accord with the camp of their day. 

To go to Him without the camp today means that we will take 

up our cross, whatever sacrifice it might mean to you and me, 

the breaking of tender ties with dear fellow Christians who 

are Methodists, or Presbyterians, etc., willing to go to the 

Lord and be faithful and loyal to Him at any cost, no matter 

how others may view it. And as a matter of fact it was those 



of the camp that persecuted Jesus and the Apostles; and it is 
those of the camp who have persecuted the Church which is 
the Body of Christ from that day to this. 

CANAAN--Of What Was It Typical? 

Q47:1 :: QUESTION (1915)--l--Pastor Russell says, 
"The children of Israel's journey through the wilderness 
toward the land of Canaan was typical of the Christian's 
journey through this world of sin toward the Heavenly 
Canaan." Typical Israel did all their fighting after they got 
into the land of Canaan. Where is the antitypical Canaan, 
and what are the antitypical Canaanites, and how are they 
fought by antitypical Israel? 

ANSWER.--The Apostle Paul intimates that this whole 
matter of Israel's history was typical of the experience of 
Christians. (1 Cor. 10:11, margin.) But we need to be very 
cautious; for in some instances we are leaning, in a certain 
degree, to our judgment. But my thought would be that this 
traveling toward Canaan typifies the attempt to enter into a 
proper relationship with God. Israel did not enter into Canaan 
as quickly as they might have done. If they had had proper 
faith they might have entered in very soon. They might at 
once have gone from Mount Sinai into the land of Canaan, 
and had God's blessing with them. They did not go in 
because of unbelief. So any of us who wandered through a 
wilderness state before coming into the family of God did so, 
not because it was necessary, but because we did not exercise 
sufficient faith. We did not need to wait forty years, or any 
period of time, but could have come quickly; by consecration 
we could have entered in at once. 

But the majority were delayed. Like the Jews, they did not 
enter in quickly. Instead of promptly entering into the 
blessings they might have had through the exercise of more 

{PageQ48} 

faith, many wandered around many years. Joshua there 
represented Jesus, in type. The sooner the Jews would 
recognize Joshua and his leadership, the sooner would he 
cross Jordan and enter the land of Canaan. So the sooner we 
recognized that the Law could accomplish nothing for us, the 
sooner we ourselves, under Joshua (Jesus) got into Canaan. 
When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, then began 
the wars with the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Amorites, the 
Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. These 
represent the weaknesses of our human nature that we are to 



battle against and overcome, that we may take possession of 
the whole Land of Promise, the privileges we have as the 
children of God. 

CAPTIVITY-Captivity Led Captive. 

Q48:1 :: QUESTION (1906)--1--In the Scripture 
referring to the Savior, that he led captivity captive and gave 
gifts to men, what is specially meant by the word captivity? 

ANSWER.— The captivity that is on the world is the 
captivity of slavery to sin and death. That is the great 
captivity. As the Apostle declares, we as a race were sold to 
sin and the wages of sin came down on the whole race; we are 
all sinners; and we are all dying. That is captivity. You 
remember how the prophets and our Lord also speak of the 
tomb as being the great prison house, and speak of even the 
whole world in their limitations, mental, moral and physical, 
as being captives. Now, our Lord when He died, did so as the 
great Ransomer, as the Redeemer of the whole race. He 
bought the prison house and all the prisoners, and all of those 
who were in a dying condition, and now He has thus led 
captivity captive. He owns the captives, and in His own due 
time He is going to open the prison doors, and say, "Come 
forth, show yourselves." 

CHARACTER-Development Before Spirit Begetting. 

Q48:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-Is there any real 
character building before the spiritual begetting? 

ANSWER. -I think that some of the people of the world 
do build character, and I have seen many such people, but 
none of the building along that line would have any purpose 
or give them any consideration from God's standpoint of the 
call. Whatever they do, however, will he that much built 
against the times of restitution, and if they are that far up the 
ladder and out of the degradation and mire, they will have that 
much shorter time. Therefore, I would teach them that every 
step downward would mean disaster to that extent, and when 
God's time shall come, every endeavor shall have its reward. 
But the building of character for Christ is, of course, only 
applicable to the Church, for the Bible was written for the 
Church, to those who are in the school of Christ, those who 
are seeking to be His. 

CHARACTER-Outward Polish vs. Inward Grace. 

048:3:: OUESTION (1910-Z)-3--What constitutes the 
difference between the outward polish and politeness of some 
natural men and that polish and politeness which properly 



belongs to the New Creature, developed in the fruits and 
graces of the holy Spirit? 

ANSWER. --The qualities of meekness, gentleness, 
patience, etc., are qualities that belonged to the first man 
when he was created in the image and likeness of God. They 
are, 

{PageQ49} 

therefore, human qualities that may be cultivated to a certain 
extent by any human being, and should be striven for by all. 
But, as a matter of fact, as a result of the fall, selfishness and 
general meanness have depraved the appetites and ways of all 
mankind to so great an extent that, as the Scriptures say, there 
is none righteous, perfect, no, not one; "from the crown of the 
head to the sole of the foot," all are imperfect. Hence no 
natural man would have these glorious traits of character 
largely and fully developed, though there certainly is a 
difference between the development of some and that of 
others. 

We see, however, that aside from these natural graces, some 
worldly people have assumed something of the various graces 
of the Spirit. In their business methods they attempt to be 
gentle, and properly so. It is considered a part of the proper 
conduct of colleges, and especially ladies' seminaries, to 
instruct the young in politeness, in what to say and what not 
to say; in how to say things and how not to say things; and all 
of this brings an outward smoothness to these persons in their 
general deportment. In such cases, however, the smoothness 
is cultivated because of the idea that this constitutes "good 
breeding"; that this is what any lady or gentleman should do 
or say; and thus it may be a mere veneer, not really affecting 
the sentiments of the heart. The person may be outwardly 
very calm and smooth and pleasant, and yet at heart feel very 
sour and envious and mean. 

Those who are merely outward observers might not be able 
to ascertain whether that man or woman were actuated by the 
proper spirit or not. They might not be able to know whether 
these changes were the "fruits of the spirit" or fruits of good 
education, but anyone knowing well the private life of such 
persons would he sure to ascertain the facts, because, as the 
old expression has it, "Murder will out"; and these persons, 
while they might preserve a smooth outward demeanor, 
would occasionally, in private at least, demonstrate that they 
were not in sympathy with the outward demeanor, but that it 
was merely a veneer, and to that extent hypocrisy. Perhaps a 



measure of hypocrisy in that sense would be advisable for 
some people; it might be better for them to put on a little 
veneer if they cannot have the genuine article; better that they 
should appear smooth rather than appear rough; it would at 
least help the world along a little for them to be as smooth as 
they are able in their general dealings. 

The merchant who, after pulling down large stocks of goods 
and telling a customer that it is no trouble at all to show 
goods, that he is just pleased at having the opportunity to do 
so, and that there is no obligation whatever in the matter, and 
showing the very essence of politeness, but who, after the 
lady is gone out of the store, stamps his foot and complains, 
announces thus to all in his company, that his politeness is 
merely assumed as a necessity in the business. He does this 
either for his own sake, if he is the proprietor of the store, or 
for the sake of his situation, if he is an employee. 

With the Christian these graces are developed from within. 
Whatever he may have been naturally, smooth or rough, the 
New Creature cultivates and approves these graces in the 
heart, and they reach from the heart all the way to the 
surface. It is the new mind that is regulating the New 

{PageQ50} 

Creature, and the New Creature, instead of having 
smoothness merely on the outside, has it running clear 
through the grain from the very core. 

This New Creature that is thus developing may not at all 
times have as smooth an outward exterior as some of the old 
creatures who have the veneer for the sake of money or for 
other reasons. They may have worse natural dispositions; 
they may have naturally less patience, or less sympathy, or 
may be moved by such honesty as would lead them to avoid 
saying anything different from what they would feel, anything 
different from what would be their sentiments; and their 
sentiments, not having yet reached the right point, sometimes 
impel them to say the wrong thing. These, of course, should 
learn to govern the outward man even before all their 
sentiments have come into fullest sympathy with the Spirit of 
the Lord. They should recognize the proprieties of outward 
conduct, and speedily get in line with these proprieties, and as 
rapidly as possible bring every sentiment into full accord with 
the Spirit of the Lord that they may become more and more 
kind and loving and helpful to others and thus "show forth the 
praises of him who has called them out of darkness into his 
marvelous light." 



CHARACTER-When Crown Is Ours. 
Q50:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--At what point of 
character development can we say, the crown is ours, and 
that we are over comers? 

ANSWER— I think, dear friends, that the proper point at 
which we could say that, would be when we reach the mark 
of perfect love. For instance, you came to the Lord and made 
your consecration, you entered the School of Christ and began 
to learn of him. That was about the time you found out how 
short you were of the proper measure. Will the Lord ever be 
able to make anything out of me? Now the Lord is going to 
measure you according to your mind and is waiting for you to 
get to the mark of perfect love, which is the standard of a 
perfect character, for none will be worthy of a place in the 
kingdom or eternal life except those that reach this mark, 
either now or in the Millennial Age. God has nothing for 
anyone except those that reach that standard in his mind and 
heart. He may have weaknesses, etc., and you may speak 
things that you are sorry for, and must apologize for, but your 
heart is at the mark-perfect love-and that is the reason you 
want to apologize, because you have reached the mark of 
perfect love. You love God, and all mankind, and wish to do 
good to all, as you have an opportunity. After a person gets 
where he can love his enemies, he is at the mark of perfect 
love. He will not be perfect in flesh, for that will not be 
possible in this age. Many still have to put a bridle upon their 
tongues, etc., you must hold in the old nature. This I have 
often illustrated by a bad dog which would represent our old 
nature, and for which the new creature is responsible. We 
must hold him in. Our intentions are good, as is shown by the 
fact that when the heat or excitement of the moment is passed, 
then the heart goes back to the principles of righteousness, 
and asks for forgiveness from the Father. He will ask for 
forgiveness for anything he has done. You might say, it will 
be harder to rectify this, than not to have done it in the first 
place. Surely. But that is what you must do, if you want 

{PageQ51} 

to prove to the Lord that your heart is for righteousness, and 
whenever you find you have made a mistake, you must rectify 
it. Now, then, if you get to that place, you have gotten to the 
place where, to my understanding, you are at the mark of 
perfect love, toward God, men, etc. You desire good for all 
and injury toward none. From that moment, I understand, the 



Lord counts you as one having a crown apportioned to you. 
That is one thing, but seeing that no man take your crown is 
another thing. After granted to you it still remains that if you 
are moved from the mark, pressed aside by difficulties, you 
are not standing this test, and you will not be worthy of being 
an overcomer. So you see there is a mark of character, 
without which none will be acceptable in the kingdom, 
spiritual or earthly. Now we must demonstrate our love and 
devotion, that is what we live for to-day and tomorrow, and in 
all your Christian experience, from the time you enter the 
school of Christ, for you are to learn of him as quickly as 
possible and get to the mark of perfect love toward all. 

CHARACTER-Perfection This Side the Veil. 

Q51 :1 :: QUESTION (1913-Z)-l-How near to the 
character likeness of our Lord Jesus Christ must one attain 
on this side the veil in order to have good hope of being one 
of the elect on the other side of the veil? 

ANSWER-Jehovah God will not accept anything 
that is imperfect. Even our human nature presented to him 
sacrificially by the High Priest needed first to be covered by 
the merit of the Priest Himself and to be thus perfected before 
being Divinely accepted. In thinking of ourselves, however, 
we are to remember that we have the New Creature in an 
earthen vessel. It is the New Creature that must have 
the likeness of Christ. 

In the flesh we are beset by the world, the flesh and the 
Devil. All these things conspire to hinder the New Creature 
from working perfectly in the old body. The will 
must be nothing less than perfect. As Jesus said, "Blessed 
are the pure in heart," (Matt. 5:8) Purity of heart must be 
absolute. 

The pure of heart are those whose intentions are pure, 
whose motives are pure, who desire the best—long for 
the best. These may have strong consolation, may have full 
confidence toward God respecting the glorious things He has 
promised; for they could do no more than the best they are 
able to do in the natural body--and thus show their 
devotion. 

CHARACTER-Fruit Bearing vs. Following Jesus, 

Q51:2:: QUESTION ( 19 13)--2-Is developing the fruits 
of the spirit walking in the footsteps of Jesus? 

ANSWER.— No, we are not to mix figures. Walking in 
the footsteps of Jesus is one figure, and developing the fruits 



of the spirit is another. They may represent the same thing, 
but we are not to confuse these things. The Apostle 
enumerates the fruits of the spirit, kindness, meekness, 
patience, brotherly kindness, love. Is that walking in the 
footsteps of Jesus? No, not exactly. But as we seek to do as 
Jesus did, it will lead to the development of those fruits or 
graces. Obedience to the Lord's arrangements develop these 
fruits in our characters. 

{PageQ52} 

character-No Patent Method of Development. 

Q52:1 :: QUESTION (1915)--l--What is the best and 
most sure, quick and Scriptural method for developing a 
Christ-like life—a life of God—likeness? 

ANSWER— There is no patent way, my dear brethren 
(laughter). It means perseverance; it means loyalty; it means 
faithfulness. There is no royal road; there is no way by which 
you can have a "presto-change" and become Christ-like 
without putting forth effort. 

In the case of our Lord Jesus, in the Father's arrangement, 
according to the Father's Plan, it required some time to 
develop patience and to be tested along all the necessary lines 
on which His Church was also to be tested (Heb. 4:15). 
There is no short route, then! The Lord will try His people, 
will judge and prove His people. He will not have any but 
proved people in that chosen company. If they will not stand 
the test and prove faithful, God will not let them into the 
Kingdom. 

So then, the only way that I can suggest is the one plain way 
of the Bible. Naturally, the first thing would be the giving of 
ourselves fully to the Lord. Secondly, we are to seek to walk 
in His ways. And we are to let our light shine, whatever may 
be the cost. We are to study the Word; we are to be constant 
in prayer; we are to watch ourselves and the Lord's 
providences, keeping ourselves in the love of God. The Lord 
will see to it that there is enough opposition all along our 
pathway to properly develop and prove us, and if we are 
faithful, it will mean more or less of suffering. These will be 
the sufferings of Christ, and if we cheerfully endure even unto 
death, then we know we shall be counted worthy of the prize— Kingdom, 
glory and honor. We are to remember that the 
Lord not only called us to honor, but to righteousness, to 
holiness. Therefore seek to live righteously, soberly, 
self-sacrificingly. 

God has given us an understanding of what is pleasing and 



acceptable to Him and what is displeasing to Him in our 
characters. He tells that He is pleased that we should have a 
large measure of His Holy Spirit. We are to manifest the 
meekness, the gentleness of Christ. The Apostle says that we 
are to abound in patience, in self-control, in long-suffering, in 
brotherly kindness, in love. If these fruits be in us, and then if 
they reach the abounding condition or degree, we shall be 
neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord; 
and so an entrance shall be ministered unto us abundantly into 
the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior. But he who 
does not appreciate the necessity of this is blind, as the 
Apostle says; he cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that 
he was purged from his old sins (2 Pet. 1:7-9). 

If a spirit-begotten New Creature fails to see the privilege of 
cultivating the Master's spirit— the spirit of holiness—it is 
because he is not making progress. He is like a new-born 
child that has not learned to focus its eyes. You know a kitten 
does not get its eyes open until the ninth day, and then it 
comes gradually to properly use its eyes. So with us as New 
Creatures at the beginning of our experience: we do not know 
at first how to focus our spiritual eyesight. But, surely, as we 
grow more and more toward maturity we must come to have 
the proper focus on all the affairs of life. We must see "what 
is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12:2). 
And if, in the very beginning, we have a desire to do 
that will and to go on 

{PageQ53} 

unto perfection, we shall understand it better and be more and 
more able to perform it. 

CHART-Re Great Company on Plane "L." 

Q53:1 :: QUESTION (1909)-l-Does the reaching of 
plane "L" (chart) in the first resurrection, bring full personal 
glory, immortality, the Divine nature? If so, how are we to 
understand that the Great Company who are to be raised to 
that plane through great tribulation will not be immortal? 
Why does plane "L" bring immortality to one class and not to 
another? 

ANSWER— In making the chart it was not possible to 
show everything, and we are surprised that it shows as much 
as it does. Plane "L" represents spiritual perfection, and it 
represents the plane to which both the Great Company and 
the Little Flock will come, but the Little Flock will have the 
additional glory and distinction called "immortality," or the 



Divine nature, separate and distinct from the Great Company. 
The way it is represented on the chart will not affect the 
matter in reality. 

CHART-Significance of Planes L and K on Chart. 

Q53:2:: QUESTION ( 19 12-Z)-2-In describing the 
Chart you say, Vol. 1, page A211, "These, when born from 
the dead in the resurrection, will have the divine nature and 
form." Please harmonize this statement with another found 
on page 235, which reads thus: "We know not how long it 
will be after their change, or perfecting, as spirit beings 
(plane L), before they as a full and complete company will be 
glorified (plane K) with the Lord, united with Him in power 
and great glory." 

ANSWER--The two quotations are in perfect accord. 
The questioner's difficulty is in respect to what is signified by 
plane "L" and plane "K" on the Chart. Plane "L" represents 
the personal glory of our Lord and the Church by the 
power of the First Resurrection, from human' nature to 
divine nature. We understand that all the members of the 
elect Church will experience such a change, from mortal to 
immortal conditions, from human to divine nature, from 
weakness to power, from dishonor to glory, from animal to 
spirit conditions (1 Cor. 15:44), before being ushered into the 
glory of power and dominioN' represented by plane 
"K." In other words, the first quotation refers to the 
personal exaltatioN' of all the spirit-begotten, overcoming 
class in the First resurrection, to plane "L," and the second to 
their exaltation to plane "K," which will come when the 
Heavenly Bridegroom shall present His Bride complete, 
without fault or blame, before the Heavenly Father, as 
pictured in the 45th Psalm. 

CHILD-BEARING"Re Being Saved In. 

Q53:3:: QUESTION (191 l)--3--How do we understand 
(1 Tim. 2:15,) which reads, "Notwithstanding she shall be 
saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, and charity, 
and holiness, with sobriety?" 

ANSWER--This is a very peculiar passage. I am not 
sure that I have the right understanding of it, and wherever I 
am not sure what the Lord's meaning is, my rule is to speak 
very cautiously. 



{PageQ54} 

CHILDREN-Supervision of Children During Time of Trouble. 

Q54:1 :: QUESTION (1906)--! --Are there any special 
words of instruction and comfort in God's Word to the 
children of consecrated parents, who must most likely go 
through the time of trouble, and who will not have reached 
the years of accountability? 

ANSWER— I would say that while we do not know of 
any words that are directly addressed to such children, we do 
know this: That from the Lord's standpoint all of His people 
are precious, and all of their interests are precious—not only 
themselves, but their little ones and everything that would be 
theirs would be certainly precious in the sight of the Lord. It 
is a selfevident fact and does not really need any statement in 
the Scriptures. I would say that all children of believers are 
under the Lord's special protection and care up to the time of 
their personal accountability, when they have responsibility 
for themselves; and we may certainly conclude that all such 
will be under the special supervision of the angel of the Lord. 

CHILDREN-Training in the Way They Should Go. 

Q54:2:: QUESTION (1907)-2-"Trainup achildin 
the way in which he ought to go, and when he is old he will 
not do part from it." Why do they so many times depart from 
the right way? 

ANSWER— I think the principal reason is that they are 
not properly trained in the way in which they should go. I 
think people in the truth need a little lesson along the line of 
training children. Perhaps we have something that works to 
our disadvantage in the matter. The more your heart becomes 
large, and forgiving, and generous, the more you will forgive 
your friends, and your children, but you must remember that 
when dealing with your children, you are not dealing with 
them as with another man or woman; you must look at the 
character that is being formed, and you must, in line with the 
Lord's arrangements, bring discipline to bear so as to fashion 
that character in the way in which the Lord would have it go. 
If it is a crooked little twig, you must put on splints where it is 
crooked and help straighten it up, because if you allow it to 
grow up to be a big tree with those crooks, you can never put 
on splints that will straighten it out. I think some of the 
friends are inclined to spare the rod, and do not notice what 
the Scriptures say. We are not to spare the rod when it is 
necessary. We are to take God's way in the matter. Does 



God spare the rod on you when it is necessary? By no means. 
"Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me." I am glad God has 
a rod and a staff for His people; glad that He does not let us 
go without correction, if we need it. But when we have the 
right spirit in the matter, we will feel more of a regret that we 
have need of the chastisement than the getting of the 
chastisement itself. The worst thing of the rod should be, "I 
am so sorry that I need to be chastised, and that I did not 
correct myself, or hold myself in the proper restraint." And 
that is what you want to cultivate in the child--not that the 
child shall get a certain number of whippings, but that as 
children of God, it is your duty and responsibility, and you 
must whip it. I can count the whippings I got in my life on 
my fingers; I got just five, and I remember all about every one 
of them, and all the circumstances connected with them. I got 
three from 

{PageQ55} 

my mother. I want to tell you about one of them. I was about 
five, as near as I can remember. Of course, I may have gotten 
some spankings when I was so small I did not know about it, 
but when I was about five, I remember I got one. My mother 
taught me to the best of her knowledge. She had a pair of 
leather tawers that would bite at the end, but do no real harm. 
There were about six or eight tails to them~"Their hurt was in 
their tails." "Charles, bring the tawers and come up stairs." 
So I carried the tawers up stairs. She said, now, sit down here 
and I will read to you out of the Bible. She thought I had 
prevaricated, or had twisted the truth; not that I had told a 
point-blank lie, but twisted the truth a little, as most children 
are inclined to do, especially if some older folks laugh at them 
and think they are smart; but I did not have anyone to laugh at 
me and think it was smart if I should do anything of that kind. 
I learned that that was not the way to do. So she read to me 
from Revelations all about those without, all the liars shall 
have their place with those who burn with fire and brimstone, 
etc., and she said, "Charles, I do not want you to have your 
portion with those in the lake that burneth with fire and 
brimstone, and it is my duty, as your mother, to give you 
chastisement, and I must do it. I do not want to whip you, but 
I must do it for your good. This is the teaching of the Lord's 
Word, and this is what will happen if you should grow up to 
be a liar, and if you should grow up to become a bad man." 
You see how much impression that made on my mind, that 
little suggestion from the Scriptures. Of course, if she had 



understood the matter, she never would have made that 
application of the Scripture, but she could have found some 
other Scripture that would have been equally forcible, and 
perhaps more so. The fact that God has no use for liars can 
be very easily impressed on the mind of a child. 

CHILDREN~Re Millennial Blessings. 

Q55:1:: QUESTION (1909)--1--What position will 
children occupy and what blessings will they get in the 
Millennial Age? 

ANSWER— Well, I presume they will occupy a position 
in laps if they are small enough. I may suppose that you 
mean that if any of the consecrated have had children, how 
will they fare? Undoubtedly there will be many kind hearted 
people living then, and when they know that these children 
are the children of the glorified, they will be very glad to take 
care of them. We may also be quite sure that the parents who 
will be on the other side the vail will be more able to care for 
their children than when here. 

What blessings will they receive? They will receive the 
same as the rest of the families of the earth, for whom Christ 
has died, and for whom God has made an abundant provision 
for a knowledge of Himself. 

CHILDREN-Extent of Education Re Shortness of Time. 

Q55:2:: QUESTION (1910)-2-To what extent should 
the Truth people, Bible Students, educate their children, 
knowing the shortness of the time between now and the time 
of trouble, for instance, and also in view of the fact that in 
any higher education there is a tendency toward infidelitv, 
higher criticism and agnosticism? Would you advise a 
common education in music? 

{PageQ56} 

ANSWER-My thought, dear friends, would be that the 
majority of children would be better off if they would not go 
beyond, or much beyond, a common school education. I do 
not know of a college anywhere that would really do them 
any good. I remind you of a young man who came from 
India. His father was a native of India and had embraced 
Christianity, and, according to this son, his father was a 
genuine Christian, and so this young man was very anxious to 
come to America and get his education. Apparently his father 
was connected with the Methodist Church Mission in India. 
At all events, the young man sought out a Methodist college 



here. Not having great means, he worked his way through 
college, and in the four years that he spent in getting his 
education he lost every bit of his Christianity, and every bit of 
his faith in the Bible, and was turned out, graduated from a 
Methodist college, a higher critic, a total unbeliever. That 
young man subsequently was met by one of the Bible 
students, and it was suggested he attend one of the 
conventions. He said he did not have the money to spare. 
The party gave him the money for his expenses. He attended 
and was considerably interested, but not convinced, because 
he had lost his faith to such a degree. It was suggested that he 
should study further, and that he should study the six volumes 
of SCRIPTURE STUDIES. He went through the six 
volumes, and at the completion said that he rejoiced that he 
had found God and the Bible again, and the Lord Jesus Christ 
as his savior. He is back again in India, preaching Christ 
there, and preaching him from the true standpoint. Now I 
would not run the risk with any child I loved—and I would 
love any child of mine, I am sure; every parent ought to love 
his children~I would not want to do for that child anything 
that would result in the loss of the best thing he has—his faith. 
It would not be with my consent that my child would go even 
through the high school, because you will find the same 
higher criticism now even in the ordinary high schools, and 
not merely in the colleges. They have these so-called 
scientific text books, about man having been a monkey and 
dropping his tail, etc. 

As for music, I would think something would depend on the 
circumstances of the parent and the aptitude of the child. If a 
child has no aptitude for music, I think it would be a waste of 
time trying to get music into it; but if the child had quite a 
talent for music, that might be a proper excuse for at least 
teaching the rudiments of music, whether you would think 
proper to go further or not. But if the child has real talent for 
music and you give it the rudiments, I think the talent will 
take care of the rest. The trouble with most people is, they 
have not any talent, and it is all an effort to manufacture 
talent-and most of it is very annoying to their neighbors. 

CHILDREN-ln Millennium. 

Q56:1 :: QUESTION (1910)-Part 1:-Is it not stated in 
your writings that male and female were made for the 
purpose of filling the earth and that the six thousand year day 
(epoch) was the limit of time for that work, and the seventh 
thousand year day was for restoring them to the image of 
Adam before he was divided and made sex? 



ANSWER--I would answer that that is partially true, 
but not exactly as stated. We do not understand that God 
made 

{PageQ57} 

man male and female for the purpose of filling the earth. He 
made man because he wished to make man, then divided man 
into two separate parts that the earth might be filled. 

Part 2: -Why, then, does a Pilgrim teach that children will 
be born all during the Millennium, thus leading away many, 
and say you teach it, also that God has to have the children 
born of the Blessed, to take the places of the 144,000? 

ANSWER--I do not know what Pilgrim is referred to. 
The Society cannot be responsible for every word that is 
uttered by every Pilgrim. It tries to leave as much liberty of 
thought and expression as possible and as seems reasonable to 
each one, and tries to have only those in the service of the 
Society who are pure and honorable in their intentions, and 
clear in their understanding and presentation of the Truth. 
The Society cannot guarantee that every Pilgrim shall speak 
exactly as the President of the Society believes to be the 
Truth. 

Unfortunately, an article appeared in the Watch Tower 
some time ago, which I think is in line with this question. At 
the time it was handed to me, I recognized that it was from a 
brother quite clear in the truth, and I did not scan the letter 
quite as carefully as I should otherwise have done, and I 
overlooked this little feature. It is not my thought that 
children will be born during the Millennial Age to take the 
place of the 144,000. I would advise that none of you trouble 
your heads with any such questions. We have plenty to think 
of that bears upon our interests in the making our calling and 
election sure, without bothering with such details of the next 
age. Had I noticed that particular feature of this letter it 
would not have been published. I admit that I was not as 
careful as I should have been. I suppose I will continue to 
learn as long as I live. We try to be careful about every word 
that goes into the Watch Tower, but we do not claim to be 
infallible; we are doing the best we can. 

It was a mistake to publish that article, but it should not 
worry anyone, for it is not very important, anyway. What 
difference to you and me? It is not of sufficient importance to 
say that such a brother, having that view, does not belong to 
the Lord; it is not a part of the Truth. My suggestion to any 
Pilgrim brother along the line of this question, or any other 



such question, is that it would be better to leave them alone. 
There is nothing to be gained by the agitation of such 
questions. 

CHILDREN-Education of. 
Q57:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--Should the saints go 
right on and educate their children in this day for earthly 
positions, knowing they will not get into those positions in this 
age? Will such an education (college or university) be of 
value in the Millennium? 

ANSWER—I answer that education is a very excellent 
thing, and undoubtedly, during the time of Messiah's kingdom 
there will be wonderful educational facilities granted to the 
whole world, but those educational arrangements will be 
under a different supervision, and they will be very different 
in many respects from the education now given. 

My advice is, as stated through the Watch Tower, that I 
advise all Christians not to send their children to colleges 

{PageQ58} 

or universities; for if they do, they will risk a great deal 
through infidelity and unbelief, and they will be doing their 
children a positive injury. 

I think of a dear Christian brother who inquired of me about 
five years ago in regard to sending his daughter to a female 
college. I advised to the contrary, stating that she would 
probably lose her faith in the Bible. He thought he would 
pick out a good one, and so he selected the best, and it 
probably is. It was a religious institution, having a 
denominational foundation. He talked with me a short time 
ago and said. My daughter has her education, but the poor girl 
has no Christian religion, or faith in the Bible, or in Jesus 
Christ left, and I really doubt if she has any faith in God. 

Another case mentioned recently in the Watch Tower was 
that of a young man who came to this country from India. He 
studied at one of the leading universities and came out an 
infidel and unbeliever. He is now in India, because he got 
over his infidelity through reading the six volumes of 
Scripture Studies, and he is now a thorough believer in the 
Bible. My advice is, then, give your children an education up 
to the public school limit, not even attempting to take them 
through high school, for they get plenty of Higher Criticism in 
the high schools, and it will not be long before they have it in 
the common schools also. 



CHILDREN-Place in the Resurrection. 

Q58:1 :: QUESTION (1911)--! --Will the children of 
consecrated parents who die before the age of accountability 
come up on the same plane as the ancient worthies; that is, to 
instantaneous perfection? 

ANSWER-No, not at all. The ancient worthies passed 
through quite an experience to get to the plane on which they 
will be. Think what it was for Abraham, the trial of his faith, 
the demonstration of his loyalty! Think what it was to the 
prophets, what it cost them! Your child has not passed 
through anything that would count it worthy to share with 
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets in human 
perfection, and the earthly representatives of the kingdom. 
The fact that the child was innocent is very good, but that 
does not give it a place of reward. Before it has any reward, 
it will be necessary for it to develop character. Those who get 
into the little flock will get there as a result of the 
development of character. Those of the ancient worthy class 
will be in that class because of the development of character. 
What, then, does come to the children of believers? I answer, 
the Scriptures clearly indicate that the children of believers 
are under a special, divine, providential care. I cannot tell 
you how. I merely believe it because God's word says so. 
Let me quote you from the Apostle Paul, "The believing 
husband sanctifieth the unbelieving wife"~that is to say, it is 
not necessary that the child should have both parents in the 
Lord in order to be under divine supervision. If one of the 
parents is consecrated to the Lord, the child is counted as 
belonging to that parent, and God's blessing will follow. 
Likewise the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the 
believing wife, otherwise were your children unholy. That 
does not mean that he will take them to heaven. It does not 
mean that he will see that they will belong to the little flock if 
they grow up. It means that they will be 

{PageQ59} 

favored, that their affairs of life will be overruled for good to 
them, but the will of the child remains. God never encroaches 
on the will of any of his creatures. That child, so long as it is 
without a will, so long as it is immature in judgment, will be 
under divine supervision. So I would say to the parents who 
view with some apprehension the coming of the time of 
trouble that the Bible tells us about, such as never was since 
there was a nation. Commit those children to the Lord with 
full confidence that he is able to care for them better than you 



could even if you remained with them. 

CHILDREN-Re Spirit Nature for Those of Consecrated Parents. 

Q59:1:: QUESTION (1911)--! --Is it your thought that 
the children of consecrated people will attain to the spirit 
nature eventually? 

ANSWER-No; when the Apostle speaks of the 
believing wife sanctifying the unbelieving husband, and 
likewise the unbelieving husband sanctifying the unbelieving 
wife, lest their children be unholy, but now are they holy, he 
is not referring to the spirit nature, but merely referring to that 
which the parent could give to his child, namely: a relation to 
God as tentatively justified until the child would be of age to 
think and act for itself. So we understand all the children of 
believing parents are subject to divine care and supervision in 
the sense that children who are not children of the 
consecrated would not have special supervision and divine 
care. But this does not extend to their becoming Spirit—begotten. No 
one can attain Spirit-begetting except by the 
divinely appointed steps, and those are the steps of sacrifice, 
presenting your bodies living sacrifices, holy and acceptable 
to God. All children that present themselves thus sacrificially 
in Jesus' name or merit before the acceptable time ceases, if 
they are old enough to make such a presentation of 
themselves, would be begotten of the spirit. We have no 
thought that God would have an objection to the child if the 
child were of a sufficient age to know thoroughly what it was 
doing. 

CIHILDREN~Re Ancient Worthies and IVIaterialized Demons. 

Q59:2:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)-2- When will our children 
be sure that the auncient worthies have been resurected, and 
that they are not materialized demons? 

ANSWER-It is a long head that made that question. I 
guess I cannot answer that. I will say something along this 
line, however, not exactly in answer to the question. To my 
understanding, the manifestation of divine power through the 
class mentioned, the ancient worthies resurrected as perfect 
men, will be so complete, so wonderful a manifestation of 
divine power, that it will give a sufficiency of proof to all 
those who are in harmony with the Lord; the Jews, in 
particular, will recognize them. That is as well as I can 
answer the question. 



CHILDREN-Of the First, or the Second Adam? 

Q59:3:: QUESTION ( 19 14-Z)-3--Whose children will 
the world be when they awake in the Morning of the New 
Dispensation—the children of Adam, or the Children of 
Christ, the Second Adam? 

{PageQ60} 

ANSWER-We understand that they will still be the 
children of Adam. When we think of our Lord as the Life-giver of the 
world, we should remember that He is the Life-giver only to those who 
come unto the Father through Him. 

When the masses of mankind awaken in the next Age, they 
will not have undergone any change which would lift them 
out of Adam and condemnation to death, into Christ and 
justification of life. 

The New Covenant which God will seal with the precious 
blood of Christ is to be a Covenant primarily with Israel—to 
those Jews who are His people, to those who will accept 
Christ. The faithful Israelites who will accept the Lord and 
the Covenant relationship through the Mediator which is thus 
inaugurated for their benefit, will, as soon as they do this, 
come under the blessings of this Covenant. But mankind in 
general, who will not yet have come to a position of 
acceptance of the Mediator, will still be in the same attitude 
of today— aliens, strangers, foreigners. The work of the 
Church during that time is described in (Rev. 22:17), "And 
the Spirit and the Bride say. Come." But none will begin to 
live until they partake of the Water of life. 

The world of mankind now go down into death as strangers, 
aliens from God, and it will be for them after their awakening 
to avail themselves of the privileges of that time. The Apostle 
John declares, "He that hath the Son hath life." Those who 
are awakened will not have this life, not having come into 
relationship with Christ. His relationship to them during the 
next Age will evidently be that of a benevolent Ruler, who is 
willing to enlighten them, to adopt them, if they will, as 
children, and who is willing to bring them up to the condition 
where they may have life everlasting. It will take the entire 
thousand years to fully perfect the race— to bring them up to 
perfection. 

"Tell the whole world these blessed tidings; 
Speak of the time of rest that nears: 
Tell the oppressed of every nation, 
'Jubilee lasts a thousand years!"' 

The Lord Jesus will become the Father of all, just as soon as 



they comply with the required terms. He will give them, first, 
enlightenment and knowledge. Then if they use this 
knowledge, light and opportunity, and desire to come into 
harmony with Him, He will receive them as His children, and 
grant them the blessings under the New Covenant. 

We recall the Scripture which says that the Law shall go 
forth from Mt. Zion and the Word of the Lord from 
Jerusalem. "And many people shall go any say. Come ye, and 
let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the House of the 
God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will 
walk in His paths." 

These people represent the world in general outside of those 
who have accepted the terms of the Covenant. It represents 
them as learning a lesson and desiring to come into harmony 
with God. They say one to another. Let us go up to the 
Mountain of the Lord's House, and let us walk in His paths. 
Not until they do this will the Mediator recognize them in any 
sense of the word, nor will they be on probation for 
everlasting life. As soon as they are ready to walk in the way 
of holiness, they will be counted as His children. 

{PageQ61} 

CHRIST-Actually a New Creature. 

Q61 :1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--In (2 Cor. 5:16) we 
read, "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature." Does it 
mean that one in Christ is actually a new creature, or merely 
reckoned so in God's sight, and does he become this new 
creature when begotten of the Holy Spirit, or wait for a 
quickening of the Spirit? 

ANSWER--I answer that, to my understanding, we 
become new creatures in Christ Jesus actually, not 
reckonedly. The reckoning feature is done when Christ gives 
you his merit. There you stand just as you are, the best you 
can make yourself, and you present yourself to God a living 
sacrifice; but he says, it is not worthy of sacrifice. So Jesus 
imputes his merit to it. Then you are reckoned to be perfect. 
That is the only reckoning. God reckons it so. Under that he 
accepts the sacrifice as though it were a perfect sacrifice. 
God makes you a new creature, and from that moment old 
things have passed away. Of course, if you owe a man a debt 
you are bound to discharge it if you can, but if you are unable 
to pay it, it is not charged up against the new creature. The 
new creature has no right to contract debts in a general way. 
"Owe no man anything." Each should be very careful how he 
goes into debt. If obliged to borrow he should give some 



security, otherwise you had better wait until the Lord arranges 
it some other way. 

CHRIST~Re Members of Nominal Churches Being Part of Christ's 
Body. 

Q61:2:: QUESTION (1911) 2 (Rev. 14:4): These 
are they which were not defiled with women for they are 
virgins." If the word" women" here signifies the church, can 
anyone having a denominational connection have an 
opportunity of being a part of the one hundred and forty-four 
thousand of the third verse? 

ANSWER—I understand that this question was sent me 
specially by a Methodist minister on the ground. We 
understand that the suggestion is a correct one, "Those that 
were not defiled by women" having no reference to the 
female sex, but that it refers to these ecclesiastical women 
mentioned in Revelation. All Bible exponents of the 
Protestant kind recognize there are two women especially 
mentioned in Revelation; the one the true women, the bride 
class, the other the false woman, and Protestants in general 
understand that false woman to represent the papacy. Then 
again other Protestants understand that the Scriptures which 
refer to the mother and daughters refer to the papacy and 
these denominational daughters, or systems, which sprang 
from her, and have more or less of her nature, disposition and 
characteristics. The Bible proposition is that the church is a 
virgin church, viz.: not united to the world at all, and that this 
is the error that was made by the early church in leaving 
Christ as the prospective bridegroom and becoming united 
with the nation of Rome. This constituted an illicit union; for 
as the bride of Christ she had no right whatever to be 
associated with any earthly dominion, and that in becoming 
associated with the Roman emperor she lost her standing. We 
have not time now to go into this matter in detail, as it would 
require more than this morning to do so, but we are merely 
giving some brief outlines in answer to this question. A very 
general confusion of mind sprang up after the long 

{PageQ62} 

period of darkness which we call the dark ages; various 
reformations were started, and amongst those was the German 
reformation in which Luther was one of the principal figures, 
and Zwingli and Melancthon were others. These good men 
were striving after more truth and a better under standing of 
God's word. We believe they were to some extent successful. 



but only partially so; it was not then due time for God to 
show the full, clear light of his Word, but he intended to 
allow people to remain in a considerable degree of darkness 
until the due time. Some of those of that time remained very 
loyal to God, and stood free and separate from the things of 
this world, so that they thus maintained a virgin character. 
Others of them became enamored of worldly government, and 
as a result we see that amongst the various Protestant 
denominations there sprang up very similar conditions to 
those which had prevailed between the church of Rome and 
the government of Rome. And as that condition of union 
between the church state constituted figuratively the Roman 
Catholic church, a harlot system, one living not in pure 
conformity with her vow to the Lord, so the same rule of 
application would make the German church equally a harlot 
system, and the Russian church equally a harlot system, and 
the church of England equally a harlot system, and the 
churches of Sweden and Norway and Denmark equally harlot 
systems. We are to remember that this word "harlotry" as 
used in Revelation is merely a symbolical term; there is 
nothing more than that to be understood, nor that the church 
of England people were harlots, nor anything of that kind, but 
merely it is a figure representing the wrong attitude of that 
system towards God and towards his plan. 

God has proposed to take out of the world a people for his 
name, and Saint Paul tells us that this church of the living 
God now is espoused as a chaste virgin unto one husband, 
which is Christ, and she is not to marry nor to expect to marry 
until the bridegroom comes and the marriage shall take place. 
On the contrary, the church of Rome claims that it was proper 
to marry. She claims that she is married, and she claims that 
she has children. In other words, the church of Rome in 
particular is based on hierarchy. By hierarchy is meant the 
official church as in separation and distinction from the 
ordinary members of the Catholic church. That is, the 
ordinary Catholic is not a member of the Catholic church at 
all. You will notice that in their conversation they speak of 
all the priests as father, and all the people as children they; 
are children of the church. The church therefore professes to 
have brought forth children. The Roman Catholic church 
claims to have brought forth these children, and she numbers 
her children by the hundreds of millions. And Protestants, 
falling into something of the same error, have been trying to 
bring forth millions of children, too; each denonimation is 
trying to bring forth children. This is the wrong thought. 



There is to be no bringing forth of children until after the 
marriage. The bride of Christ is to be a virgin church, united 
only to him. It will be after the marriage that the children will 
come forth in God's order. All through the thousand years of 
Christ's reign, Christ will be the father, or lifegiver, to the 
world of mankind, and the church will be the mother, or the 
life-sustainer, for the world of mankind, and the whole world 
of mankind coming back to 

{PageQ63} 

restitution privileges and blessings and everlasting life if they 
will, and will thus become the children of Christ and the 
children of the church. Therefore in the Scriptures our Lord 
is represented symbolically as being the everlasting Father. 
This does not mean that he becomes the heavenly Father, but 
he becomes the father of everlasting life to the human family. 
He is not a father to the church; he is our elder brother. He is 
our bridegroom but never referred to as the father of the 
church. And so the apostle says you remember, "the God and 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath begotten us." The same 
one that begat him has begotten us, and he is to be the Father 
of the restitution class of the future, and the church now being 
developed is still to maintain her virginity and is to be the 
mother of that restitution class. So then you see, my dear 
friends, how the Bible uses this word harlotry, and what is the 
exact meaning of it. 

Now coming to our question more particularly, what is the 
significance of being defiled with women? This might be a 
matter of more or less conjecture; there might be room for 
some differences as to what this would mean. Our thought 
would be this, not that one is necessarily defiled by having 
become a member of the Methodist church, or the church of 
England, or the church of Rome; I believe there have been 
saintly and pure people in all of these churches, and in all of 
these systems, but those saintly ones were not defiled. They 
were in her, but not of her. You see there is a difference. 
God speaks of some of his children as being in Babylon. This 
whole system of things according to the Bible, according to 
Jesus' words, is Babylon. Babylon is the name for the 
mother, the papal system, and the daughters also have the 
same name, Babylon. And what does Babylon mean? It 
means confusion, mixture and improper relationship. That is 
what is included in the word Babylon. Now then some are in 
Babyon and not of Babylon, just the same as the children of 
Israel were carried captive into Babylon, but they were not 



Babylonians. There was a difference. And in due time God 
sent forth the message to all of natural Israel that if those who 
had been carried in captivity into Babylon desired to return to 
the Lord their God, and to the land of promise, they might do 
so, and Cyrus gave that decree you remember, and many of 
them did return. And so God has given an invitation to all of 
his people that are in Babylon that if they are truly his people 
they should come out of Babylon. No one is called out of 
Babylon until he hears the Lord's voice. People are not 
responsible for anything that is said which they do not hear. 
So you and I may have been in Babylon for years and not 
have had any responsibility or any impurity, we were not 
defiled, because we did not know any better. Our own 
attitude of heart toward God and toward the things of God's 
Word was a pure virgin attitude. So then the Lord speaks of 
these as some of his people in Babylon. They were not his 
people unless they were pure, unless they were virgins. The 
moment they became impure he would not class them as his 
people. But he says, "Come out of her my people, that ye be 
not partakers of her sins." That implies that you are not yet 
partakers of her sins; you are my people, in her, but not yet 
partakers. How is that? Because you did not know any 
better; you did not see any- 

{PageQ64} 

thing better; you had no responsibility for what you did not 
see and did not understand. Well, when shall we have the 
responsibility, then? When do we come to responsibility? 
What constitutes responsibility? This, my dear brother: I was 
not responsible for what I was born to, and what was in my 
head from childhood; and God did not hold me responsible; 
nor you, nor anyone else; but after we come to see these 
errors into which these great systems of men have gotten, 
after we begin to see the truth, after we begin to see that 
God's holy name is blasphemed, that his holy character is 
misrepresented, that we have said things about our heavenly 
Father that we would be ashamed to say about ourselves or of 
our earthly parents, yet we admit they are all imperfect and 
fallen--we have said things about our heavenly Father that 
were scandalous, we have charged him with the most 
diabolical acts, and the most diabolical intentions, we have 
said that he created our world of mankind and knew what he 
was doing, had full power and full wisdom, and intended 
from the beginning to damn nine hundred and ninety-nine out 
of every thousand, and to have them roast through all eternity. 



and that he made fireproof devils to handle them; that he 
created a great place called hell in which all of this diabolical 
work was going on~we slandered our heavenly Father. If 
anyone would say that about you or me, would not we be 
angry? We would indeed. If they would say that you had so 
treated a rat, you would be angry, and you would deserve to 
he angry. The man that would do such things to a rat is not 
an honorable man. No honorable man would treat a poor rat 
that way—predestinate the rat before it was born, foreordain it 
to eternal torture. And that is what we have been charging to 
our heavenly Father. It is awful, it is terrible, God forgive us 
! I am sure he does; we are ashamed of it. But now just take 
that one point of false doctrine—and there are other points too; 
and there are other points of good doctrine. I am not claiming 
for a moment that all we have believed, and all our forefathers 
believed, was wrong— not at all. We were saints when we 
were in Babylon, and we want to maintain our saintship; but 
now coming down to the close of the age God is lifting the 
vail, and he is in this day showing us more clearly respecting 
his plans, his purposes, his arrangement, and the real teaching 
of his Word. And now then after we once see that this 
doctrine is blasphemy against God, after we once see that it 
was concocted in the human mind, evidently instigated by our 
great adversary, the devil— after we once see what an awful 
thing it is, if then we wish to uphold earthly systems and give 
our lives and strength and talents and means, to up-holding 
these diabolical teachings, then we are worse than any others 
there; we are the worst of the whole lot. The man who does 
this fully knowing and intentionally, is the only man to blame 
at all. You and I, if we would stay in and uphold these things, 
would be more blameworthy than some who are in and who 
are not so conscious of what is the trouble. 

So then, this Scripture tells us that there are some that will 
be defiled by these women— by these earthly systems. Why 
do you call them earthly systems? Why do you show them in 
contrast to the heavenly system. God has only one church; 
there is not a man in the world who will deny that. 

{PageQ65} 

No one of any good sense who has any faith in his Bible at all 
will deny that the Bible teaches there is only one church, the 
church of the living God, the church of the first-borns, whose 
names are written in heaven. Whence, then come all these 
different denominations. Catholics and Protestants numbering 
up into the hundreds? Well, they come from men. They 



come from error. They come from ignorance. They come 
from superstition. They are the results of endeavors to get to 
the light, and wrong conceptions of how to get to the light. 
Do you blame these people? Not at all. We are not blaming 
anybody. The blame comes to the person who, after seeing 
the real facts of the case, stands in and indorses these systems 
and upholds them. Now then he will be defiled. And how 
would he be defiled? Why his whole conscience must be 
defiled, for he knows that the system is wrong; he is defiled 
immediately by having a contact with that which he 
recognizes to be wrong, and feels to be untrue to God, to be 
untrue to the principles of righteousness; he defiles not only 
his conscience, but he does dishonor to God, and dishonor to 
the denomination, and everything else. What right has any 
man to stay inside of a denomination and deny the teachings 
of that denomination? He is stultifying himself to do so, is he 
not? He is branding himself as a fraud, professing to believe 
what he knows he does not believe, claiming to teach what he 
knows he does not teach; or, on the other band, teaching that 
which he knows is wrong and professing that which he does 
not believe at all. The whole matter is wrong; such are 
defiled by the women. But those who come out when they 
see the right and the wrong on the question, who take their 
stand for right, they are delivering their souls from Babylon. 
"Flee out of Babylon, saith the Lord; deliver every man his 
soul." Now no one is responsible to flee out unless he sees 
that it is Babylon, but the very suggestion that it is Babylon to 
every honest person means that he should make an 
investigation, and a thorough one, to know whether or not he 
is in Babylon. If he says, "Well, God's voice says, 'flee out of 
Babylon,' and I believe that the svstem is Babylon, but I do 
not wish to look into it for fear I find it true," that means he is 
dishonest with himself; he is defiling himself. There is only 
one way of being thoroughly honest, and that is to be honest. 

CHRIST-AM in AIL 

Q65:1 :: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-In what way was our 
Lord made unto us wisdom, righteousness justfication', 
santification andredemption?~(l Cor. 1:30). 

ANSWER~In a great variety of ways our Lord was 
made unto us wisdom. He is the Head of the Church which is 
His Body. And as the head is the center of knowledge, so the 
Lord Jesus is the Head of His Church. But the particular 
thought of the text seems to be that of a progressive order. 
Looking, then, to see how Jesus was our wisdom before He 
became our Justifier and Sanctifier, we perceive that the 



Scriptural declaration is that "no man cometh to the Father but 
by" our Lord. 

Previous to justification the Father draws, for none can 
come to Christ except through the Father. After the Father 
has drawn, the wisdom comes from Christ, who instructs 
us how to come to the Father. Just as the disciples were 
instructed 

{PageQ66} 

by our Lord, so it is all the way down throughout the Age. 

There is 

no other way by which men may be saved— "None other 

name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be 

saved." 

Sinners could not be acceptable to the Father except by the 
way of justification such as the Father has provided. This 
justification means their blessing. "Come unto Me, all ye that 
labor and are heavy laden, and 
I will give you rest." (Mat. 1 1:28.) We need to be 
instructed. The light was not prior to Jesus Christ for we 
read that He is the Light. He makes that statement 
Himself: "I am the light of the world; he that followeth Me 
shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."-- 
John 1:9; 8:12. 

This wisdom was first promulgated by our Lord. So the 
same wisdom which instructed His disciples guides men back 
to the Father, instructs them as to what discipleship means, 
makes them wise in order that they may take the steps by 
which that discipleship is to be gained. Whoever will be His 
disciples must take up their cross and follow Him. No 
matter in what way one may get the wisdom, it comes to him 
from our Lord Jesus Christ; and without this wisdom we 
could not know how to come to God. No one can ever 
come to God without this wisdom. And so His wisdom 
instructs what will be the reward of discipleship. 

Our Lord appeared in the presence of God for us—on our 
behalf. Thus, according to the Father's plan and 
arrangement. He became the Justifier of those who come 
to the Father by Him, and none can get the justification' 
except by a consecration of life. Then He becomes their 
santification' by assisting them in everything necessary 
to their sanctification. They have the will to do, and as 
they have this will, so now He works in them a sanctified 
character in life. 

This course being followed, the one who has the wisdom 



of the narrow way first obtains justification' through our 
Lord's blood and then sanctification' through following in 
the Lord's footsteps. Finally comes the deliverance 
redemption' by the First Resurrection. The One who led us 
all the way is the One who leads us still and who will finally 
lead us into the New Jerusalem, the glorious condition beyond 
the veil. 

CHRIST-Bodyof. 

Q66:1 :: QUESTION (1912 Z) 1 Is the body 

mentioned in (Heb. 10:5) and (Heb. 7:27) the same? 

ANSWER— The body which God prepared for sacrifice 
may properly be viewed from two standpoints: First, the 
Father prepared the body of Jesus, in that He was born holy, 
harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, and of the 
human family through His mother. This is the foundation of 
the whole matter. But the Apostle Peter and also the Apostle 
Paul inform us that God foreknew the Church, "the Body of 
Christ," and, therefore, foreknew the sufferings of the Head—foreknew 
our share in the sufferings and also in His glory. 

In speaking therefore of the body which God prepared we 
should properly enough think how the Father prepared a body 
for Jesus which was actually, physically perfect and 
corresponding to the body of Adam, who was afterward 
condemned, and also prepared the way by which the "Body 

{PageQ67} 

of Christ" should be justified from the sinfulness of the flesh, 
that thus He might offer not only Himself, the Head, but also 
"the Church, His Body," a "living sacrifice, holy and 
acceptable to God." 

TYPICAL AND ANTITYPICAL ATONEMENT DAY 
SACRIFICES FOR SIN CONTRASTED 

In (Heb. 10:10) the Apostle is contrasting the atonement 
day sacrifice of the typical high priest with the antitypical 
atonement day sacrifice of the antitypical High Priest, Jesus. 
The typical high priest needed once every year, repeatedly 
(not daily), to offer up sacrifices. The first part of the 
sacrifice was for his own sin, and the second part of the 
sacrifice was for the sins of the people. The first part was the 
bullock, and the second part the offering of the goat. These 
two offerings constituted the one sacrifice for sin on the day 
of atonement! And so, in the antitype, the offering of our 



Lord Jesus, when He offered up Himself, was for "himself," 
that is, for His Body, those who are to be His Church, the 
household of faith. And then, a further part of His sacrifice 
has been the offering up of these members of His Body, in 
harmony with their wills and in harmony with the Divine 
provision. 

Thus the antitypical atonement day sacrifices for sin have 
been in progress for eighteen hundred years. The special 
merit of the sacrifice was that which our Lord Himself 
offered, through which our offerings are made acceptable. It 
is one sacrifice in the sense that it is all one Body of one 
Priest that is offered, for the Apostle said, "We are partakers 
of the sufferings of the Anointed," and, "if we suffer with 
Him we shall reign with Him"; "if one member suffer all 
members suffer." 

ALL OFFERING MUST BE DONE BY THE PRIEST 

In (Heb. 7:27) the Apostle said, "This He did once when 
he offered up Himself." The question arises. To whom does 
this refer? Does it mean Jesus, and the members of His Body 
offering up Himself? We answer. No. The members of the 
Body do not offer up themselves; they present themselves; but 
the offering, so far as God is concerned, must be done by the 
Priest, Jesus, the "High Priest of our profession." The Apostle 
says that this He did once, and we answer. Here the thought is 
one fulfilment of the one type. In the type there were two 
sacrifices offered, and it is here called His sacrifice. 

Our Lord offered up Himself at Jordan, and He offered up 
all the members of His Body, the Church, at Pentecost. The 
offering of Himself personally at Jordan was accepted of the 
Father, and the remainder of Christ's sacrifice was merely the 
fulfilling of the terms of the sacrifice. So the presentation of 
the Church before the Father was accomplished at Pentecost, 
though it has required the entire Gospel Age to complete the 
sacrifice. 

This, too, was shown in the atonement day type: The high 
priest, after offering up the bullock, took the blood into the 
Holy and later into the Most Holy and sprinkled it on behalf 
of himself and his household—the members of his body and 
the household of faith—the underpriests and the Levites. 

Next the high priest came to the door of the Tabernacle and 
slew the goat, representing the acceptance of 



{PageQ68} 

justified believers as His Body and their consecration to 
death. In the type this did not represent the second coming of 
Christ, but merely His manifestation in connection with the 
sacrifice of the Body which is the Church. In the antitype our 
Lord as the High Priest manifested His power in the Church 
at Pentecost by sending the Holy Spirit upon them and thus 
giving the intimation that their sacrifice was made and 
acceptable in the Father's sight. All of the Church who have 
since come in were counted in there—just as in our Lord's 
prayer He said, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for those 
also who shall believe on Me through their word." Similarly 
the acceptance of the Church at Pentecost as joint- sacrificers, 
as part of Christ's sacrifice, has continued ever since and we 
are members of His Body, each in his turn being sacrificed 
until the entire sacrifice of the Great High Priest once for all 
shall have been accomplished, and that accomplishment, we 
believe, is near. 

The expression, "If one member of the Body of Christ 
suffer, all the members suffer with it" (1 Cor. 12:26) does not, 
of course, signify that the dead members of the Church would 
suffer with the living members, nor that those not yet begotten 
of the Spirit would suffer with the Apostles, nor that members 
in different parts of the world would suffer with the other 
members of whom they were ignorant. It merely means that 
there is such a sympathy and union and fellowship in the 
Body of Christ that each is intimately and deeply interested in 
every other member, so that the interests of one are the 
interests of all. As, for instance, where there are two or three 
of the Lord's people in fellowship, as a little ecclesia or class, 
they are, in this sense of the word, a Body of Christ and are 
interested in each other, and suffer with each other in the 
tribulations, persecutions and difficulties of life. And, in a 
larger sense of the word, any of the members of the Body of 
Christ, in any part of the world, learning of the sufferings of 
other members of the Body would correspondingly feel an 
interest, a sympathy and fellowship in their sufferings, or in 
their joys. 

NOT A PART OF THE RANSOM. 

In the statement, "A body hast thou prepared me," we must 
be careful not to read in what is not stated. It Is not stated, "A 
body hast thou prepared me as a ransom price," but, "A body 
hast thou prepared me" (Heb. 10:5), "for the suffering of 



death." (Heb. 2:9.) The suffering of death on the part of 
our Lord Jesus constituted the ransom price for the sin of 

the whole world. But the Body, which is the Church, the 

Father prepares through justification for association with 

Jesus in the "suffering of death," but this does not constitute 

the Church partakers in the ransom-price. Only one ransom-price was 

necessary, and that was one perfect man's death, 

and that had already been arranged for before the Church was 

invited to become joint- sufferers and joint-heirs with the 

Redeemer as His members. 

The word "sacrifice" seems to be confusing to some. We 
are exhorted to present our bodies living sacrifices, but our 
presentation of our bodies to the Lord should not be 
confounded with the Lord's presentation of us. Going back to 
the type we find that two goats were presented to the Lord at 
the door of the Tabernacle. They were presented 

{PageQ69} 

to be sacrificed, and so, when speaking of them, one might 
properly say. Those are the sacrificial goats; and whoever 
presented the goats might in one sense of the word be said to 
be the sacrificer. 

But the word sacrifice, when used in the sense of devotion, 
or setting apart for sacrifice, should not be confounded with 
the sacrificing work by the high priest. The goats were not 
sacrificed merely because they were presented or devoted. 
God dealt not with the people, but with the priest, and only 
when the priest had slain the animal was it sacrificed, from 
the Divine standpoint. Then, and only then, was it really 
acceptable to God as a sacrifice. 

Applying this, then, we may desire to come to God and 
learn that now is the acceptable day, now is the time when the 
Body of Christ may be devoted, or presented to the Lord. But 
something more is necessary than our presentation, and that 
further thing is the work which is accomplished for us by the 
High Priest, Jesus; namely. His acceptance, or His 
endorsement of our consecration, and the presentation of our 
offeririg as a part of His sacrifice. When the High Priest 
presents us with His merit imputed, then, and not until then, 
does our offer become a "sacrifice, holy and acceptable to 
God." 



CHRIST-Full Authority When He Will Have Completed His Work. 

Q69:1 :: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-In (1 Cor. 15:28) we 
read that when Christ shall have accomplished the work 
appointed for Him—the work of His Millennial Kingdom and 
reign-and shall have put down all enemies (the last enemy to 
be destroyed being death), the Son also will be subject unto 
the Father, who put all things under Him. In what sense will 
He be "subject" then more than during the Millennium? 

ANSWER— The special thought very evidently is that 
during Messiah's reign the Lord Jesus will be given full power 
and authority to control the world. That is the particular 
business appointed to Him. You will remember that the 
Father, speaking of that time, says, "Ask of Me, and I will 
give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance"; and He declares 
that they shall be ruled with a rod of iron.-(Psa. 2:8,9). 

This thousand-year period, known as the Millennium, is set 
apart for this work. Suppose that you were given a position 
by the Government, or the State, with commission to do a 
certain thing for a certain period of time, with the 
understanding that when it is accomplished you will be given 
a reward for doing it. You are instructed: "Everything is in 
your hands. Do the work, and you may have all of 1912 in 
which to do it. Attend to the matter." Then what? After 
having completed the work, you resign this special 
commission, this special office conferred upon you for the 
year. You will no longer hold it. 

So at the end of the Millennium our Lord Jesus will no 
longer hold office as Mediator between God and men, as He 
will have done for the one thousand years. Why not? There 
will be nothing more to be accomplished. During the 
thousand years He will have done His work as Mediator so 
thoroughly that there will be nothing more to do. That special 
work will have been fully accomplished. 

{PageQTO} 

CHRISTIAN-Failure to Live Up to Privileges of. 

Q70:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)-1 -What should we 
understand in a general way to be comprehended in the term 
"Failure to live up to one's privilege as a Christian?" Does 
this include a failure to study the Scriptures, or an 
opportunity for serving the Lord along mechanical lines, the 
same as one's time and energy to the extent of incapacity only 
for the study of the Scriptures? 

ANSWER— Well, this is a very complicated question. 
No one can answer questions properly except along general 



lines, and it remains for each individual Christian to apply 
those lines. This is God's will, this is God's way; otherwise 
God would have said through Jesus or through the Apostles, 
do this, don't do that, do the other thing; but he has not placed 
us in such bondage as that, and thus limited us. He has left us 
along general lines to know certain principles and to exercise 
our thoughts along those lines, and thus he puts a 
responsibility upon you for your conduct, and upon me for 
my conduct, and this is an elastic system that allows different 
people of different conditions of mind each one to put the 
proper bondage on himself, and it keeps other people from 
bringing him into bondage. Thus the Church of Christ can be 
at full liberty. Everything that the Lord has said is an 
obligation, but the Lord has not made very many obligations. 
You will find the obligations generally made by men. This 
denomination says, you shall not chew tobacco, that one says 
you shall not drink whiskey, another one says you have got to 
wear that shaped coat, and another one, cut your hair in this 
way, and another one says you must walk in such a way. All 
of these things are of men; there is nothing of this kind in the 
Bible. The Bible lays down broad general principles and 
gives every man and every woman a right to use his or her 
own mind upon the subject. As, for instance, someone said to 
me, "Brother Russell, can a man chew tobacco and be a 
Christian? And it is right to smoke? And is it right to drink 
coffee? And is it right to wear a hat with a feather in it? And 
is it right to wear a broad hat, etc.?" And I say, "My dear 
brother, you have a right to do anything you please, which 
you think will glorify God and do good to yourself and to 
your neighbor. Drink all the whiskey you think will glorify 
God. God does not say, snip off this, and snip off that; the 
Lord says, give your whole heart to me make a full 
consecration; everything goes down; you have no earthly 
rights. Love merely whatever God says he approves of 
remembering that you are a new creature in Christ Jesus." 

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE-Was Pastor Russell a Pupil of 
Mary Baker Eddy? 

Q70:2:: QUESTION (1912) 2 Was Pastor Russell 
ever a pupil of Mary Baker Eddy? (Laughter.) 
ANSWER--Not that I know of. (Laughter-applause.) 

CHRONOLOGY-Beginning of the Trouble in 1914. 

Q70:3:: QUESTION (1905)-3-Why should the trouble 
begin with 1914? 
ANSWER—I answer that the reason we expect it to 



begin there in the full sense is that the Father laid out the plan 
of this whole age. Here Bro. Russell gave a long talk on the 
"Times of the Gentiles" showing that their lease of 

{PageQTl} 

power began in 606 B.C. and will end in the fall of 1914, 
which can be found in detail in Vol.2, of the Dawns. 

CHRONOLOGY-Beginning or End of Time of Trouble Re 1914. 

Q71 :1 :: QUESTION (1905)--1--Will the time of trouble 
begin or end in 1914 and why? 

ANSWER— We answer that there have been times of 
trouble this good while. (You know we have a trouble corner 
over there, and he smiled and pointed over to his little office.) 
There have been and there will be times of trouble as far as 
the Church is concerned. Look at the persecutions. But the 
reference here, and properly enough, is to the "Great Time of 
Trouble" that is referred to in Daniel, twelfth chapter, where 
he says, "there shall be a time of trouble such as never was 
before," and our Lord adds, "No and never shall be again." 
Well that is the time of trouble that is in our minds, and it will 
not begin nor end in 1914. The time of trouble may be a 
beginning now, but those beginnings are only leading up to 
the real trouble. If there was a whirlwind coming you would 
expect to first see dust and commotion before the houses 
would be swept away, and so we see in Russia. The time of 
trouble, the awful time of anarchy, to our understanding, 
commences really there, though like the dust of the whirlwind 
there will be and is now trouble preceding the awful anarchy. 
As to how long it will last I do not know, but I cannot 
imagine how it could last long. As an illustraion; take 
Pittsburg or Allegheny, and suppose they were cut off from 
the railroads. No peace to any man that goeth out or that 
Cometh in. Everything would run out in a short time. We eat 
a good deal in Allegheny and Pittsburg. But, in the olden 
times, they had cities that would stand long sieges for months 
or years, like Port Arthur. They had great supplies. Our 
cities are not now in that condition with great supplies laid 
up; we live from hand to mouth. When anarchy comes it will 
bring terrible conditions, and I do not see how it could 
possibly last long. Things, I think, will come to an abrupt end 
within a year. In those times, when people are laying their 
hands on everything they can get, the farmers are not going to 
raise wheat for others just to give it away. 



CHRONOLOGY"Re Our Lord's Personal Presence in 1874 

Q71 :2:: QUESTION (1907)-2-On what grounds is it 
affirmed that our Lord's personal presence began in 1874 and 
will continue until the end of the Millennial Age? 

ANSWER— I answer, it is based on this ground: that He 
comes to accomplish a work and that the work is, He must 
reign until He shall have put down all authority and all 
insubordination, and shall have brought everything into 
harmony with God, and shall have delivered up the Kingdom 
to God, even the Father. The Scriptures say that He must 
reign a thousand years. Therefore, we see that when His 
presence came in 1874 it was intended to last the whole 
thousand years. Now when we speak of it in that way, we do 
not mean to have it understood that the Lord must stand at 
one particular place on earth, or that He is to stand on the 
earth at all; because spirit beings do not need to have 
platforms, etc., to stand on. We are not to think of it as 
meaning that the Lord has a fixed place, and that He cannot 
get away from the earth. That is not the thought we wish to 
give at all. That is not our thought. Our thought is, 

{PageQ72} 

that our Lord came for the purpose of reigning, and He will 
not give up that purpose nor that work. He may go to and 
from the heavenly Father's presence, and the Church may also 
go to and from the heavenly Father's presence, but still their 
work is in connection with the earth, and this is their 
kingdom, just as President Roosevelt is supposed to be in this 
country while he is president of the country, yet he sometimes 
makes journeys to Cuba, or he may go to Panama, or 
somewhere else, and he has really gone out of the country; 
yet in a sense he is still in the country, because, if he has gone 
to Panama, he has left certain persons to represent the 
presidential office in Washington; and he is still president, 
whether he is in Washington or in Oyster Bay. So, with our 
Lord Jesus during all the Millennial Age; He will still be the 
reigning King of earth, just the same as we say now He has 
ascended up on high, there to appear in the presense of God 
for us. He is set down at the right hand of the majesty of God 
on High, but that does not mean that God is sitting in a great 
place and never moves from it, or that Jesus has sat down 
there and that he has not gone away all the time that he has 
been at the right hand of God's majesty, but in the sense that 
He is next to the Father; He is the one next in honor, and 
dignity to the Father, and He will always maintain that; He 



will be at the right hand of the Father when He is reigning as 
a King on the earth; as we say, speaking of the second coming 
of Christ, the Son of Man shall come in glory at the right hand 
of the Father. When He is coming in the clouds with great 
power and glory. He will be at the right hand of the Father all 
of that time. 

CHRONOLOGY-Closing of the Door. 

Q72:1 :: QUESTION (1907)-1-Is it not reasonable to 
suppose that we may expect in due time an announcement 
through the TOWER that the door of opportunity for 
consecration is closed? 

ANSWER— I think not. I see, dear friends, from 
different questions that come to me from different places, that 
thought is prevailing, and I may have been guilty of having 
started it for all I know. That is about the closing of the door. 
Now, everyone has a right to use language in his own way, 
and as long as he keeps within certain bounds, no one can say 
he is talking amiss. So, we can talk about the door of 
opportunity closing, but I wish you to notice that the Bible 
does not speak of the door of opportunity closing. 
Undoubtedly there will come a time when the opportunity to 
spread the truth will be more or less hampered, when things 
will be greatly curtailed, and people, perhaps, who are 
opposed to us may try to make out that we are in some 
manner or form anarchists. The idea is growing that all 
anarchy should be put down, and we are in full sympathy 
with that. We think anarchists are unreasonable and unsafe 
people, and that they should be restrained. But we expect the 
time to come, not many years hence, when some will say of 
us, "You are anarchists, against the government, and against 
the Churches." And they will have power with the 
government, and there will be laws passed that will squeeze 
the anarchists, and then we will be squeezed in with them, so 
as to get rid of us to some extent. You might call that 
perhaps, in some sense, the closing of the door of opportunity 

{PageQ73} 

to proclaim the truth. We know that cannot come until God is 
ready. In the meantime, we can expect that the truth is going 
to have a very wide circulation. 

My expectation, dear friends, is different from that of a 
good many. I know some of the Lord's people are thinking 
the harvest work is about done now, but as I have been telling 
you for some years back that my understanding is the work is 



not nearly done; there is a whole lot more work to do. We 
had in the Watch Tower office about three years ago a change 
in our method of keeping the list of Tower subscribers from 
books to the card system. We had an arrangement made for 
holding the cards, and the question arose, how large we 
should make it. I said. We will make it large enough for fifty-five 
thousand. Some said, O, that is too large. No, I said, I 
think we are going to need most of that space for 55,000 
subscribers to the Tower. Now, we have not yet got them, but 
we think they are going to come in. Our expectancy is there 
will be large numbers of people coming into a measure of the 
truth, and a measure of sympathy, and there are people in all 
the denominations who are true saints at heart, and have been 
more or less blinded and confused by churchianity, and they 
supposed things were more like what they saw on the outside, 
as Jesus said about the scribes and Pharisees that people 
looked on the outside and saw that they were beautiful and 
whitewashed, and Jesus said that inwardly they were full of 
all manner of impurity. So the people of all denominations 
are beginning to wake up and look about them and say. What 
does this mean? Am I wrong? Am I so fanatical that I cannot 
be in sympathy with other people? It is not they that are 
wrong; it is the institutions that are wrong; and their hearts are 
searching for the Lord, for there is a famine, not for bread or 
for water, but for the hearing of the Word of the Lord. Some 
of this class are beginning to see that they are hungry. Now, 
we believe that class is everywhere within your reach and 
mine, and that the Lord is giving us a great privilege in 
hunting for them. 

You remember that only in one place in the Scriptures do 
they speak of the door shutting, and that is in the parable of 
the wise and foolish virgins. And there it says, the 
Bridegroom came. We apply that to the year 1874, and this 
was called to the attention of the wise virgins, "Behold the 
Bridegroom"— not behold the Bridegroom cometh, but behold 
the Bridegroom, as representing His presence, and then all the 
virgins arose and trimmed their lamps, and some of them had 
oil in their vessels as well as their lamps. Now, you know 
what the lamp is, and what the vessel is which carried the 
Holy Spirit. You must have both. If you are without oil, then 
something is wrong. You must get the oil or you cannot be 
one of the wise virgins, and you remember the wise virgins 
went with the Bridegroom in to the marriage and the door was 
shut. Now, that is the door of the parable. When did the door 
shut? After the wise virgins had gone in. What does that 
mean? It means after the last one of the Little Flock has made 



his calling and election sure, and has been tested sufficiently, 
and has been passed as a successful one, and the high calling 
is ended, and the last one has gone beyond the vail, that the 
door is shut. That is the parable. Then afterwards came the 
other 

{PageQ74} 

virgins, the foolish virgins, that had gotten oil in the in the 
meantime. Yes, they got the experience, and development, 
and the knowledge, and the light, and then they came, and 
knocked and said. We are a little bit late, but let us in please. 
We heard about this, but we did not have the oil in our lamps. 
But, the answer comes, "I cannot recognize you. The whole 
company, the elect company, is all in. I cannot recognize 
you." What will they do? They will pass through the great 
time of trouble, as the parable shows, and there shall be 
weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. The time of 
trouble that will come on the whole world will cause a great 
amount of anguish, and disappointment, and sorrow, in these 
ways, represented by that familiar expression, weeping and 
gnashing of teeth. 

CHRONOLOGY-Plowman and Reaper. 

Q74:1:: QUESTION (1908)--l--"Behold the days 
Cometh, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the 
reaper." When shall this be? 

ANSWER—Well, it seems to be a figure of speech that 
is pointing down to the end of this age. Look, for instance, at 
the Jewish Age. When the Jewish Age came to an end and 
the harvest of that age was ripe, the Lord called it a "harvest;" 
He said He was the reaper and He Himself went out and 
began a reaping work amongst the Jews then. And then came 
the plowman, before the reaping was done and before the 
harvest was all over. Who was the plowman? Why, the Lord 
and the Apostles, preaching the glorious message. There was 
a double work being accomplished: --there not only reaping 
the Jewish people, but following that began the work of 
preparing for the new dispensation, the Gospel dispensation; a 
new dispensation altogether was ushered in. So one 
overlapped on to the other. So similarly in the end of this 
age, the reaping work is the close of the age; the harvest is the 
end of the age. In the time of the harvest the Lord sends forth 
the reapers, and the reaping work is now going on. But that is 
not the end of God's plan; there is another dispensation about 
to he ushered in and that is to be the time for sowing the great 



field with the true seed; and now in the time of harvest, the 
plowman is already beginning and he is overtaking the 
reapers. The reaper is hardly out of the way before the 
plowman comes along. What do you mean by that? Why, I 
mean this harvest work will hardly have accomplished its 
intention, and gathered the little flock and the great company 
into the great barn of the Lord until the plowman of trouble 
will be running his furrows through the world; and in the time 
of the gathering of the great company, the time of trouble will 
be on the world. 

CHRONOLOGY-Closing of Door. 

Q74:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Will you please give us 
your thought as regards the closing of the door; do you 
expect it to close soon? 

ANSWER—Inadvertently we have used this expression 
of closing the door in two ways. At times we have used it in 
respect to the work that is to be done until the close of the 
age, until the opportunity for service shall shut down as 
represented in the parable, and no more laborers will be 
admitted. Apparently no others were admitted during the 
twelfth hour, but we do not know when that door will close. 
It is open now and may stand open all this 

{PageQ75} 

year, and I cannot say how long it will stand open, how soon 
the eleventh 

hour will close and the twelfth hour will begin. We may have 
something to say on that subject in the Watch Tower. That is 
also one of those thoughts that is working, but it has not 
worked satisfactorily yet. 

Then as to the other door, in the parable of the "Wise and 
Foolish Virgins," the Wise Virgins followed Him and then 
went in with Him and the door was closed; then followed the 
Foolish Virgins and knocked at the door, saying, "Lord, Lord, 
open unto us," but the door was shut. That is the door 
through which the Bride-class will enter, and when it is shut, 
it will never open again. To my understanding that door and 
the door to service should be kept separate. That door the 
King will close when the last member of the Body of Christ 
shall have finished his sacrifice, and gone beyond the vail, the 
complete number will be gathered and enter into glory. When 
that will be I do not know. Perhaps not for a year or maybe 
more, after the door to service has closed. There will be a 
time of testing to prove those who have already entered the 



door of service. 

CHRONOLOGY--Re Eleventh Hour. 

Q75:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1--Is the eleventh hour 
the last hour before the night when no man can work? 

ANSWER— I do not think that I have anything to say on 
that just now. I may have something later; I have a thought 
that is working, as I said a while ago. 

CHRONOLOGY--Re Eleventh Hour. 

Q75:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-How much time space 
should we understand from the beginning of the eleventh hour 
to its close.? 
ANSWER— I should like to know definitely myself. 

CHRONOLOGY-Has Church Advocate Since 1874? 

Q75:3:: QUESTION (1909)-3-If our Lord came in 
1874 has the Church been without an Advocate since that 
time? 

ANSWER-No. He is our Advocate whether He is 
present or not. He always has access to the Father, and we 
are not separate; so as the Head of the Body He represents the 
Body. Does your head represent your body, or your hand? 
Your head always. 

CHRONOLOGY-Overthrow Zedekiah Re Gentile Times. 

075:4:: QUESTION (1909)-4-In 2 Kings 25:3-6; 
Jer. 39:2-5, Jer. 52:6-9, it is stated that the overthrow of 
Zedekiah occurred on the 9th day of the 4th month. As the 
year referred to throughout Kings is the Sacred Year, 
beginning about April of our calendar, the 9th day of the 4th 
month would correspond to about July 1 st. The overthrow of 
Zedekiah marks the beginning of the Gentile Times, and if 
this occurred in July, would not the Times of the Gentiles end 
in July? Would it be July, 1914, or July, 1915? 

ANSWER-Well, I do not know; I have not thought 
particularly along that line, and for the few months difference 
you had better take the earlier date and make sure. 

CHRONOLOGY--Re End of Gentile Times. 

075:5:: QUESTION (1909)-5-If the "Times of the 
Gentiles" began in October, 606 B.C., will they not end in 
October, 1915, instead of October, 1914? 



{PageQ76} 

ANSWER--We think not. If the brother or sister who 
wrote the question will go over the chronology, they will find 
that these Times will end in October, 1914. You should 
remember that in figuring chronology you count backward 
from A. D. for the 606, and forward from A. D. for the 1914. 

CHRONOLOGY-Prominent Dates. 

Q76:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--Should we consider it 
necessary to call attention to other Prominent dates than 
1874, 1878, 1881 or 1914? Should 1911 be included.? 

ANSWER—I am glad that question is there, my dear 
brothers and sisters. You will notice that in my own 
teachings and writings I am careful to avoid any other dates 
than these. I know nothing about other dates. 

In the third volume of Scripture Studies there is a 
suggestion, but it is offered only as a suggestion, merely that a 
certain measurement in the Pyramid (not in the Word of God) 
looks as though it might point down to 1910 or 1911, but we 
do not say that it does mean anything, but merely throw out a 
suggestion. Don't anticipate, don't say things are to occur, for 
we do not know, at least I don't, and don't believe anyone else 
does. My advice is to follow the Apostle when he says, "We 
speak those things that we know." Don't say anything about 
those things that you do not know. Quite likely you will wish 
you had not after a while. Nineteen hundred and fourteen is 
the time when the "Gentile Times" will end. What does that 
mean? I do not know, but I think it is when God lets go in a 
general sense of the word, and permits things to take their 
course; and we can readily suppose, as the Apostle says, that 
the course of nature would be set on fire, because of strife. In 
the world of mankind, I shall expect a time of great trouble, 
which the Bible marks out as having its beginning about 
October, 1914, but I think, dear friends, that it is more 
important, instead of telling of the time of trouble, to tell 
about the good things. The poor people who get into the time 
of trouble will have all they want of it then. I have enough 
now, and so have you. The Scriptures say that through much 
tribulation shall we enter the kingdom, and if we pay attention 
to our duties, we will get enough without taking time to tell 
them about the time of trouble. The world will not be 
profited by our telling, either. We do not wish to scare 
anybody. We see the bad effects of this scare-religion in 
times past. While we can tell them that there is a storm 



coming, we can also tell them that God is going to make that a 
blessing, and we are glad for the whole world of mankind, 
that this time of refreshing is near, "Speak of the time of rest 
that nears." They have enough tribulation, and I advise not to 
talk too much about the tribulation. 

I think of one brother who had a large bump of imagination, 
who told his wife all about the time of trouble and told it as 
though he had been there already, telling her what flour 
would be a barrel at that time, etc., etc., so that his poor wife 
was almost afraid of the Truth. If he had said. My dear, there 
is a time of trouble coming and those who make the Lord their 
refuge, he will have a supervising care over them, I think it 
would have had a better effect. I 

{PageQ77} 

have very little faith in any kind of scare religion, it does not 
work well. 

Another thing while at it. It is not quite in this question, but 
it is kind of a second cousin to the question. 

To what extent should the Pilgrims and other brothers 
preach "Brother Russell"? 

I say, not at all. You have plenty, dear friends, to preach 
and the Apostle says, "We preach Christ." Brother Russell is 
very glad if the Lord has used him as a finger-board to point 
the right road for your eyes, that you can see wonderful things 
in the Word of God, but it is not Brother Russell, but it is the 
Lord that has used him. As you see the finger-board points 
out it is so many miles to Jamestown, it is not the finger-board, but 
the person that painted and put it there that is to be 
appreciated. So my advice is that you do not search the 
Scriptures to find anything about Brotner Russell, but that you 
search to find things about the "glorious One" whom we all 
reverence. You remember we had already pointed to it 15 
years ago and made this statement applicable. You remember 
that John the Revelator had seen this and that, and other 
things, and he said he fell at the feet of the angel who showed 
me these things, saying, "See thou do it not: for I am thy 
fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them 
which keep the sayings of this book: worship God." 

That is the right thought, but there is a tendency in this 
direction, and a danger to worship the creature, or 
instrumentality, rather than the Creator who uses the 
instrumentality. Let us not make that mistake. I do not want 
any to make that mistake through any inadvertency on my 
part. 



CHRONOLOGY-Pyramid Re 1910. 

Q77:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--! --What event is to take 
place in 1910, which is pointed out in the Pyramid? 

ANSWER— I do not know. There are many people who 
can tell you a great deal more about 1910, 1911, 1912 and 
1913 than I can. All I know is there are certain dates that 
seem to be well fixed as far as we understand the Scriptures— 1874, 
1878, 1881 and October, 1914. I do not know about 
anything between at all. If other people do, they have a right 
to talk about it. 

But do you not say something in the third volume of 
Scripture studies about 1910? Yes, I said we might take a 
measurement up over that step. We do not know whether 
there is anything to be measured that way or not, but suppose 
we do take a measurement over the top of that step: It would 
indicate about the year 1910. But I do not know whether God 
meant something to be marked for 1910 or not. I think by the 
time we have passed that time, we might see something 
perhaps for 1910. Perhaps we have gotten up on that step 
now, for all I know. Things are going along pretty rapidly 
just now, dear friends. 

CHRONOLOGY-Dates Before 1914. 

Q77:2:: QUESTION (1910)-2-Does the Society 
sanction all the pilgrims say concerning 1911 and 1912? I 
have noticed in our congregation that the elders who do not 
agree with all the pilgrims say concerning those dates, are 
thought to be out of harmony with the Society. What is best to 
do in that connection? 

ANSWER— I have tried and am still trying to influence 
all the pilgrim brethren against the preaching of any time 
period this side of October, 1914, where 1915 Jewish time 
begins. 

{PageQ78} 

I think it is very unwise to be preaching anything else. Now 
you know the liberal way in which we try to do these things. 
We try to find as little fault as possible with anyone who has 
a good character, and is seemingly accomplishing a good 
work; we try to exercise as little of a grasp on them as to what 
they shall say as possible; but it is not with any consent of 
mine, nor with any endorsement of mine, nor of the Society 
of which I have the honor to be the head, that any pilgrim 
brother make any preachment respecting any dates this side of 



October, 1914. And I advise all the dear friends that you have 
nothing positive to put your finger on~you merely have some 
guesses and some surmises, and it is wise to avoid these 
guessings and surmisings and to stand fast by what we do 
know. I think it is the safer plan. We certainly urge on all the 
dear pilgrims and elders, and upon all, that they try to have 
the one mind. I would not mind saying this, and it is not 
preaching time at all: Someone says to me. Brother Russell, I 
think I see something that might be construed to mean that the 
organization of the Federation which you have been talking 
about, is coming next year. 

Well, I say. Brother, perhaps you do and perhaps you do 
not. I do not know, and I am looking for it, and have been 
looking for it right along; it is not going to make any 
particular difference to me whether they organize their 
Federation this year or next year; I am leaving that in the 
Lord's hands. I do not know that it would make a particle of 
difference whether they organize this year, or the next year, 
or the year after. The Lord has the whole matter in his 
supervision, and you and I have plenty to do; we do not need 
to worry about these things that are speculative. We have so 
much that is positive, and that, I think, is what we do well to 
impress upon ourselves and upon others. 

CHRONOLOGY-When Jesus Will Drink the New 
Wine. 

Q78:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--Would our Lord have 
any definte time in mind when He used the words as recorded 
in Mat. 26:29, "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth 
of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew with 
you in My Father's Kingdom?" 

ANSWER--! would suppose that the Master meant by 
"that day" what is frequently meant by that same expresion 
"that day" as in contrast with these six days, that great seventh 
day, the Millennial day, the thousand year day of His 
Kingdom: in that day we will have joy. 

CHRONOLOGY-When Is End of the Harvest? 

Q78:2:: QUESTION (1913)-2-If the Harvest be a 
period of forty years, and the Harvest message went forth in 
1881with the chartering of the "Watch Tower," would not the 
Harvest end in 1921? 

ANSWER~We have never thought of giving the 
"Watch Tower" so important a place as that. Anyway, the 
"Watch Tower" was started in 1879, and the "Watch Tower 
Bible and Tract Society" was started in 1880, and the mere 



matter of getting a charter for it does not signify that it was 
not existent before that time. The getting of a charter does 
not make a society. You can form a society without a charter, 
but it is limited. The Society is just as much a society if two 
or three of you make it without a 

{PageQ79} 

charter, as if five hundred make it with a charter; it is a 
society all the same, an association. In any case, we think this 
has nothing to do with the matter. Our thought is that the 
Harvest is marked by the presence of the Lord, and the 
Reaper's presence indicates a time of harvest. From the 
prophecies we believe that the Lord became present as Reaper 
in 1874. It is the prophecies, we think, that mark the Harvest 
beginning, rather than any other thing. 

CHRONOLOGY-Sealing Saints Re 1914. 

Q79:1 :: QUESTION (1914)-l-Do you think the saints 
will all be sealed by October, 1914, whether they are here or 
not? 

ANSWER~Our supposition has been—and we, of 
course, supposed that we were looking at it from the Bible 
standpoint—our supposition has been that during the period 
that we call the Gentile Times the whole work of God in the 
selection of the Church would be completed. Perhaps it 
would be just as well for me to give you a brief summary of 
why we think that 1914 is the particular date, and what has 
been accomplished and should be expected to be 
accomplished during that interim or period. I remind you, 
then, that God once had in the world a typical people, and 
that these people He organized into a typical kingdom, the 
Kingdom of Israel, and on the throne of the typical kingdom 
He placed a typical king. David being the representative of 
that kingly line, the Lord promised him, "There shall not fail 
thee a man in My sight to sit on the throne of Israel," of his 
seed; and so we read of David's son, Solomon, and how 
Solomon sat upon the throne of the Kingdom of the Lord— not 
upon David's throne— upon the throne of the Kingdom of the 
Lord. It was God's throne, it was God's Kingdom, only in a 
typical way. Solomon followed David, and Solomon's son 
followed him, and so there was a continuation of the Davidic 
line for a certain time. Then there came a time when God 
stopped that order of things. The last king of David's line 
who reigned over the people of Israel was King Zedekiah, and 
to him and of him God said at that time, "O, thou profane and 



wicked prince, whose time is come for iniquity to have an 
end. This shall not be the same (I will discontinue this order 
of things), this shall not be the same. I will overturn, 
overturn, overturn it until He come whose right it is, and I 
will give it unto him." Now, then, you see, there was David's 
line. "There shall not fail thee a man to sit upon thy throne 
forever." And so for all these years God kept the tribe of 
Judah in a prominent place, and David's posterity sat upon the 
throne as long as it continued. But in Zedekiah God 
discontinued that earthly kingdom, and there has been no 
earthly Kingdom of God from that time on. He was the last 
of the order of David. The people of Israel, you remember, 
were carried into Babylonian captivity. They came back 
afterward from the Babylonian captivity, but they never had 
any kings of David's line, and they never had any kings of 
their own at all. The Maccabees did endeavor to have a 
kingdom, you remember, but unsuccessfully; but they were 
not of the promised line of David; and then down to the time 
of the first advent there were certain kings of the Herodian 
line but Herod's line was not David's line. Indeed the 
kingdom of Herod was not of a Jewish line at all. They were 
of Esau and not Jews at all. So then, according 

{PageQSO} 

to history and according to prophecy, Zedekiah was the last 
king of David's line that sat upon the throne of the Kingdom 
of the Lord. What happened then? Well, God has had no 
typical kingdom, from the time of Zedekiah down to when? 
Down to now. In all that time He has had no kingdom in the 
earth. Well, but, you say. Brother Russell, there have been 
some who claimed to be the Kingdom of God. Oh, yes, my 
brethren, and so the Bible tells us about the kingdoms of this 
world, but they are not the Kingdom of God. We are still 
praying, "Thy kingdom come." And it will be Messiah's 
kingdom that will come then. There will be no inferior 
substitution in the mean time. On the contrary, when God 
took away the kingdom from His own nation, the seed of 
Abraham, He gave the dominion of the world, by a kind of 
leasehold, to the Gentiles. And Jesus referred to that, you 
remember, in speaking of the "times of the Gentiles." And He 
says that the times, or years, of the Gentiles would continue 
until the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled. When He 
used these words He was thinking about the fact that 
Jerusalem would be completely overwhelmed and destroyed, 
as it was destroyed in the year 70, and Jesus said it would 



continue to be destroyed until the completion of the Gentile 
Times. 

Well, when did the Gentile times begin? We answer that 
they began where God's typical kingdom ended when the 
crown was removed from Zedekiah. Well, what happened at 
that time to indicate that Gentile times began then? Oh, 
something very important occurred. At that time there were 
various nations in the world larger than the people of Israel. 
There was Egypt, and the Babylonians, and other nations, but 
these were two of the other nations near to Israel. And 
Babylonia became very great, and the greatness of Babylonia 
dates especially from the time of the overthrow of Israel. At 
that time God recognized Babylonia as being the first of the 
Gentile kingdoms that would have control of the world, and it 
became the Universal Empire. You remember it was about 
that time that Nebuchadnezzar had that very peculiar dream, a 
dream that impressed him so much in his sleep, that when he 
awakened he simply remembered that it was a very important 
dream, but he could not think what it was. Then he called his 
wise men and said, "I have had a dream, and I cannot tell you 
now what it was. Tell me the dream and the interpretation of 
it." And they said, O, king, this is a difficult matter. Tell us 
the dream and we will interpret it. But we can't tell what the 
dream was. No king has ever asked his wise men to tell a 
dream and the interpretation as well. But the king said, O, 
well, if you can't tell me the dream you don't know what the 
proper interpretation is. It would be easy for you to fix up an 
interpretation if I were to tell you the dream. Anybody could 
do that. If you were able to tell the dream and the 
interpretation, well and good. If you had any real wisdom 
from the gods you could tell just as easily what the dream is. 
Go ahead now. If you can't tell what the dream is, I will 
know you are fraudulent, and I will put every one of you to 
death. And so there was great fear, you remember, and 
finally, amongst those wise men was Daniel, who had been 
carried captive to Babylon as a young man at a previous time 
of the war, about eighteen year 

{PageQSl} 

before Zedekiah lost his crown. And Daniel, the prophet, 
came forward and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O, king, 
live forever. Let not the king be hasty in this matter. Let time 
be given, and the God of Heaven will answer the king's 
question and we will tell the king what the dream was." And 
the king was very anxious to have his dream explained and to 



know what it was, and so he said, "Very well, we'll give you 
time." At the appointed time Daniel appeared before the king 
and said, "O, king, this was the dream, for the God of Heaven 
has revealed it unto me: Thou sawest in thy vision of thy 
head upon thy bed, and behold a great and mighty image; the 
height was tremendous; and the head was of gold, and the 
breast and arms were of silver and the belly and thighs of 
brass and the legs were of iron, and the feet were of iron and 
miry clay; and thou beheld, O king, until a stone was cut out 
of the mountains without hands and it smote the image in the 
feet thereof, and then the iron and clay and brass and silver 
and gold all became as the chaff of the summer's threshing 
floor and the wind carried them all away, and the stone that 
smote the image on the feet, it grew and became a great 
mountain, and filled the whole earth." And the king said. 
That's exactly my dream. You've got it exactly. Now I know 
you have some way of telling about that dream. Come on, 
now, and tell me the interpretation. So Daniel proceeded to 
give the interpretation, and he said, "Thou, O king, art the 
head of gold. Thy kingdom is the first one in that image." 
Why? Were there not others before? Because, previous to 
that time God had had His own kingdom in the world, and 
there couldn't be any other universal empire as long as God's 
kingdom was in the world. So now is the start, you see. 
Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom was the head. It was recognized 
from that moment, from the time that God through the 
prophet had said, "Remove the diadem (from Zedekiah), take 
off the crown; I will overturn it," and meantime, while it is 
overturned, God gave the rulership to these nations 
represented in the image. The head was Babylon, the silver 
breast and arms Medo-Persia, the belly and thighs were the 
government of Grecia, when Greece was the universal empire, 
and then came the legs of iron, representing the Roman 
Empire in its days of greatness and power. Then came the 
feet, representing what is called the Holy Roman Empire, that 
is to say, a mixture of religious and civil power, and in these 
feet the miry clay mixed with the iron represented an 
imitation of the stone. Now, imagine the feet there, a certain 
part of iron, and miry clay all smeared over those feet, would 
look very much like the stone which hit the feet, wouldn't 
they? And that is what the Lord represented, you see. The 
miry clay represented the religious institutions of the present 
time, commingling with the civil power of the present time. 
On the one part it is claimed, for instance, that Great Britain 
is a civil power. On the other hand it is claimed that Great 
Britain is an ecclesiastical power, and the bishop of the 



church of England sits in the Parliaments of England in the 
House of Lords, with the civil lords, and thus they are mixing 
the miry clay, represented in human, earthly church systems, 
and secular power, that claim to be God's kingdom, 
combining it with the strength that there really is 

{PageQ82} 

in the civil power. The same thing is true of Catholicism. 
The same thing is true of the Greek Catholic Church in 
Russia, etc., as they all claim, they use the civil power and 
they have the ecclesiastical system in outward appearance—it 
appears religious, but the strength of all is in the civil power. 
It is merely an imitation of God's kingdom, and not the real 
thing. It belongs to the kingdoms of this world. And so the 
kingdoms of earth today calling themselves God's kingdoms 
are just as much civil governments as they ever were, only 
they are not as honest; not that the people are necessarily 
dishonest, but that they have got the wrong ideas in their 
minds, and they are fully convinced along the lines of error. 

Now, then, the great image was a picture, of what? The 
Gentile governments that should bear rule over all the earth. 
How long? The whole period of that image, from the head, 
Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar's time, down to the feet and 
toes of the kingdom of the present time. That whole image 
represents the Gentile governments, and the times of the 
Gentiles is the period between the time that image was set up 
or came into power, and the time that that stone is to smite the 
image upon the feet and crush its power. 

Do not think, dear friends, that I am saying for a minute that 
you and I are to strike the image. Oh, no! God has given us 
no such commission. It is the heavenly Father that will do 
the smiting, and you and I have nothing to do with that; but so 
long as these various civil governments have the power, you 
and I are to recognize that God gave this power to these 
Gentile governments, and we are not to seek to disrupt that 
power; we are not to fight against these governments: we are 
to recognize these governments, because, as St. Paul tells us, 
"The powers that be are ordained of God." He authorized 
them to be. He did not say they were His kingdoms, and 
when any of these kingdoms claim to be God's kingdom they 
are telling that which is fraudulent and wrong. They are 
Gentile kingdoms, outside of God's kingdom. The word 
Gentile in the Scriptures stands for outsiders, those who are 
not God's people. This word Gentile, that is also translated 
"heathen," is the same word that is translated "Gentiles", 



interchangeably. So that all these kingdoms represent the 
Gentile image, that Gentile, or heathen kingdom--not God's 
kingdom. 

Where had God's kingdom been? Oh, not prominent, but 
subject. The Jews, after their return from Babylon never were 
a free people. They were always subject to one or another of 
the civil powers. One or another of the great nations ruled 
over the world, and ruled over them. They were under the 
Medo-Persian and under the Grecians and under the Romans; 
and now they are more or less subject to the "Holy Roman 
Empire": as they have suffered as much, perhaps, at the hands 
of the Holy Roman Empire as they have suffered from any of 
the others. 

So then it is during this time that God has permitted the 
Gentiles to rule the world, we understand He has been doing 
another work, namely, the gathering out of the world a 
people, a Kingdom class, and the Apostle Peter speaks of this, 
saying to the Church, you remember, "Ye are a holy nation, 

{PageQ83} 

a peculiar people, a royal priesthood." You and I belong to 
that—not that we are the finished priesthood yet. The real 
royal priesthood will be that priesthood, or that portion of us 
that will attain unto the first resurrection and will be joint 
heirs with our Lord in the heavenly glory, having made our 
calling and election sure, having been fully baptized into 
Christ's death, and we shall also be risen with Him in that day 
of glory. But while that is the hope of the Church, we are not 
in that Kingdom yet, in its fullest sense. We are not yet 
brought into the Kingdom proper. We are the ones who are to 
be the Kingdom class, if we are found to be faithful to the 
Lord. Faithful is He who hath called us into that Kingdom 
honor, and who will also do it and, as Jesus said, "Fear not, 
little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the 
Kingdom." But He has not given it to you yet. He is going to 
give it to you at the end of this age. He is going to give it to 
you when the Master himself comes into the great place of 
power to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Then we 
also shall reign with Him and be like Him and share His 
glory. 

Now then, when will Christ's Kingdom come? Well, we 
answer, not until these great kingdoms have reached their 
culmination. What will that be? That will be the end of the 
Gentile Times. So, then, when God said to Zedekiah, "I will 
overturn this crown and this kingdom until He comes whose 



right it is," it means that there will be an interval, without 
God's Kingdom, from the days of Zedekiah down to the day 
of the establishment of the real Kingdom of God, in which 
Christ is the great King over all the earth, and He tells us that 
when He shall appear in His glory, we shall appear with Him 
in glory. But that isn't yet. 

Now, dear friends, our expectation has been that these 
Gentile times would finish with the present year, 1914, and 
that with the finishing of the Gentile times, forthwith, 
immediately, God's kingdom would begin to manifest itself. I 
do not know yet that this is not true. It will have to be shown. 
Perhaps somebody can prove that it is not true, but I do not 
think anyone yet can prove that it is not true. If we come to 
the full end of 1914 and nothing transpires following that time 
to indicate the establishment of Christ's Kingdom amongst 
mankind, then perhaps we will have to reconsider matters; but 
not until then will it be necessary for us to reconsider. It is 
for the other party to prove that it will not be so. 

Why do you think it will be in October, 1914 (we are 
making a good deal out of this question, but I infer that this is 
just as interesting to you as some other part of the questions 
would be)? Why do we think that 1914 should be the 
consummation of Gentile times? What reason have you for 
thinking that it will come in 1914 any more than in 1910 or 
1920? This reason: We endeavored to find the date on which 
the kingdom was taken away from Israel, the date on which 
the crown was taken from Zedekiah, the date on which the 
kingdom of Israel there ceased, the kingdom of Judah there 
ceased and went into absolute captivity and the city of 
Jerusalem went into destruction. Now what year was that? 
We understand, as nearly as we are able to calculate: we do 
not claim infallibility, but as nearly as we are able to know, 
from all the history there is to be known, we believe that to 

{PageQ84} 

be the year 606 B. C. We will not go into all the proofs. That 
would take us all afternoon, and you have it in print, you have 
read it for yourselves and you know whether you believe it or 
whether you do not believe it and you were not urged to 
believe it. I simply set before you what I found there, what 
seemed to be, to me, the most reasonable answer to this 
matter, and you believed as much of it or as little of it as 
appealed to your heart. 

Now then, suppose it were the year 606, what would that 
have to do with 1914? Why, this, my dear friends: We found 



that there were two things stated in the Bible, one in respect 
to natural Israel and the other in respect to these Gentile 
Times. In respect to natural Israel it seems to be quite clearly 
pointed out that they would have "seven times" of very 
severe, trying experiences and punishments from God, 
discipline, disciplinary punishments. And these seven times 
of Israel's chastisement, as God foretold in the book of 
Leviticus, were not seven literal years, because they had many 
more chastisements than seven literal years. We believe, 
therefore, that they were seven symbolical years, and a 
symbolical year in Bible usage is three hundred and sixty 
years, corresponding, you see, to the lunar month, the lunar 
year— three hundred and sixty days, and so, three hundred and 
sixty years, a day for a year. And so seven years, or seven 
times, is seven times three hundred and sixty, which would be 
twenty- five hundred and twenty. And similarly, therefore, 
twenty- five hundred and twenty years would seem to be the 
measure of Israel's subjection to the Gentile governments, 
2,520 years. Well, were they subject to the first? Yes. To 
whom? To Nebuchadnezzar. Were they subject to Medo-Persia? 
Yes. Were they subject to the Grecians, represented 
by the brass? Yes. And the Romans, represented by the iron? 
Yes. They have been subject since then? You know they 
have been subject. Twenty-five hundred and twenty years, 
come this fall, as nearly as we are able to reckon. What does 
that mean? Why, that means that the time for Israel's 
deliverance from Gentile dominion should be the end of this 
year. Well, what will that mean? Well, we do not know yet 
what it will mean, but we rather think there will be something 
or other, either in the way of the downfall of these kingdoms 
represented in the image, or in some other way it will be 
shown that God's favor is returning or has returned in special 
form to Israel. Are there any signs along that line? Yes, 
some signs; for instance, we have the Zionistic movement, 
which began only quite recently, and this Zionism is looking 
just in that direction, hoping for the restoration of national 
power to the Jewish people—hoping for it, desiring it, laboring 
for it. And where did the Jews get that idea? Ah, we are not 
wise enough to say. We should not wonder at all if the Spirit 
of the Lord stirred them up at the appropriate time to look for 
and wait for and strive for the restoration of their national 
entity at the right time. We believe so. 

Well now, what about the other things? What about the 
Church? What about these Gentiles? Well, we answer, that 
similarly there are seven times marked out for the Gentiles; 
and their times began at the same period, at the same time, we 



believe, the year 606 B.C., and the seven times of the Gentiles 
is just as long--2,520 years, and measure down, we 

{PageQ85} 

believe, to the end of the year 1914 and the beginning of the 
year 1915. What should we expect then? Why, we should 
expect that by the end of 1914 the lease of power, this great 
lease that God gave to the Gentiles, the times of the Gentiles, 
would expire. And what would this mean? Why, you have 
lived in a house, and perhaps your lease has expired, and with 
the expiration of the lease the landlord sends you a notice to 
quit and get out. So I presume that the Gentiles will be served 
with a notice to quit. And just what that will mean to the 
Gentiles I am not wise enough to know. And if you do not 
quit and give possession of the house according to your lease, 
if you do not do so peaceably and quietly, in all probability 
the officer would come 'round and put you out on to the 
street. And so I am not expecting that the Gentiles know 
anything about this notice to quit, and they are not thinking of 
quitting at all. King Edward has no thought of saying, "Here, 
Lord, here is my crown, take it, please, and begin your reign." 
And the czar of Russia, his cousin, has no thought of doing 
that, and the other great kings of the world know nothing 
about the Messiah and His Kingdom. They do not realize the 
facts in the case. We are not blaming them at all, but we see 
that they are not prepared to quit. But we believe they are 
going to have a notice to quit, and they are quite unprepared 
for it. What do you think it will mean? Why, I think it will be 
about time. Well, how will it be done? Now, that takes more 
wisdom than I have. Well, you might say, it would 
necessarily mean, of course, that God would use some good 
people to put them out. Oh, not necessarily, my dear brother. 
Not necessarily. The officer who comes to put you out of the 
house might not be a good man at all. He might be a very 
rough and tumble sort of fellow that would come to set your 
stuff out. And so God sometimes uses the wrath of man, and 
the wrath of the devil, to praise Him, and He may use some 
other power. For aught I know. He may use anarchy to put 
these kingdoms out. It is not for me to say. I do not know. I 
merely know that you and I are commissioned to follow peace 
toward all men. We are not the ones to put them out. 
Therefore we can sit still, with great equanimity of mind, and 
say. When God's time comes, whenever it is, the Gentile lease 
will terminate and He will oust them from their positions, no 
matter how strong they may seem to be, and the Kingdom will 



be given to the people of the saints of the Most High God, the 
Kingdom and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole 
heavens, as Daniel describes it, and the people of the saints of 
the Most High God will take the Kingdom and possess the 
Kingdom forever, even forever and ever. That means a long 
while. We don't believe that the Gentiles will be given 
another lease. We believe they were merely given this lease 
in the interim, because God's time had not yet come for the 
establishment of His Kingdom. 

Now, then, about the Church. That is the essence of this 
question, and the rest has been marginal. About the Church: 
We have understood that the Church is all to be gathered out 
before that time, because Jesus seemed to imply that in some 
of His statements. He said, for instance, speaking of the 
kingdom of the world: "Watch ye, that ye may be accounted 
worthy to escape all these things coming upon the world," and 
so we think it is not unreasonable that we should 

{PageQ86} 

say, if these things are coming upon the world as it is 
declared, when the times of the Gentiles have expired, if these 
things are to be a great time of trouble as the Bible says, a 
time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, we 
say, if we are going to escape them, why, we suppose that we 
will be translated, or changed or something, having our 
resurrection change, before tha time. So now that wasn't bad 
reasoning, was it? Even if it should be found to be wrong in 
the end, it doesn't seem to be illogical to my head, and I am 
not ashamed of it at all. Other people may be if they like, I 
am not. Well, now, is there any possibility that we might not 
be there? Yes, there is a possibility. There are two ways of 
escaping trouble. You might escape the trouble and be right 
in it. Is not that so? Yes, it is. A good many people think I 
have been in a peck of trouble for several years past. I have 
been escaping it all, my dear friends. If I look very much 
troubled, why I belie my feelings; I am not troubled a bit. I 
only wish that my enemies could have just as good a time, 
and especially all my friends (laughter and hand clapping). 
Well, now, the Lord may have something of that character for 
us, and for all I know the Church may be here during that 
time of trouble or during a portion of that time of trouble. 
There is nothing in the Bible that says just as soon as the 
Gentile times are ended all the Church will be glorified. The 
Church may be here after the trouble is begun, perhaps. 
Perhaps. It is possible. We'll see. And we'll be content 



whatever we see, won't we! That is the situation, dear 
friends! "Content, whatever lot I see, since 'tis my God that 
leadeth me." Could we be otherwise than content with God's 
leading? We may be sure that all the leadings of our 
Heavenly Father and of our Heavenly Lord will all be for 
good, that we will have every reason to enjoy His leadings. 
He doeth all things well. 

Well, how might it be? Well, it might be that we would 
remain through this time of trouble. 

And do you think. Brother Russell, that all the saints will be 
sealed? Well, now, the sealing, we understand, dear friends, 
is a work that begins with the Holy Spirit operating upon our 
hearts at the very time that we begin to do the will of God. 
The Apostle speaks of this sealing of the Holy Spirit. The 
sealing, you know, as it was done in olden times, was done 
with a seal--an instrument of hard metal or stone, usually a 
stone, impressing upon soft wax and giving a certain impress 
there that can be distinguished afterward. And so God, 
accepting us as His people, our hearts becoming verv tender, 
and we as New Creatures giving ourselves fully to Him, has 
begun the work of impressing His character and likeness upon 
us, and we are in the process of being sealed with the Holy 
Spirit; and that sealing work has been going on, hasn't it? 
Yes, you know something about it. Yes, thank God you do! 
Well, there is a further sealing mentioned in the book of 
Revelation, you remember. There is a sealing in their 
foreheads; and something mentioned in Revelation as not 
having been common to the people of God, but as being 
opportune, and transpiring, in the end of the age; and we read, 
you remember, that the four angels are holding back the four 
winds; that the great time of trouble (I am not giving you the 
exact words), that the time of trouble should not break loose 
upon the world until the servants of God had been 

{PageQ87} 

sealed in their foreheads. Now that is a different sealing, you 
see. As Christians, we have always had, from the beginning 
of our experiences, the sealing process in our hearts, the 
character likeness of our Lord made more and more 
prominent, and so had our fathers and our grandfathers and all 
the Church of Christ had that sealing work going on in the 
heart. But now this sealing in the forehead signifies the 
giving, or impressing, intellectually. Has that been going on 
for a while? Yes, my dear brother, and you know it. Just as 
surely as you have had any of that sealing in the forehead you 



are aware that your intellect is sharper and brighter and 
clearer. You understand God's character, you understand 
God's plan, you understand God's Word as you never did 
before. And this sealing process is to continue until what? 
Until all the number that belong to the Elect Church shall 
have been sealed in their foreheads. Will there not be many 
of the saintly ones of God's people left in ignorance? Not one! 
Not one! All of the one hundred and forty-four thousand that 
shall stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion will all of them be 
sealed in their foreheads; not necessarily all of the 144,000 in 
the flesh, because they have been selected throughout the 
whole age, you know; but all who belong to that class who 
will be living in the end of this age will have the sealing in 
this way; and the others that belong to that class, by 
experiencing the resurrection they get their sealing in still a 
more thorough manner, if you please; but the entire 144,000 
receive this sealing in their foreheads, this intellectual 
knowledge of which this is a picture. So we believe it must 
be. So it has been in process. A part of the work that you and 
I rejoice in having the privilege of having a part in is this 
work of helping to bring to others the knowledge of God's 
character and plan. The pilgrim work and the scattering of 
tracts and the Photo Drama of Creation and the colporteur 
work and every other part of the work is with a view to 
helping our fellow Christians to have this sealing in their 
foreheads, to get a clear, intellectual understanding of God's 
plan. 

And some can't see it at all. Why not? Because they are not 
drawn by God to receive it. And others do receive it. Yes, 
because to them it is given to receive it. Just as Jesus said in 
the end of His age, to some, "To you it is given to know the 
mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to all outsiders these 
things are spoken in parables and dark sayings, that hearing 
they might hear and not understand." It is not for them to 
understand. In other words, God does not wish His plan 
known to everybody. He does wish it known to His 
consecrated people. "The secret of the Lord is with them that 
reverence Him. He will show them His covenant." And now 
in the end of the age is the time, we believe, that light and 
knowledge is especially due to this class. "Light is sown for 
the righteous." St. Paul, speaking on this very subject, says, 
after telling about that great time of trouble that is coming 
upon the world, says it shall come upon them as a thief and as 
a snare and they shall not know, "but ye, brethren, are not in 
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are 
the children of the light and the children of the day," and God 



will show you enough on the subject that you will not be like 
the world, overtaken unawares, and not knowing what to 
expect. So it is coming over the whole world. The Gentiles 
do not know what is coming. 

{PageQ88} 

They see the difficulties and they wonder about different 
things, but they do not know what is coming. 

Now then, though it isn't in the question, I think it is a part 
of the question and perhaps as much of interest as the others 
here, therefore I will go on: Suppose that we should remain 
here! I am fully convinced that I would rather stay here if the 
Lord wants me to stay here. I couldn't go if He did not want 
me, anyway, but I am pleased to stay if it is the Lord's will. If 
the Lord were to say, "You can have your choice of going or 
staying," I think I should say, "Dear Lord, if you want me to 
stay, I'll stay." Wouldn't you? Of course you would. 

Now there is a scripture to which we called attention in the 
WATCH TOWER recently, that is, two or three months ago, 
that leaves a little room for question whether or not the 
Church might be completed and somehow or other accepted 
in the Lord right here in the flesh, right here amongst men, 
and yet their destiny, so to speak, be settled, and yet we 
would not die—or attain to the resurrection just yet. That 
scripture says : "Let the saints be joyful in glory, let them 
sing aloud upon their beds, let the high praises of God be in 
their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute 
the judgments written. This honor have all His saints." Now 
you see there's room there for the thought. Why? How? 
Notice the glory that these saints shall have. Some of God's 
people are at rest, while others are in short beds—trundle beds, 
so to speak, and those that are of full size are represented as 
having full-sized beds, etc. And the two-edged sword, what 
is that? Why, the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of 
God. Now, we won't need the sword of the Spirit, the Word 
of God, in our hands after we get into the glory beyond the 
veil, will we? We do not think so. I doubt very much that we 
will use the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit after we 
are changed. I think we will have more powerful weapons, 
more spiritual weapons even than the spiritual Word of God. 
What more? "The high sounding praises of God upon our 
lips." That can just as well be on this side of the veil. So the 
bed seems to indicate this side of the veil, and the sword, and 
then the text says, "To execute the judgments written." Why, 
are we to execute the judgments in the flesh? I do not know. 



I have no idea. I am not trying to execute judgment, my dear 
brethren, and I will not do so until the Lord makes it very 
positive to me that I should. He will have to push me out and 
make it very plain if I am to do that. I am not going to assume 
that I am to use any force with anybody until he makes it 
positively plain. If that is it, if the time should come. He will 
know how to make it plain to us, and then we will do our 
duty, we trust, every one; but we will wait until we see. I am 
simply suggesting these thoughts, because we are nearing the 
end of 1914, and I wish to leave this thought in your mind: 
that there is a possibility of our not being changed this year, 
and that there is a possibility that the Church may be 
completed and yet we will not be changed. It is possible that 
the Gentile Times will end on time as expected, and yet the 
Church not be changed. 

Another question I will anticipate: Suppose that the Gentile 
Times should end in October, 1914, what would be the 
logical thing to expect? Well, I am not sure what to expect. 

{PageQ89} 

We could not be sure, we would not know, whether it would 
take the Lord fifteen minutes or fifteen days or fifteen years 
to put out the kingdoms of this world. It is merely a guess, 
but one guess that we might give with a little bit of scriptural 
basis is this: We have seen parallelisms between the Jewish 
Age and the Gospel Age. We have seen that the forty years 
of the harvest in the end of the Jewish Age corresponds with 
the forty years' harvest in the end of the Christian Age. We 
have seen that at the end of the forty years of Israel's harvest, 
the nation of Israel was destroyed within approximately six or 
seven months after the end of their harvest—a little more than 
six months. And so, following the same parallel, if it is a 
parallel (I am not sure that it is), if it is a parallel, it would 
seem to imply that the great trouble should be expected to 
come upon the world in the six months following October, 
1914. Well, now, if you will wait until this time next year 
and see how it is, and we have another convention, then we 
will perhaps be wiser; but I hope we will not be any the less 
loyal to the Lord and His Word, whatever may be the 
circumstances or conditions. We did not consecrate until the 
end of the Gentile Times, nor dlid we consecrate until the end 
of 1914 not until the end of 1915, but we consecrated, if we 
consecrated properly, until death. 



CHRONOLOGY-October, 1914, Re the High Calling. 

Q89:1:: QUESTION (1914)-l-Dear Brother Russell, 
in the event of October of this year coming and going, and 
you should still be in the flesh, do you think that that would be 
an indication that the Lord had left you out of the High 
Calling class? 

ANSWER— I would not. Our understanding, dear 
friends, respecting October, 1914, is that to the best of our 
judgment- -judgment of the Scripture testimony, of how to 
read the chronology furnished in the Bible, to the best of our 
judgment the year 1914, the month of October, will mark the 
end of the Gentile times. 

Now we do not know that it will be so, because there is a 
difference between faith and knowledge. Now we know in 
part on any subject more or less distinctly seen some have 
more accurate judgment and some less. But God does not 
propose that His people in the present time shall walk by 
sight, but by faith. That is His intention. He has not, 
therefore, given us on some lines that which will be positive 
evidence so that we may walk by sight. As for instance. He 
has told us about the "crown of life" laid up for us, but you 
have never seen it except by the eye of faith, and yet that is 
the very thing you are running for and spending your life for, 
and unless you have full faith in that crown of life, you would 
not be laying down your present life and seeking to live in the 
future. 

In the matter of chronology, we remind you of what we said 
in the Studies in the Scriptures. It is not a thing that can 
positively be known. We pointed out in the Second Volume 
that the chronology there set forth is the best, and most 
accurate, according to the Bible, that we are able to 
determine; but we also pointed out that the Bible does not 
pretend to give the day the week and the month 
chronologically: that it gives certain periods in a lump sum, 
and therefore there will be always occasion to exercise faith 
in 

{PageQ90} 

connection with the chronology. We told you that in our 
judgment this chronology was correct, though it was admitted 
to be fallible and possibly might vary for a year or a few 
years; but that it seemed to be corroborated and made strong 
by the fact that certain prophecies of the Bible seemed to 
intermesh and interlock with it and it made the chronology of 
the Bible appear to us that He meant it to be used, and I am 



using it in my faith and I am acting according to this 
chronology. I believed these prophetic parts fitted into it and 
that it is connected with all of God's doings. There seems to 
be a fitness all the way down and I cannot see how they could 
so fit together unless God intended it, and if so, these things 
were for our admonition, for our instruction. So I placed 
upon each reader the responsibility for thinking the matter out 
for himself. We have as much in the Bible as we ever had, 
and I merely pointed out how the matter looked to me, and 
asked you to use your judgment. 

I think the same about the chronology that I ever thought. I 
see no place where there is a flaw. I would not know where 
to put my finger on any item there and say, that is a mistake. 
I do not know any such place. It all looks to me as it did 
thirty years ago. 

Why then. Brother Russell, here it is 1914. And have all of 
the things occurred that you thought would occur by this 
time? 

No, that is true. They have not all occurred. 

How do you account for that? 

Perhaps I was expecting more to occur than I should have 
expected. I see nothing whatever to indicate to me that the 
chronology is in error, that our expectations are wrong. I am 
more convinced every day that I live that the great Divine 
Plan of the Ages is the only plan that could be a Divine plan; 
that no human being could possibly have concocted that plan. 
When you compare the Divine plan in the Bible with all of 
the human plans and theories how simple and absurd all 
human theories are. 

Think of the thoughts given us about the doctrine of 
election. I need not single out any one. Take all of the creeds 
that have come down to us, and there is not an intelligent man 
in the world that would think of defending any of those 
creeds. They are all too absurd for the light of our day, and 
when we hold up the Plan of the Ages everything else on 
earth is put to shame and wants to get into the dark. Whether 
they like it or not it is so. The Great Plan shows God's 
knowledge of the affairs of the universe; God provided a 
"Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world." God 
permitted the sin, the fall. Why He permitted sin. His 
intention respecting the fallen ones that they should be 
redeemed in due time, the time or restitution, that it should 
come in due time, and in the interim God would select a 
Church to be joint heirs with Christ in the kingdom work, is 
all shown in this Great Plan. You cannot make me believe 
that any human being could make such a plan. Sometimes I 



see such futile efforts of humanity for making plans. For 
more than 6,000 years men have been making plans for God, 
and they are all silly, and the part that is not silly is devilish. 

{PageQ91} 

So then, nothing that could happen in 1914, or any other 
time, would change my mind one whit in respect to the great 
Divine Plan of the Ages. 

What about it being near the time when the Kingdom is to 
be established? 

I think, so many times, that every added indication shows 
that it is near, even at the doors, that I cannot doubt, whether 
the culmination comes in 1914, 1915 or some other year, it is 
near, even at the doors. When I see from the Bible the record 
given us, as I understand, as we have presented and you have 
read that we have been in the harvest time ever since 1874, 
that this is the harvesting of Christendom, I am astonished at 
how true every feature of that work seems to be, of the 
demonstration that we are in the harvest and the work is in 
progress. We have had forty years of this harvest, or will 
have in a few months. What have we seen? According to the 
Bible we have understood that during this harvest time the 
great Chief Reaper was to be present, not known to the world 
but to His sheep the knowledge of His presence coming out 
gradually from one to another and it has been so. The 
parousia, the presence, unknown to the world that Jesus 
foretold when he told us that his coming would be "as a thief 
in the night," of which the Apostles said the world would all 
be taken by surprise and that they would not know what hour 
he would come, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that 
that day should overtake you as a thief" because ye are 
children of the light and of the day, therefore God would 
make known to you enough of the light on this subject to give 
you the information that we might not be in darkness with the 
world respecting the presence of the Lord. What are some of 
the evidences? 

I answer Jesus himself told us what would be the special 
work He would do at His second coming and before He was 
manifest as present to the world. Before He would manifest 
himself to the world He would be present and do a work for 
the Church and that would be this. He told of the parable of 
the talents and the pounds, how He gave certain pounds and 
talents to His servants and went into a far country. Heaven 
itself, to be invested with kingly power and authority On His 
return He would first call His own servants and reckon with 



them. Has it been so during the past forty years? Yes. There 
has been a reckoning with the Lord's servants and a giving of 
account of how they have used the talents and blessings and 
opportunities that have come to them, and in proportion as 
they were found to have received and used these well in that 
same proportion they have entered into the joys of their Lord. 
I am not wishing to say that you and I have entered fully into 
the joys of our Lord yet. No, there is more. That part where 
we shall have rulership over two cities, five cities, etc., that 
will be entering into the joys to the full extent. All who have 
been found faithful in this harvest, when the Master has called 
their name and they have been found faithful to the talents 
they did have, will be lifted up and given the high reward of 
being joint heirs with Christ. These are now learning to know 
of the love of God which passeth understanding. This has 
been going on for forty years. 

{PageQ92} 

The Bible says that at the time there would be such a 
blessing on the loyal ones of the Lord, there would be another 
class—a nominal class—with whom things would not be so 
favorable, and I believe it has been so; and I believe that is 
what the Bible calls a spewing out of the mouth by the Lord 
in connection with certain persons who have not been loyal to 
Him; and that work of separation has been going on as a 
separation of the wheat from the tares, the tares to be bound 
in bundles for the burning. 

I will not attempt to go into details, merely touching points 
known to every one of us, and I am doing this merely to 
stimulate your pure minds by way of remembrance, rather 
than to say anything new. We have said all this in print and 
you have read it before. We are merely reminding you of it. I 
have believed in all of these things for over forty years and I 
still do. 

What is the next step in order? The Bible tells us it will be 
the Epiphania of Jesus. What is that? The shining forth. 
What is to be revealed? The one whom we recognize already. 
We already recognize the presence of our Savior the present 
One, the Great Reaper, but the world knows Him not. Just as 
it was at the first advent. Jesus was present but the Jews 
knew Him not. John the Baptist said of Him, "There standeth 
One among you whom you know not." We believe there has 
been One with us during these forty years here, the Present 
One, the King, God has appointed, and the world knows Him 
not. He is not revealed unto them. He has come "as a thief in 



the night," getting the bride class ready, gathering out a 
people peculiar to himself. He is gathering the jewels, seeing 
to the finishing touches of their polishing, getting them ready 
to be set in the great diadem in the hand of God. God is 
getting ready these jewels, the mounting of these jewels in the 
diadem frame will be the installation of the Church in the 
Kingdom. Their change in the resurrection which we are 
hoping will come to the Lord's people soon and in which we 
are hoping to participate. 

Now further, we have seen and been expecting the Jews 
would be going back to Palestine, and at the beginning of this 
harvest time no Jew in the world had thought of going back to 
Palestine. They were all looking to their own chronology 
which has a difference of several hundred years from ours. 
There is nothing to be expected until the end of the 6,000 
years. I think that is 350 years yet according to their 
chronology. In the last twenty years the Jews have been 
waking up, paying no attention to their chronology and 
hoping for the restoration to Israel and hoping God would 
grant them a national existence again--the very thing that 
according to the Bible is now due to be accomplished. We 
expect a larger enlightening of those, posssibly, than we have 
seen. We thought more Jews would go than have, but we 
were not wise enough to know how many were going. What 
we do see is a sufficient number to fulfill God's word—a 
gathering of some of the most earnest Jews from all parts of 
the world. Not always the richest Jews, but it is said some 
eighteen millionaires are living at Jerusalem now. God tells 
how the Jews will be regathered there, with considerable 
wealth at about this time, possibly not this year or for several 
years, but all of these things are 

{PageQ93} 

coming our way and my faith in the ultimate carrying out of 
all these things is the same that it ever was. 

There is another matter. What is going to slip past in 
October, 1914? I suppose you think the Gentile times won't 
end there? 

I do not know anything of the kind. 

I do not know but what they will. 

You do not know. 

Nobody else can say they will not end there. Let us wait 
and see. 

What is meant by that anyway? says one. 

I will grant, dear friends, perhaps three-fourths of this 



audience know exactly what is meant by the term "Gentile 
Times" now as well as after I give a more detailed explanation 
but for the sake of the one-fourth I will say God in times past 
had given a kingdom to Israel and it was typical of Messiah's 
kingdom that was first of all recognized in King David, and 
we read of him that he sat upon the throne of the kingdom of 
the Lord. Now lots of other kingdoms today claim to be the 
kingdoms of the Lord, but they make the claim without Bible 
authority. David sat on the throne of the kingdom of the 
Lord, and God said of the fruit of his loins there should be 
some one to sit on that throne forever, that He would never 
lack some one to sit on that throne-God's throne. And He 
never has. Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord in the room 
of his father David. Then followed Solomon's sons down to 
the last king, whose name was Zedekiah, and he was the last 
of David's line to sit on the throne of Judah over the people of 
God as representative of God's kingdom. What then 
occurred? In his day God said to him, "O thou profane and 
wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity 
shall have an end. Thus said the Lord God; Remove the 
diadem and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: 
exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will 
overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more until 
He come whose right it is; and I will give it to Him." 

Do you get the thought? There was the typical kingdom 
continued from David to Zedekiah and then taken away from 
the earth never to be replaced until the Messiah should 
replace it as God's true kingdom at his reign. And it has been 
so. There is no failure of that prophecy. Have the Jews not 
had a king since? None that God recognized. What about 
Maccabean, Herod, etc. The Maccabeans did not come from 
the line God recognized, and the Herod family were not only 
not of David's line, but were not Jews at all. They were the 
sons of Esau. It has been true that from Zedekiah down to the 
present time, there has been no king of David's line, and the 
next one to reign is the Messiah. What of that? That time 
from which their kingdom was broken off until Messiah 
would come, we believe was mentioned when He told them 
through Moses about how He would overturn them and 
punish them seven times—seven years. Not seven literal 
years, because they were punished much more than seven 
literal years, many times more. What does this mean? Seven 
times as much as they ought to be punished? No. What does 
it mean, then? We believe that he meant that God would 
punish them seven symbolic years for their sins. How much 
is that? 



{PageQ94} 

According to the Bible a symbolic year is 360 years--360 
days to a lunar year and a day representing a year, so a 
symbolic year is 360 years. What of that? Seven times 
would be seven times 360 years, or 2,520 years. Where 
would they begin? They would begin the very time that God 
took away the crown and the diadem from Zedekiah. Where 
would they measure to? To the time when Messiah would 
take His kingdom. When will that be? To our understanding, 
my dear brothers and sisters, Zedekiah lost his crown in the 
year 606 B.C., and from here~606 B.C.— measuring down 
2,520 years to the best of our knowledge and belief, will 
expire with October, 1914. Now if anybody else can change 
that, let him do so. We have not found anyone that can. We 
do not say it is infallibly true, but we have not found anything 
wrong with it but we see that the right time for Him to receive 
His authority in the world will be October, 1914. Perhaps 
that is wrong, but I do not think it is far wrong. It does not 
seem probable. Those were years of Jewish punishment for 
their sins. They did not relate to the other punishment and 
how they got their great punishment, had their national 
existence taken away when they rejected Jesus, and they have 
had no national existence since the year A. D. 70. And they 
will have none until the day in which they will delight to say, 
'"Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord Jehovah." 
They will be glad to see him. How do you know they will? 
The Bible says so. The Bible says He is going to pour upon 
them fire, symbolical for trouble. I will pour upon them the 
spirit of prayer and of supplication, and they shall look upon 
Him whom they have pierced. They will look with the eye of 
their understanding just as you have. Have you seen Him? 
Yes. Have you looked at Jesus? Yes. May not the Jew also? 
Yes, and he is about to do so, we believe. We understand one 
of the first things of the new order of things will be pouring 
upon Israel their share of the blessings and their eyes will be 
opened to recognize Him whom they rejected more than 
eighteen hundred years ago. 

Looking from another standpoint, Jesus said in prophesy 
that "Jerusalem would continue to be trodden down of the 
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled." 
Was it trodden down in his day? Yes. Were they not 
governed from Rome? Surely. Now, Jerusalem shall be 
trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles 
be fulfilled, does not that imply that there are certain times of 



the Gentiles? Yes. What does that mean? Did God give the 
world over to the Gentiles for a time? Yes. How do you 
know? Jesus said so, and you can go to the Bible and find the 
proof. God took the kingdom from Zedekiah and the crown 
was taken from him. Then God recognized the Gentile 
governments for the first time. Prove that. That is easy 
enough. 

You remember Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, when 
exercising his power in overthrowing Zedekiah and utterly 
destroying Jerusalem, taking many of them captives, was the 
beginning of that period—the overturning of the crown—and to 
show us clearly where the authority went according to the 
divine view. God gave a vision and an interpretation of that. 
I will remind you of it. Eighteen years before Zedekiah's 

{PageQ95} 

kingdom was taken from him, a young man of a noble family 
of the Jews was taken prisoner with others, and that young 
man was Daniel; and he was put among the wise men of the 
land of Babylon to have special education and privileges, and 
he had been in Babylon for eighteen years. And when this 
time came represented in the dream, the king sent out word 
that he had had a dream, and called upon all of the wise men 
to come in the morning, and when they came in, he told them 
that he had had a dream the night before and it was very 
interesting and puzzling, and one of the most puzzling things 
was that the dream had gone from him and he could not 
remember it, and he told them that he wanted them to tell him 
the dream and what it meant. The wise men told him that no 
king had ever asked such a thing of his wise men before, that 
if he would tell them his dream they would give him some 
kind of an interpretation of it. The king answered them that 
he could see very easily how a man could make up some kind 
of an interpretation of it if they had the dream told them; but 
that if they had the divine power they could tell the dream and 
the interpretation also. "If you cannot do that I will have you 
put to death as imposters, letting on that you have connection 
with the gods which you have not." They were frightened, but 
when Daniel heard of it (it seems he was not with them before 
the king) he said to the king, "Why is this haste? If you will 
allow a certain time to be granted, there is One who is able to 
answer the king and give him the dream and the 
interpretation. That is the God whom I, Daniel, serve." 
"Very well, time will be granted." And at the time appointed, 
Daniel came before the king and told him the dream, and you 



remember it well. 

"Thou, O King, sawest, and, behold, a great image. This 
great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before 
thee, and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head 
was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly 
and his thighs of brass. His legs of iron, and his feet part of 
iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out 
of the mountain without hands, which smote the image upon 
his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 
Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, 
broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the 
summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, 
that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the 
image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." 

"You have got it right," said the king. "That is exactly the 
dream. Now tell the interpretation." And Daniel proceeded to 
say, "The God of Heaven hath revealed unto the king this 
thing." That was from God. "Thou art this head of gold." A 
king over kings. You are the first one represented in this 
great image. This represents all of the Gentile governments 
that would ever bear rule over the earth. That represents the 
time between when God took away the typical kingdom and 
the time He would restore it. The description shows us that 
the head was the kingdom of Babylon, the next was Medo- 
Persia, the next Grecia, and the next the Roman Empire, 
represented by the legs, and the next in order was the holy 
Roman Empire, represented by the feet of iron and clay. The 
iron in the feet, by the way we understand, 

{PageQ96} 

represents the powers of the state. The Roman Empire still 
exists, not in the form it was first recognized, but in the fact 
that it was a combination of church and state, and the two 
uniting sought to rule over all Europe and the world, and 
generally there has been a disintegration between the iron 
(civil) and the clay (ecclesiastical) powers. Some places the 
iron is more prominent and some places the clay. The iron, 
which has the strength, is usually the most prominent. The 
clay, representing ecclesiasticism in the mixture, corresponds, 
shall I say, is the counterfeit of the stone? In other words, this 
power in combination with the civil power claims it was 
God's kingdom, claims that instead of smiting the image and 
destroying it, the stone itself had taken on the divine character 
and was ruling. 
The great kings of Europe today, practically all of them. 



claim that they are God's kingdom, and yet that they are civil 
powers. On the one hand they are currying power with 
earthly kings, and on the other hand they claim to be God's 
kingdom. Such kingdoms claim that the Emperor Joseph is 
reigning there by divine authority, also Emperor William, 
Czar of Russia, etc. 

We are living down in the days of these kings represented 
by the feet and more particularly the toes. What is the next 
thing in order? 

According to the Bible, the next thing is that the whole 
image is going to be broken in fragments, and "become the 
chaff of the summer threshing floor," and be completely 
removed. The Bible says. Choose whom you will serve and 
whom you will believe. I think we have learned to put our 
confidence in the Word of God. We believe what it tells us, 
no matter what it says to anybody else. 

The Word of God tells us that the next thing in order is for 
the stone to smite the image, and after the smiting the stone 
will fill the whole earth. I believe just what the Bible says. It 
need not make any difference to you what I believe, either, 
but what the Bible says. We are going by God's Word and 
not by each other. We have had bad enough experience in 
trying to follow men. We are not following men, but God. 
These things are sure. The Lord said so. No matter whether 
the smiting of the image will occur in 1915 or not. God only 
knows; but according to the best knowledge I have of the 
Bible, that will be the time when we shall expect that the 
image will be smitten in the feet. Why say 1915 and not 
1914? Because these Gentile governments, represented by the 
image Babylon, Medo-Persia, etc., were given their places to 
occupy for a certain specific time, between the time 
Zedekiah's crown was taken away and the time when 
Messiah's Kingdom would be established. All of that time 
they must have. It is like a lease given to you. If you 
received a lease expiring October, 1914, why then, just as 
soon as the lease would expire it would be time for you to get 
out of the premises. Suppose you did not know that your 
lease had expired; it was long and you had forgotten it was 
for October 1st, 1914. You were building, planting and fixing 
up the house as though you were expecting to stay there 
forever. Now your lease has run out; what would you then 
expect? You would receive some notice to get out. Suppose 
you did not go? You would be put out. 



{PageQ97} 

What we see about the Gentile Times is that God gave a 
lease to the Gentiles when He took away the kingdom from 
the typical Israel. He said to the Gentiles, I am going to give 
you the lease or opportunity in which you may take hold of 
the affairs of the world and see if you can bring to the world 
such things as make for peace. 

We want to say here, some of these Gentile nations have 
done wonderfully well. I congratulate many of them on 
having done splendidly, all we could expect, all beastly 
governments, they have done the best they could. Who could 
bring perfection out of an impure thing? What do we think 
today as we are nearing the close of the Gentile Times, the 
2,520 years, beginning 606 B. C. and expiring October, 1914? 
Have they brought in everlasting righteousness? No. Have 
they brought happiness to the world? No. Have they brought 
that which will be the desire of all nations? No. What must 
we hope for? What God has declared He will bring, and 
Messiah's Kingdom will bring to mankind "the desire of all 
nations." 

Are any of the nations getting ready to move? I have not 
heard of it. Don't they know the Gentile Times have expired? 
I guess not. The truth has gone all over the world? Yes, but it 
is foolishness to them. If the emperor heard anything about 
the times of the Gentiles he would laugh. So would the king 
of England, or the czar of Russia. Even the Emperor William 
would have a good laugh at the thought that God had anything 
to do with a better government than his. How could God get 
a better one? It would naturally occur to these gentlemen that 
God could hardly choose a better king or ruler than is now in 
office. All of these men are imperfect and are all laboring 
under more or less of a delusion and the false doctrines of the 
past, and are so bewildered and weak they could not do better 
if they did not know how. 

Their lease will expire and God who gave it to them will 
take back things in His control and set up the Kingdom in the 
hands of the Messiah that Jesus taught us to pray for, "Thy 
Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in 
Heaven." 

What do you expect, then. Brother Russell, in October, 
1914? I expect October will come and the kings of the earth 
—the Gentiles—will not know that their lease is expired. What 
then? A thunder clap out of a clear sky, that will begin to 
show these kings that a new Ruler is taking possession of the 



world. How will it come? I do not know the particulars. I 
have merely the outline. The first thing in order will be the 
manifestation of God's kingdom. How? The revealment, the 
making known. What do you mean? The Epiphania. He has 
been here and is to continue a thousand years. His parousia 
will not end in this forty years. 

None others are made aware of these things yet. "Ye 
brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you 
as a thief." 

Next in order will be (the apokalupsis) the revealment. 
How will that be? "I have my idea," some one says. "I think 
that He will come and will sit on the circle of the Heaven and 
every eye will look up and all fall down and weep and howl." 
Not a bit of it. I think the Bible way of telling that matter is 
this way, dear friends: "He shall be 

{PageQ98} 

revealed in flaming fire taking vengeance." What is that? A 
great system of judgments will begin at that time. Flaming 
fire, outward manifestation of judgment. Why did you say 
fire? Because the Bible uses that as a symbolical expression 
just as He said the fiery trials which are to try you, and the 
gold is being prepared by fire. It is said of the world, not the 
Church, "He shall be revealed in flaming fire taking 
vengeance." That will be after October, 1914? Yes. How 
long will it take? I do not know. Have you any guess? 
Guesses are very dangerous things, and if I will do any 
guessing I will give you the reason why I guess. In this case 
we have seen the parallel in the ending of the Jewish age. 
The city was destroyed in A. D. 70. The ending of the Gospel 
Age and the baptism of trouble will come, the elements will 
melt with fervent heat, the capitalistic elements and all, the 
whole world will become like a furnace, every man's hand 
against his neighbor. That is the Bible description of it. The 
fire will come on the men in a natural way. It is their own 
fire that they built. It is because they are not living up to their 
grant. The Bible indicates that this condition would have 
come long ago if God had not held it back. When the right 
time comes God will no longer hold the four winds back, and 
the conflagration will be thorough, and swift, and terrible. 
Jesus said, speaking of that time, "Unless those days be 
shortened no flesh shall be saved. But for the elect's sake 
those days shall be shortened." 

What about the elect's sakes? What about them? The elect 
are going to set up the Kingdom and stop that. They will 



interfere and bring order out of confusion. 

How long did it take for the trouble that came upon the 
Jews to destroy them? About one year. After the forty years 
are ended, what might be expected here? Perhaps one year 
here might be enough of this trouble. God only knows. We 
are merely offering an idea. So I will expect 1915 will be a 
very severe year. 

Where will the Church be then? Part of the question here. I 
am giving a liberal interpretation of this question and answer 
at the same time a half dozen other questions that will be 
asked. What about the Church? I do not know. I can only 
guess, and as I said before, guesses are very unsafe. Our 
supposition would be what we have always understood that 
when He would appear, when He would be manifest in the 
flaming fire, we would appear with Him. That would imply 
that we would be gone from here. 

Another Scripture says, "Watch, that ye may be able to 
escape these things." That implies that we shall be gone, we 
think. It is implication. We are not sure. We would naturally 
suppose that the Church gathering would be before the end or 
by the end of the Gentile Times, but we are not certain. We 
call your attention to one of the Psalms and the statement 
therein made. "Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing 
aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their 
mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand. To execute 
vengeance upon the heathen, and punishment upon the 
people. To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles 
with fetters of iron. To execute upon them the judgments 
written: This honor have all the saints." 

{PageQ99} 

We pointed out in a recent Tower, dear friends, some of 
these things that seem to imply that the saints shall enter into 
some kind of glory this side the veil. We are not sure. We do 
not wish to prophesy. We are merely trying to read a 
prophecy. Our thought has always been that we would have 
nothing to do with the judging of the world until we had 
passed beyond the veil; but this seems to imply that some of 
the work would be done this side, because the bed seems to 
represent ease, the sword the Bible which is the Word of God. 
We say to ourselves while we might have the high sounding 
praise of God in our mouths on the other side of the veil, we 
would not need to be on the bed of rest or have the sword of 
the Spirit. On the other side we will have something more 
perfect. These are for use here under present conditions. 



Therefore, there is something in that Psalm which seems to 
me to say the reward referred to may be here. What of it? 
Apparently the next verse says they are to share with all the 
saints in the execution of the judgments written. What would 
that mean? It might seem that some of God's people might 
remain on this side of the veil, while others would be on the 
other side, and the two were one complete body acceptable to 
the Lord and might jointly engage in some work, they there 
and we here. There is a thought we might take. There is a 
possibility of it, and I am merely keeping my eye of faith and 
understanding open to see. I am not saying it is so, but we are 
in a place where we do not know. Our faith is strong, but 
whether all of our expectations in respect to the changes will 
be fulfilled by October 1st, or a year afterwards, I do not 
know, but whatever is God's will for you, is your will, I trust. 
Whatever is God's will for me, is my will; and if God has 
something beyond what I had thought, I will be very glad to 
have His will be done. Aren't you? I am sure you are. 

I understand there are some of the dear friends at the 
Convention whose faith is shaky and they feel like selling out. 
I would like to find them. How much do you want for what 
you have gotten? Count up all you have received. What will 
you take for it? Say the word. Will you take $1,000.00? 

(From the audience.) No. 

Will you take $1,000,000.00? No. 

Will you take the whole world? No, no. 

You have a great bargain anyhow. Whatever comes you 
have a good bargain anyway. You are laying hold upon and 
appreciating what Jesus told us about the pearl of great price— 
a priceless pearl. Sell everything you have to obtain this 
pearl. You sold out your own will once and you have nothing 
to say whether God's plan is October, 1914, or 1940. It is 
none of your business. You gave all to the Lord. It is His. 
Content whatever lot I see. 

Since 'tis my God that leadeth me. 

CHURCH-Re Need of a Mediator. 

Q99:1 :: QUESTION (1907)-l-Do we as individuals 
need Christ as our mediator before we become members of 
His Body? 

ANSWER. --I answer that if we had needed Christ as a 
Mediator, then God would have provided Him as a mediator, 
and the fact that God did not provide Him as our mediator, 
proves that we do not need Him as such. The Scriptures 
never speak of a mediator except from the standpoint of a 



{PageQlOO} 

covenant. Whenever the Scriptures speak of a mediator, they 
always speak of it in connection with a covenant. As for 
instance, there was Moses, the mediator of the Law covenant, 
and Christ the mediator of the new covenant. Abraham had 
no mediator. Why? The Apostle Paul explains that the first 
covenant was all of God, and God is One and where there 
is only one party there is no need of a mediator. What does 
He mean? Why, in the original covenant He made with Father 
Abraham there were no conditions specified at all. God says, 
I will do thus and so. He does not say, I will do thus and so if 
you do so and so. Where it is merely an unconditional 
promise you do not need a mediator to carry out the plans and 
see that the two parties do right by each other. There are not 
two parties to it. God is the only party to that covenant. The 
Law covenant was made with the nation of Israel. Are we 
under the new covenant? No, because the new covenant has 
not come yet. The new covenant belongs to the future. How 
does it read; "After those days, I will make a new covenant 
with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah." Do you 
belong to the house of Israel or the house of Judah? No. Then 
the new covenant is not for you. If we are faithful we will be 
members of the mediator class of that new covenant. In 
other words, you and I are invited to become members of the 
mediator of the new Covenant. Christ is the mediator, but He 
is going to have a bride. Someone may say. Where do we 
come in? What covenant are we under? We are under the 
original covenant, which required no mediator. The church 
does not need a mediator. What does it need? Can they come 
direct to the Father? No Well, what do they need? They need 
just what the Scriptures tell us we have— an advocate with 
the Father. 

CHURCH-Urging Vow Re Stifling Conscience. 

Q100:1:: QUESTION ( 1 909)-- 1 --Is not the urging of 
the vow along this line? 

ANSWER-I do not clearly see just what that means. 
To improperly urge the vow might be along that line. It 
would be improper to urge any one to take any vow against 
his conscience—but it would be proper to urge what he 
thought would be for their good. It would be proper for him 
to let them know what he thought would be the advantages of 
the matter. That would not be urging the matter except in the 
Scripture sense: As the Apostle Paul said, "I beseech you. 



therefore "--but you say, "Paul, you are urging that too much." 
No. If it is against your conscience do not present your 
bodies living sacrifices. Where does it say anywhere in the 
Bible that you must submit yourself a living sacrifice? It 
doesn't say that anywhere That which you must do is a 
command. The Lord tells us He is pleased to have us if we 
present our bodies living sacrifices. He tells us, "Now is the 
acceptable time." You and I know what are the privileges and 
what are the rewards— so the Apostle Paul realized what a 
reward was to come to those who would submit, and he said, 
"I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye 
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto 
God, which is your reasonable service." So about the vow. 
There is no command in the Scriptures that you should take 
that vow or any vow, but the Scriptures indicate that the 
people who are the Lord's people will 

{PageQlOl} 

be taking vows representing their determination. A vow is a 
voluntary act on your own part. But you ask, "Did you ever 
take a vow, brother?" Yes, sir; I have taken numbers of them. 
"Were they a good thing for you?" Yes; I found them very 
good. I took a vow of consecration to the Lord-that all my 
acts and words would be pleasing to Him. You say, "That is 
a pretty comprehensive vow. You are a slave to that vow." 
Yes, sir; being set free from the law of sin and death we 
become the servants of the law of righteousness-we become 
the bond slave of the Lord Jesus Christ. I have no liberty at 
all. I am bound to do what I believe is the Lord's will. I am 
glad to be the slave of the Just One. I would not be a slave to 
you or to any government or system. I have never been in any 
church but one— that was a Congregational church, and I got 
out of that. Now I am not in bondage to any person or thing 
in all the world— only to the Lord. If you get the right 
comprehension of anything that I write you will understand 
that I never ask you to come into bondage to any man or 
thing-but only to the Lord. There is one vow that you may 
properly make. That is the marriage vow between husband 
and wife. But all other vows I want to make to the Lord and I 
want them to be such as will bring me more into submission 
to His will. As a child I never even signed the temperance 
pledge because I felt as though this was binding myself to 
someone else. If I ever come to see that I should make this to 
the Lord I will make it, as my responsibility I recognize as 
being to the Lord. The intimation would be that the one who 



wrote this question had the thought that I was urging the vow 
upon some one in the sense of stifling his judgment. No. 
Only I suggest that they look at the matter carefully, 
prayerfully, and see if there would be anything to their 
advantage or disadvantage. If you see anything to your 
advantage take it. If not, don't take it. I think of a vow I 
took some years ago. It was after some of the revolving 
picture-shows that they have in all cities-moving pictures- 
came before the public. I looked through several of these and 
after I had gone away I thought the matter over and said: I 
don't believe it is to my advantage to look through that box. I 
made a vow that I would never look through one again. You 
ask: Was there any sin in looking through? No, not at all. 
But to me it would be sin now if I did it. 

CHURCH-Stifling Conscience Re Submission. 

Q101 :1 :: QUESTION (1909)-l-How far may we stifle 
our judgment in connection with the principle of submission? 

ANSWER-Stifling our judgment is one thing and 
stifling our conscience is another. If it is a question of stifling 
our conscience or our judgment, I would say it would be 
better to stifle our judgment, for we must not stifle our 
conscience. If it is merely a question of judgment and the 
responsibility of judgment doesn't devolve upon us, leave it to 
the congregation. Submit your judgment to the others— submit 
your thought for the decision of the others. If your judgment 
is better than the others you owe it to the others to tell them— 
and then be quiet. Otherwise you might be like the juryman 
who said the other eleven men had no sense at all because 
they wouldn't see the matter as he did. 

{PageQ102} 

CIHURCIH-Submission to Elders. 

Q102:1:: QUESTION (1909)-l-Would the principle 
of submission lead us to accept the form of prayer, for 
instance, if suggested by an elder? 

ANSWER-In the order of the Church it would be very 
proper for us to submit ourselves to the arrangements of the 
congregation while worshipping together. If we are of those 
who are of the Lord's consecrated people it would be for us to 
say what the order of the meeting would be and proper for 
those worshipping together to say what it would be in the 
absence of such an elder. It would also be proper for an elder 
to say who should lead the meeting if he were going to be 
absent; and it would he proper for the one appointed by the 



elder to obey his suggestions kindly, as far as possible, as the 
Apostle says, "Submit yourselves one to another." For 
instance, if Brother Sherman opened this meeting and he 
chose to say "Shall we stand to sing such a verse?" barring 
any physical weaknesses we should arise, instead of saying:, 
"Who gave you liberty to suggest that we should arise?" Or 
for an illustration, suppose some one else should say, "Shall 
we bow our heads in prayer?" and some one else should say, 
"Well, I am in the habit of standing up when I pray. I am 
going to stand up." To have a certain amount of willingness to 
fall in line with everything that is not a matter of conscience 
is a good thing. The Lord's people have a good deal of 
combativeness, and unless we have this quality we will not be 
overcomers. But unless it is brought into control it is likely 
to make us contentious, difficult to get along with, hard to live 
with. We should submit ourselves as far as possible to every 
reasonable regulation. If each had his own right and will 
there would be confusion all the time. It is a good thing to 
have to submit ourselves one to another; it is a good thing to 
learn' to submit ourselves--but when it is a matter of 
conscience we are to have sufficient courage and manhood to 
stand by that conscience so we would not violate that 
conscience. There are a whole lot of things in the world that 
do not involve conscience at all. 

CHURCH-Because Thou Hast Left Thy First Love. 

Q102:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-What is the meaning 
of those words, "Because thou hast left thy first love"? 
(Rev. 2:4). 

ANSWER—Those words, you remember, were applied 
to the first stage of the Church, and our thought is that they 
meant there was a love for Jesus, and for God, and the great 
Plan of Salvation manifested in the days of Jesus and the 
Apostles, for a little while during the first century, and that 
gradually much of that love and zeal became less and less and 
they left their first love. We might apply that in a general 
way to everybody. I have found some who at first found the 
truth of God very precious and sweet, but finally persecution 
arose and opposition, and they found out how much it would 
cost, and they did not realize their privileges, that these were 
necessary to prove if they were worthy, and some of them 
have lost their first love, and become lukewarm, in their 
attitude toward the truth. Do not become lukewarm, but be 
very zealous. The heavenly race demands all of the zeal 
and energy that you and I can put forth. The more you 
and I can see of the beauty of the 



{PageQlOS} 

divine plan, of the privilege of reigning with our dear 
Redeemer, and of the little that we can offer in sacrifice, the 
more we should appreciate the privilege of doing with our 
might what our hands find to do. 

CHURCH-God Sets the Members. 

Q103:1:: QUESTION (1909) 1 In 1 Cor. 12:28, we 
read: "God hath set some in the church; first, apostles; 
secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; . . . helps, 
governments." Who are the governors, and to what extent do 
they govern? 

ANSWER--It does not say governors, but governmental 
rule, order or law. The whole congregation, by the direction 
of God's Word recognize's certain rules as proper, the orderly 
course of the conduct of meetings. Every one who is a child 
of God and makes any progress in the way of the Lord, ought 
to come to the place where he could see the wisdom of certain 
rules in the Church of Christ. Anybody who is not willing to 
recognize the rules and regulations made for the Church is to 
that extent an anarchist. We believe in the law of the land or 
of this city. It is better to have some rules or laws, even if 
they be imperfect, than to be without them. We admit that 
there might be too many laws and regulations and restrictions, 
but the Church of the Lord are to seek to know and appreciate 
and to use the liberty that God gives—everything must be done 
decently and in order. The object of each class should be to 
have as much liberty as would be good for each class. So 
God is the one we are to recognize, the one who has 
established the order in the Church. 

CHURCH-Trouble in a Class. 

Q103:2:: QUESTION ( 19 10)-2-In case where some 
little bitterness sprang up between two brothers in the church, 
and they refused to speak to one another, and it is evident to 
all the class that they are not in the right relationship, what 
should be the attitude of the elders in that case? Should they 
make the matter in any way public, or should the matter be 
allowed to drift along, especially if it does not interfere with 
the church in a general way? 

ANSWER-My thought would be, brother, there may be 
certain matters that are individual, and that the Church had 
best not take any notice of, but do the way the Bible says God 
did with some things. We read of certain things that God 



winked at. And so the Church needs to wink at certain 
things--that is, not to notice them. Now where there is a little 
difference springs up between two persons, if the Church 
attempted to interfere, it would be busy all the time, perhaps. 
But each one should remember that it would be proper to 
bring it to their attention, and if either or both of these parties 
were causing divisions they should be noted or marked by the 
others, and not treated quite so cordially--not spurned as 
brethren, but not put into any place of office or service of the 
class, and just treat them a little more coolly, because they are 
not walking circumspectly, apparently, but are causing some 
division. Then it would also be proper for any of the elders, 
if they thought they saw a good opportunity, to have a little 
private conversation with either of those brethren, and say, 
"Brother, is there anything in your affair that I could help 
with? I notice you and Brother Brown are not getting along 
very nicely; I want to say to 

{PageQ104} 

you that as an elder of the Church, do not forget Matt. 18:15; 
if Brother Brown has done you any harm do not forget that 
Scripture, and if I could be of any service to you at any time I 
will be ready." 

"Well, I want to tell you about it~ 

"No, brother, I do not wish to have you tell me about it I 
think it would be wrong for me to listen to the matter; it 
would have to come to me in the regular Scripture way. If 
there is a difference between you and Brother Brown I do not 
wish to hear it, it would be wrong for me to encourage you in 
stating it. God has provided a way, as Jesus said, in Matt. 18:15-17. 
He tells us how we shall do—go first to him, try to 
make it up with Brother Brown; if you fail to do that, and he 
is doing you some harm, and makes you feel as though you 
cannot be a kind brother to him, then come and get a couple 
of brethren to go with you. If you want to call me to go with 
you I will be pleased to serve you and do everything I can to 
bring about peace and harmony. But I do not wish to hear 
anything in advance; it would not be right; I would not be a 
suitable one if I did listen to anything you had to say. If 
Brother Brown has done you harm, go to him and then after 
you have been unsuccessful if it is still important enough in 
your mind to make a breach between you and him, then take, 
as the Scriptures say, one or two others and have a 
conference, and if it is still unheeded and if neither you nor he 
can see the thing harmoniously, then it may be brought to the 



Church if you wish, but not sooner than that." 

CHURCH-Opposition in the 

Q104:1:: QUESTION (1910)--! --The strong ones in 
our Church are opposed to present truth, and those who are 
most faithful are not teachers and are younger in the truth. 
The opposers are holding on to the meetings, as they are 
principally elders. What are the faithful, weak majority to 
do? 

ANSWER-Well, I have no idea from whom the 
question comes, so I can answer it with the greater freedom. I 
can see that there are certain principles involved in all that the 
Lord has laid down in respect to his people, and that they are 
to choose from amongst those for elders, or for elder brothers, 
those who are most qualified to represent the Master in the 
congregation. If any of those who have been long in the truth, 
and who have natural ability, have become such as this 
brother evidently thinks some have become, then they are to 
be considered from the Apostle's standpoint as heady, and it 
would be proper for the congregation to follow what they 
believe to be the Lord's will in respect to electing them or not 
electing them the next time. My thought would be that it 
would be injurious to any brethren who are really in this 
condition to elect them to any place of prominence. It would 
be to their good, and the very best thing as helpful to them, if 
they were allowed to remain outside of any teaching capacity 
for a while, even though the apparent prosperity of the 
meetings would seemingly be interfered with. It probably 
would not be interfered with, because any who are in such a 
wrong attitude of mind as this question intimates would 
certainly be likely to do more harm than good every day, and 
every meeting, and to be getting more harm than good 
themselves. But, now, it does not follow that the brother who 
has written this question has the proper focus 

{PageQ105} 

on the matter. Perhaps he has some wrong impression; I am 
not competent to judge; know nothing about the case, nothing 
about the elders, nothing about the writer of the note. But it 
would be his duty to try to look as calmly, and patiently, and 
benevolently, at the elders that have been serving as it is 
possible for him to do, and for all the congregation to so 
regard the matter. And perhaps it would not be unwise for the 
brother to call on each one of the elders whom he thinks is not 
quite right, one at a time, and kindly tell them what he fears, 



and suggest that he is not wishing to judge, but that he sees 
certain things, and ask them to consider these matters-- 
whether it might not be the adversary is gaining some 
advantage over them, and have a nice kind brotherly or 
sisterly talk. Generally a good plan is, if they get angry with 
that, and you have been very kind and considerate in the way 
of presenting it, it shows that there is something wrong. They 
might not agree with it necessarily; they might say. Why, 
brother, you have misunderstood me. I did not mean that at 
all; you have been looking too critically at it; what I meant 
was thus and so. In any event, it should be a means of 
assistance to those who would be in this supposedly wrong 
condition. Before undertaking anything of the kind, I would 
advise that each one who would undertake to do anything in 
the way of correcting a brother or a sister, or even giving a 
suggestion to anyone, should first make the matter a subject 
of prayer, make sure that their own heart and mind are all 
right, that they had no bitterness, and that they were seeing 
things as generously as possible. Let us first get right 
ourselves--as the Lord puts it, first cast out any mote, or 
beam, as the case might be, from your own yes, and then with 
the clearer sight you would thus have you may be able to be a 
blessing to some brother who is having a mote or beam in his 
eye. 

CHURCH-Members of Body of Christ. 

Q105:1:: QUESTION (I910)--1--Is it correct to say 
that we are members of the Body of Christ both as justified 
human beings and as New Creatures? My question is 
prompted by the fact that in the last Tower you say that we 
are members of him as New Creatures, members of Christ 
spiritually, and not of the man Christ Jesus. In another place 
you explain in Volume 6 that the Little Flock during the 
Gospel Age has been Christ in the flesh. 

ANSWER--I am not sure if I get the thought of the 
questioner, but in my own mind there is no contradiction 
between the statements of the Tower and the Dawn. 
Therefore, I will state my thought on the subject again and 
perhaps make it clearer to the questioner. 

My thought is that we are not members of the Body of 
Christ at all, in any sense of the word, until we have made the 
consecration, and until he has appropriated his merit to 
complete our insufficiency, and until the Father has accepted 
us and begotten us of his holy Spirit. Then we are New 
Creatures, and as such, members prospectively of the Body of 
Christ. We are called the Body of Christ, called the Royal 



Priesthood from the moment we make the consecration, and if 
we fail then we drop out from being members of the Body of 
the great High Priest and we become merely members of the 
household of faith, or members of the 

{PageQ106} 

Great Company class, or members of the foolish virgin class, 
but we do not become members of his Body until we have 
made our consecration. No one is competent to say of 
another that he has ceased to make his consecration. It is not 
given to us to determine who are and who are not. It is the 
Lord's own work, and it is for him to determine who are in the 
Body and who may remain. "Every branch IN ME who 
beareth not fruit (of love, the fruits of the spirit), the Father 
taketh away. Every branch that remaineth IN ME, he pruneth 
that it may bring forth more fruit. Herein is your Father 
glorified, that ye bear much fruit." 

CHURCH-When Presented to the Father. 

Q106:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l-"Now unto him that is 
able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless with 
exceeding joy." Will the Church be presented into the 
immediate presence of the Father at the beginning or at the 
end of the Millennial reign? 

ANSWER-Undoubtedly at the beginning of the 
Millennial reign. That is my opinion. We already are 
children of God and the banquet that the Scriptures refer to is 
the marriage supper of the Lamb and to my understanding 
symbolically pictures or represents our union with the Lord 
on the plane of glory and that he will present us to the Father 
faultless. Why should there be a delay of a thousand years? I 
can think of no reason. I expect to see the Father before very 
long after I am changed. Yet I understand there will be a little 
delay because apparently the Church will be changed first, 
and then apparently there will be a little delay in waiting for 
the Great Company; because, you remember, in Revelation, 
after describing in the 18th chapter the fall of Babylon, and 
those who did not come out of Babylon, the Great Company 
class, then in the 19th chapter we read, Babylon is fallen and 
the marriage of the Lamb is come, his wife hath made herself 
ready. They who are speaking are not of that happy class, but 
they said. Let us rejoice because it has taken place; we are 
glad that the Bride class has gone in. The marriage is one 
thing and the supper is another thing. So a message comes to 
this great multitude, saying. Blessed is he that is invited to the 



marriage supper of the Lamb. My understanding is that the 
Great Company class are going to have the glorious privilege 
of coming in with the Church into this great festivity. 
Primarily it is for the Church, but the Great Company will 
have a share in it. 

So these are pictured in Psalm 45, as the Bride which is all 
glorious within, she shall be brought unto the King in raiment 
of fine needlework of gold, and the virgins, her companions, 
shall follow her, and they also shall be brought in before the 
King. This represents the two classes, the Little Flock and the 
Great Company. 

CHURCH-Re Justified Before 1910. 

Q106:2:: QUESTION ( 19 10)--2-Are all the justified 
accepted before the close of October, 1910, giving the 
remaining years for the gathering of the great company? 

ANSWER--I understand that the Great Company is 
already in existence and they will not be gathered specially, 
but will be manifested. Babylon will fall and that will shake 
them free, for they did not have sufficient courage 

{PageQlOT} 

to get out, and when the walls fall down, they will stand free, 
but it will be too late to get any special reward. My thought 
is that the Church may possibly be here until October, 1914, 
and the Great Company also, and Babylon by that time will 
fall, which will break down all barriers, etc., and leave the 
Great Company free. By that time we expect that the Little 
Flock will be all changed. 

CHURCH-Children of Which Covenant. 

Q107:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--When Peter said to 
the Jews, "Ye are the children of the promise and of the 
covenant which God made to our fathers, saying to Abraham 
in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed," 
which covenant did he mean-the Sarah or the New covenant 
of the Millennial Age? 

ANSWER--Well, the covenant God made with our 
fathers would especially refer to the covenant made with 
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were the fathers; Father 
Abraham, Father Isaac, Father Jacob. God made the first 
directly with Abraham, renewed it with Isaac, and then with 
Jacob, so that was the covenant. Then the Israelites were in 
natural processional order to get the blessings first, but though 
as a nation they had rejected God and crucified the Messiah, 



yet this would not be held against them, for they had not been 
cast off as individuals, though they had been as a nation--they 
were still in the special line of favor. You remember Peter's 
wonderful address on the day of Pentecost, telling how the 
Jewish people through their elders had taken Jesus and by 
wicked hands had crucified the Son of God. They were 
pricked to the heart and said. What shall we do? They saw 
that a great deal of condemnation would attach to the killing 
of the Son of God, their Messiah. What must we do? And 
the Apostle's words were these. Repent and God will have 
mercy upon you, the children of Abraham, and those who 
follow in the direction of the prophets. Come into harmony 
with God and make repentant endeavors. I will paraphrase 
the matter. Jesus said, five days before the crucifixion. Your 
house is left unto you desolate. Ye shall see me no more until 
that day, the Millennial day, when ye shall say. Blessed is he 
that Cometh in the name of the Lord. But Peter wants to point 
out that they were not yet broken off. While the nation was 
broken off, the individuals were not broken off. Seventy 
weeks of years were appropriated to that nation in a special 
way. For sixty-nine weeks, at the end of it, Messiah the 
prince would come, and that was the appointed time when 
Jesus was baptized, at the end of sixty-nine weeks. Then the 
one week, the seventieth week of seven years, remained, and 
Jesus, during the first half, for three and a half years, did all 
his ministry and died in the middle of that week, as the 
prophet foretold, "He shall be cut off, not for himself, in the 
midst of the week." But now, you see, after Jesus died there 
still remained three and a half years of favor due them of that 
seventy years. One-half of the last week was still due to them 
according to God's covenant or promise to them, that he 
would give them the full seventy weeks. It was in this last 
half of the seventieth week, three and a half years after the 
cross, that the great work was done amongst the Jews. So the 
Lord said that he would cut short the work in righteousness, 
for a short work 

{PageQlOS} 

will he make. How did he cut it short? In that he gave up the 
nation at the time he died. Had he any right to cut it short? 
Yes. He will cut it short in righteousness. It was righteous in 
the sense that God did them no injustice, but a great favor by 
casting off the nation there and completing the ministry in the 
midst of the week. It permitted him to ascend up on high and 
appear in the presence of God, sprinkle the blood of 



atonement on the mercy-seat, and then God's blessing came 
upon the waiting church in the upper room at Pentecost. And 
so that last half of the three and a half years they were under 
the Spirit ministration instead of the simple teaching and 
hearing, etc. Before he died he said, I have many things to 
tell you, but ye cannot hear them now. But when the Holy 
Spirit was poured out they were greatly blessed. So, then, the 
fact that our Lord died in the middle of that seventieth week, 
or three and a half years before their favor ended, was to their 
advantage. It was in righteousness, in their favor. So, then, 
they still belonged to the promise, they had not been cast off. 
The Apostle Paul is speaking from a later date when he said 
some of these branches were broken off, but Peter was 
speaking at a time before any were broken off. Jesus said 
before the crucifixion. Your house is left unto you desolate. 
Individually they were surely God's favorites, and so Peter 
was right in saying. Ye are still the children of the promise, 
ye are still of the original tree, you have not been broken off; 
so, then, repent and get back into harmony with God. 

CHURCH— Re Receiving Blood Before Sacrificed. 

Q108:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--The church receives 
the blood of Jesus before being sacrificed. Would it not be 
reasonable for the goat to have received the blood of the 
bullock before being sacrificed? 

ANSWER~No. When people cannot see a thing it is no 
use talking about it, when it is a matter of types. The matter 
of a type must be seen from the mind. If the type said it in so 
many words it would be different. If a person cannot see it 
there is no use talking about it; it is a matter of blindness. 
You say, I cannot see the clock. I am sorry, for I can see the 
clock. 

CHURCH-Re Mediator. 

Q108:2:: QUESTION ( 19 10)--2-Do you still maintain 
that the church never needed a Mediator to introduce or 
reconcile them to the Father? 

ANSWER--Yes that is my understanding. (Hear, hear.) 
Father Abraham was introduced to the Father, or the Father 
introduced himself to Father Abraham and made a covenant 
with him, and there was no mediator there that we ever heard 
of, and so also with Enoch, who walked with God and God 
took him. There was no mediator in the matter. God could 
not give to either of those men full restoration to his favor in 
the sense of giving them eternal life. The meaning of 
mediator is "one who stands between," and to keep two 



parties at variance apart, and to reconcile them to one another. 
But an advocate is one who stands alongside of, to be the 
spokesman, to be able to help in the matter, and so the 
Apostle does not say. We have a Mediator, but he does say 
we have an Advocate with the 

{PageQ109} 

Father. The Church has the Advocate. Why, then, is there 
this difference, some having an Advocate and some a 
Mediator? Because the world is that portion of humanity not 
yet reconciled, and it needs a Mediator to come in and 
instruct and bring it about, whereas the class that God accepts 
in the present time must be in such an attitude of mind as 
Abraham, or Isaac, or Jacob, or as Enoch; whatever they 
might have been by nature, they must have come to the Lord 
in the sense of desiring to be his, and surrendering their wills 
to him, otherwise he could not receive them. For such there 
was no Advocate before Jesus came, and consequently they 
never could get eternal life. All they could get would be 
friendship with God—they could not be introduced to the 
Father in the sense of coming into Divine fellowship, but we 
do by first turning from sin; second, drawing nigh, and then 
he draws nigh to us, and then he points us to the Saviour, and 
then we are introduced to the Saviour and he becomes our 
spokesman, our Advocate, and he has promised to appropriate 
of his merit to cover our imperfection so as to make up to us 
what we lack physically and in every way, that we might offer 
an acceptable offering that God could accept. He made up to 
me what I lacked, but he did not stand between us because 
God had already drawn me, and he has drawn you; as the 
Scriptures say. No man cometh to the Father except by me, 
and again. No man can come to me except the Father who 
sent me draw him. That is in the present time. In the future it 
will not be so. It will not be the Father who does the drawing 
in the Millennial Age, because in the beginning of the 
Millennial Age the Father will give over the whole world into 
the hands of the Redeemer, who purchases or makes 
application of his merit for the world en-masse. During the 
Millennial Age the great Mediator will raise them up, up, and 
give them chastisements and encouragements necessary to lift 
them up if they will. But if they will not, then they will be 
destroyed in the Second Death. After raising them up, then at 
the close of the Millennial Age he will present the whole 
world en-masse to the Father, into the Father's hands, perfect. 



CHURCH-Acceptance Re 1914. 

Q109:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--Are we, the Church, 
to be accepted before the close of 1914? 

ANSWER--I trust that we, as the Church, are accepted, 
now. The Apostle says, "We are accepted in the beloved. 
Now I assume the questioner means. Are we to be changed 
before that time? I know no Scripture that says it, and there is 
nothing to that effect in the Dawns. The matter started in 
connection with the description of the Great Pyramid. One 
measurement there seems to imply that something might be 
expected by 1910; that is to say, if that measurement was 
intended, but that is a supposed measurement of that step at 
the top of the grand gallery, and we do not know that it is 
especially intended to mark that; but if the mark of that step 
be taken, the step itself would seem to imply an impediment, 
or step. What we might expect is not our change, but a great 
test, for that whole step speaks of a test; it is hard to get over. 
The whole passage-way is difficult, but the step especially so. 
We are 

{Page QUO} 

in the year 1910, now, and it seems to me that quite a 
considerable test has come to the Church, and perhaps that is 
what we might interpret that matter to mean. I am glad that 
by the grace of God we still stand, and as the Apostle says, let 
us be humble that we may still stand, for only such will be 
able to. According to the Scriptures, the first qualification is 
meekness, gentleness, patience, etc., and so this meekness or 
humility will be a test of character all the way along. Make 
sure to get the truth and to hold it, and the Lord will not take 
it away from any except those who are not meek. The 
Apostle says. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of 
God that he may exalt you in due time. 

CHURCH-First-born vs. Of His Body. 

Q110:1:: QUESTION ( 19 10)-- 1 --Is there any 
difference between the Church of the First-born and the 
Church which is his Body? 

ANSWER— I answer yes. To my understanding the 
Church of the First-born takes in the Great Company as well 
as the Little Flock, whereas the other expression, the Church 
which is his Body, does not include the Great Company, but 
excludes them. The Church which is his Body is the Royal 
Priesthood class, of which he is the high priest and head, and 
we are members in particular of the Body of Christ, which is 



the Church. 

CHURCH--A Royal Priesthood Now? 

Q110:2:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-2-Is the Church in 
the flesh a royal priesthood? 

ANSWER— We recognize that we are not a royal 
priesthood, in the full sense of the word, yet, because we are 
not yet certain that we shall be in the priesthood finally. We 
must first make our calling and election sure. 

It will have to be determined whether we shall be in the 
"Little Flock" or "Great Company—whether Priests or Levites— 
or whether we shall be worthy of life at all. Since this 
matter, then, is in process of determination and will not be 
fully settled until our death, it follows that we are not in the 
fullest sense of the word officiating priests, but candidates for 
this priesthood, and temporarily acknowledged as priests and 
counted as priests-just as some time you might meet a 
gentleman who had been nominated for Governor. By way of 
compliment you might say, "Good morning. Governor." He 
is not really a Governor yet. That will be determined by the 
election, but before he is elected it might be proper or 
courteous to call him Governor. And so with us. We hope 
we shall make our calling and election sure that we shall be of 
that royal priesthood in the fullest sense and in one sense we 
are now members in the Body, in that we have already 
received a begetting of the Spirit, acknowledgment of the 
Lord as ambassadors of God. This is an acknowledgment in 
one sense of the word and our priestly office, for these priests 
are "ambassadors," and to whatever extent we are conducting 
ourselves as ambassadors of God, to that extent we are priests 
of God-of the probationary kind, and not fully of the 
Melchisedec kind, which we shall be when our change shall 
come and we shall be like our Lord. 

{Page QUI} 

CHURCH--Re Her Share With Christ. 

Q111:1:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-l-Does the Church 
share with Christ? 

ANSWER— Briefly summed up, the Church is called by 
special invitation, to a "high calling;" a high station-now to 
suffer with Christ, that she may in due time reign with him. 
This suffering with Christ is not suffering for sin we may 
commit, for he never suffered in any such sense. If we suffer 
with him, our suffering must be along the line of experiencing 
injustice and in laying down our lives in the service of 



righteousness. His sufferings were sacrificial sufferings, 
hence if we share in his sufferings, our sufferings must be 
sacrificial. 

We share with him in the begetting of the Holy Spirit and 
we share with him in his resurrection, if, as the Apostle says, 
we are faithful in suffering with him, faithful in the matter of 
participating in his death; for, "If we be dead with him, we 
shall also live with him; if we suffer with him, we shall also 
reign with him." 

Looking at the matter from the standpoint of the Scriptures 
we shall see that they sometimes speak of Christ and the 
Church under the figure of one great Priest, Jesus the Head 
and the Church his Body, his consecrated self-sacrificing 
members, and the "Great Company," the antitypical house of 
Levi, the servants of the Priest. Sometimes the Scriptures 
speak of us as the under-priesthood, and Christ Jesus as 
representing the Head of this priesthood. In all these figures 
the thought is that in some sense we share with our Lord in 
his work. As the Apostle expresses it, "we are one loaf," all 
members or participants in that one loaf. The breaking of that 
one loaf, which was accomplished in our Lord Jesus 
primarily, is continuing in those who are accepted as 
members of him, continuing in those who keep their hearts 
with all diligence. 

In the matter of sin atonement, "we were children of wrath 
even as others," and therefore we had nothing wherewith we 
could procure the redemption either of ourselves or of 
anybody else. Hence we were wholly dependent upon God's 
provision in Christ Jesus our Lord, "who gave himself a 
ransom for aH"~a ransom-price. We, therefore, have none of 
this ransom merit in us; but when he gives us a share of this, 
or imputes it to us, and then, by virtue of our consecration and 
his becoming our Advocate, the Father receives us as 
members of his Body, we thus become members of the 
Ransomer, because his work of ransoming is not completed. 
He has indeed given the ransom-price, but he has not yet 
applied this price for all. We had nothing whatever to do with 
the matter at the time the price was laid down, but we become 
identified with him before that price is applied to the world. 
We have, therefore, that much share in the ransoming-work, 
because the word "ransom" takes the thought not only of the 
work that Jesus did in the past, but also of the whole 
procedure down to the very end of the millennial Age. To 
ransom means, not only to purchase, but to receive or to 
recover the thing that is purchased. We have nothing to do 
with the payment of the price that secures the ransom, but we 



have something to do—and are counted in with him~in the 
work of recovering that which was bought with his merit. 

{Page Ql 12} 

It will take all of the Millennial Age to recover mankind in 
the full sense of the word, to ransom them or to bring them 
back; as we read, "I will ransom them from the power of the 
grave." The ransom-price for that purpose was paid nearly 
1,900 years ago, but they are not yet ransomed from the grave 
and will not be until the awakening time in the Millennium. 
Then, as they gradually come out of sin and death conditions, 
the full intent and purpose of that ransoming will be in 
process of accomplishment, and since the Church is to be 
associated with Christ in all the work of the Millennial 
Kingdom, therefore the Church, in that sense of the word, will 
be identified with the ransoming work, or the work of 
deliverance. 

As represented in the "sin-offering," the merit originally 
proceeded from the great High Priest, who is Jesus, and that 
merit is conferred upon the Church, his Body, not apart from 
himself, but as members of himself. He does not treat us as 
separate from himself. He is simply adding to himself these 
members, and as soon as we become justified through his 
merit and accepted of the Father as members of his Body, we 
are members of the great High Priest who has a great work to 
do; and when the merit that has been imputed to us, and to 
every spirit-begotten member of the household of faith, shall 
be available for disposal the second time, all the members of 
his Body will have participation in the application of his 
sacrifice, in the sprinkling of the New Covenant. 

Our Lord's present invitation is to drink with him his "cup," 
to partake of it. This is the blood of the New Covenant, his 
blood, "shed for many for the remission of sins," of which we 
are all to drink, and it takes the entire Gospel Age to find the 
proper number of those who are thus invited in harmony with 
the Father's plan, and who are willing to drink of this cup, to 
be baptized into his death. 

CHURCH-Nominal, Unacceptable Workers for Jesus. 

Q112:1:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-l-Our Lord declared 

that many in that day shall say, "Lord, Lord, have we not 

taught in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and 

in thy name done many wonderful works?" And his 

declaration continues that he will then say to such, "I never 

knew you. Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity ." (Matt. 7:22,23.) 



How shall we understand this in harmony with the 
above statement of our Lord that his disciples should not 
forbid him who followed not with them, but who cast out 
devils in his name? 

ANSWER--We would understand that God may permit 
people to do certain good works who are not fit for the 
Kingdom class, who are not fully submissive to the Lord 
Jesus and his Headship, who are not fully taught and used of 
him. They may be exercising a certain amount of faith and 
the Lord may recognize them to that extent, but he will not 
guarantee that anybody who has power to work miracles and 
preach publicly, will be granted a place in the Kingdom. We 
are therefore not at liberty to say that everyone who is 
engaged in mission work or slum work will be in the 
Kingdom. He may be doing a good work; but he may not be 
of that special class which the Lord is now seeking. We are 
not to object to his work, if it is a good work. It is not ours to 
interfere with him, for the Lord is able to take care of his own 
work. It is our work to take care of ourselves, although we 
are not to acknowledge or co-operate with those 

{Page Ql 13} 

who we believe are associating error even with good 
works. We should not in any sense lend our influence to the 
assistance of evil. 

We are to take the standpoint of leaving to the Lord the 
management of his own affairs, the interests of his cause in 
general. He is abundantly able to attend to the whole matter. 
We are to see to it that our hearts are fully sub-missive, and 
that our head, our wills, are under the Head ship. Leadership 
of the Lord; that his will is done in us, and that our sacrifices 
are not made to be seen of men, but are made as unto God; 
thus we shall have his approval in that day. To such he 
says he will be glad to give acknowledgment, and to confess 
them before the Father and his holy angels. 

CHURCH-Mediator vs. Advocate. 

Q113:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-If wedo notneeda 
mediator, why do we need an advocate? In other words, if we 
have not any case in court, why have a lawyer? 

ANSWER—Well, the brother who writes this question 
does not understand what we mean. He ought to read about 
twelve times more what we have written about what an 
advocate is, and what a mediator is. We have only written on 
the subject about forty times. If you read it over twelve times 



you will get it well in. You see the difficulty is that we get 
our heads badly mixed up sometimes on these matters. Now 
try and get it straight this time. A mediator is one who stands 
between. An advocate is one who stands along side of-- 
totally different thoughts. Christ will be the mediator 
between God and men, between God and the world, for a 
thousand years, when be will stand between God and men. 
God will have nothing to do with the world and the world will 
have nothing to do with God. Christ will be the one between— 
the mediator standing in between, completely cutting off all 
relationship, and the world will have nothing whatever to do 
with the Father until the end of the thousand years when the 
mediator shall step out of the way and say, "Now, Father, I 
hand over the world to you." In the meantime under the 
mediatorship of Christ the world will be taught and chastened 
and helped, everything that can be done for them will be done 
to bring them up to perfection, and when they are at the 
perfection point, then they will be turned over to the Father at 
the close of Christ's reign. Now that is not what Christ does 
for you and for me. He does not stand between you and the 
Father. On the contrary he brings us nigh to God- "Ye were 
brought nigh"--not kept at a distance. It is the very reverse. 
There are two ways of dealing with the sinners. We were 
sinners and they are sinners, but in dealing with those sinners, 
they will not be in a condition to come in the same way that 
we are coming. We are coming to God because we desire to 
come. The rest of the world are not desiring to come; they 
will need to have a kingdom established that will thrash them. 
They will need a good thrashing the first thing, and a good 
deal of switching all the way along through the thousand 
years as they may need it until they learn righteousness. But 
the church that God is calling out first loves righteousness, 
and hates iniquity; and they are striving for this standard; they 
may have weaknesses of the flesh, and they may not always 
do what they wish, as Saint Paul says, but still their hearts' 

{Page Ql 14} 

desires are for God and for righteousness; and thus God is 
drawing this class, and drawing them to Himself. And when 
he draws them to Himself, He is not willing to receive them in 
their imperfect condition, therefore He points them, as they 
draw near to him, to Jesus, whose meritorious sacrifice is the 
basis of all reconciliation either for the church now or for the 
world bye and bye. And when they come to Jesus, he acts as 
their advocate, as their attorney, as the one who pleads their 



cause, as the one who says, "Heavenly Father, I will stand 
good for this one who desires to come back into harmony 
with You." The Father has made this arrangement and is very 
pleased to receive them. 

So the advocate brings one nigh to God and we become 
sons of God, and God deals with us as sons, and calls us his 
heirs, for if we are children of God we are heirs of God and 
joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, our Lord, who is our advocate. 
But with the world in the next age, it will be altogether 
different. The Mediator will stand between and have his 
kingdom for dealing with them. It will be a mediatorial 
kingdom that will separate them from God and keep them 
separate for their good. For the world to be brought nigh to 
God in the same sense that the church is brought nigh, would 
be disadvantageous. 

I will say, however, dear friends, that I think there are some 
people who will never understand the meaning of certain 
words. That is to say, I have an idea that there are people 
who have not that keen discernment of mind that would 
enable them to discriminate in respect to words, and what I 
would say to such people is this: If you cannot understand it, 
never mind. Do you believe that the death of Jesus in some 
way is the ground or condition upon which the Father is 
willing to receive you? Yes. Very well, come on those 
conditions. That is the way the church has been coming for 
centuries past, and did not understand the difference between 
mediator and advocate at all; and it is not perhaps any more 
necessary that everybody should understand the difference 
between mediator and advocate than it was that they should 
understand the difference between those terms a century ago. 
The point to be remembered is that Christ is our Savior and 
that without him we have no standing with the Heavenly 
Father. Get that point clear whatever else you have clear or 
do not have clear. If you can understand the philosophy of 
the matter well and good; you get that much more blessing; 
but if you cannot, do not worry yourself about it. It is thus 
like chronology. I should think that one-half of the friends do 
not have that quality of the mind which would enable them to 
understand a chronological proposition. And some of them 
might feel that because they could not understand all that was 
written in the second volume of Scripture studies on 
chronology, they could not be saints. Not at all, dear friends. 
Those who can understand chronological matters, let them 
have that pleasure. Let those who cannot do so not worry 
themselves about it. 



CHURCH-Nature to Which Resurrected. 

Q114:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--Will the church be 
awakened in the divine nature or on the spirit plane 
corresponding to angels, as our Lord was, and then at the 
marriage feast received their reward, the divine nature? 

{Page Ql 15} 

ANSWER— The person who asked this question knows 
more about it, apparently, than I do. How does he know that 
our Lord was raised on the spirit plane without the divine 
nature? I do not know anything of the kind. I believe that our 
Lord was raised from the dead to the divine nature-put to 
death in the flesh and quickened in the spirit and that as a 
spirit being he was of the divine nature. Do not understand 
me to mean that he was the Father. It seems as though we get 
our minds so twisted, and our language is so in danger of 
being twisted in our poor heads, that we can hardly make 
these matters simple enough. Understand me to believe and 
to teach that our Lord Jesus never was the Heavenly Father 
and never will be the Heavenly Father. Understand me to 
say, with the Bible, that as the head of the woman is the man, 
so the head of the church is Christ, and the head of Christ is 
God. That is the Scriptural order of the matter. But this 
doctrine of the trinity which has got into people's minds 
confuses and blinds all their thinking powers. So then our 
Lord was raised from the dead to the glory of the Father-not 
to being a part of the Father, but to share in the Father's glory 
-glory, honor, immortality was the high reward-and this is 
confirmed by the Apostle's statement in respect to the 
resurrection of the church (1 Cor. 15), "Sown in dishonor, 
raised in glory, sown in weakness, raised in power, sown an 
animal body and raised a spiritual body;" and he goes on to 
say, "For this corruption must put on incorruption, 
immortality;" and evidently from the structure of the sentence 
he is saying that the resurrection moment is the moment of 
immortality, the divine nature. 

CHURCH-What Foundation? 

Q115:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-Saint Paul says, "We 
are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, 
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." Doesn't 
the word "prophets" here refer to the prophets of the old 
Bible and not to the prophets of the New Testament? 

ANSWER— I would think the Apostle is here referring 
to the prophets of the Old Testament times, but this is the 



foundation for faith that was laid in their prophecy. Now 
there are other prophets mentioned in the Scripture, as, for 
instance, the Apostle says that when Christ ascended up on 
high he gave gifts unto men, and then he goes on to tell what 
those gifts were; he gave some apostles, and some prophets, 
and some teachers, and some evangelists. He is not here 
speaking of the prophets of old. In this text he is speaking 
about the orators, because this word prophet as used in the 
Greek stands for one who publicly expounds, publicly 
declares, makes public proclamations-that is, a prophet, or, 
literally, a teller-forth. 

CHURCH-Change Re Time of Trouble. 

Q115:2:: QUESTION (191 l)--2-"Before her pain she 
was delivered of a man child." Does this imply that the 
Church is complete, changed to the divine nature, before the 
time of trouble? 

ANSWER~Yes, and this was illustrated in the two sons 
of Rachel, Rachel being a type of Zion, we might say, her 
first born son was Joseph, who attained to the throne, and her 
second born son was Benjamin, and Benjamin's name 
signifies, "Son of my pain," and she died in giving birth to 
Benjamin. We understand this is a type. God intended it 

{Page Ql 16} 

to be a type of how there will he two classes delivered here— 
two classes for the spiritual plane, the little flock which will 
be the bride class, and then following them will be the great 
company class, as it is called in the Scriptures, or the foolish 
virgin class, from another standpoint. They will all be 
virgins, but one class will be the wise virgins who make their 
calling and election sure by following the directions, and the 
others will be the foolish virgins, who will fail to make their 
calling and election sure, and who will have to come up 
through a great time of trouble, and these two classes are 
represented in the two sons of Rachel. The first son, Joseph, 
was the one who reached the throne. Joseph became, through 
great tribulation of a certain kind, the ruler of Egypt and was 
the purchaser of all the land, and was a type of Messiah and 
his glorious kingdom, and Benjamin became a type of the 
great company class, who do not attain to the throne. 



CHURCH-The Body of Christ. 

Q116:1:: QUESTION (1911 Z) 1 When does the 
Church become the Body of Christ.? 

ANSWER— The Church may Scripturally be viewed 
from two standpoints: 

(1) The Church in glory will consist exclusively of the 
Redeemer and His Bride class, His joint-heirs, or, under the 
other figure, "Jesus, the Head, and the Church, His Body"-- 
"members in particular of the Body of Christ." These alone 
will have part in the "first resurrection"; these alone will reign 
with Christ a thousand years. 

(2) In the present time, however, the Church is spoken of as 
the Bride of Christ, in a formative or developing state. His 
espoused. Each one who makes a full consecration of himself 
to the Lord, trusting in the merit of Jesus, when begotten of 
the Holy Spirit, is counted a member of the Body of Christ. 
As a member he is to grow in grace, knowledge and love, 
putting off the former things of the flesh and putting on the 
fruits and graces of the Holy Spirit. These, however, develop 
into three different classes: 

(a) A "little flock," a Royal Priesthood, who will become 
exclusively the Body of Christ, through participation in the 
"first resurrection." 

(b) A "great company" class, loyal to God and in the end 
faithful, but not sufficiently zealous to be considered 
sacrificing priests, not worthy, therefore, to be counted of the 
Body of the "more than conquerors." These will ultimately 
come off conquerors and attain the plane of spirit being to 
which they were begotten at the time of their consecration. 
These will be the "virgin companions" of the Bride, serving in 
the Temple. 

A third class, described by St. Paul as falling away and 
counting the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were 
sanctified an ordinary thing and despising the great favor and 
privilege of sanctification through justification. These are 
described also by St. Peter as "the sow returned to her 
wallowing in the mire"~as turned from spiritual hopes and 
promises to earthly. These, once counted members of the 
Body of Christ, will die the Second Death, as brute beasts. 



CHURCH-Still Hold Same Scriptural View Re Her 
Change. 

Q116:2:: QUESTION (1911 Z) 2 Are we to 
understand from your remarks in The Watch Tower of April 
1,1911, page 102, 

{Page Ql 17} 

column 2, paragraph 2 and 3, that your opinion has altered 
respecting the "change" of the Church? 

ANSWER~No; we have no different thought from that 
heretofore presented. We still believe that since 1878 we are 
in the time indicated by the statement, "Blessed are the dead 
who die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, 
they shall rest from their labors, and their works follow with 
them."-Rev. 14:13. 

We must all die, but "we shall not all sleep." In the cases of 
those remaining alive at the time of our Lord's second 
presence, there will be no need to sleep—the moment of death 
will be the moment of resurrection change. ~Psa. 82:7; 
ICor. 15:51,52. 

CHURCH-When Presented to the Father? 

Q117:1:: QUESTION ( 19 12)- 1 -On March 15,1902, 
Special Parousia Tower, you state that we are not to 
understand that the Lord will take the Church away to 
Heaven and come again and make His "Epiphania" or 
"Apokalupsis," for that would be the Third Advent, which is 
nowhere even hinted at in Scripture. You might please 
harmonize with statement in 1911 Convention Report that the 
Church in the beginning of the Millennium will be presented 
to the Father. 

ANSWER-When the Church will be completed and 
will have passed beyond the Vail, I do not know how many 
days or even months will elapse, but some little time will 
intervene, and then the Church will be presented to the 
Father, and then the Great Company are said to follow Him to 
be presented before the King. It will not be a coming and 
going to and from heaven at all. The Lord is at the right hand 
of His father in heaven, and I understand that the Lord Jesus 
Christ will be always in that position. He does not leave His 
place vacant for one moment. The Church, as His Bride, will 
have the same privilege as He has. This is not a going away 
and a coming again. We shall be there and sit forever with 
the Lord with all the liberties of the angelic hosts and having 
still higher liberties and powers. 



CHURCH-Reigning Now Is Not Scriptural. 

Q117:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2- Is it scriptural to 
say that the glorified members of the Church have reigned at 
any time up to the present? 

ANSWER-No! They have not reigned at any time. At 
least, if they have reigned, we have not found it out, and they 
have made a poor reign of it so far. All the reigning we have 
seen in the world thus far has been a rather poor kind. We 
would say, however, that the kings of the earth are doing the 
best they can do; they are doing just as wisely as they know 
how to do under the circumstances and conditions. We are 
not specially faulting them. 

Take the Czar of Russia, for instance: the poor man does 
not know how to do better than he is doing. Probably the 
same is true of the Emperor of Austria, the President of 
France, King George of Great Britain, Emperor William of 
Germany, etc. These would all rather see their people happy; 
but they are imperfect men with imperfect subjects and are 
surrounded by such conditions as are almost impossible to 
overcome. Therefore we are not to fault them that their reign 
is not perfect. If they had perfect subjects, doubtless the 
world's condition would be very much better. 

{Page Ql 18} 

The reign of Christ did not in any sense begin in the past. 
Our Catholic friends claim that Christ began His reign some 
time ago; and that for over a thousand years the Pope has 
been the representative of Christ as King of Earth; that it is 
not Christ Himself who is to reign, but His vicegerent, a title 
which they give to the Pope, meaning the one who rules 
instead of Christ. 

CHRIST'S KINGDOM STILL FUTURE. 

We think that our Catholic friends are laboring under a 
misapprehension. They do not get the proper thought. You 
remember the Apostle says of some. Ye have reigned as kings 
in the earth; you are getting along very prosperously; you 
have had no trouble or persecution at all. Then after making 
fun of them a little, he says, I would to God that ye did reign; 
for if you did, we would reign with you.~l Cor. 4:8. 

We hold that this is still true. When the reign of Christ 
begins, you will find it such a thorough reign that all the 
members of His Body will have some part in it. So we 



assume that when our Lord's Kingdom shall begin its reign 
conditions, for the whole world will be very much changed. 
If the reign of Christ should begin today, the saints would be 
with Him; for He is to be the great Judge, the saints the 
under-judges; He is to be the great King, the saints the under-kings; 
He is to be the great Priest, the saints the under-priests-- 
"A Royal Priesthood," "Kings and priests unto God," who 
"shall reign with Christ a thousand years." 

With His reign will begin the reign of righteousness, for the 
Scriptures intimate that sin will be suppressed promptly. 
Nothing shall hurt, or offend, or destroy, in all God's holy 
Kingdom. (Isa. 11:9.) Nothing will be allowed to do so. The 
Great Judge will know how to inflict such punishments and so 
promptly as to prevent the reign of evil; and then the 
inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness; for instance, 
if some one wished to speak evil of his neighbor and a 
punishment, such as paralysis of the tongue, should come 
upon him merely for the intention', before he spoke 
the evil, do you not suppose that he would learn the 
lesson that he must not think evil? He would not speak 
the evil, for his tongue would be paralyzed before he even 
spoke the word. The Bible says that he will learn the lesson. 
"When the judgments of the Lord are in the earth the 
inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." (Isa. 26:9.) 
It will not take them long to learn. They will not need to have 
calamity overtake them many times before they will learn that 
it would be better for them not to do wrong. 

This will not, of course, affect the heart; but it will 
enable them to learn to do right, to see the effect of 
righteousness in the world. Thus they will have the 
opportunity of either loving or hating that condition. If they 
learn to love that condition they will get into the right attitude 
of heart, pleasing and acceptable to God; and so at the end of 
Christ's millennial reign they will be ready to have the full 
blessing of eternal life; but, even though not permitted to 
do the wrong thing, if at heart they still love iniquity, with 
all the knowledge before them and experience behind them, if 
they will not learn to love righteousness and hate iniquity, 
they will be of those worthy of cutting off in the Second 
Death, from which there will be no recovery. 



{Page Ql 19} 

CHURCH-Setting Members in the Body 

Q119:1:: QUESTION (1913-Z)-l-Whatis signified 

by God's "setting the members every one of them in the Body, 

as it hath pleased Him" ?--l Cor. 12:18. 

ANSWER— In the present time there is a Church of 
Christ on probation. We sometimes say that we are members 
of the Church Militant; but to be a member of the Church 
Militant will not prove that we shall be in the Church 
Triumphant. Only those who are "faithful unto death" will 
be in the Church Triumphant. St. Paul, whom God had set in 
a very high position in the Church feared lest he might 
become a castaway. He said, "I keep under my body, and 
bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have 
preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Cor. 9:27.) 
Various privileges and opportunities are granted to us 
while in the flesh, and our acceptance in the end and our 
participation in the glory beyond will depend upon our 
faithfulness here. 

The Apostle says that the various members, "fitly framed 
together, grow into an holy Temple in the Lord." (Eph. 2:21.) 
We may not use this figure too literally or we may get into 
confusion. The stones in the Temple differ to some extent 
one from the other. In what is called "random range work" 
building there are places for little stones and places for larger 
stones. This might, in some respects, represent our being a 
larger or a smaller stone in the Temple-representing the 
privileges or honor which we may have beyond the veil. 

St. Paul also says that he was trying to do much more, that 
he was trying to have a larger share in the trials and self-denials, 
in order that he might have a larger share in the work 
beyond. This did not mean that he desired self-aggrandizement, 
or that he was either proud or self-seeking.. And we 
shall not be so if we would attain that to which God would have 
us attain-the glorious character-likeness of our Master. 

CHURCH-Proper Basis of Honor in tlie. 

Q119:2:: QUESTION (1915-Z) -2 -Matt. 20:27 reads, 
"Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your 
servant." Is it a proper desire to be chief among the Lord's 
people, and are we to understand that the positions in the 
Kingdom of Heaven will be assigned entirely on the basis of 
the amount of service we render here? 
ANSWER-The Lord had been pointing out to His 



disciples a certain weakness on their part—a desire to be the 
greatest--a desire that is general in the human family-an 
ambitious spirit. The context says that amongst the Gentiles 
there are some who exercise a lordship and have others to 
serve them in a menial way, but that this was not to be the 
case amongst the disciples of Jesus. They were to be actuated 
by a different spirit. With the followers of Christ there is not 
to be a spirit to dominate, to rule others, but a spirit of love, 
which seeks to serve others, to do for others, a spirit which is 
willing to sacrifice personal interest in the service of others. 

On this basis we consider further the words of this text. 
There will be some among the Lord's people who will be 
chief. It is necessarily so in any company or class or 
association where people are not all equal in talents—where 
some are born with more talents and some with less. Some 
one is bound to be chief. An absolute equality is not possible. 

{PageQ120} 

It is advisable, too, that there be some among the saints of 
God to guide the Church. What, then, is to be the standard as 
to who is to be chief? Shall it be the one who would browbeat 
the others? No; this is not the standard. Shall it be one who 
will have a masterful influence and pleasant words, who will 
dominate merely because of some talent, or because of 
superior education or wealth— something of this kind? No; this 
could not be the standard. What, then, will be the standard as 
to those who will be recognized as chief ones in the Church? 

HAVE NO AMBITION FOR PERSONAL GLORY. 

We reply. We should look for those who have most of the 
spirit of service. He who renders the greatest amount of 
service and brings the greatest spiritual blessing to the Class— 
the one who tries most to truly serve— consider him 
your chief. While our Lord's words were addressed to all the 
apostles, and not merely to one individual, yet they are 
applicable also to the individual. The thought should come 
home to each of our hearts, that if any of us have ambition for 
service in some special capacity, we are not to do like worldly 
people. We should take the opposite track, and leave any 
honor of men out of the question entirely. We should leave 
God to attend to that matter as shall seem to Him best, and be 
content merely to be a servant to the brethren. Let the Lord 
see how willing you are to serve in any manner. 

The person without any ambition never amounts to any 
thing. We need to have ambition if we are sowing or plowing 



or whatever we are doing~we need ambition to spur us on to 
do whatever we do in a satisfactory manner. And so if we 
have the opportunity of serving the Truth, we should seek to 
serve it in the most capable manner possible. Otherwise we 
should not be capable servants of the Lord. 

But we are to lay aside any desire to be chief so far as 
ambition for personal glory is concerned. We are to seek to 
serve the Lord the best we know how. If you can serve the 
Lord in some respects better than I, and I can learn something 
from you, well and good. And if afterwards you can learn 
something from me, so be it. True, we should be patterning 
after that which is especially commendable and doing all we 
can to further the Lord's Cause. And this service should be 
prompted by love. Any service not prompted by love is not 
acceptable in the sight of the Lord. 

HUMILITY A PRIME REQUISITE. 

The Apostle Paul says that those who desire the office of a 
bishop are desiring a good thing. It is a noble service. The 
office in the Apostles' day was not the exalted official 
position it is understood to be in the nominal church systems 
of today. A bishop then was a humble, untitled servant of the 
Church, caring for the interests of the sheep. Every servant of 
the Church should seek to be efficient, should love to be, as 
far as he is able, a caretaker over the flock of God. Amongst 
these Elder brethren, pastors of the congregation, there will be 
those of different natural abilities. Each should seek to use 
his talents, his opportunities, in the service of the Lord, of the 
brethren and of the Truth. 

It is a pity that any of the Lord's people today forget the 
standard which the Master is here setting up. These seem to 
think that the office of Elder has become theirs by 

{PageQ121} 

right, instead of realizing that the appointment to this office is 
by vote of the Ecclesia, the company of the Lord's people, 
and is to be the voice of the Church. We believe 
that the attitude of each one should be to be willing to accept 
the voice of the Ecclesia, the Church, implicitly. If he has 
become a member of the congregation by casting in his lot 
with the others, he has thus become subject to the rules that 
represent the controlling majority, whether it be a majority 
of one or of a larger per cent. Having done this, he should 
seek to continue in this attitude, whether chosen an Elder or 



whether another is chosen. 

Very frequently a congregation makes the mistake of 
selecting for Elder a brother who does not have the proper 
qualifications. This sometimes means dissatisfaction on the 
part of some of the class, and leads to the breaking away of 
some to form another class. We think this is not the wise 
course. We think that if the class made a mistake, the Lord is 
able to overrule it for good; and that therefore those who 
withdraw lose some experiences which would be valuable to 
them. 

We are not always sure, however, that the class made a 
mistake. How can we know but that the Lord has some lesson 
in this matter? If we have asked the Lord's blessing on 
whoever would be the choice, we should abide by that choice. 
If the one not chosen has ability for properly presenting the 
Truth and knows a number of places where he can be used 
and useful, we think that the brother should take advantage of 
whatever opportunities may present themselves. He need not 
leave the class, however. He could perform whatever service 
came to his hand. Perhaps he could use his time and talent in 
class extension work—not feeling restricted in this direction 
because he was not elected Elder. He might go out and find 
opportunities for service. So the change in Elders might mean 
to the brother not elected or not re-elected that the Lord was 
indicating to him another field of usefulness. The Lord's 
providences might be leading out for wider influence and 
usefulness for him. 

We should not be influenced by what men of the world 
shall say or think of us. This is immaterial; and it is 
immaterial what the Church shall think. We should seek to 
please the Lord. We should not esteem ourselves too highly, 
but rather give a preference to others in our estimation. 
Positions in the Kingdom of Heaven, we understand, will be 
awarded according to the degree of the development of the 
fruits of the Holy Spirit; and this means a love which will lead 
to zeal in the Lord's service. 

CHURCH-When Is the Anointing? 

Q121:1:: QUESTION ( 19 15)- 1 -Do we, the Church, 
receive our full share in the anointing instantly or gradually? 

ANSWER— The expression, "anointing of the Spirit," is 
slightly different from the expression, "begetting of the 
Spirit." The thought connected with the word "begetting" is 
that of an instantaneous work, while the thought connected 
with "anointing" is a more gradual work. We are under the 
process of anointing from the time we enter the Lord's family, 



from the time we are recognized as members of the family of 
Christ, and receive a place in the glorious company of Royal 
Priests. We know that some fail to get their 

{PageQ122} 

full anointing. Some of those who have been properly 
received, and begotten of the Holy Spirit, will fail to be fully 
anointed, and therefore will fail to be of the Royal Priesthood 
Class. They will be of the Great Company Class instead. We 
therefore think that the expression, "anointing of the Spirit," 
must include that mollifying and mellowing development 
which comes as we grow in grace and in knowledge, and not 
merely the time when we were anointed (begotten) to come 
into the family of God. 

CHURCH-Change of Feet-Members One by One. 

Q122:1 :: QUESTION (1915)--l--Is there any Scripture 
which shows that the Feet-members of Christ will all be 
changed at one time? 

ANSWER~We believe to the contrary-that instead of 
all the Feet-members being changed at one time, it will be a 
gradual work. One may be changed tonight, another 
tomorrow, etc.; and yet their change may be said to be all at 
one time in the sense that it is all in the Harvest time, all in 
the end of the Age. The change of some will be in the close 
of the Harvest period. As an individual matter, it will be one 
person after another. The Apostle says, "We shall not all 
sleep, but we shall all be changed;" for "flesh and blood 
cannot inherit the Kingdom of God." Our change will be "in 
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." It will not be a gradual 
change to the individual but an instantaneous change. Instead 
of sleeping as the saints of the past have done, when our time 
comes to die, ours will be an instantaneous change. The 
Psalmist prophetically says, "I have said, ye are gods, and all 
of you children of the Most High. But ye shall die like men;" 
and this Scripture we understand to refer to the dying process 
that comes to all of the Church, the same as to mankind in 
general. We are New Creatures and hence the expression that 
we shall "die like men." As men die, so we will die. Men 
do not generally die in bunches; so we would think it strange 
if many of us should die at one time. The world will not 
discern any difference between our death and the death of 
other men. 



CHURCH-Sin-Offering Made by High Priest. 

Q122:2:: QUESTION (1915)--2-For what sins do the 
Church suffer? 

ANSWER— The members of the Church suffer for any 
sins of the flesh they do not properly repent of and properly 
make amends for. The Apostle says that if we would judge 
ourselves, if we would punish ourselves, correct ourselves, 
we would not be judged of the Lord. If we would thoroughly 
attend to these matters ourselves, we would not need to be 
chastened by the Lord. When He finds it necessary to deal 
with us, it is that we may not be condemned with the world. 

The whole world is in a condemned condition. God is 
choosing some who will be justified to life everlasting on the 
spirit plane. If we are faithful it will not be necessary for the 
Lord to punish us, but rather to encourage and help us. This 
would not mean that we shall not have trials and difficulties, 
but it does mean that if we chasten ourselves we shall not be 
punished by the Lord for our sins, for the weaknesses of our 
flesh which we might have avoided, and for which we are to 
some extent responsible. 

We are not to suppose that a New Creature would sin 
wilfully. If he thus sinned, he would be no longer a New 

{PageQ123} 

Creature. He would have gone back, like the sow that was 
washed, to her wallowing in the mire. The sins that the New 
Creature would suffer for would be those sins of the flesh 
which he might have avoided, and which he failed to correct. 
These sufferings would give him a sharper appreciation of his 
duties; they would be disciplining for his good. 

But this may not be the thought of the questioner. He may 
mean, "What has the Church to do with the Sin-offering?" 
The Church has nothing to do with the Sin-offering, as a 
Church. It is the Lord Jesus who is the responsible One in 
the whole matter. In the type it was not the under priests that 
did the offering, but the high priest. So it was the Lord Jesus 
that offered up Himself. He offers us up as His members, but 
He does not do this contrary to our wills. We desire that He 
will offer us up as parts of Himself, that we may thus have a 
share in "the sufferings of Christ and the glory that shall 
follow." It is His merit alone that gives virtue to our sacrifice. 

The whole responsibility, therefore, is in the hands of the 
great High Priest, our Lord. We share with Him in the 
world's Sin-offering, as His members. We participate in 
the sufferings which are counted as His sufferings. You 



and I could not atone for sins by our sufferings—either for our 
own sins or for those of others. That is all in the Lord's 
hands. 

CHURCH-Christ Our All in All. 

Q123:1:: QUESTION (1915)-l-"Butof Himareyein 
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom, and 
Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Deliverance" (1 Cor. 1:30). 
How is Christ made unto us Wisdom, Righteousness, 
Sanctification, and Deliverance? 

ANSWER.— God has made Jesus to be all these things to 
the Church. That is to say, all these various things are to be 
attained by the Church through Jesus. You could not attain to 
any of these things yourselves. I could not attain to them of 
myself. Indeed, no one could. Therefore it is God's 
appointment that all these qualities and blessings should come 
to us through the Lord Jesus. 

First of all, Jesus is made unto us Wisdom. He gives us the 
necessary knowledge to come to God. That is the first step. 
"No man cometh unto the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). 
You have not yet become a child of God, but you need a 
measure of wisdom in order that you may come to the Father. 
So Jesus becomes to us Wisdom; and He continues to be our 
Wisdom all the way through. 

Then Christ "is made unto us Righteousness "-justification. 
When He was first made unto us Wisdom, we were not fully 
justified. But we were justified when we accepted the terms 
which that Wisdom taught us, and made our consecration 
accordingly. Then Christ became our Justification. How? 
By imputing to us the merit of His sacrifice. This justified us 
legally. How much merit do we need? Each one needs 
whatever he lacks of perfection. We all lack something of 
perfection. Some lack more and some less. There is none 
righteous— perfect. 

We might place the perfect standard at one hundred. We 
might say that some would reach the 50 per cent (half of a 
man or woman in moral quality). Perhaps some would have 
only 25 per cent (a quarter of a man or woman). What 

{PageQ124} 

do you mean by a quarter of a man or woman? I mean that 
they are depraved, fallen, to the extent of three-quarters. 
Such a one would have only one-quarter of what would be 
required to make up a perfect man. I believe that the average 
person reaches no more than the mark of 25 per cent, or is 



one-quarter of a real man. I think that is about the proportion. 
I am not to judge in any individual case. Judge yourself 
according to your own estimate of the matter. 

Now, then, the person who is one-quarter of a perfect man 
is lacking three-quarters, and for Jesus to justify him would 
mean the imputing to him of three-quarters; for the meaning 
of the word justification is to make right, to make 
perfect. If, for instance, you need a dollar and have only 
twenty-five cents, some one will need to make up seventy-five 
cents. It is the same in weight. If you have only four 
ounces and need to have a pound, some one will need to make 
up the other twelve ounces. So with justification, one 
hundred being the standard. If you have but 25 per cent of 
character and of physical soundness, you need just 75 per 
cent imputed to you. If you have 50 per cent, the Lord will 
make up the other 50 per cent. For the person having only 10 
per cent of character the Lord proposes to make up the other 
90 per cent. So the better you are naturally the less the Lord 
will do for you. Strange as that proposition may seem, 
nevertheless it is the case. The less He will need to do for 
you. This is the proposition of justification, the making of 
you right. No one needs to be more than right, only just right. 

Then Jesus becomes our Sanctification, in the sense that He 
is our Teacher. We enter the School of Christ as pupils and 
need sanctification. He not only sanctifies us in the sense of 
bringing us into covenant relationship with our Heavenly 
Father, where we are set apart as God's children by the giving 
of the Holy Spirit, but He continues to be our Sanctifier, our 
Instructor, even unto the end, instructing us in the Truth, 
making us more and more fully set apart, as He prayed for the 
Church— "Sanctify them through Thy Truth, Thy Word is 
Truth" (John 17:17). Our Lord Jesus is the One who applies 
the Truth to the Church, which is His' Body. And this 
application of the Truth-teaching us and leading us in the 
right way— is His way of sanctifying. 

It might be said that it is the Father who sanctifies. So it is; 
and it might be equally said that it is the Father who justifies, 
makes righteous before the Law; but He does all this through 
the Son. It is likewise true that the Father gives the wisdom, 
but through the Son. God has honored the Son by appointing 
Him heir of all things. 

So with the Deliverance. It is to be the great resurrection 
"change" that will bring this to us, and Jesus is to be our 
Deliverer. He is the One who calls all the saints from the 
sleep of death, as He declares, you remember: 
"All that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of 



God and shall come forth" (John 5:28). And we who are alive 
and remain at His coming will be changed by Him. He will 
be the Deliverer of all His Church. Although the Bible says 
that the Father is the Great Deliverer, and it was the Father 
who raised up our Lord Jesus, and who "will raise us up also" 
from the tomb, yet it will be by Jesus. All things are of the 
Father and by the Son. 

{PageQ125} 

CHURCH-Some Working Independently. 

Q125:1:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-- 1-- Should a group of 
Bible students work independently of the ecclesia of that 
locality, being members of that ecclesia.? 

ANSWER-There is, of course, a certain amount of 
Christian liberty that we believe the Lord would be pleased 
that people always exercise. For instance, suppose a brother 
were to go to another brother's home, and two or three 
neighbors came in to spend the evening. Then suppose one 
should say, "Let us have a game of chess," and another would 
say, "No, let us have a Bible study." We do not think it would 
be the Lord's will to say, "No, we cannot have a Bible study, 
because it is not authorized by our class, but we will play 
chess." We might properly reason that, while no meeting had 
been arranged there by the ecclesia, there could be no 
objection to having a Bible study or to talking along Bible 
lines. The host might say, "We will ask in some more of the 
neighbors for another meeting next week. I have tried to tell 
them about these things and will be glad to have them hear 
you." I cannot see that there would be anything wrong in such 
a course. If those attending desired a regular meeting, it 
should be turned over to the L B. S. A. local class, which 
would supply the leaders. 

But now suppose some of a class say, "We will start another 
regular meeting;" this would be a different case entirely. 
They have a right to form a new ecclesia, but in so doing they 
would be breaking away from the original ecclesia. They 
could not then properly go back to the other meeting and say, 
"We will vote here." There must be consistency in what we 
do. All who become members of an ecclesia more or less 
give up their personal liberties that they may have the 
advantages of co-operation. But this would not mean such 
bondage that we could not have a Bible study, but must spend 
the evening playing games instead. 



CHURCH-Her Part in Binding Kings. 

Q125:2:: QUESTION (1916)--2-What part will the 
Church have in binding kings? 

ANSWER— Apparently, my dear friends, the Church 
now has no part whatever in the binding of kings. At least we 
do not see yet how you and I have any part in that work; we 
do not see that the kings are bound. What part the Church 
may have in that work later we do not know. The Bible 
shows that they will have an important part, but how they will 
exercise that privilege when the time comes remains to be 
seen. God has not shown just how His plan will be worked 
out. We need to be in position to do our part when the time 
comes, but we must be satisfied to leave the matter in the 
Lord's hands. In the armies of the world the men in the ranks 
do not know when an attack is to be made, right up to the 
time when the order to advance is given. In due time you and 
I will get our orders. In the meantime we are to keep the 
armor on; we are to keep it clean and bright; we are not to get 
sleepy or weary in well-doing, but to grow strong in the Lord, 
and in the power of His might. 

CHURCH-Will the Glorified Have Life-Giving Power? 

Q125:3:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-3-In the Millennium 
will Jesus alone be the Life-giver to the world, or will the 
Church also be associated with Him as members of the 
Life-giver, and have power to awaken the dead? 

{PageQ126} 

ANSWER— The subject of giving life may be viewed 
from different standpoints. In a certain sense the mother as 
well as the father of a child is its life-giver~in the sense that 
the child could not have attained individual existence without 
the mother. And yet, strictly speaking, the father alone is the 
life-giver; for the life-germ comes from him. 

So the Bible uses this natural illustration of an earthly 
father, or life-giver, to picture a great spiritual truth. The 
world is dead in Adam—under sentence of death. Jesus has 
laid down the Ransom-price which will offset that sentence. 
By virtue of so doing He will have the right, as soon as the 
merit of His sacrifice is applied for the world, to become the 
Life-giver of Adam and his race. The human life-rights which 
He will give will be those which He Himself laid down in 
death. 

But as Jesus by the will of God has associated the Church 
with Himself, both in the sufferings of this present time and in 



the glory that is to follow, she will have to do with the giving 
of life to the world. Her work is illustrated in Mother Eve 
and in womankind in general. It will be the work of the 
Church to nourish the world of mankind—to nourish the spark 
of life which they will receive from the Redeemer. Under this 
nourishment and care, as many of the world as will co-operate 
will rise up out of sin and death conditions to perfection. 

Thus the Bride of Christ will have to do with the life-giving, 
but merely as the associates of the great Life-giver. The 
Ransomer, Jesus, alone is the One who can dispense His own 
life-rights. And Jesus Himself said, "All that are in the graves 
shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall come 
forth." (John 5:25,29.) Any work which the glorified 
Church may do in connection with the restoration of the 
world will be as His assistants. 

CHURCH-Whatthe Church Purchases. 

Q126:1 :: QUESTION (1916)-l-Does the Church, the 
elect, purchase the world during this, the gospel age? 
Paragraph 3, page 99 of Tabernacle Shadows would seem to 
indicate this. 

ANSWER~It was not the intention of any paragraph in 
Tabernacle Shadows to indicate anything of that kind. I 
would like to repeat this ten thousand times: Nobody but one 
person could purchase the world because it was only one man 
that sinned, and so only one man to redeem. The ransom is a 
corresponding price. He gave Himself as a ransom, not with 
the church as though it is something that He is continuing to 
do through them. He finished that at Calvary. He has not 
made an actual application of it as yet, but the provision of 
the ransom price was made before we came into God's plan at 
all. We did not come in until Jesus had finished His work at 
Calvary. Then came in the selection of the church. First, He 
was to be the Captain of our salvation, and then could have a 
body of soldiers under Him. He was to be the Head over His 
fellows. The selection of these fellows began after the 
completion of His sacrifice. Only Jesus had died and 
ascended up on High, and had made satisfaction and 
imputation. (God had not recognized any of the Church at 
all), and then, when that was done—the church not in it at all- 
God through Jesus shed forth the Holy Spirit. We have 
nothing to do with the payment of that price. That is all the 
work of Jesus. 



{PageQ127} 

CHURCH-Regarding Merit of. 

Q127:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Has the Church, 
individually, or collectively, any merit of its own, in any 
sense? 

ANSWER— I do not know what was in the mind of the 
one who asked that question. The church had no merit 
according to the flesh, but the church is not in the flesh. "We 
are not in the flesh, but in the spirit." The body of Christ is 
the new creation, and it has already much merit. When God 
made us new creatures we had some merit, and I hope we will 
keep that merit which God grants to all those who are His 
children. Everyone must have some merit, or else God would 
not recognize him at all. In Ephesians we read that God will 
do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or 
think: there must be some merit there. Then, we read about 
being worthy. Some blessings will come to the church 
because the church will be found worthy. 

Has the church any merit of an earthly kind that it could 
appropriate to the world? The merit of the new creation is 
one thing, but we have no merit according to the flesh that we 
could give away. But have we anything of that kind? Yes. 
The Bible pictures that if you suffer for righteousness sake in 
your flesh, then a meritorious thing has been accomplished so 
far as you are concerned. You have thereby suffered a loss of 
your rights. There is a certain amount of merit belonging to 
those rights that you lost, and a certain amount of demerit to 
those who caused this loss. God pictures this as a kind of an 
imputation to the world. I remind you of Leviticus 16 that 
certain sins of the people beyond the ordinary ones covered 
by the Day of Atonement sacrifices, had to be otherwise 
atoned for in another way, so also while the forgiveness of all 
Adamic sin all belongs to Jesus, yet, what we might suffer for 
righteousness sake, all this suffering might all go as a kind of 
credit for somebody else and serve to make up for the loss to 
others who have done wrong beyond that which is attributable 
to father Adam. This will make a balance. This will all be 
balanced before the new age comes in. That is the reason for 
the coming trouble, because God will balance the account. 
The church will have something to its credit according to one 
part of the picture of Leviticus XVL 



CIRCUMCISION-Re Church. 
Q127:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-The sign of the 
Abrahamic covenant was fleshly circumcision. If we are 
under that covenant why do we not have that same sign? 
ANSWER— The Apostle intimates that we do have the 
same sign, but it is the circumcision of the heart and not of 
the flesh. With spiritual Israel it is spiritual circumcision. 
The Apostle tells us these are the things we are to have 
circumcised--anger, malice, hatred, envy, strife, works of the 
flesh and works of the devil. Cut these off and then you are 
circumcised in the heart. That doesn't mean that you never 
make the mistake of having an angry thought. It is not your 
flesh, but you as a new creature that is a member of the Body 
of Christ. The flesh is merely a servant of that new creature 
and the new creature will keep the body under to the best of 
its ability. 

{PageQ128} 

COLLECTIONS-Spending Much, Asking Little. 

Q128:1:: QUESTION ( 191 3)- 1 -How is it possible for 
the International Bible Student's Association to spend so 
much money, and yet never ask for any? 

ANSWER-Years ago, dear friends, I had my 
experience when a Congregationalist. There was a fair and 
voting contest on and I remember very well that I solicited 
from one person, and he very promptly handed me two dollars 
and seemed pleased to give it. After receiving the two dollars 
I felt ashamed. I said. You begged. My answer was. You 
begged for the church. But you would be ashamed to beg for 
yourself. Yes, I would, but this was for the Lord. But if you 
would be ashamed to beg for yourself should you not be more 
ashamed to beg for the Lord? Is the Lord poor? I said. No, 
and I will never beg or solicit again, nor have I from that time 
to now. 

The question is. How can we spend so much money when 
we solicit none? People voluntarily push it on us. That is no 
joke. People really say, "Brother Russell, I am deeply 
interested in these things and would like to put a little money 
in. Can I have a chance?" We say. Brother, there is all of the 
chance in the world. Sometimes people, without the least 
expectation on my part, have handed me money. For 
instance, one afternoon when going to a question meeting, a 
gentleman came up to me and handed me a piece of paper. I 
put it in my pocket, thinking it was a question. When I got to 
the platform and pulled it out I found a check for $1,000. I 



remembered then that the gentleman who had handed me the 
check had told me how he had been a very wicked man. He 
lived in the western country, and while a member of the 
Presbyterian church, he told me he had not been a Christian at 
all. He gambled, smoked, drank, and did nearly everything 
which a Christian ought not to do. He did not say, nor do I, 
that the Presbyterian church would encourage him in this. He 
told me he did not know what Christianity was until he read 
the Studies in the Scriptures. After learning the 
reasonableness and goodness of God's plan he wanted to use 
his money to help spread the knowledge which he had 
appreciated so much, hence handed me the check. This is the 
manner in which the money has been supplied. Our thought 
has been that as long as the Lord wishes the work to go on. 
He can take care of supplying the funds. It is His business to 
attend to how much He sends. If the Lord ever withholds the 
supply the work will go down in proportion. 

COLLECTIONS-Meaning of Voluntary Contributions. 

Q128:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-Representatives of the 
International Bible Students' Association have given out the 
report in Springfield that the entire expense of their 
propaganda and work is covered by voluntary contributions. 
Please explain the exact meaning of the term "voluntary 
contributions." 

ANSWER~It is a contribution not in any manner 
solicited. We do make known the results of our work every 
year in an annual report, as seems proper, but no names of 
contributors are given. No one even gets a chance to get his 
name before the church, or other contributors. Whatever is 
given is unto the Lord and no attempt is made to flaunt any 
human donation. We simply use what is voluntarily handed 
in. 

{PageQ129} 

COLLECTIONS--I. B. S. A. and Collections. 

Q129:1:: QUESTION (1913) -1 -Is there any 
scriptural reason why the International Bible Students' 
Association refuses to solicit money? 

ANSWER--Our general thought is that this matter of 
the solicitation of money has become rather obnoxious in the 
sight of a great many, and that the Lord's name might be, 
perhaps, more glorified if we do not solicit money. 
Furthermore, we recognize the fact that our Heavenly Father 
is very rich. All of the gold and silver is His, and all of the 



cattle on a thousand hills. If He needed money He would not 
need to ask us, and He has never commissioned us, that we 
know of, to ask or solicit in any manner in His name. As He 
has not commissioned us so to do we think it not proper to do 
so. This is no reflection upon others having a different view. 
They have their rights. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Giving Out Tracts. 

Q129:2:: QUESTION (1906)--2-Please indicate the 
best method for giving out tracts. 

ANSWER— We think there are two tracts, and only two 
that the colporteurs should give out. That is not saying 
anything against the other tracts. One is No. 54, "The Dark 
Cloud and the Silver Lining," and "Do You Know" is also a 
good one. We advise that the Colporteurs do not take the 
other tracts, but let the volunteers give out the others. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Tracting While 
Colporteuring. 

Q129:3:: QUESTION (1906)-3 -Do you advise that 
we give out these tracts when we colporteur? 

ANSWER— I think I would only give them out where I 
miss taking an order. If I take the order, I would leave no 
tract. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Volunteering and 
Colporteuring. 

0129:4:: OUESTION (1906)-4-Do you think 
colporteurs should do volunteer work? 

ANSWER— I don't know any reason why they should 
not, but my thought is this: that the colporteur would do better 
to avoid volunteer work and use his time in a little different 
way. For instance, those colporteuring the week, and 
supposedly using up about all the energy they have to spare, 
when Sunday comes, had better look over their book of names 
and see who are marked as interested, and use their time in 
visiting them. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-When Colporteuring Is 
Volunteering. 

0129:5:: QUESTION (1906)-5-Haven'tthe 
colporteurs already done a volunteer work when they have 
distributed tracts over the city? 
ANSWER— Well, if they have missed nearly all their sales. 



COLPORTEURING WORK-How Manage With a 
Dependent Family. 

Q129:6:: QUESTION (1906)--6--In case of one with a 
family dependent upon him, if arrangements could be made, 
would it be all right to go into the colporteur work? 

ANSWER--I would not think it right for a wife, for 
instance, to leave 

{PageQlBO} 

her home and husband in any measure of neglect. She has a 
wifely duty towards her husband and her home. But if this 
husband were in the truth and agreeable to it, all right. If he 
were a worldly husband, he has a right to demand that his 
home should be cared for; that is part of the wife's contract, 
which I think she must not violate. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Consider Married 
Companion. 

Q130:1:: QUESTION (1906)--1--If the husband is a 
worldly man, but willing for his wife to go out, what then? 
ANSWER--A11 right, sister, if he is willing; but I would 
take heed never to run the matter to a limit. Always consider 
the companion, his interests, and what he might reasonably 
ask or expect. 

COLPORTEURING & VOLUNTEERING-Method of 
Introduction. 

Q130:2:: QUESTION (1906)--2-What is the proper 
way for volunteer workers to introduce a tract? 

ANSWER—I do not think the tracts usually need 
introduction, particularly unless the person happened to be on 
the porch, when I would just say something like this: "Will 
you have some free reading matter?" Put the word "Free" in 
quite prominently so they will not think it is something for 
sale, and make sure they hear it. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Dealing With Those Who 
Refuse Orders. 

Q130:3:: QUESTION (1906)--3--How should we deal 
with those who refuse to take the books after ordering them? 
How strongly should we insist on their taking them? 

ANSWER--I would say, never under any circumstances 
should we be rude or act in any unchristian manner; not for 
the price of a dozen sets should we think of doing anything 



that would bring discredit to the Great Master whom we 
represent. We are to remember that we are ambassadors for 
the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and as such we must 
not think of doing anything that would he mean, or even 
going down to the plane of those we are talking to, if they are 
mean. How then must we do? I answer thus: We might very 
properly say, "Well now, lady (or sir), you certainly ordered 
these with full knowledge, and I really think that you are 
hardly considering my circumstances properly when you 
refuse to take them. You know it took considerable of my 
time to call here and talk to you on the subject, and I am not 
paid anything for this; it is a love for the truth and a desire to 
serve you. And then consider that it takes time for me to 
bring you the book, and the labor is worth something of 
course. Now all I have in this matter is an allowance by the 
Society that I get such a proportion of whatever comes in 
from those books, which are sold at cost price. Three books 
for one dollar don't amount to anything, and I should not think 
you would back out of this matter unless there was some 
misconception in your mind. It seems to me that somebody 
must have been saying something to you to prejudice you, and 
you have perhaps forgotten what I said to you about the books 
when I took your order. Now, my friend, let me tell you that 
there are enemies of this book, but as a rule you will find the 
enemies are those who have never read them. The enemies of 
these books are people who have never studied them. I take it 
that you are an intelligent 

{PageQ131} 

man (or woman, as the case may be—and that can be said of 
nearly everybody that would order a book); you seem to have 
a great deal of intelligence, and I suppose you do some 
thinking for yourself. Now I will say this to you, that if you 
will take the books and keep them for a week or a month, I 
will tell you where I will be, and if you then tell me, after 
reading them, that they are not helpful to you, and not worth 
much more than a dollar, I will take them back and refund 
your money, and that will be all that will be said about it." So 
I would make a very dignified argument, and if after I had 
said everything that I could reasonably say, they concluded 
they would not take them, I would just say, "Well, all right; 
we will leave it that way; I will take them back." 



COLPORTEUR WORK-Asking Pay for Time When 
Order Is Refused. 

Q131:1:: QUESTION (1906)--1--I heard a brother say 
he asked some to pay him for his time. Would you consider 
that proper where they refused to take the books? 

ANSWER—I do not think I would ask the person to pay 
me for my time, unless it was a case like this: If it was a party 
who had bought the books and paid for them, and was asking 
me to give the money back again, saying he did not want to 
read them, then I think it would be proper to say to him: 
"Well, now, my friend, if you really insist on my taking them 
back, you certainly would be willing that I should have 
something for my time, and I think you will admit that a 
quarter for the time I spent with you in coming to canvass and 
a quarter for bringing them to you is little enough. But I do 
not want the books back; I want you to get the benefit of 
them; that is the reason I am in this work." By the time he has 
reasoned out all of that, he will be likely to allow you to 
persuade him to take the books. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Selling for More Than Listed 
Price. 

Q131:2:: QUESTION (1906)--2-I have sold quite a 
number of the five-cent volumes where I could not sell the 
others. In one case a gentleman says, "You are selling these 
for ten cents, and they are marked five cents on the front." Is 
it better to sell them for five cents and not get the revenue, or 
should that be changed so nobody will be inclined to be 
prejudiced? 

ANSWER~I would just say the five cents on there is all 
right. You can send and get as many of those you want at 
five cents a copy. They are published just at cost price. The 
five cents is what I am getting for my time in bringing them 
around. If you stop for a moment and think about it you will 
see that I could not afford to sell them at five cents. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Are Scripture Studies 
Millennial Dawn? 

Q131:3:: QUESTION (1906)--3--In delivering a set of 
books ordered by a lady, I handed her husband the books, 
and while his wife went in after the money, he says, "Are these 
books anything like Millennial Dawn?" I said, "This work 
treats on lines of chronology, etc." I turned him off the track 
and got the money and went away. After going away I felt a 
little bad, wondering If I had taken the right course. 



ANSWER—I think probably we would have to supply in 
our minds part 

{PageQ132} 

of what we supposed. We would suppose from the man's 
question that he has some prejudice against Millennial Dawn, 
and that his prejudice is unfounded. That is to say, it is 
founded upon some misrepresentation or misunderstanding of 
what Millennial Dawn is. So this is not what he thinks 
Millennial Dawn is, so far as we know; therefore, I think you 
were justified in putting it in the form you did. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Replying Re Millennial 
Dawn. 

Q132:1:: QUESTION (1906)--l--Would you always 
advise where people ask if those books are Millennial Dawn 
that we pursue the course mentioned by the brother here? 
Sometimes they have the Millennial Dawn books in the house, 
and if we sell them the Studies, and a half hour after we are 
gone they discover they have got exactly the same thing, and 
must realize that we knew it was the same thing, wouldn't it 
prejudice them? Is it always wise? 

ANSWER—I should say I do not think a case, such a 
you mention would occur once in a thousand times, that the 
person who knew what was in Millennial Dawn would be 
opposed. It is when they have a misconception of it when 
they are opposed. Therefore when you have such a question, 
you are merely having a question with a wrong face to it in 
their minds. Another brother did this way: He said, "In some 
respects this book is very much like Millennial Dawn, and 
by-the-way Millennial Dawn has a great many things in it." The 
party bought it, but he would not buy Millennial Dawn. I 
would not advise, however, that any person should violate his 
or her conscience in the matter. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Size of Order. 

0132:2:: OUESTION (1906)-2- Which do you advise 
now, sets of three or five or six? 

ANSWER—I think a great deal depends on the 
colporteur himself whether he could sell five or six or three 
better. As far as our experience goes, it would seem to 
indicate that the majority can sell three copies just about as 
easily as they can sell one copy. The selling of three for 98 
cents seems to strike people as being remarkably cheap, 
whether they are interested in the books or not. You could 



say, "There are two sets of these studies; the first set is 98 
cents the books of the other set are thicker, and if you want 
them either now or in the future you can get them also." So 
you see you can let them know there are two sets, but in 
speaking of them as different sets, you are thus keeping their 
minds free from thinking that they were not getting a 
complete set. Each book is really complete in itself. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Are We Ministers? 

Q132:3:: QUESTION (1906)--3--Suppose we are asked 
whether we are ministers or not? 

ANSWER--I would say, "Yes, I am a minister doing 
this work as being the very best way in which I can get the 
gospel into the hands of the people." 

"To what denomination do you belong?" 

"I am working under the auspices of the Watch Tower Bible 
& Tract Society, which is strictly undenominational." 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Wife Orders, Husband 
Opposed. 

Q132:4:: QUESTION (1906)--4- Where books are 
ordered, 

{PageQ133} 

and you come to deliver them, and the husband objects to 
having them in the house, and the wife is willing to pay you 
for your trouble, but finally takes them reluctantly, is it all 
right? 

ANSWER--I would always prefer that they take the 
books. I would say, "If you can explain to your husband that 
they are religious books, and you would like to have him 
examine them and if he finds anything wrong with them that 
is another matter; but I am sure when he reads them he will be 
pleased to have them in the house." 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Leaving Territory. 

0133:1:: OUESTION ( 1 906)-- 1 --Is it proper for a 
person in canvassing ever to go out of his territory, even if it 
is only across the river? 

ANSWER— Do not go outside of the territory to which 
you have been assigned; you are not privileged to do that. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-Time for Active Worl<. 

0133:2:: OUESTION (1909)-2-How long may 
colporteurs be permitted to do active work? 



ANSWER--To-morrow. Can't quite guarantee it, but I 
think you will have to-morrow. 

COLPORTEUR WORK--Re Studies in Scriptures 
Being Undenominational. 

Q133:3:: QUESTION (1911) -3 -How can we 
colporteurs prove to the people that the Studies in the 
Scriptures are undenominational? 

ANSWER— Well, there are some people you could not 
prove anything to. But one way of proving they are not 
denominational is to show that they were not gotten out by 
any denomination; no denomination is backing them; and they 
will have to take your word in the matter anyway until they 
have had a chance to read. If any denomination is disposed to 
endorse them, we have no objection. 

COLPORTEUR WORK-IViortgage Upon One's Time. 

Q133:4:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-4-A certain brother is 
in the colporteur work; he has a father and two brothers. His 
brothers can take care of his father, and they do. Is he 
required to provide for his father in such a case? 

ANSWER— Of course, we might not know all the 
particulars of the case, dear friends, and therefore an answer 
to a question of this kind might not be what it would be if we 
did know all the particulars; but, so far as the question goes- 
so far as we can understand the question— it looks as though 
this brother might consider himself at liberty to engage in the 
colporteur work since others will care for his father. 

COIVIIVIANDIVIENTS-Trying to Trap Jesus. 

Q133:5:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-5-Whichis the great 
commandment? 

ANSWER— One of the Doctors of the Law endeavored 
to entrap the Lord on a question of the relative importance of 
the Divine commandments, asking which Jesus considered the 
great one of all. The 

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Great Teacher promptly divided the ten commandments into 
two, according to the Law (Deut. 6:5), and answered, "Thou 
shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy 
soul, and with all thy mind." This is the first and great (chief) 
commandment. And the second is like unto it— "Thou shall 
love thy neighbor as thyself." On these two commandments 
hang all the Law and the Prophets. What could the Lawyer 



say to such a summarization of the Law? He had nothing left 
to say. He was answered as never before. 

COMMANDMENTS-Were They Nailed to the Cross? 

Q134:1:: QUESTION (1916) 1 Were the ten 
commandments a perpetual law or were they nailed to the 
cross? 

ANSWER— The ten commandments were not nailed to 
the cross at all. They were given to the Jew, and they are still 
upon the Jew to this day. The covenant which God made 
with Israel He has not repudiated. Their law covenant will 
finally be merged into the new covenant. Their blessings 
promised through the prophets will not come to them through 
their law covenant. The Lord said, "But not by thy covenant," 
(Ezekiel 16:61.) Israel's old covenant will cover them until 
they are brought under the new mediator of the new covenant, 
Christ Jesus the Head, and the Church his Body. In 
proportion to the Jews endeavor to keep the law of the ten 
commandments they have had, and will have, blessings from 
God. 

Christians are not under the law of the ten commandments, 
given only to Israel at Sinai; but we have always been, and all 
of God's creatures everywhere are, under the spirit of the ten 
commandments to the extent that they know them. This spirit 
of the law was expressed by the Lord Jesus when he said that 
the law is briefly comprehended in two commandments: 
"Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, 
soul and strength." Every Christian is under that 
commandment. The angels are under that commandment. All 
of God's creatures who live in harmony with Him must know 
and love God with all of their heart, mind, soul and strength. 
The second commandment, Jesus tells us, is that we shall love 
our neighbor as ourself. All Christians are under that 
commandment. Jesus and the apostles were under it and 
every angel is under it. The divine will for all God's creatures 
was the spirit of that law of Israel, which will never pass 
away. 

But to the Church has been given a third commandment. 
Jesus said: "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye 
love one another as I have loved you." This is applicable only 
to the Church. This command is not of universal application. 
It is given only to the Church and for this Gospel Age. We 
are not to love the world or the angels in this way, but merely 
one another. How much shall we love the brethren? To the 
extent of giving our life for them, as Jesus laid down his life 
for us. We must cultivate that love if we would have God's 



highest, grandest blessings. Some may get into the Great 
Company without this degree of love, but all of those who get 
into the Body of Christ must love one another as Jesus loved 
them. The apostle, speaking of how Christ died for us, says: 
"We also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." All of 
the "more than conquerors" will keep this our third 
commandment. Thus only can we fulfill our "covenant by 
sacrifice." 

What was it that Jesus nailed to the cross? It was the law 
covenant. It 

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was the covenant or agreement, that God made with 
the Jews, under which they had some hope of becoming a part 
of the elect Church. If they could keep God's perfect law it 
would demonstrate that they were perfect beings. In that case 
they could have been transferred to the "covenant by 
sacrifice" without being redeemed. Of course, they could not 
keep the works of the law covenant—that covenant which 
required all the good work a perfect man could render. God 
knew this, but the Israelites did not. God's covenant provided 
that if they could do those things they might have everlasting 
life, and not need to be redeemed. When Jesus came and kept 
all the law covenant's requirements, he became heir to the 
promises of that law covenant. Thus all hopes by others 
under that covenant were at an end. Any blessings under that 
law covenant could only come through Christ--in no other 
way. It was that covenant that was nailed to the cross. Some 
of the Jews, the apostles and others, finally came to realize 
that their only way of getting these blessings which the Sinai 
law offered would be by coming to Christ and becoming dead 
with him—suffering with him. 

We who were Gentiles become part of spiritual Israel, and 
participate in the blessings natural Israel had hoped to get; but 
this we receive through Christ under the terms of his covenant 
of sacrifice: "Gather My saints together unto Me, those who 
have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice." (Psa. 50:5.) 

COMMON SENSE-Use Discretion and Wisdom. 

Q135:1 :: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-We are told that 
from him who would borrow of us we should not turn away. 
(Matt. 5:42.) How shall we understand this? 

ANSWER— There is nothing in this Scripture that says 
that we should lend to everybody who wishes to ask for a 
loan, either of goods or money; but we should not turn away 



with a deaf ear from those in need. The Scriptures say, Do 
good and lend, hoping for no recompense. (Luke 6:35) We 
should also have that beneficent disposition which desires to 
do good to all men, especially those of the household of faith. 
But we should use discretion and wisdom. Often the very 
best thing to do to a person is to lend him something, even if 
sure that he would not return it; for thus the way to his 
coming any more would be barred to some extent at least. 

COMMON SENSE-Re Holding Job. 

Q135:2:: QUESTION (1914)-2-A brother, new in the 
truth and well beloved, was forced through a business policy 
to risk losing his position or subscribe for a religious journal 
entitled "The Christian Advocate." This journal has 
repeatedly published articles reviling the Servant of the 
Truth. This brother is placed in a very peculiar position, 
having had very heavy expenses on account of serious illness 
of several of the members of the family. How should this 
brother be advised and should he be re-elected as elder? 

ANSWER~If I were that brother I would subscribe for 
a half dozen copies if necessary. Would I give $6.00 for my 
job? Yes, or $12.00 if I thought it worth it. I would not think 
he did wrong by subscribing for a journal even if it did revile 
Brother Russell. I will forgive him. I think the brother has 
good common sense. We need common sense, among elders 
also. 

{PageQ136} 

CONDEMNATION-lts Traces and Removal in the 
Resurrection. 

Q136:1:: QUESTION (1906)--1-Will the human race 
be under condemnation in the resurrection? 

ANSWER—They will not be under condemnation in the 
sense of being under the curse, because our Lord has paid the 
penalty for them, and it is on that account that they are to be 
brought out from under the curse, from under the divine 
sentence. They will no longer be under the divine sentence of 
death, but they will still be under some of the effects of the 
curse. They will be under the effects of the condemnation, 
but not under the condemnation itself. The legal 
condemnation passes away when the great High Priest shall 
have finished the work of the day of atonement and sprinkled 
the blood in the Most Holy. The traces of the condemnation, 
as found in the blemishes of the race, will still continue and 
require the work of restitution during the millennial age to 



bring mankind up out of that condition of imperfection to the 
full perfection of all that was lost. 

CONDEMNATION-Re Justification of World. 

Q136:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Is the world of 
mankind now justified from the Adamic condemnation, or 
must they first be awakened and exercise faith before they can 
be justified? 

ANSWER— I answer that the world is not justified in 
any sense of the word; they are not to be justified by faith. 
He who gave His life as a ransom, when He ascended up on 
High, did not present that merit on behalf of the world, but to 
the household of faith, the members of His body, and they 
only. After this merit shall have passed through the Church, 
this same merit will seal the New Covenant with Israel, and 
then Israel will have the blessing and favor of God, and all 
who will come into covenant relation ship with God will 
have that blessing, and then every nation, kindred and tongue 
will be able to come to God. They will not be justified by 
faith; they will not be justified at any time until they are 
actually justified at the end of the Millennial Age. What does 
justification mean? It means to make right. It means the 
whole restitution work of the Millennial Age, at the end of 
which the whole world will be made right and in harmony 
with God, they will have gotten back all that was lost through 
Adam. 

This matter of being justified by faith applies only to the 
Gospel Age. Why do we have this different from the world? 
Because God is calling this elect class, and He is giving us 
this justification so that we will have something to offer. 
Only these will have a share in the sacrifice of Christ, only 
these will be glorified with Him. This justification is given to 
you and to me and to all the household of faith, because we 
are not of the world, we are of a different spirit, chosen out of 
the world, drawn of the Father to the Son. The Son accepts 
and then He applies justification by faith so that they can 
offer the same on the altar, and thus share in the high calling. 
To the rest of the world there is no justification except at the 
end of the Millennial Age. 

CONDEMNATION-Released from Through Belief. 

Q136:3:: QUESTION (1911)-3-(John 5:24), "Verily, 
verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth 
on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and will not come 
into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." 



{PageQ137} 

ANSWER—That means this: That those who come now 
into heart relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will not be 
in that future condemnation with the world. The whole world 
during the thousand years of Messiah's reign will be in 
condemnation, and have the opportunity of coming out of the 
condemnation, rising up out of it and getting back into 
harmony with God, but those who now accept Christ come 
into relationship with him, and may be thought of and 
considered as having made a union now in advance with the 
great life- giver; and if they make that arrangement with him 
now, and by faith walk in his footsteps as his disciples, they 
will not need to come into the world's condemnation, the 
world's judgment, trial, because they pass from death unto life 
immediately. That is to say, they are counted already as 
having passed from death unto life; they are counted already 
as becoming new creatures and are merely waiting for the 
time to come when by the change in a moment, in the 
twinkling of an eye, in the first resurrection, their course will 
be completed and they will be like their Lord, and share his 
glory. 

CONDEMNATION-Were Jews Doubly Condemned? 

Q137:1:: QUESTION ( 19 14)- 1 -Since all were 
condemned in Adam, is it proper to say that the Jews were 
doubly condemned, or should we say that their failure to keep 
the law was an additional proof of their condemnation? 
ANSWER-It is proper to state it the way God's Word 
puts it, for we do not know very much about it ourselves. The 
Apostle speaks of the Law being a special condemnation to 
the Jew, and he tells us Gentiles that if we were to get under 
the same condemnation as the Jew we would be getting into a 
double condemnation, which means that there was something 
extra in their case. He says, "Ye that desire to be under the 
law, do ye not hear the Law?" He points out how every one 
that did not keep the law was condemned by not doing so, and 
that the whole Jewish nation was condemned because of not 
keeping that law. Then he proceeds to show that a Jew could 
only get free from the law by dying to the law, while we, who 
are Gentiles by nature, could get into Christ because we were 
already condemned in Adam. We do not have to die to the 
law, but every Jew had to die to the law before he could get 
into Christ at all. So that in one sense of the word you see 
that the Jews were around the corner, as it were, and having a 



more difficult way to get into Christ. How did that come? 
This way: The whole race was condemned in Adam. We are 
all of one race. We were all alike sinners, the same sentence 
upon all, from Father Adam. But God made this special 
proposition to them: Now, I propose to you a special thing, 
that I will count you out of the general run of mankind and I 
will count you a special people and will make a special 
covenant with you and I will give you a special mediator, 
Moses. Now if you wish to come under these terms as a 
people, then you will have the opportunity by obedience to 
this law, I will give you everlasting life, and by disobedience 
you agree that I shall sentence you to death. And they said, 
"It is agreed," and as you see, they were already under one 
sentence of death through Adam, and now God typically lifts 
them out of that condemnation in which the whole world was, 
and, typically, through the blood of bulls and goats and the 
ashes of 

{PageQ138} 

the heifer. He typically placed them on a new platform and 
gave them a special condition and a special covenant and 
entered into a covenant with them, and they bartered all their 
future rights in that covenant. Therefore, when they failed to 
keep the law they as it were had their second trial. They 
accepted it as a preference to the future trial. They got their 
condemnation. Therefore, the Bible proceeds to show that 
Jesus not only died for the world, but that He also especially 
died for the Jews, and the Bible points out especially that 
there were certain features of God's law that were upon the 
Jews that made it necessary that Christ should die especially 
for them, as it is written in the law, "Cursed is every one that 
dieth on a tree." "Therefore," says the Apostle, "He was 
made a curse for us (for us Jews)." He did not need to die 
on the tree for the Gentiles. There was nothing in God's 
law for Adam that he should die on the tree. There was 
nothing in God's law, therefore, that required that Jesus must 
die on the tree, that He must be crucified, that is, in the 
original law given to Adam; no reason why Jesus must have 
died such a sacrificial death as that of crucifixion; but it was 
necessary for the Jew, because that was the curse, the highest 
culmination of the Jewish law, the special weight and force of 
the curse, the very extreme of the curse, as the law said, 
"Cursed is he that dieth and hangeth on a tree." Therefore, 
says St. Paul, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the 
law, being made a curse for us." 



CONQUERORS-More Than Conquerors. 

Q138:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Please explain the 
text, "We are more than conquerors through Him that loved 
us." 

ANSWER— A conqueror is one who finally triumphs. 
The Great Company class will all be conquerors, and in the 
Millennial Age all of mankind will also be conquerors, except 
those who will die the second death. No one will get from the 
Lord the blessing of eternal life unless he becomes a 
conqueror, an overcomer. To be more than a conqueror is to 
do something more, something greater, than to enter eternal 
life by the skin of the teeth. A more than conqueror does 
something special. For instance, the Lord Jesus not merely 
kept the law, but additionally he laid down his life, 
sacrificially. So he was more than a mere conqueror. So also 
it will be with all of those who will be footstep followers of 
the Lord Jesus. If faithful unto death in the sense of 
sacrificing the rights of the present time, yielding up our 
human preferences and all such things, we, like our Master, 
are more than conquerors. This course of self-denial and 
self-sacrifice in harmony with the Master's example is much more 
than merely refraining from sinful things. All such will share 
his glory with him, as members of his Body. 

"But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." 
(Rom. 5:20.) Is God's grace the merit of our Lord Jesus 
imputed proportionately, or is it God's patience, forgiveness, 
instructions, testings and chastisements? Does it require the 
whole, or only a proportionate part of the merit to justify 
tentatively any individual coming to God through our Lord 
Jesus? 

We often complicate subjects in our minds by a great 
amount of reasoning. The more simple we can keep our 
mental processes the better. Sin abounds everywhere, in one 
sense of the word, in the entire human family. But the 

{PageQ139} 

apostle's thought seems to be that while sin has abounded in 
every member of the race, it abounds more in some members 
of the human family than in others. In imputing justifying 
merit to the Church, if God were to give the same amount of 
grace to each individual, some would have more than was 
needed, while others would not have a sufficiency. Hence we 
have the statement, "Where sin abounded, there grace did so 
much more abound," implying that God supplies His grace in 



Christ to each needy penitent in proportion to his needs. 

If there was more sin, then there was also more grace; if 
there was more depravity, there was likewise more grace to 
cover. In other words, God's grace through Christ is not 
evenly distributed in the sense of giving so much to each 
individual, but is imputed to each according to necessity. 

Now the second question: "Does it require the whole or 
only a proportionate part of Christ's merit to justify tentatively 
any individual coming to God through our Lord Jesus?" The 
merit of Christ does not justify tentatively at all. What we 
term tentative justification is that measure of divine favor 
which goes to man by God's arrangement before he comes 
into touch with the grace of the Lord Jesus at all. When he 
begins to see that he is a sinner, and to turn from sin to seek 
God and to seek righteousness, he is taking what we might 
term a tentatively justified course. He is approaching that 
condition which God has arranged may be his to enjoy. But 
he has not reached it yet. He has no blessings except those 
coming to him because he has taken the right course in 
turning toward that which God approves. He is more pleasing 
to God in the sense that he is heading toward righteousness. 
When he believes in God, and seeks to please Him, he has a 
measure of peace as a result. But he has not come into the 
family of God, and his sins are not forgiven. The blessing he 
enjoys has come to him from taking the course of faith and 
obedience to the Law of righteousness--much or little. 

This is pictured in the Tabernacle. The individual coming 
into the Court is not justified, but is approaching the justified 
condition. He sees the altar, and has a blessing through the 
realization that Christ died for our sins. He is not justified 
yet, but merely sees the divine provision. He says, "I believe 
it," and has a corresponding blessing. The next step is one of 
cleansing by washing at the laver. That signifies the putting 
away of the filth of the flesh, or striving to do so. It does not 
mean that he is now justified. If a person has been living an 
immoral life, and tries to put away those sins and live 
properly, he is getting nearer to God, and he will be bringing 
himself more peace of mind. If he has the right disposition he 
will continue on, otherwise he will turn back. But if he goes 
on he will come to the door of the Tabernacle. He can go no 
further by any power of his own. He is represented here by 
the Lord's goat, tethered, or tied, at the door of the 
Tabernacle. He has been approaching as a believer; he has 
cleansed himself from outward sins; and as he now sees the 
privilege of sacrifice, he ties himself at the door. This 
means that he devoted, or consecrates, himself to the 



Lord. He gives up his own will. But still he is not justified. 
He is merely seeking justification. He has been taking the 
right course, however, which we call "tentative justification," 
because he is on the way, 

{PageQHO} 

and getting more of the experiences necessary to bring him to 
actual justification. He cannot justify himself. He can only 
tie himself at the door. What will justify him? Here the 
priest accepts him, but even this does not justify him. "It is 
God that justifieth." The high priest comes and imputes his 
merit, and then divine acceptance is indicated by the begetting 
of the Holy Spirit. The priest accepts the sacrifice with the 
purpose of carrying out the sacrifice the goat agreed to in 
tying himself at the door; namely, the surrender of the present 
life, in exchange for the higher one—the spiritual. 

When in the type the high priest killed the goat, that 
represented the acceptance of the sacrifice. It represented that 
the high priest imputed his merit to the goat, and that it is, 
therefore, justified, sanctified and fully accepted by God. 

Now the last part of the question: "Does it require the whole 
or only a proportionate part of Christ's merit to justify? It 
requires the whole of the merit of Christ to justify one single 
human being. Jesus could not divide up his life amongst 
twenty thousand millions of people, and give a little scrap of 
his sacrificial merit to each individual. The thought is that 
Jesus has a sufficiency of sacrificial merit to justify the one 
man who sinned, Adam, and since the whole race have 
become sinners through the one man, the giving up of life by 
the Lord Jesus has provided a sufficiency of merit to justify 
the one original sinner, and all born in sin and condemnation 
through the disobedience of Adam. It is all one transaction. 
That transaction has not yet been completed; but it will be 
completed in the end of this age. As soon as that has been 
done the whole world will be turned over to Jesus, and he will 
become lord of lords. Up to the present time he has merely 
laid down his life; he has merely put it into the hands of his 
Father. Nothing more is needed. It is sufficient for the one 
sinner and for all his race dying for his sin. The merit already 
in the hands of Justice has not yet been appropriated in a legal 
way. It will be thus legally applied in the sealing of the new 
covenant with its full provision whereby all men may be 
rescued from Adamic sin and death. 

What do we mean by the imputation of Christ's merit? The 
Church does not need restitution, because in coming to the 



Lord we agreed to give up our earthly rights that we may have 
a share with Jesus in the spiritual blessings that God has made 
possible to us through His Son. If we have his spirit, if we 
devote ourselves to doing the Father's will even at the cost of 
our lives, as he devoted himself, then the Father will be 
pleased to give to us the divine nature, even as He gave it to 
Jesus. (2 Peter 1:4.) 

Because we by nature are sinners who desire to walk in our 
Redeemer's footprints, and to sacrifice our earthly interests in 
doing the Father's will, we are unacceptable. Only that which 
is perfect can come to God's altar. The Father could not 
justly deal with us as He dealt with Jesus, because we are 
sinners under the sentence of death. What arrangement has 
God made for us? We each have more or less of physical 
strength, more or less of physical life, more or less of talent or 
ability, more or less of money, and perhaps some other things. 
These are our all—all we have to devote, or offer, to the Lord. 
We have no right to everlasting life-- 

{PageQHl} 

merely a little unexpired scrap of life received from Father 
Adam. We offer to God our little scrap of life and talent, 
because informed that God has provided for our acceptance 
through Jesus' sacrifice. Jesus Christ the Righteous offers 
himself as our advocate. He was the one who had right to 
life, but sacrificially laid it down for mankind. He is by that 
sacrifice to be empowered to give life everlasting to the world 
by and by. But if we renounce our interest in the world's 
restitution provision, what will He do for us? He will enable 
us to present our bodies living sacrifices, holy and acceptable 
to the Father. (Rom. 12:1.) 

Whether or not we understand we may accept the fact. It is 
our privilege to understand the philosophy of this matter now 
better that some of our forefathers could, because it is God's 
due time for "the wise to understand." 

The Bible tells us that since we desire that our bodies be 
devoted to death, we merely give our consent that what we 
have shall be sacrificed. Jesus, the one who would have 
given us life in the future age, with all the world, says, "If you 
are willing to give what you have, I will appropriate on 
your behalf that which I would have given you in restitution 
times, so making your sacrifice acceptable to the Father." 
Jesus imputes to us now what he otherwise would have 
given us by and by. 

He does not impute the same amount of righteousness to 



each, because some require more, while others require less. 
Whatever we lack of perfection will be what he will impute to 
us now, instead of giving it to us by and by in restitution 
times. It is not an imputation of the kind implied in the 
question, a little today, a little tomorrow, and so on. The 
imputing was all done at once before we could be accepted by 
the Father. 

Some one inquires: "Should we not need less and less of 
the Savior's merit to be imputed as we grow in grace daily?" 
No! Such a question shows a wrong conception of the 
subject. There is no imputing after the first imputation, which 
makes us acceptable sacrifices. The new creature does not 
need any imputation of merit; for the new creature is sinless. 
It was the old creature that needed imputation, in order that 
God could accept the sacrifice and beget us as new creatures. 
The moment we became new creatures the old things passed 
away and all things became new. The old creature was 
counted dead from that moment, and is not to be recognized 
by us; nor does the Father recognize it. We are non-existent 
as old creatures. The new creature needs no justification 
because it does not sin. 

Is the new creature perfect at the time of its spirit-begetting? 
No ! It will not be perfected until after its resurrection 
"change." But although imperfect it is holy. To sin is to do 
something wrong intentionally, wilfully. Ignorance is not sin. 
Weakness of our consecrated flesh is not sin on the part of the 
new creature. "He that is begotten of God sinneth not." The 
new creature is young and undeveloped, but, begotten of the 
Holy Spirit, he will want to grow in grace and knowledge, and 
in all of the fruits of the Holy Spirit; he will want to follow 
the teachings and example of his great Lord and Head, and to 
become more like the Heavenly Father. God has arranged 
that all things shall work together for good to all whom He 
begets as new 

{PageQ142} 

creatures. God will bless their every trial and experience. 
Even the slips they may make, in blindness or weakness, or 
what not, of their sacrificed flesh He is willing to bless so that 
they may learn lessons therefrom and become stronger 
thereby. 

If the new creature is entrapped, or ensnared, through 
weakness of the flesh, he should go at once to the throne of 
heavenly grace and get right with God. He will thus show 
that he loves righteousness, and that he does not love sin. He 



will seek to profit by the experience, and will endeavor to 
keep as far as possible from further similar failures. Nothing 
less than this would be in harmony with the covenant we have 
made. 

Will the Lord forgive the repented of trespass or sin, and 
upon what basis? We answer, that so far as the sin would be 
merely weakness of the flesh, or some matter in which the 
new creature was helpless, God would consider this as being 
due to the flesh and would not hold it against the penitent new 
creature. He would expect you to learn the lesson from it, but 
it would not be charged to you as a new creature. It would be 
needful for you to go to the Father and the Lord Jesus and ask 
forgiveness for the weakness of your flesh. You should seek 
grace to avoid a repetition of the offense. The forgiveness 
would be granted upon the basis of the original imputation. 
That covers your sins as long as you have flesh. Nevertheless 
your flesh may be given "stripes" for its correction in 
righteousness. 

What if there be a measure of wilfulness in our sins? In 
proportion as there would be a mixture of wilfulness it would 
he sinful. No matter how small the degree of our consent to 
sin, we would be to that extent in harmony with the enemy. 
We have enlisted on the side of the Lord, and if we show any 
sympathy toward unrighteousness or sin it implies a wrong 
condition. The Lord would be offended at that new creature. 
Has he sinned? No, not in the scriptural sense of committing 
full, wilful sin~he has trespassed. If we sin wilfully it would 
mean the death of the new mind—the new creature would no 
longer exist. The old creature, come to life, would be subject 
to the second death. If the new creature shows the Lord that 
he is not in sympathy with the sin, there is forgiveness 
provided. The Lord accepts his intentions, and will not take 
from him His Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, he would receive 
chastisements in his flesh. 

Would the merit of Jesus be involved in the forgiving of the 
new creature's trespass? No! Jesus has nothing to do with 
atoning for sin' on the part of new creatures. His 
atonement sacrifice was for the sin of Adam and his race, and 
not for new creatures. If the new creature fails to be faithful 
to the Lord he must receive chastisements in the flesh, in 
order that he may be helped to make straight paths for his 
feet. There is no atonement for new creatures. 



CONSECRATION-Making Provision for Self. 

Q142:1:: QUESTION (1909)--1--We that have 
consecrated our ALL to the Lord, and have none to provide 
for but ourselves, would it be improper to make provision for 
ourselves for the last two or three years of this dispensation, 
or should we sacrifice every dollar, as fast as we come into 
possession of it, in the interests of the Lord, the brethren, and 
the truth? 

{PageQ143} 

ANSWER— Well, now, I think circumstances might 
differ. It would seem to me that to sacrifice every dollar 
would not be wise and would not be the Lord's will. The 
Apostle speaks of some as laying by that they might have to 
give to them that are in necessity. Now I think that would 
apply to yourself, to have something laid by so that you 
would not have to go out and beg, and that you might have 
something to give to your neighbor if his child died, etc., that 
you might be in place to render aid to others. I do not know 
that I have caught the thought of the one who asked the 
question, but I might mention another matter that I have been 
inquired of respecting. Some have said. Brother Russell, I 
have some money and I would like to give it in the Lord's 
work, but I might need it. Have you any way or arrangement 
at the Bible House or Tabernacle that means could be so 
used? 

Answering, I have said. Yes, we have made an arrangement 
with several of the friends like this: If they have some money 
that they are not sure but they may need it and they wish to 
put it in the work, we will give them a receipt which states 
that if at a later date they should need any or all of it, we 
would refund it to them. You will not understand that I am 
asking for money, but merely answering a question. 

CONSECRATION-Re Debts of Money. 

Q143:1:: QUESTION (1909)-1- (Matt. 5:23,24), 
"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there 
remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave 
there thy gift before the altar and go thy way, first be 
reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." 
Does this mean that debts of money must all be paid before 
consecration? 

ANSWER-No, I would not understand that to be the 
meaning of it. If you are owing a neighbor something, if you 
borrowed it, or had credit from him, something that was a 



bargain, and you did not deceive him, he was taking his 
chances when he gave that credit or made the loan. I am not 
encouraging any of you to get credit, but I am reminding you 
of the Scripture, "Owe no man." I would rather live on 
potatoes and salt than go into debt. If you have some money 
at home or in the bank and merely needed something for 
temporary needs, that would not be borrowing, but merely an 
accommodation, and you would return the money as soon as 
you could get to your bank-book. But to go into debt, I would 
advise that all the Lord's people avoid it. 

But if you were in debt contrary to your will, it would not 
mean that you could not come to the Heavenly Father because 
you owed someone some money. In coming to God's throne 
you might have to make apologies for being in debt, and 
might have to promise that you would try to learn a good 
lesson from the experience, but I do not understand that the 
Lord would be hindering us from coming to His throne for 
grace, and if by His providences we were blessed with health 
and opportunities we would work and pay off the debts. 

But I have some friends that seem to be lacking in their 
makeup and go into debt with the brethren or their neighbors, 
and seemingly forget all the responsibility of the debt and 
thus bring disgrace and dishonor to the Lord's cause and to 
the name Christian. I feel, dear friends, that that 

{PageQ144} 

kind of conduct cannot be too severely reprimanded. I have 
spoken to a number of them, some of whom get a pretty fair 
salary, but they make no efforts to pay their debts, and I fear 
the Lord will chastise them or they will lose out. I fear that it 
is a dangerous condition to be in. I know a man who owed a 
considerable amount of money, and the Lord allowed him to 
earn a hundred dollars a month, but he did not see his way 
clear to save money out to pay his debts. I thought something 
was wrong with him, but I was not his judge, but I must apply 
the case to myself and suggest it to you. "How hardly shall 
they get into the kingdom." God loves justice, righteousness 
and proper dealings with our neighbors, and if you do not like 
to deal justly with your neighbor, I fear that you have not 
come up to the mark of perfect love or justice. Let us learn 
the necessary lesson, and if you are unfortunate enough to get 
into debt, let us do all in our power to pay it off. I think that 
brother, when he got one hundred dollars a month, ought, if 
possible, to have laid aside fifty, forty or twenty dollars a 
month to pay off those debts. It would have been to his 



advantage, and I believe it would have pleased the Lord, and 
if he had been reverent to the Lord, the reverence of the Lord 
would have led him to do it. 

CONSECRATION-Re Property and Children. 

Q144:1:: QUESTION ( 1 909)-- 1 --Has a consecrated 
person the privilege to deed any part of consecrated property 
to children or heirs? 

ANSWER— I would think it would be the duty for every 
parent to provide for his own. As, for instance, suppose you 
had half a dozen children and some of them were small, you 
would have a duty toward them as a parent. You elected to 
bring them into the world and you would have some 
responsibility toward them, especially that portion of their 
lives in which they are not able to provide for themselves, and 
if I were father of any children I would feel that it would be 
right to give them some share in the property that I had 
accumulated, of which I was a caretaker. Even if I felt sure 
that it would have no value after ten years I would feel that it 
was right to put aside a certain portion. I would not treat 
them from the same standpoint with which I would govern 
myself, but would treat them from their own standpoint. 

I do not understand, however, that this is all that is in the 
question. If a father has much money is he to consider that it 
belongs to his children and divide it among them? That is a 
different question. Providing for those who are not able to 
provide for themselves is one thing, and giving away money 
that we have is another thing. We are to give an account to 
God and not to our children. These are two different 
propositions. God has made you responsible for your 
children while they need care, and He requires that you make 
some provision for them. 

CONSECRATION-Proper Use of Time. 

Q144:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-If the consecrated 
attend the Fair for the purpose of satisfying their love for the 
beautiful, is it wasting consecrated time and money? If not, 
give scriptural references from or patterns, Christ and the 
Apostles. 
ANSWER-I am not aware that Christ and the Apostles 

{PageQ145} 

ever went to the Fair. There is no record in the New 
Testament that they ever attended one in Seattle, so the 
brother has given me a question I cannot answer. I can only 



give an opinion on the subject, based on the conduct of our 
Lord and the Apostles, and the instructions they laid down for 
us 

With our Lord and the Apostles, I think we may safely 
conclude that duty and the service of the Lord and the Truth 
took precedence above everything else. If, therefore, you 
could not attend the Fair without violating some duty or 
obligation, or opportunity to serve the truth, I think you would 
be dissatisfied if you went there. On the other hand, we find 
that our Lord did have a love for the beautiful, and while He 
did not go to the Fair to see the lilies grow. He did see them 
grow and took a lesson from them, saying: "Behold the lilies," 
etc. 

So along spiritual lines, I think the Lord wants us to be 
hungry and thirsty for His Word. Applying these principles 
to ourselves, I would suppose that any of us might go to the 
Fair either to advantage, or to disadvantage. You can see 
some good or bad and draw either good or bad lessons from 
nearly everything that you see or do. If you see that there is 
something there of value that you can make use of, then I 
think you would be wisely making use of your time or money, 
just the same as you would spend money and time to get 
information from schooling. To those who are rightly 
disposed there are some valuable lessons to be obtained from 
Fairs, not that I have seen this Fair, but I have seen other 
Fairs, and have gotten lessons which led me to see how our 
Lord is getting ready for the great Millennial epoch, looking 
at the wonderful advances in the last few years, and seeing 
that all of these are coming forth for us. If our hearts are in 
the proper tune, we could get a blessing. 

Or, you could spend your time and money in looking at a 
monkey, or some human being trying to look and act like a 
monkey— then you would receive an injury instead of a 
blessing and be seriously disadvantaged. 

He has not made me responsible for you, nor you for me, 
but each should seek to glorify the Father the best he can. 

CONSECRATION—Does Jehovah Accept All? 

Q145:1:: QUESTION (1909)-1-Can wemake afull 
consecration to the Lord and the Lord not accept the 
consecration? 

ANSWER~I answer. Yes. To our understanding God 
had a general call open until a certain period of time, all 
through the Gospel Age, and as long as that call was open, 
anybody might make the consecration and God would accept 
him; but when that call ceased, then matters would be 



different from that time, then consecration would not 
necessarily mean that the Lord would accept him. He might 
and He might not accept his consecration. How would that 
be? Our thought is that in 1881 the full number of the Lord's 
choice had been reached, and therefore the call ceased. Just 
the same as if we had a feast here and places at the table for a 
certain number of people. Boy, go out and ring the bell and 
say: Anybody come in until the seats are filled. When the 
seats were filled then no more would come in. Suppose that 
some who are here feel like taking off the wedding garment, 
as in one of the parables, or should say, I do not think I will 

{PageQ146} 

partake of the feast, but will take some exercise, and should 
go out. The boy at the door might be informed that whenever 
one goes out he could let in one who is in waiting. That is the 
thought we have in respect to the present time, since 1881. 

Remember, that the elect class is a Little Flock, and 
remember also that there is a Great Company also with them. 
The Little Flock go on and gladly and willingly fulfill the 
terms of their consecration, while the Great Company class, 
hold back. They do not develop the spirit of Christ to the 
extent of being willing sacrifices in the service of God and the 
truth. 

By the way, I remind you of the fact that in 1881, just 
following the time when Moody, Sankey, Whittle and Bliss 
had been doing a wonderful work in America and England, 
stirring up the consecrated people of the world they were 
talking good, sound sense about consecration, the Lord's 
Second Coming, etc. I wondered then, but could not 
understand the reason. 

By way of interjection I heard incidentally that while Mr. 
Moody was near his dying hour, he expressed the thought that 
he had a great deal of faith in the things written in that book 
called "Millennial Dawn." I was pleased to hear it and glad 
that it made his dying hour happy. 

I also heard of another man. Bishop McCabe, formerly 
known as Chaplain McCabe, and said to have been a very 
noble Christian man. I heard through apparently good 
sources that he made a similar statement to that of Mr. 
Moody. I know the books were called to his attention by a 
friend. But in both cases it evidently was not published in the 
papers, and those who did not publish it evidently thought 
they were doing God a service by keeping it out. 

Now, as I said, in 1881 Messrs. Moody, Sankey, Whittle 



and Bliss had been stirring up the whole civilized world on 
the subject of consecration, and apparently a large number 
made consecration to the Lord. 

Just suppose at that time, for sake of illustration, that there 
were forty thousand consecrated people. You say. That is a 
very small number. Well, dear friends, the more I think of the 
matter the more I wonder where the Lord is going to find the 
number. I used to think of how small the number is, 144,000, 
but of late I have been wondering how it will be possible to 
find the required number. Suppose there were forty thousand 
living at the time the call ceased in 1881. These would have 
been given a certain length of time to prove whether they 
would have the Lord's way or not, whether faithful to their 
covenant of sacrifice. The majority of that forty thousand 
would not make willing sacrifices, only a Little Flock. And 
as with that forty thousand, so with all in the past. What 
proportion of the forty thousand would prove faithful? Well, 
for sake of illustration, let us make it liberal and say, ten 
thousand. Let them represent the Little Flock and the thirty 
thousand the Great Company. What would that mean? It 
would mean that as they came to the point of testing and trial, 
it would leave that number of places to be filled. All who are 
not of the elect class, copies of God's dear Son, their places 
would be made vacant. The Lord would not make another 
call, but merely let others come in to take their places. 

{PageQ147} 

Question, If it was down to a place where there was only 
one place to be filled, which one would get it? I suppose it 
would be the one in whose heart God saw the most of the 
Character likeness of Christ. My thought is that it is not a 
matter between two, but that there are from twenty to thirty 
thousand places to be filled, and the Lord seems to be opening 
the doors and hearts to many more than in the past, for now 
the knowledge of the truth is being spread abroad more than 
in the past and those who are coming in give evidence of 
being as loyal to the Lord as those who came in some time 
ago. So, if some of us came in some time ago and have the 
evidence of our acceptance by Him, thank God, take heed 
that no man take thy crown, watch, for you might lose it. 
The fact that you were in proves nothing, for you might be 
cast out, which will be done, if you do not develop and 
continue to be consecrated to the Lord. Let us do with our 
might what our hands find to do, and apply the truth to our 
own hearts and lives. 



CONSECRATION-When in Order? 

Q147:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1--Is consecration at all 
times in order? 

ANSWER— It is always proper for a man to consecrate. 
All during the Jewish and Gospel ages it has been in order for 
people to consecrate. Take Abraham as an illustration. No 
prize of the High Calling was offered to those who 
consecrated in the Jewish age, but God will give them their 
suitable reward. 

If the Little Flock was complete, I would say, give your all 
to the Lord and do the best you can to be a saint of the Lord 
and to have His good mercy fulfilled in you, regardless of the 
reward or prize. You have a reasonable service to do, even 
the laying down of your lives. Be assured that He who called 
you will give you a suitable reward. What would you think of 
a great King, would he give you a mean reward? No, but 
according to His riches and the standing of His Kingdom. 

CONSECRATION-Mortgaging Property After. 

Q147:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2- As consecrated 
children of God is it proper for us, with the light we have, to 
take advantage of those who are in the darkness; for 
instance, mortgaging property and having the mortgage come 
due when the property will have no value, or borrowing 
money and paying interest until is worthless? 

ANSWER— My answer is that each one must follow his 
own conscience and the degree of light he has on a subject of 
this kind. It is a question very much like the one the Apostle 
had, regarding the eating of meat which had been offered to 
idols. If he thought that the offering of the meat to idols had 
done it harm, etc., he would not eat it. So the person who 
would think it wrong, to him it would be wrong. To my 
understanding he would be doing no wrong, merely acting 
upon his faith, and the other people acting upon their faith. 
The man would do just the same if you told him all that you 
know, and would laugh up his sleeve, and probably beat down 
the price. You do not know it, you merely believe it is so. 
Measure your own conduct by your own faith, and as to that 
faith, have it to yourself. 



{PageQ148} 

CONSECRATION-Afterwards Fellowshiping With 
Outsiders. 

Q148:1:: QUESTION (1909)--!-- What should be our 
attitude toward those who seem to be in harmony with all the 
doctrinal points of the Truth, yet continue to fellowship with 
those who no longer meet with the class on account of the 
Vow, Covenants, etc., and acknowledge that they are in 
sympathy with those who oppose the Truth? 

ANSWER--I would think our attitude toward them 
should be that as outlined by the Apostle Paul in Romans 16:17: 
"Now I beseech you, 

brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses 
contrary to 

the doctrine which we have learned; and avoid them. " 
Meaning that we should not treat them with the same hearty 
fellowship that we would if they were showing a different 
spirit. It would not be right to show them any angry spirit, or 
do them any wrong, or speak any evil about anybody, but that 
a proper attitude, in their interest, as well as for our own 
interest, and the interest of others could be shown by not 
sympathizing with their attitude. Avoid them and prefer the 
company of those who are in the spirit and fellowship of the 
truth. 

Since the word "Vow" is mentioned in this question, I 
would say that in my opinion it would not be right and proper 
to make a discrimination against anybody in fellowship 
because he or she had not taken the vow--the vow is not a 
law; it is a privilege. If we take a vow and get a blessing from 
it, thank God. If they fail to do so and lose the blessing, then 
they are the ones that suffer from it. I would think there 
might be a little difference if it were an elder or a teacher in 
the church. An elder or one who is looked up to as a leader in 
any class might reasonably be expected to take the vow, or 
tell why he did not take it; otherwise the class would have 
reason to think that such a leader had something in his life or 
conduct which conflicted with the vow. My thought would 
be that any elder or brother who had anything in his mind or 
conduct in conflict with the vow would not be a suitable 
representative of the class. For my part I cannot see what any 
reasonably minded brother could have against the vow. We 
admit that it is not a binding obligation, but we expect a great 
deal of those who are elders and we are justified in finding in 
them a great deal of exemplary conduct. One who stands as 



the leader or representative of a class ought to be, as the 
Apostle said, above the average, and I cannot see what one 
who is above the average could find to object to in the vow. 
If anyone can find anything, I would like to have him show it 
to me. 

CONSECRATION--Re Closing of Door. 

Q148:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-Is the time open yet 
for anyone to consecrate for the high calling? 

ANSWER— My answer, dear friends, is, that the calling 
of God belongs to this age, and it is our understanding, as 
already published, that the calling time has ceased. Nobody 
is being called, because a sufficient number have already 
responded, is the thought that we have. That is, that a 
sufficient number had responded in 1881. You remember the 
evidence we set forth in the second and third volumes of 
Scripture Studies. Our thought is, the Lord represents that as 
one would go out, or would fail to be accounted worthy 

{PageQ149} 

of a place as one of the priests, and take his position as one of 
the Levites, of the Great Company, that someone else would 
be allowed to take his place—as the Scripture suggests, "Take 
heed, let no man take thy crown." These consecrated ones 
who had crowns assigned to them, if they are not faithful, so 
they will receive the crown, will lose it, and somebody else 
who had no special calling, somebody who is hungering and 
thirsting, consecrated, and waiting, will be ready to receive it. 
So, then, our answer to the question in brief would be. If you 
want to consecrate to the Lord, do not stop to inquire-if you 
have a right spirit about the matter you will not stop to inquire 
how much you are going to get; if you have the right spirit in 
the matter, you will want to give your heart to the Lord and 
give him all you have, and wish you had ten times as much as 
you have to give, irrespective of what you are to get. If you 
are only to get earthly life, you will want to consecrate 
yourself. Any other spirit would be a wrong spirit. So make 
your consecration and leave it to the Lord what reward he is 
going to give you. Like a great man would do on the earth, 
much more so the great God will do on the spiritual plane. If 
you were dealing with a king and you did him a small service, 
you would not expect he would give you a penny; if he would 
give you anything he would be likely to give you a dollar, if 
he were a rich king. So with our heavenly Father, whenever 
he gives any rewards, you may be sure they are exceedingly 



abundant more than you could ever ask or think, according to 
the riches of his grace. 

CONSECRATION-Not Understood at Baptism. 

Q149:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--What is your thought 
respecting those who do not understand the full importance of 
consecration at the time of their immersion? 

ANSWER--My thought is, dear friends, that if they 
were immersed without understanding consecration, then their 
immersion was a mere bath—that it did not either hurt or help 
them a bit. Whoever does not understand consecration does 
not understand baptism. The consecration vow we have is 
first, and that is the real baptism. The symbol in water, to be 
a symbol at all, must follow—could not go before it. 

CONSECRATION-Sell AIL 

Q149:2:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-2-Please explain the 
following text: "Go and sell all that thou hast, and come and 
take up thy cross and follow me, and thou shall have treasure 
in heaven." Should we go and do as the Master advised? 

ANSWER— If that young man had assented to our 
Lord's proposition, and had made further inquiry as to the 
particulars, it is our opinion that the Lord would have 
modified his statement to the extent of suggesting that the 
selling and giving to the poor be not done all at once, but 
gradually, as the necessities might seem to open up. In the 
language of the Apostle, "Let your moderation be manifest to 
all." We are to use earthly things and earthly opportunities 
and temporalities with great moderation, self-denial, as the 
case may seem to make necessary. 

We are to have bowels of mercy, compassion, sympathy, 
love. Did not our Lord allow Mary to anoint his head and 
also his feet and were not these caresses and manifestations 

{PageQlSO} 

of love of an earthly sort? There are various items to intimate 
the Lord's special love for Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, James 
and John, and for his mother. And this would seem to give us 
ground for a similar course. But as Jesus did not allow those 
earthly loves to hinder him from the Father's service, so we, 
also, must be on the alert about the Father's business. 



CONSECRATION-Previous to 1881. 

Q150:1:: QUESTION (1911 Z) 1 Was it necessary 
that all who would be of the "little flock" should have made 
their consecration by or before October, 1881? 

ANSWER— No, we do not so understand the matter. 

The chapter in Scripture Studies, Vol. 2, showing the 
parallels between the Jewish and Christian Dispensations 
makes prominent four dates, viz., (1) October, 1874; (2) 
April, 1878; (3) October, 1881, and (4) October, 1914; these 
dates being parallel to four in the Jewish harvest, viz., (1) The 
beginning of our Lord's ministry; the beginning of the trial or 
harvest time of the Jewish nation, October, 29; (2) The end of 
our Lord's ministry. His crucifixion, and the rejection of the 
Jewish nation as a nation, April, 33 (See Scripture Studies, 
Vol.2, chapter 7); (3) The close of the "seventy weeks" (Dan. 9:24-27) 
of favor upon the Jewish nation—October, 36— after 
which the Gospel privileges were open to the Gentiles, 
Cornelius being the first convert; (4) The full end of trouble 
and destruction which came upon Israel's polity, October, 69. 

It should be clearly noticed that the parallels between the 
Jewish and Gospel Ages all belong to the nominal systems 
then and now, and if this is borne in mind, it will prevent our 
applying these parallels either to the gathering out of the 
Gospel Church or to the gathering of the Lord's people out of 
Babylon now. 

Noting these parallels, we find 1874 as the beginning of this 
"harvest" and the gathering together of the "elect" from the 
four winds of heaven; 1878 as the time when Babylon was 
formally rejected, Laodicea spewed out— the time from 
which it is stated, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen"— fallen from 
Divine favor. The parallel in 1881 would seem to indicate 
that 

certain favors were still continued to those in Babylon up 
to that date, notwithstanding the rejection of the system; and 
since that date we would understand that that relationship has 
been in no sense an advantageous one, but has been in many 
senses of the word a distinct disadvantage, from which 
only with difficulty could any free themselves, the Lord's 
grace and truth assisting. And in harmony with this 
parallelism, October, 1914, will witness the full end of 
Babylon, "as a great millstone cast into the sea," utterly 
destroyed as a system. 

Coming back: We concede it reasonable to infer that the 
close of the favors upon fleshly Israel represent the close of 
the special favor of this Gospel Age, viz., the invitation 
to the High Calling; accordingly, our understanding is that the 



open' or general "call" of this Age to Kingdom honors 
ceased in October, 1881. However, as already shown in 
Scripture Studies, we make a distinction between the end of 
the "call" and the closing of the "door;" and believe that the 
door into the Kingdom class is not yet closed; that it 
stands ajar for a time, to permit those who had already 
accepted 

{PageQlSl} 

the "call" and who fail to use its privileges and 
opportunities in self-sacrifice to be thrust out, and to 
permit others to enter to take their crowns, in harmony 
with (Rev. 3:11). The present time, therefore, from 1881 
until the door of opportunity for sacrifice in the Lord's service 
shall fully close, is a period of "sifting" as respects all who 
are already in Divine favor, in covenant relationship with God 

And since those who have gone into the "Feast" through the 
"door" represent all who are called (except those who have 
afterward been rejected and expelled), it follows that the 
places of those thus expelled must be taken by some who 
were not previously amongst the called, amongst the 
consecrated. This, we trust, makes plain the answer to your 
question, proving that some not previously consecrated will, 
in the eleventh hour, be admitted to the vineyard labors 
and to the rewards of the faithful, 
after the open call ceased, and before the "door" closes. 

Indeed, we are to distinctly remember that in speaking of 
the gathering to take place during this harvest time, our 
Lord mentions amongst others those who have been in the 
field (in the world), apparently referring to a class who 
previously had been neither justified nor sanctified 
through the Truth. See Scripture Studies, Vol. 3, chap. 6. 

consecration-Is it Always Followed by Begettal? 

Q150:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 Can anyone be 
consecrated and not begotten of the Holy Spirit? 

ANSWER--We believe that there is still room. That is 
to say that the full number of the elect has not yet been found, 
and tested, etc., and therefore our expectation would be that 
anyone making a full, thorough consecration of himself to the 
Lord would still be begotten of the Holy Spirit. But if the 
question be in the form in which it is here stated, "Could one 
be consecrated and not be begotten of the Holy Spirit?" we 
would say, "Yes, he could be consecrated so far as his part is 
concerned." Your consecration and my consecration, our part. 



is merely to present ourselves to God. It is for God then to 
say whether he accepts that consecration. During this time, 
this gospel age, the Scriptures speak of this as the acceptable 
day, the acceptable year, the acceptable time of the Lord, and 
we believe that he is ready and willing to accept all of those 
who come unto the Father through Christ, and that all such 
are accepted, and if they are accepted as members of the 
Body of Christ they will be begotten of the Holy Spirit. But 
as we have said before, so we say again, we believe that in the 
not distant future there will be people who will make a 
consecration, who will make a presentation of themselves to 
God, and for whom there will be no place left, because, as the 
parable shows, the wise virgin class will all have entered into 
the marriage and the door will be shut, and then there will be 
no one else enter in, because that class, when completed, will 
have no additions. Those who would then present themselves 
would not be begotten of the Holy Spirit. But this would not 
mean that God would be displeased with the offer of 
themselves; rather God would be very pleased to have them 
offer themselves--just as God was undoubtedly pleased with 
Abraham, with Isaac, with Jacob, and all the prophets who 
offered themselves freely to know and to do the divine will to 
the extent God was willing to receive them. They got 

{PageQ152} 

a great blessing. So we should advocate, with every person 
with whom we have an influence, that the proper course, the 
proper duty for every human being, the reasonable service 
would be to present their bodies living sacrifices, holy, 
acceptable to God. He will not spurn the sacrifice, but 
whether he will beget you to the Holy Spirit depends on 
whether your sacrifice is offered in time, before the door is 
shut, before the last member of the elect has been gathered in. 

CONSECRATION-After Close of High Calling. 

Q152:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)--1 --Is it your thought that 
those consecrating after the door to the high calling is closed 
may have a resurrection to the spirit nature? 

ANSWER-No, there will be no begetting of the Spirit 
that we know of after the high calling is closed; and if there is 
no begetting of the Spirit then, there will be no birth of the 
spirit. The only thought we have in connection with that is 
what we expressed a moment ago, namely; that some might 
be accepted as of the Ancient Worthy class if they laid down 
their lives in loyalty to the Lord in that time of trouble, and 



then when the ancient worthy class may possibly have the 
spirit nature given to them at the end of the millennium, such 
being of that class might have the opportunity to obtain the 
spirit nature. 

CONSECRATION-Opportunity Later for Spirit 
Nature. 

Q152:2:: QUESTION (1911) 2 Would the 
consecrated but not begotten ever have the opportunity of 
getting the spirit nature? 

ANSWER--Our thought is that it is part of the divine 
plan to give the ancient worthies a change of nature in the end 
of the millennial age, as a reward for their faithfulness, and 
their service during the millennial age- -that quite likely they 
will receive the spirit nature at the end of the millennial age. 
This is partly conjectural and partly built upon certain texts of 
Scripture which we have already considered in the Watch 
Tower and which we need not therefore enter into here. 

CONSECRATION-Reward for Tliose Not Begotten. 

Q152:3:: QUESTION (1911)-3-If any consecrated 

now and failed to be begotten of the Holy Spirit, where would 

the Lord place them? 

ANSWER— We would presume that if they were 
faithful, as the prophets of old were faithful, to the extent of 
laying down their lives in the service of righteousness and 
truth, that God would give them a share some way with the 
ancient worthies. In other words, that if such should pass into 
the time of trouble to a considerable degree, and there lose 
their lives because of faithfulness to the Lord, that he would 
do just the same for them that he will do for the ancient 
worthies—they will be counted in with the ancient worthy 
class. 

CONSECRATION--Re Losing Temper and Crown. 

Q152:4:: QUESTION (1911)-4-If any brother or 
sister after coming into present truth, and making a full 
consecration to the Lord, and following him for some time, 
and then lose their temper and do things they are afterwards 
sorry for, do they hereby risk losing their crown? 



{PageQ153} 

ANSWER--We are not to understand that the Lord is 
judging us by some little act like losing the temper. The 
losing of the temper one time might have a comparatively 
small effect; its real value is in the bearing it has on some 
other time, and the development of a wrong character. 
Whoever has an impatient disposition is in the wrong attitude. 
A great many might be liable to lose their temper, because 
they might have naturally a weakness along the line of 
patience, and it would be their duty to strive against such 
impatience; but we are not to think that one act of impatience 
will necessarily lose us the crown. The Lord is not wanting to 
see if he can find something against us; he is rather wishing 
us to make our calling and election sure. So then a slip of 
some kind would be something we would be very sorry for, 
and something we should take to the Lord in prayer, and 
something we should consider as a kind of spot or wrinkle on 
our wedding robe, but that would not mean that we had taken 
off the robe. And all of those who wear the robe are covered 
by its perfection, and if a spot come on the robe, then it is the 
duty of such a one to take it to the Lord in prayer, and ask for 
forgiveness, and make good to the one injured if anyone has 
been injured, making right so far as possible any wrong that 
has been done. If any one's feelings ever have been hurt, see 
that they are assuaged,~so that acknowledgment is made of 
the wrong to whoever it is properly due. Then realizing the 
forgiveness of the Lord and of the brother we might forgive 
ourselves in the sense that we will not hold it against 
ourselves perpetually, but we will see the lesson and let the 
facts go by. Indeed I think many Christians can say that some 
of their best lessons in the Christian way have been through 
their own failures. When they failed on a point that showed 
them where they were weak, showed them where they must 
put in the reinforcement to gain the greater strength. So we 
find various points of weakness in our character, of patience 
or anything of the kind, an evil speaking tongue, or anything 
that would be contrary to the direction of his Word, we 
should build up that part of our character, but should not 
necessarily feel that it had lost us our crown. If so there 
would be very few of us who would ever be able to say that 
we had any right to a crown after a little while. Who is there 
in all the church of Christ, except the great head himself, that 
could say that he was perfect in thought and word and deed, 
from the time he became a follower of the Lord? No one. If 



we were able to do that, we really would not need any robe at 
all; if we could walk perfectly we would need no covering; if 
we were perfect we would not need any Redeemer. It is 
because of our imperfection that we need a Redeemer. This 
does not mean that we have any sympathy with sin or 
weaknesses, but striving against these we will do all we can to 
overcome them; and some can overcome very much easier 
than others. I know of some perhaps who have really a 
difficulty the other way. They are too little inclined to be 
impatient; they put up with everything from themselves and 
from everybody else; it all goes; they do not have sufficient 
character. The person who is impatient is more or less a 
person of good strong character, and he may be impatient for 
the time being, but he wants to learn how to put on the brakes. 

{PageQ154} 

CONSECRATION-Re Still Not Begotten. 

Q154:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)--1 --Is it possible for one 
who consecrates his all now to the Lord to still not be 
begotten of the Holy Spirit? 

ANSWER~It certainly would be possible that one 
might make a full consecration of himself and yet not be 
begotten of the Holy Spirit. That was the case with Abraham 
and with others of the worthies before our Lord's time—before 
Pentecost—and that will be the condition of things after the 
full selection of the church has been made. But just when, 
just with whom that will begin, no one living could know. 
We have no reason to think that we have reached that 
particular time yet, because we see some who have made a 
consecration quite recently and have given good evidence of 
having been begotten of the Spirit, which would imply to us 
that there is still a shortage, so to speak, in the number of 
elect— that there is still therefore an opportunity of coming 
into this class. 

CONSECRATION-Assurance of Being of Bride Class. 

Q154:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-At whattimedo we 
cross the line of uncertainty in respect to our assurance that 
those consecrated will become members of the bride class? 

ANSWER— My understanding is that we crossed that 
line in 1881, namely: as we set forth in the Scripture Studies, 
at that time the call ceased, but the door was not yet shut. 
That at that time a sufficient number had made their 
consecration, and if they had all proved faithful, the little 
flock would have been complete. But there was no prospect 



that they would all prove faithful, and whatever number of 
them would prove unfaithful, either to the extreme degree of 
going into the second death, or to the lesser degree of not 
showing a sufficiency of zeal, and thus going into the great 
company class these deflections would leave that many more 
openings or opportunities for others to come in. Our thought 
is, that since then quite a good many people of the Lord have 
come in. A relative question may come in, then, "How may 
we assure ourselves, to some degree at least, respecting those 
who now come into harmony with the Lord? What proof of 
evidence would we have, if any, that they had been accepted 
of the Lord, and begotten of the Holy Spirit, and would be 
eligible to the little flock class?" 

I answer, there might be several evidences or proofs. One 
would be their manifestation of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, 
including love of the brethren. Another would be the 
manifestation of a knowledge of the truth, because the apostle 
says that no one can understand the deep things of God, 
except by the spirit of God. Therefore, anybody able to 
clearly grasp and comprehend the deep things of God 
becomes to himself and to others a strong influential 
testimony that he has been begotten of the Spirit, and that he 
may therefore make his calling and election sure. And 
another evidence of God's favor would be an opportunity 
granted to such ones to suffer for Christ's sake, to endure 
something, to lay down his life in the Lord's service. In other 
words, the privilege of sacrificing, because sacrifice is to be 
understood as a great privilege. If we do not suffer with him 
we will not reign with him, therefore, to have the opportunity, 
or to enjoy the opportunity, of suffering with Christ, is one of 
the best evidences we have of our acceptance with God. 

{PageQ155} 

CONSECRATION-Any Such Not Heard Truth. 
Q155:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 Is it your 
understanding that there are those now living who are fully 
consecrated to God, and begotten of the Holy Spirit, who 
have not as yet heard of present truth? 

ANSWER~It is my understanding that there are such. 
It is my understanding that the Scriptures refer to this very 
class when we read in the eighteenth chapter of Revelation 
where God is speaking to his people in Babylon, "Come out 
of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and 
receive not of her plagues." They could not be God's people 
unless they were Spirit-begotten, and they could not come out 



of her unless they were in her. 

CONSECRATION--Re Rom. 12:1. 
Q155:2:: QUESTION (1911) 2 I beseech you 
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present 
your bodies a living sacrifice. Why in quoting this do you use 
the plural number, sacrifices, instead of sacrifice? 

ANSWER--It would depend. The apostle did not mean, 
evidently, that the brethren were to present all their bodies as 
one sacrifice, but each to present his own body, and the 
construction of the sentence would depend upon which way 
you wished to use it; whether, "I beseech all ye brethren that 
you all present your bodies," or "I beseech each of you 
brethren to present his own body," the same thought would be 
in it; it would not change anything at all. 

CONSECRATION-Accepted and Not in the Race. 

Q155:3:: QUESTION (1911)--3--Can one consecrate 
and have his sacrifice accepted as evidenced by the Spirit's 
begetting, and not be in the race? 

ANSWER— I would say, no. Whoever has made his 
consecration, and then has certain evidences, would he 
justified in supposing that God accepted him, and that he is in 
the race, and it was with him to make his calling and election 
sure. What are some of those evidences? It would seem to 
me one evidence would be his love of the brethren. The 
Scriptures put it that way. Another evidence would be his 
love for God and his Word. Another evidence would be his 
desire to serve the Lord and the brethren, his desire to serve 
righteousness; all of these would be evidence or proofs that 
God had accepted him, and that he had a new mind, a new 
disposition, that he had received the mind of Christ after he 
had been begotten of the Holy Spirit. And another evidence 
would be that such a one might perhaps find opportunities for 
serving the Lord, and a further evidence would be that he 
would begin to have a deeper appreciation of the truth, and a 
better understanding of it. Whoever would have these various 
evidences, or proofs, I would encourage to think that God had 
accepted his offering through Christ's merit. 

CONSECRATION--Re 1881. 

0155:4:: QUESTION ( 19 12-Z)-4-Was it necessary 
that all who would be of the "little flock" should have made 
their consecration by or before October, 1881? 



{PageQ156} 

ANSWER~No, we do not so understand the matter. 

The chapter in Scripture Studies, Vol. II, showing the 
parallels between the Jewish and Christian Dispensations, 
makes prominent four dates, viz., (1) October, 1874; (2) 
April, 1878; (3) October, 1881, and (4) October, 1914; these 
dates being parallel to four in the Jewish harvest, viz., (1) The 
beginning of our Lord's ministry; the beginning of the trial or 
harvest time of the Jewish nation, October, 29; (2) The end of 
our Lord's ministry. His crucifixion, and the rejection of the 
Jewish nation as a nation, April, 33 (See Scripture Studies, 
Vol 2, chapter 7); (3) The close of the "seventy weeks" (Dan. 9:24-26) 
of favor upon the Jewish nation—October, 36~after 
which the Gospel privileges were open to the Gentiles, 
Cornelius being the first convert; (4) The full end of trouble 
and destruction which came upon Israel's polity, October, 69. 

It should be clearly noticed that the parallels between the 
Jewish and Gospel Ages all belong to the nominal systems 
then and now, and if this is borne in mind, it will prevent 
our applying these parallels either to the gathering out of the 
Gospel Church or to the gathering of the Lord's people out of 
Babylon now. 

Noting these parallels, we find 1874 as the beginning of this 
"harvest" and the gathering together of the "elect" from the 
four winds of heaven; 1878 as the time when Babylon was 
formally rejected, Laodicea. 

CONSECRATION-Applicable to Two Classes. 

Q156:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-To whomis the 
Apostle speaking when he says, "I beseech you, brethren, by 
the mercies of God, to present your bodies living sacrifices" ?-- 
Rom. 12:1. 

ANSWER—These words are properly applicable to two 
classes. First, they apply to a class termed "brethren," in the 
sense that they are no longer opponents, but sympathetically 
in harmony with the consecrated. The Apostle was urging 
these to complete the work of grace which they had already 
begun. Secondly, the text applies to those who have made the 
consecration, and urges them to complete the work. I urge 
you, brethren, that day by day you attend to this matter of 
presenting your bodies living sacrifices until the work be 
accomplished. This, he says, is a reasonable service, 
acceptable to God. 

Although St. Paul does not say how the great Advocate will 



make the sacrifice acceptable, yet this is to be understood by 
Christians, who know that they are accepted in the Beloved. 
After that class have given up their lives, after they have put 
all in the Lord's hands, they understand that they, themselves, 
as members of the Body of Christ, are to die daily. Hence it 
is that daily an opportunity comes to us to lay down life in the 
Lord's service. While this is a daily dying, yet, in another 
sense of the word, it is a sacrifice to the end of life. Our Lord 
Jesus said, "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am 
I straitened until it be accomplished!" 
(Luke 12:50.) In one sense. His sacrifice was accepted at 
Jordan. In another sense it was day by day until that baptism 
was completed on the cross and He cried, "It is finished!" 

CONSECRATION-Are There Crowns for All? 

Q156:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-Would it be possible 
for one to consecrate at this late day and be accepted, and yet 
there be no 

{PageQ157} 

crown reserved for such a one? 

ANSWER~It would certainly be possible for one to 
consecrate, because it will always be proper to consecrate; as 
it was proper to consecrate long before the Gospel Age began. 
Abraham and the Prophets made consecration of their lives— 
they showed that they did. Remember how the Apostle states 
the matter in the 1 1th chapter of Hebrews: Some were stoned 
to death, others sawn asunder, etc. Of whom, he says, the 
world was not worthy. Their lives were consecrated to God 
and to righteousness. If proper for them to consecrate, it is 
still proper for everybody. 

But, in the second place. Is God bound in any way to accept 
every consecration? 

The answer is. No. God is never bound to accept any 
sacrifice. In a general way, of course, "God is no respecter of 
persons." His favor was first thrown open to all the Jews, and 
secondly to all the Gentiles: That all who accept the terms 
may come into the Christ-body until a sufficient number shall 
have been found, until the foreordained number have made 
consecration, and made their calling and election sure. 

How shall we know when the full number has so 
consecrated? 

It is not for us to know ! In a general way, we believe that 
the outward call ceased in 1881. We realize, however, that all 
who will be accepted as members of the Body of Christ must 



have trials of faith and loyalty before being assigned a 
definite place in the Kingdom. Reprobates will constitute the 
Second Death class. Others may be assigned to the Great 
Company class. All such would be counted out of 
membership in the Royal Priesthood. Each one put out as 
unworthy would leave a vacancy, and release one crown. 
Such vacancies, we understand, are now being filled after the 
general Call has ceased--from among those who offer 
themselves. 

If there were ten consecrated persons waiting at the time 
there was only one vacancy left, it would probably be the one 
most thoroughly developed, and most fully in harmony with 
the Lord that would be given that one place and the remaining 
crown. 

Our thought is that in 1878 there were a great many who 
had not passed their trial in full; that there were in the 
nominal churches many thousands who had made full 
consecration, to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. I remember 
well Evangelist Moody's campaign. At that time a great many 
seemed to be genuine converts, for his preaching seemed to 
be very different from that of the majority of evangelists. He 
preached forgiveness through the blood of Christ, and full 
consecration to God. Many at that time made a full 
consecration, had their names tentatively written and filled up 
the list. But when testings came on, many were found 
unworthy of a higher reward than that of the Great Company. 
Others taking the places of the failures also had to be tested 
and sifted. Vacancies occurred and still others came in to 
have an opportunity. We see evidences that this had been 
going on for the last thirty years, and we believe that it is still 
going on, and that there are some names still being listed and 
that there are crowns waiting for such. 

{PageQ158} 

Our reason is this: We see people who were godless 
people, who had never made any consecration to God, who 
have quite recently made a full consecration to God, and 
received that evidence which seems to indicate that God has 
accepted them. What evidence? The eyes of their 
understanding were opened so that they could see the spiritual 
or deep things of God. And a further evidence is that they are 
having opportunities to sacrifice. We make a covenant that 
we will sacrifice, but it is for the Lord to give us the 
opportunity. We see some of these getting the opportunities 
and using them, and this implies that when they made their 



consecration there was a place open and they are filling it. 

The fact that so many have been thus accepted since 1878 
seems to imply quite a considerable vacancy in that list and 
that it is gradually filling up. It is not for us to say how much 
of a vacancy remains, nor just when it will be filled. We do 
surely believe, however, that it will be filled before the close 
of "the times of the Gentiles"; which we think end with 
October, 1914. As for others who have not yet consecrated 
we can say with St. Paul, I beseech you, brethren, present 
your bodies living sacrifices—do your best, maybe there is an 
opening and you may get in. We will tell them just what we 
would have them tell us if we were to change places, namely, 
to consecrate their time, talent, and all to God. God will give 
good pay—He always 
does— whatever the reward it will be a prize. 

CONSECRATION-Proper Use of Time. 

Q158:1:: QUESTION ( 191 3)- 1 -Should Christians 
spend their time reading worldly magazines and newspapers? 

ANSWER— The brother wants to know what to do about 
his mind being occupied by reading worldly magazines and 
newspapers; he has about eight worldly magazines and 
newspapers. He says his mind wanders on those things. The 
more you feed your mind with anything in one direction, the 
more it will wander there. So I would feed it with good 
spiritual food and have it wander in the right direction. We 
used to have a cow that we always gave the very best grass in 
the barn, and the very best place, but she always thought the 
grass over the fence was better. She would break ropes and 
everything else in order to get over. So that is the way with 
our natural dispositions. Whatever is a little piece off from us 
we are inclined to want. We want to get so fenced off from 
the world that we will not any longer desire those things, but, 
as the Apostle says, set our affection on things above and not 
on things beneath. This word "Set" is one that indicates 
continual setting. You need to keep setting, set it today, and 
tomorrow morning set it early, and if it slips off early set it 
back again; and if it slips off set it back again, and by and by 
you will be too busy to have time to wander. That is the best 
advice I could give. You can become overcharged with the 
affairs of this life by very trifling things, things that are not 
worthy of your attention at all, but foolishness, if you only 
give your mind to what another person imagines and made a 
story about. I will tell you what I think: that we have in the 
Bible the most wonderful story, the most wonderful drama 
that was ever known. I don't know much about theaters and 



novels, but I can imagine how a novel goes; I know they have 
plots 

{PageQ159} 

and schemes, etc. I think I could write a novel, too if I tried, 
but the point I am making is, the Bible has the most 
wonderful plot. Think of how it goes away back and shows 
Eden in all its beauty and grandeur, then the coming in of the 
serpent and the temptation of our first parents, mother Eve 
being deceived and father Adam being perplexed, gives his 
very life for his wife, because he thinks he could never live 
without her, and deliberately sins against his God's 
commands. Is there enough there for you? I think so. What 
about the results? Look what has come into the world as the 
result of sin. You could not have any deeper plot than to 
think how the Adversary and the fallen angels have all been 
conspiring to blind and delude men during all of this entire 
period. Then think about the picture God gives us of His own 
love wherewith He loved us, the great Creator looking down 
from His holy habitation and beholding our condition in sin 
and degradation, and He hearkened and heard the groaning of 
the prisoners. What prisoners? The prisoners of sin, bound 
hand and foot. Some are bound tighter than others, and some 
have a ball and chain onto their shackles; but all are bound, 
all are prisoners of sin, all are going down to the prison house 
of death. Do you want anything more of a novel than that? 
Then God saw there was no one that could deliver; no one 
could help man out of his trouble. When this prison-house 
shuts its doors no iron or steel bars are like the bars of death; 
once closed on an individual, no power but God's can open 
those bars and bring those prisoners forth. So then the picture 
tells us that when God took in the situation, he realized He 
alone could help. He wished us to see that condition, and 
then His own eye pitied. His own arm brought the salvation. 
It has not brought it yet; He has merely stretched forth His 
arm. We have seen the arm of the Lord. What do you mean 
by that? Jesus was the arm that the Lord revealed. Has He 
delivered yet? No, He has redeemed. He has died the just for 
the unjust. He has made satisfaction to justice so when the 
proper time comes men can come out from under the curse or 
sentence of death. 

But that is not enough for our novel; we want more. What 
shall we have now? The Father would have a bride for His 
son. What kind shall she be, and how shall she be called? 
She has only the filthy rags of sin and imperfection; all she 



has to commend her is her desire to be in harmony with God. 
Then the one to be bridegroom provides for her purification 
and cleansing and justification—providing her with a wedding 
garment. Is there not a good deal of plot about that? Then 
what must she do. She must receive this robe of Christ's 
righteousness which is to be the wedding garment. A 
marriage is going to take place, and the bride is going to get 
ready by getting a robe from the bridegroom. Then what shall 
she do with it? She must embroider it. She gets the robe for 
nothing and has the stamped pattern given to her. What 
pattern? Christ is the pattern and she must do the embroidery 
work herself. She must work out her own salvation with fear 
and trembling, seeing carefully that every stitch on the robe 
shall conform to the pattern the Lord has given her. What 
does the embroidery represent? It represents the fruits and 
graces of the Holy Spirit, and you know unless you have 
those fruits and graces you will never 

{PageQ160} 

be accounted worthy to be a joint-heir in the Kingdom. And 
what are the fruits and graces of the Holy Spirit? Meekness, 
gentleness, patience, long-suffering, brotherly-kindness, love. 
How long does it take to embroider these? It takes longer 
with some and shorter with others. Some can get their hearts 
fixed on this glorious pattern and so appreciate it that it is the 
great desire of their lives to cultivate these graces of the Holy 
Spirit. As they go to the Lord the first thing in the morning 
they say. Lord help me to cultivate the fruits of Thy spirit 
today. Why? I want to be pleasing to the Bridegroom, and be 
ready at such time as He comes to claim His Bride, that I may 
be accounted worthy to enter in as a member of the Bride 
class. And then all the trials and difficulties the Bridegroom 
knew the Bride class would be obliged to pass through. He 
allowed us to be tempted in all points like He was tempted. 
Why so? Because He wants to have a Bride class who can 
endure temptation, and endure hardness, show loyalty, and 
manifest they are not merely so-so Christians, but really 
overcomers, seeking to know and to do God's will and having 
that spirit of love for righteousness and truth that would lead 
them to lay down their lives in the service of the truth and for 
righteousness rather than to receive the pleasures of sin for a 
time. He has taken more than 1,800 years for this very 
purpose. He knew there would not be very many who would 
love Christ and lay down their lives to be right, if they found 
it to be policy to do wrong. I am not saying that He wants to 



do the others any harm, or roast them. No one would want to 
roast them; that is not the thought; but when He wanted to 
find a Bride class the Father will approve, He is going to 
make sure He gets the right kind. Every one of them will be 
approved of the Father. He shall present them blameless and 
unreprovable before the Father in love, after they have had all 
of these trials. Then what will they do after that? Mark you! 
this is the drama that began away back at the fall of the race, 
and it has continued down to the betrothal of Christ. Is not 
the Church married now? No, brother, you do not know 
whether you will be of the marriage class or not. We are 
merely the betrothed now. We are engaged to Him and 
everything is contingent upon our developing the character, 
upon our wearing this robe, and upon our showing our love 
and zeal by the embroidering of our robe with the fruits and 
graces of the spirit as the Lord indicates is pleasing to Him. 
Then what? Then comes the marriage of the Lamb when the 
Bride has made herself ready. And what will be the 
marriage? The marriage will be that union with the Lord. 
How will it be brought about? By the change from imperfect 
human nature to Divine nature-changed in a moment, in the 
twinkling of an eye. Then we are to be forever with the Lord. 
And is there not a supper, or something? Yes, or we might 
call it a breakfast, if you please. It is in the morning. The 
word supper comes from the general word, to sup. You may 
sup in the morning, noon or evening. It means to eat. So this 
supper is to be the first great banquet that we will have on the 
other side of the vail. Who ever thought all that drama was in 
the Bible? It is very wonderful. 

And what next? Well, before the supper begins they will 
wait a little while. What for? The Bridesmaids. Who 

{PageQ161} 

are they? Oh, there is to be a secondary company. They 
were part of the church at one time; they made a consecration 
and were begotten of the Holy Spirit, just the same as the 
Bride class, but they failed to make their calling and election 
sure to that high position to which they were invited. They 
were not sufficiently zealous and loyal. Were they disloyal? 
Oh, No! No disloyal ones will be given anything at God's 
hands. By and by they will come up through great tribulation 
and wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the 
Lamb, and be before the throne instead of on the throne. 
They will have palms of victory instead of crowns of glory. 
So we read in the Psalm that after Jesus, the King, shall 



introduce the Bride before the Father, then the virgins, her 
companions that followed after her, shall also be brought into 
the presence of the King. Oh, there is a grand drama there in 
all that Bible picture. 

Then have we anything more? Yes, the King and Queen are 
going to reign for a thousand years, and everybody is going to 
be blessed. In all that empire there will be no attempt to take 
from the people their rights, and make everything subservient 
to the King, and the people poor. The very reverse of this. 
The King will take delight in lifting the people up, refreshing 
them, and bringing them to perfection. Then by the end of the 
thousand years, when all the unfit ones are destroyed from 
amongst the people, all of these grand beings will show forth 
the praises of God. 

Is there anything more? Astronomers tell us that all of the 
stars are suns like our sun, and have planets around them just 
the same as the planets around our own sun. Are these worlds 
yet to be inhabited? If God formed not the earth in vain, but 
made it to be inhabited, do you not think these other worlds 
should not be made in vain, but they should all be inhabited? 
We think so. Then who is to do that great work? God says 
that Christ shall be first in all things, so that will put Him first 
in that great work. Who will come next in God's 
arrangement? The Lord says that the church shall be next to 
Him. Now we have Christ and the church and a great work 
for them for all eternity in the peopling of all these worlds. 
Are there many of them? We are told there are about a 
thousand millions of them. 

Now if anybody can make a greater drama than that I would 
like to see it. My heart is rejoicing and overflowing with 
gratitude to God for the privilege now of having a chance to 
become an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ, my 
Savior. We have all been called in one hope of our calling, 
and this is the hope of our calling. Is it sufficiently grand for 
you? Do you know of any other kind of business in which 
you could become so rich as that? I tell you the Scriptures are 
indeed right when they tell us about the riches of God's grace, 
and when Jesus tells us that is the pearl of great price, and if 
any man once gets his eyes on it, and appreciates the value of 
that Kingdom, to go and dispose of everything he has in order 
to win that prize. So let us do, dear friends. 



conventions-Do you sanction Fifth Sunday 
Conventions? 

Q161:1:: QUESTION ( 19 12)- 1 -Do you fully sanction 
the Fifth Sunday Conventions? Do you also believe a class 
ought to have so many meetings that only a few attend each? 

{PageQ162} 

ANSWER— I have been a little perplexed about the Fifth 
Sunday Conventions. But the rule with me is, When not sure 
stand still. It is pretty nearly a balance with me whether they 
are an advantage or a disadvantage, but not being sure I have 
said nothing about it. I remember that I did publish a letter in 
the Watch Tower in which the Fifth Sunday Conventions 
were mentioned. That was understood by some to be an 
endorsement. I think I would not have published that part of 
the letter had I noticed it. However, so far as I can see now, 
my advice would be. Let each class seek wisdom from above 
on the subject. If they prove profitable spiritually, continue 
them. If you doubt their profit discontinue them. If I were to 
give any definite advice, it would be against them, but I am 
not prepared to give adverse advice, not being sufficiently 
informed. 

As to having so many meetings that only a few could 
attend: I think it would be preferable to have studies that the 
class would generally attend. Usually Bible Study classes are 
not too large. Besides the Sunday meetings, I always 
encourage the friends to have Prayer and Testimony Meeting 
on Wednesday night. They tell me they are having a great 
blessing in using the Manna Text for the following Thursday 
as the central thought for the next meeting. The week's 
experiences furnish abundant and helpful testimonies the 
following Wednesday. We are glad to note that the friends 
are observing these mid-week meetings so generally. 

As for other meetings. I do not advise the reading of the 
Scripture Studies in the public meetings. Each should do his 
reading first at home or on the street car, etc. The class study 
is a different matter entirely. Of course you could use the 
questions in your private study and might get much good out 
of them, but the questions are more helpful when used in the 
class. Our vessels are so leaky that we can afford to read the 
Bible over time and again. And the Studies in the Scriptures 
are merely the Bible in a classified form, a topical 
arrangement, so to speak. When reading the "Dawns," you 
are reading the Bible. Those reading the Bible in this way are 
getting much more knowledge of the Bible. A desultory 



reading of the Bible does not give as much information as a 
topical study. 

Some of the brethren tell me that they have formed a Dawn 
Study League in their several classes. Each member agrees 
that if possible he will read so many pages every day. I 
understand that is working pretty well. You remember that 
someone suggested that in a letter published in the Watch 
Tower. It has been taken up by a great many, who are 
reading the six volumes through in from six to twelve months- 
reading twenty-four or twelve pages a day respectively. The 
reading of the series every year keeps the Truth fresh and 
clear in the memory—and in the heart. This plan, followed by 
many individuals, will doubtless work well in the Class 
League. 

CORRECTIONS-HOW to Make Them? 
Q162:1 :: QUESTION (1908)-1-What should be the 
attitude of those established in the truth, who have no desire 
to judge or criticise, when in Berean or other Bible studies 
they hear from the leader, or someone else, confused 
expressions which they know to be contrary to the Scriptures, 
but they are being 

{PageQ163} 

received as truth by the babes in Christ? Should they be 
silent, or should they ask some question to bring out the 
truth? If the truth causes any to withdraw from association 
from the class, how should that be regarded by the 
consecrated? 

ANSWER~I answer, dear friends, that there are some 
unimportant matters, —in one sense of the word no truth is 
unimportant, -but there are truths that are not as important as 
others, and which might be let pass by if they were infringed 
upon a little. The person addressing the class, whether a 
brother or a sister, or whoever may be speaking, may give 
expression to his or her view of the truth, and it should be 
understood by the class as his or her view, and that the one 
speaking does not claim to be inspired or infallible, but that 
he is expressing his view of the matter, and it should be 
understood by the class that each one can express his or her 
view of the matter. I should say that if I were present in such 
a case as here suggested, I would hope the class would be in 
such a condition that I could present the matter in question in 
a proper way, and I would try not to do it in antagonistic form 
and say, "Now I disagree with that." There are various ways 



of putting things. You might say, "Well, brother, might we 
not take this view of the matter? Is not this a consistent view 
to take? I will give what I think to be right." And then state 
your view; he has stated his view and he cannot object to your 
stating your view, if it is given concisely, and in a kind 
manner. Then you have done your duty and it is not 
necessary to have a fight on the subject and determine that 
one must be laid on the shelf because of a little difference of 
opinion. As he has had his opportunity to express his 
understanding of the matter, see that the truth is always 
represented so far as you are concerned, and especially if it is 
any important matter; but if it is a matter of tweedle-de-de or 
tweedle-de-dum, don't pay any attention to it. I think of one 
brother now, who is a very good hearted brother I am sure, 
but he has the mistaken idea that if a point be brought up it 
must be fought out until one or the other dies. That is a 
mistaken notion, dear friends. All of the friends are to judge 
in their own minds, and you and I are to be content when we 
have made our statement of our view, and let other people 
take whatever they like. Is not that practically what we are 
doing anyway? You get something in the Watch Tower; you 
are not bound to believe it, and I will not get angry with you 
if you do not believe it. That is part of your business. I will 
go ahead and state in the next Watch Tower what I think 
again, and you have a right if you choose to write me and 
state that you do not believe it, and I will say. All right, you 
do not have to. 

CORRESPONDENCE--Re Letter Circles. 

Q163:1 :: QUESTION (1 909)-- 1 --There is a question in 
my mind regarding letter circles; do you approve of them? 
ANSWER~Our thought is, dear friends, that each one is 
accountable for his own conscience in all matters. There is 
no law laid down in the Bible on this subject, but there is 
good advice on many subjects, and the general rule is that you 
and I should do the will of the Lord to the best of our 

{PageQ164} 

ability. You and I are not alike, and it is for your conscience 
to decide for you, and for my conscience to decide for me. 
To my understanding, these letter circles are not specially 
advantageous; because I think that the time spent in the 
writing of those letters might be spent more profitably. That 
might not always be true, but I think that in many cases it is 
true, and that you might have larger opportunities for personal 



study and contact with the Church if the time given to these 
letters was not so given. This might not apply to everybody, 
for some may have no other opportunity, but I think I know of 
some who neglect the Church, or their own families, and 
neglect opportunities for their own personal upbuilding by 
spending their time in this circle letter writing. But, as I said 
at the beginning, that is a matter for your conscience to deal 
with, and it is not a matter for me to decide for you. 

COVENANTS-The Barren One, Her Husband. 

Q164:1:: QUESTION (1906)--1--In Isa. 54 wereadof 
the barren one, which Paul identifies in Gal. 4:27, to my 
understanding, with the Church. Does this chapter refer to 
the Church? In what sense is Jehovah her husband? "For 
thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name." 
ANSWER—I understand the picture here given is that of 
the covenant. The Apostle is describing the two great 
covenants that God made. You remember He made one 
covenant with Abraham, then later on made another covenant, 
and He promises still later on to make a new covenant. The 
Law Covenant was added to the Abrahamic Covenant, the 
Apostle says, 430 years later. The New Covenant is still 
future. Now, these three covenants were typified, or 
prefigured, in the three wives of Abraham. Abraham 
represents the heavenly Father, Isaac represents Jesus; and 
Rebecca, the wife of Isaac, represents the Church. Now, 
Abraham, as the Father, makes these three covenants; the first 
covenant was the Abrahamic covenant, which is represented 
by Sarah. It was a result of that first covenant that Isaac was 
born. And Isaac's bride was given to him under that first 
Abrahamic covenant. Then you will remember the Apostle 
goes on to say that the second covenant, the Law covenant 
was represented by Hagar, who was the second wife of 
Abraham. Hagar's son was born first, and you remember the 
Apostle says that represents how the Jewish people were the 
first that came into the inheritance, under God's favor 
according to that arrangement, and yet that was the son of the 
bond woman~"Cast out therefore the son of the bond-woman 
(the child of Abraham according to the flesh) for he shall not 
be heir with the son of the free woman." Who was the free 
woman? The free woman was the Abrahamic Covenant. 
Who was the bond-woman? The Law Covenant. Who are 
the children of the Law Covenant? The Jews, according to 
the flesh. Who are the children of the free woman? Christ 
and the Church. "We, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children 
of promise" —the children of the Abrahamic covenant. Now, 



Sarah was Abraham's married wife, and since Abraham 
represented or typified God, so the wife of Abraham 
represented God's covenant. This is the covenant that is going 
to be fruitful, that is going to bear the seed of promise, the 
seed that is to bless all the families of the earth. The Hagar, 

{PageQ165} 

or Law covenant, never did bear the seed and was never 
intended to do so; but as the Apostle says, that thing was an 
allegory, a figure or picture that God gave. And so the New 
Covenant is typified in the third wife of Abraham, Keturah. 
And we read that Abraham had many children by Keturah, 
and God proposes that in due time he will have many sons 
under the New Covenant; many children of God will come 
into harmony with him under the New Covenant; but during 
this gospel age he developed the Isaac seed, "which seed is 
Christ; and if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed and 
heirs according to the promise" —heirs according to everything 
that was to come through that Abrahamic covenant, and the 
privilege of blessing all the families of the earth, because you 
remember afterwards that although Abraham had many 
children, yet all of them received their blessing through Isaac, 
and so must all who ever become sons of God receive their 
blessings through the anti-typical Isaac, Christ and the 
Church. 

COVENANTS-Will New Covenant Bless Only Jews? 

Q165:1 :: QUESTION (1 908)- 1 -Would it not appear 
that the Jews only would be blessed by the New Covenant, 
since they were alone under the Law Covenant? 

ANSWER— I answer: The Apostle says that it is to the 
Jew first, and also to the Greek. In other words, he gives us 
that as a picture that God's blessings of every kind begin with 
the Jew. He gave the Jew the first opportunity under the 
Abrahamic Covenant, when Christ came to His own and His 
own received Him not. And when it comes to the blessings of 
the New Covenant, the opportunity will come to the Jew first, 
and he must take his stand, but it is ultimately to reach to all 
the families of the earth. The Jews may come in and share 
with the Church, and with the Ancient Worthies in the matter 
of carrying this glorious message to the other nations, and 
peoples, and kindreds, and tongues, and to whatever extent 
they have the right attitude of heart, they will embrace that 
opportunity; it will be to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. 
And the Apostle says, you remember, "If the casting away of 



Israel meant the bringing in of a blessing, what will the 
gathering of Israel again mean but life from the dead ?"--in 
general to the whole world of mankind. 

COVENANTS-Under Which Will World Be Blessed? 

Q165:2:: QUESTION (1908)--2-Will the world be 
blessed under the New Covenant or the Abrahamic 
Covenant? 

ANSWER--I answer, dear friends, that all of God's 
blessings come under the Abrahamic Covenant, either directly 
or indirectly. The Abrahamic Covenant reads: "In thy seed 
shall all the families of the earth be blessed." That has two 
parts, the seed and the blessing of the world. Only the first 
part of this blessing is realized by us who are coming into 
membership with Christ, as the Seed of Abraham— "If we be 
Christ's, then are we Abraham's seed and heirs according to 
the promise." What is that promise? That promise is that, as 
the seed of Abraham, you shall bless all the families of the 
earth. Secondly, you see this Abrahamic promise covers the 
whole blessing of the Millennial age, as well as the special 
blessing that comes to us in the Gospel 

{PageQ166} 

age. But under this Abrahamic Covenant God arranges this 
New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of 
Judah: namely, that He will have mercy on their iniquities, 
etc. Now this Covenant does not conflict with the old one at 
all. The old one said merely, there would be a blessing, and 
that was a sufficient guarantee to our faith that it would be a 
good blessing, not merely a nominal blessing, but a blessing 
in reality. Now, secondly, the New Covenant comes in and 
explains to us how this blessing of the Abrahamic Covenant 
will reach mankind; it will reach them through the forgiveness 
of their sins, through Christ as the great Prophet, Priest and 
King, who will establish His Kingdom, causing the 
knowledge of the Lord to fill the whole earth, and forgiveness 
to go to every individual, and his assistance out of 
degradation. They are not at all in conflict. 

COVENANT-With Death. 

Q166:1:: QUESTION (1908)-l-"Your covenant with 
death shall be annulled and your agreement with hell (sheol, 
the grave) shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge 
shall pass through, then shall ye be trodden down by it." 
Please explain what the scourge is, and who will be trodden 



down by it? 

ANSWER~We had that as a text in a weekly sermon 
about a month ago. We tried to show this overflowing 
scourge will be the great time of trouble, which is 
immediately in front of us, this time of trouble which will be 
partly shared in by the recovery of liberty on the part of the 
fallen angels, etc.; that this will be the overflowing scourge, 
and the Lord says of it that it is a great work, that it is a 
strange work, and that they will all marvel that He will permit 
it. Again through the Apostle to the Thessalonians, he says, 
"For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they 
should believe a lie: That they might all be damned 
(condemned) who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in 
unrighteousness." Condemned how? Condemned as 
unworthy of being of the Bride Class, just the same as it 
was in the end of the Jewish age the Lord gathered out those 
who were fit to be His, the "little flock" class, from the Jews, 
and all the remainder of that nation were condemned, passed 
by, and the wrath of God came on them to the uttermost, says 
the Apostle. And so here now the Lord is gathering out the 
Church, and all the remainder are condemned, because this is 
the only class He is intending to gather out, and when He has 
found the perfect class, the others are all necessarily 
disapproved or condemned, and they shall go into the great 
time of trouble. Thank God also for the silver lining of that 
cloud, and that a glorious blessing shall be to as many as are 
in the right attitude of heart immediately following. 

COVENANTS-New Covenant vs. Law Covenant. 

Q166:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-I have been told that 
as the law of type and antitype requires that the antitype 
begin to operate immediately after the type passes away, 
without any intermission, that therefore the New Covenant 
must have begun to operate immediately upon the passing 
away of the Old (Law) Covenant. I do not know how to meet 
that argument; what would you say? 

{PageQ167} 

ANSWER--! would say that we do not know that the 
New Covenant is the antitype of the Old Law Covenant. Who 
said that it was, and how did he find it out? Is there anything 
in the Scriptures which says that the New Covenant is the 
antitype of the Old Law Covenant? If so, please inform me. 
On the contrary, there are a great many things in the Old Law 
Covenant that are not yet fulfilled. It contains, you 



remember, a type of the selection of Aaron and his sons. The 

antitype is in this Gospel Age, and it is not all completed yet. 

The Law Covenant includes the day of atonement, on which 

the sacrifices were offered for the priest and Levites and 

household of faith, and then for the people, and those in the 

antitype have not yet been fulfilled; we find the antitype all 

through this Gospel Age. We find that after the second 

sacrifice on the Day of Atonement that the High Priest went 

forth and gave his blessing to the people, and they rose up and 

gave a shout to the Lord. That represents a time after the 

Church and Christ have been glorified, after the new 

dispensation has begun, and that is all future. More than that, 

the Law Covenant contained arrangements for all the people 

to come to the priests throughout the year with their trespass-offerings, 

representing how, all through the Millennial Age, 

mankind will come to the High Priest and Under Priests to 

present their offerings to the Lord. Therefore the Law 

Covenant mentions various typical features of this age and of 

the Millennial Age. 

Another feature, the Law Covenant is not ended yet, so if 
anybody wants to find out when the New Covenant begins, 
find out when the Old will end. It was not made with you or 
with me, therefore, it will not end with us. It was made with 
the Jews, and the bondage is still upon the Jewish nation, and 
the blindness upon that people is still untaken away. When 
our Lord by obedience to the Law captured the prize of 
eternal life. He took away all the value, but the Law Covenant 
rested upon the Jews after His death, and that Jewish nation 
has been under the terms and condition of that Law Covenant 
all these 1800 years since Jesus died, and there is no way of 
getting out from under that covenant except by accepting 
Jesus as the antitype of Moses the Great Mediator. The 
Apostle said it holds until death, and he represents it as a 
marriage which holds until death. The only way a Jew can 
become free is by dying to the Law that he might be married 
to Christ. The Jew that is not dead to the Law is still under 
the Law because Christ is the end of the Law to everyone that 
believeth--not the end of the Law for righteousness to 
anybody else. All Jews who do not believe are still under the 
condemnation of the Law. That is the reason they are 
separated from all other nations today. God included all in 
unbelief that in due time He might have mercy upon all. 

COVENANTS-Mediating New Covenants. 

Q167:1:: QUESTION ( 1 909)-- 1-- Watch Tower 1909, 
page 110, first column, paragraph 2, expresses this thought: 



"And it is consequently after the Gospel Age when they are 
pardoned freely for Christ's sake and restored to the 
condition of sinless perfect manhood, that the New Covenant 
comes into force." Is not this a correct statement? Every 
earthly covenant is only in force after the mediator has 
finished his work, as, for instance, 

{PageQ168} 

ex-President Roosevelt's mediatorial work between Russia 
and Japan, which covenant is still in force. Is not this true of 
the New Covenant that it is being made during the Millennial 
Age and then comes into full force between God and man 
after that age? 

ANSWER-No, I think not. I am not certain that this is 
a perfect quotation. I do not think that I wrote it as it is here 
written. If it appears in this form in the columns of the 
Tower, I think somebody in the office must have left out a 
word, or something. 

Expressing the thought now, this Mediator of the New 
Covenant has two parts; a part for God and a part for men. 
The part toward God began in our Lord more than eighteen 
hundred years ago, as represented in His sacrifice and its 
application for the Church and this entire arrangement has 
been going on all down through the Gospel Age, because the 
Church is being accepted as the Body of Christ, and is being 
permitted to share in His sacrifice, so that by the end of the 
Gospel Age, the merit of the anti-typical bullock passes 
through the Church and will be applied for the sealing of the 
New Covenant, which will immediately go into effect as 
respects the world of mankind in general. That procedure at 
the end of the Gospel Age is represented by the Lord in the 
Tabernacle Shadows as the sprinkling of the blood of the 
goat, which is "for the sins of the people," and then the 
conditions of the New Covenant will be made applicable for 
all the world through Israel. God will then be satisfied as 
respects the sins of the whole world, and the whole world will 
consequently he turned over to Jesus as the Mediator, and His 
kingdom will be the only rule throughout the thousand years 
of the mediatorial reign. The New Covenant will begin its 
work at the beginning of the Millennial Age, and continue its 
work of reconciling the world and destroying in death those 
who will not come into harmony with its arrangements, so 
that at the end of the Millennium, the whole world can be 
presented blameless before the Father. 



COVENANTS--Re The Everlasting. 

Q168:1:: QUESTION (1909)--1--Please explain which 
covenant is referred to in Heb. 13:20, "Now the God of peace 
which brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that Great 
Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting 
covenant." 

ANSWER— You see that the person who wrote this 
question did not understand the Scripture. This would mean 
by the way it is quoted here that Jesus was brought from the 
dead by the everlasting covenant. We need to add a few 
words to the question, namely, "Through the blood of the 
everlasting covenant make you perfect." That is it, "through 
the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect." It 
does not say. Through the blood of the everlasting covenant 
justify you from your sins, because the Apostle is writing to 
such as are already justified, to the saints, and tells such that 
the same power that brought our Lord from the dead is able to 
perfect us through the blood of the New Covenant, by laying 
down our lives and sharing with our Master in His death. 

{PageQ169} 

COVENANTS-Law vs. New. 

Q169:1:: QUESTION (1909)-1-In Jer. 31, our 
Heavenly Father says He will make a New Covenant with 
Israel, "not according to the covenant made with them, when 
he took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt." While 
you have made plain the covenants, and told us that the 
difference is the difference in mediators, if both the Law 
Covenant past, and the covenant future are Law Covenants, 
will not the second be according to the first? 

ANSWER— I have seemed to intimate that the New 
Covenant is the old Law Covenant, and is according to the 
covenant made. Our answer is this, that the Law Covenant 
was given to Israel. It included as a part of it the mediator of 
that Law Covenant, because the covenant as a whole could 
not work out for them anything more than the mediator of that 
covenant could accomplish by it; the limitations of the 
mediator were the limitations of the covenant-do you get the 
thought? The advantage of the New Covenant is that it will 
have a better mediator. He has a perfect human life and He 
gave that as the redemption price of the race of mankind, and 
eventually it will effect the purchase of the whole world, and 
therefore the New Covenant will be able to fulfill the 
arrangement which has already provided for the sins of the 
whole world, and their complete cancellation is by reason of 



their having a better mediator, and therefore it will be a better 
covenant. 

You could not imagine a better law than that given to the 
Jews, ."Thou Shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, 
soul, mind and strength." He could not have used a higher 
law than that, dear friends; it represents the full measure of a 
perfect man's capacity, whether living in Adam's time, or at 
the end of the Millennial Age; He could not have a higher 
standard of law than that ~ complete obedience to God, 
complete love to God, and to love his neighbor as himself. In 
that sense of the word, the old Law Covenant and the New 
Law Covenant are just the same, but the difference is that the 
one did not accomplish the blessing of Israel and of the world, 
while the other will accomplish that blessing. Therefore the 
reason the New Covenant will be a better covenant is because 
it will have a better Mediator, one who will be able to 
accomplish the blessings promised. 

COVENANTS-End of the Sarah. 

Q169:2:: QUESTION (1909) 2 Does the Sarah 
Covenant come to an end when the spiritual seed is born? 

ANSWER~Yes. To my understanding, the Sarah 
feature of the covenant will come to an end when the 
promised seed shall have come to its fullness. The Sarah 
Covenant did not come to an end when Jesus reached the 
plane of spirit glory, representing Isaac in the picture, but it 
did come to an end before Rebecca was united to Isaac. 
Rebecca represents the church class, and their union 
represents the union of Christ and the Church, and at the time 
when Isaac and Rebecca were united, Sarah was dead, for we 
read that Isaac took her into Sarah, his mother's tent, 
representing that the Church, typified by Rebecca, will take 
the place of this Sarah Covenant, and the Church will be the 
power through which the Lord will bring to pass the blessing 
of the New Covenant, which will bless all the families of the 
earth. The 

{PageQlTO} 

Sarah Covenant brings forth the seed, and the Church 
operates in connection with this and will bless all families of 
the earth. 

COVENANTS-Church Re Sarah and Rebecca. 

Q170:1:: QUESTION ( 1 909)-- 1 --How could the 
Church be under the covenant typified by Sarah when she 



died before Rebecca was called to be Isaac's bride? 

ANSWER—I do not know whether Rebecca was called 
to be Isaac's bride before or after Sarah died; I do not recall 
anything in the text which says that Sarah was dead when 
Abraham sent his servant to get a bride for Isaac. My 
recollection is that when the bride had come, he took her into 
Sarah's tent. 

COVENANTS-Sarah vs. Abrahamic. 

Q170:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Is the Sarah 
Covenant as complete as the Abrahamic Covenant? 

ANSWER--The Sarah Covenant is the Abrahamic 
Covenant in its highest and special sense; it was the 
Abrahamic Covenant. The other was merely a supplemental 
arrangement 

COVENANTS-Re Bringing Forth Seeds. 

Q170:3:: QUESTION (1909)--3--If the Sarah Covenant 
brings forth the spiritual seed, how can it be stated that both 
seeds are brought forth under the Abrahamic Covenant? 

ANSWER--It can be stated in this way that the 
Abrahamic Covenant included particularly the spiritual seed, 
but that it shadowed forth an earthly seed also, as representing 
just the way that it will be fulfilled; Christ and the Church 
being the spiritual seed and through them all the blessing 
should come, first to the earthly seed, and then to all the 
families of the earth who will become the seed of Abraham. 

Under the New Covenant, God's blessing will not be to all 
nations, but merely to one nation, the seed of Abraham, as 
Jer. 31:31 says, "After those days I will make a new covenant 
with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah," not 
with Egypt, Persia, etc., but with Israel, and this New 
Covenant with Israel will not be applicable to other nations, 
but only to Israel, because it is the seed of Abraham according 
to the flesh. The Abrahamic Covenant reflecting the light and 
blessing through the New Covenant by His will or testament 
through death, gives the blessing of restitution to the nation of 
Israel, and then, through the nation of Israel, it will be made 
applicable to as many as will come in'. 

You remember what the Scriptures tell us about that 
Millennial time at its beginning; they intimate that the 
nations at that time will be taking notice of Israel, and God's 
special blessings to Israel. "The Law shall go forth from Zion 
(Spiritual Israel), and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem 
(Natural Israel)." The nations of the world will be looking on 
and seeing God's blessings with Israel, will say, "Come, let us 



go up to the mountain of the Lord's house, He will teach us 
His way, we also will walk in His paths." The nations of the 
world will see that all of God's blessings are coming to the 
nation of Israel and they will want a share also, and it shall 
come to pass that the nation that will not go up to walk in the 
Lord's way, and hear His word, upon that nation there shall be 
no rain. The word 

{PageQlTl} 

"rain" represents all the blessings of restitution, coming from 
the refreshing showers of God's mercies, health, strength and 
deliverance from the pests of the earth, the thorns and thistles, 
and sickness shall not be upon the nations, and this new 
arrangement will be under the rule of the Ancient Worthies. 
Nothing will appeal to people more than practical facts. They 
will be dying still, and life will be only where the New 
Covenant goes, and will be only for those who come under 
the New Covenant arrangement, and as these many nations 
see the blessings of those under the New Covenant, they will 
desire also to come in, and this is God's arrangement; that, 
whosoever will may come in that they may all become 
Israelites; and so, at the end of the Millennial Age, the whole 
world will be Israelites, and the whole world will be the seed. 
Abraham then, as it is written, will be the "father of many 
nations." 

COVENANTS-Re Cancellation of Sins. 

Q171:1:: QUESTION (1909)--l--(Rom. 11:27,28.) 
"For this is the Covenant unto them when I shall take away 
their sins. As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for 
your sake, but as touching the election, they are beloved for 
the Father's sake." If the sins are to be taken away at the 
time the Covenant is established, and the Covenant is 
established in the beginning of the Millennial Age, would that 
apply that individuals living in the Millennium had their sins 
canceled without faith in Christ? 

ANSWER--I answer. No. What is done at the 
beginning of the Millennial Age is that a provision is made 
for those people under the conditions of that New Covenant. 
That does not hinder their wills operating; they can resist if 
they will. Only by becoming in harmony with that New 
Covenant can they get the blessing. The first thing the Lord 
will do will be to remove their blindness. That means they 
will see, and when they see and look upon Him whom they 
have pierced, then if the spirit of prayer and supplication is 



upon them and they turn to the Lord, as the Apostle represents 
that they will do, then those coming into harmony with the 
New Covenant arrangements, God will forgive their sins and 
remember their iniquities no more and will graciously deal 
with them as if they had not crucified the Son of God. As 
they respond more and more. He will take away their stony 
hearts and give them a heart of flesh. That will not be done 
instantaneously, for it will take time. I should not wonder if it 
would be years after they come to the Lord before they will 
come back into the tender condition of heart, forgiving one 
another even as God for Christ's sake forgave them. 

COVENANTS-Laws Under the New. 

Q171:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-If the New Covenant 
is to be a Law Covenant, what kind of laws will be in force; 
will they be similar to the Mosaic laws? 

ANSWER—I understand the Mosaic Law will be the 
law itself, in round numbers. The Mosaic Law, we may 
assume, is the very simplest law that God could give. God 
could have higher requirements, but I do not know how He 
could bring down His law to any simpler statements. Our 
Lord quoted from Deuteronomy, "Thou shall love the Lord 
thy 

{PageQ172} 

God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all 
thy might." That is the whole law and you cannot make it any 
less, and I do not see how you could make it much higher. 
That is the law the whole world will be under during the 
Millennial Age; they must all come up to that standard at the 
end of the Millennial Age or they will not be ready for eternal 
life. 

COVENANTS-Re New Covenant and Olive Tree. 

Q172:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--If natural Israel is to 
be grafted into the good olive tree from which they were 
broken off, does not this prove that the New Covenant was 
complete in Jesus? If not, how can they be grafted into 
something which had no existence before their blindness is 
removed? 

ANSWER— I answer that this good olive tree was in 
existence long before Jesus came into the world. So this good 
olive tree was not this New Covenant arrangement, but 
represented God's favor to Israel as the seed of Abraham. 
God's promise was the root of the tree and was made to 



Abraham, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be 
blessed." This natural seed of Abraham was the holy nation, 
and had these been in a right condition of mind and heart to 
receive the Lord and the Truth, he would have received them 
and then they would have been the Spiritual Israel by 
remaining in this olive tree. They were already in, as we tried 
to illustrate before. The root of the whole matter was in the 
Covenant made with Abraham. As a result, the Jewish nation 
had sprung up and God had promised that that nation, a holy 
people, should be his power for the blessing of the world. 
The Apostle explains that many of them were broken off 
because of unbelief, but they were not cast off forever, only 
until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in; some were 
allowed to remain. The Apostle John said in his Gospel, "To 
a many as received him to them gave he power (or liberty) to 
become sons of God." They still remained in the olive tree, 
still natural children of Abraham. By coming into Christ they 
were transferred and became members of spiritual Israel. We 
were all Gentiles by nature, all grafted into the same spiritual 
seed, so that we make the antitypical spiritual Israel 
mentioned in Revelation 7, where we read about the 144,000, 
12,000 out of each of the 12 tribes. We do not know how 
many of those who received our Lord during his ministry in 
the three and a half years belonged to the different tribes. 
There were several thousand at Pentecost, and each one 
belonged to one of the 12 tribes. Paul, you remember, 
described himself as belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, but 
probably more of them were of the tribe of Judah, no matter 
where they belong, that number, 144,000, is to be made up 
and Gentiles will be brought in to make it complete or whole. 
Now if they abide not in unbelief, God is able to graft them in 
again, but they must come in just the way the Gentiles come 
in, for they have no patent or inside way. Those who 
remained then were in due time transferred into Christ before 
the host of Israel was cast off, they abide, but if once broken 
off, they would have just the same process of engrafting as if 
they were Gentiles. In other words, the Jew has no advantage 
over the Gentile and has had no advantage since they were 
broken off, but before they were broken off they did have an 
advantage. 



{PageQ173} 

COVENANTS-Law Covenant Re Jews. 

Q173:1:: QUESTION (1910) 1 Did the Law 
Covenant end at the cross, or is it still in operation upon the 
Jews? 

ANSWER— I answer, that it did not end at the cross, it 
has not yet ended, it will not end until the New Law Covenant 
with its better Mediator supersedes, or takes the place, of the 
Old Law Covenant. That is the only way the Jew can get out 
from under the bondage of his covenant. So the Apostle says. 
They are shut up unto it. There is no other way of getting out 
from under it. Now look! The way any Jew got into Christ 
was by becoming dead to the Law; he must renounce all hope 
in the Law and die to it, that he might be married and joined 
to another, even to Christ. So the Jews who did not do it, and 
have not done it, are still under the Law, and the only way to 
get out from under it is to die to it. They will have to stay 
under it until the better Mediator takes the place of the typical 
one, and the other antitypical things shall be brought in. 

COVENANTS-Law Offer to Jews. 

Q173:2:: QUESTION (1910)-2-What does the Law 
Covenant now offer the Jews, seeing that Christ by his 
obedience captured the prize? 

ANSWER-The prize is gone. Just as if a race-course 
was open and you were a runner, there was just the one prize, 
and suppose you ran along that race-course and you were the 
one that won that prize. Others might run around it for a year 
and they would not get a prize. So it is with the Jews. They 
can keep on running and running, but the prize is gone, as far 
as the Law Covenant is concerned. 

A Brother : —Brother Russell, the friends seem to think they 
can see you better if you get up higher, in the pulpit. (Brother 
Russell had been standing down on the floor in front of the 
pulpit, as the pulpit was one of the old-fashioned ones, in 
fact, it is reputed to be the identical pulpit which Whitfield 
formerly occupied.) 

Brother Russell :— Friends, come up higher. (Much 
clapping of hands.) 

Brother Russell :— I can't look down on all of you. (Some of 
us were under the gallery, so he could not look down upon us, 
the pulpit was so high he could look down upon the rest.) 



COVENANTS-Jews Under Old Have Prayers Heard. 

Q173:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3--Could any Jew under 
the Old Law Covenant have direct intercourse with the Lord 
in prayer? John taught his disciples to pray. 

ANSWER— Yes, in the sense that they who recognized 
the Law Covenant and its Mediator Moses, or those who sat 
in Moses' seat and who represented the institutions Moses had 
made and established, and which were included in the Temple 
and all the privileges of the Jews upon the Day of Atonement 
and the year following. In that typical sense they were 
brought near to God and treated as though fully reconciled, 
although at the end of the year they were recognized as not 
being in harmony with him, the type had to be gone through 
with again. Our Lord tells us that two men went up to the 
Temple to pray, etc. Jesus says, I tell you that that publican 
and sinner went down to his house justified rather than the 
other man. So you see, in that sense 

{PageQ174} 

of the word, the whole Jewish people were in a prayerful 
relationship to the Lord; they were all consecrated; "they were 
all baptized into Moses in the sea and in the cloud." They 
had the benefit of those institutions on their behalf. Others, 
not Jews, did not have the privilege of having God hear their 
prayers. 

Let us remind you respecting Cornelius, who was a just 
man. He prayed always, and gave much alms to the people, 
-three very important points-but his prayers could not come 
up to God until after the Jewish dispensation had ended, and 
"the middle wall" had been removed. Then his prayers and 
alms came up before God. As the result the Lord sent an 
angel to him who said. Your prayers and alms have come up; 
send for one Peter, when he shall come he shall tell you the 
words that shall be to the saving of thyself and thy people. 

COVENANTS-Moses and the Law Covenant. 

Q174:1:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-l-Was Moses out 
from under Adamic Condemnation? 

ANSWER— If he was a member of the Jewish nation 
then he was in this special covenant-relationship with God. 
Adam, when he sinned, lost his covenant standing with God 
and was sentenced to death. God made a new arrangement 
with the Seed of Abraham, that he would enter into a 
Covenant with them as though they were perfect; and to this 
end Moses became their mediator. We have every reason to 



suppose that Moses was also a participator in the arrangement 

as well as being the mediator of it. So we suppose that Moses 

was under the Law the same as were his successors, and this 

Covenant, by its arrangement year by year continually, not 

only put them, at the first, in this condition of typical 

justification or covenant-relationship with God, but it gave 

them a whole year of that favorable condition; and only at the 

end of the year, when the period for which the sacrifice had 

been offered had lapsed, were they no longer in covenant-relationship 

with God. Then they put on sackcloth and ashes 

and, like the remainder of the world, they were sinners, under 

condemnation, but under more condemnation than the rest of 

the world because they had the additional condemnation of 

the Law. 

We understand, then, that if Moses could have kept the Law 
under that Covenant, God would have been bound to give him 
eternal life according to the promise~"He that doeth these 
things shall live by them." God did not say anything about 
Christ or believing in Christ or anything of that kind; merely, 
he that doeth these things shall have eternal life by doing 
them. And so we think that this promise applied to Moses 
and all the Israelites under the Law, and still applies to the 
Jews. And we believe God would give eternal life to anyone 
who could do those things perfectly, but this offer was made 
only to the Jews. They were out from Adamic condemnation 
in that tentative sense; not that they had escaped, for since 
they still bore unchanged the same imperfections as the 
remainder of the children of Adam, they could not do what 
they wished to do; as the Apostle says, "We cannot do the 
things that we would." So they had a condemnation as a 
people which other nations did not have. Adam, individually, 
had been sentenced to 

{PageQ175} 

death. His children did not have, individually, that 
condemnation. They were born' in "prison" -in this death 
condition. But in the case of the Jews, God treated them as 
though they had been separated from the remainder of the 
world. 

It was as if they had said, "We did not do anything wrong, 
Lord; why do you not give us a chance?" 

"I will give you a chance; I will give you my Law to keep." 

"What will you give us if we keep your Law perfectly?" 

"I will give you eternal life." 

"We will keep it. We agree to keep your Law, and you 



agree to give us life." So, then, these children of Adam, the 
Jews, who, like the rest of the world, were not on individual 
trial previously, and had not, therefore, been sentenced as 
individuals, but were merely sharing the effect of Adam's 
condemnation—all these Jews were now put on trial for life, 
and when they failed it meant a special penalty upon them, 
because they now had an individual trial and failed. 
Therefore, we see that it was necessary that the Jew, under 
this second condemnation, or this individual trial and 
individual condemnation, should all be under Moses as the 
Mediator, so that Christ could take the place of this Mediator 
and effect something for that nation. Moses was merely 
typical of the better Mediator. Therefore, since they were in 
that Mediator, who was only a type of Christ, God was 
merely showing to them in a typical way what he will do for 
them by and by, when Christ will be Mediator of their New 
(Law) Covenant. ~Jer. 31:31. 

COVENANTS-Discussion After Division. 

Q175:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--In studying on the 
covenants along the lines we have received from the Watch 
Tower, we find certain subjects seem to bring up a division in 
the class when we touch on the mediator. Would you think it 
wise to continue that service if we found that those divisions 
came up or should we drop the studies and take up something 
else? 

ANSWER—I would think the subject of the covenants 
would be a very proper subject to discuss, and that if any 
regular brother of the class were present and had some 
different views, that it would be very proper to give him the 
opportunity to express what he had to say, but not with a view 
to his continuing to express it and continuing to interrupt the 
class at every session. If he has something to say, and is able 
to say it in a manner that would be interesting, allow him to 
have his way, because he would have that right you see, 
justly; as a member of the class he has a right to be heard, but 
if it be so that the majority of the class are not in favor of his 
presentation, and do not wish him to continue presenting it, 
then I think the brother should be asked to discontinue his 
side of the question, saying. Brother, we gave you a good 
opportunity and the class heard what you have to say, and 
they do not care to have it further considered, and you will 
please therefore not interrupt our studies on the subject. And 
I would go right along with the lesson and discuss the matter 
in harmony with the wishes of the class. If, however, the 
class, as a whole, wishes to discontinue the subject, I would 



{PageQ176} 

know nothing else to do than to follow the instructions of the 
class, understanding that the class has the deciding voice in 
every matter. 

COVENANTS-Blotting Out Handwriting. 
Q176:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--"He blotted out the 
handwriting of ordinances which was against us and took it 
out of the way." Would this mean that the Law covenant is 
now ended? 

ANSWER—This handwriting of ordinance was against 
us. Who are the "us"? The us are those who have accepted 
Christ. The handwriting of ordinance is still over the Jews, 
and they are still obligatory. Whatsoever the Law says, it 
says to them that are under Law. There is no way to get out 
from it. They are shut up under it. At the end of this age he 
will bring in the New Law Covenant, which will swallow up 
the Old Law Covenant. 

COVENANTS-Jesus' Development. 

Q176:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-Was Jesus developed 
under the the Law Covenant, or the Abrahamic Covenant, or 
both? 

ANSWER— We answer that Jesus was born under the 
Law Covenant, and therefore obligated to keep the Law, and 
he did keep the Law, but the Law would never have made him 
the spiritual seed of Abraham. He was of the natural seed of 
Abraham by virtue of Mary's being a child of Abraham and so 
was related to Abraham. 

But in order to be the seed of Abraham to bless all the 
families of the earth, he would have to be more than the 
natural seed of Abraham according to the flesh; because, 
according to the flesh he would never have been able to give 
eternal life. The most that Jesus could do would be to keep 
the law and have eternal life for himself, and then he would 
assist others. If so, Jesus as a perfect man, under the Law, 
approved by the Law as worthy of eternal life, as the man 
Jesus, as such he had a right, he was entitled to all the right 
and privileges that Adam had, and no more, and no less. That, 
however, would not permit him to be the great seed of 
Abraham on the spiritual plane. He must get to the spiritual 
plane before he could give the blessings. How did he get on 
that plane? I answer, under the Abrahamic Covenant. But 



how? In this way: God's offer to Jesus, according to the flesh, 
was that if he offered himself a living sacrifice, then his 
earthly rights would constitute an asset. It would be a thing 
of value, something that belonged to him, something that he 
could use. So, when Jesus kept the Law and merely laid 
down his life in obedience to the Father's will, that sacrifice 
was something to his credit, and the Father rewarded his 
obedience by giving him the new nature. He became a new 
creature before he arose from the dead, as soon as he was 
begotten of the spirit, as soon as he made a consecration of 
his earthly nature at Jordan, when he said, Lo, I come, as it is 
written in the volume of the Book, I delight to do thy will. 
There was the place where the Father recognized him and 
begot him of the Holy Spirit, and he became the Royal Priest 
of the new nation, and therefore he became perfect at his 
resurrection, and became the Lord of Glory, who is to bless 
you and me and all of the race. What will this High Priest do 
for the people? He has something to do with now. What is 
that? He has his earthly nature. 

{PageQ177} 

How? It belongs to him, he laid it down at Jordan, and 
finished his sacrifice at Calvary when he cried, "It is 
finished." It is complete and to his credit and is in the 
Father's hands. What is the value of it? It is the ransom price 
for the sins of the whole world. Has he paid it over for the 
world? Oh, no, not for the world. It is in the hands of justice 
and he can determine when it will be paid over. It is just the 
same as if you had some money in a bank, and when you turn 
it over you do not pay it to anyone, but when you send a 
check telling the bankers to pay it over, then it is paid over. 
Meantime, it lays in the banker's hands to your credit. So 
Christ's sacrifice has lain in the Father's hands for more than 
eighteen centuries. When will he use it? At the end of this 
age, for then he will apply it for the sins of all mankind and 
God will accept it and forthwith will turn over the whole 
world of mankind to Jesus and they will be subject to him in 
everything pertaining to the earth and his Kingdom will begin, 
for the purpose of lifting up the world, for which Christ has 
died, and for which he will in due time apply the merit of his 
sacrifice. What is he doing with his sacrifice in the 
meantime? He is using it in another way. He says, your 
sacrifice will not be acceptable, for you have not a sufficiency 
of merit for the Father to accept it. He says, I will add to your 
sacrifice enough of my merit, already in the Father's hands, to 



make your sacrifice acceptable to the Father, and as soon as 
he accepts your sacrifice then you are counted dead as a 
human being, and you are a new creature. So it has gone on 
all through this Gospel Age. This makes all of the sacrifice of 
the Church acceptable in God's sight, both of the Little Flock 
and the Great Company, all who make a consecration. It is 
the only condition upon which the Father accepts any of our 
sacrifices, the only condition for receiving the holy Spirit. If 
any fail to sacrifice, it becomes a matter of the destruction of 
the flesh, rather than of sacrifice. Jesus was developed under 
the Law Covenant as the man Christ Jesus, but as the New 
Creature he was developed and got to that position under the 
Abrahamic Covenant, by virtue of presenting his body a 
living sacrifice. Notice the Scriptures say, speaking of the 
Church, "Gather together my saints unto me, those who have 
made a covenant with me by sacrifice." Who are they? The 
word "saint" means "holy one." Who will these saints be? 
First of all, the great saint Jesus, the Holy One of all, the one 
who was actually perfect to begin with, and became the High 
Priest on the Divine plane by virtue of his sacrifice. Then all 
the other holy ones who come in walking in his footsteps, 
sacrificing as he sacrificed, and associated with him, 
following in his footsteps. All these are the holy ones, the 
Lord's jewels, and he is now making these up. That is the 
only way Jesus became the spiritual seed of Abraham, by the 
sacrifice of his earthly nature. That is the only way you and I 
can become members of the spiritual seed of Abraham. 
Others will not be of the spiritual class at all. 

COVENANTS-Miscellaneous Questions. 

Q177:1:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-1- (1) Please explain 
Heb. 9:15, viz.. Revised Version~"And for this cause he is 
the mediator of a New Covenant, 

{PageQ178} 

that a death having taken place for the redemption of the 
transgressions that were under the first Covenant, they that 
have been called may revive the promise of the 

eternal inheritance." 

(2) I understand the Man Christ Jesus, by the sacrifice of 
his human life, paid the ransom price for the whole world. 

(3) Then he could offer his "footstep followers" a share in 
that sacrifice. 

(4) If he did not then at his death seal the New Covenant 
with his blood and become mediator of that New Covenant, 



could he offer the Church a share in his mediatorial work? 

(5)1 understand the New Covenant is the law of love; 
am I right? 

(6) Please explain John 13:34— "A new commandment I 
give unto you, that ye love one another." Was it a forerunner 
of the New Covenant he was about to seal for them? 

For convenience we have numbered the items above, and 
will now number our replies to correspond. 

(1) This text shows a contrast between the old Law 
Covenant and the New (Law) Covenant. The original or 
Abrahamic Covenant, under which Christ and his Body as the 
Spiritual Seed of Abraham is being developed, is not in the 
discussion. The Apostle wrote to those who still trusted in 
the Law Covenant and declared that it was necessary, not 
only to believe in Christ, but also to keep the Law and to be 
circumcised, in order to have any Divine favor. This the 
Apostle is controverting as untrue. He shows that the Law 
Covenant mediated by Moses was typical of a superior New 
Covenant, of which Messiah is the Mediator. 

Moses' Covenant was already dead, to the extent that 
the prize it offered had been won by Jesus. It is still alive, 
however, upon all the Jews as a bondage from which they 
could get free only in one of two ways; either by dying to the 
Law Covenant and to all of its hopes and prospects and 
renouncing all earthly restitution rights and thus becoming a 
joint-heir with Christ as a member of Messiah's Body during 
this Gospel Age; or, accepting the other alternative, get free 
from the old Law Covenant by transfer, when the New (Law) 
Covenant shall go into effect as its substitute, at the beginning 
of the Millennium. Then all Jews and their appurtenances 
will be transferred from Moses, the incompetent mediator to 
the Messiah of glory, the competent Mediator of the better 
Covenant, whose provisions will bless Israel and all the 
families of the earth willing to come in under its benevolent 
provisions. 

This text has no reference to any except Jews who were 
under the old Law Covenant. It does not at all refer to 
Gentiles. It shows that God's provision is that Messiah is the 
Mediator of Israel's New Covenant and that his death, when 
so applied, will be sufficient to cancel the transgressions of 
Israel under their old Law Covenant. This will make it 
possible for them as a nation yet to attain the earthly part of 
the Abrahamic Covenant's provision for Abraham's earthly 
seed, as the sand of the sea shore. Thus eventually Israel as 
God's "called" nation will receive all that they ever expected— 
and more. Israel's promises were not heavenly or spiritual. 



but earthly: "All the land that thou seest, to thee 
(Abraham) will I give it, and to thy seed after 

{PageQ179} 

thee"; and as the chief nation of earth they were to teach all 
nations "every man under his own vine and fig tree." 

Those promises are sure as God's word. They merely wait 
until the "Mystery" of a multitudinous Mediator shall be 
finished (in sacrifice and in resurrection glory.) Then the 
"Mystery" Mediator will have sealed Israel's New 
Covenant by his death as its Testator. Then the "called" 
nation of Israel will "receive the eternal inheritance" for 
which they have waited more than thirty-five centuries. St 
Paul explains this further in Rom. 11:17-29,31. 

(2) As elsewhere shown, our Lord's sacrifice did not pay 
for the sins of the world, but did provide the ransom price 
which he will later present to Justice on behalf of the sins of 
the world. 

(3) Your argument is not logical. If our Lord had finished 
his work of sacrifice he could not give his footstep followers 
a share therein. 

(4) The Scriptures nowhere say that our Lord sealed the 
New Covenant with his blood. Neither was it necessary for 
him to seal the New Covenant before he would be its 
Mediator. He was the Mediator of the New Covenant in the 
Divine purpose and promise centuries before he became the 
man Christ Jesus. He was the Mediator of the New Covenant 
when born in Bethlehem in exactly the same sense that he 
was then the Savior of the world: not because he had sealed 
the New Covenant nor because he had saved the world, but 
because he was the One through whom the world's salvation 
and the New Covenant for its blessing were eventually to be 
accomplished. 

Our Lord has not yet saved the world, nor has he acted as 
the Mediator of the New Covenant but he will accomplish 
both purposes during the Millennial Age; and at its conclusion 
the prophecy will be fulfilled, "He shall see of the travail of 
his soul and shall be satisfied." Our Lord was privileged to 
offer his Church a share with himself in his Mediatorial 
Kingdom on condition that she would share in his cup of 
suffering and self- sacrifice— share in his baptism into his 
death. So doing she shall share his reward of glory, honor 
and immortality in "his resurrection." 
(Phil. 3:10.) And sharing his glory and throne as his joint- 
sacrificer and joint-heir of the promise she would be with him 



jointly the Mediator between God and men—the world—during 
the Millennial Age— the work of reconciling the world, or so 
many of them as may prove willing to receive the blessing of 
regeneration. 

(5) You are not right. There is a difference between a 
covenant and the law of a covenant. God's Law given to 
Israel summarized was, "Thou shall love the Lord thy God 
with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy being and 
with all thy strength; and thou shall love thy neighbor as 
thyself." That Law is perfect and will be the basis or Law of 
the New Covenant. Moses as a Mediator under his Covenant 
purposed to help Israel to keep that Law, and God covenanted 
to give them eternal life, if they would do so. But they were 
unable to keep that Law perfectly in act and thought and 
word, and hence they reaped its condemnation of death 
and not its proffered blessing of life. Under that Covenant 
Moses was privileged to arrange sacrifices and offerings for 
sin, and thus year by year so cleanse the 

{PageQlSO} 

people for a year at a time from their original condemnation. 
But he had no means of actually blotting out their sins and no 
power or right to actually restore them to perfection and 
ability to keep that Law. 

The New Covenant will have the same Law exactly, but the 
Mediator having by then paid over to Justice the ransome-price 
of the world, secured by his own sacrificial death, will 
then have full charge of mankind and be fully empowered to 
deal mercifully with their imperfections and to help them step 
by step out of their sin and death condition back to perfection, 
and to cut off the rebellious in the Second Death. At the close 
of the Millennium he will present the willing and obedient to 
the Father actually perfect. 

Thus it will be seen that God's dealings with mankind under 
the typical Law Covenant, and under its antitype the New 
Covenant, is along the lines of actual obedience to the 
Divine Law, and not along the lines of reckoned obedience 
through faith. As obedience to the old Law Covenant held the 
reward of human perfection and life, so the rewards of the 
New (Law) Covenant will be similar— eternal life or eternal 
death. 

Quite to the contrary of both of these arrangements, the 
Church is now called to a "heavenly calling" under the 
Abrahamic Covenant— to the members of the Body of Christ, 
who, with Jesus her Head, will constitute the Mediator of the 



New Covenant. The Church is "not under Law, but under 
grace," not judged according to the flesh and earthly 
restitution, but judged according to the heart and intention; 
and required to sacrifice restitution rights to the 
attainment of "the high calling" life and glory on the spirit 
plane as members of the Mediator of the New Covenant. 

(6) No, that "New Commandment" represents a higher law 
than was given to the Jew under the Law Covenant, hence 
higher also than will be given to Israel and mankind under 
the New Covenant. The New Commandment mentioned by our 
Lord is not the Father's commandment at all, but the 
command of our Head, our Teacher, to all those who have 
entered the School of Christ and who are hoping to become 
"members" of the Anointed One—members of the Mediator, 
Prophet, Priest and King of the new dispensation. Justice 
could not give this new command: all that Justice could 
command is expressed in the Law given to Israel, namely, 
supreme love for God and love for the neighbor as for one's 
self. This new commandment which the Lord gave applies 
only to the Church of this Gospel Age. In effect it is this: 
If you would be my disciples, if you would share my throne 
and glory and immortality, you must have my spirit. You must 
do more than keep the Law. You must be more than 
just. You must be self-sacrificing. If you would share my 
glory I command and direct that you love one another as I 
have loved you. (John 15:12.) I have loved you to the 
extent of laying down my life for you sacrificially. You 
must have this same spirit and cast in your lot with me in 
self-sacrifice, or you cannot be my disciples, nor share my 
glory, and associate in my work as the Mediator for the bles- 
sing of Israel and mankind. Whosoever will be my disciple must 
take up his cross and follow me, that where I am there shall 
my disciple be. Surely no one can doubt the Savior's 
meaning—my disciples must die with me. 

{PageQlSl} 

COVENANTS-Abrahamic, Sarah, Sacrificial. 

Q181 :1 :: QUESTION (1910)-l-What is the difference 
between the Abrahamic covenant, the Sarah covenant and the 
covenant of Sacrifice? 

ANSWER— I answer, that the Abrahamic covenant is 
the term which is more comprehensive than the other terms. 
The Abrahamic covenant, you remember, declares that all the 
families of the earth shall be blessed, but that they shall be 
blessed through the seed of Abraham. Now there are two 



features. It implies a blesser, the Abrahamic seed, and also 
a blessing, through that seed, to all the families of the earth, 
so that the Abrahamic promise really covers everything God 
intends ever to do both to the New Creature on the spirit 
plane and to the human family on the earthly plane. But, 
following the Apostle's guidance in the matter as he has 
outlined in his epistle to the Galatians, we see that this 
Abrahamic promise has various features or divisions. It was 
first offered to Israel through the Abrahamic covenant, which 
was the law covenant, as the Apostle explains. It was the 
Abrahamic covenant, for it was Abraham who begot Ishmael 
and it was Abraham who begot Isaac; so you see it is the 
Abrahamic covenant that brings forth these two classes. First 
the Jewish nation, under the Jewish law, represented by the 
Hagar wife, the mother of that seed, Ishmael, part of the seed 
of Abraham, but not the seed of Abraham, because it was 
said, "In Isaac thy seed shall be called." The special one 
through whom the blessing is to come to all the families of 
the earth will not be Ishmael, but Isaac. 

The mother of Isaac was Sarah, and the Apostle, in 
Galatians, points out that Sarah was a type of our covenant by 
which God brings forth the Isaac class, and then says, "We 
brethren, as Isaac was, are children of the promise." We take 
the place of Isaac. Now who are we? Well, we are to share 
with the Lord Jesus, who is the head over the church, which is 
his body, and the whole church composes this Isaac seed of 
Abraham, through which all the families of the earth are to be 
blessed. First the natural seed of Abraham, and subsequently 
all the other nations. 

Now what has this to do with the covenant of sacrifices? I 
answer, the covenant of sacrifice is the same as the Sarah 
covenant. It was Isaac who was offered upon the altar, you in 
remember; it was Isaac that was received again from the dead 
a figure, so it is the whole antitypical Isaac (Jesus the head 
and the church his body) that are offered upon the altar, and 
are received again from the dead in the first resurrection, and 
these, then, will constitute the spiritual seed of Abraham, 
through whom the blessings will go to all natural Israel and to 
the world. Why is it a covenant by sacrifice? Because it is 
not possible in God's arrangement for it to be any other way. 
See? Our Lord Jesus, according to the flesh, was of the seed 
of Abraham, and according to the flesh he was born under the 
law, and he was obedient unto the law, and under all that he 
could do as a man, but he could not fulfill the things God had 
declared would be fulfilled by the seed of Abraham. 

Suppose we imagine that Jesus had remained a man, perfect. 



unblemished, in every sense of the word perfect, in full 
loyalty to righteousness and to God; suppose he had remained 

{PageQ182} 

in that condition, without making a sacrifice of his human 
nature, and died the just for the unjust, he would have had a 
right to life because God's law promised, "He that doeth these 
things shall live by them." Therefore, Jesus, obedient to the 
divine law, would have entitled him to the right of everlasting 
life as long as he maintained that obedience, and he would 
have been the greatest of all, the greatest of the whole earth. 
He might have been a great king, far greater than Solomon, 
for he had a wisdom and power beyond anything that Solomon had, 
and a right to all that Adam possessed and lost. "Unto thee 
shall it come, O thou prince of the flock, even the first 
dominion." The dominion that Adam had and lost. It came 
to the one who would keep the law and he would have a right 
to all the blessings God gave to mankind originally. But 
what could he have done with the whole human family? O, 
indeed, he might have told them to eat this kind of food, and 
beware how they would sleep, how to do this, that and the 
other thing; he might have given very wise suggestions, wiser 
than any we have from our learned physicians and surgeons; 
also wise suggestions about government, etc. He might have 
had power to make certain laws and to enforce those laws, but 
what of it? At very most, humanity might have been improved 
but a little bit, but never could have had eternal life, 
because all were sentenced to death, because "Dying, thou 
shall die." And that sentence of death must be removed before 
mankind could possibly be released from it. Therefore, had 
Jesus as the man Jesus exerted himself and assumed the power 
of a king of the earth, he would have failed to accomplish 
the things that God foretold would be accomplished as the 
seed of Abraham; he would not have been the seed of Abraham 
and could not have fulfilled that promise. What then? God 
directed the matter, and so God set before him the great 
and glorious prize of the high calling, that he might be 
not only the king of the earth, but king on a higher plane; 
not only a priest and king among men, but a glorified priest 
on the spirit plane, combining the office of king and priest, 
after the order of Melchisedec, or typed by Melchisedec. So 
this was the promise set before him that he should not only 
have the promise of blessing mankind, but eventually he might 
be associated with the father throughout all eternity, 
he might be made partaker of the divine nature. 



Jesus accepted that proposition, and without knowing at the 
time all that it would cost, he said, "I delight to do thy will, O 
my God." I have come to do thy will, all that is written in the 
book. What book? O, the book of the divine will, the book 
that is represented in Revelation by the scroll, written on the 
inside and on the outside, and sealed with the seven seals. He 
came to do the Father's will. The Father's will was already 
established before the foundation of the world, and Jesus 
came to do the Father's will—everything found written in the 
book, whatever it might be. Then there was another book in 
which these things were written, the books of the Old 
Testament, all the various books. Genesis, the Prophets, the 
Psalms, etc. They were all a part of the great book that God 
had dictated to the prophets, who wrote as they were moved 
by the Holy Spirit, and no man knew the meaning of those 
things; and, as the Apostle Peter tells us 

{PageQ183} 

even the angels desired to look into these things, but knew not 
the meaning of those prophecies, and our Lord Jesus, when he 
came in the flesh, knew not the meaning of them. Why? 
Because as St. Paul explains it, it is impossible for anyone to 
know, except as they were specially enlightened by the Holy 
Spirit, and our Lord Jesus, as the perfect man, who had left 
the heavenly glory and became man, that he might become 
our redemption price, was not permitted to know those things, 
because St. Paul says, "The natural man (even though perfect) 
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he 
know them, for they are spiritually discerned." So our Lord 
Jesus, when he went forth at thirty years of age and gave 
himself at Jordan, laying down his life, saying, I delight to do 
thy will, O God, everything that is written in the book, he was 
speaking about things which be did not know, because he did 
not know the meaning of them. He did not know the purpose 
of the sin-offering, and of the scapegoat, and the meaning of 
the types of the goat and the lamb, and the eating of it, and 
the sprinkling of its blood, and the shew -bread and all of 
those wonderful types. He did not know and could not know, 
because they were all sealed and in the Father's hands. They 
were not for him to know until first he would show his 
absolute confidence in the great Creator, the Heavenly Father, 
by giving up all that be had to do the Father's will, everything 
written in the book. You remember he came to John at 
Jordan and would symbolize his consecration of his all, and 
was buried symbolically in the water, indicating full 



submission of his manhood, even unto death, to do the 
Father's will. Then he was raised symbolically from the 
water, to indicate the rising to the new nature to which God 
had declared he should come. Then what? O, you remember, 
that as he went up out of the water the heavens were opened 
up, the great illumination of the higher things. The word 
heavens in both the Greek and Hebrew signifies "higher 
things." And in this case the higher things would be these 
spiritual truths, the higher things that he had not seen before, 
the things that eye and ear have not seen and heard, neither 
entered into the heart of man, etc. They were the things God 
had written in the book centuries upon centuries ago, and he 
agreed to do those things. Now, then, they opened before 
him. What was the result? A wonderful illumination! In the 
same order as you have received the illumination, as Paul 
says, "You endured a great fight of afflictions after ye were 
illuminated, etc." What kind did you have, and when? I 
answer, they came as a result of your consecration, however, 
your and my illumination to our dear Redeemer. Note the 
Scriptures tell us that God gives his spirit by measure to you 
and to me when we receive the Holy Spirit by adoption. We 
have only a certain capacity, and we can receive only 
according to our capacity, and only as we get free from the 
spirit of the world can we be filled with the Holy Spirit. 
Therefore, ours is an increasing capacity, but in the case of 
our Redeemer, he was the perfect one and had full capacity, 
and there was nothing there to hinder him from receiving the 
spirit without measure. You remember how it follows that Jesus 
was led of the spirit into the wilderness. What spirit led 
him? One of the evil spirits? O no! One of the holy spirits? 
O no! It was his own spirit, his own mind 

{PageQ184} 

that led him into the wilderness. At his consecration he had 
declared that he would do all that was written in the book, 
and now that the illumination came upon him and he began to 
understand those things, everything began to be clear to him-- 
the killing of the lamb, the sprinkling of the blood, the eating 
of the lamb, the sin-offering, the blood of the bullock and 
goat, the scapegoat, etc. —all these things poured in upon him, 
all things concerning his death and resurrection. The very 
things he told his disciples about, saying, "O slow of heart to 
believe all that were written in the law and the prophets ! " All 
began to pour in upon him now, as his mind was illuminated, 
and he turned aside into the wilderness, there to have 



opportunity to see the plan of God from Genesis to Malachi. 
As a child he heard the law read in the synagogue from 
Sabbath to Sabbath, and with his perfect brain he could 
remember every word of it, doubtless quote the old Testament 
from Genesis to Malachi, but to understand it was another 
matter. Now under the illumination he could understand, and 
he wanted to get it all straight before he began his work. The 
Father was showing him what he should do. He was finding 
out what was in the book—it was a test to him. Would he be 
loyal, or would he fail? Had God made too narrow a path for 
him, and too difficult a way, and would he fail to be the 
redeemer? You remember how much the Master was 
interested in this matter. For forty days and nights he was in 
the wilderness, and so intent upon considering those 
wonderful things brought to his attention by the illumination 
of the Holy Spirit that he neither ate nor drank, and absolutely 
never thought of food; because we read, "When the forty days 
were ended he hungered." We have had the mistaken thought 
that Satan was with him and tempted him forty days, but no, 
when the forty days were ended, then came Satan. And when 
he was at this weakest point, when he saw what his sacrifice 
meant, what it involved for him, and when he saw the whole 
course of his experience marked out, then Satan was 
permitted to come and tempt him when weak from fasting, 
mentally weak. The loyalty of the Lord's heart was shown— 
his reply was, "Get thee behind me, Satan." None of your 
plans are worthy of comparing with God's plan, yet you tell 
me that you have a better plan. I tell you, I will have nothing 
to do with you. I have consecrated my life to the Lord, to do 
his will and in his service. That is worthy our attention, dear 
friends. He did not say. Let us talk it over and discuss it a 
little. No, that would have been dangerous. "Resist the 
Adversary and he will flee from you." Jesus resisted so 
thoroughly, that we do not hear that he ever thought it worth 
while to come back again. 

COVENANTS-Abrahamic Re the Mediator. 

Q184:1 :: QUESTION (1910)-l-Can you quote any 
statement in the Scriptures to the effect that the Abrahamic 
Covenant did nothave a Mediator? 

ANSWER~We answer that there is no direct statement 
in those words, nor is it necessary. What is not stated is not 
to be understood. That is a rule of all reason and logic. It is 
what is stated that is to be taken into consideration. There 
was no mediator mentioned. It is for those who claim that the 
Abrahamic Covenant had a Mediator to prove it. 



{PageQ185} 

The Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews (6th chapter) 
tried to show the strength and power of the Abrahamic 
Covenant; but he does not tell us of or point to any Mediator 
as having had charge of it. On the other hand, he does point 
to God's Word and God's oath as the foundation of that 
Covenant. He says that is was approved to us by two 
immutable things— that God could neither lie nor break his 
oath. The Apostle very particularly shows that the Law 
Covenant was added to the Abrahamic Covenant and that, 
added 430 years afterward, it had a Mediator. 

So St. Paul proceeds to explain that in the case of that 
original Covenant, because there was but one party, there was 
no need of a mediator. A mediator stands between two 
parties to see that each does his part. Moses was the 
Mediator of the Law Covenant. He stood between God and 
Israel. (Deut. 5:5.) On the one hand he represented God and 
on the other, Israel. But as respects the Abrahamic Covenant 
there was only one party. God is that One. Therefore there 
was no need of a mediator. Why not? Because God did not 
make any condition with which the Seed of Abraham would 
have to comply. He gave his oath to this covenant, instead of 
a mediator. God said I will do it; therefore there was no place 
for a mediator. And there was no mediator. The original 
Covenant did not say how many additional or subordinate 
covenants would be made. 

As to the promised seed of Abraham, God did not explain 
how he would secure to Abraham such a wonderful seed as 
would bless all the families of the earth. Abraham did not 
know how this was to be done. We know how God secures to 
Abraham this wonderful seed. He set before his Son the 
promise of a great reward. And he, for the sake of the glory 
set before him, humbled himself to become a man. When he 
left the heavenly glory he was merely preparing to fulfill the 
Covenant. He was not yet the seed of Abraham. Jesus the 
babe was of Abraham's seed according to the flesh, but not 
the seed of Abraham mentioned in the covenant. Even when 
Jesus was thirty years of age he was not the seed of Abraham 
referred to in that covenant. It was not until he voluntarily 
offered himself in consecration at Jordan that he became the 
seed of Abraham. At that very moment the seed of Abraham 
began to be represented in him— when he received the 
begetting of the holy Spirit. He reached completion as the 
Head of that Seed when on the third day he arose from the 



dead to the spirit condition. In other words, the Seed of 
Abraham was not yet in existence when God made that 
promise or covenant to Abraham. 

Then Jesus set before his followers that same joy; and when 
we consecrate similarly we enter into a covenant with God by 
sacrifice, as "members" of the Anointed One. We thus agree 
to present our bodies, to lay down our lives. And we have the 
promise that God will raise us up as the body to the same 
exalted condition of heavenly glory to which he raised our 
Redeemer and Master. "If ye be Christ's (if ye comply with 
the conditions), then are ye Abraham's Seed and heirs 
according to the promise." (Gal. 3:29.) In a certain sense 
we are already the Seed of Abraham, but not until we share 
"his (Jesus') resurrection" will we be the Seed in the complete 
sense. The first work which that Seed will do will be to 
extend this great promise that God has made 

{PageQ186} 

world-wide. Its utmost breadth will be attained by instituting 
a new covenant with Israel by which Israel may attain eternal 
life on the human plane, and all nations through Israel. 

A covenant between two parties, both contracting, requires a 
mediator. As, for instance, in the ordinary affairs of life, the 
general law of the State steps in and serves as mediator 
between all contracting parties. And so in contracts between 
God and men, it is necessary to have a mediator. But suppose 
you said to me, I intend to give you tomorrow this diamond 
ring. Should I ask. Where is the mediator? Who will 
guarantee to me that you will give me the ring? You would 
probably answer. There is no need of a mediator; it is a 
voluntary gift. And so in our Covenant of Sacrifice. It is a 
voluntary act. God has made a certain provision: "Blessed are 
your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear." We 
agree to enter into our sacrifice voluntarily and our Advocate 
agrees to help us. If we do these things that we have agreed 
to do, we get the reward—glory, honor and immortality. 

The Oath As Instead of a Mediator 

In the Abrahamic Covenant God's oath, attesting his Word, 
served to ratify the Covenant, to make it binding, to hold it 
sure. It thus took the place which might have been occupied 
by a mediator, had there been conditions mutually binding 
upon the Almighty and upon some of his people. There was 
no mediator, because, as already stated, the promise was an 



unconditional one: God proffered to do certain things—to 
provide through Abraham's posterity a seed capable of 
blessing the world. Hence no mediator was necessary. 

But notice that St. Paul, in speaking of this Abrahamic 
Covenant (Heb. 6:17), declares that God "confirmed it by an 
oath." The word here rendered confirmed is defined by 
Strong's lexicon, to interpose (as, arbiter). Young defines 
the Greek word mesiteuo, rendered confirmed in our 
text, "to be or act as a mediator." 

COVENANTS-When Will the New Go Into Effect? 

Q186:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-When will the New 
Covenant go into effect, and when will it end? 

ANSWER~It will go into effect just as soon as the 
mediator is completed--Jesus the head, and the church the 
body— as soon as the first resurrection will have been 
accomplished; and we know not how many days or weeks 
might intervene before the thing will be finally ushered in, but 
practically what it is waiting for is the completion of the 
body, the mediator, the completion of the sacrifices, and then 
his taking his great power and sealing that covenant with his 
blood, and beginning to put it into effect. We would say it 
would be very shortly after the last member of the church shall 
have finished his share in the sacrificing, and is glorified 
with his Redeemer. 

And when will it end? The new covenant will end in one 
sense of the word, with the close of the Millennial Age, when 
the mediator, having accomplished the work—having brought the 
people all up to perfection, all that are willing, and having 
destroyed the unwilling, the world then brought up to 
perfection will be turned over to the Father, and the 

{PageQ187} 

mediator will step from between. The Father has agreed to 
accept them under this new covenant arrangement, he does 
accept them, and that is the end of the new covenant-so far as 
this new covenant arrangement is concerned. But, in another 
sense of the word, there is another covenant that will continue 
after that throughout eternity. God's covenant with all 
mankind and with the angels is that if they will be obedient to 
him they will enjoy everlasting life and have all the blessings 
he has provided. So, just as soon as Jesus turns over the 
world to the Father, it is because this special covenant of 
mercy is ended, and it ends because it will have accomplished 
its work. Then he steps from between and the new covenant 



is at an end, having done its work; and the world is back in 
the hands of the Father as it was before sin entered the world. 
The Father treats the world just the same as he treated Adam. 
As he put Adam on trial, and that meant that Adam was in 
covenant relationship with God, so he will put the world on 
trial, and that will mean that the world is in covenant 
relationship with God; they will be on trial to see whether 
they will stand and personally be responsible to the conditions 
of obedience; if they will not, they will die the second death. 
It is pictured in Revelation, 20, you remember, Satan will be 
loosed, and the trial will affect the whole world of mankind, 
and as many as are disobedient will be counted to have the 
spirit of the adversary, and will be destroyed with him. All 
those who will have the spirit of obedience, and will maintain 
their covenant relationship with God, will enjoy everlasting 
life and all the blessings that God has for those who are in 
full harmony with himself. 

COVENANTS-The New Conditional or Unconditional? 

Q187:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)--1 --Is the New Covenant 
a conditional or an unconditional one? 

ANSWER~The covenant is a conditional one. That is 
shown by the fact that it has a mediator. If it were an 
unconditional covenant, it would not need a mediator. As, for 
instance, the Abrahamic covenant is unconditional and has no 
mediator, as the Apostle points out. It is all a one-sided 
covenant; or, as the lawyers say, a unilateral covenant. It is 
one-sided, or unilateral, in the sense that it is simply what 
God himself will do, without having any other condition or 
making any requirement. The new covenant, however, will 
be conditional, there will be two parts. God says, "After 
those days I will make a new covenant with the house of 
Israel and the house of Judah," and the mediator comes in. 
That mediator, God is getting ready now. Christ is the 
mediator of the new covenant-Jesus, the head of the Christ, 
and the church, the body of Christ, will be the great mediator, 
and stand between God and Israel, and all who get blessings 
through Israel. 

COVENANTS-Time of Mediation the New Covenant. 

Q187:2:: QUESTION (1908)-2-How long a time will 
the mediation of the New Covenant Godward require, and 
how long man-ward? Please, Brother Russell, do not refer 
me to Dawns. 

ANSWER— I will say, dear friends, the mediation of the 
New Covenant Godward requires all of this Gospel age. Our 



Lord Jesus began that work in His ministry; that was all 
included in what He did; when He consecrated himself it 

{PageQ188} 

was to die, and the object of that death was that it might be 
the sealing the New Covenant between God and Israel and 
mankind. The mediation of the New Covenant Godward, that 
is to say, making matters satisfactory to God in relation to the 
New Covenant, has taken all of this Gospel age. First of all, 
Jesus gave His own life, and then when He was leaving the 
world, and just finishing the matter. He represented His blood 
and His own sacrifice by the memorial cup, and said to his 
disciples, "Drink ye all of it. This is the blood of the New 
Covenant, shed for many for the remission of sins." That is 
an invitation for you and me, and all who are His disciples, to 
be sharers in the sufferings of Christ, and that is the same 
thought you remember given to the two disciples when they 
asked, "Lord, grant that we might sit, one on thy right hand 
and the other on thy left in the kingdom." Jesus said unto 
them, "Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of?" 
Are you willing? There was the condition; if they would 
drink of the cup they might sit on the throne; if they would 
not drink of the cup they could not sit on the throne. Now 
this is a matter that is going on now; if you and I become 
sharers with Christ in the sacrificing class. He accepts us, 
justifies us, gives us all the merit we have, we make a full 
consecration to Him, and do all in our power in line with that 
consecration. He says he will carry the matter through, and 
we shall be members of that glorious body, and our sacrifices 
now He will count as His own, and it will be part of His 
sacrifice; and so we read that we fill up that which is behind 
of the afflictions of Christ. This has been going on now for 
over eighteen hundred years, and they are not all filled up yet; 
and not until these afflictions of Christ, not until that 
sacrifice, is complete, will that blood of the New Covenant 
then be ready to apply at the end of this age to the sealing the 
New Covenant, to make it operative. How will it seal it? It 
will seal it God-ward. All that has gone on so far has been 
merely the preparation for the sealing of it; then as soon as 
the last member of the Church has finished his course and the 
sacrificing is all over, then it will be applied. Who will apply 
it? You? No. Me? No. Who? Why, Jesus will apply it. 
Will it be His own blood? Yes. How so? Because you are 
members of that body. Is it not His own then? "Without me 
ye can do nothing." Suppose my hand were to talk about what 



it could do. I would say, Hand, you have nothing to do with 
this at all; it is the head that does everything. 

He has given us permission, or privileges, to come in and be 
members of that body, but He is always the head over that 
body which is the Church. Now when at the end of this age 
He shall apply His blood on behalf of mankind, and thus 
settle the demands of justice against the world of mankind, it 
will be his own blood, because He has adopted you and me as 
His members, therefore whatever sacrificing you do is part of 
His, and whatever sacrificing I do it is His, because His spirit 
dwelleth in us. So it is all part of His sacrifice. As soon as 
the body of Christ is complete, and the sacrificing is complete 
then the blood of the New Covenant is applied, and as soon as 
it is applied, presented to God in the Most Holy at the end of 
this age, immediately, according to the type, the forgiveness 
of the world's sins is accompli shed, —all the Adamic sins are 
cancelled, and immediately 

{PageQ189} 

Christ takes possession of the world as the great King of 
Glory that He may bless the world. Now they are to be on 
trial; they could not be on trial until their sins were set aside, 
but just as soon as their sins are set aside, immediately they 
are on trial. So do you not see what proof we have that the 
New Covenant has not gone into effect yet. That is for the 
world, and it says so. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, 
when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel 
and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant I 
made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the 
hand to lead them out of Egypt; because they continued not in 
my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For 
this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after 
those days (What days? The Gospel days), saith the Lord: I 
will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their 
hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a 
people; and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and 
every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for all shall 
know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful 
to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities 
will I remember no more." (Heb. 8:8-12.) 

Thank God for the glorious Covenant for Israel, and through 
Israel for the whole world. Now, then, we have the two parts. 
It will take all the Millennial age to carry that out. It took 
the 1800 years of the Gospel age to accomplish the sufferings of 
the Christ, and the sprinkling of the Covenant to make it 



operative, and to seal the Covenant with the blood. Then the 
other side, manward, will take all of the thousand years to 
sprinkle the people with the truth, and to bless them, so that 
this New Covenant takes for its preparation for ratifying, the 
1800 years of the Gospel age, and the carrying out of that 
work requires all of the thousand years. It is in the Dawns. 

COVENANTS-Time of Mediating the New. 

Q189:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--Howlongis theNew 
Covenant to be mediated manward, and how long Godward? 

ANSWER— A covenant between God and men would of 
necessity need to be mediated Godward first, because until 
God's justice is satisfied, nothing could be done for mankind. 
So this new covenant is not yet mediated Godward at all. The 
great High Priest is preparing to mediate this new covenant. 
What is he doing? Well, he has been getting himself ready. 
He must be an anointed priest. The head was anointed 1,800 
years ago, the body is still in process of anointing, and not 
quite complete; the last members of the church must be 
included in that anointing before the great High Priest will be 
ready to do his work. 

Secondly, this great High Priest also offers sacrifices. He 
began with the offering of himself. He has been continuing 
his sacrificing work all down through the 1800 years of this 
age, and has not yet finished his work of offering the anti- 
typical sacrifices and not until then' will he be ready to 
offer the blood, and the blood it is that makes atonement for 
the soul. Now the blood of Christ is used here symbolically. 
We do not think for a moment that the Lord Jesus is going to 
take some literal blood into the presence of the Father. He 
will take that which blood represents. Blood symbolizes the value 
of a life that was laid down, the just for the unjust, and he 

{PageQ190} 

will make application of that sacrifice to the Father to justice. 
And this is the picture you remember in the day of atonement 
sacrifices when he sprinkled the mercy seat with the blood, that 
constitutes the satisfaction of justice. That is making the 
atonement Godward, and just as soon as that application of 
the blood at the mercy seat shall have been accomplished, 
God will be satisfied, justice will be satisfied. That will 
constitute the sealing, the completion of the new covenant, to 
the extent that the great Mediator of that new covenant will 
then be fully authorized and empowered to proceed with the 
new covenant and bring all its blessing to the people. Then 



for a thousand years this great Mediator of the new covenant 
will be sprinkling the blood on the people, cleansing the 
people, purifying the people by the merit of his own sacrifice. 
He will be giving to them the things they need, and helping 
them up out of their defilement and imperfection, and thus the 
work toward God will be accomplished in a very short time 
indeed, and the work toward mankind will require all the 
thousand years to fully complete it. 

COVENANTS-Number Sealing It. 

Q190:1 :: QUESTION (1911)--l--Respecting the New Covenant, 
could it be said from any point of view that it will be sealed 
by one hundred and forty-four thousand and one? That is to 
say, Christ Jesus and the 144,000 redeemed from amongst men. 

ANSWER—I would not think that a proper view. I do 
not understand that you and I and others of the members of 
the body of Christ have anything whatever to do with the 
sealing of this new covenant; it is Christ who seals it. To 
illustrate: if it were a document that were about to be signed, 
and I signed it, you would not say, "Well the thumb signed it, 
and the first finger signed it," and leave out the left hand that 
did not sign it. No, I signed a covenant; I signed an 
agreement. Who signed it? Not my fingers, but it is my head 
that signed it. It is the "I" that signed it; and when you think 
of the "I", you think of the individual. You think of the head. 
You do not address my hand as though it had anything to do 
with the matter. You do not say, "Dear hand, I appreciate you 
very much, you did thus and so. The hand has no 
responsibility; the head has the whole responsibility. In the 
body of Christ we lose our personality in the matter; we 
merge ourselves and lose our identity. In the language of the 
Scriptures we are beheaded, that we may all be members 
under one head. So you have no head of your own, and I 
have no head of my own, and this is the sense in which the 
Scriptures use a woman to represent the church, and the man 
to represent Christ Jesus; and the Scriptures show that as the 
husband is the head of the wife, even so Christ is the head of 
the church. Now then, it is the one personality that is here 
reckoned with. It is our Lord who seals the new covenant. 
He might have sealed it without us, but we are privileged to 
come in and be members of him, and he has the same 
individuality, and the same head all the time, and the same 
responsibility toward that covenant. That is to say, all the 
merit which is necessary, and which goes to make good that 
new covenant, came from our dear Redeemer's death, and not 
from anything that we added to it. 



{PageQ191} 

COVENANT-Could God Deal With Adam? 

Q191:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--After Adam sinned, 
could God have made with him such a Law Covenant as he 
made with the Jews—a covenant offering him life upon 
condition of fulfilment of the law? 

ANSWER— We think it would not be reasonable to 
suppose that it would be consistent with the Divine principles, 
after Adam had had a full and complete trial, and after 
he had failed in that trial, and after he had been sentenced to 
death, that God should belittle his government and his 
decision by making another proposition to him, after he had 
gotten into a more or less fallen condition. It would seem that 
even the suggestion of a trial would have been inconsistent 
with Divine principles, unless full satisfaction had first been 
made for the transgression already committed. We see quite a 
difference between Adam and the children' of Adam, 
who were born in imperfection and who have never willingly 
and wilfully and intelligently sinned against God and who 
have never been given an offer or opportunity to see whether 
they would be able to keep that Divine Law. 

God gave Israel certain surroundings of typical justification 
and typical sanctification, etc., for the purpose of imparting 
general instruction foreshadowing the great blessing which he 
ultimately will bestow upon all mankind— giving them the 
opportunity of coming back into Divine favor and eternal life. 

COVENANTS"Re Christ's Sealing the Abrahamic. 

Q191:2:: QUESTION (191 l)-2-Did the blood of 
Christ seal or make operative the Abrahamic covenant. 

ANSWER— We answer no, it did not. The apostle Paul 
explains that the Abrahamic covenant did not need to be 
sealed, except in the way that God, himself, sealed it. The 
apostle explains that a covenant where there is only one to be 
bound, does not need a mediator. Now, in this original, or 
Abrahamic covenant, there was only one party that was 
bound. God did not say, "Abraham, if you do this, thus and 
so, I will do thus and so." There would have been two parts 
of the covenant then, and if so, a mediator would be proper, 
to see that both parties carried out thoroughly, their 
agreement. But the Abrahamic covenant was without any 
condition. God merely said to Abraham, "Abraham, I will tell 
you something I intend to bless all the families of the earth; 
and I will tell you something more! I intend to bless them all 



through your posterity." That is all there was of it. Now, 
instead of sealing this, instead of having it ratified by blood, 
through a mediator, God merely said, "You have my word for 
this, that I will make it sure in another way; I will give you 
my oath, backing up my Word." So the apostle says, "Not by 
blood, not by a mediator, but by two immutable things, the 
Word of God and the oath of God," this Abrahamic covenant 
was made fast, or made sure. And so it stands today. 

First, all the families of the earth will be blessed, and 
secondly, they will all be blessed through Abraham's seed. 
Abraham's seed, we see, first of all, to be the church class— 
the saintly few, the little flock, like unto the stars of heaven. 
St. Paul says. Gal. 3:29, If ye be Christ's, if ye belong to 
him, then are ye part of Abraham's seed, and heirs according 

{PageQ192} 

to that covenant God promised. But there is a natural seed of 
Abraham represented by the ancient worthies, and those who 
shall come in afterwards. These will also be God's channel of 
blessing the world, through Abraham's seed, the spiritual, and 
through Abraham's seed, the natural. All the families of the 
earth will yet have a blessing. 

COVENANTS-Sure Mercies of David. 

Q192:1:: QUESTION (1911)--1--"I will make an 
everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of 
David." What covenant is meant, and with whom is it to be 
made? 

ANSWER~The text would seem to show that these 
words apply to the spiritual seed of Abraham--the church 
class, the little flock. The mercies of David consisted of 
God's promise to him that the one who would be the great 
King of Israel, the great Messiah, would be one from his 
posterity. This one was our Lord Jesus Christ, primarily, and 
secondarily this one is all those who become members of his 
body--the church. The apostle says, in Gal. 3:29, "If ye be 
Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed;" so, equally it will be 
true that if you are Christ's, you are David's seed; and the sure 
mercies of David were that his seed should sit upon the throne 
to be the Messiah; and so Jesus has promised, "To him that 
overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne" —the 
Messianic throne. 



COVENANTS-Was Moses Under the Law Covenant? 

Q192:2:: QUESTION (1912) 2 Since the Law 
Covenant was made with the Jewish nation representatively in 
Moses, was Moses therefore at one and the same time under 
the Law Covenant and the Mediator of that Covenant? 
ANSWER--Yes! He mediated the Covenant he was 
under himself. To mediate a Covenant is merely to bring the 
thing into effect. In this matter of the Covenant, Moses acted 
merely as the agent of God, and he was instructed to make all 
the arrangements in the matter. Moses was one of the nation 
for whom these arrangements were made and he was bound 
by the Covenant as were all the rest of that nation. Suppose 
that a member of the city corporation of Glasgow brought a 
law into force to, say, make every citizen sweep the pavement 
in front of the house, that person is not exempt from the effect 
of that law if he himself is a citizen of this city. So it is as I 
have told you with reference to the Covenant and Moses. 

COVENANTS-Was Law Covenant Added? 

Q192:3:: QUESTION (1912)-3--Was theLaw 
Covenant added to the Abrahamic Covenant and if so, how 
can we reconcile this thought with Gal. 3:15, "Though it be 
but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man 
disannulleth or addeth thereto." 

ANSWER— The Law Covenant was added in one sense 
and yet it was not added in another sense. The Abrahamic 
Covenant was to stand, and it could not be disannulled or set 
aside, and no one could alter its terms in any way at all. In 
the Abrahamic Covenant God made the promise that He 
would provide a Seed for Abraham and in that Seed of 
Abraham all the nations would be blessed. That is the 
substance of that Covenant. God gave the Jewish nation the 
Law Covenant. It was in this way: The Jew, by keeping the 
Law Covenant, could not be the Spiritual Seed. Jesus 

{PageQ193} 

was perfect and He only could keep that Covenant and this 
made Him able to become the promised Spiritual Seed. It 
proved Him to be worthy to present Himself a living sacrifice, 
and because of that Covenant and because of His ability to 
keep that Law, therefore he got the higher blessing and thus 
became the Spiritual Seed. He entered into a Covenant of 
Sacrifice. None of this interfered with the Abrahamic 
Covenant; it stands still the same. Jesus did not become the 
Heir to the Abrahamic Promises. He showed that He was fit 



to be a sacrifice, and then He made a Covenant of Sacrifice. 
Those who make this Covenant are "The Seed." That is those 
who make this Covenant of Sacrifice, Jesus was the first one 
of these. He was made the Spiritual Seed when He was raised 
from the dead. The "Man" was not the Spiritual Seed, and 
Jesus even as a perfect man could not give life to the race. He 
did not disannul or make void the Law Covenant. 

COVENANTS-Are We Bound by Law Covenant? 

Q193:1:: QUESTION (1912)-l-If the Law Covenant 
is still in operation and as you state, was added to the 
Abrahamic Covenant, would that not imply that we are now 
bound by the Law Covenant? 

ANSWER~The Law Covenant is still in force to them 
under that Law Covenant and that Law Covenant was made 
with the Seed of Abraham according to the flesh. There is 
one line through Isaac, and the Covenant is condemning that 
line to this day. There are only two ways of coming under the 
new Covenant. The one way open is that which was opened 
in Jesus' day, namely: by becoming dead to the Law Covenant 
to be married to another. To be thus reckoned dead to the 
Law Covenant is one way. They must die to the Law 
Covenant and become alive to another hope. Thus they will 
be "dead with Christ." They must be dead with Christ in 
order that they may have a share with him hereafter. 

Another way is this: The Law Covenant is the shadow of 
the New Covenant. The Law Covenant is the shadow of the 
New Law Covenant, and as the mediator of the Law Covenant 
was the shadow of the Great Mediator, Christ, Head and 
Body. God has been raising up a Prophet all these many 
years. Jesus the Head: the Church the Body: that is the order. 
Then this Great Prophet, the antitypical Moses, will be 
complete. God has spoken to us now through His Son, but 
Christ's speaking has not yet begun. The Father is inviting the 
Bride now. "No man can come unto ME except the Father 
draw him." The thousand year work will be by the Son. 
Notice how the typical Moses represents this antitypical 
Moses here, and the institution of the Law Covenant typified 
the institution of this New Covenant. Whenever type ceases 
the antitype begins. So this Law Covenant goes on until the 
New Covenant takes its place. The New Covenant will then 
be sealed. The New Covenant will take the place of the Law 
Covenant. And what will become of the old Covenant? My 
dear brethren, what becomes of Tuesday when Wednesday 
takes its place? 

The New Covenant will begin when the Mediator is ready. 



This will only be when the Christ is complete in Head and 
Body. If we are members of the Body of the Mediator of that 
New Covenant we cannot be under the Law Covenant. I hope 
that I have made myself clear to all of you. 

{PageQ194} 

COVENANTS-Jesus, Law Covenant and Life Rights. 

Q194:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--Could Jesus have 
fulfilled the Law Covenant without sacrificing His human 
rights? 

ANSWER--I think that He could have fulfilled the Law 
Covenant without sacrificing His human rights. I think that 
the whole world during the next age will fulfill the Law 
Covenant. I understand that it is the Law Covenant, the New 
Law Covenant, that is coming into force and will be 
everlastingly in force when mankind shall have reached 
perfection. All men will and must keep that New Covenant or 
else they will not have everlasting life, and so forth. But that 
will not mean that they are to die sacrificially. Similarly with 
our Lord, the Law did not ask Him to die sacrificially; it was 
the promise to Abraham that induced Him to die sacrificially; 
He could not bless the world unless He died sacrificially. By 
keeping the Law He proved his own individual right to life, 
but He had nothing to give to mankind unless He laid down 
that perfect life. 

COVENANTS-Under Wliicli Is Church Developed? 

Q194:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-Is the Church 
developed under the Abrahamic Covenant or the covenant of 
sacrifice? 

ANSWER--We would say, both. The Abrahamic 
covenant promised Abraham a seed and that that seed would 
be the agent for the blessing of all the families of the earth, 
and, the Apostle explains, that seed was Christ. We see how 
our Lord Jesus was by nature the child of Abraham, the 
Abrahamic seed, but not as the Abrahamic seed according to 
the flesh was He the one able to release the world. Before He 
could do anything for the world He must die as the natural 
seed of Abraham; the natural seed of Abraham must be 
sacrificed just as was pre-figured in the case of Isaac. Our 
Lord actually laid Himself down and sacrified Himself, but 
God raised Him a New Creature from the dead, and it is the 
New Creature of our Lord Jesus that is the spiritual seed of 
Abraham, and it is the spiritual seed of Abraham, not the natural 
seed of Abraham, that is to bless all the families of the earth. 



So, then, Christ is tile antitype of Isaac; as the spiritual 
seed He was raised from the dead. You and I were invited to 
become His members, although we are not of the Abrahamic 
seed according to the flesh; we are merely brought into the 
Abrahamic seed according to the spirit, and we become 
Abraham's seed on the spiritual plane because we become 
members of the body of Christ. But no one can enter into the 
fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise except by the door of 
sacrifice. Could not the Jews have become the spiritual seed 
of Abraham without sacrificing the flesh? No, nor can any 
except by sacrificing the flesh, and so it is perfectly in 
harmony that we come under both of these. Our Lord says, 
"Gather My saints together unto Me, those who have made a 
covenant with Me by sacrifice." Jesus was the first Saint, and 
He made a covenant with God and made His sacrifice, and He 
was accepted to the spiritual plane of the seed of Abraham. 
He has invited us, both Jews and Gentiles, to come in and be 
fellow heirs with Him by entering into the spiritual plane and 
becoming members of the spiritual seed of Abraham, and so, 
the Apostle says, "If ye be Christ's, then are ye 

{PageQ195} 

Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise," but you 
cannot become Christ's except by sharing in His sacrifice. 

COVENANTS-Which Is Meant in Dan. 9:27? 
Q195:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--Dan9:27. "He shall 
confirm the covenant with many for one week." What 
covenant is here referred to? 

ANSWER—This refers to the covenant God made with 
the Israelites respecting the seventy weeks, because the 
context shows this. It shows that this is the work of the 
covenant referred to, that during this time God would 
accomplish certain things--the sealing up of the vision and 
prophecy, anointing the Most Holy, and so on. All this will 
take place during the seventy years of weeks, four hundred 
ninety years, and in the seventieth week, at the end of the 
sixty-ninth week, the Messiah was to appear, and in the midst 
of the seventieth week Messiah was to be cut off, but not for 
Himself. Then the full seventieth week would run three and 
one-half years beyond the cutting off of Messiah, and that 
seventieth week or period of favor to natural Israel continued 
with them, and the Apostles indicate that although the days 
were shortened in one sense of the word in Christ dying, 
saying, "Your house shall be left unto you desolate," God's 



favor continued with the people until the full end of the 
seventieth week, until the three and one-half years after Jesus' 
crucifixion, it was not an injustice. No injustice was done in 
making it short, for it was really beneficial to them. The Jews 
will get something better by Christ dying in the midst of the 
seventieth week—they will get a New Covenant. God 
confirmed to them, fixed to them, set to them, that full period 
of seventy weeks of years, four hundred ninety years, and not 
until the close did He give the first Gentile an opportunity of 
having any share in the Gospel call; that first one, we 
remember, was Cornelius. 

covenants-Is church the New Covenant? 

Q195:2:: QUESTION (1916) 2 Isa. 42:6 reads: I, 
the Lord, have called thee in righteousness, and will keep 
thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of 
the Gentiles." Should we understand this to mean that the 
glorified Church will be the new covenant? 

ANSWER--This Scripture evidently refers to Christ 
Jesus the Head and the Church his Body. "I have given thee 
for a covenant of the people" does not mean that Jesus or the 
Church become the covenant, but that God gives Christ and 
the Church in connection with the making of this covenant. 
There could be no covenant without Christ and the Church, 
because it is the blood of Christ that constitutes the sealing 
value of the new covenant. That new covenant must be 
sealed, and it is to be sealed by the blood of Christ. While the 
ransom feature is all in the Lord Jesus and his death, yet the 
Church is counted in as his Body, and the blood of the whole 
Church is counted in as a part of that blood that will seal the 
new covenant, or make it operative. 

COVENANTS-The Scope of the Abrahamic. 

Q195:3:: QUESTION (Z-1916)--3--Whichis the 
greater, the Abrahamic Covenant or the New Covenant? 

{PageQ196} 

ANSWER--The Abrahamic Covenant is an all- 
embracing arrangement Everything that God has done and 
will yet do for our race is included in that Abrahamic 
Covenant. The Law Covenant of Israel was added to this 
Covenant "because of transgression." Although only a typical 
arrangement, nevertheless the Law Covenant developed a 
certain faithful class, to be made, "princes in all the earth" 
during the Millennial Age. This Covenant was represented by 



Hagar; and her son Ishmael represented the nation of Israel. 
(Gal. 4:21-31.) The Christ, the New Creation class, was 
represented in Isaac, Sarah's son. Sarah, Abraham's first wife, 
represented that part of the Abrahamic Covenant which 
pertained to the Spiritual Seed, the New Creation, that which 
we sometimes speak of as the Sarah Covenant. This Sarah 
Covenant—the Grace Covenant, the Covenant of Sacrifice 
(Psa. 50:5)--brings forth the Isaac class, the Church, Head 
and Body. 

Even as Isaac was not born after the flesh in the ordinary 
sense (Abraham and Sarah being too old naturally), but was a 
special creation, so with The Christ company, the Church. 
This "Isaac" class is developed as a distinctly new creation, 
formed from members of the fallen human race. The Divine 
invitation to these is to present their bodies living sacrifices. 
They sacrifice their human nature that they may attain with 
their Head, the antitypical "Isaac," the Divine nature- 
something never before offered. After this New Creation is 
completed, the blessing indicated in God's Promise to 
Abraham will reach all the families of the earth. It will reach 
them, first through the "Isaac" Seed, the New Creation, and 
secondly, through the Ancient Worthies, developed in the 
Ages preceding this Age, under God's typical arrangements. 

All kindreds and families of the earth will be blessed by the 
privilege or opportunity to become children of Abraham, 
children of God, whom Abraham represented in a figure. "I 
have made thee a father of many nations (Genesis 17:5; 
Rom. 4:17), said the Lord to Abraham— "In becoming thy 
seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves." 
These will be blessed under the New Covenant, an 
arrangement whereby the Abrahamic Covenant will be 
fulfilled as relates to Israel and to all. 

The Abraliamic Covenant, then, embraces all the other 
Covenants, those Covenants being merely different features of 
God's arrangements by which the work implied in the great 
Abrahamic Covenant or Promise is to be accomplished. 

As we have elsewhere previously shown, Abraham took 
another wife, after the death of Sarah-Keturah. By her he 
had many sons and daughters. Thus the New Covenant is 
typed and its grand work of bringing many to life-to "the 
liberty of the sons of God." 
-Rom. 8:19,21. 



COVENANTS-The Law Covenant and Jesus' Death. 

Q196:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Did the keeping of 
the Law Covenant require the death of Jesus? 

ANSWER— I would say, No; the keeping of the Law 
Covenant did not require the death of Jesus. To make the 
matter clearer and more explicit, we remember that the law 
was given as a condition for life and not as a condition for 
death. "He that doeth these things shall live by them." 

{PageQ197} 

They were not to die by doing them. Any one who would 
keep God's law would live, and have the right to everlasting 
life; so Jesus in keeping that law had a right to live forever. 
The law did not require the death of Jesus. It was His desire 
to accept the Father's proposition to become a new creature, 
and, in order to become a new creature. He covenanted to do 
the Father's will at any cost—going beyond the requirements 
of the law. He permitted His life to be taken from Him, but 
the law did not require this of Him. He had a right to life, and 
He might have prayed that it might be continued to Him, but, 
instead of doing so. He permitted it to be taken from Him, and 
thus He died "The Just for the unjust" that He might become 
the great Mediator between God and man and might give that 
right to human life which He laid down on behalf of the 
whole world to all the obedient ones of Adam's race in the age 
to come. 

CREATION—Mosaic Account. 

Q197:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)-1 -Do you believe in the 
Mosaic account of creation? 

ANSWER— We believe the divine revelation, and if we 
had no Bible we think it would be proper to look for one. We 
could not imagine that a great loving Creator would have a 
plan for his creatures, bring them into existence, and not 
provide some revelation respecting his will regarding them. 
So that even when I had thrown away my Bible, when I did 
not know its value, I got to looking for a Bible somewhere 
and I searched amongst all the heathen religions to see if I 
could find one any better than the one I had thrown away, and 
I found nothing nearly as rational, nearly as reasonable, as the 
Bible when I understood it. We believe its account of 
creation is the only authorized account 



CREATION-Growth of Vegetation Without Sin. 

Q197:2:: QUESTION (1911) 2 God created 
vegetation the third day, long before the sun was made. How 
did vegetation grow without the sun? 

ANSWER.— I do not understand this matter in the way 
the questioner does. I do not understand God made the earth 
before the sun. The sun was in existence long before, and the 
earth was revolving around the sun, but the sun did not 
become the light of the earth until the fourth day. The earth 
was enveloped, according to the Scriptures, and according 
also to science, in a great cloud of mist which went up from 
the land and from the water, and formed a great circle around 
the earth, obscuring the sun entirely—a circle very much like 
the rings of Saturn, and this circle of the waters above, as well 
as the waters below, hindered the light from penetrating 
through until the fourth day. 

CREATION-Creating IVIan Knowing IHe Would Be 
Destroyed. 

Q197:3:: QUESTION (191 l)-3-Why did God make 
these people, knowing that he would drown them? 

ANSWER-AII of that takes in so much that if the 
questioner really wants the answer he had best read the books. 
Now we have six volumes and I do not make a penny from 
them, and they are sold at cost price for the purpose of getting 
them into the hands of all the people so cheaply that 
everybody can afford to have them, and they answer all these 
questions, why God created the world, why he made man, 

{PageQ198} 

why he permitted sin, etc. I do not think I could do justice to 
this question in a few minutes and have any time for other 
questions before me. It would not be fair because one person 
has written out about nineteen questions that his should all be 
answered and the others not be answered. I think they had 
better be divided, and so I will tear it off here, and leave the 
remaining questions on this list until we see if we have any 
time for them. I believe you will all agree with that. 

CREATION-Vs. Begotten. 

Q198:1:: QUESTION (1916)-l-Whatis the 

difference, if any, between being created and being begotten? 

ANSWER— Create is the larger word of the two and 
would include the whole process. As, for instance, from the 
time that we are begotten of the Holy Spirit, we are new 



creatures in the sense that we are begotten in the very same 
way as is the embryotic in the natural realm, after which this 
embryo grows until the birth in the first resurrection. Or, take 
another figure from the Bible. We are at first babes, and then 
by development we become men and perfected. It is the 
difference between the start and the full completion. The 
completion will be tile creation. We are begotten of the spirit 
at the start—this initiates the work— we then grow until we 
become quickened, and in due process we are born. As spirit 
beings we are now in this process of development. The New 
Creation waits for the grand consummation in the first 
resurrection. 

CROSSES-Meaning of Three on Tower. 

Q198:2:: QUESTION (1910)-2-What do the three 
crosses on the tower of the Watch Tower cover signify? 
ANSWER— I never thought of that. They are simply 
made there by the artist to represent windows. I drew the 
original sketch in a rough way, and he followed the idea, and 
it merely represents the cross for a window instead of being 
some other shape. The three has nothing to do with it, -it 
does not prove the trinity. 

CROWN-Regarding Crowns Discarded. 

Q198:3:: QUESTION (1908)-3-In such acase as one 
for whom a crown has been set aside, throws it down before 
being fully tried, does someone else get the crown in such a 
case as that? 

ANSWER-It is not the Lord's will that a certain 
individual shall get the crown, as though he said. Now I have 
just taken a fancy to you, and it will make me sorry through 
all eternity if you do not get that. The Lord on the contrary is 
dealing on a higher plan than that. What the Lord admires in 
you is not the shape of your face, or form, but the character of 
your heart; if your heart loses that character of loyalty to 
righteousness, and love of the Lord, to that extent you have 
lost the favor of the Lord, and you are not the one He wants 
to get the prize; it will not be His will that you get it at all, but 
he would say, I do not want you, I will not have you. But if 
you abide in His love, by abiding in these conditions, you 
prove that you are pleasing, and He is very willing that you 
should have all of that which would come to you according to 
your call; and so His will shall be done in any event. 



{PageQ199} 

DANTE AND DORE-Who They Were. 

Q199:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--Who were Dante, and 
Dore, and when did they live? 

ANSWER— Dante was a great poet, but as to the exact 
date of his birth and death I do not know—it was some 
centuries ago. Dore was a great Catholic artist who lived 
nearly a hundred years ago. They were both very prominent 
Catholics, and no doubt very honest. 

DARKNESS-Cast Into Outer Darkness. 

Q199:2:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)-2-Please explain Matt. 8:12, 
"But the children of the kingdom shall be cast into 
outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of 
teeth." "And then said the King to the servants, 'bind him 
hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness; there shall 
be weeping and gnashing of teeth'." What does this mean? 

ANSWER-We will treat these two texts together, as 
they are very much alike. We answer, it is not like purgatory, 
because purgatory is full of fire, and it could not be very dark 
there. This is outer darkness, and purgatory is inner light, and 
inner fire, is it not? It could not be the hell-fire of our 
Protestant view, either, because the hell-fire of our Protestant 
view is very light and bright, and hot. It would not he outer 
darkness, it would be inner light, wouldn't it? Sure it would. 
We have been forgetting what we were doing when we read 
our Bibles. What does it mean? It means this. The Lord is 
here not speaking about the world at all; he is speaking about 
his church, and those who are faithful will be in the light, in 
the light of knowledge, in the light of understanding, in the 
light of appreciation of God's plan. As the Scriptures declare, 
none of the wicked shall understand; the wise shall 
understand. As the Scriptures again say, "The secret of the 
Lord is with them that reverence him, and he will show them 
his covenant." They will be in the light, and they are called in 
the Bible, children of the light. Now the Lord in these 
parables is speaking of some who in the end of the age, not 
being faithful to their privileges and opportunities, will be 
rejected from the light, will be cast into outer darkness. 
Where is the outer darkness? Why, the outer darkness is 
everywhere. There is a lot of it in heathendom, and there is 
plenty of it here in Portland; and if any of us who are God's 
people do not walk carefully, circumspectly, and in harmony 
with his Word, we will not continue to be children of the 



light, nor continue to be favored by the Lord with further light 
on his Word, but will be cast out of this favored condition, 
bound hand and foot in the sense that we will not be able to 
control ourselves; it would not be optional with us whether 
we stand in the light or not, because the Lord would force 
such a one out of the light; he would not be allowed to stay in 
the light at all. 

DAVID-Man After God's Heart. 

Q199:3:: QUESTION (1909)--3--In what sense was 
David a man after God's own heart? 

ANSWER— Well, I can see a great many ways in which 
David was not a man after God's own heart, but in what sense 
was he? I answer, in this sense: In spite of all his weaknesses 
and imperfections, his heart was full of loyalty and faith 
toward God, and his desire was at all times to do 

{PageQ200} 

God's service. With his mind he served the law of God, as the 
Apostle Paul says. We know that David made some very 
serious, very grievous mistakes, and he bitterly repented. It 
was in the sense that he still loved God and strove continually 
to attain to God's ideals. You and I, dear friends, want to 
have the same disposition; not that we are like David, 
however. No two of us are alike; we are all different. 
Loyalty to God, faith in God, and a disposition to serve Him 
is what will please God. You and I must remember that we 
possess advantages over David; he lived under a different 
dispensation, a member of the House of Servants, and not of 
the House of Sons. We, on the contrary, have much 
advantage everywhere because we are of the new 
dispensation, begotten of the Spirit, and have the mind of 
Christ. We should be still more after God's own heart, and 
we should have still higher standards than David had or 
practiced. 

DEACONESSES-Election of. 

Q200:1:: QUESTION ( 19 12)- 1 -Do you recommend 
the election and apointment of deaconesses under any 
circumstances? If so, please state under what circumstances? 

ANSWER— We have no deaconesses at the Brooklyn 
Tabernacle, at the present time, but we have had previously 
and thought some good was served by having them. There is 
no use in having servants, unless there is something for them 
to do, nor unless the persons are fitted for that work. The 



word Deaconess signifies a female servant. In the event of 
sickness amongst the sisters of a class it might be necessary 
for somebody to go and help and care for them. Or some in 
distress need to be visited and the brethren may not find time 
that they could give to that work. Sisters could render such 
services whether chosen Deaconesses or not. It is not 
contrary to the Lord's Word to elect Deaconesses. If a class 
finds that it has need of such servants there seems to be full 
authority in the Scriptures for electing them, but they should 
be very carefully selected that they would represent the 
Church fairly and favorably as to moderation in their 
judgment, in their demeanor and dress, marked examples of 
the Spirit of the Lord amongst the Sisters, and who fittingly 
represent the general interests of the Church in any work they 
might be called upon to do. 

DEAD-Rest Lived Not Again Until the Thousand Years. 

Q200:2:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)--2-What answer would 
you give if asked about the text of Scripture which says, "But 
the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years 
were finished?" 

ANSWER~I did not read that question just as it was 
written. I would explain the verse and say that in God's view 
of matters, Adam was alive when he was in harmony with 
God, and that Adam's dying began immediately when he was 
thrust out of Eden under the divine sentence— "dying, thou 
shall die;" that he was dying for 930 years; and, similarly, 
when the reverse process shall begin, instead of dying for 930 
years, he will be getting more alive for 930 years; for the 
entire period of Messiah's reign the world will be getting 
more alive, and more alive, and more alive, but they will not 
be alive until they are perfect. And in one sense of the word 
we might say they will not be alive until Christ as the 

{PageQ201} 

mediator shall turn them over to the Father and he shall have 
tested them respecting their worthiness or unworthiness of life 
eternal. Then I might or might not, according to the person 
and the circumstance, say that this verse is not in the original 
manuscript, or oldest manuscript; but that so far as we know, 
it is an interpolation. But it is just as well not refer too 
frequently to interpolations, because people have an idea 
somehow that you are trying to dodge something and where 
the passage fits in so well as this does with very many others I 
would not make any explanation except merely how they will 



be getting life and not be fully alive until the end of the 
thousand years. 

DEATH-Sinners Dying at the Age of 100 Years. 

Q201 :1 :: QUESTION (1907)-1-Will the incorgible 
live more than one hundred years, or will they die at a 
hundred years of age? 

ANSWER--Our understanding of that statement of 
Isaiah's testimony is that, the sinner at that time, if he is a 
willful, deliberate opposer of God and his Kingdom, will not 
be suffered to live more than one hundred years. It does not 
guarantee that he must live a hundred years, but he must die 
at a hundred years. He may die sooner than a hundred years 
if sufficiently willful and disobedient, but he may prolong his 
life even if in a measure disobedient for one hundred years, 
but no longer. 

DEATH-The Destiny of Infants. 

Q201:2:: QUESTION (1907)-2-In God's Plan, what 
provision is made for the infants and children who die before 
the years of discretion? Are they confined to the earthly 
Kingdom? 

ANSWER— I answer, dear friends, there is no way to 
the Heavenly Kingdom, except by being born again. Can 
children be born again? Can children be begotten of the Holy 
Spirit? If they could not be begotten of the Holy Spirit, they 
could not be born of the Holy Spirit; so you see, the whole 
matter is a very simple one. The child belongs to the earth; it 
belongs to Adam and his race; it is a member of his race. If 
God wished it to have had the opportunities of the elect. He 
would have allowed it to live and come to a knowledge of the 
truth, and thus to justification, sanctification and begetting of 
the spirit. But you see when the Lord allowed the child to die 
in infancy, it was not one of those whom He intended should 
be favored with a knowledge of this High Calling, and that is 
a large proportion of the race. Now, what will be their 
position? They will come forth as they went down, of the 
earth earthy. But some one will say, "If I belong to the spirit 
class, and of those who have part in either the Little Flock of 
the Great Company on the spirit plane, what chance would I 
have to care for my little ones?" Well, my dear brothers and 
sisters, do you not suppose your little ones will still be under 
supervision, as if you were an earthly parent? Do you not 
suppose that those heavenly ones, who are Kings and Priests 
with Jesus, and have all power in heaven and earth, will have 
power to take care of their little ones on earth? And there will 



be many who will be glad to take care of your little ones, they 
are serving those who have gone before, and who belong to 
the Priesthood class. 

{PageQ202} 

To our understanding, the coming back of these from the 
tomb will be in the same condition in which they died, 
without any particular change, and the little ones, therefore, 
will come back to much more favorable conditions than at the 
present time in the world. 

DEATH-Overcoming the Horror of. 

Q202:1 :: QUESTION (1907)--l--How may we overcome the horror 
of death? 

ANSWER—I answer, dear friends, that God never 
intended that death should be a pleasant thing for us, and the 
wiser you are, the less you will like death, of itself; it will 
have more horror for you. The way to overcoming it is by full 
submission of our minds to the Lord. There are some things 
that we will never like all our lives. You might take a dose of 
very bitter medicine, and without making very many faces 
either, if you made up your mind that it was the right and 
proper thing to do. You would say. Well, I am going to do it, 
and you do it; but if you allow yourself to go over it and look 
at it too long, and try to swallow it two or three times, you 
will get pretty sick of the matter. The right way to do is to 
say, it is the Lord's arrangement, and it is a part of my 
covenant to lay down my life in the Lord's service, even unto 
death; so Lord, I give the whole matter to you, I have taken 
the whole matter out of my hands entirely and I am reckoning 
myself dead now, so Lord I will leave the whole matter for 
you to bury me and for you to raise me up. The whole thing 
is in your hands. After you commit your way to the Lord, it 
will taste and feel far less bitter. While death and the dying 
processes are not to be rejoiced in, yet you are to realize the 
Lord's providential care, and that He is able to keep that 
which we have committed unto Him, and we should not 
sorrow as those who have no hope. We might sorrow some 
for death, but not as others, because we have the blessed 
hope; and the stronger your faith grows the less dread you 
will have of death; and the stronger your knowledge of your 
consecration becomes, the stronger your faith will be. 



DEATH-lmpossible Because Like Unto the Angels. 

Q202:1 :: QUESTION (1907)-2-Please explain Luke 20:35,36: 
"But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, 
and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given 
in marriage; neither can they die any more for they are equal unto 
the angels; and are the children of God being the children of the 
resurrection." Please explain the clause, "They can die no more, 
because they are like the angels." 

ANSWER— This is the Common Version translation, 
which is preferred in this case. We do not prefer the 
Common Version every time, but we prefer it as a rule, to any 
other version which we know. 

There are some passages upon which the Diaglott 
translation, and some upon which the Revised Version gives 
us more light, but taken as a whole, we like the Common 
Version. And the Common Version says, they are like unto 
the angels, neither can they die any more, and that is the way 
I think it is intended to be read and understood. My 
understanding is, this is applicable both to the Church and to 
the 

{PageQ203} 

world. It is applicable to the Church first, because it is to be 
dealt with first It is applicable to the Church in this way, 
that when the time comes for our change, and we have had our 
resurrection change, the first resurrection, the resurrection to 
glory, honor and immortality, that will make us children of 
the resurrection in a special sense, more than any others, 
because this is the highest and everything else in the nature of 
a resurrection would necessarily be subservient to this which 
is the highest and most wonderful of all the resurrections God 
had purposed. There is one resurrection of the Church, and 
another of the ancient Worthies, to perfection and then, as we 
saw last night, there is a resurrection to judgment for the 
world, by which they will gradually come into harmony with 
the Lord. But now, we will apply this first to the Church. 
When we have been changed and are spirit beings, we will 
not die any more; if we have immortality we cannot die any 
more. And we would be like the angels, for the angels do not 
marry; and so, in this respect, the Little Flock in the 
resurrection will not be male and female. While spoken of as 
the Bride of Christ, we are not to get the thought that they are 
feminine, but rather it is only a picture which represents the 
beautiful relationship between the Bridegroom and the Bride. 
And, again, we have the thought of Christ as the Head over 



the Body, and we as members of the Body,~another beautiful 
picture. You know all of this represents our Lord as being the 
chief. Angels are not male and female, and in speaking of 
them we would not use those terms; we would prefer not to 
speak of them as either, because they are without sex. That is 
easy enough as respects the Church. 

Now as to the world. When by the end of the Millennial 
Age the world shall have come up, up, up, out of degradation 
and sin, and got back to the place where Adam was originally, 
then all necessity for the male and female condition in order 
for the propagation of the race having ceased, they will be 
like unto the angels in that respect. Originally Adam was not 
male or female, but God separated woman from his side, and 
made our race male and female; but after God's whole 
purpose has been served, and Christ has taken the place of 
that one man, and has redeemed all that came out of him, then 
the sex distinction, having served its purpose, will cease. Our 
understanding is that then the race will be like unto the angels 
in that respect. And neither will they die any more; they will 
be perfect. So when the race is brought back to perfection, 
and after all have been tested at the end of the Millennial age, 
as many as love righteousness will have everlasting life, and 
the balance will be destroyed from amongst the people. God 
is pleased that the righteous shall live forever and enjoy all of 
His blessings throughout eternity. 

DEATH-Re Animals in IVIillennial Age. 

Q203:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1--Will the lower animals die in 
the next age. 

ANSWER—I understand that they will, that the promise 
of eternal life was never made to any earthly creature except 
man, and to man because he is in the image of God, because 
he is the lord of earth. I understand that all the lower animals 
will continue to die all through the Millennial Age just as they 
did in the past. Brother Wesley was mistaken when he said 
that the creature itself shall be delivered. Brother Wesley 
missed the point, 

{PageQ204} 

he got to thinking of dogs, and cats and horses. 

God made them as brute beasts. They live their little span 
of life and they die, but in the case of man, we see how God 
has redeemed him from destruction because he is so much 
better than the brute. I have often thought it strange that a 
man who could sympathize with the brute creation could ever 



believe that God would consign millions of human beings to 
eternal torment. 

DEATH-Condition After. 

Q204:1 :: QUESTION ( 1 909)-- 1 --What is the state and 
condition of man after death? 

ANSWER— After his death he is dead. He is waiting for 
God's time when He will, through Christ, bring him forth 
from the dead, and all who have gone down, not that he is 
conscious of it any more than you and I when we fall asleep 
at night. The world knows nothing in the interim. Their sons 
are brought low and they know it not, and they are honored 
and they perceive it not of them. There is neither wisdom, 
nor knowledge, nor device in the grave (sheol) whither thou 
goest. 

DEATH-Expression In Death. 

Q204:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-How do you account 
for the smile on the face of people who go into the state of 
unconsciousness? 

ANSWER— I do not account for it at all; you can have a 
smile at any time. A certain professor made examination of a 
number of death-bed scenes regarding the facial expression, 
etc. Some faces expressed joy, some pain, but the great 
majority gave no sign at all. It is no proof of anything; 
because when people die, they have their organs specially 
quickened. Some people who have a fever have their minds 
very much stimulated and will tell you of visions, etc. We are 
not following cunningly devised fables, but are following the 
Word of God. Some of the best of the world die without 
smiling. I will tell you of one who died without a smile; His 
name is Jesus. 

DEATH-Spiritual Death. 

Q204:3:: QUESTION (1909)-3-What about a spiritual death? 

ANSWER-The only death the Bible speaks of is a 
human death. The scriptural declaration is that God gave 
Adam a trial at the beginning, but when he failed, he failed 
for you and for me. If anyone is to have an opportunity for 
eternal life, it must be through a second chance, because the 
first chance was lost through Adam. The second chance 
begins with the Church because we have a hearing ear. 

DEATH-Re Adamic-Births After Time of Trouble. 

Q204:4:: QUESTION ( 1 909)-4- When will Adamic 
death cease? Will there be births after the time of trouble? 



ANSWER~My understanding is this, dear friends: 
That the time of trouble will, so to speak, paralyze the whole 
world, and that is the time mentioned in the 46th Psalm, where the 
Lord, after speaking of this time of trouble, says He will break 
the bow and cut the spear asunder and say. Be still and know 
that I am God. That is the first great lesson that the world 

{PageQ205} 

will learn— "Be still!" They have been running hither and 
thither and learning about evolution and everything but the 
Lord's Word. They should have learned this lesson long ago 
that, "The reverence of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom," 
and to know that He is God. They will have to take a little 
time to get still. God does not wait for them to recover, but 
begins the new order of things. The Ancient Worthies appear 
and Israel under the New Covenant arrangements, and when 
they are established the other nations will see their blessings 
and prosperity under God's supervision, and will see that they 
have the Ancient Worthies, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, etc., 
and they will say, "Let us go up to the mountain of the 
kingdom of the Lord." See how He is teaching the Jews, "He 
will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths, for 
the law shall go forth from Mount Zion, and the Word of the 
Lord from Jerusalem," and "the desire of all nations shall 
come." They will begin to see that this is what they have 
always desired. God's government, peace, prosperity, to 
enjoy life, etc. They will see that the only way for them to 
get God's blessing will be by coming in under the New 
Covenant arrangements through Israel. If they do not, God 
will not recognize them, and as the prophet says. There shall 
come no rain upon them. Is that literal rain, or in the sense of 
blessing? Perhaps both. The Lord is going to use all the 
powers and forces of nature to give lessons and instructions, 
and He will call for the corn to increase, and for the 
wilderness to blossom as the rose. The whole earth will he at 
the command of the Lord, and everyone that doeth 
righteousness shall he blessed, and he that does not shall be 
punished, and then the whole world will learn that 
righteousness pays. Some people now do not think it pays to 
be honest, but they will then, for they will be blessed, and any 
out of harmony with God will receive some kind of 
chastisement that they may all be brought to God and be lifted 
up out of their death conditions. 

When will Adamic death cease? It will be going on in these 
fallen natures. God's blessing will come as a result of the 



New Covenant, and only those who are under the New 
Covenant will get God's blessing; it will begin with Israel, and 
then as the other nations see the blessings of Israel and realize 
that the blessings come because of their relationship with 
God, they, too, will want the blessings and will want to come 
under the New Covenant arrangements. 

How soon after the time of trouble? It will depend upon 
how soon those nations come to a knowledge of God, for there 
will be no way of getting life except through the Son—that is 
the rule now, and will be then~"He that hath the Son hath 
life, and he that hath not the Son shall not see life." 

Will there he births after the time of trouble? 

I understand that things will go on in a natural way. First of 
all, those under the New Covenant arrangement, after they 
begin to line up, will have higher aspirations and nobler 
qualities of mind, and births will be fewer and fewer, so that 
at the end of the Millennial Age, births will entirely cease, 
and there will gradually be a change in the human family 
corresponding to the change in the beginning, only in the 
opposite way, when God separated Mother Eve from Adam's 
side. Our understanding is that the whole human family will 
be as Adam was before the separation. It will 

{PageQ206:: 

not mean that the sisters will be blotted out, but that they will 
take on the other qualities, and men will take on the more 
gentle qualities. The perfect life will represent the gentler 
qualities as well as the stronger qualities, so that both men 
and women of the Millennial Age will be perfect, as Adam 
was before Eve was brought forth. 

DEATH-Dying the Adamic After Time of Trouble. 

Q206:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--Will any onediethe 
Adamic death after the time of trouble? 

ANSWER--Yes, I think they will; that is to say, the 
Gospel age coming to an end, and the new dispensation 
beginning, it will be the beginning of the opportunity of the 
world to step out of the Adamic death into restitution life. 
But the world will not generally believe at first; it will take a 
little time before this knowledge will come to them. It will 
not be done like a flash. It will begin with Israel, according to 
the Scriptures, and as the Israelites come to a realization of 
the new dispensation, and as the ancient worthies will come 
back to them- -Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc., and all the 
prophets—when they shall appear amongst men as perfect 



samples of mankind, and as the princes of the Lord in all the 
earth to represent the glorious Messiah amongst men, the 
Jews will be the first to recognize the matter and respond, and 
then the blessings of restitution, life, and strength will 
gradually come to them. And as all the other nations begin to 
see this, they will want some of these blessings. So, you 
remember how the prophet expresses it. He says, "The law 
shall go forth from Zion"--that is, the Messiah, Jesus and the 
church in glory— "and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." 
That will be after Israel is in favor with God. "Many nations 
shall come and say. Come, let us go up to the mountain of the 
Lord's house, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will 
walk in his paths." They will see how the Jews begin to walk 
in the Lord's paths, and see the blessings he will give them, 
and these will say, "Would not the Lord be pleased to give us 
Gentiles something too, if we would walk in his ways?" And 
God will be just as willing to give blessings to all the nations. 
He has merely arranged that the blessings shall come first to 
Israel and shall proceed to all nations. That is just what the 
Jews have been expecting in all the centuries in the past. 
There is nothing in the Jewish law or prophecies that has led 
the Jews to expect to be in the heavenly or spiritual class. 

All the blessings that they ever expected, or that God ever 
promised were earthly blessings; and they will get these very 
blessings. 

DEATH--Re Body to Dust and Spirit to God. 

Q206:2:: QUESTION (1911) 2 Eccl. 12:7, Then 
shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit 
shall return to God, who gave it." 

ANSWER--First of all, what is meant by the spirit? We 
answer that the word spirit in the Hebrew is ruach; it 
signifies the breath, the breath of life. When God formed man, 
we read he breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives—plural, 
the breath that is common to all lives. In other words, 
man has the same kind of breath exactly that a horse has. The 
difference between man and brute is not that a man has a 
different kind of breath, or spirit, but that he has 



{PageQ207} 

a different kind of a body and the difference between human 
bodies we can readily see. Here is a man with one shaped 
head, and another man with another shaped head. Bring in a 
phrenologist and he will describe the two men to you very 
accurately just by the shape of their heads; he will not 
describe the difference between the men by the breath; the 
breath will determine nothing, the body will determine the 
whole matter. Imagine a man with a dog's head on, and the 
phrenologist will tell you that the man will think exactly as 
the dog thinks; and the more like a dog's head it is shaped, the 
more his reasoning will be after the line of the dog's 
reasoning, because a man does not reason with his feet—or 
ought not to--but he reasons with his head, and according to 
the shape of his head his reasoning is bound to be. So when 
God gave life, or breath, to the dog, the dog lived, and begat 
other dogs and they lived. When God gave life to man, man 
lived. We read, God breathed into his nostrils the breath of 
life—that breath that is common to all lives, and man became 
a living soul, a living being. And so man then reproduced his 
own kind, and you and I are children of the first man. He has 
handed down that spark of life, that breath of life, from his 
day down to where we are today, and you have part of that 
same breath of life that God gave originally in a spark to 
father Adam. He has now renewed the spark, he has not 
given a fresh spark to anybody. Man came under the sentence 
of death and that meant that the spark of life would go up. 
When Adam died, the breath that God had given to him, what 
became of it then? The body returned to dust, and what 
became of his life, his right to live, his breath? He no longer 
had any control of that, it was back in God's hands. And his 
son had a little bit of it, and as soon as he died he had no 
further claim on it, it was back in God's hands. So with all of 
us from Adam down; as we die we give up all our rights to 
life. None of us could say, I have a right to live, and I have 
something I have lost and may get back again. If you ever get 
back life at all, my dear brother, it must be through the Life-giver. 
We have all lost everything once through the first 
Adam's disobedience, and the only way to get life again will 
be through the great Life-giver; and God has appointed that 
Jesus shall be the great Life-giver. The church is now getting 
life under the special terms of the high calling of this age, but 
in the next age Jesus will be the great everlasting Father. As 
the prophet Isaiah expresses it, "He shall be called the 



Everlasting Father." It does not mean that he will be called 
Jehovah. Oh, no, the word "father" means life-giver, and he 
will be the life-giver to the world of mankind, the giver of 
everlasting life to the world of mankind in contrast with father 
Adam who merely gave temporary life, subject to various 
mutations and death. Christ will be great life-giver to all the 
world of mankind to give everlasting life to all on the terms of 
loyal obedience to God and the principles of righteousness. 
So all through the millennial age Christ will be regenerating 
the world. They were generated once by father Adam and did 
not get a sufficiency of life, having lost it through the 
condemnation. Christ, by reason of his purchasing the world 
by his own precious life, became the rightful owner of 
mankind, and he purposes to become the Father, or life-giver, 
or generator, of the world. 

{PageQ208} 

And the church is to be associated with him in this work; as 
the first man Adam had a wife. Eve, who was associated with 
him in the first work of generating the world of mankind, so 
with the second Adam is to have associated with him a wife, a 
bride, in the regeneration of the world. I remind you of Jesus' 
words to the disciples. Saint Peter was talking about various 
matters, and Jesus was telling how everyone would have a 
reward who would follow him, and Peter said, "Lord, we have 
left all to follow thee; what, therefore, shall we have?" Jesus 
said to him and the other apostles, "He that has followed me~you 
who have been faithfully following me, in the regeneration—and 
when will the regeneration be? Not yet. The regeneration will 
be the thousand years of Messiah's reign— "Ye that have followed 
me, in the regeneration time shall sit upon twelve thrones, 
judging the twelve tribes of Israel." I have put in the word 
"time" so you will see how it should be understood. And the 
blessing will proceed from Israel to all the families of the earth. 

death-Is it universal? 

Q208:3:: QUESTION (191 1)-1 -Regarding death, do all 
die? John 8:51 says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a 
man keep my sayings he shall never see death." 

ANSWER-Death to a man, death in the absolute sense, 
would mean destruction. That is to say, the first death would 
have been just the same as the second death, absolute 
annihilation, had God not kindly, graciously, made an 
arrangement for redemption from the first death— the Adamic 
death. Having redeemed all from the Adamic death, God 



does not speak of death in the absolute sense, but as Jesus 
said, and the Word of God generally gives the thought, they 
sleep. Jesus said respecting Lazarus, our friend Lazarus 
sleepeth. There is to be an awakening in the morning of the 
resurrection; he is not really dead in the sense of being 
annihilated, or destroyed, having perished; God's arrangement 
for him from the very beginning was, that through redemption 
and by the resurrection of the dead, he should have an 
opportunity of everlasting life if he would keep the Lord's 
Word. When Jesus was speaking to the disciples, and they 
said, "If Lazarus is sleeping he is doing well," then said Jesus 
unto them plainly, "Lazarus is dead," but he only used that 
plain expression in order to come down to their method of 
speaking of death. In his own way of speaking of death, 
Lazarus had merely fallen asleep; he was not dead, the 
condition of death being that of destruction, just the same as 
when a dog is dead. Now the death of a man and the death of 
a dog would have left the two creatures in exactly the same 
condition had God not arranged that man should be redeemed 
from death, while he made no provision for redeeming a dog, 
nor for any future life for a dog. Therefore Jesus said, "If any 
man keep my sayings he shall not see death;" he may fall 
asleep, but he will be sure to be awakened, and if then he 
shall keep the Word of the Lord, and be obedient to the 
directions of the same, he shall have everlasting life through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

DEATH-Those Who Die in Wickedness. 

Q208:2:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)--2- What becomes of the 
people who die in their wickedness, never having come to a 
knowledge of the Lord? 

{PageQ209} 

ANSWER—Well, my dear friends, what is it for one to 
die in his wickedness? Who is it that does not die in his 
wickedness? Is there anybody in the whole world that is 
righteous? Do not the Scriptures say there is none righteous, 
no not one? Taking that, then, as the basis, we say that the 
only ones who now are brought into harmony with God, and 
who may thus be said to be saved now when they die, are this 
small class who have come to a knowledge of God, to an 
understanding of the divine favor and privilege, and who have 
made a full consecration of themselves to the Lord, and been 
begotten of the Lord's Holy Sprit to a newness of life. They 
have passed from death unto life and if they abide they are in 



a different condition from all the rest of the world. But all the 
rest of the world is in a dying condition, as they always have 
been. 

Now what constitutes wickedness? It is not merely that 
element of wickedness which is in you, because you are born 
with that. We were born in sin, we were shapen in iniquity. 
In sin did our mothers conceive us. It is not wicked to be 
born that way, is it? You were born in an imperfect 
condition, but the term wickedness as generally used applies 
to viciousness on the part of the individual, something willful 
and obdurate in the person's own character and disposition, 
some fighting against God, fighting against truth, and fighting 
against righteousness. That would be wickedness. If any 
man comes into relationship with Christ now, and the eyes of 
his understanding are opened, and if then he becomes a 
wicked man, turning from the Lord into sin, as the Apostle 
Peter says, "Like a dog to his vomit, or like a sow to 
wallowing again in the mire of sin," any such person, the 
Scriptures say, will have no further favor from God, and his 
death will be the second death from which there will be no 
recovery of any kind, at any time, by any means. He will be 
dead in the same sense as a brute beast that perisheth, as Saint 
Peter says. Now that only applies to the class that comes to 
the Lord now and has the hearing ear, the seeing eye, and 
begetting of the Spirit; it does not apply to anybody else. 
What about the world of mankind? Well, during the 
Millennial Age, during the Messianic Period, when the 
knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth and all mankind will 
have an opportunity of fully coming back into harmony with 
God, any who then love wickedness, love sin, and hate 
righteousness—and more than that, any who do not love 
righteousness and hate sin-will be accounted worthy of dying 
the second death. There will be no further opportunity for 
them of any kind. So that God's standard for eternal life is 
righteousness and perfection, and nothing else. Whether that 
righteousness that is obtained in the present time through 
faith, and by reckoned imputation of Christ's merit, or 
whether it be the actual righteousness which the world may 
attain to during the thousand years of Christ's reign, by 
gradually raising them up out of their defilement and 
imperfection, either may— whoever sins against such a 
righteousness is a willful sinner, a malicious sinner, and will 
die the second death. 



DEATH-When Will Adamic Cease? 

Q209:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-How long will people 
continue to die the Adamic death after the great time of 
trouble? 

ANSWER— Some will continue to die for quite a little 
time. 

{PageQ210} 

I do not just exactly know how long. The way in which this 
matter will come about will be this: When the Kingdom will 
be established the first ones to appreciate that Kingdom will 
be the Ancient Worthies. They will he in full accord with 
God and will be brought forth from the tomb in a perfect 
condition. They will be fully admonished and instructed 
respecting all the things belonging to the Kingdom. I do not 
know just how long they will be among men. We shall have 
to suppose that the Ancient Worthies will require a little time 
to understand and appreciate things. They will not, however, 
be handicapped by the imperfections we have. They will, 
therefore, require only a comparatively short time to 
understand things. In the Time of Trouble, "the time of 
Jacob's trouble," "he shall be saved out of it." There will be a 
great deal of mourning, but the whole world will be in a 
tender-hearted condition, and the Jews will be especially 
ready to accept the Lord, and they will grasp the situation 
very quickly and they will constitute the nucleus of the 
Kingdom of God. The Kingdom will be Israelitish for some 
time, but the first nation to come into line will have great 
peace and joy and favor far above that enjoyed by other 
nations, and they will not be long in beginning to see what it 
is that which is called the Kingdom of God. As these nations 
see the blessings on the Jewish nation, they will cry: "Come, 
let us go to the Mountain of the Lord now; He will teach us of 
His way." For all those who come into full harmony with 
God through that New Covenant then in operation for all the 
Adamic conditions will begin to pass away. They will begin 
to recover from sickness and will gain perfection of health 
and strength. Life everlasting will begin to come to them in 
the favored conditions. There is only the one way by which 
they can come into these favored conditions, and that is that 
they will have to become "Israelites." All the blessings of the 
New Covenant are for the children of Abraham. He is the 
Father of all the Faithful and so when they become faithful to 
God they virtually become the children of Abraham. 
Abraham's family will keep on growing to the end of the 



thousand years and then they will be "as the sands of the sea" 
in number. Those refusing to come into line with that family 
will be destroyed in the Second Death. All must be "Children 
of Abraham," and that means that they must all become 
"Children of God." Death will continue to operate in all the 
world except in those who are this nucleus of the Kingdom, 
and these blessings will ultimately extend from that nucleus 
under the terms and conditions that will then prevail among 
men on this earth. 

DEATH-Who are Dead in Isaiah 26:14. 

Q210:1:: QUESTION (1912)-l-Kindly explain Isa. 26:14: 
"They are dead; they shall not live; they are 
deceased, they shall not rise; therefore hast Thou visited and 
destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish." 
ANSWER—There are some who think that this text 
refers to mankind and they then try to use this text to 
overthrow other texts. We should not go trying to overthrow 
one text by another. We should rather be for trying to bring 
all the texts of Scripture into full harmony with each other 
and with the whole. Here is a text which seems to conflict 
with 

{PageQ211} 

the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. Look at the text for a 
moment. We find here a very special description of the class 
here specified. This description applies to the "Giants" of the 
present day in the world. This refers to the great giant trusts 
and corporations that have a wonderful power and they are all 
coming together. It does not matter how strong they seem to 
be at the present time, they shall come down. They shall die. 
They shall perish. They shall never rise again when once 
they have perished. These are the class to whom this text 
does refer. 

DEATH-The Dictionary Definition. 

Q21 1:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z) -1-Is there any 
difference between "Death" and "Annihilation"? 

ANSWER--The Standard Dictionary, our best authority 
on such matters, gives the following definition of Annihilate: 
(1) To put out of existence; destroy absolutely; reduce to 
nothing. (2) To destroy the identity of. Its synonym is. 
Exterminate, i.e., destroy entirely. Words are only vehicles 
for conveying thought, and much depends upon the vehicle 
which best expresses your meaning in the question. The 



spark of animal energy which God supplied to Adam and 
which he, in turn, dispensed to his offspring, but which was 
forfeited for him and for his posterity by his act of 
disobedience, passes at death from the individual as 
absolutely as it does from a brute beast. The word "life," 
however, as used in a large number of instances, does not 
stand merely for the spark of animal energy, but is a synonym 
for soul or being. 

In God's purpose or arrangement this being has not in 
death become extinct, exterminated, annihilated; for he has 
provided for it a future. There is, however, no sentient being 
in the sense of consciousness, or knowledge, or appreciation 
of pain or of joy, or any other experience. But the Divine 
Creator, who first gave being, has declared that in the case of 
Adam and his children it is His purpose to provide a 
Redeemer, through whom all may be restored as completely 
as before they came under the death sentence. 

The world, who do not recognize God or His power, and 
who have no knowledge of the promise of resurrection 
through the merit of Christ's redemptive work, might properly 
enough speak of one in death as being extinct, as a dead 
animal. This is the standpoint of the agnostic. But by 
believers, instructed of God respecting His purpose in Christ 
and in the resurrection of the dead eventually, and in the 
opportunity of eternal life to every one, this matter is to be 
viewed from the same standpoint from which our Lord 
viewed it when He said, "He is not a God of the dead but 
of the living; for all live or are alive' unto Him" (Luke 
20:38); or as the Apostle Paul stated when he spoke of "God, 
who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be 
not as though they were" (Rom. 4:17); that is, God 
purposes their awakening, and speaks of the present condition 
of Adamic death as merely a suspension of life, and not as 
annihilation', extermination, extinction. 

You probably have already in your library a little volume 
entitled The Divine Plan of the Ages—fourth million now on 
the press. This will give you a much fuller answer to your 
question than our limited space will allow in this column. 



{PageQ212} 

DEATH-We Die Daily by Laying Down Our Lives. 

Q212:1:: QUESTION (1912 Z) 1 What is the 
Apostle's thought in the statement, "So, then, death worketh 
in us, but life in you"?--2 Cor. 4:12. 

ANSWER--We understand St. Paul to refer to the 
tribulations which he and his companions were experiencing 
as they journeyed about in the interests of the Truth. These 
persecutions, difficulties, trials by the way, were evidences 
that God was accepting their sacrifice. Thus their death was 
going on, as elsewhere he says, "We die daily." In this 
statement he expressed the object, or motive, that prompted 
him and his companions to act. What they did was done, not 
in a perfunctory manner, because they had a general mission, 
but from a heart motive and in harmony with the Divine will, 
that they might bring spiritual blessings to the Church. 

The early Church perceived that the Apostles were very 
active in the service of the Truth; and St. Paul explained that 
their motive was an unselfish one. He exhorted the Church 
not to please themselves, but to lay down their lives for one 
another, as he and his companions were doing, as ensamples 
to the flock. All who are members of the Royal Priesthood 
are laying down their lives in the service. We are thus 
"building one another up in the most holy faith," until we are 
come to the New Jerusalem! —the glorious Kingdom of the 
great Anointed One, the great Prophet, Priest and King, of 
whose profession Jesus is the great High Priest! 

Our Lord declared, "I come to do Thy will, O God"; "I 
delight to do Thy will." (Heb. 10:9; Psa. 40:8.) This was 
a part of the Divine will, that He should lay down His life, 
finish His sacrifice, that He might ultimately give it on behalf 
of Adam and all of his race. 

DEATH-Adamic or Sacrificial. 

Q212:2:: QUESTION (1913-Z)-2-Suppose that one of 
God's consecrated saints should die by some convulsion of 
nature—flood, fire, etc. —would such a death be sacrificial, 
or would it be Adamic? 

ANSWER— A consecrated child of God could not die 
the Adamic death. His death would either be the sacrificial 
death or the Second Death. If when he died he were a 
consecrated child of God, his death would be merely a 
completion of the consecration which he had previously 
made. Our lives are made holy and acceptable by the great 



High Priest, in whatever form death may come. But if in the 
meantime this consecrated child of God should turn away 
from Him, then it would be the Second Death. If he sin 
wilfully, deliberately, he commits the "sin unto death. "-- 
1 John 5:16. 

DEATH-Fear of Dead. 

Q212:3:: QUESTION (1913)--3--Willthefear of the 
second death be apparent to the human family when perfected 
in the ages to come, or will it be possible for sin to be 
practiced? 

ANSWER--Our understanding is that the Lord intends 
that there will be no sin practiced after the destruction of 
Satan at the close of the Millennial Age. It will mean 
absolutely the end of sin and absolutely the end of death- -at 
least so far as humanity and the earth are concerned. But 
God, before bringing things to that climax and deciding who 

{PageQ213} 

may have everlasting life, intends to have such a searching 
investigation that He will have demonstrated whether or no 
they will have any love for sin whatever: any who have any 
love for sin may have all the sin they want and all the penalty 
they want and God does not want them. He wants those who 
love righteousness and hate iniquity; the blessings are only for 
that class. All those whose sins are discovered will be 
punished with the second death, so that this guarantees that no 
one will live beyond that time except those in full accord with 
God, and therefore, without fear of second death. 

DEATH-Adamic, After Establishment of Kingdom. 

Q213:1:: QUESTION (1913)-l-Will there be any 
further dying of the Adamic death after Messiah's Kingdom 
shall be established in the earth? 

ANSWER— I think something is dependent upon the 
weight of meaning we give to the expression "established in 
the earth." To my understanding the Kingdom will be a little 
time in being established. It will take time for its 
establishment, because, as I understand the matter. He intends 
to establish the Kingdom as people are ready to receive it. 
There will be plenty of people when the moment shall come 
when Messiah shall dominate the world and establish His 
Kingdom; there will be thousands and tens of thousands who 
will have no knowledge of the fact at all, and it will probably 
take some little while for the knowledge to reach them. 



weeks, months, perhaps years~I do not know that I should 
say years, but a considerable length of time--and apparently, 
as I read the Scriptures, this will be done in an orderly way. 
There will he a certain class ready to receive the Master and 
the Kingdom; there will be, for instance, the Ancient 
Worthies for one class and certain other persons who have 
come to a knowledge of the Lord who are in sympathy with 
the Kingdom and with these there will be the Jews, the 
willing Jews, and many of them will just be in a condition of 
readiness to fall in line, saying. Here are Abraham, Isaac and 
Jacob and all the Prophets and they tell us the Kingdom is 
established and we will fall in line; if Messiah's kingdom is 
come, we will seek to be in harmony with it. As the blessing 
will come upon them, the restriction making them better and 
better, and a blessing upon their harvest, and all the good 
things upon them, the other will say. Why, these Jews have 
got it all and they will say, "Come, let us go up to the 
mountain of the Lord and He will teach us of His ways," as 
well as the Jews; for, "the Law shall go forth from Mount 
Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" and it shall go 
to the ends of the earth. But the blessings of Harvest, and so 
forth, that the Scriptures indicate, may take some time to 
convince them; one bad harvest may not convince them. 
Perhaps when they have had two or three, they will say. 
These Jews say that the reason of their prosperity is that they 
have back some of their prophets, resurrected from the dead, 
but it is foolishness. But as the time passes and the blessings 
still continue they will say. Foolishness or not, they are 
getting on first rate anyway. Later on people will reason 
more clearly when it affects their lives, and will come into 
harmony and he represented as Israelites; they will all come 
to be Israelites, the seed of Abraham, for Abraham's seed is to 
fill all the earth, and everybody that does not become of 
Abraham's seed will he one of those who suffer 

{PageQ214} 

the second death. And so I think it will be a gradual work; I 
do not know whether it will take ten years or more, but I 
should be inclined to think that five years will be a long time. 
And we believe that during that time death will be working in 
the world; people will be dying just the same as now, from 
weakness and disease, and that only with those who will 
come into harmony will the dying process and weakness 
begin to pass away, and that others will still be dying Adamic 
death; there will be no difference between the death they die 



and that which their grandfathers died. All death that comes 
as a result of sin is Adamic death when ever it comes, so if it 
came centuries apart it is still Adamic death. The Lord's 
promise is to any of those who get away from sin; then they 
may live; but if they like sin best they will die, it would 
signify second death for them because it would mean that 
they would fall out of line with the Kingdom, and yet, even, 
these are given a hundred years, you remember, in which they 
may be trespassers and yet not acknowledged worthy of the 
second death. 

DEATH-Was Our Lord's Sacrificial? 

Q214:1:: QUESTION ( 191 3)-- 1 --Was our Lord's death 
a sacrificial one solely or did God need to impute sin to Him 
that He might die? 

ANSWER~We understand that our Lord's death was 
purely a sacrificial one. We find no Scriptures that say the 
Father imputed sin to Him; we can see no reason why such an 
imputation of sin should be made. It was not the Father who 
killed Him; it was not the Father who said He was a sinner. It 
was the Roman governor who said He was a sinner; it was the 
Jews who declared against Him first and urged the governor 
to fulfill their demands; all this condemnation came from the 
Jews, no condemnation from God. In God's sight He was 
then and always holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from 
sinners and the Scriptures show that if He had been anything 
else He would not have been acceptable for God's altar; to 
suppose that God would have imputed sin to Him would show 
that He would have no place on God's altar, for nothing 
defiled was permitted to come to God's altar. We sometimes 
say that our sins were imputed to Him and His righteousness 
is imputed to us, and there is a measure of truth in such a 
statement and a measure of correctness in such a thought. 
That is to say, we see how His righteousness was imputed to 
us; that is very plain; He imputes or grants the Church His 
merit or righteousness in view of the sacrifice He has made, 
and we can see also that what is meant by the thought that our 
sins were imputed to Him; by His own consent He took the 
place of the sinner. He offered Himself up to God "a sacrifice 
well pleasing." He offered Himself a sacrifice as typified by 
Aaron offering the bullock; the bullock was not blemished, 
but a perfect one. As the Priest, He stayed the bullock, and as 
the Priest He offered it afterwards to God. As a matter of 
fact. He has not yet offered it to God for the world, not yet. 
More than 1800 years have passed. The priest merely took 
the blood of the bullock and went into the Holy and then the 



Most Holy and there sprinkled the blood only on behalf of 
himself and his house, his body and the household of faith; 
the little flock class, the priestly class represented in his body, 
the under priests and household of faith representing the 

{PageQ215} 

Great Company class; only for these did he sprinkle the 
blood. The sins of the world were not imputed to Him in any 
sense, nor have they yet been. When He has finished the 
sacrificing of the Church which is His body. He will present 
us to the Father; that will be at the end of the age when the 
Church have been offered with Him and then He will present 
the full merit of His sacrifice in behalf of the sins of all the 
people, all the world of mankind. That will be the time when 
the world's sins will be canceled, but at the present time He is 
giving us His righteousness and our sins are being put upon 
Him. He never did any sin, but has merely so far imputed His 
righteousness to the Church, and will, by and by, to the 
world. 

DEATH-Seeking and not Finding it. 

Q215:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--In those daysmen 
shall seek death and shall not find it; and shall desire to die 
and death shall flee from them. (Rev. 9:6.) Please explain. 
ANSWER~The book of Revelation is a symbolic book, 
and I believe it cannot be rightly understood except as a 
whole. We would not be prepared this evening to explain it 
as a whole; therefore we believe it will be best to leave this 
little portion for future explanation. 

DEATH-Re New Covenant. 

Q21 5:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-If the new Age is soon 
to begin, as stated by you this afternoon, will it be necessary 
for every man to die in order to gain that new life; or will it 
be possible to receive the benefits of the new covenant and 
not die at all? 

ANSWER--We understand the Scriptures to teach that 
when the Kingdom of Messiah is inaugurated it will be in the 
midst of a time of trouble. Undoubtedly if it is to be the 
greatest trouble the world has ever had, as the Scriptures 
declare, it will be a serious time. We imagine many people 
will lose their lives. If they lose their lives they will need to 
have a resurrection from the dead. A great many will pass 
over from the present to the New Age, and the kingdom being 
established, they will not need to die. They may raise up 



more and more to perfection and finally get everlasting life 
without ever going into the tomb. 

But I think of another part. Someone may say, "Has not the 
sentence of death passed upon the whole human family, and 
would that not mean that they must go down to death?" They 
are all in death; you are in death. Every one is born under the 
sentence of death. It is not necessary that those whose 
reprieve comes in should go the whole length in order to be 
awakened. Let us illustrate the matter. Suppose all in this 
audience had been brought under the sentence of 
imprisonment for life; instead of the prison of death it is the 
prison of Springfield. Suppose the patrol wagon came and 
took away a load to prison, and came after another, and 
another, but there are some still remaining here. Suppose the 
Governor, or Mayor, or someone having authority, granted a 
reprieve and set aside this sentence. Would it be necessary 
for us to go to prison and come out again? The reprieve 
would cover that. So some have already gone down into the 
prison of death, others are on their sick beds and on the way, 
while some of us still have a measure of health and strength. 
When the new covenant is established it will not 

{PageQ216} 

be necessary for such as are living to go down into the prison. 

DEATH-Must all Humanity Enter the Tomb? 

Q216:1 :: QUESTION (1915)--l--Please give Scripture 

for, the thought that some of the human family now living may 

not have to go down into death. 

ANSWER--I would say that the question is put in the 
wrong way. If the questioner thinks that all the 1,600,000,000 
now living should give some proof that they will all die, it 
isn't necessary. Properly, it seems that they would not all die; 
for the natural conclusion would be that as the Prince of 
Darkness has the power of death, and he is to be brought 
under control very soon, is to be bound, and as the Life-Giver 
who has died on behalf of the world is to set up His Kingdom, 
and that Kingdom is all-powerful, and its King opposed to 
death, death will cease when the Kingdom has taken control. 
The new King will not only be opposed to people who have 
already died remaining dead, but will be opposed to the death 
of any who will then have been legally redeemed. This will 
include every member of the race of Adam. 

We have given an illustration in Studies in the Scriptures 
which covers this point. But you know we need to study 



those Studies in the Scriptures over and over. There the 
illustration is like this: Suppose that we as a whole company 
gathered together were placed under arrest, that some officer 
of the Government would come to the door and say, "I have 
an unpleasant announcement: You are all under arrest." And 
then suppose that they would have a wagon outside and 
would begin to take us to the lockup. After taking the first 
load, they would return and take another wagon-load, and 
then another and another. Then suppose that while the wagon 
was on the way to the station and while others were standing 
here awaiting their turn, some one went to see the authorities, 
and they would say, "There is some mistake about this, but 
there is so much of a payment to be made." "Very well, I will 
give you the check." Then the chief officer would say, "Stop 
this matter of arrest at once." So the proper officers go out 
and execute the command. They meet the wagon and say, 
"You need not take these people any further they are not 
under arrest. Let them go!" Then he come up to the building 
where the remainder are awaiting their incarceration and says, 
"You are all now free." Then he hastens to the jail and 
liberates those who had been imprisoned, giving them the 
message of freedom. 

Now those who had been taken to prison and those who had 
not been taken had all been under sentence. But when the 
claim was adjusted no more need enter the prison. So it is 
with the results of our Lord's death. It will not only set free 
those who have gone down into the great prison-house of 
death, but will stop the proceedings against those waiting to 
go into this prison-house. This is implied in the Scriptures. 
For example, see Zep. 3:8,9; Rev. 14:6,7. 

DEATH-Will All Go into Death. 

Q216:2:: QUESTION (1908)-2-Will the restitution 
class living when the Church is sealed go into death, or will 
restitution commence with them at once? 

{PageQ217} 

ANSWER—I understand that with the closing of this 
age, —or rather I wish to say that the Church will be 
completed with the close of this age, and at that time a great 
time of trouble will come in upon the world in which a great 
many people will lose their lives— a time of trouble which is 
pictured in the Scriptures by the trouble that came on the Jews 
at the end of their age when so many thousand people of 
Israel perished at the siege of Jerusalem. That is given as a 



type in the Scriptures as the end of this age and the perishing 
of a great many here. Likewise the French Revolution is held 
up in the book of Revelation as a picture of the time that is 
coming in the end of this age. So what we expect will be a 
little short period of anarchy, and the Church will be taken 
before that anarchy begins. It will be completed, as our Lord 
said. The world will fear looking for those things that are 
coming on the earth, but, he said, "Watch that ye may be 
accounted worthy to escape those things coming on the 
world." The Church will have certain things coming on it, and 
it will include a great many trials and persecutions, and 
perhaps a great deal of suffering in various ways, in the end 
of this age; but they will all have passed beyond the vail 
before this anarchistic trouble will have come on the world. 
And in the coming of this trouble on the world a great many 
lives will be lost; but still there will be a great many people 
left out of the sixteen hundred millions of the world's 
population. We would not expect that nearly half would die. 
By no means, but without attempting to guess as to the 
proportionate number, there will be a good many of them 
undoubtedly left at that time, and it will be to those that the 
Lord's first message will come, and the establishment of his 
kingdom. The Scriptures teach us it will begin with the Jews. 
They will be the first to be favored in that restitution time. 
God's favor will come first to them through the Ancient 
Worthies, and then through them afterwards to all the nations, 
kindreds and tongues. And thus all living nations will have a 
blessing from the Lord, and their blessing would come in the 
very beginning of the dawn of the Millennial age; they will 
have this first, or primary, blessing, and as they fall in line 
with the kingdom order of things, righteousness will begin to 
be established in the earth; and as mankind comes into 
harmony all of this will be established to some extent before 
any are awakened from the tomb. Now I imagine part of this 
question would be. Do they not all have to go down into the 
tomb? Must not every member of Adam's race, since the 
penalty was death, go down into the tomb? No, I answer; 
it is not necessary to the divine will. From God's standpoint 
the whole world is a dead world, as Jesus said, you 
remember. There was a certain young man who said. Lord, 
after my father's death I will come and be one of your 
disciples. While the old gentleman lives I think I had better 
stay with him, but after he is dead I will become one of your 
disciples. Jesus answered and said unto him. Let the dead 
bury the dead, but go thou and preach the gospel. Which is to 
say, that the whole world is dead from God's standpoint. 



Sickness, death, has passed upon all mankind, and from 
God's standpoint none of them have life nor a right to life. 
Again, you remember that the Lord Jesus said, "He 

{PageQ218} 

that hath the Son bath life and he that hath not the Son bath 
not life." The whole world, then, that have not Christ have not 
life. Christ is the Life giver and whoever has Christ gets life. 
So then, the whole world is a dead world already. Now, then, 
with the beginning of the Millennial age, the Lord who has 
bought the whole world with his precious blood will begin the 
work of restoring things and blessing the world, uplifting it, 
and as the world gets this uplift it will help them out of their 
dying condition. For instance, when the world of mankind 
that have gone down into death shall all come forth, they will 
not come forth to life. You remember the Scriptures say that 
only the first resurrection class come forth to life. So our 
Lord says, "They that have done good." Those that have 
pleased the Father, those who have his approval, shall come 
forth unto the resurrection of life, the others come forth to a 
resurrection by judgments—a gradual raising up out of death, 
a thousand-year day in which, under the judgments of the 
Millennial kingdom, they will be lifted up, up, up, out of their 
degradation and sin, out of dying, and brought to the full 
perfection of life. You see Adam had life when God formed 
him, but when be committed sin he came under the sentence 
of death, "Dying thou shall die." The dying began right away. 
He was thrust out of the garden of Eden. He began to be a 
dying man; he could not be a living man, and a dying man 
both. Perfection of life began to go the moment he was thrust 
out of the garden. After the sentence of death it took 930 
years before he was absolutely dead. So with the world in the 
matter of restitution; the awakening from the tomb will not be 
giving them life; life is the perfection; it will be bringing them 
forth in the still imperfect condition, without life. But they 
will be lifted up higher and higher out of degradation, mental, 
moral and physical, into which they have been plunged 
through sin. So not until the end of the Millennial age will 
the world of mankind be free from death. And that is what 
the Scriptures say again. The last enemy death, shall he 
destroyed. And that is speaking of Christ's Millennial 
kingdom, because it is right in that connection. In 1 Cor. 15th 
chapter the Apostle shows that He must reign until he shall 
have put down all authority, and all insubordination, and the 
last enemy, the last foe to God, and to righteousness, and to 



man, will he death. And so it will take the whole thousand 
years to put down death, because it will take the whole 
thousand years to bring man out of death. So long as death 
has any hold on mankind, death is not destroyed. It will take 
all of that thousand years to destroy death and release 
mankind. 

Someone may say, "Brother Russell, You have not said 
anything about anyone dying the second death." No, but it is 
true. The Scriptures tell that there will be some who, with all 
the favor of God, will reject the counsel of God and fail to 
attain that life, fail to be raised out of it; not fail because 
there is any limitation of God's plan, not because God had not 
made any provision for them, not because the precious blood of 
Christ was not sufficient for them, not because the 
opportunities of the Millennial age were insufficient. No, but 
merely because of their refusal to accept God's favor under 
these blessed and favorable conditions of the Millennium. 
God has given to every human being a will 

{PageQ219} 

for himself, and he does not propose to coerce any man's will, 
but on the contrary he seeketh such to worship him as 
worship in spirit and truth. And if any will not worship him 
in spirit and in truth, let him die the death. God does not 
propose to give eternal life to any except those who desire 
eternal life and who love the terms upon which be offers it, —the 
terms of obedience and loyalty to God,--and we all say. 
Amen. We are glad God has determined that not a rebel soul 
shall live. So when the end of the Millennial age shall have 
come, and Jesus shall turn over the world to the Father, he 
will be able to turn it over perfect, because in the meantime 
he will destroy all those in the second death who refuse to go 
forward and refuse to be obedient to the laws of his kingdom. 
You remember the prophecy how that a sinner shall die a 
hundred years old. He shall be cut off because of his refusal 
to fall in line with the rules of the kingdom. You remember 
the Apostle Peter's statement in the 3rd chapter of Acts when 
he says, pointing down to Christ's Millennial kingdom: 
Verily Moses said unto the fathers, a prophet, a great teacher, 
prophet, priest and king, shall God raise up from amongst 
your brethren, like unto me. As Moses was the great leader of 
Israel so here is to be a greater than Moses, the antitype; and 
it says that the soul that shall not obey that prophet shall be 
utterly destroyed from amongst the people. Thank God he 
will not be tormented! No, God will destroy all the wicked,-- 



"All the wicked will he destroy." That is a righteous, just 
penalty for those who refuse God's favor and his righteous, 
reasonable, loving terms. 

Brother Harrison: Will you please give us a word or two 
additional on a few points on that subject? I understood you 
to say that they who would come forth to a resurrection of life 
would include those only who have part in the first 
resurrection. Does it not also include the Ancient Worthies, 
who died in faith, and, second, may we expect the 
resurrection of the Ancient Worthies during the time of 
anarchy, or immediately at the close of that period? 

ANSWER--I agree. This statement of our Lord in John 5:29, 
"They that have done good shall come forth' unto the 
resurrection of life," includes more than the first resurrection. 
You see the word "first" in one sense is used in order of time- 
first in order of time. Now that will be first in order of time 
there specified, but the word in the original strictly means 
first in order of quality—first-class resurrection. The Lord 
does not say that all of those shall come forth to the first-class 
resurrection. Another Scripture says, "Blessed and holy is he 
that has part in the first that is in the first-class' resurrection; 
they shall be priests unto God and to Christ, and shall reign 
with him a thousand years." That is the little flock, you see. 
Now when our Lord mentions the matter, he does not divide 
this first resurrection, or this resurrection of those that have 
done good; he does not tell us about the different parts but he 
lumps together all who belong to the resurrection of those 
who have done good. They shall all come forth to life, 
resurrection. Now it includes, therefore, not merely the little 
flock which constitutes the church, the bride of Christ, but it 
includes also the great company, because they have done 
good. They made their consecration, and though they were 
not loyal enough 



{PageQ220} 

according to the Scriptures, to be counted worthy of a share in 
the throne with the Lord, and be priests of that royal priestly 
class, and he joint heirs with him, yet the testings brought 
upon them eventually proves that they are loyal to God, even 
at the cost of their lives, so that they did good; they come off 
conquerors, as is shown in Revelation where that class is 
pictured. We read about the little flock of a hundred and 
forty- four thousand, and then we read of a great company 
whose number no man knows, out of every people, and 
kindred, and nation and tongue. Who are these? These are 
they who come up out of great tribulation. The little flock 
came through great tribulation. Without tribulation ye shall 
not enter the kingdom. Then who are these? This is a special 
tribulation class for a special reason, and so we read that 
eventually they will be granted palm branches. They are not 
granted crowns. Crowns belong to the little flock, but palm 
branches belong to the great company, because they represent 
victory. The great company gain a victory because the 
Scriptures say they are conquerors. But the little flock are 
what? More than conquerors. The great company will all be 
conquerors; they must all conquer or they will die the second 
death. Everyone who comes under the Spirit's power during 
this gospel age is bound to come off a conqueror, or else die 
the second death; there is nothing else to it. There are two 
classes, then, that have done good; the little flock, more than 
conquerors, and the great company, conquerors. And then 
there are the Ancient Worthies, who are those mentioned in 
Paul's letter to the Hebrews, where he explains how some of 
them were found faithful, and endured hardness, and he goes 
on to tell about them, saying that they had this testimony that 
they pleased God. You see that shows they will be of that 
class our Lord mentioned. He there says that they have done 
good. On what basis? Faith and obedience. They are, then, 
in the resurrection class. It includes really three classes, but 
our Lord mentions them as one, "They that have done good 
shall come forth' unto a resurrection of life." These three 
classes will come forth unto life on three different planes- 
three different resurrections in that sense of the word. First 
will be the Saints who will come forth to the plane of the 
divine nature; secondly, will be the Great Company who will 
come forth on the plane of the spirit nature, like unto that of 
the angels; and, thirdly, the Ancient Worthies who will come 
forth on the human plane as men. Why should all of those 



come forth unto life and perfection? They stood their trial 
and in their trial they had the testimony that they came off 
conquerors, pleased God, therefore God is going to give them 
life. The gift of God is eternal life. The gift of God is eternal 
life in a special application to the Church; this eternal life is 
the divine nature. The eternal life to the Great Company is as 
spirit beings on the angelic plane. The gift of God, eternal 
life, will be restitution for the Ancient Worthies—perfection of 
human nature. They were never called to anything more. 
Then you remember the Apostle says, God having provided 
some better thing for us than for them, that they without us 
should not be made perfect. How wonderful the Scriptures fit 
together! But what about the rest of mankind? They will 
come forth to be tried. You remember this word "judgment" 
signifies "trial." The 

{PageQ221} 

world will not be on trial until the due time comes. Some of 
you perhaps have been in court and know that one case is on 
for trial, and all the cases were not on at once, were they? 
No. Here is one case that is on trial, and the other cases could 
not come on until that one was tried. Now, God is putting on 
trial first of all the Church; the Church is on trial during this 
Gospel age. After the Church's trial is over those who get the 
mark of pleasing God will be ushered into the glories of the 
Lord's blessing through the resurrection change, in a moment, 
in the twinkling of an eye. Their trial is then past, as our Lord 
pictures in the parable of the nobleman who went into a far 
country to receive a kingdom for himself, etc. 

DEATH-Sacrificial Or Real. 

Q221 :1 :: QUESTION (1916)-l-"Blessed in the sight 
of the Lord is the death of His saints", Psa 16:15. Does this 
mean daily dying the sacrificial death, or the real death of a 
saint? 

ANSWER-We need not quarrel over that text at all. 
Everything pertaining to the saint is precious to the Lord. At 
the time of consecration, that is precious in His sight. It was 
precious in His sight when Jesus, the first Saint, did this. The 
Father caused the Holy Spirit to come upon Jesus at that time, 
and the Voice declared Him to be the Son of God. At every 
other step we may have the divine favor and blessing, because 
everything pertaining to the saint is precious in the sight of 
the Lord. Consecration, dying daily and finally actual death- 
they are all precious to the Father. He is going to give all 



such that great reward. Precious therefore must they be in his 
sight. 

DEBTS-Owing Others. 

Q221:2:: QUESTION ( 19 10)--2-Please explain, "Owe 
no man anything but love." 

ANSWER— Well, that is pretty nearly as plain as I could 
state it myself. 

DEEDS-Records to Property in Millennial Age. 

Q221:3:: QUESTION (1909)-3-Will earthly records 
to deeds to property be recognized at all in the Millennial 
Age after the time of trouble? 

ANSWER— It is very difficult for us to determine to 
what extent a title-deed to property will have value after the 
time of trouble, because we do not know to what extent the 
records will be destroyed. It is very difficult to speak about a 
matter which is so obscure, and of which there is no record in 
the Scriptures. Our supposition is that after the introduction 
of the Millennial Age matters will go in much the same way 
as before, but the world will be in a paralyzed condition, all 
beaten and sore, because of the great trouble. Our Lord spoke 
of this through the Prophet, saying, "Be still and know that I 
am God." That will be the first lesson for the world to learn. 
It will be a severe but a very valuable lesson for the outside 
nations. We understand that death will continue to reign in a 
measure and that the only place that life and restitution will 
be manifest in the world will be in the lives of the nation of 
Israel under the New Covenant. It will still be true and 
always be true that, "He that hath the Son hath life, but he that 
hath not the Son hath not life." The heathen nations that do 
not fall in line with the Heavenly Kingdom will be barred to 
the special 

{PageQ222} 

blessings that are coming under the New Covenant to the 
Covenanted people of Israel. 

As the other nations see the blessings that are coming to the 
nation of Israel, they will all want to have a share and this is 
what will lead them to say, "Let us go up to the house of the 
Lord and he will lead us in his paths." 

As to the value then of a title-deed, after the time of trouble, 
I think it is too indefinite a question to discuss. I would say 
this, however, that the man who owned the property would 
have as much right as any one else. 



DEMONS-Time for Judging. 

Q222:1:: QUESTION (191 l)--l--"And behold they 
cried out, saying, 'what have w to do with thee Jesus, thou 
Son of God? Art thou come to torment us before the time?'" 
What time? 

ANSWER— This, dear friends, you remember was the 
language of the demons. When the Lord was casting out 
some of these demons at the first advent, and he commanded 
them to come out of the man and they objected; they seemed 
to think they were still within the limits of their time. Haven't 
we got a right to continue under these conditions? Haven't 
you come too soon? Are you going to torment us before the 
time? Well, I would suggest this: The word torment there 
does not have exactly the same thought that our word torment 
would have. It would mean, "do us distress;" just the same as 
in a landlord's warranty, a landlord is said to put a tenant in 
distress for his rent. That is to say, he will put him out of the 
premises for failure to pay his rent, and that is the thought that 
is here. Have you come to distress us, or put us out before the 
time? But, anyway, whatever the fallen spirits might say 
would not be good theology with any good Christian. We are 
not building our theology on what the demons say. We want 
what Jesus, and the apostles, and prophets, say. What the 
demons say would not count anything with me. 

It reminds me of a gentleman who was once arguing a point 
with me, and he quoted a Scripture, and it was quite to his 
side, and I said, "Where is that?" And we turned to the place, 
and I found then why it was peculiar. It was in Job. It was 
what the devil said. "Now," I said, "Brother, you are quoting 
me what the devil said." And he had no more to say. So 
here, what these demons said is worthy of no further 
consideration. 

DEPOSIT-Where Shown in Old Testament. 

Q222:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-2-Is the deposit of the 
ransom price shown anywhere in the types and shadows or 
teachings of the Old Testament? 

ANSWER-I do not think of anything in the Old 
Testament that teaches the deposit of the ransom. The 
ransom in this particular sense of the word is not a word used 
in the Old Testament. Only one case, "No man can give to 
God a ransom for his brother." It is a New Testament thought 
brought to our attention under the guidance of the Holy Spirit 
and representing a very deep teaching of God's Word, 



DEPOSIT~ln Whose Name and Credit. 

Q222:3:: QUESTION (1916)--3--In whose name and to 
whose credit is this deposit? 

{PageQ223} 

ANSWER— In the name and credit of the one human 
man I deposit it. Same as if you put $1,000 in the bank, it is 
in your name. Jesus did not give this to any one else. He 
deposited it in the hands of the Father. "I commit." No 
change, no transfer. Not that I commit this in your care for 
Father Adam or the world. I simply deposit it in your care 
and keeping. My spirit—that is shown there by the word"my." 

DEPOSIT-Meaning of. 

Q223:1:: QUESTION (1916)-l-Give the meaning of 
the word deposit, please. 

ANSWER— The word deposit signifies the word 
deposit. Put $1,000 in a bank, a deposit; you would get a 
little book and it would show a credit there. Your deposit 
does not show that you gave it to the banker. It was in his 
keeping for you had placed it in his care and it was yours to 
check out, when you pleased. Jesus deposits the ransom 
when he said in his dying moments. Father, in thy hands I 
commend, commit, I give over my spirit. The spirit of human 
life. Give it over to the Father's hands, not to the devil. The 
devil has nothing to do with mankind. Jesus had a right to his 
life. He had kept the Divine Law, being holy, harmless, 
undefiled and separate from sinners and fully doing the 
Father's will. He had a life right unforfeited in any sense of 
the word, and this he deposited. "Father into thy hands I 
commit my spirit of life." And it is still in the Father's hands; 
Jesus never took it away. But did he not take it away when he 
was resurrected from the dead? No, the Father gave him a 
reward of a still higher form of life. "Put to death in the flesh, 
but quickened or made alive in the Spirit" on the Divine 
plane. This spirit life which he had in the resurrection was a 
reward for obedience; no bearing on his other life at all. He 
still has right to the earthly, but he has no use for it. He has a 
higher and better life, but the other is at his disposal. 

DEPOSIT-When Made. 

0223:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-Did Jesus make his 
deposit at the time of his death, or at the river Jordon? 

ANSWER— I would say he did not make his deposit at 
the time of his consecration at Jordon. My view of it would 



be that Jesus made a covenant with the Father that he would 
keep the Divine law and do everything he found written in the 
book, all the things represented in the types and shadows, and 
this was the arrangement of the Father, and that by doing all 
these things fully, by keeping the Law he had a right to life 
and by sacrificing his right to that, he had become heir to the 
promises of glory, honor and immortality, and it was when he 
was giving up his life entirely: "Father into thy hands I 
commit my spirit." 

DEPOSIT-lts Value. 

Q223:3:: QUESTION (1916) 3 What is the real 
merit, or credit, or price, on deposit? 

ANSWER~The thing that is on deposit is merely the 
value of a perfect man's life. No more, no less. That was the 
ransom on deposit. The corresponding price, that which 
Adam had forfeited. Of course that life includes the right to 
fellowship with God, earthly home and all the things 

{PageQ224} 

that God had given to man originally. Psalm 8. What is man? 
"Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels--thou hast 
put all things under his feet." And it includes all those rights, 
and when Jesus laid down his life right he was laying down as 
much as any man ever had or could have. A right to 
everything Adam had as a perfect man. All this was placed in 
the Father's hands, in the hands of the Divine justice. 

DEPOSIT-Value Through Jesus. 

Q224:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Why is the value of 
the deposit through the glorified Jesus? 

ANSWER--In that it is the basis of the great work. The 
first part of the work is the bringing many sons to glory, and 
that same ransom sacrifice in the hands of justice will be the 
price which will make the ransom of the whole world from 
death, and give the glorified mediator, head and body the 
right to step in, and for 1 ,000 years exercise mercy toward 
mankind, helping them up from their fallen position, to all 
that was lost in Eden. 

DEPOSIT-New Testament Teaching On. 

0224:2:: QUESTION (1916)--2-What New Testament 
Scriptures clearly teach the acceptance of the deposit of the 
ransom price? 
ANSWER~The general teaching of the New Testament 



is that Jesus has something in the hands of Divine justice 
which is the basis of all reconciliation with the Father. The 
one that directly tells us, he not only gave himself a ransom, 
but when he died he said "Into thy hands I commit my spirit. 
I leave it with you." Many scriptures show how this is made 
applicable. We read of the application of the merit. It implies 
there is some merit there. Figuratively referred to, how could 
we receive the robe of righteousness unless there was a merit? 

DESTRUCTION-As Natural Brute Beasts. 

Q224:3:: QUESTION (1907)-3--Please explain the 
text that speaks of some persons as natural brute beasts, 
made to be taken and destroyed. 

ANSWER~The Apostle is speaking of some who are to 
suffer destruction at the hands of the Lord, and he says as 
wild beasts they are taken and destroyed. You do not think it 
any harm to destroy a lion. Why? Because he is ferocious 
and apt to do some harm. If it were a dove flying about and 
harmless, I would say, do not touch it, but let it go. Or if it 
were some bird of beautiful plumage flying about and doing 
no harm, but only uttering some beautiful trill of voice, I 
would say, do not touch the bird. Why should we destroy the 
life of any such innocent and beautiful creature? But if it 
were a lion or a tiger, and the whole village or city was in 
distress because of it, and it was going to do some harm, we 
would say that we had better destroy it. Every policeman, 
under such circumstances, is authorized to draw his revolver 
and to shoot immediately. It is only fit for destruction; and is 
not a proper thing to let go at liberty. So, the Lord has this 
view with respecting a certain class He is going to destroy in 
the second death. They are not fit for life; that is the reason 
they will be destroyed. They are no more fit for life than the 
brute beasts are fit to live. Just as it is proper to destroy a 
corrupt person who has injured others, and to cut off his 

{PageQ225} 

opportunity of perpetuating evil, so it would be to destroy a 
brute beast. And God purposes that all the wicked will He 
destroy— those who have had full knowledge, and have been 
helped in every way that God, Christ and the Ancient 
Worthies will be able to help them—after they have had all of 
that, if they are still, at heart, antagonistic to righteousness, 
and if they still love iniquity, let them die as brute beasts. But 
it would not be right to torment them. It is not right to 
torment brute beasts. Who would say that God or man had a 



right to torment even brute beasts, or human creatures? But it 
is right to destroy beasts and it is right for God to destroy 
those who will ultimately be like brute beasts, in that they 
would be injurious to others. 

DEVIL-Final Abode. 

Q225:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--What will be the final 
abode and end of the devil and his angels? 

ANSWER--I do not think they will have any final 
abode. They belong to the wicked, and all the wicked will 
God destroy; not only the wicked human, but also the wicked 
spirit beings. Eternal life is the gift of God, and he will not 
allow that to go to those who will not use it in harmony with 
himself. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not 
the Son hath not life. 

DEVIL--Re Symbols of Revelation. 

Q225:2:: QUESTION (191 l)--2-"And the devil that 
deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, 
where the beast and false prophet are, and shall be 
tormented day and night forever." "And the smoke of their 
torment ascended up forever and ever, and they have no rest 
day and night which worship the beast and his image." 

ANSWER--These passages are taken from Revelation, 
and the book of Revelation is a symbolical book; that is 
exactly what it purports to be. We read that Jesus sent his 
angel and signified or made signs of certain things, and those 
signs, or symbols, have been with us and have been examined 
for 1,800 years. Now we will not undertake at this time to 
investigate the entire book of Revelation, but content 
ourselves briefly by saying, first, that all teachers will admit 
that no doctrine should be based wholly on a text of Scripture 
found in Revelation, if it does not have some foundation in 
other parts of the Word of God; no one may build a doctrine 
merely upon a passage of Scripture which has only Revelation 
for its basis, because that being a symbolical book, nearly all 
the statements in it are symbolical. Now in this case you will 
notice the reference to the beast and false prophet—one beast 
and one false prophet. Who is that beast? Have you seen that 
beast? Do you know anything about that beast? Do you 
know anything about that false prophet? Now, you see, 
unless I would take time to go into the matter and discuss 
what the beast symbolizes, and what the false prophet 
symbolizes, it would not be proper to discuss what is meant 
by this, and what happened to them. The beast is a symbol of 
a great system, but time will not permit us to go into a 



discussion of the subject. I believe it represents a great 
system of religion that is now in the world. And the false 
prophet I understand represents another system of religion—not 
a man, not men, but a system; and that system. 

{PageQ226} 

is to be destroyed; and that system is to have torment, and it 
is to collapse—not the people. You will find something on this 
subject in the little pamphlet we gave away last night. 

DIVES-Meaning of. 

Q226:1 :: QUESTION (1905)-1-What does the word 
"Dives" come from? 

ANSWER.— It signifies "rich man," as Lazarus signifies 
"poor." 

DIVINITY-Does Pastor Russell Deny Christ's? 

Q226:2:: QUESTION (1913)-2-Do youdeny the 
divinity of Christ? 

ANSWER.— By no means, dear friends. It is a very 
remarkable thing that there are some who seem to greatly 
misunderstand what we have to say. You will find in this city 
and in every great city I suppose scores who will deny that 
Jesus ever had a virgin mother; scores who will deny that He 
had any prior existence. No one says anything about their 
denying the divinity of Jesus. I do not accuse them. Do we 
not claim that Jehovah was His Father? Do we not deny that 
Joseph was His Father? We certainly do claim the divinity of 
Christ; that the divine Father was His Father; that He was 
begotten and specially born of a virgin, and therefore, was 
"holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." Do 
we claim he was the Heavenly Father when a man? No, we 
do not claim He was His own father. That would not be 
Scriptural. If anyone thinks He was His own father, and His 
own son, he does not know what he is talking about. 

As to what He is now. We believe He is divine now. The 
Bible says so. "Him hath God exalted and given Him a name 
which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every 
knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and 
things under the earth." Already the angels are bowing to 
Him, and by and by every knee on earth will bow. Moreover, 
Saint Peter says the church is begotten to the divine nature. 
While it does not say Jesus is a partaker of the divine nature, 
we understand him to teach that thought. 



DIVISIONS-The Unruly and Confused. 

Q226:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3--InRom. 16:17, we 
are told to mark those which cause divisions and avoid them. 
What rules will enable us to distinguish between such and 
those who are simply confused, or who are unable to quickly 
see some further point of truth.? What shall our course with 
those of the latter class be if unusually earnest about 
expressing themselves regarding their differences? 

ANSWER.— I would say that would he a matter of 
judgment, that you should use your own judgment, asking the 
Lord for guidance, that you might deal wisely with all the 
brethren, and always kindly and lovingly. 

The marking of those who cause divisions, I would 
understand the Apostle to mean, that if any spoke differently 
from us, that we should not take issue with him and put him 
out. That would be a harsh interpretation. The Apostle 
means that if they are those who are of a contentious 
disposition after having an opportunity to be heard, and then 
continually knocking and work to make a split, then they 
should be avoided. When he says, avoid them, I do not 
understand that we should avoid them as wild 

{PageQ227} 

beasts, nor as those who necessarily are in opposition, but as 
those to whom we would not wish to express ourselves so 
fully and freely as to those who are in closer harmony. For 
instance, we are not permitted to avoid anyone and to 
denounce him as being a brother because of some difference 
of opinion over some passage of Scripture. There is the one 
procedure for disfellowshipping one who has been considered 
a member of the body of Christ, only one method, namely; go 
to him alone. If unable to have the right understanding of the 
matter take two or three others. If still unable to get into 
harmony, etc., it may then be told to the church, through its 
proper channels. It would be wise, in taking two or three 
others, that you take two or three elders of the church, for 
they would be very suitable ones to take along. If he refuses 
to hear these, then it may be brought to the attention of the 
church, and only in that way and by the voice of the whole 
company of God's people who might be meeting together, 
only by their vote in the matter could anyone be 
disfellowshipped as a brother. From amongst those whom 
you recognize as brethren there are some with whom you 
have more intimate fellowship than others, and to whom you 
show special attention, not on account of education, or social 



standing, or wealth, but because of their relationship to the 
Lord; and if you find then one who is causing division, do not 
give him so much of your fellowship; just be a little more 
cool toward him than if he were fully in fellowship and not 
causing divisions. The Apostle does not say to have nothing 
to do with him, and to brand him as a heretic. Avoid helping 
such a person to an office, or anything that would specially 
help him along, if you see him in an unsafe position. Don't 
push him away, but be ready to help him, and not injure him, 
I think is the Apostle's thought. 

DOGS-Dogs in Your Neighborhood. 

Q227:1 :: QUESTION (1905)--1--Please explain the three 
clauses of Phil. 3:2. "Beware of dogs, beware of evil 
doers, beware of the concision." 

ANSWER.--Who are the dogs? Well, let each look 
around in his own neighborhood and see if he can find any 
that have the characteristics of dogs, snapping and barking at 
you. It does not mean literal dogs, but figurative dogs. If 
you find any, don't rub them the wrong way. 

The evil doers mean, any evil doers; we have neither part 
nor lot with darkness. Do not have your fellowship with 
those who are injuring others, for if the time came they would 
do you an injury. Seek the company and fellowship of those 
that love righteousness. Put a premium upon that which is 
good, just and noble. 

The concision in the apostle's day signified those who were 
in opposition to circumcision. Circumcision was a certain 
sign. Ours is the heart, the cutting away from our affections 
that which would be injurious. We are not Jews according to 
the flesh, but we have a circumcision of the heart. 

DOIVIINION OF EARTH-Whose Right. 

Q227:2:: QUESTION (1908)--2-Did Jesus have the 
right to the dominion of the earth before He made his 
consecration, as Adam had before he sinned, and did Jesus 
sacrifice this right in order to give it back to man? 
ANSWER.— In one sense of the word that might be true. 

{PageQ228} 

That is to say, because He was perfect, and because He was 
the only man in the world who was perfect. He therefore 
would have certain rights that other men would not have; but 
remember. He had to be tried first to see whether He was 
perfect before it would he delivered to Him. Adam had it 



delivered to him, and then he was tried to see whether he 
might keep it or not; he failed under the trial, and therefore 
lost the dominion of life as well as everything else. But in the 
case of our Lord Jesus Christ, His trial came first and He was 
tried before the dominion was given to Him, and in the trial 
He proved faithful, and His faithfulness was demonstrated by 
His entire life, and finishing His life at Calvary. So that by 
that time, by the sacrifice of Himself, He proved His loyalty 
to God and the right to be the representative of God, the Man 
Christ Jesus, who now had in this general way the right to be 
the heir of all things; this He had the right to, by reason of 
this demonstration of His loyalty to God, as we read in the 
prophecy, "Unto thee shall it come, O, thou prince of the 
flock, even the first dominion." The original dominion in 
Adam came to Jesus, the Prince of the flock, by reason of His 
faithfulness and obedience to the Father unto death. By 
consecration of Himself He gave up this. He was both 
winning and laying down at the same time; He was winning 
by obedience to the Law of Israel the right to the dominion of 
earth, and by the sacrifice of Himself He was laying it down 
so that He would have the right to give it to Adam and His 
race. He was doing two things at the same time. It was both 
an obedience to the Law and the sacrifice of Himself. These 
two things were simultaneous, and these two things were 
finished at Calvary. So He has dominion, and as soon as He 
shall have gathered out the Church, His Bride, He proposes to 
give that dominion to mankind, to the race of Adam, of whom 
He is to be the Father, the life-giver, and all who will accept 
life from Him may have it. All through the Millennial Age 
they will know that life is obtainable by obedience to Him, 
that He is the only one who has the right to give it, and that is 
the reason He is called the Everlasting Father, or the Father of 
Everlasting Life. He will give everlasting life to those who 
will be His children. In other words, having bought Adam 
and his race He is going to adopt as His children all who were 
children of Adam. 

Brother Harrison: In what relation shall we consider that 
text which says, "So long as he is a child, he differeth nothing 
from a servant?" Does that apply there? 

Brother Russell: I would not think so. I think that is 
another line of thought altogether. The Apostle is there 
speaking to the Jews, and the reason why a Jew could not 
have any privileges as a child of God was because they were 
under tutors, etc. Although God favored them, they were 
treated the same as the rest of the world in other respects; 
they were not set free from the Law, but as soon as the House 



of Sons began then Christ made us free from that Law that we 
should no longer be of the House of Servants, but now might 
come into the House of Sons. You could apply it, of course, 
to Christ; that so long as He was a member of the House of 
Servants He was under the Law. Then Christ as a Son, 
though He were a Son, so long as He had not reached this 
demonstration He was treated the same 

{PageQ229} 

as the House of Servants. He was under the Law the same as 
all Jews were under the Law. 

DOOR CLOSED-Harvest Past, Summer Ended. 

Q229:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--"The harvest is past, 
the summer is ended and we are not saved." To whom does 
this apply? 

ANSWER. ~I understand that this would seem to apply 
to a class who would realize that the Bride has been taken and 
that they are left; such as is described in Revelation, 19th 
chapter, when the great company is pictured at the time of the 
fall of Babylon. They are delivered at the time of Babylon's 
fall, "Let us be glad and rejoice, for the marriage of the Lamb 
is come (has taken place), and his wife hath made herself 
ready (and we are left, and disappointed, but nevertheless), let 
us rejoice, for we see God's plan." That is the time when the 
harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not among 
the class saved, but we are left, and we are the servant class 
instead of the Bride. Then a message comes to that class and 
he that sitteth on the throne sends the message. They were 
invited to the marriage supper; they were invited to come in 
and partake of the festivities as mentioned in Psalm 45. 

DOOR-Probably Not Yet Closed. 

Q229:2:: QUESTION (1915-Z)-2-Would there be any 
prospect for one who consecrates at this time to be of the 
"Bride" class, or has the Call now ceased? 

ANSWER.— We make a distinction between the end of 
the Public Call and the shutting of the door. We understand 
that the public Call ended when a sufficient number had been 
invited and had accepted the invitation-in 1881. But of these 
invited and accepted ones there was still to be a testing. Only 
those enduring loyally to the end will be finally counted in as 
victors. Others, not proving wholly loyal to their Covenant in 
their daily lives, will in time be dropped from the list, which 
would mean that they had not been running faithfully. This 



would continually make vacancies to be filled. But such a 
filling of vacancies would not require a new Call, but merely 
a permission for one to enter as one went out. 

Our thought is that a large number of those who consecrated 
prior to 1881 failed to "make good." It is our thought that you 
are still in time to make your consecration, with every reason 
for hoping that you may make your calling and election sure 
by zealous faithfulness in sacrificing earthly interests in favor 
of the Heavenly. 

In any event, the most reasonable thing for any of us to do 
would be to give ourselves wholly to the Lord, just as soon as 
we realize our imperfection and the Lord's sufficiency. We 
should be glad to have Him as our Care-taker, regardless of 
what reward He would give. We should be sure that so great 
and so generous a King as God would give good gifts to all 
who are His. In other words, after the Little Flock is 
completed, the Lord will be glad to bless in some other 
manner others who have the spirit of obedience and sacrifice. 

DOOR-Shutting of the. 

Q229:3:: QUESTION (1908)--3--Is the door shut while 
some are in 

{PageQ230} 

the flesh enduring further testing or is the door shut after the 
last member of the body is changed? 

ANSWER. —You remember the parable of the wise and 
foolish virgins. The Lord tells us that all of these are virgins. 
That parable does not take in the world. It only takes in those 
who were looking for the bridegroom. It leaves out the virgin 
class—those who were preparing for the wedding: all others 
of mankind. And this parable of the wise and foolish virgins 
shows that amongst those who were looking for the 
Bridegroom, and who were expecting Him, and who were 
hoping to go into the wedding, there are two classes, the wise 
ones and the foolish ones; and that the wise ones will be able 
at that time to discern the fact; will be able to hear the knock 
of the Bridegroom, and will be awakened by the knock. They 
will understand that the Bridegroom has come, and they will 
have oil in their lamps; they will not be in darkness that that 
day shall overtake them as a thief; they will go forward with 
this light of knowledge, and follow the Lord in this time, and 
they will go in with Him to the wedding. As I understand it, 
this parable is in process of fulfillment now, and many have 
already gone into the wedding, and others are hoping that 



they may make such progress in the same way that they will 
also get into the wedding. Mark you, any time before we go 
in there is a chance to fall, a chance to turn aside and become 
a foolish virgin, and give an opportunity for someone who 
was not a wise virgin to get in amongst those wise virgins, 
and take his place there. The parable is a progressive one. 
One might fall out from this number and become foolish, or 
another one who was foolish might come in and be wise at 
any time before he gets into the marriage. But eventually 
when the last elect one shall have gone in, no one else can get 
in; that is the end of it. When the last one shall have been 
tested, and perfected, and gone in, the door must be shut, 
because there is only to be a hundred and forty-four thousand 
of that class, or whatever the number is, if anyone is disposed 
to dispute the number and think that it is symbolical. I do not 
know that it is a literal number; I am inclined to think it is. 
But no matter whether it is literal or figurative, there is a 
limited number, a positive number which God has 
predetermined shall constitute the elect class, and it is for you 
and me to make our calling and election sure by getting into 
that elect class. There is a limited number of crowns; "Take 
heed that no man take thy crown." If there has been a crown 
set apart for you, and if you have been selected as the one to 
whom the Lord is pleased to give it, then hold on, do not get 
foolish, and get out of the ranks, but go on; don't let your oil 
run low; see that you keep faithful unto the end and you shall 
have the crown; but if you prove unfaithful, that crown is not 
yours any longer, and someone will be allowed to take your 
place. The crown is to be occupied. The door will not shut 
until the last one is in, because the full number must be there; 
the door will shut immediately when the last one goes in, 
because there will not be one in there more than that number. 
The same thing is pictured in another place where he 
represents Jesus the Head of the Church which is His body, 
and we are members in particular of the body of Christ, and 
that these different members of the body are all complete. 
You remember the Apostle says, You cannot say 

{PageQ231} 

to the foot, I have no need of you, and to the hand, I have no 
need of you, etc.; for every part of the body is necessary. In 
this way the Lord pictures the completeness of His body. In 
the type no man could serve as a high priest if he had an extra 
finger or an extra toe, or if he lacked a finger or a toe. Why? 
Because the high priest in type was a picture of this glorified 



and perfect church, which will not have one more or one less 
than the exact number necessary to complete the body. 

EARTH--Re Abiding Forever. 

Q231:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 How shall we 
understand the earth to abide forever? In Rev. 21:1, we 
read, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first 
heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no 
more sea." 

ANSWER.— We answer that according to the Bible there 
have already been two worlds, and the third one is coming, 
and this earth has been the scene of all these. As, for 
instance, the Apostle speaks of the world that was before the 
flood, of the present evil world, because sin is now reigning, 
and of the world to come wherein dwelleth righteousness. 
This does not signify three earths, but three different orders or 
conditions of things in the earth. The condition of things 
which preceded the flood was different from the present order 
of things. That condition of things before the flood, 1656 
years, was under the ministration of angels; during the present 
time, from the flood down to the coming of Christ, at his 
second advent, the world is left in the hands of mankind, and 
Satan, the prince of this world, taking advantage of men, 
taking advantage of their ignorance and superstitious fears, 
has become prince of this world without any divine authority, 
because he works in the hearts of the children of 
disobedience, and the children of disobedience are much 
more numerous than the children of obedience; therefore it is 
the present evil world. The new dispensation, or new order of 
things that God will introduce at the second coming of Christ, 
is spoken of as the new heaven and the new earth, in this 
same symbolical way. But it will be the same physical earth, 
the same rocks, the same matter will be here, the sky we now 
have will be here just the same as before the flood. One 
world has passed, and another world or dispensation has 
come, and a new world or dispensation is about to be ushered 
in. The new one will be different from either of the others, 
because Christ will be the prince of that world, the prince of 
peace, and the government of that dispensation will be 
altogether righteous. He who sits on the throne says, "I will 
make all things new." They will all be made new, dear 
friends. 

Again, in the Scripture symbolical language we have this to 
notice, that the heavens are used symbolically as representing 
the ecclesiastical or spiritual powers. For instance, the 
heavens of the present time in this symbolic language of the 



Bible are the religious systems of the present time, while the 
heavens of the future age will be the church in glory. The 
earth at the present time is the present social order of things, 
society as at present organized on the basis of selfishness; and 
the mountains represent the kingdoms of this world, and the 
rivers represent the truth, and the seas represent the masses 

{PageQ232} 

of mankind who are unstable, restless. And the Lord pictures 
a change in this respect, that all of these things are to made 
over new~a new order of society under the domination of 
Messiah, and there will be no more sea in the sense that there 
will be no more people who are in that restless, dissatisfied 
condition. To him every knee will bow, and every tongue 
will confess. This present order of things will pass away and 
give way to the new order of things. This word "World" is 
translated from three different Greek words, and our 
comprehension of this word has been correspondingly rather 
confused. 

EARTH-Was it Perfect Before Adam Fell. 

Q232:1 :: QUESTION (1913)--l-Was the earth perfect 
before Adam fell.? And what does it mean that God saw that 
it was good? 

ANSWER.--The Lord, having brought the earth to the 
condition which was pleasing to Him, said, "It is good," it is 
all right, and the condition was, we understand, one in which 
there was one corner of the earth, a little space called the 
Garden of Eden, which was brought to full perfection. We 
may suppose that our Heavenly Father, if He had so chosen, 
could have made the whole earth the Garden of Eden, but it 
would not be like God to make the whole earth like the 
Garden of Eden and then curse it. We understand, therefore, 
that merely the Garden was prepared for man, and that the 
rest of the earth was very good in God's sight, because that 
was the condition in which God intended it to be. God did 
not want to make the whole earth like the Garden, and ask 
one man to attend to it. He could not have meant the whole 
earth to be kept dressed, but He said to this one man, "Be 
fruitful, bring forth children, multiply your children, fill the 
earth, an earth full of children, and subdue the earth;" that is 
to say: It is not in a subjected condition except the Garden of 
Eden, but as your children increase in number, and you need 
some more land, go out and take in that much more. As 
Adam's family grew larger, they would take in a 



corresponding amount of land, and thus would be subduing 
the earth, and they would not have more than they could 
attend to at any one time. 

EDEN-Location of Garden. 

Q232:2:: QUESTION (1911) 2 Where was the 

Garden of Eden? Have they ever found a place where a river 

parted and came into four heads? 

ANSWER.— They do claim there is such a place over 
near Macedonia; I have never seen it. I do not know how 
well the claim is founded. But if there is such a place, it has 
survived the ravages of the flood in a very remarkable way. I 
would not expect any traces of the Garden of Eden if I 
believed in the flood, and I do believe in the flood. I do not 
think it would leave any more signs of the Garden of Eden 
than it would of any other garden. 

ELDERS~Re Authority in Church. 

Q232:3:: QUESTION (1909)-3 -Is an elder elected 
merely to do the bidding of the Eecclesia, and act as a 
moderator in the meetings, or has he greater responsibility? 

ANSWER. -Authority cannot be greater than the giver 
of the authority. In other words, if the Church confers upon 

{PageQ233} 

an elder his responsibility by electing him, the Church had the 
responsibility at first or it could not have given it to the elder, 
and the elder therefore should assume the authority so far as 
the congregation will allow. If his conscience will not allow 
him to do certain things, then it would seem to be the proper 
thing to tell the congregation his attitude of mind and to say 
that, if they wished, they could ask for his resignation and he 
would gladly give it. The elder is not to violate his 
conscience to serve the congregation, and the congregation is 
not to violate its conscience in having the elder serve them. 
The elder shall serve the Church, according to its wishes, up 
to the point where his conscience objects. 

I might say further that the Scriptures say that the Holy 
Spirit makes the elder the overseer through the stretching 
forth of the hands; thus it is applied to the Ecclesia and 
operates through them first. 



ELDERS-Holding Meeting to Discuss Interests of the Class. 

Q233:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--Do the Scriptures 
favor and do you think it would be wise for the elders of each 
class, or different classes, to meet together for conference 
respecting the interest of the classes they represent? 

ANSWER.--I think that the Scriptures do favor that, 
and I think that is advisable. That is the very case we have 
before our minds this evening, when the Apostle Paul called 
the elders of the Church at Ephesus. He called them together 
as a company of elders to confer respecting the interests of 
the Church. He, as an elder, or as a pastor, had charge, and 
was there communing with them respecting the interests of 
the Church. If it were wrong for the elders to meet together 
concerning the matter, it would have been wrong for the 
Apostle Paul to have held such a meeting, in my judgment; 
and I think we do well to consider that a safe criterion to go 
by and that it would be well for the elders to come together to 
consider the interests of the Church. But let me guard you on 
a point there. I think it would be injurious if the elders were 
to come together in the sense of determining or proposing to 
run the Church. That is another matter, you see. To come 
together to think about the interests of the Church, etc., and 
then to undertake to run the Church, are two different things. 
Suppose the elders were to meet, and they thought of 
something that would be good for the Church, in their 
judgment. I think that unless it was a matter specially 
entrusted to them by vote of the congregation and fully 
understood—if it was any new proposition about which there 
might be any doubt or question whatever it would be the right 
and the proper course for these elders to submit the matter to 
the congregation with a recommendation, saying. We, in 
considering the interests of the congregation, have such a 
thought in mind, and now we submit it to you and would ask 
your vote on it. That is the safe plan. I have found that some 
of the very best brethren, with the very best of intentions, and 
with very good suggestions, in attempting to put them into 
operation without conferring with the class, have run against 
the hair, so to speak—just as when you try to stroke a dog 
against the hair it goes rough, and the dog does not like it. So 
the congregation does not like it because it seems like ruling 
them. 



{PageQ234} 

and doing something that they had not specially authorized. 
My thought is that it is always wise if you are going to stroke 
a dog, to stroke him the direction the hair grows. And so if 
you are going to deal with a congregation, remember that 
human nature runs in a certain line and try to keep in that line 
and not ruffle it up any more than is necessary. Every 
member of the Church has human nature; he has a mortal 
body, and has more or less combativeness in it, more or less 
desire not to be overridden; you will find that all those who 
are in the truth are especially large along this line. They must 
have some force of character or else they never could be 
overcomers. And this very quality that makes them what they 
are and has helped them out of Babylon, is the very quality 
that will be wanting to have a little spar, and sometimes a 
little battle, but if we say. Now then this is something new, 
this has not been voted on, and we feel sure they will all want 
it, but let us submit it to the congregation with our 
recommendation—then you have the congregation going with you. 

ELDER-Work of Presiding Elder. 

Q234:1:: QUESTION (1913)-l-Whatis the workof a 
presiding elder? 

ANSWER. —The work of a presiding elder is not defined 
in the Bible. No such thing as a presiding elder is mentioned 
in the Scriptures. 

ELDERS~Non Election Re Disqualification Elsewhere. 

Q234:2:: QUESTION (1914)-2-In acase abrother 
who had been an acceptable elder of a class for many years 
because of a difficulty in the class failed of election—would 
that necessarily unfit him for giving lessons in neighboring 
classes where known— if these classes chose to invite him, 
saying his lessons were helpful? Would he be unfitted for 
extension work? Would certain members of his home class be 
justified in using their influence to prevent such service, 
providing he was not proven unsound in doctrine? 

ANSWER.— The elder having failed of election in the 
class which he had been serving would not be disqualified for 
service in other places, if the friends there, using their best 
judgment, thought he was a fit person to serve them as an 
elder. Every one is entitled to use their judgment. Suppose 
the class who rejected this brother did so for the reason of 
unsoundness in moral character or teaching. Then I think it 



would be quite within the brotherly privilege and duty of this 
class to call the matter to the attention of the other class who 
elected him. If they elected him, the first class might send 
word, "We wish to advise you as brethren, that there is such a 
matter against him and we thought it our duty to inform you 
on the matter." 

As for the class extension work, it would be improper for 
anybody to serve the class in extension work if not an elder, 
because the class sends out, in co-operation with the Society, 
only those who are elders. If not, the Society does not desire 
to co-operate in their going forth in this manner. If, however, 
he went to the other class and they chose him as elder and 
they chose to send him out in the class extension work, that is 
their business and his. Or if he chooses to go without 
responsibility to the class or the society, that is his 

{PageQ235} 

business. He is working on his own responsibility. God has 
given us that right. And if he has the talent of means and 
also of speaking, and wishes to use these, we believe he has a 
perfect right to do so. He would have the call if he has been 
begotten of the Holy Spirit. "Go ye into all the world and 
preach the Gospel to every creature." 

ELDERS-Why Should Elders be Carefully Chosen? 

Q235:1:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-Why should elders 
be carefully chosen? 

ANSWER. —Because the spirit of service should be the 
spirit, not only of the Pilgrims, or the Elders of the Church of 
Christ, but the spirit of every member of it; for in a large 
sense each one of us is privileged to be a minister, or servant, 
in writing the Message of God's grace in the hearts of others. 

But let us not forget that we shall not know how to write in 
the hearts of others what we have not already had written in 
our own hearts. Hense the propriety of great caution in the 
choosing of Elders~to find those who already have the 
writing of the Lord in their hearts, and who therefore will be 
competent assistants, under the Holy Spirit's guidance, for the 
writing of the Lord's character-likeness in the hearts of the 
younger brethren. 

And what is the Message, what is the Epistle, that is written 
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit through various agencies? Is 
it the knowledge of chronology? Is it the unraveling of types 
and shadows? Is it the cracking of hard theological nuts in 
respect to differently understood passages of Scripture? Is it 



the knowledge of the history of the Jews, the history of the 
world, the history of the Church? Is it the understanding and 
appreciation of the different Covenants, past, present, and to 
come? No, it is none of these. And thus with these 
characteristics of the Master deeply engraved upon our hearts, 
we shall be granted an abundant entrance "into the everlasting 
Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."-- 
2 Pet 1:8,11. 

All of these subjects have more or less of value, and are 
more or less used of the Lord in connection with this writing 
that is to be done in the hearts of His people. But writing the 
Epistle of Christ is different—the writing, the tracing of the 
character-likeness of the Master in the hearts of His people—His 
meekness. His gentleness. His patience. His long-suffering. His 
brotherly kindness. His love. His joy. His 
peace. 

We might have all knowledge respecting chronology and 
history, might be able to quote every text in the Bible, and to 
cite it, too; and yet not have the Epistle of Christ written in 
our hearts. It is the Epistle of which the Apostle Peter says, 
"For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that 
ye shall neither be barren idle, inactive' nor unfruitful in the 
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;" for knowledge will have 
its place. 

ELECTION-Women Teachers in the Church. 

Q235:2:: QUESTION (1905)-2-Please inform me if 
women are elected as leader's in the Allegheny Church? If 
not, why not? It has been said that such are elected. 

ANSWER.— No, that is not the case, there are no sisters 
elected in the Allegheny Church. The Lord did not elect 

{PageQ236} 

sisters as apostles or as the seventy, and Jesus loved the 
sisters. He loved Martha and Mary, as well as Lazarus, their 
brother. The Lord never appointed the sisters as speakers in 
the church, and we have no authority to speak differently. I 
always think the Lord's plan is the best. By the time I begin 
to doubt the Lord's ability to run the church here I would 
doubt his ability to run heaven. It is for us to walk in His 
path, not to get a path of our own and ask the Lord to walk in 
our path. 



ELECTION~Re Chairman. 

Q236:1 :: QUESTION (1909) 1 Is there any 
Scriptural reason against the election of a chairman of the 
elders in an Ecclesia, where there are from three to seven 
elders, and quite an amount of business to be handled at 
times? 

ANSWER.— No. In fact, order is demanded. Unless the 
Church has indicated which should be the chairman, it is 
preferable that the elders themselves should choose the 
chairman. 

ELECTION-Scriptural Qualifications. 

Q236:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-Give the Scriptural 
qualifications for the election of Elders and Deacons. 

ANSWER. -See the Sixth Volume, which has more than 
forty pages on that subject. I think it would be well for the 
leader to call attention to the matter a month before election, 
and suggest the reading of the matter in the Sixth Volume so 
that all might have the matter fully in mind. 

ELECTION-Number of Elders to be Elected. 

Q236:3:: QUESTION (1910)-3-As a class, we are 
trying to elect according to the sixth volume of Millennial 
Dawn, but we could not all understand it alike. It seemed in 
one place that all who were suitable for elders should be 
elected, and then in another place that it was to elect elders 
according to the size of the eccelesia; and we got up a 
disagreement, and wrote you on the subject and you did not 
seem to understand why the trouble came up. That was the 
trouble, that some understood that, say there was a half dozen 
who were equally suitable for elders, we might elect all, and 
that if the class only numbered a dozen or two, we should 
only elect according to the class we had. For instance, if we 
had ten, we could elect one; if we had twenty-five we might 
elect two, and so on. 

ANSWER.— How about this matter of electing elders? 
Should all of those who have qualifications for an elder be 
elected, or only, say, about ten per cent of the number? Say if 
the class numbered fifty, ten per cent would be five, and if 
there were one hundred, ten per cent would he ten? My 
answer would be this: To my understanding, all of those who 
manifest the qualifications for an elder would properly be 
elected elders. So that if in a class of six they were all 
equally qualified to serve as elders, I would elect the whole 
six, and then as they would take turns in service it would give 
an opportunity also to go out and hold meetings elsewhere. 



God bless them—the more elders there are the better! But I 
think it is quite doubtful if out of a class of six they would 
find six that were well suited to be the elders but if there were 
six and all of them had qualifications for service I would be 
willing for all to serve. I understand it is God's will that 
everyone anointed of the holy Spirit is 

{PageQ237} 

anointed to teach. You remember the way it reads in the 
prophecy of our Lord Jesus—The spirit of the Lord God is 
upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the good 
tidings to the meek. Now whoever receives the Holy Spirit 
has an anointing from the Father to teach. That is what the 
anointing is for. That is his authority to teach. That is his 
ordination, if you please, to teach. Then if he has a good 
voice that is something; if he has a good memory that is 
another thing; if he has other things that are harmonious with 
these, all of them go together, and he is authorized to teach in 
proportion to his talent. Now in case of a sister, there are 
limitations. A sister may not teach publicly, but a sister has 
many other ways of teaching. She has plenty of opportunities 
of helping along and preaching the good tidings. We can all 
preach by our daily lives— not only those who occupy the 
platform have the opportunity of preaching, for we are all 
preachers-and are all preaching I hope. 

Someone asked me one time. How many preachers have 
you amongst you? I said We have about twenty odd 
thousand. "My goodness!" he said. I said, brother I do not 
want to misinform you. To my understanding, all of the 
Lord's people are anointed to preach. Sometimes we preach 
publicly and sometimes privately. Sometimes we just preach 
to one person and sometimes to a congregation of two 
hundred, and sometimes to a congregation of ten thousand. 

ELECTION-The Lord's Will Expressed. 

Q237:1:: QUESTION (1910)-l-We understand in 
election of officers the eccelesia expresses the voice of the 
Lord. After we have elected a brother to serve us as an elder, 
and we afterwards find out he does not prove what we thought 
he was, do we understand that it is a mistake of the class, or a 
mistake of the Lord.? 

ANSWER.— It is not necessary to think it would be a 
mistake of either. It would seem to imply that the class had 
not exercised a sufficiency of care. They should have known 
better before they elected anybody to be an elder. The 



Apostle says not to elect a novice. You have no right to elect 
a novice. If you do, it serves you right. Perhaps you will get 
a good lesson from having a novice in for a while, and if the 
friends in that class have done something of that kind, perhaps 
it will be profitable in the end and they will learn to be more 
careful the next time. Now for the Lord to allow them to get 
a lesson in that way is not proving that the Lord did not know 
better, but he has allowed them to suffer for not following his 
directions but electing a novice. A novice is one who is new 
at the matter, and if he was new at the matter they should 
have known about it, because they should have known what 
he was before they voted for him. 

ELECTION-Re Appointing Chair-Woman. 

Q237:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-When an election is 
being held, and an elder wished to put somebody in the chair 
for the purpose of carrying on an election, would it be proper 
to put a sister in the chair for that purpose.? 

ANSWER. ~I do not think I would be inclined to do so, 
unless it was a case where there was some misunderstanding 
in the class, where the brother or brothers would be 
unacceptable. It would only be under some very peculiar 

{PageQ238} 

circumstance that I would favor asking a sister to act as the 
chairman of such a meeting. I would not say there would 
never be such a case, but I would think it would be an 
exceptional one. 

ELECTION-Re Both Consecrated and Justified 
Voting? 

Q238:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--In the election in the 
eccelesia, should it at all times be understood that only the 
consecrated believers should vote, or should justified 
believers also vote? 

ANSWER. --We said just a few moments ago, that we 
think it should be definitely stated before the vote is taken 
that only the consecrated are entitled to a vote at all times on 
any Church question, because none others are members of the 
Church, which is the Body of Christ. If the congregation ever 
wish to ask some question about where the meeting shall be 
held, that would be a different matter. There would be a 
question, and you would say. We are thinking about moving 
from this meeting place to another meeting place, and we will 
ask all the friends—not merely the consecrated, because all are 



interested in that~we will ask all the whole household of faith 
to express themselves as to time and place. But on any 
question like electing servants of the Church, or any such 
matter as that, it would be for the consecrated only. 

ELECTION--Re Colporteurs Voting. 

Q238:2:: QUESTION (1910) 2 How about 
colporteurs who are in town for a short time, ie, if they meet 
with the class should they vote? 

ANSWER. --I should think that if he had no knowledge 
of the condition of the class, that he would be wiser to say. 
Brethren, I have not sufficient knowledge here to justify me in 
offering my vote, therefore I think I will decline. But if the 
colporteur had been there a few days, or a few weeks, as the 
case might be, and expected to be there for some more weeks 
or months, I should think he was as much entitled to a vote as 
anybody else. He is not debarred by reason of being a 
colporteur, but rather it would be something in his favor. He 
is one who is showing his consecration by the devotion of his 
life. 

ELECTION~Re Visiting Brethren Voting. 

Q238:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3--As to the qualification 
of the voters, you stated one who is consecrated had a vote. 
How about those visiting an ecclesia? Does a certain amount 
of time, or a declaration that they intend to remain, tend to 
qualify them? 

ANSWER.--Our thought would be that it would be 
proper enough in calling for the vote to say that all of God's 
consecrated people here present tonight—or whatever time it 
was--who have the expectation of meeting with this class are 
earnestly invited to vote, and it is hoped that any who do not 
intend to meet with some degree of regularity with the 
congregation will not vote, and that any who are not fully 
consecrated will not vote, because this seems to be the will of 
the Lord in the matter. It is to be an expression of the Church 
at a certain place and the Church at that place is the number 
who are consecrated. The fact that a brother or sister had 
only recently come to live in the city, in my judgment, make 
no difference, because we are 

{PageQ239} 

all one in Christ, whether we live in Jamestown, or Brooklyn, 
or Pittsburgh, or New Orleans, or some other place. 



ELECTION-Attitude of Elders Not Approved. 

Q239:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--1--I would like to ask in 
case of a brother who had been elected an elder and who had 
been found fault with, if it would not be a wise plan at the end 
of his time, to decline re-election? 

ANSWER.— I believe if I were in that position, I would 
do about this way. I should think out some other brother in 
the congregation and I would nominate him; but if I were 
nominated, then I would say. Now, brethren, I have served 
you to the best of my ability and I know I have come short of 
pleasing you, and I want you to know I did the best I could 
for you, but I did not please you, I know, for several of you 
told me I did not, and I tried to improve on it all I could, but 
apparently I did not improve enough, because you still found 
fault--at least some of you did. And I am not finding fault 
with you~I presume the fault is with myself. I am sure I am 
not all I would like to be, and I cannot serve you as I would 
like to serve you, and so I think it would probably be better 
for you to take my advice. I have nominated brother so and 
so, and I advise that you elect him for a period of time—three 
months, or six months, or whatever you choose-and perhaps 
he can please us all better. I assure you I will try to support 
him and do all in my power to uphold his hands. I would 
earnestly try to get the other brother elected, but if, in spite of 
everything they said. No, we are going to elect you, even if 
we did find fault with you, I would say to them, perhaps I 
cannot do any better the next time than I did the last; the 
responsibility is with you, because I am telling you I am doing 
the best I can now. So do not feel hard at me if I do not 
please you all. I would tell them squarely and they would 
know where to find me, but if they chose me by anything like 
a large majority, say ninety per cent or so of the congregation 
preferring me, why I would count that the voice of the Lord, 
and would say, I must not decline now. I certainly would not 
decline in any offensive way and say. No, you found fault 
with me and I won't have it now. That would be wrong, I 
think. We do not want to have that spirit. We would want to 
think the brother, no doubt, had good reason to find fault 
(supposing this to be so); I am sure that none of us are so 
nearly perfect they would not have room to find fault, 
occasionally, any way, and if they do find fault let us bear it 
and try to get good out of it and be humble about the matter, 
and perhaps that will keep us from getting heady and falling 
over. 



ELECTION"Re Nominations. 

Q239:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-In the election of 
elders would it be your thought that it would be proper for 
one of the present acting elders to make a nomination instead 
of one of the class making the nomination? 

ANSWER.— I would understand that when the period of 
time for which he was elected elder has expired, he is not an 
elder any longer, therefore he is just as much one of the class 
and could make a nomination just the same as anybody else, 
for he is the same as any of the others. He does not hold 
over. And I want to say right here that I think it a very 
unwise proposition for anyone who has been an elder 

{PageQ240} 

to occupy the chair and to hold the election if it is possible to 
have it otherwise. 

It is always desirable, if possible, to ask some intelligent 
brother to act as chairman who will be perfectly fair and 
honest, and one who perhaps would not have, or would not 
likely be considered to have, the qualifications for an elder. 
And thus anyone would be saved from any imputation of 
having favored himself, and the congregation would be saved 
from having to vote against the man who was nominated and 
who was right before them in the church, and he would be 
saved the embarrassment of putting the vote in his own case 
and also the embarrassment, if not elected, of seeing the 
majority against him and saying so. It might not always be 
possible, but if possible, I think it desirable to have somebody 
else other than the one who is likely to be nominated as an 
elder in the chair. 

ELECTION-Electing by Ballot. 

Q240:1:: QUESTION (1910)-l-Woulditleadto 
greater harmony to elect elders by ballot without nominations 
at all, and let those who had the majority of the votes be so 
elected? 

ANSWER.— Well, our opinion would be perhaps a little 
bit confused. I could say something in favor of either way, 
but the thing I do think of is, that the Lord did not arrange it 
that way; the Lord arranged it through the stretching forth of 
the hand. I admit it may be an easier way sometimes to just 
ballot, say nothing, and let nobody know how you voted, but 
is it wise to depart from the way the Lord has directed? If the 
class decided to vote by ballot, it is not my business to over- 
ride the class, and even if I gave them the advice and they did 



not wish to take it, it is still not my business to overrule the 
class. I am not to be like the juryman who said the other 
eleven jurors were very stubborn. So it is not for us to feel 
that the other were all stubborn because they would not think 
as we do; having expressed ourselves, let us leave it to the 
judgment and vote of the class, and leave that result with the 
Lord and if they find they made a mistake they will know it 
the next time and be more careful; they will learn a lesson; 
and if we did wisely we will learn a lesson, but I believe, 
brethren, I would always use my influence in favor of the 
method that seems to be outlined in the Scripture and it has 
this to be said in its advantage, that it teaches the class to have 
a kind of moral courage. Will I hold out my hand in favor of 
some person that I do not believe is suitable for that office, 
simply because he is a relative of mine? No, to my God I 
must be true. 

ELECTION-Discussing Nominees. 

Q240:2:: QUESTION ( 19 10)--2- Where a brother is 
nominated for Elder, how much should we be inclined to 
discuss him before the election? Where should we draw the 
line? 

ANSWER. ~I would hardly think it would he proper to 
give much discussion to those who are candidates for service 
in the Church. The Apostle, you remember, gives suggestions 
that if we bite and devour one another we might be consumed 
one of another. Should you stand my brother up before the 
congregation, and find fault with the way he parts his hair or 
with the color of his clothes, and the number of children he 
has in his family, and one thing and 

{PageQ241} 

another, you might find plenty to discuss, and by the time 
you had him thoroughly overhauled and curry-combed it 
might be your turn. So the whole class might have an 
experience of that kind, but it would not be very profitable. 
Now my thought would be this: that it is not necessary to 
have very much discussion of the characters of the brethren, 
because the suggestion is that each one in voting for a brother 
for any service in the Church should have some knowledge of 
him, and if he has not the knowledge by personal 
acquaintance, then he should guide himself by the judgment 
of another brother. As, for instance, if I had come recently 
into a class of say, a dozen, and I had only become partially 
acquainted with the friends in that class, and I did not know 



anything against any of them, but knew something in favor of 
all of them, and suppose that the time came for election, and I 
noticed one or two brethren whom I saw to be very clear and 
very straightforward and that I had a great deal of confidence 
in, and if this brother made the nomination of another brother, 
and I had not a particular acquaintance with that brother, but 
simply did not know anything against him, I think I would 
feel justified in voting for him, because this brother who 
nominated him apparently knew something in his favor. If I 
had acquaintance with the brother who nominated him, I 
would thus be having a second-hand acquaintance with the 
one who was nominated. I hope I make myself clear. Now I 
believe, without special discussion of anybody's character, it 
should be understood before the vote is taken that each person 
who is going to exercise the power of voting is first of all a 
believer in the Lord, and has turned from sin and made a full 
consecration of himself, that only that class are to vote and 
those voting are to seek to vote as they believe the Lord 
would have them vote, and not otherwise. I believe that 
would be all that would be necessary, that a sufficient weight 
or responsibility would rest upon them so they would not 
likely vote irreverently for somebody they know nothing 
about, but they would seek to be guided by the judgment or 
counsel of others whom they had reason to believe or know. 
And if a mistake apparently was made, if apparently the 
wrong person were elected, what then? Well, I would 
conclude that the wrong thing had been done. I think the 
proper thing would be to think that a lesson was going to be 
taught the class of greater care in whom they should elect, and 
if therefore they did rashly in making a selection that would 
be a good lesson for them, and the next time when the matter 
of election would come up perhaps they would learn to be 
more careful, and perhaps the Lord's will would be that just 
such a lesson should be learned by that class to make them 
more careful. In any event, I would cast the weight of my 
influence in any class against any such thing as tearing any of 
the Lord's people to pieces. I have known some cases in 
which brethren perhaps had things that could really be said 
against them and yet perhaps these things belonged to an 
early period of their lives and they were entirely changed 
from the time these things were true of them and therefore my 
thought would be that that might be so in other cases, and I 
would cast my influence against any such ripping and tearing 
amongst the Lord's sheep. I would think it would cultivate the 
spirit 



{PageQ242} 

of the wolf in the sheep and therefore should be discouraged. 
If, however, a brother who was prominent in the congregation 
were asked by the others. What do you think about this 
nomination? or if he thought it proper to in any way give an 
intimation, it would not be improper for him to say. My dear 
brethren, the nomination you have heard and I have been 
asked to give some advice, and all that I will say on the 
subject is, that I think it would be God's will that I should vote 
thus and so. That puts him straight, and that will carry to 
some extent with those with whom he has influence and if he 
has no influence it ought not to carry. 

ELECTION-Record of Those Not Voting. 

Q242:1 :: QUESTION (19 10)-- 1 --Should we keep any 
account of those who fail to vote? 

ANSWER. —Well, my own practice is to try to set the 
matter so fully before the vote is taken that every one present 
will feel that he and she has responsibility~a responsibility to 
vote for or against the candidate; that if one has a sufficiency 
of knowledge to permit of a vote, or is of the consecrated 
class, intending to meet with the congregation, he has a 
responsibility to vote; that it is not merely optional whether he 
will vote or not, but it is his duty to express himself thus. I 
think if that is emphasized in advance of taking the vote and 
all the dear friends can see the responsibility, very few will be 
inclined then to shirk. It needs to be stated beforehand very 
plainly. 

ELECTION-Following Apostolic Custom of Electing Seven. 

Q242:2:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)-2-In appointing elders 
for an ecclesia, should we not follow the apostolic Pattern, 
and appoint seven? If not, why not? 

ANSWER.— I know of no apostolic pattern of appointing 
seven. If there is any pattern of that kind, I would be one of 
those most pleased to find out all about it. I remember about 
the apostle appointing seven deacons. I never heard anything 
about seven elders; it is news to me. Besides, if we are 
thinking about deacons it would have no bearing, because 
they elected such deacons as were considered necessary under 
the circumstances. Suppose there was a congregation that 
only had about six in it; how could they appoint seven elders 
and seven deacons then? The Lord says that a church may be 
as small as two or three- "where two or three are met in my 



name, I will be in their midst." You have our views on this 
subject more particularly set forth in the sixth volume of 
Scripture Studies. 

ELECTION-Qualified Except Not Immersed. 

Q242:3:: QUESTION (1911)--3--If a brother were 
qualified according to the New Testament to be chosen an 
elder, but had not been immersed by anyone, would that, in 
your understanding, be a sufficient reason or cause for not 
appointing such a brother as an elder? 

ANSWER.--It would be. Not that we think water 
baptism is essential in the sense our Baptist friends would 
say--not that we think it is anything more than a symbol, but 
the brother who had not yet been able to see so simple a 
symbol as baptism, must be blind on that point, anyway, and 
if blind on one point, how many more might he be 

{PageQ243} 

blind on? I would wait until he would begin to see on that 
point before I would put him in to teach anybody else, who, 
perhaps, had seen more than he already. Understand, we do 
not make water baptism a test of brotherhood at all, and such 
a brother not having been immersed, should be made 
welcome, according to our understanding at the Lord's table, 
or as a brother in the Lord in every sense of the word; but it is 
one thing to recognize one as a brother of the Lord, and a 
member of the body in every way, and another thing to 
recognize him as competent to teach. My opinion is that one 
competent to teach is one that has already seen one of the 
simplest points in the New Testament, that the Lord and the 
apostles all practiced water immersion in symbol of the real 
immersion—consecration. 

ELECTION-Any Time. No Special Date. 

Q243:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)-1- What is your opinion 
in regard to placing a brother of ability on a program for a 
discourse on special occasions, providing he has not been 
elected an elder, and yet has the spiritual requirements, some 
earthly circumstance having hindered his election? 

ANSWER. -Well, I should think it would be very easy 
to have him elected if the class thought well. Make a 
proposition of it and take a vote; that would settle it very 
quickly. He could be elected any time. It is not necessary to 
elect an elder at a certain, particular date. He could be 
elected in the middle of the year or the next month after, or 



any time, if it is found to be necessary, and if the class 
considers he is a suitable person. I should think it would be 
very well in such a case as this to have the matter brought to 
the attention of the class, consider it for a month or so, and on 
a certain Sunday ask the class to vote on the question. That 
would be giving them full opportunity, and if they voted, then 
the vote would decide. 

ELECTION-Serving Without Appointment. 

Q243:2:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)--2- We read someplace 
that no brother should assume public duties in the church as 
leader, teacher, representative, etc., without an election , 
even though assured that there is no question respecting his 
acceptability. And also it is made positive in other places the 
same thing. Now in the face of this, is it not wrong for our 
elders of the ecclesia to meet separate from the nineteen 
deacons and separate from the church and appoint a deacon, 
or a teacher, or representative of the ecclesia to the position 
which the Lord says must be occupied by a regular ordained 
elder? 

ANSWER. —In considering this question we should 
remember the Apostle's words and also the Scriptural 
illustration given. We have the case of Saint Stephen, you 
remember who was a chosen Deacon in the church as 
recorded in the Book of Acts, and Saint Stephen got a good 
chance to preach and he did not say, "Now Brother I was not 
chosen an elder, and therefore I cannot say anything here" but 
he went right ahead and preached, and the Lord blessed him a 
great deal, and he had a fine time--and got stoned to death. 
And he got the good mark of being the first Christian martyr 
next to his Lord. Then let us remember what the Apostle 
again says~I will read a little between the lines here—he says 
that one who is a deacon and serves his 

{PageQ244} 

position well and shows humility in his service, purchases to 
himself a good degree. That is to say, a good degree of 
liberty and of privilege, and of opportunity. In other words, 
the congregation should notice, when voting with respect to 
those who shall serve as elders, those whom they have 
previously selected as deacons, and see how careful they 
were, and how faithful they were, because if they were not 
faithful as deacons in doing some secular part of the work, 
there would be no reason to expect they would be properly 
faithful as elders. That they would be purchasing to 



themselves a good degree of preferment, and honor in the 
church by their faithfulness as deacons is the thought of the 
Apostle. My thought is that in the early church the 
arrangement was that deacons would be a class who would be 
gradually making more progress toward eldership, and a more 
prominent service of the truth, in the manner that the deacons 
primarily would be chosen for some other kind of service, but 
they would be there as a sort of reserve supply, so that if there 
were an elder short for any service there would be a deacon, 
and a proper committee would look over the deacons and say, 
"Suppose we try that brother with such a meeting tonight"; 
and then another time this committee might say, "Suppose we 
try that other deacon for the meeting tonight"; we have need 
of someone for the night, try him." Thus they would be 
trying them to see to what extent they would have ability. 
Otherwise the deacons would have very little opportunity for 
ever attaining to anything or for manifesting any ability they 
might possess in respect to the service of the church. 
Anything therefore that is written in the Scripture Studies was 
not intended to be in conflict with that thought, for that is the 
thought we have always entertained, and which we believe to 
be the Scriptural one, and which is practiced in Brooklyn and 
other places. 

I am not sure that I understand the brother's point well, but 
this would be a further answer, perhaps more in comportment 
with his thought. I would not think it would be a proper thing 
that if the congregation choose just four or five as elders that 
these four or five men should then come in and select another 
one from amongst the deacons and make him practically an 
elder. I would not think that to be their province. If the 
church wanted that brother for an elder, and regular servant in 
that capacity, it would be their duty to say so. If the elders 
find they had not a sufficient supply, they might very properly 
at another meeting of the church inquire whether the church 
would be pleased to elect another elder, as there was need, 
apparently, for another; but if it were only a temporary need, 
and if it were understood with the congregation that they 
wished the elders to select from time to time deacons from 
here or there who seemed to be showing some ability to fill a 
temporary necessity I would think it a very proper thing; but 
not for him to he put in as an elder when the congregation did 
not put him in as an elder. 

ELECTION-Voting Over Again. 

Q244:1 :: QUESTION (from the audience) (1911)--l--In 
case a person should receive within two or three votes of 



the seventy-five per cent, would it be wise to vote a second 
time on the person so as to bring the votes up to the number 
required to elect him? 

{PageQ245} 

ANSWER. ~I would think there would be no objection 
to that or even making it unanimous. What we want to get at 
is not merely some little catch matter, but to get the sentiment 
of the class and to have the full expression of the mind of the 
class. Anything that is merely a friction arrangement should 
be avoided as much as possible. If a class decided they would 
make a seventy-five per cent rule in their election, that would 
not be binding for another election, but it might be merely 
binding for that one time. If they choose the next time to 
have the same seventy-five per cent rule, and if someone 
came very near having it, but not quite, and it was moved to 
reconsider this vote and take it again, and it was found then to 
be larger than the amount decided upon, the class has a 
perfect right to regulate the matter as it pleases. 

ELECTION--Re Jury Rule. 

Q245:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-In the sixth volume of 
Scripture Studies we read that majority is not sufficient, but 
the jury rule should prevail in the choosing of elders in the 
church. Now if so, is not that the wisest course to pursue in 
electing deacons? We read there that the same order shall 
prevail in the choosing of both elders and deacons. 

ANSWER. —In this matter we were not seeking to lay 
down a law; we would have no right to make a law; we were 
merely offering a suggestion of what we believed would be a 
wise course for the church. For instance, in a class if a bare 
majority were allowed to dictate the policy, there might be a 
very large minority, nearly as large in number as the majority, 
that would be wholly dissatisfied; and a majority of but one, 
for instance, might rule such a class in a very arbitrary way; 
and our suggestion was that a class should try to arrange by 
its voting and should so select elders as, if possible, to please 
and satisfy everyone in the class. Therefore, as far as 
possible, the mere majority rule should be ignored and as far 
as possible the so-called jury rule should obtain-not that we 
would say it must be a jury rule—but that as far as possible a 
unanimity of sentiment in the class should be obtained. It is 
not always possible to get the whole class to think just the 
same on the subject of who should he deacon or elder in a 
congregation, but whatever rule is observed would be equally 



appropriate to observe in respect to deacons as in respect to 
the elders. Whoever is elected for any service, the 
congregation should see to it that as far as possible they yield 
little points to each other where no principle is involved, so as 
to try to have everybody satisfied and pleased in those who 
will be the servants of the congregation. 

ELECTION-Absent Member Voting by Letter. 

Q245:2:: QUESTION (1912) 2 Where Elders are 
elected by stretching forth the hand—nominations having 
taken place two Sundays previous, would it be permissible 
where two or three members of the class are not able to be 
present, to send their vote by letter to the chairman? 

ANSWER. —There is nothing objectionable in it. In 
politics there is a party spirit trying to take advantage of the 
other party. It is not so with you, however. When you meet 
to have an election of Elders you want every brother and 
sister to have the fullest opportunity of expression. You are 
not merely willing but you want them every 

{PageQ246} 

one, to give expression of themselves. We do not want to 
have their own opinion merely, but we want to find out what 
is the Divine will for the Ecclesia. Let us all express what we 
think to be God's will in the matter. I see no objection to 
those who are absent sending their proxy or vote to the 
chairman of the meeting. If you are present you can give your 
vote for whomsoever you care, but it would be no proxy for 
you to give another brother or sister power to vote for you as 
he or she thought best. That is my opinion in this matter. 

ELECTION-Foreign Brethren for English Meetings. 

Q246:1:: QUESTION ( 191 3)- 1 -Do you advise 
electing a foreign brother, German or Swedish, who speaks 
the English language imperfectly, for a public speaker? 
ANSWER.— I would advise, if there be enough in the 
class of that foreign language to constitute a class, that such a 
speaker would be a preferable one, and might very properly 
be elected. As, for instance, in the Brooklyn congregation as 
an illustration, we have a French brother who is very well 
qualified to lead a class in French. We have an Italian brother 
who is well qualified to lead a class in Italian. We have a 
Swedish brother, also. Not that these friends do not 
understand something of English, but they prefer their own 
tongue a little bit; they would rather have somebody who is 



familiar with their own tongue. We think that is very proper. 
So with the colored brethren; we have colored classes- 
different nationalities. It is remarkable how many different 
kinds there are in that congregation. 

ELECTION-Re Non Qualified. 

Q246:2:: QUESTION (1913)-2-Where one does not 
seem to be competent to fill the qualifications of an elder 
would you advise not electing elders and electing Pastor 
Russell as elder? 

ANSWER.— Such questions are rather delicate ones to 
discuss, and it is hard to know just what is best to advise. My 
advice in general is that the friends act as wisely and 
discreetly as possible. I think one difficulty has been and 
perhaps still is that the Lord's people do not realize fully the 
will of the Lord in such a matter. They get the impression 
that the Apostle in laying down the qualifications of an elder 
in writing to Timothy and Titus is laying down hard and fast 
rules, and that every elder must come up to the very highest 
notch in all of those requirements. Now such would be a 
perfect man, a very good elder surely, no doubt about that. 
And so would all other Christians if they could come up to all 
the Apostle writes there. You say. Why did the Apostle make 
such definite statements if he really did not mean to be 
understood in the absolute essence of all that? We answer. 
He was stating the matter just the same as Jesus did on 
another occasion when He said to all the church. Be ye like 
unto your Father which is in Heaven. Now, are you like your 
Father in Heaven? Well, you say, I am trying to be. Very 
well, my dear brother, that is right. Well, are you like your 
Father? You are in some respects-you are in your mind. 
Well, are you in all the words and actions and thoughts? No, 
I am not like the Father in everything, but I am trying to get 
more and more of the character-likeness of God. Good. Now 
just so the Apostle here holds up before the church the 
standard 

{PageQ247} 

of an elder; that is what an elder should be. When you are 
thinking of elders, look at that, and have that in mind when 
you are measuring the brethren that are available, and those 
who do not to some extent have these qualifications would 
not be fit at all, and then select to the best of your ability. If 
we wait until we get perfect elders we will never have any 
elders at all. So I would not say either that Brother Russell 



would make a perfect elder, nor any other person. But I 
believe there might be cases in which the conditions would be 
such that it might be better not to elect anybody for a time to 
be elder. There are such cases, but I think they ought to be 
very rare. I would hope so. It is one of those cases that are 
very difficult to advise in. There are so many things that bear 
on the subject, and each little class and each member of the 
class must be as wise as possible, as thoughtful and 
considerate as possible, loyal to God and the principles of 
righteousness as much as possible, and pray and seek to 
follow the Divine leading. And then if a whole class, or a 
goodly majority of the class, decide on a certain course, do 
not feel as though the class might vote, but your will must be 
done, but say, "Well, all right, the class has voted, and it was 
fairly stated; I stated my opinion, and they do not think the 
same as I, and I am not the one to coerce the class; I am in the 
minority and I will be subject to the others in the class, and I 
will co-operate with them, not work against them to show that 
what I said was the right way, and if it did not go my way it 
would be all wrong. No, I must be in harmony with God and 
must do to the best of my ability now with whatever the class 
has decided on, co-operating to the best of my ability to 
permit peace and righteousness and forward the cause of the 
truth, and be a peacemaker." Do not forget that. All of God's 
people want to learn that Jesus said, "Blessed are the 
peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God." 
And remember that necessarily all of the Lord's people in 
order to be overcomers will have more or less of the 
combative disposition; you could not be an overcomer 
without a little of it. You will have to be combative enough 
to overcome the world, and peacemaker enough not to fight 
with the brethren. Do not fight with the brethren any more 
than you can help, but be just as kind, sympathetic and 
helpful to them as you can be. 

ELECTION-Who Are to Vote? 

Q247:1 :: QUESTION (1913 -Z)-l -Who are entitled to 
vote in the church? 

ANSWER. —It should always be remembered that none 
are to vote except those professing full consecration, 
manifested by the usual symbol—immersion in water. Such as 
have not symbolized their consecration are not to be 
disowned as brethren, but should be considered so immature 
as not to be competent to express an opinion in respect to who 
would be qualified to serve the Church, and, of course, would 
not be qualified to be servants themselves. 



ELECTION-Choosing Elders and Deacons. 

Q247:2:: QUESTION (1913-Z)-2-Shouldabare 
majority rule in our elections? 

ANSWER.— Numerous inquiries have come to us 
indicating that some of the brethren have difficulty in 
applying the 

{PageQ248} 

suggestions given in Vol. VI, on the subject of election of 
servants for the Classes—elders and deacons. 

It was not our thought there to lay down an invariable rule 
on the subject. The Bible gives none, and no one else has a 
right to establish such a rule. Our suggestion was that 
wherever possible the election should be unanimous, and 
unless seventy-five per cent of the Class, or more, favored a 
brother's election, it would be rather unwise for him to accept 
the office-the service. We did not by this mean that a 
minority of twenty- five or thirty per cent should be 
encouraged to obstruct the Class and hinder an election. 

Strictly speaking, a majority of one in a Class would decide 
any matter except as love might come in to urge a 
consideration of the sentiments of others. If, for instance, a 
Class numbered one hundred, fifty-one of these would have a 
right to decide respecting who should be the servants of 
the Church, and the other forty-nine should very quietly 
acquiesce, recognizing the fact that they constitute only a 
minority, and should loyally strive to support the will of the 
majority. 

Only the spirit of love and the best interests of all in the 
Class suggests more than fifty-one per cent. Love should 
strive for a unanimous vote. But how might this he obtained 
we will offer a suggestion. 

Suppose that in a Class of one hundred six Elders were 
considered necessary for the service. A, B, C, D, E, F would 
represent available candidates of more or less ability. A 
might have a hundred votes; B, ninety; C, eighty; D, seventy; 
E, sixty; F, fifty. Under a strict voting on the lines of 
preference only two would be selected on a ninety per cent 
basis; but our thought would be that the entire six might be 
unanimously elected, if they were on the average as good 
material as the Class possessed, and if nothing were known 
derogatory to their moral characters. 

It is a mistake to think that the standards established by St. 
Paul are to be taken literally, for no one would be found fully 



up to all the requirements. The Apostle has stated what the 
ideal Elder would be. Each voter should have this ideal 
before his mind in thinking of the will of the Lord; but the 
Class is not to be left without an Elder unless there are serious 
blemishes. 

Our Lord similarly set a perfect standard before us when He 
said, "Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven 
is perfect." (Matt. 5:48.) Who is perfect in the sense that 
God is perfect? "There is none righteous; no, not one." 
(Rom. 3:10.) The Master evidently meant that we should 
not measure ourselves by a low standard, but by the perfect 
standard, that thus we would be assisting ourselves up to the 
grandest ideals in respect to our own lives and characters and 
in respect to those chosen to be Elders and ensamples to the 
Flock. 

ELECTION-Proxy Voting. 

Q248:1 :: QUESTION (1913)--l--When a consecrated 
brother of the church is absent on account of sickness from 
meeting when an elder is to be elected, can he write them his 
choice of an elder, or vote by proxy? 

ANSWER. —There is nothing in the Bible says he can, 
and there is nothing in the Bible that says he cannot. What 

{PageQ249} 

are you going to do? Leave it to the class. Let the class 
decide. 

ELECTION-Percentage to Elect. 

Q249:1:: QUESTION ( 191 3)- 1 -In a church election 
are we to understand that such rules as the class may adopt 
governing the percentage of vote required to elect shall apply 
to the vote on the candidate for deacon as well? 

ANSWER.-Surely. The arrangement of the Bible in 
respect to the government of affairs of the church throws all 
the responsibility upon the congregation. I do not mean the 
congregation in a general sense, but the church, the gathering 
which is the Body of Christ; namely, the consecrated ones. 
The Lord has not given definite rules to govern every feature, 
so that leaves the responsibility to the whole church to seek to 
build up in the most holy faith, using the Word of the Lord, 
and the example and illustrations of the Scripture. If the Lord 
has left the matter so simply and plainly in the hands of his 
people, it would be entirely wrong for you or I to attempt to 
divert it into the hands of some individual or clergy class. 



There is no authority for that in the Bible. It is very natural 
that people might fail just the way governments fail. For 
instance, certain governments feel they can govern certain 
islands better than the people there can govern themselves. 
So it is very likely that if the people would submit to it, a 
certain class called clergy would arrogate to themselves 
power, lay down laws and rule. But this is simply because 
the congregation does not know that the Lord has put the 
power in its hands, and never authorized any clergy class at 
any time. The Lord himself was to be the Master—all ye are 
brethren. There should be no distinction amongst the 
brethren, except that distinction be recognized by the class as 
a company of the Lord's people, and if they shall choose 
certain persons for elders, the responsibility is with the class. 
The individuals comprising the class are, therefore, to use all 
the more judgment and discretion, and to remember that they 
are voting and acting for the Lord in the matter. In the 6th 
Volume of Scripture Studies we have attempted to point out 
what the Scriptures lay down respecting the proper mode of 
order in the church--not by way of law, but by way of 
suggestion, because the decision of the class respecting its 
own leadership, etc., is the final decision in the matter. We 
have suggested certain things about percentages; not that 
anything in the Scriptures say anything about percentages, but 
in an ordinary meeting of worldly people they might have, for 
instance, a vote taken on a question and a majority of one 
would decide; and suppose the congregation numbered 100, 
and 5 1 would decide, and the other 49 would be left 
practically without representation; our thought is, that is not 
the spirit of the Lord. The spirit of the Lord would be that the 
whole church should feel a oneness of interest. But suppose 
that the 51 who would constitute the majority would say, 
"Well, this is our wish, we would like to see Brother So-and-so an 
elder, we think he is best qualified, but here are 49 of 
our brethren that we will pay no attention to their wishes 
whatever." That would not be the spirit of love. We suggest, 
therefore, there should be an endeavor made not only to suit 
the 51, but also the 49 who are in the minority; not merely 
each one doing as he 

{PageQ250} 

wishes, but trying to be considerate of one another, esteeming 
one another, having an interest in one another. Suppose in a 
congregation of 100 it is decided a certain number might he 
found eligible to the position of deacons. As one of the 



congregation I might have very positive ideas that Brothers A, 
B and C were much better qualified than Brothers D, E and F, 
and I would have a right to vote for those three; and then if 
some one else thought well of D, E and F, I would say to 
myself, Well, this other brother would like these others. Do I 
really know anything against them? And if I knew nothing 
against them, then because so many of the other brethren like 
them is the best kind of a reason I would like to see them have 
them. If I were going to be an elder I would very much rather 
be one that would represent the whole congregation than one 
who had been elected by a mere majority. I would like to 
have the whole congregation pleased, satisfied, contented in 
their minds. I would be willing to put myself in their places. 
The Golden Rule requires that I do to the minority as I would 
wish the minority to do to me. If I were in the minority and 
they were in the majority, how would I like them to consider 
me? I would like to have some show, too. Then we ought to 
be equally as generous as the others. This would not mean 
we would be lax or careless, respecting any really important 
matter. If it was a bad man, or unconsecrated man, or a man 
who was in some way totally unfit for eldership, then I would 
withstand him face to face, and would say right out, I cannot 
vote for Brother So-and-so for certain reasons. Now I would 
try my very best to avoid giving reasons, but if it became 
necessary to give the reasons I would do so in as kindly a way 
as I could, and I would try previously to have the confidence 
of all my brothers and sisters to such a degree that they would 
know I would not say a word unkindly, or speak a word of 
evil about any brother; that it would be an absolute necessity 
to even take a position of opposing a brother~a duty toward 
God and toward the church. When we get that confidence in 
each other we will have all the more power and weight in 
whatever we would say. 

ELECTION-Closing Nominations. 

Q250:1 :: QUESTION (1913)-l-In appointing an 
elder to lead a certain class study, is it proper after the 
nomination of one to move that the nominations be closed 
without giving time for further nominations? This, of course, 
applying to a class where three or more brethren are serving 
as elders? 

ANSWER. —There are what are termed parliamentary 
rules. That is to say, rules such as apply to the action of a 
body like the House of Parlament; and these rules are used in 
connection with Congress and also little meetings and large 
meetings. They are very good rules, not to be objected to in a 



general way. They are generally very wise and considerate 
rules for fairness in a general way. At the same time the 
Lord's people, as they are to go beyond mere justice and 
administer according to love, and to know that love is the 
fulfilling of the law, and more than merely the right and 
justice of the matter, in this matter of election and rules for 
meetings should not hold each other too strictly to merely the 
letter of the law which might apply in a public assembly of 
another kind. Their sympathetic bond 

{PageQ251} 

of love should be such that they would like to please all. 
Suppose this were a meeting and we were going to elect some 
elders here. Suppose I knew some here had a great deal of 
esteem for Brother A, and some for Brother B, and some for 
Brother C, and some for Brother D, and for my own 
preference I would say. Now out of all these I believe I prefer 
Brothers A and C; I do not think so much of Brothers B and 
D. I might say, I will nominate Brothers A and C, and move 
the nominations close. So some of those who are more timid 
would not have a chance to vote. Would that be loving? No. 
Love is our rule, and love gets in ahead of all the 
parliamentary rules in the world. Love says, I want that 
brother over there, and that sister over there, and all the 
brothers and sisters, to have a good and fair show and to have 
their voice in this matter. I do not want to take from them 
rights that belong to them under the Lord's arrangement. I 
might be of sharper practice, more experience, and twist them 
all up, but that would not he a proper elder brother's place on 
my part, to get the younger brethren all mixed up so their will 
would not be done, and they would vote for something and 
they didn't know they were doing it that way, and then be 
dissatisfied afterwards and say. If I had understood that matter 
right I would have done differently. That is not a satisfactory 
meeting at all. The kind of meeting for election of elders of a 
class would be a meeting in which everything would be done 
so openly and fairly that everybody's rights would be 
considered and everybody would feel happy and contented 
with the results. Well, we all had our chance, and if the thing 
was not done as I thought was the preferable way, it was done 
in a good way anyhow, because everybody had a fair part—not 
an effort to tear each other to pieces. I do not think that is 
what we should do. If you do not know him, and nobody 
vouches for him that you do know, you had better not vote at 
all. If there is somebody present that you have great 



confidence in and he vouches for this brother, and says, I 
nominate that brother, then you should say. The fact that 
Brother Russell nominated Brother "W" means that he knows 
him or he would not have nominated him. I do not know 
Brother "W," but the fact that Brother Russell nominated him 
and Brother Hirsh seconded it, and I know them, therefore I 
know that Brother "W" is all right. We have a right, you see, 
to lean to a certain extent upon our knowledge that is indirect. 
We might not be well acquainted with Brother "NW" and 
know all about his affairs well enough to vote for him unless 
there is something to indicate for us. But if someone would 
vouch for him, it would be the same as in a bank. If you go in 
a bank and your name is Smith, they would say, "We do not 
know you, Mr. Smith, at this bank; and we are not to pay any 
checks unless we know the parties. Do you know Mr. 
Hirsh?" 

"Yes, he will vouch for me." 

"Mr. Hirsh, do you vouch for Mr. Smith?" 

"Oh, yes, that is Mr. Smith, I will vouch for him; I will 
guarantee that is all straight." 

The bank then says, "All right, Mr. Smith, Mr. Hirsh says 
he knows you and so we are acquainted." 

The same way in a class. Somebody vouches for Brother 

{PageQ252} 

Smith, and then you say, I know persons who will vouch for 
him. That means you ought never to nominate a person you 
do not know; never nominate merely because somebody says 
Smith. Do not be silly and say Smith or Brown just because 
somebody else says so. Know what you are doing or do not 
doit. 

Another thing: When we have such an election of elders, 
suppose I say, "I like Brother A and Brother C and to my 
mind these two brethren are very much superior to the other 
brethren, and I would really think the class would be better 
served if we only had Brothers A and C, and if we do not 
have Brothers B and D at all." I might try to force that, I 
might take advantage and wheedle them out of their vote. But 
that would not be right. On the contrary I should say, "Now I 
know quite a good many like Brother B very well, and some 
others like Brother D very well, I do not think either of these 
brethren have as good qualifications as Brothers A and C, but 
some others do like them and claim they get profit from them, 
and I do not know anything against their characters, and since 
others get a blessing from their service, I am glad they should 



serve." I would be pleased to nominate any and all of them, 
knowing them to be men of good, reputable character. It 
would not prove I thought them better ones, but I would 
rather nominate the ones I preferred, and if the others were 
nominated and there is any lack of someone to second the 
nomination I would say, "I will second Brothers B and D 
also." Why? They are not your preference. No, but I know 
they are the preference of some of the other brethren, and I 
want all the class to be served. I would not want them merely 
to have the ones I thought better, but some of the ones they 
thought better. I ought to have love enough for all the 
brethren that I would want them all to be pleased, and not 
merely to please myself. That is the spirit that ought to be in 
every church and in every election, and I think there would be 
less confusion. 

Suppose there are some others who would like to have 
someone else. Suppose some were nominated that I thought 
quite unsuitable; I would feel afraid some might vote for 
them. I would say, "Now, dear friends there is Brother 'W 
that is nominated. I do not wish to have a word to say against 
him, or pose as an enemy of his, but in my judgment I thought 
it better we should not have him as one of the elders. 
Therefore I will state while the motion is under discussion 
that I am not going to vote for him. Now, Brother W, I am 
not opposing you in any way except as I ought to oppose you 
when I think you would be better not serving as an elder." I 
would be perfectly frank with him and would not say a word 
against him, and say, "I oppose him because he owes several 
bills downtown, and they know him all over town as a man 
that runs bills, and he is a disgrace to our class." I do not 
need to talk about Brother "W" at all. I would just say, "I 
cannot vote for Brother W as an elder, and I would like to 
not see him an elder; I believe the Lord's cause would be 
better served otherwise." We do not need to tear one another 
to pieces. It might or might not be true about Brother "W" 
owing bills all over town. Perhaps if we would ask him, he 
might be able to give some good excuse. 

{PageQ253} 

ELECTION"Of Elders who do not attend Meetings. 

Q253:1 :: QUESTION (19 1 3)-- 1 --What do you think 
about a class leader who never attends a week-day afternoon 
meeting, nor all the night meetings, even when a pilgrim 
brother is present? 
ANSWER. ~I would think perhaps he could not get out 



to the afternoon meeting because he had work of some kind. I 
would think, though, that a brother who had been elected 
elder who would only come to a meeting where he was to 
speak had better be left out until he would come to the 
meeting all the time. If he did not come to the meeting except 
when he was going to speak I would think that would indicate 
he was not qualified for eldership, it would indicate to my 
mind that he did not wish to be taught, did not wish to hear 
anyone else, but merely wished to hear himself talk, and 
thought he was above the rest of the class. "All ye are 
brethren." Whenever one gets to thinking he is not one of the 
brethren, that he ought to come only when he is to speak, then 
I am afraid for that brother. For his own sake I think it better 
not to elect him. We would not want to help a brother do 
something that would keep him out of the Kingdom. We are 
to consider the brother, and his interests, as well as the class 
and its interests. 

election-Is it wrong Not to vote, When 
Perplexed? 

Q253:2:: QUESTION (1914) 2 A sister, perplexed 
and grieved in regard to affairs in the class attended the 
election meeting, but took no part in the voting. Those whom 
she WOULD have voted for were elected. Was this wrong? 
Was it a sin? 

ANSWER. ~I suppose the sister used her best judgment 
so we may know it was not a sin. You are never wrong in 
following your conscience, even though it might lead you 
astray. You would be doing the right thing to follow your 
conscience at any cost. So God would not hold anybody 
responsible for sin, who had done the best he or she knew 
how. Dismiss it. 

ELECTION-Proper Servants of the Church. 

Q253:3:: QUESTION (1915)--3--.Amanof high social 
standing became interested in the Truth, but did not 
consecrate. Through the influence of a well-to-do sister, and 
her husband, who is no longer in the Truth this man was 
elected our Class Leader. They rejected another brother 
because he was not so intelligent. This influence in our Class 
is too often felt and the ordering of our Class is not according 
to the Sixth Volume of Scripture Studies. What would you 
advise? 

ANSWER.-We think, dear friends, that the Sixth 
Volume is in full accord with the Bible. If you believe it is in 
harmony with the Bible, then it will be your duty to carry out 



those suggestions as fully as they represent the Word of God. 
In my judgment it would surely not be the right order of 
things to elect a person to any office, either as Elder or 
deacon, where there would be any teaching responsibility 
whatever, who had not professed full consecration to the 
Lord. He would not be a member of the Church of Christ at 
all, and therefore could not hold any oversight in the Church; 
and to put him into such office would be 

{PageQ254} 

contrary to the spirit of the Word and be a wrong thing for the 
Class. What should they do at the next election? They 
should not vote for this man. 

I do not know to whom reference is made, but if I were the 
person myself it would make no difference. I would think 
they should not elect me under such conditions no matter how 
much influence I had. Suppose it should disrupt the Class to 
choose another Elder. Then let it disrupt the Class. I do not 
mean by that that we should be careless as to the disruption of 
the Class, and careless of others' feelings; but after the matter 
has been fully set before the Class, those who do see the right 
course should stand for the fact that no one should serve in 
any capacity except one who is professedly a child of God; 
and no one should vote for any except those who are fully 
consecrated. If this cannot be made the voice of the Church, 
then those who are faithful should withdraw, and I think, 
according to the Bible arrangement, they would have a greater 
blessing. 

ELECTION--Re the Vow. 

Q254:1 :: QUESTION (1915-Z)-l-Should any one be 
chosen as a servant of the Church who has not taken the 
special Vow which so many of us have found very helpful, and 
which has been recommended to all? 

ANSWER. --We cannot make this simple Vow a test of 
brotherhood; for, even though we believe that the Lord has 
especially brought it forth at this time and that to a certain 
extent He intends it to serve as a test amongst the consecrated, 
nevertheless the Bible does not authorize us to make this a 
test of brotherhood. It is a matter of judgment rather than of 
Divine direction, just as the candidate's misuse of the English 
language, or uncouthness of manner might properly enough 
be taken into consideration, although not mentioned in the 
Bible amongst the qualifications for eldership. 

It would rejoice us greatly to know that all the dear Elders 



and Deacons amongst the Lord's people everywhere could see 
eye to eye with respect to the reasonableness of the Vow, and 
its harmony with the Divine Word and with our consecration 
Vow, to which it is, as it were, a blue fringe, or border and 
finish. One can scarcely refrain from wondering what 
objection any Christian brother or sister could have to that 
Vow. To some of us it seems as though it would imply either 
something wrong as respects their heart intentions or 
something defective in their reasoning faculties. However, 
we are not competent to judge so closely. The Master said, 
"Judge not." 

Our thought is that in selecting Elders or Deacons a 
preference might well be given to those who have taken the 
Vow and who see eye to eye on this subject. Nevertheless, if 
the brethren who are competent to lead Classes are acceptable 
in every other way and are not opposers of the Vow, they 
might be chosen. This would be especially true of those who 
declare that they are living up to all the requirements of the 
Vow to the best of their ability, and merely decline to take it 
because of fear that somehow or other the taking of this 
simple Vow might injure them while helping others. We may 
not understand the processes of their reasoning nor the 
attitude of their hearts, but we 

{PageQ255} 

may under such circumstances pass over what we cannot 
understand nor appreciate. 

ELECTION-Rules for Selection of Elders and Deacons. 

Q255:1 :: QUESTION (1915-Z)-l-What are the rules 
for the selection of Elders and Deacons? 

ANSWER. —Numerous inquiries have come to us 
indicating that some of the brethren have difficulty in 
applying the suggestions given in Vol. VI. on the subject of 
election of servants for the Classes. 

It was not our thought there to lay down an invariable rule 
on the subject. The Bible gives none, and no one else has a 
right to establish such a rule. Our suggestion was that 
whenever possible the election should be unanimous, and 
unless seventy-five per cent of the Class, or more, favored a 
brother's election, it would be rather unwise for him to accept 
the office--the service. We did not by this mean that a 
minority of twenty- five or thirty per cent should be 
encouraged to obstruct the Class and hinder an election. 

Strictly speaking, a majority of one in a Class would 



decide any matter except as love might come in to urge a 
consideration of the sentiments of others. If for instance, a 
Class numbered one hundred, fifty-one would have a right 
to decide respecting who should be the servants of the 
Church, and the other forty-nine should very quietly 
acquiesce, recognizing the fact that they constitute only a 
minority, and should loyally strive to support the will of the 
majority. 

Only the spirit of love and the best interests of all in the 
Class suggests more than fifty-one per cent. Love should 
strive for a unanimous vote. But how might this be obtained? 
We will offer a suggestion. 

Suppose that in a Class of one hundred, six Elders were 
considered as necessary for the service. A, B, C, D, E, F, 
would represent available candidates of more or less ability. 
A might have a hundred votes; B, ninety; C, eighty; D, 
seventy; E, sixty; F, fifty. Under a strict voting on the lines of 
preference only two would be selected on a ninety per cent 
basis; but our thought would be that the entire six might be 
unanimously elected, if they were on the average as good 
material as the Class possessed, and if nothing were known 
derogatory to their moral character. 

It is a mistake to think that the standards established by St. 
Paul are to be taken literally, for no one would be found fully 
up to all the requirements. The Apostle has stated what the 
ideal Elder would be. Each voter should have this ideal 
before his mind in thinking of the will of the Lord; but the 
Class is not to be left without an Elder unless there are serious 
blemishes. 

Our Lord similarly set a perfect example before us when He 
said, "Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven 
is perfect." (Matt. 5:48.) Who is perfect in the sense that 
God is perfect? "There is none righteous; no, not one." 
(Rom. 3:10.) The Master evidently meant that we should 
not measure ourselves by a low standard, but by the perfect 
standard, that thus we would be assisting ourselves up to the 
grandest ideals in respect to our own lives and characters and 
in respect to those chosen to be Elders and examples to the 
Flock. 

{PageQ256} 

Be it always remembered that none are to vote except those 
professing full consecration, manifested by the usual symbol- 
immersion in water. Such as have not symbolized their 
consecration, are not to be disowned as brethren, but should 



be considered so immature as not to be competent to express 
an opinion in respect to who would be qualified to serve the 
Church, and, of course, would not be qualified to be servants 
themselves. 

ELECTION-Choosing Elders From Other Classes. 

Q256:1:: QUESTION (1916) 1 Where there is 
sufficient available material in the class, is it for the best 
interest of the class to choose its elders from brethren of 
other classes? 

ANSWER.— Where there is sufficient material in the 
class, it would not seem to be wise for the class to go outside 
to choose other elders. I think that goes without saying. But 
who is to determine whether there is sufficient material in the 
class? The class must decide that for themselves. Who is to 
say that they have sufficient material in the class? The class 
must decide that--not Brother Russell, nor anyone else. If the 
class thinks that it has no qualified elders, then let it go 
outside. If it does have a number of qualified elders, then let 
them use what God has provided and encourage the brethren 
at home. 

ELECTION-Regarding Percentage. 

Q256:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-2-In a certain Tower, 
whose date I cannot remember, you suggested a method of 
election wherein all the nominees receiving at least a 50 per 
cent nominating vote should be unanimously elected. In a 
class where there is considerable difficulty and friction, 
would it be better to adopt this method, or to insist on a 75 
per cent vote on each nominee for election as an elder? 

ANSWER.-We should remember, first of all, that Bible 
does not tell us what shall be done. That being so, it is really 
a matter of judgment to find out what would be the most 
advantageous way for doing this. It is a matter of judgment as 
to what would be the best way. Mine might not be as good as 
yours. When I offer any suggestions in the Watch Tower on 
any subject like this, it is merely my opinion. Brother Russell 
has no wish to give commands, or to be a dictator in any 
sense of the word. He merely endeavors to give his opinion 
in such matters—about which the Bible does not speak. If the 
class knows some better way than I do, then that will be 
satisfactory to me. God's will is to be expressed by the class, 
and anyone that gets rid of the will of the class will make a 
mistake and will not have the approval of the Lord. I have 
known those who would bring in some kind of wire-pulling, 
and thus the interests of the class would be interfered with for 



the time being; that is certainly not right. We should not try 
to go beyond what the Lord has arranged. The Lord would 
not be pleased with anything of that kind. We must be honest 
with God and with the brethren, and help all the brethren to 
get the right thought, as follows: Now, it is none of my 
business whether I am chosen as an elder or not. Let the class 
do what it thinks best. If they choose me, I will try to serve 
them as best I can, but, if they do not choose me, then I will 
try to serve them as best I can anyway. If we have such a 
spirit, the class will surely see it in due time. The Lord sees 

{PageQ257} 

it all the time, and if you are right with God, it matters not 
how you stand with others. If you say we will have 80 or 75 
per cent, or what not, there is nothing to regulate the 
percentage— nothing in the Bible. We would suggest that the 
desire in voting to please all the brethren in the class and to 
have an election that would be satisfactory to all, so far as 
you conscientiously could, would even be better than pleasing 
75 or 80 per cent. There should be proper consideration for 
every one in the class, and yet each one, of course, should do 
what he considers to be right. Should it be figured out 
beforehand that all would not be entirely pleased, and the 
majority therefore should carry out their thoughts without any 
regard for the thoughts of the minority, surely that would not 
be right. If you think that a certain brother should be an elder 
and I see nothing wrong with the brother, the fact that you 
want him would be a reason for me to vote for him unless I 
knew something in his character that would disqualify him, in 
which event I would think it to be against the Lord's will to 
vote for him. I could not vote for him for a certain reason. (I 
am merely expressing my opinion in voting.) I would like our 
election to be unanimous, if possible, but, for a certain reason 
I cannot give him my vote. He ought to feel kindly about it, 
and shouls say: I admire yout honesty and candidness; I will 
try to bring myself up to a higher standard. This would seem 
to be the right thought: to do the right and hope it may please 
the whole class; and yet, to do the right whether it please 
them or not. Not, however, in any independent spirit, but 
with the generous spirit of giving due consideration to the 
thoughts of each and everyone. I have known cases in which 
the 85 per cent rule was established, and the will of the class 
was not really done. How so? If 85 per cent were obtained 
why would that not be the will of the class? Because the 15 
per cent might decide to be obstreperous and determine not to 



let the 85 per cent have their desire. The minority tried to 
rule the majority, and would not submit. However, the 
majority is all that should be required to determine the will of 
the class; 51 per cent would be the majority. If 85 per cent be 
required, it is a concession on the part of the majority to 
please the minority. Fifty-one per cent could say we will 
have our decision, we will have our way, but that would be 
ignoring the others and might cause a division. It would not 
be a wise or kind thing to do. The majority ought to think of 
the minority, and say we would like to have the 100 per cent, 
so as to include every person, if possible, but for the majority 
to knuckle down to the minority so that the minority might 
obstruct the work of the class and make it difficult, because 
the majority were willing to say 85 per cent, and then state, 
we will do what we can to hinder this 85 per cent, would 
mean that they had adopted the method of filibustering used 
in politics for the purpose of blocking the purpose of those in 
the ascendancy. This, in the case to which we refer, was 
altogether wrong. We want to get the right focus on these 
matters. In Brooklyn and New York we hardly ever have 
anything but an unanimous vote—hardly ever-because we are 
agreed that we want to do everything we know to assist in the 
work. If anyone wants to have a certain brother as elder or 
deacon, we would be glad to have him. I believe this is the 

{PageQ258} 

mind of the classes nearly everywhere, but sometimes we get 
our minds twisted. When the minority say, you can't do 
anything unless you have 85 per cent, I would favor a change 
and make it 5 1 per cent, and then let the 5 1 per cent be as 
kind to the others as possible, but let the others know that we 
will not permit any method to obstruct the work of the Lord. 
God wants the majority of the class to rule the class and to 
determine its course, but the Lord also wants the majority to 
be very kind towards the minority, but, if they can be of one 
mind that would he better still. 

ELEVENTH HOUR-lts Illustration. 

Q258:1:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)-l-Please explain the 
eleventh hour parable mentioned in Matthew 20. 

ANSWER. —This parable is given to illustrate something 
that will occur toward the end of this age. The parable goes 
on to tell that there were various calls at various times for 
laborers in the vineyard. Now, some might say that this call 
for laborers in the vineyard began way back in the days of 



Jesus and the apostles, and that these various calls belong to 
various periods of the Gospel age, and we would see no 
argument against that; that seems sound enough. Others again 
would claim that this sending forth of laborers in the vineyard 
was not at the beginning of the age, because the Lord and the 
apostles planted the vine and attended to it in the beginning, 
and this call of the laborers in the vineyard was in the harvest 
time, at the end of the age, when the fruit was ripe and when 
they were to go in and gather, and receive wages for gathering 
the clusters. This interpretation also has some reasonable 
qualities. In any event, the eleventh hour represents the very 
closing time of this Gospel age, and the presentation is that at 
that time some will be standing waiting for an opportunity to 
enter into the harvest work— the reaping work, the vineyard 
work, and that some who would be in a proper condition of 
mind and heart would be acceptable there to do harvest work, 
even though the harvest work was nearly finished. As, for 
instance, today, someone would perhaps say, "Well, Brother 
Russell, I suppose that the harvest work is nearly over, and 
that if I would want to go out into the harvest field it would 
hardly be worth while now, would it?" Well, I would say that 
if I were in your place, my dear brother, even though it be as 
it were in the eleventh hour I would go at once to the Lord 
and say--if it were possible for me to arrange my affairs so-- "Lord 
here is so much time I can properly give to you and the 
service of the harvest work. I entreat that I may be sent into 
the harvest, that I may be one of those who will get a special 
blessing by virtue of association with the reapers, and that 
order of service." 

There are some things about this parable that are not so easy 
of interpretation; we might give some guesses and they might 
be all wrong; we do not like to give any guesses that might be 
wrong. As to what the penny will be, and who the servant 
will be that gets the penny, and as to what it will mean that 
someone will murmur and say they are not satisfied with the 
penny, and say they should have had more, I do not know. I 
am not sure. Perhaps we will see more clearly by and by; but 
we do believe this: that none of our murmuring will be 
beyond the vail; that therefore, the giving of the penny and 
the murmuring, whatever it shall signify, 

{PageQ259} 

will be something that will yet be in the church before we 
pass beyond the vail. I do not think that any of those who 
murmur are going to have any pennies in the sense of eternal 



life and immortality. The Lord is not going to have any 
murmurers in his bride class; if I understand it right, they will 
all be so thankful they will appreciate the fact they have got 
more than they deserve, and so glad to get what the Lord will 
give. 

ELIJAH CLASS-Vs. Elisha. 

Q259:1:: QUESTION (1907) l How may we 

distinguish the Elisha class from the Elijah class? 

ANSWER. --We have pointed out that Elijah was very 
distinctly a type of the overcoming Church. But as for Elisha, 
we have no positive proof in the Scriptures that he was a type 
at all. Some might infer that he was a type, and others might 
infer that he was not, but since the matter is one of doubt, it 
behooves us not to fasten very much weight to it. 

ELIJAH-A Typical Character. 

Q259:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-How about Elijah? 

ANSWER. -Well, Elijah was a typical character, for the 
Scriptures say he was. The transfiguration of Elijah was a 
picture or vision of the change of the Church at the end of this 
age, and the carrying away of Elijah in a whirlwind, and 
chariot of fire, represents the Church's experiences, in which 
we will pass beyond the vail~a whirlwind of trouble and fiery 
trials. Again you remember John the Baptist, who was 
beheaded. So far as life is concerned, we remember that God 
buried Moses, and so I presume God likewise buried Elijah. 
So far as the Jews were concerned he was taken up into 
heaven, and they saw him no more. But the Apostle says, 
"They all died in faith." We presume he afterwards died and 
was buried like other men. 

ELIJAH"Re Moses on Mount. 

Q259:3:: QUESTION (1909)-3-Is itnotafactthat 
Elijah was glorified with Moses on the Mount? 

ANSWER. -We answer. No. The record is that Moses 
died and was buried. It is not, therefore, in the authority for 
anybody to say that Moses did not die and was not buried, 
and he cannot have life or knowledge until after the Church 
shall have first received her resurrection, because Moses was 
of the household of servants, and they without us cannot be 
made perfect. 

Well, what about Moses and Elijah appearing upon the 
Mount of Transfiguration? Well, I was not there, but I had a 
representative, a reporter present, right on the spot, and he 



told us of the matter. What did he tell us? We read that, as 
they came down from the Mount, Jesus talking to His 
disciples—and He knew all about it, you and I do not—told 
them that they had seen a vision, saying: "See that ye tell the 
vision to no man until after the Son of Man is risen from the 
dead." And similarly John, who was there on the Mount, 
afterwards described it in the book of Revelation, the book of 
visions. He tells us of this beast and that beast, with heads, 
horns, etc., and of the woman sitting on the throne, etc. Did 
he see these actually? He said, I saw, and I saw, and I heard 
and I saw— and he saw them all in vision, because those beasts 
never pranced around at all. God could have had a menagerie 
there but it 

{PageQ260} 

was not necessary. John tells us in the opening chapter that 
these were visions, saying that these were signified-made 
known by signs, and as He saw in visions there, so He saw 
in vision on the Mount. 

There was another on the Mount who gave us his testimony. 
"You remember," Peter said, "we have not followed 
cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the 
power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye 
witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the 
Father, honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him 
from the excellent glory. This is my Beloved Son, in whom I 
am well pleased. And this voice, which came from heaven, 
we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount." 
That was what the vision was to illustrate. Moses represented 
the class living, on the earth, if you please, for he was the 
mediator or representative of Israel, and he would very 
properly represent them in that tableau. Elijah was there used 
to illustrate the Church. Christ is the Head of the antitypical 
Elijah, and you and I are members of the Body of that 
antitypical Elijah, and that great Prophet is the one that God is 
raising up from among the people, and this Elijah will be the 
one in the Millennial Age to restore all. 

ELISHA-Composed of Whom? 

Q260:1 :: QUESTION (1909)-l-Who will compose the 
Elisha class? 

ANSWER.— In the first place we do not know that there 
is to be an Elisha class, because the Bible doesn't say strictly 
that there will be. Do we infer it? Yes. Upon what basis? 
Because there is an Elijah class and the Scriptures imply that 



there is an Elisha class referred to by our Lord and mentioned 
in Revelation. Elisha was one who joined himself to Elijah 
toward the close of the ministry of Elijah—joined himself as a 
servant and got a great blessing finally. If we shall suppose 
he is a type of a class then he would be a type of two classes. 
First, of the great company because the mantle of Elijah fell 
to him, which would seem to imply that the power or work of 
Elijah would fall upon the Elisha class, after the Elijah class 
is taken away. The only thing that Elisha did with the mantle 
was that he went to the river Jordan, smote the waters and 
passed over. It would simply mean that the Elisha class 
would pass through death in much the same way as the Elijah 
class—Jordan representing death. After passing the Jordan he 
began to do a certain revolutionary work. This would not 
represent the great company but would seem to represent 
another class— the work of the Ancient Worthies which they 
will begin and carry on during the Millennial Age. We 
believe the Scriptures show that the Ancient Worthies will 
eventually be on the same plane as the Great Company and 
will have the same glory. 

ENEMIES-Love Your Own. 

Q260:2:: QUESTION (1905)-2-Who are the enemies 
that we are to love? 

ANSWER.— Your enemies. You need not love my 
enemies. I will do that myself. 

ENEMY-Last to be Destroyed. 

Q260:3:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)-3 -It says the last enemy 
that shall be destroyed is death. How would that be, the 
Adamic death, or how? 

{PageQ261} 

ANSWER.— The last enemy that shall be destroyed— what 
does that mean? That means that death, which is an 
enemy, will be destroyed. Now the second death is not an 
enemy to God, nor an enemy to any who are in harmony with 
God. The second death will be for the destruction of those 
who cannot be reconciled to God. Instead of being an injury, 
it will be a blessing to the whole creation; but the Adamic 
death is an enemy. It has been an enemy, because all down 
through the age, people have been suffering under the Adamic 
death who really, if they had had the opportunity, knowledge, 
etc., would have liked to serve God and be in harmony with 
him. Adam himself, no doubt, if after he had sinned, would 



have been glad if God had said, "Well now, Adam, I will give 
you another trial; go back into Eden; but if you do it again it 
will be the second death and that will be the end of it." Of 
course he would have been glad of that. 

ENOCH-Where Taken? 

Q261 :1 :: QUESTION (1908)--1--By faith Enoch was 
translated that he should not see death, etc. Is it known 
whether he was taken from this earth and what class does he 
typify? 

ANSWER.— I answer that all we know about Enoch is 
stated, first of all, in Genesis, and, secondly, in the Apostle's 
statement in Hebrews, and, thirdly, in the statement of Jude, 
that Enoch prophesied of the coming of the Lord, saying, the 
Lord Cometh with myriads of His holy ones. But in Genesis, 
it is stated that he was not found, he was missed, for God took 
him; and the Apostle in Hebrews tells us that he was 
translated, taken away— lifted over, is the thought, from one 
state or place to another; he was translated that he should not 
see or experience death. Not that he should not see it with his 
eyes, but that he should not see it in the sense of experiencing 
death. He did no doubt see death with his eyes for there was 
death in the world at that time, but he did not experience 
death; he was translated so that he might not experience 
death. This then leads us to understand that Enoch did not 
die. Now the Scriptures are silent as to what God did with 
him or where he took him, and that leaves us, therefore, 
without any basis or any positive statement as to where he is. 
We can state as to where he is NOT. We can state that he is 
not in heaven; because our Lord said that "no man hath 
ascended up to heaven, save he that came down from 
heaven." Therefore Enoch did not go to heaven in that sense 
of the word. Where did he go? Why, the Lord may have 
taken him to some other planet for all I know. I don't know; it 
would be merely a guess. I merely take the Word of the Lord 
as it reads, that he was translated so that he should not see 
death and that he did not die. The Apostle makes that clear 
later on in the same chapter. He says, "All these died in 
faith," yet evidently he understands that he previously had 
made an exception of Enoch and therefore he would not be 
included with the others. Where he is God only knows; I do 
not; no one else knows. So you and I and all the rest are on a 
par. We have such confidence in the Word of God, however, 
that we believe Enoch lives somewhere and that in God's due 
time we will find out why he was made an exception in this 
manner. 



Now, is he a type? He may be. We are not told that he is a 
type and therefore it would be rash for us to say 

{PageQ262} 

he was a type. We are not inspired to say this is a type, and 
this is not a type. If we could find anything in the Scriptures 
to say Enoch was a type, then we would be justified in saying 
he was a type. But anything in the Scriptures not specified to 
be a type we do well to be careful how we turn it into a type 
and make something out of it that might trouble us. There is 
one statement respecting this that gives a suggestion, a bare 
suggestion, that be was a type and that is a statement to the 
effect that Enoch was seventh from Adam. There the 
"seventh from Adam" is made prominent— seven, of the 
seventh generation. Now there is just a bare chance of 
building a little bit of speculation upon that. I call it by its 
plain name-- "speculation." Since seven is always in the 
Scriptures recognized as a perfect number and indicative of 
perfection, we might understand that Enoch, the seventh from 
Adam, would represent that perfect man—the perfection of 
man, or man in his future state when he will be perfect and 
when he will not die. And in this sense of the word, Enoch 
may be considered as representative of that class of mankind 
which in the future will be in harmony with God and have 
eternal life— the ones who will be brought to perfection during 
the Millennial Age. 

ENOCH-Translated, When, Where, Why? 

Q262:1:: QUESTION (1913)1 Enoch was 
translated. What did it mean? What did it represent? 

ANSWER.— The Bible does not explain; I will not do so 
either. I do not know. 

ETERNAL-Applied to the Sodomites. 

Q262:2:: QUESTION (1907)-2-InJude 7, referring 
to the Sodomites, does the word "eternal" properly qualify 
fire, or vengeance, or suffering, for example? 

ANSWER.— I would answer, it qualifies fire— eternal fire; 
suffering the vengeance of eternal fire; that is the way the 
translation gives it. I think it is all right. What kind of eternal 
fire was it? Did it keep on burning there, and if you could go 
to where Sodom was would you see it burning now? No. 
Well what kind of an eternal fire was it? It was a fire whose 
effects were eternal; it was not a fire that merely burned a 
little while and then went out, but it burned until it burned 



everything up. And so, when the Lord is going to destroy the 
wicked, He will destroy them with an eternal fire, that is, a 
fire that will be complete, and finish the work. It will not be 
destruction for a little while from which they will be 
recovered, but it will be the vengeance of utter, complete 
destruction. In your talk every day, if you will only think 
about it, you use a great many figures of speech. Every 
person who can talk uses a great many figures of speech; and 
in olden times, they seem to have used these more than we do 
today. They made all languages in pictures. Some of the 
very old languages were all pictures, and all the spelling even 
was in pictures. Some of those old hieroglyphics that have 
been found in Egypt and elsewhere are all pictures. So our 
words are all pictures. 

ETERNAL LIFE-Now, Actually or Reckoned? 

Q262:3::QUESTION (1906) 3 Do consecrated 
believers have an eternal life now, or only a reckoned one? If 
a reckoned one, explain John 5:24, which says: "He that 
heareth my 

{PageQ263} 

word, and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life." 

ANSWER. —This is a very similar question, as you will 
perceive, to the previous one, and would be answerable in the 
same way. It is more to get the right thought than to dispute 
as to which would be the best way of stating that truth. Both 
ways of stating the thought are really right. You may say that 
we have eternal life now, and proceed to prove it in this way: 
That the Lord has promised eternal life to them that love him, 
and God's word is sure, and since he has promised it, 
speaking by faith from that standpoint of God's promise, I 
could say. Yes I have eternal life. And yet it is very much 
like the matter I have sometimes illustrated by a check. 
Suppose you had handed me, or I had somewhere received a 
check, and that check were in my pocket. Suppose that check 
was for one hundred dollars, and that was the only money I 
had, and some one should come up and say, "Have you any 
money. Brother Russell?" You see I could say yes or no, 
because a check is not money, but I have a check that is worth 
money. Just so God has given us eternal life, and this life is 
in His Son. That is a plain statement. That is the record, he 
has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. And when 
He who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with 
Him in glory. So you see we have eternal life in the same 



sense that we have the check in our pocket. It is worth all it 
calls for, yet it is not the life itself. As far as the life itself 
is concerned, that is the salvation to be brought unto us at the 
revelation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

EUPHRATES--Re Second Death. 

Q263:1 :: QUESTION (1911)--l--"And the fourth river 
is Euphrates." Does this river represent the second death in 
this verse? 
ANSWER.-Not that I know of. 

EVE-Ransom of. 

Q263:2::QUESTION (1910)--2-If it will not take too 
long, please explain the ransom of Eve? 

ANSWER.— It won't take very long. Eve belonged to 
Adam, just the same as all of Adam's race belonged to Adam. 
God gave Eve to Adam after he took her from Adam. It is 
very easy to see, then, dear friends, that if Christ redeemed 
Adam and all that Adam had, he redeemed Eve. 

EVE-Re All in Adam. 

Q263:3:: QUESTION (1910)-3-"For as in Adamall 
die"--are we to understand this means Mother Eve? 

ANSWER. —Yes, I answer we understand this includes 
mother Eve; she was in Adam in the sense that she was a part 
of Adam's family; that the whole thing was centered in Adam 
; that God arranged it so, and that Adam's sin brought the 
death condition. If Adam had sinned and mother Eve had not 
sinned, of course it would be hardly proper for us to offer a 
suggestion, but my thought would be that if Adam had sinned 
he would have been put out of the Garden, and she would 
have been put out with him, as he was the representative of 
the race, and his transgression would mean the transgression 
by the twain; that she would be held as being a party with him 
in the transgression. 

{PageQ264} 

EVE-Her Standing with God. 

0264:1:: QUESTION (1915-Z)-l-What standing did 
Eve have with God? 

ANSWER. -Mother Eve had no standing with God 
except as a part of the body of Adam, for she was taken from 
his side. We understand that this represents that the Church 
has no standing with God of herself, that to produce her 
required the sacrifice of Jesus her Lord. In other words, she 



came from His side. The Second Adam is the Heavenly Lord—the 
First-born from the dead, the Justifier, the Life-giver to 
the world. During this Gospel Age, God has been selecting 
the Church to be the Bride of Christ, and she has been in 
process of development. As the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, she 
may be considered to be the second Eve; and her work is to 
be during the incoming Age, the mothering or caring for the 
race of Adam, begotten again by "the Lord from Heaven," the 
Second Adam.-l Cor. 15:45-47. 

The whole picture shows us that the responsibility of the 
fall was in Adam. St. Paul points out that Mother Eve was 
the one who was deceived and was first in the transgression, 
but also points out that it was through Adam's disobedience 
that sin entered the world; and thus death passed upon all 
men, "for all have sinned" (Rom. 5:12)~showing the effect 
of Adam's fall upon his offspring, through heredity. As "the 
wages of sin is death," and as the sin that brought the death 
was Adam's sin and not Eve's sin, it follows that the 
Redemption-price would be that which corresponds to Adam, 
and not that which corresponds to Eve. 

THE BODY OF SACRIFICE 

When we read, "A body hast Thou prepared Me," as a 
sacrifice, we are not to understand this to mean the Church, 
the Body of Christ, prepared for sacrifice. The body prepared 
for sacrifice was the human body of Jesus. It was 
prepared in the sense that it was provided Him 
miraculously and was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate 
from sinners. Jesus alone had such a body prepared for Him. 
The Church had no such body. 

Our Lord Jesus was ordained of God a Priest after the Order 
of Melchizedek; but sacrificially He was the anti-type of 
Aaron, and was first to offer up Himself, and subsequently to 
accept His disciples, justify them through His sacrifice, and 
then constitute them members, or parts, of His own sacrifice. 
It is evident that in the type only the high priest was ordained 
to offer up the sin-offering of the Day of Atonement. None of 
the under priests had such a right. So none of the antitypical 
under priests, the followers of Christ, are competent to offer 
up themselves. All that we can do is to present ourselves unto 
death. He accepts us, imputes His merit to us, and counts us 
members of His fleshly Body; and then by His Holy Spirit, 
through Christ, God operates in us "to will and to do His good 
pleasure," which is to carry out the work of self-sacrifice even 
unto death. But all this while the Church is not sacrificed as 



was the High Priest, nor presented to the Father in our name. 
The Father's dealing is only with our Advocate, and we are 
accepted merely because we are His. 

All this is shown in the Atonement Day type of the sin-offering. 
The high priest offered the bullock first, as 

{PageQ265} 

his own sacrifice—representing himself individually. Then 
the high priest, not the under priests, afterwards offered the 
Lord's goat—one goat, not many goats. This goat was 
offered, not as a sacrifice of the under priests, but as the 
sacrifice of the high priest. So in the antitype. Our 
consecration is acceptable to the Father only because of the 
merit of Jesus imputed to us as His members when He adopts 
us as a part of His own flesh. 

EVIL-Some Evils of Man's Fallen Condition. 

Q265:1:: QUESTION (1915)-l-If all life is from God, 
how can you explain disease germs, pests, etc.? 

ANSWER.— There could be no life except from the great 
Life-Giver and His arrangements. The conditions as we have 
them in the world today are not the arrangements that God 
had in Eden. When He created man in His own image. He 
made everything favorable for him, and Eden was a place in 
which there were no pests. There is not a word in the Bible 
about Adam having been bitten by mosquitos. So with other 
pests-no weeds there. The weeds were a part of the curse, 
you see, and all these things are said to be permitted of the 
Lord now for man's good, no doubt— "for thy sake," in thy 
interest. We can see very readily, my dear brethren, that all 
these various difficulties of the present time are tending to 
carry out the great curse of death, and make them realize what 
it is to be out of fellowship with God, out from under His 
protecting care. The world is not now under God's protection, 
whereas man was originally under His especial care. We are 
to understand, therefore, that as Messiah's Kingdom shall take 
control of the world, all these various pests of every kind will 
be removed. All that is undesirable will be swept away 

Now as to where these pests come from: I am not able to 
give a full, definite answer, but will give some suggestions. 
There was a condition of things prevailing before the great 
Flood that was changed after the Flood. You see the 
illustration in the Photo-Drama of Creation: Take the case of 
Noah's intoxication. Before the Flood grapes had never 
fermented. Climatic conditions had been very different 



because of earth's enveloping canopy. Therefore Noah, not 
realizing that such a change had taken place, though the juice 
of the grape had a pungent flavor, was made drunk. There 
had been no such condition as this before the great Deluge. 
Noah was overtaken by something that he did not understand. 
Now alcoholic fermentation and acidity came through the 
new atmospheric conditions, and produced this effect upon 
the juice of the grape. Certain conditions of the weather or 
the atmosphere affect your own flesh, as, for instance: If you 
have a wound in your flesh, under certain conditions the 
tendency will be to fester, and that will bring forth poisonous 
life-germs. 

Satan and the other fallen angels may be permitted some 
power in creating pests and disease germs. See our Spiritism 
pamphlet, p. 79, and also Exod. 8:6,7. I presume that many 
of the diseases that we have today did not exist before the 
Deluge. And surely there were no pests nor disease germs in 
Eden. I do not know how the Lord will overcome all these 
things, but we believe that all Satanic power will soon be 
taken away, and we have confidence that whatever is 
injurious the Lord will destroy. 

{PageQ266} 

FAITH-Exercise of By the World in the Millennial 
Age. 

Q266:1:: QUESTION (1907)-1-In what respect will 
faith be required of the world in the Millennial Age? 

ANSWER. --Well, it is very difficult to explain that, 
because there are so many different ideas as to what faith is. 
Now, if you are referring to faith as meaning a belief in the 
things that you do not see, and the things that you do not 
know, and the things that God has merely revealed to us in 
His Word, that kind of faith will he very limited indeed in the 
Millennial Age. Why? Because everything will be made so 
clear and manifest that it will not belong to faith, but it will 
then be sight. It is faith now because God is choosing a 
peculiar people, and He is testing those who have the hearing 
ear and the eye of faith, who can walk by faith and not by 
sight. And so He represents that we are walking in the 
narrow way, and the light is on our pathway, and by and by, 
instead of having a pathway that is dark, and merely lighted 
as we take these steps, the Son of Righteousness will arise 
with healing in His beams. A man will not need to carry a 
lantern when the sun-light is shining. Just now, the lantern of 
God's Word, and the carrying of it, represents our faith 



coming from it, but they will not need that in the Millennial 
Age, because knowledge will be everywhere, and instead of 
faith, knowledge will be required, and it will be possible for 
people to come to know all about God and about His plan. Is 
knowledge better than faith? Yes, indeed. Wouldn't you 
want absolute knowledge if you could get it? Yes, indeed. 
But you are now walking by faith, are you not? Yes. God 
says that is the way He wants us to do now, and He does not 
furnish any more than that now. He gives us enough 
knowledge to have a basis for our faith and does not give us 
anything stronger than would be a basis for faith. 

FAITH-Gift of God. 

Q266:2:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-2-Is faith the gift of 

God? 

ANSWER. --"By grace are ye saved through faith, and 
that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." The Apostle 
seems to intimate that grace is God's favor: in fact, the word 
"grace" has the signification of gift, or that which is favor. 
Our salvation is of Divine favor—not of any necessity on 
God's part, not because Justice required it, not because 
anyone could have demanded it from him, but it is his own 
merciful, gracious provision, and this salvation in our case is 
through faith. And the faith is not of ourselves, as a matter of 
course. Hence we think that when the Apostle says "it is not 
of ourselves," he must refer to faith. However, faith, in a very 
important sense, is of the individual; we are urged to "have 
faith unto God." One cannot have faith for another. The 
individual must exercise his own faith in God; and yet in this 
text we are told that our faith is of God. 

In what sense could this be of God? We answer that it is of 
God in the sense that every good and every perfect gift comes 
down from the Father. Our faith must have a foundation, 
must have a basis. We must have knowledge of a matter in 
order to have faith in it. We have knowledge of God, and this 
knowledge which is 

{PageQ267} 

granted us as a grace or favor brings us to the place where we 
are enabled to exercise the faith. The faith in a great measure 
rests upon the knowledge. The knowledge reveals God's 
character; the Divine Revelation makes known to us certain 
facts respecting God's purposes, and we see the purposes thus 
outlined to be in harmony with the character of God, and this 
enables one to believe the promises; and believing them, we 



are enabled to act upon them; and this is faith. 

So, then, our faith, while it is of ourselves in the sense that 
we must exercise it, is of God in the sense that he supplies the 
necessary elements from which that faith is to be 
compounded. 

FAITH-Discerning the Lord's Will. 

Q267:1:: QUESTION (1912)-1-I cannot always 
discern the Lord's will under all circumstances. (Pastor 
Russell, neither can anybody else.) Is this an indication of 
something wrong in my heart condition? 

ANSWER. --No. The Lord does not wish us to walk by 
sight and have no difficulty in discerning His will. He wishes 
to put the matter in such a way that there will be a test of our 
obedience and perseverance~we are to walk by faith and not 
by sight. How? 

I will tell you how to do it. Every day, of course, and in all 
particular matters, I try to take everything to the Lord, I would 
not wish to undertake anything, without seeking to know the 
Lord's will respecting it. But, I am not always able to know 
the Lord's will. I have no miraculous insight to know God's 
will. My judgment is not sufficient, I am not to tax my mind 
that way, it is out of the power of my mind. I will leave it to 
the Lord. If He wishes me to go this way or that way. He can 
direct the course. So, my mind and heart are satisfied, if, at 
the beginning of the day, I say. Lord, here am I; I thank Thee 
for the privilege of another day and what I hope will be full of 
opportunities for serving the Truth and the brethren. I ask 
you to direct all of my thoughts, words and conduct, that I 
may serve Thee. Then I go forth and use my best judgment. 
If the Lord wants to lead me in one way or another, that is His 
part, not my part. I have solicited His guidance. My eye is 
alert to know and to do His will at any cost. I rest easy in this 
yoke, knowing that God is able and willing to overrule all 
things for His glory and for my profit. 

When a child I noticed that some people had a certain way 
of going to the Lord with their affairs. They would open their 
Bibles at random, and whatever verse their thumb happened 
to be next they would say was the Lord's message and they 
would follow it, too. That was not for me to find fault with. 
It seemed remarkable to what texts they would sometimes 
open and they should have such remarkable answers to 
prayers. But, I said. Lord I am really afraid, and if it pleases 
You, I would rather be directed by my judgment than by this 
method, for my mind does not seem capable of accepting it. 
The Lord seems to have taken me at that prayer. I do seek the 



Lord's guidance in studying the Word, taking all of the verses, 
trying to find the principles of God's dealings and teachings 
on every subject. There is surely a reason why right is right 
in every matter, and I desire to know it. I desire to know the 
reason why 

{PageQ268} 

God wishes a matter this way or that way— not that I doubt 
His wisdom, but so that I may enter into the spirit of the 
Divine regulations. I have much more happiness than I would 
otherwise have. Could I know whether God, the devil or 
chance would open the Bible for me in that other way? I 
much prefer and believe it the Bible's teaching that I commit 
all to God, ask Him to guide my judgment and reason and 
then go out and use that judgment and reason the best I know 
how. The Lord may allow me to use my judgment in some 
way that afterward appeared not the best; but if so. He may 
use it to bring some great blessing or instruction anyway. Our 
judgment, of course, means our understanding of our Father's 
Word and of His providential leadings. Thus doing we know 
that all things shall work together for our good. 

FALLEN MEN-Cannot Covenant With Jehovah. 

Q268:1 :: QUESTION (1913)-l-You say fallen man 
cannot enter into a covenant with God. Upon what basis 
did God make a covenant with Israel? Would such restriction 
apply to Moses, he being fallen also? 

ANSWER. —Moses was imperfect, because the Bible 
tells us there is none perfect, no not one. When we say God 
could not make a covenant with fallen man, the thought is not 
that He could not, but He would not. It would be a useless 
matter to make a covenant with fallen man, because they 
could not keep it. In the case of Israel, God said I am going to 
bless the seed of Abraham, and you, the natural heirs of 
Abraham. Would you like to have Me take you to be My 
people? Then if you would, if you think so I will give you a 
chance to try it. I will give you a law, and if you can keep 
that law I will agree that by virtue of keeping it you are 
perfect, and if perfect you will be able to go on keeping it and 
live forever, but if you fail you will die. So there was a 
tentative agreement, a provisional agreement. God had a right 
to do that. Not that Moses was perfect. God said if you 
would like to try I will treat you as though you were perfect. 
I will give you sacrifices to represent the true sacrifices, and 
these offered year by year will cover you typically; you will 



be counted as though you were righteous for one year and in 
that year you may show Me how you can keep My law. If 
you can keep the law I will fix all the rest. 

FALLING AWAY-After Once Enlightened. 
Q268:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-If any fall away, who 
were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, 
and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, will their failure 
to receive the crown lead to the second death? Or is there a 
chance that a place may be found for them among the Great 
Company? 

ANSWER.— I do not think that anyone is competent to 
answer that question. It is beyond our depth. We ought to 
fear to pass judgment on anyone who gives evidence of still 
having love for God or for righteousness. We do not mean 
that we might not fear for some, as the Apostle says we 
should fear, and that we should strive to pull them out of the 
fire—pull them out of places of temptations, and trials, and 
strive to recover them from the snare of the adversary. That 
fear is proper enough, but for us to decide that such a one has 
been given up of the Lord, and that 

{PageQ269} 

he has been sentenced to the second death, is not ours to 
judge, and we do well to seek to avoid passing judgment upon 
others. 

FAMINE-Application of Amos 8:11,12. 

Q269:1:: QUESTION (1909)-l-"Behold the days 
come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the 
land, not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for water, but of 
hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from 
sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run 
to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." 
Please explain and apply these words. 

ANSWER.— Well, these words in the first place were 
written especially to the Jews, and there was quite a period of 
time when they were without a prophet or teacher and a great 
many Jews were seeking the Lord but were so blinded that 
they could not see Him as the Lord, and as represented in the 
parable where the rich man begged for the cup of water. 
They are kept in that condition that the mighty works of God 
might be fulfilled. The nation of Israel itself is a most 
wonderful thing. To think that there are some who are of the 
seed and stock of Abraham still in the world is a most 



wonderful thing; all other nations are mixed up. But the Jews 
have an independent nature, so that God could show in His 
dealings with them what He would do later. How long they 
shall thirst and hunger I do not know. 

I must tell you that I have recently had some experiences 
with the Jews. I bought a coat not a great while ago, and the 
man who sold it to me was a Jew, and after I purchased it, he 
said, "I read your sermons every Monday morning and I am 
pleased with them, I have been reading them for over a year." 

Later on, I met a gentleman on the street in Pittsburgh; he 
was a Hebrew, and he said, "Mr. Russell, I keep track of you, 
I read your sermons in the paper. " 

The Jews are hungering and nibbling around the edge, but 
they will have to wait a little longer. 

FAMINE-May Have Two Applications. 

Q269:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2-"For, behold, the 
Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and 
from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, 
and the whole stay of water." (Isa. 3:1.) What does this 
mean? 

ANSWER. —There was a famine which came upon 
Judea. The people did not have enough to eat or to drink. 
They are still in very much the condition of Ishmael at the 
time when Hagar laid him down to die. During the Gospel 
Age the poor Jews have been famishing. They have been 
without any communication whatever with God. 

The same Prophet, from whose inspired writings the above 
text is taken, tells us of another class whose "bread shall be 
given them, whose water shall be sure." (Isa. 33:16.) They 
will be well cared for, well protected, and will have both 
bread and water. This text may have applied to the Jews at 
the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and may apply to any 
Jews and others who, since that time, have put their trust in 
the Lord and to whom He has supplied what was needed for 
the strengthening of their lives. As we look about us today 
we find many of nominal Israel 

{PageQ270} 

hungry, thirsty. They endeavor to make themselves think that 
they are well fed; and the majority of them do not realize that 
they are poor and naked and unfed and blind. In the 
meantime the Church of Christ is in the protected place. 
Everything is working together for good to them. Their bread 
and water is sure. "No good thing will He withhold from 



them that walk uprightly"; "the meek will He guide in 
judgment; the meek will He teach His way." 

FATHER-The Heavenly Father's Care of His 
Children. 

Q270:1:: QUESTION (1909)--1--Kindly explain Matt. 18:10: 
"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little 
ones: for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always 
behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." 

ANSWER. ~I presume that the conditions beyond the 
vail are so different from the conditions this side the vail that 
it is difficult to explain the conditions there. Our Lord said to 
Nicodemus, if I tell you of earthly things and you do not 
understand, how will you understand if I tell you of heavenly 
things? He did not tell him much about heavenly things. 

In this I would understand the thought suggested to be that 
when we pray to our heavenly Father we are to realize His 
careful attention to all the affairs of the weakest and most 
ignorant of His children. If they are His, that means that His 
providential care is over every one of them. 

The suggestion that His angels do always behold His face, 
is that He is always ready to receive their messages. He is 
ever ready to hear, to give attention, and it pertains to every 
one of His little ones. On this Scripture has been built the 
thought that each individual child of God has an individual 
guardian angel, which specially takes care of him. Now I say 
that is a theory, and I do not know that it is right, but whether 
it is a living spirit being that interposes for us and guards us, 
or whether influences or powers of God, it makes no 
difference to you or to me, because whatever God is pleased 
to use to protect us, what difference does it make to us, so 
long as we are assured that we have protection and that we 
have communion with Him? 

FEAR-What Kind Does Love Cast Out. 

Q270:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-"Thereis nofear in 
love, but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath 
torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." What 
fear is here referred to, and how does perfect love cast out 
fear? 

ANSWER. --Fear is a quality of the mind that is begotten 
generally of uncertainty. There are certain things which we 
ought to fear, and certain things that we need not fear. The 
Adversary would seem to take advantage of our fallen 
condition, the condition of sin, and cause us to fear our 
heavenly Father; because whoever we fear we keep away 



from. We all realize that by nature we are sinners, and that 
there must be some penalty for sin. We seem to know this 
instinctively and naturally have a fear. We are told, You are a 
sinner. You are a sinner and there is a penalty for sin. A fear 
comes—of what kind and how severe will the penalty be? 
Satan would try to give us, through his various theories, a 
dread or fear of God, and of torture. He pictures before our 
imperfect minds a God unjust, 
over- severe in His dealings with sin and the sinner. 

{PageQ271} 

As we come, gradually, to a clearer knowledge of God and 
His principles for the regulation of His universe, we have that 
fear cast out. Instead we have a love for God, and realize that 
He has a love for us. We love Him, and in proportion as we 
realize that He loves the world and has made provision for us 
and the world. By and by, when we get to the place where 
we love God perfectly, all fear is cast out. 

But this knowledge and love would not cast out the fear of 
displeasing God; because that is a proper reverence, and that 
is never to be cast out. The more reverential love we have, 
the more of that fear we will have— who would not fear to 
offend a brother or neighbor whom he loved and appreciated. 
This is the same principle that exists, more or less, between 
father and children, husband and wife. The wife who would 
fear her husband would not be in as happy a condition as if 
there were perfect love, and vice versa; also with children. 
Yet each should the more fear to wound or offend the other. 

FEAR-ls it Wrong to Fear Death? 

Q271 :1 :: QUESTION (1915)-l-Does it denote a lack 
of faith, or is one in a condition not pleasing to Jehovah, 
when we look forward to death fearfully? 

ANSWER. --We are to remember that our physical 
condition has much to do with our feelings, and one might be 
in such a nervous condition that a trifling noise would affect 
the nerves. Perhaps you have been in the condition that even 
a slight thing would jar your nerves and make you very 
uncomfortable. You can see that some persons might thus 
have a great fear. But that super- sensitive condition would 
not prove that they were not true children of God. So I do not 
know that we should think it an evil or a sin for some to have 
a fear of death. Some people naturally have more fear and 
dread of death than others. The organ of vitativeness-love of 
life—is much stronger in some than in others. 



Some even who have been taught the doctrine of eternal 
torment seem to have little fear of death. We read the 
accounts of the soldiers of Europe going down to the 
trenches, where fully half of them may never come back alive, 
and yet they go down there with a great deal of courage, 
apparently fearless of death. I do not quite understand it. I 
would think that the natural condition of mankind would be to 
fear death. We find that this was true of our Lord Jesus. He 
had a fear and dread of death, and this lasted until He had a 
message from God to the effect that He was acceptable and 
would have a resurrection. 

When He came down to His last night on earth, the night on 
which he was betrayed and apprehended, you remember that 
in the Garden of Gethsemane He began to be very sorrowful. 
He became very, very sad and heavy-hearted, thinking, "Now 
tomorrow I am to be crucified. It looks, too, as though I am 
to suffer as an evil-doer. I would be glad if that need not be. 
It is a terrible thing to die under any conditions, but it is an 
awful thing, after living a righteous life, to die as a 
blasphemer against God! O, if it might be possible that this 
part may pass away from Me!" Then the thought came, 
"Perhaps I deserve that experience; perhaps I have committed 
some sin. I do not know anything I have done that is wrong, 
but perhaps I have transgressed in 

{PageQ272} 

some manner. If so, I will have no future life!" The thought 
was terrible to one who knew the perfection of life before He 
came into the world and who had a full understanding of the 
possibility of the future glory, honor and immortality. 

And so we read of Jesus that "in the days of His flesh when 
He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong 
crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from 
death. He was heard in that which He feared" (Heb. 5:7). 
He did not pray to be saved from dying; for He had 
consecrated His life unto death; but to be saved out of 
death, by a resurrection'; And He was heard. The 
Father sent Him some message or assurance that was 
strengthening to Him, that gave Him to understand that He 
was fully acceptable. The passage concerning the appearing 
of the angel to our Lord is not contained in the oldest Greek 
Manuscripts; but the Scripture cited from Hebrews proves 
that the Father in some manner heard His petition. As soon as 
the fear of annihilation was removed, the Master was the 
calmest and most courageous of all. His quietness of soul 



returned when He once had the assurance that He was 
pleasing to the Father. 

Now I believe that when we have a fear of death we should 
seek the Father in prayer, should seek the assurance that we 
have the Father's approval. The Bible enables us to know 
when we are acceptable children of God, and as Christians we 
should seek to drive away our fears, giving heed to God's 
Word, having it before our minds and considering the 
precious promises concerning the Lord's love and care and 
sustaining grace in every time of need. I believe that as we do 
this we will find in our hearts more and more a loyalty and a 
willingness at any sacrifice to walk in the footsteps of Jesus 
unto the end. And we can say, "I will not fear; God has 
promised that "all things shall work together for good" to me. 
Why should I fear? What or whom shall I fear? I will fear 
nothing, "for Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me." Rom. 8:28; 
Psalm 23:4. 

FEDERATION-When Established. 
Q272:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--When will the 
Federation of the churches be an established fact, in 1911 or 
1913, and become the false prophet? 

ANSWER.--! do not know. How could I? I am not a 
prophet. The very most I try to do, dear friends, is to interpret 
prophecy, and I know of no prophecy which gives a clue to 
the question. 

So far as my expectation was concerned, I thought it would 
be years ago. I am surprised that it has been so slow. When I 
first called attention to the matter, none of the churches were 
thinking of it, but way back in 1880 we saw it clearly in the 
Scriptures, and we were naturally inclined to think things 
would come more rapidly than they do. It has been slowly 
developing, however, and it is right here now. If it had 
developed more rapidly, something else would have gone 
wrong. It is for you and me to learn to trust the Lord to 
manage his part, and for us to try to manage our part. It is all 
coming around, dear friends, and will be here at the proper 
time, but whether next year or two years after that, I would 
not begin to say. 

{PageQ273} 

I might remark in this connection that to a certain extent this 
recognition has already been given; viz.: that two years ago 
the Episcopal church rescinded that feature of their church 
creed which barred other ministers from speaking from the 



Episcopal platform. It used to be the case that if any other 
minister occupied the Episcopal pulpit, it would practically 
have to be fumigated. Our Episcopal friends now think this is 
foolish, so they have abandoned that feature as a step toward 
the union. They have practically recognized all other 
denominations today, by allowing them to speak from their 
pulpits. 

FEDERATION--ln Jesus' Day. 

Q273:1:: QUESTION (1910 Z) 1 Why were the 

Pharisees and Sadducees of our Lord's day the leaders of 

religion? 

ANSWER.— They had formed a trust or federation, so to 
speak, and rarely made an attack upon each other, although 
their doctrines were directly opposed. The Pharisees 
acknowledged God and the prophets and the Law, and 
believed in a future life by a resurrection from the dead, and 
believed in a coming Messiah to exalt their nation and 
through it to bless the world. The Sadducees believed nothing 
of the kind—they were agnostics. Higher Critics. They were 
making the best of the present life, doubting any future 
existence. The Pharisees opposed Jesus because He did not 
acknowledge them but criticized them and showed the 
hypocricies of their claims to be perfect and holy in the 
keeping of the Law, and reproved them for their lack of 
sympathy with the poor and less pretentious. 

The Sadducees opposed Jesus because, from their stand 
point of unbelief, he was a fraud. But even as a fraud they 
would not have bothered themselves to oppose him, only that 
they perceived that he was gaining an influence with the 
people— an influence which they feared might, sooner or 
later, lead to some disturbance of the peace and unfavorably 
influence the conduct of the Roman Empire towards the 
Jews. So, while the Sadducees and Pharisees both opposed 
Jesus, their opposition was for different reasons. 

The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and the crying 
of the multitude, "Hosanna to the Son of David, "the Messiah! 
awakened envy in the minds of the Pharisees. But in the 
Sadducees it produced a fear that the common people should 
become so aroused as to involve their nation in some strife 
with the Empire. The Pharisees strove to turn away the 
sympathy of the people from the Great Teacher, and, to this 
end sought to catch Him in his words by putting the question, 
"IS IT LAWFUL TO GIVE TRIBUTE?" 

They reasoned that if Jesus would say. It is not lawful, 
they would have little difficulty in having him arrested as a 



leader of sedition and thus compel Pilate to put him to death. 
They reasoned further that if Jesus should answer that it was 
lawful to give tribute to Caesar he would thereby alienate the 
sympathy of the multitude, which cried "Hosanna!" after him; 
for the Jews held, almost superstitiously, the idea that they, 
as God's Kingdom, must not pay tithes to any earthly 
Kingdom—that it would be irreverent to do so, excepting 
under compulsion. We notice how artfully they endeavored 
to ensnare the Master by complimenting him upon his 
truthfulness, saying, "Master, we know that thou art true!" 
Not only so, but they sought to impress 

{PageQ274} 

upon him their appreciation of him as a Teacher—that he 
would teach the light, the Truth, at any cost. And so they 
said, "Thou teachest the way of God in truth!" And further, 
they fortified their position by saying, "We know that thou 
regardest not the person of men!" 

These treacherous compliments were intended to ensnare 
him, but he promptly answered, "Why tempt ye me, ye 
hypocrites?" Why do you veil your base designs under guise 
of speaking for the Truth? "Show me the tribute money." 
This was, literally, the census coin in which the tax was to be 
paid. They handed him a denarius, the usual wage for the 
day laborer, corresponding in value to about seventeen of our 
cents. Jesus asked, "Whose is this image and superscription?" 
They answered, "Caesar's." Jesus replied, "Render unto 
Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things 
that are God's." No wonder the wily Pharisees were troubled 
to know how to catch him in his words ! On the contrary, they 
were caught; for all of their complimentary remarks stood to 
his credit in the minds of the common people. 

FIGHT-Fought the Good Fight. 

Q274:1 :: QUESTION (1909)-l-(2 Tim. 4:6,7,8.) 
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my 
departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have 
finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is 
laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the 
righteous judge, shall give to me at that day and not to me 
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." At what 
time in the Christian's experience should he be able to give 
such a testimony? 

ANSWER. -Well, I think, dear friends, we should be 
able to give a good testimony from the time we reach what we 



sometimes call the mark. When we speak of the mark we are 
merely speaking of the mark of character, which is that which 
the law of God places as the smallest condition which would 
be acceptable to Him, and the least He will accept of you or 
me or anybody, now or in the Millennial Age, which is, 
"Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy mind and heart 
and strength, and thy neighbor as thyself." When you have 
reached that mark you may properly say you have reached the 
mark of perfect love. Nothing less than this will do. 

You may not have reached this in your body because your 
body is imperfect. This is a mark of the heart. The Jews 
under the Law Covenant were obliged to come up to that 
mark in the flesh, but we who are spiritual Israelites are 
required to come up to that law in our minds and hearts. If 
you find that you have blemishes in your flesh you are to ask 
the Lord to forgive you, but your heart must always be 
perfect. Like the needle of a compass, if you swerve, then 
like the needle when released, it comes back to the pole; so 
your heart must always be loyal. So regard your neighbor 
that you would love him as yourself, would do good to him as 
you would have him do good to you; do justly, generously, 
righteously to your neighbor. It might be that through some 
temptation you might not do just as you would wish to be 
treated, but just as soon as you find out that you have treated 
him in any manner that was not right it would be your duty to 
make amends not only to him 

{PageQ275} 

but to God, for you have injured him to this extent. In the 
Millennial Age a person will be required to act perfectly, but 
at this time, during the Gospel Age, the Lord has made a 
higher requirement for the Church, which is that we should 
love the brethren as He loved us, that we should lay down our 
lives for them. Christ has made this requirement upon all 
who would be His disciples. They must love their enemies 
also to the extent of being ready to do good to anybody. As 
soon as you find in your heart that you have that perfect law 
of love, then you are at the mark of perfect love and in that 
condition, if you should die, you would have every reason to 
think that you would be acceptable to God. He may not take 
you as soon as you reach that condition, for He may leave you 
here to do good to others and to be tried and tested yourself. 
But when you are in that condition of heart and mind and 
someone should say that your life is in jeopardy, you could 
say, I have reached the mark of perfect love and I am ready to 



be offered. 

This reminds me of a Welsh brother who had a long walk 
home from meeting one night and on the way met a highway 
robber who demanded his money or his life, and he replied, 
Take my life, take my life, I have no money. The robber 
turned and ran; he was afraid of being near a man who was 
ready to die. I hope your heart condition and my heart 
condition is such that if at this very minute something would 
occur to demand your life that you would be able to say, "I 
am ready to be offered." I should be very pleased if the 
Lord should want me now to pass beyond the vail. We 
should live in that condition of heart every day and hour, and 
should not be satisfied with any thing short of that. 

FINANCIAL AID-Limit to Indigent Brethren. 

Q275:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--How far should we go 
in extending financial aid to the indigent brethren? What 
would be the limit? 

ANSWER. --Well, do not go beyond what you have got. 
That is the first limit. 

For instance, a brother in distress has money loaned to 
him which he does not repay: should we assist him agaiN' 
when he owes us for past favors? 

Well, first, the fact that he has been unable to pay, and 
unable to make good past favors, would not necessarily 
constitute a ground of objection, because you have had past 
favors from the Lord and you have not been able to pay, and 
if he stopped giving you any more it would be pretty hard on 
you, wouldn't it? However, dear friends, in the matter of 
giving to the poor brethren, or to anybody, it is an occasion 
for the exercise of judgment and prayer. To give unwisely 
might be to encourage somebody in a wrong course, and to 
give wisely might be the means of helping someone to see a 
proper course. If you have any advice to give anybody, it is 
usually pretty good to put it in the "sandwich" form, and to 
give the advice when you are giving the mony, rather than 
when you are refusing the money. Put the advice in with the 
money, suggesting, kindly, to the brother or sister. Now I do 
not like to criticise you, my brother, but it would seem to me 
that you might do this or you might do that; I am going to 
help you to such an extent, but I hope you will do thus and so 
with it, because I feel as though I 

{PageQ276} 

am a steward over whatever I possess, and that I ought to use 



it as I feel would be to the Lord's pleasement, and not merely 
because you would get it. But we are not to forget what St. 
James says, that if we should see a brother or sister suffering 
want, it would be an un-Christian course on our part to refuse 
aid, no matter if they have been foolish in some respects in 
the past. Perhaps they were not born with as level heads as 
you have been. But it is true the majority of people do not 
have level heads on the use of money. That is my experience-- 
I am in trouble with people all the time. Perhaps my head 
was made too tight and stingy, I don't know. But I believe it 
would be entirely wrong for us to permit anyone that we 
recognize as truly a brother in the Lord to suffer lack of the 
necessaries of life. Now, how many of the luxuries should be 
added to that is another question. I have known instances in 
which I thought the friends had perhaps undertaken to do for 
some persons more than would have been, in my judgment, 
the wise course; but I said to myself, it is none of your 
business, mind your own business, and let them attend to their 
matters; and perhaps the Lord will be better pleased with their 
course than with yours. We live in a day, you know, when 
things are considered necessary that would not have been 
considered necessary a short time ago. We all have more 
comforts and blessings temporally than our grandfathers had, 
I am sure, and these blessings become almost necessities to 
people—or at least with some. Really a person can live on 
very little when it comes down to necessity. Potatoes are 
always cheap; so is salt; so are oats; and really the absolute 
necessities of life do not cost a great deal. We are to consider 
matters in as broad a light as we please, and we are to 
remember in our day civilization has adopted methods for 
dealing with people that it did not adopt in times past, and I 
think very good methods. Instead of having the blind beggars 
sitting by the roadside, as in our Lord's day, civilization says. 
No, let us take these blind beggars, and put them comfortably 
in a nice home where they won't have to beg, where they will 
not have to sit in the sun all day, where they will not have to 
be without proper nourishment and care; let us put them in a 
nice suitable asylum. If I were in their place, I believe I 
would prefer to go to some institution of that kind that had 
been specially prepared for me, rather than to sit out on the 
curbstone or any other place to solicit alms. However, this is 
a matter which each one must decide for himself. The broad 
principles of the Lord's teaching is, that we should not see 
anybody go hungry, whether friend or foe. If thine enemy 
hunger, feed him, and if he is naked, give him something to 
cover his nakedness. But that does not mean you should give 



him your best robe, or anything of that kind. 

FINGER-Significance of Sprinkling the Blood with His 
Finger. 

Q276:1:: QUESTION (1907)-1-Lev. 16:14:"Andhe 
shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his 
finger upon the mercy seat eastward." Is there any special 
typical significance attaching to the finger of the High Priest? 

ANSWER. ~I do not think of any special significance in 
this word "finger" as it is used. It would be more convenient 
to sprinkle with his finger than with his whole hand. There 
may be some force or significance to the word "finger," 

{PageQ277} 

but I never thought of it. If any of you think of it, I would be 
pleased to have you mention it to me. 

FINISHED-Notthe Divine Plan. 

Q277:1:: QUESTION (1912)-l-When on Calvary our 
Lord said, "It is finished!" to what did He refer as being 
completed? 

ANSWER.--This did not mean that our Lord had 
finished all the work of the Divine Plan, for both the work of 
calling out the Bride aud presenting her blameless and the 
work of the Millennial Age were yet future. Our Lord had 
come into the world to do a work of personal sacrifice. 
When He was thirty years of age. He presented Himself in 
consecration at Jordan. During the three and a half years of 
His ministry He continued to offer Himself; and this course, 
figuratively, became a sweet incense ascending before God 
beyond the veil. This work was one which could not be 
accomplished in a day. It required three and a half years. To 
this He referred when He said, "I have a baptism to be 
baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be 
accomplished!" (Luke 12:50.) He was anxiously awaiting 
its completion, which was reached at Calvary. 

FIRE-The Significance of Coals from the Altar. 

Q277:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-What is signified by 
the priest's taking coals from the altar and using the same for 
the offering of the incense in the Holy? 

ANSWER --We see that the fire used in all three of 
these different places represented our Lord's dying, or death 
process. The fire outside the Camp represented the 
destructive influences which came against him and caused his 



death, as viewed from the world's standpoint. The fire in the 
Court represented the same destructive influences came 
against him and caused his death, as viewed from the 
standpoint of believers. To those outside the Camp the 
burning of the flesh and hide and hoofs and horns had a very 
evil odor, bad odor. To those that were inside the Court the 
burning of the fat~it was practically all fat in the sin-offering 
that was offered on the altar at this time-represented that 
which is not a bad odor, as the burning of fat does not give 
off a bad odor when burned under proper conditions and 
circumstances, as it is almost pure carbon. As has already 
been suggested, the fat could represent the love and zeal 
which would characterize the sacrifice. In a lean animal there 
is very little fat; in a fat animal there is much fat to be put on 
the altar and correspondingly could augment the zeal, the 
flame, with which it would burn. But entirely aside from the 
burning of the fat and of the animal outside the Camp is the 
fact that fire was used to start the flame of sacred love and 
self-sacrifice. 

The coals of fire upon the altar, that which caused the 
burning of the fat, would not seem to represent anything that 
our Lord had or did, but rather experiences from the ordinary 
affairs of life. Wood doubtless was used upon the altar, as we 
read in some places, and the glowing embers from this fire 
upon the altar were taken inside the vail to constitute the basis 
of the offering on the Golden Altar, the offering of the 
incense. This shows, therefore, that the fire was of the same 
kind in all three of these pictures— 

wood-fire that that burned the animal outside; wood-fire that 
burned the fat in the Court; and wood-fire or coals of fire, that 
burned the incense upon the Golden Altar. 

{PageQ278} 

What does fire here represent? We answer that, as usual, 
fire represents destructive influences. Was there anything 
peculiar about these destructive influences that would mark 
them as separate and distinct from many other destructive 
influences. Our thought is that the fact that they are 
connected with the altar and were typified by the fire which 
burned only on the altar, implies that they were destructive 
influences which were connected with the sacrificing; not the 
destructive influences which might come against mankind in 
general, as disease, or war, or famine, or pestilence, or from 
some other such general source of fire, trouble, destruction, 
but rather here a sacrificial fire, sacrificial influence. 



something connected with what was being offered; therefore 
such adverse influences as would be of the Father's 
appointment and for the very purpose of accomplishing this 
test or sacrifice; as our Lord expressed it, using another 
figure: "The cup which my Father hath poured for me, shall I 
not drink it?" It was not the Jews that poured that cup for 
him, it was not the Pharisees that poured that cup; it was not 
the Romans; it was not the people nor the hypocrites; it was 
not the scribes that poured that cup; but it was the Father who 
provided the cup. 

We would understand, then, that all these coals of fire 
represent those classes of circumstances and conditions which 
the Father provides for the very purpose of proving the 
character and the loyalty and the genuineness of our devotion. 
Carrying the coals into the Holy would thus seem to identify 
those two altars as expressing to us in symbol or type that the 
spirit of devotion which believers see consuming the sacrifice 
that is voluntarily offered to the Lord and which, while in 
line, in harmony with righteousness, is not commanded by the 
Divine law, is the sacrificing principle which is so acceptable 
in God's sight. It was in harmony with this, therefore, that our 
Lord offered up himself, in the sense of crumbling the incense 
upon the fiery coals. Thus day by day he laid down his life, 
allowed himself to come in contact with these experiences, 
which served to destroy his earthly nature and sent forth a 
sweet fragrance to God. It was not any and every tribulation, 
as before intimated, but simply those which the Father had 
provided and were connected with his sacrificial experience. 

FIRST-BORNS-Church Typified by. 
Q278:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--Whomdo the 
first-borns of Egypt typify? 

ANSWER. —The first-borns of Egypt represent the 
Church of the First Born, as the Apostle calls our attention to 
the matter—the Church of The Firstborn whose names are 
written in Heaven. Now the Church of the First-born includes 
two classes, the Little Flock class, the Bride class and the 
Great Company class—the virgins, her companions. How 
could they all be in the Church of the First-born? Because 
this First-born Church is the first fruits unto God of His 
creatures; it represents all of those begotten of the Holy Spirit 
during this present time. Everyone now begotten is the first 
fruit as compared to the world, because the world is to be 
regenerated by and during Messiah's Kingdom, and all of 
those who now believe and accept God's terms and receive 
the begetting of the Holy Spirit, their birth must take place 



before the world's work can begin. So we are 

{PageQ279} 

all the little flock and the great company; namely, all of those 
who come unto the Father through Christ, all who were 
accepted, all who are begotten of the Spirit belong to this one 
Church of the First-born. Then there are the two classes, 
some more than conquerors, and some merely conquerors, but 
they are all the one church. Just so in the type, the first-borns 
of Israel were represented by the whole tribe of Levi; the 
whole tribe was consecrated to God, but out of that tribe was 
selected the Royal, priestly company, that they should 
especially minister and have special nearness to God—special 
service to God. But the whole tribe was a holy tribe, they 
were all dedicated, and the whole tribe of Levi typified the 
Church of the First-borns. 

FLESH-Eating Jesus' Flesh. 

Q279:1 :: QUESTION (1913)-l-Please explain John 6:53, 
"Then Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto 
you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His 
blood ye have no life in you." 

ANSWER. --We have just one moment, and it is quite a 
short time for so large a text. Briefly stated we understand 
that the Lord was addressing here His disciples and that He 
was there speaking to the class who are to have life in 
themselves, inherent life, immortality, and that only these 
who would eat of His flesh, that is, partake of His 
justification and also drink of His cup, that is, share His 
sacrifice, only those who would do this would have light in 
them, and be of the class who would have immortal life and 
secure the glory and honor as well as the immortality. This 
refers merely to the Church; the world are not to drink of the 
cup of the Son of Man; it is given only to the Church. The 
world will indeed eat of the flesh in the sense that they will be 
justified and eat of the merit of His sacrifice, and the bread 
from above will be the food for the world, but none will drink 
of the cup, except those who drink during this Gospel Age. 
The Master gave it to His disciples and said, "Drink ye all of 
it." There will not be any of it left. 

FLOOD-Questioning Jehovah's Methods. 

Q279:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-Why didGodnot 
drown the remaining eight and start over again with a fresh 
pair? 



ANSWER. --I think that question had better be asked of 
the Almighty. I will tell you, my friends, the person who 
approaches the Bible in this fighting way is not likely to get 
any blessing. I know from experience, for I had my 
experience in fighting with the Bible, trying to make it 
foolish; but that book is not foolish, and all the wise people of 
the world have not proven it foolish. If we had plenty of time 
we could go into all these questions very much in detail, and 
the questioner would seem more foolish than the book. 

FLOOD-Belief in. 

Q279:3:: QUESTION (191 l)--3--Do you believe in the 
deluge? 
ANSWER.--Yes, I believe in the deluge. 

FORBIDDING OTHERS-Why Forbid God's Service? 

0279:4:: OUESTION (1910-Z)-4-Why didthe 
disciples forbid the man whom they found casting out devils? 
Why did they not allow him to go on and do the best he could 
in casting them out? What was the ground of their 
objection?. 

ANSWER.— Evidently the Apostles when sent forth had 
very similar sentiments to those which prevail today. Our 

{PageQ280} 

Catholic friends, for instance, would say. You do not have the 
Apostolic ordination; therefore, you cannot preach. You 
cannot serve in any religious capacity. Our Episcopalian 
friends would seem to say. No, you did not have the holy 
hands of the Episcopal Bishop laid upon you. 

A little disposition of the same nature is manifested by 
nearly all of the denominations—What authority have you? 
So the disciples, finding a man who was casting out devils in 
Jesus' name, said. What authority have you to cast out devils? 
Jesus did not send you out as one of the twelve; he did not 
send you out as one of the seventy. You have no business in 
this work. 

Our Lord's answer to them showed that they were laboring 
under a mistaken view. While they were specially 
commissioned to perform miracles, yet if anyone else could 
do the same things, it was not their province to hinder or 
object in any sense of the word, but rather they should have 
taken the broad, sympathetic view, and said. My dear friend, I 
see you are casting out devils. You are doing a good work. 
We are glad you can cast them out because of all the poor 



people you can relieve. The fact that you have not followed 
with us indicates that you do not know our Master, and we 
should be glad to have you come and get acquainted with 
him, too. 

And so, we think, it should be with us. Whenever we find 
anyone doing a good work, helping the world in any sense of 
the word, whether it be by keeping a mission or helping the 
heathen or helping a newsboy, or by some other work, to 
oppose sin or relieve suffering, we should be sympathetic to 
the extent that we see they have good hearts, good intentions, 
good desires. Instead of working against them or hindering 
them in any manner, we should speak an encouraging word 
and endeavor to lead them to fuller light. This does not mean 
that we should follow with them and leave our special 
commission of teaching the Truth which the Lord has given 
us, but that we should not object to the Lord's using various 
agencies for accomplishing his work. We should not think 
that we alone have the privilege of engaging in his work; that 
we have patent rights on his work, and can hinder others from 
doing what they may be able to do and take pleasure in doing. 

FOREKNOWLEDGE. 

Q280:1:: QUESTION (1913) 1 Does Gods Word 
anywhere say that God knows at the time of anybody's 
consecration that the one consecrating would not be faithful? 

ANSWER. —There is nothing in the Bible to indicate 
anything of that kind. 

forgiveness-How comprehensive. 

Q280:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2-"If we confess our 
sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to 
cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9.) How 
comprehensive is the word "all" here used? 

ANSWER.-Except sin against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31,32), 
all manner of sin amongst the sons of men 
shall be forgiven, either in this Age or in the Age to come. 
The Holy Spirit here denotes a light, an intelligence, 
respecting God's purpose. Whoever wilfully and intelligently 
would sin against Jesus, would be guilty of 

{PageQ281} 

blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. But if he blaspheme the 
name of Jesus, being deceived in some way, then the sin is 
not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and may be forgiven. 
In the case of the Church, these forgivable sins will be 



forgiven through the Advocate, who has appeared for us in 
the Heavenly Court and can restore us to favor with the 
Father, unless we sin against full light and knowledge. To do 
this would be to take ourselves out of His hands. 

But there might be a sin partly wilful—a sin in which both 
superstition or weakness and a certain amount of wilfulness 
had a part. As to how this would be possible we answer that 
there is a difference between the forgiveness of the moral 
obliquity and the sin. For instance, a child has committed 
some trespass and the parent says, "I will punish you for what 
you have done." There might be two parts of the punishment, 
one corporal punishment, the other the displeasure of the 
parent. 

With some children the latter part of the punishment, the 
cloud between the child and parent, would be unbearable. 
Then the parent might say, "Since you tell me that you are 
sorry and that you will never do it again, I forgive you. But I 
told you that there would be a penalty attaching to 
disobedience. I will make the penalty as light as would seem 
best in my judgment, but you must still bear punishment." 
And that which would be proper for an earthly parent we may 
consider might be done by the Heavenly Father. 

In the case of the Prophet David: he committed two very 
serious, grievous sins--one in respect to Uriah and Uriah's 
wife, and the other in respect to Uriah's death. But we 
remember with what perseverance David pleaded with the 
Lord; and though the Lord indicated His forgiveness, yet there 
must be a punishment. David's child died.~2 Sam. 12:15-22. 

Again, Satan provoked David to number Israel, contrary to 
the command of the Lord: God was displeased and smote 
Israel. Again David repented and prayed earnestly for 
forgiveness. The Lord offered him three things, one of which 
be must choose as the punishment for his sin. "Thus," said 
the Lord, "Choose thee either three years' famine; or three 
months to be destroyed before thy foes, or else three days the 
sword of the Lord, even the pestilence in the land, and the 
angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of 
Israel." (1 Chron. 21:10-14.) Realizing his own weakness, 
David, in humility declined to make a choice. The three days' 
pestilence was sent upon Israel, and there fell seventy 
thousand men; but in the meantime before the punishment 
reached David, he had received the Lord's forgiveness for his 
sin. 

So with the sins of the Lord's people. If there is more or 
less of ignorance, then the punishment is in proportion to the 
amount of wilfulness. Temptations come to us and to all 



mankind. Christ died for man's sin, from which He freely 
absoves the whole human family— the Church now, and the 
world in their day of trial. 

FREE GRACE-Re Any Taking Up Cross to Follow 
Jesus. 

Q281 :1 :: QUESTION (191 1)-1-If "free grace" is not 
in the Gospel 

{PageQ282} 

age, why did Jesus say, "If any man will be my disciple, let 
him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me?" 

ANSWER. —Jesus said, "If any man will be my 
disciple." He was inviting a special class. The Gospel at the 
present time is good tidings, the very best tidings that could 
come to the elect class that is being called out. God is not 
forcing anybody. He is merely inviting them. When Jesus 
said, "Let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me," 
which is the narrow way, he was inviting whoever wanted to 
be his disciple, his follower, to walk in this narrow way, and 
said, "Where I am, there will that disciple be." Jesus, you 
remember, took up his cross, he laid aside every weight and 
faithfully laid down his life, and the Father raised him up to 
glory, honor and immortality. And so, Jesus said that any of 
us coming along who desired to do these things might do so, 
but no man can do them unless he first hear them. "No man 
can come unto me except the Father which sent me draw 
him," said Jesus. You see the drawing is of God, and through 
his word. Those of mankind who have no ear to hear, or who 
never hear the message, are not drawn, they are not called; 
not any more than if there were twenty people outside the 
door there, and I went to the door and suppose that of the 
twenty, ten were deaf, and I shouted aloud, "Every one of you 
that will come in I will give a ten dollar bill!" How many did 
I call? Only those that had the ear. The other men that had 
no ear, that were deaf, were not called. It would be foolish 
for me to say they were all called. Only those that had the ear 
were called. Now, as a matter of fact not one-half of the 
people have an ear to hear. There are various things which 
fill the ears of mankind. With some it is pleasure; with some, 
money; with some, weakness of the flesh, etc., everything else 
than the voice of God. But the voice of God is inviting a little 
flock to walk with God and be joint-heirs with Christ, 
associated with him in his glorious kingdom. 

The Jews, you know, are a very intelligent people, the very 



highest at that time in religious attainment. No other nation 
was so well advanced. The law that God had given them for 
several hundred years had brought the Jewish people up to a 
very high development, and I should not wonder if there are 
more Jews proportionately in the little flock than of any other 
class. But now they got the first call--to the Jew first--so in 
the next age, then comes the restitution, and it is the Jew first. 
The Scriptures clearly intimate that the blessings will come to 
the Jews immediately after this Gospel age ends; that the 
blessings from Messiah will come first to natural Israel, all 
that God promised them. He never promised Israel spiritual 
things. If you will read all through the Bible from Genesis to 
Malachi, you will see God never made a suggestion to the 
Jew of anything of a heavenly kind. To the contrary, the 
blessings promised to them were all earthly. For instance, 
after telling about the renewed earth, after Messiah's reign 
would commence, God said through the prophet, "Ye shall 
build houses and inhabit them, and shall plant vineyards and 
eat the fruit of them, and you shall long enjoy the work of 
your hands." These are earthly blessings, and do not belong 
to us at all. They belong to the restitution times when the 
blessings of the Lord will be to all mankind, beginning with 
the Jew and extending to all nations and kindreds and 
tongues. 

{PageQ283} 

FRUIT-Jehovah and Garden of Eden. 

Q283:1 :: QUESTION (1905)--1--Did Jehovah taste of 
the fruits of the garden when he beheld that they were good? 

ANSWER. --That is too deep for me. I will not tell what 
the Lord did; the Bible does not. 

GARMENTS-Keeping Garments Unspotted. 

Q283:2:: QUESTION (1908)-2-"Keep your garments 
unspotted from the world. " What does this signify? 

ANSWER.-This, I think: The Lord's people in the third 
chapter of Revelation are exhorted to keep their garments lest 
they walk naked. The garment that the Lord gives us does not 
refer to our earthly garment, it refers to the garment of His 
righteousness, our robe of righteousness, that which, if we 
keep it and embroider it, becomes our wedding garment; this 
is the garment we receive of the Lord, the wedding garment of 
Christ's righteousness; the imputed righteousness of Christ, 
covering our blemishes, our justification. Now, we are to 
keep our garment unspotted from the world; that is to say, we 



are to do all in our power to maintain this attitude of heart and 
this relationship with the Lord that will keep us in this pure 
and holy relationship with the Father and with the Son, not in 
our righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ. We are 
to keep this from becoming contaminated with the world. We 
are in the world but we are not of the world, and we are to 
watch our garment, and the statement is, if they are not 
careful of their garments they will get them spotted and they 
will have to wash their robes and make them white in the 
blood of the Lamb. The exhortation to you and me is that 
there might be danger that we, through contact with the 
world, might in some careless moment become contaminated 
with sin, by word, or thought, or action, and that this would 
constitute a spot or blemish on the garment. How could any 
of us be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing as respects 
our garment? How could any Christian live for years in the 
world, where there are all kinds of evil—pitch-black evil—and 
keep his garment unspotted? I answer: It is not the thought 
of the Scriptures that any will ever be able to pass through 
this world without a spot or wrinkle upon his garments. But, 
suppose we find we have gotten a spot? Then those who are 
in the right attitude of heart, those who find they have 
transgressed the divine law, will hasten to the blood again 
which makes them clean. If you have ever made a mistake, 
go to the Lord in prayer, confess it and seek to undo that 
which was wrong and you have the assurance of the Lord's 
Word that He is pleased to have you come in this attitude, and 
that He will cleanse you from all sin. These sins should be 
less numerous as we go on. Years should bring wisdom as to 
how to avoid evil in the world, so that the Christian of years 
could find fewer spots on the garment, and have fewer needs 
of going to the Lord to confess his faults and to ask their 
forgiveness and to be cleansed. But, dear friends whether 
you have had many or few, the only right position for any of 
us to be in is this: to remember that with these spots on our 
garments, with these responsibilities for some wrong doing, or 
wrong thinking, or what not, we cannot have the proper 
fellowship with God. They will serve to come between 

{PageQ284} 

you and the Lord. There are those who become careless. 
First of all, it would be one spot and they would say, "Oh, I 
have gotten a spot on my robe," and they feel much hurt about 
it; but when there are thirty, forty, fifty or sixty, they say, 
"Oh, I know they are there; I do not like them, they will come. 



you know." They get used to it, dear friends. You do not 
want to do that. You want to be on guard against that very 
spirit. Those who have this spirit will be the ones who will 
constitute the great company who will be obliged to go 
through the time of trouble and wash their robes and make 
them white in the blood of the Lamb. If we are in the right 
attitude of heart, the very first spot would cause us pain and 
sorrow, and we should go to the Lord, and nothing should 
keep us from going to Him~go the same day, do not let sleep 
come across your eyes until you have made the whole matter 
right with the Lord, until He has cleansed you from the 
responsibility of the matter, and start each new day with fresh 
resolutions that, by the grace of God, you will watch and keep 
your garments unspotted from the world--un-spotted from its 
selfishness, from its meanness, from its lying spirit; unspotted 
from all the contaminating influences of the world, the flesh 
and the adversary, that you may thus be more pleasing to the 
Lord and walk closer to Him. The more you look, the more 
you will find that with any sin there will be a disposition on 
the part of anyone, everyone, not to go to the Lord in the 
matter. "I cannot go to the Lord tonight in prayer; I feel there 
is a cloud coming between the Lord and me, and I cannot go 
tonight." Well, you had better watch out; if you cannot go 
that night, it will be worse the next night, and it will be still 
worse the night after. It will keep on getting worse, and the 
spots will keep on increasing in number until bye and bye you 
will find yourself far away from the Lord. My advice to all of 
the Lord's people is, to watch, keep your garments. Do it 
intently every day. See at the conclusion of each day what 
you have to say to the Lord on the subject; see how your 
account stands, and keep close account. He is willing to 
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
You see that does not refer to the original sin. He has indeed 
done that; it is referring to those sins that have come to us 
after we were cleansed, and after we become His. He is 
willing to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, from 
everything that you did that was not just right. Mark again. 
He may cause that you have some pain, or trouble, or some 
difficulty in getting rid of the matter; if you have been 
careless, you will probably have His face withdrawn from you 
in order that you may have the more care in respect to the 
matter on another occasion. Do not think that you may sin 
with impunity and go to the priest and have it all blotted out 
instantly, and go out and sin again? That is not the style. Our 
Lord's method of cleansing from sin is different from that. 
You will find that with the sin would come alienation. 



According to the poet, and in harmony with all your 
sentiments, I trust, and mine: 

"O let no earthborn cloud arise 

To hide thee from thy servants eyes." 

{PageQ285} 

GARMENTS-Significance of the Garments of Glory and 
Beauty. 

Q285:1 :: QUESTION (1910 Z) 1 Was there any 
significance in the fact that the High Priest, after having 
performed the services of the Day of Atonement, took off his 
linen garments in the Holy and left them there and put on 
garments of glory and beauty when he came forth to bless the 
people? 

ANSWER.--The High Priest all through this Gospel Age 
is carrying on the work of sacrifice; it was not only when He 
offered up himself, but during all this age he continues to be 
the sacrificing Priest, and although he has passed beyond the 
vail, he is still, so to speak, in the linen garments of sacrifice; 
and his secondary offering, that of the antitypical goat, will be 
accomplished in the linen garments, when he will enter in 
beyond the vail and present the blood of his Body, which is 
the Church, at the close of this antitypical Atonement Day, 
when the Church shall have filled up its share of the sacrifice 
of Christ. Our Lord, the high Priest, will then, the second 
time, sprinkle the blood, the merit, upon the mercy-seat, 
thereby sealing the New Covenant and applying his merit on 
"behalf of all the people." 

Having done this he will come forth to bless the people; but 
he will not again appear in the linen garments of sacrifice. 
The change will be made unseen to the world. The last they 
will see will be the going in of the priests after the sacrificial 
work of the present time, the Gospel Age, and the first they 
will see in the New Dispensation will be the appearance of 
the great Priest in glory and beauty--in "the glorious 
garments." Not that they will see these with their natural eye; 
but his glory shall be revealed through the ministration of the 
New Covenant blessings to Israel and the world, and this 
revelation of all the glorious things represented in the various 
garments of the High Priest will he a manifestation that will 
last all through the Millennial Age--the various robes, the 
ephod, etc., will all have their fulfillment then in the glorious 
work of the Anointed One. 

The beginning of this manifestation in glory will be in the 
time of trouble, of which time we read: "All shall wail 



because of him." It is his manifestation in power, the 
breaking in pieces of things of this present order of affairs, 
that will cause the great time of trouble that the Scriptures 
announce will be the conclusion of this Age and the 
inauguration of the Millennial Age. Thus the appearing in 
glory will have various stages, but all will be on the glorious 
plane; none will be again on the sacrificial plane of the 
present age. 

In this picture of the robes of the Priest, we understand that 
the High Priest typified the entire Priesthood, the Under-Priests as 
well as the Head; that the Head did not need the 
covering, but that the covering of the linen garments 
represented the merit of Christ imputed to us, the members of 
his Body, whom the Father accepts and justifies and whose 
imperfections are covered through him. We understand that 
the white robe represents especially our share in the picture; 
that the High Priest going forth in glory typifies in large 
measure the glory of the Church in connection with her Head, 
as we read: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we 
know that 

{PageQ286} 

when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see 
him as he is." Another Scripture declares that we shall be his 
glorious Body, or his Body in glory, and that "we shall be 
glorified together with him." 

GENTILES-Vs. Jews. 

Q286:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--If a Gentile became a 
Jew under the Mosaic law, would he then be freed from the 
Adamic condemnation? If so, how would he be under the two 
condemnations, after transgressing the Mosaic law? 

ANSWER. ~I do not understand the question, but I will 
make another question in my mind and answer it. Any 
Gentile might under the law, became a Jew. There was a 
specified way in which they became Jews. There were some 
Gentiles who did become Jews. There is a record of them in 
the Scriptures—numerous places. When they became Jews, 
they had all the rights and privileges of Jews, as far as we 
have any knowledge. 

GOD-LIKENESS-ln Fallen Man. 

Q286:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-Is there any of the 
original God-likeness in fallen men? If so, is this what the 
Holy Spirit works upon and causes us to see the Truth? 



ANSWER. ~I think there is. There are many elements of 
God-likeness, but the one particular element of character, so 
far as I am able to discern, that God operates upon when He 
draws us is first of all, that of HONESTY. If a man is not 
honest with himself, he is not to be called at all, to my 
understanding, and if perchance he hears a little, he will not 
stay very long under the influence. Whoever has an honest 
heart or mind has much advantage every way in the drawing 
and influencing of this present time. 

GOLDEN RULE-Wrong Construction. 

Q286:3:: QUESTION (1909)--3--Can the Golden Rule 
be construed that one ought not to do for a brother what he 
would not ask a brother to do for him? 

ANSWER.-No, I do not think that the Golden Rule 
hinders you from doing more than the rule requires. If you 
are a Christian, you ought to do more. The Golden Rule 
applies to everybody, but the Christian has another rule. As 
Jesus said, "A new commandment I give unto you," not to the 
world, nor to the Jews, but to His disciples, "That you love 
one another as I have loved you." If Jesus had loved us just 
according to the Golden Rule, He would not have died for us, 
but He did more, and He requires that you and I as His 
followers should do more for each other. 

GOODS-Ruler Over All His. 

0286:4:: OUESTION (1916)--4-What arethe 
"Goods" referred to by our Lord Jesus in Mat. 24:47 when 
He says, "Verily I say unto you that he shall make him ruler 
over all his goods?" 

ANSWER. --I think this would depend a little bit upon 
each individual's judgment. The Lord has not said what 
goods He refers to, and therefore leaves it with you and me 
for each one of the Lord's people, for the church to decide 
what kind of goods is meant. If the Lord had said, we would 
have no liberty in the matter; that would settle it. But since 
He has not told us, we have a good chance to speculate on 
what we think about it. Each one is entitled to his own 
opinion about the matter. 

{PageQ287} 

gospel-How Many Heard? 

0287:1:: OUESTION (1909) -l-Col. 1:23,24. 
Explain—In the first part does the Apostle mean every man 
under heaven had heard the gospel in his day? 



ANSWER. —For 1600 or more years the Lord had a 
message for the Jews--this gospel or message was declared 
only to the Jews. After our Lord's first advent there came a 
time when He said to the Jewish nation: "Your house is left 
unto you desolate." After the conversion of Cornelius, this 
message was no longer restriced to the Jews--it was preached 
for "every creature"— whoever has an ear to hear. Will the 
others never have a chance? Oh, yes. Will they ever see and 
hear? Oh, yes. All the blind eyes will be opened and all the 
deaf ears unstopped. Paul was a minister of this gospel. 
"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you"~Paul was glad 
that he was a minister of this gospel message. He knew that 
only those who were favored of the Lord were thus 
privileged. He said: "I am glad to fill up some of the 
afflictions of Christ." You and I have the same privilege. We 
have not the high position the Apostle Paul had. Today we 
read his words. The example and words of Paul bring great 
consolation to us. Unless we drink of this cup we cannot he 
His disciple. You and I will be glad to do all we can. 

GOSPEL-Preached First to the Dead. 

Q287:2:: QUESTION (191 l)-2-"For this cause was 
the Gospel also preached to those who are dead, that they 
might be judged according to man in the flesh, but live 
according to God in the spirit?" Please explain? 

ANSWER. -Who are the dead referred to in the 
question? They are the same kind of dead ones that Jesus 
referred to when one came to him and said, "When my father 
is dead I will become your disciple." Jesus said, "Let the 
dead bury the dead; go thou and preach the Gospel." What 
does that mean? That means that all mankind, from God's 
standpoint, being under the sentence of death, are counted as 
dead. Unless you have the Son of God you have no life in 
you. No one has even reckoned life unless he is in 
conjunction with the Lord Jesus as the great giver of life. "He 
that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath 
not life." So then, the whole world is dead in this way, and 
the Apostle says. For this cause was the Gospel preached to 
those dead ones that they might be judged according to men 
in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. That is to 
say! that you and I, although we are dead with the world by 
nature, are counted alive, reckoned as having passed from 
death unto life, and then have our trial here for life 
everlasting. How would we have a trial? According to men, 
they would think we were still in the flesh, hut according to 
God, we would be considered as new creatures. And so we 



recognize each other. But the world knows us not, and the 
world still thinks of us as a part of the world, and still judge 
us according to the flesh, but we are judged by the Lord 
according to the spirit. Now, says the Apostle, that is the 
reason the Gospel is preached to those dead ones that they 
might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live 
according to God in the spirit. 

{PageQ288} 

GRACE-Received in Vain. 

Q288:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 2 Cor. 6:1: We, 
then, as workers together with him, beseech you also, that ye 
receive not the grace of God in vain." What grace or favor is 
meant, and how could it be received in vain? 

ANSWER. —Since the apostle is here addressing 
Christians, we would understand he meant that some who had 
already made their conecration and had been begotten of the 
Holy Spirit, might still receive God's grace in vain. 

Now the grace of God was with a view to this high calling, 
and whoever goes into second death under present conditions 
surely has received God's favor, or grace, in vain; and it 
would also be true that any who fail to run as they should do, 
would be receiving the favor, or privilege, of joint-heir ship 
with Christ in vain; because they would fail to get that great 
blessing; even though they get a secondary blessing, they 
have failed to get the blessing to which they were called. Of 
course, it would also be true that those who have heard 
anything at all, received that degree of knowledge, or faith, or 
favor, of God, in vain. Any who are drawn or called of God 
and who do not accept him, receive it in vain, since they get 
no fruitage from it; no results or blessings from it they 
merely come in with the remainder of the world and get no 
special blessings in the present time. 

GRACE-Once in Grace, Always in Grace, 
Contradicted. 

Q288:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2-Whatismeantby 
the Scripture which says that if one who has been righteous 
shall depart from his righteousness, his former righteousness 
shall not count, but that he shall die for his sin? And also the 
statement that one who was unrighteous and turned from his 
unrighteousness shall be saved ?~Ezek. 33:13-16. 

ANSWER. —This Scripture emphatically contradicts a 
doctrine held by some Christian people, "Once in grace, 
always in grace"; or that one who has been favored of God 



can never lose His favor. The principle of this Scripture 
applies, at the present time, to those who pass from death unto 
life as New Creatures. They are on trial for life or death. 
Adamic sin no longer counts in their cases. If they remain 
faithful to the Lord they will get the blessing of eternal life if 
unfaithful, they will die. If one should make a covenant with 
God and then fail to keep that covenant, he would lose his 
covenant-relationship with God as soon as he abrogated the 
contract. If we are faithful. He will be faithful in giving us 
life eternal. 

But this Scripture specially applies to the Millennial Age; 
for at that time all are to be brought to an opportunity for life 
everlasting. People will then realize that "the wages of sin is 
death." Then it will no longer be a proverb that the parents 
have eaten a sour grape and the children's teeth are set on 
edge, but each "shall die for his own iniquity." (Jer. 31:29; 
Ezek. 18:2.) There will be a test for life or death, just as 
there is now with the Church. Only those who are faithful in 
their trial will be granted everlasting life, in either case. All 
others will be cut off in death. 

{PageQ289} 

GRAVES OPENED-Was it First Resurrection? 

Q289:1 :: QUESTION (1911)--l-"And the graves were 
opened and many of the bodies of the saints which slept 
arose." Was this the first resurrection?" 

ANSWER. —No, we answer, it was not the first 
resurrection. Why? The words here used are used in this 
connection: We read there was a great earthquake, and many 
of the bodies of the saints that slept arose and came into the 
holy city after Christ's resurrection. The account is not very 
explicit, but any who arose there could not have experienced 
the first resurrection for several reasons: First, that Christ 
himself was the first that should arise from the dead; no one 
had a resurrection before Jesus. He was the first-born from 
the dead. Why, did not Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead? 
Oh, no. Lazarus was still in the condition of death after he 
was awakened. None were raised completely out of death. 
They were awakened for a little time, and again lapsed into 
death. They did not have a resurrection. A resurrection is a 
complete lifting out of death, and Jesus was the first that 
should arise; he was the first one lifted out of death to the 
perfection of life. Those, then, that were awakened at this 
time could not have been such, because the earthquake took 
place at the time of our Lord's death, and it was not for nearly 



three days after that Jesus arose from the dead. But anyway, 
the second ones that are to have a resurrection from the dead 
are the church. Jesus' resurrection to the spirit plane was the 
beginning of the church's resurrection. The apostle says, it 
was his resurrection, and says, "That I may know him and the 
power of his resurrection, being made conformable to his 
death." In other words, the resurrection of Jesus is the only 
resurrection for all of these 1800 years. But the church, the 
Body of Christ, is to share his resurrection, and there can be 
no blessings come to anybody except after that. So in the 
eleventh chapter of Hebrews we read of the ancient worthies, 
who died in faith not having received the things promised 
them, God having provided some better thing for us~the 
church--that they without us should not be made perfect; they 
cannot get their resurrection until we get ours. So the very 
most that could have taken place at that time would have been 
that some might have been awakened in just the same sense 
that Lazarus was awakened, and not in any other sense. 

GREAT COMPANY-Overcomes by Compulsion. 

Q289:2:: QUESTION (1905)--2-If the great company 
is composed of "overeomers" does Rev. 3:21 apply to them? 

ANSWER. --No, because the limitation is here stated. It 
is not he that overcometh under compulsion, but "even as I 
overcame." Those who overcome, even as he overcame, are 
the ones to be in the throne. 

GREAT COMPANY-Re the Marriage Supper of the 
Lamb. 

Q289:3:: QUESTION (1907)-3-When will the Great 
Company suffer the Great Tribulation, and will they be at the 
marriage supper of the Lamb? 

ANSWER. ~I answer that nearly all the Scriptural 
pictures with reference to the Great Company would indicate 
that the special time for their tribulation would be at the close 
of this age—apparently just after the Church will all be 

{PageQ290} 

gathered,~as, for instance, the parable of the wise and foolish 
virgins. We remember that when the wise virgins, saying. 
Lord, Lord, open unto us, and the wise virgins had all gone in, 
then came also the foolish virgins, saying. Lord, Lord, open 
unto us, and they were told that the Lord would not recognize 
them as the Bride Class, and that they would go into 
tribulation. That seems to indicate that the special tribulation 



upon the Great Company class will be after all the Little 
Flock have gone in beyond the vail into the Most Holy. Now 
that is only a parable, of course, and we are building as wisely 
as we know how on that parable. Then in Leviticus it shows 
us the place where the Scape-goat is dealt with after the 
Lord's goat has been dealt with, but that is not proof positive 
that it will be entirely after the Lord's goat has been slain, and 
after its blood has been offered, because these types could not 
all take place at the same time, and there would naturally be 
an order for it,--this first, and that second, and so on, but the 
fact that the bullock is dealt with first, and that the Lord's goat 
is dealt with second, and then the scape-goat is dealt with 
thirdly, seems to imply that the tribulation of this class will 
come more specially at the end of the Gospel Age, after all of 
the elect shall have gone in, notwithstanding we think there is 
room in the Scriptures to suppose that there have been some 
of this Great Tribulation class all through the ages, while the 
great mass of them probably belong in this end, because of 
the peculiar circumstances now prevailing. Someone perhaps 
will say, what are the peculiar circumstances now that would 
cause a larger class of the Great Company living today than at 
any previous time? The conditions that are favorable to them 
now are, that Christianity now is in a measure popular, and a 
great many people have heard of Christ and made a kind of a 
conscration to the Lord, and there is not that open persecution 
now which is sharp and distincitve; so that people are more 
likely to make a full consecration to the Lord now and 
suppose that it is an easy thing and when they get inside and 
find that it is not so easy as they thought, some some of them 
are disposed to hold back a little, and these will become of 
the Great Company, whereas in the past times when things 
were more turbulant and more sharply defined, it took more to 
make a decision. As our Lord mentioned, they sat down and 
counted the cost. In our day, they are not disposed to count 
the cost. They hear the preachers telling them that it is an 
easy thing. They say, in effect, come now, and you can have 
everything in a few minutes. You will be more prosperous in 
business, and get rich faster, and have better houses, more 
respect of your neighbors, etc. So, it is a time of enticing 
now, and these people are being enticed by these 
misrepresentations of the narrow way, and after they get in, 
they find it to be a narrow way, as the Lord will show them 
by and by, and so there is a larger number of this class today 
than in the past. 

Now as to the marriage supper of the Lamb, we find the 
Lord picturing the Great Company Class. They say, "Let us 



be glad and rejoice for the marriage of the Lamb is come and 
his wife hath made herself ready." She was ready and went in 
to the marriage, and we are left out, is the 

{PageQ291} 

thought. Then they say, "Let us be glad and rejoice." Why 
should they rejoice? Why, by that time, their eyes are really 
opened, and they see Babylon as they never saw her before, 
and they see God's Plan as they never saw it before. They 
were not in the right attitude of heart to have a hearing ear 
and an appreciative heart, and therefore could not see the 
deep things, for God only gives us a deeper understanding of 
His Word as we come into the right condition of heart. 

Now then, those of the Great Company in Rev. 19, are 
pictured as saying. Let us be glad and rejoice for the marriage 
of the Lamb has come, and his wife hath made herself ready, 
and they are glad of it all, and then they go on to say, Babylon 
is fallen, rejoice, rejoice, ye heavens, in her fall, etc. They 
are glad that Babylon has gone down when they come to see 
what it really was and how much they were bound by it, and 
they did not realize how much blinding influence was coming 
from that source. 

I want to say now, because some might not have taken this 
view yet, or have seen it in this light. So far as my 
observation and experience would go, the greatest hindrance 
to the work of God in the present time—now mark you, to the 
work of God at the present time—is what is known as the 
"Christian Ministry." Why, someone says. Brother Russell, 
you do not believe that? Yes, I do believe that. Why, are 
they not doing thus and so, preaching a good deal of 
morality? Yes, but that is not the work of God for this 
present time. The work of God during this age is the taking 
out of a people for His name; finding the wheat is the 
particular work of God at the present time. Now they are 
doing a work that will be good in its way, and I admit that a 
great many of them are benevolent works, and I appreciate it 
all just as much as anybody does, and I am glad to see them 
doing that rather than doing wickedness, and I congratulate 
them on that. Nevertheless, you will find nearly all the 
obstructions to present truth is coming from the ministry. If it 
were not for the ministers in all the denominations over the 
civilized world, the truth would spread among God's people 
like wild-fire. It is just as it was at the first advent. Who was 
it that hindered the people from believing in the Lord Jesus in 
that day? Why, it was the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus said 



to them, "You shut up the kingdom against yourselves, and 
you will neither enter in yourselves, nor permit those who are 
entering to go in~you have taken away the key of knowledge 
from the people." So it is with the ministers of today, dear 
friends. It is just a parallel of 1800 years ago. They are 
standing in the way. They do not fully realize this, I am glad 
to say, and they are not as responsible as though they did 
realize it fully. I do not think they are without responsibility 
entirely. I do not think that men who have had an education 
and know about sheol, and hades, and who are allowing the 
people to sit under their preaching year after year, and 
suppose that they believe in eternal torment, fire, etc., when 
they believe nothing of the kind, and allowing these absurd 
doctrines which hinder the people from rightly worshiping 
God, are inexcusable. But then, it is with their own 
consciences and with the Lord, and I have no fight to make 
against them. I am merely suggesting to you more than I 
would say to them; 

{PageQ292} 

because, why should we offend anybody needlessly? I should 
say to a brother who was in a right condition of heart, 
"Brother, if you are doing your duty, don't you think you 
ought to be setting forth the words of truth and righteousness, 
and the real character of God? Don't you think that is your 
privilege?" That is the way I would speak to anyone with 
whom I could speak in that way. But while they hold you at 
arm's length in their personification of dignity, if you were to 
ask any questions, you would find they could not answer the 
questions. They can hardly answer any Scriptural question 
properly. You try one and see. 

I think of a brother who came to me and said, "Brother 
Russell, I think I have been doing wrong. I have accepted 
these doctrines of present truth and believe them, but I did not 
go to any of the ministers of the churches to ask them about 
them, and I think I should have done so. I think I have been 
doing wrong, because I am not a Greek and Hebrew scholar, 
and have not a great education, and here are these men with 
whom I am well acquainted, and who are learned and good 
men; I am well acquainted right here in this city of Pittsburg 
and Allegheny with some of the leading ministers, especially 
in the United Presbyterian denomination because I have 
myself been working in all their different Sunday Schools, 
organizing temperance armies, and they all know me very 
well, and I know them to be fine men. Now then, my 



conscience has been telling me that I did not do right; I should 
have gone to them and said, Now, Doctor So-and-So, can you 
tell me about this matter, is it true or not? What do you think. 
Brother Russell?" 

I saw that he wanted to go, and that it would be the better 
thing for him to do, so I said, "Brother, I would go and do 
that. If you do it in a proper manner, it will do good." 

"What do you mean by proper manner. Brother Russell?" 

"I will tell you what I think would be the proper manner; 
when you go to the residence, for instance, of Dr. A., you ring 
the bell and ask to see him, and when he comes to the door 
and you have your usual greetings, you say something like 
this to him: Doctor, I have some matters of a doctrinal nature 
that have been perplexing me and I thought I would like to 
ask your advice about them sometime when you have the 
time: I do not want to trouble you now, you may he busy, 
and it will take an hour, and I want to come sometime when 
you have time to spare. Would you appoint me sometime? 
He will likely say, come right in, brother, this will do me just 
as well." 

The brother said, "Why, Brother Russell, do you say so 
particularly that I should mind that ?" 

I said, "This is the reason: if you do not take that method to 
get him to say he will give you an hour, you would find that 
by the time you had told him what your question was, he 
would say. Well, brother, there is a sick sister that I must go 
to see, please excuse me and come in some time again." 

"Now Brother Russell, you don't know. I mean Doctor So-and-So, 
and Doctor So-and-So; they are such fine men." 

"Yes, I know those gentlemen more or less, and admit that 
they are above the average, but Brother, you do not 

{PageQ293} 

know the difficulty they have when you ask one of these 
questions; they have a proposition before them they have 
never met before in their lives, and they do not know what to 
say, and that is the easiest way for them to get out of it. Of 
course there is in every large congregation one or two sick 
brothers or sisters at any time and they can truthfully say, I 
ought to call and see them,~and they know they ought to get 
away from you, and from your questions. They think they are 
doing good to you for they know they cannot answer the 
question, and they think that is the quickest and best way to 
do it, and they think you will never get a chance again, for 
they will dodge you every time." 



"O, Brother Russell, you do not give them credit--" 
"I do, brother, but you do not understand the situation, and I 
do. But, the minister will say. Yes, I can give you an hour 
now, come right in and sit down in the study. And you go in 
and he says, "Well now, what is your question?" I said to 
him, "What were you going to ask them?" And he said, 
"Well, I thought to ask him one question specially that I was 
interested in, that one about Restitution, where the Apostle 
Peter said. Restitution shall come from the presence of the 
Lord, etc. Now, that is the question I thought I would ask 
them." I said, "That is a very good question, you just stick to 
that question. But, when you get in and sit down and he says. 
What is your question, and you tell him the text of Scripture, 
you will have to be on your guard, for that man will say to 
himself. My conscience! That question, why, I do not know 
any more about the answer to that question than I would 
know how to jump over the moon. What will I do? I have 
told this man that he could have an hour. My conscience! 
what will I do? Well, what will he do? I will tell you what 
he will do, brother: He will say to himself, I have just got to 
mix this man up so that he will not know which end is to. I 
will razzle-dazzle his mind and confuse him all over—body, 
soul and spirit, hell, hades, sheol. I can do that. He does not 
know much, I know he is not an educated man. 
"O, Brother Russell, Doctor So-and-So would not do that." 
"Brother, I know they will do that because that is the only 
thing they could do. They would either do that, or else they 
would come out flat-footed and say Brother that is a Scripture 
that I do not understand. I wish I did, and if you ever find the 
interpretation of it, bring it to me. If they were thoroughly 
honest, that is what they would do. But after some large 
institution has said to them, 'You are a doctor of divinity, you 
are fit to doctor even divinity now'-- when they have got all of 
that, then, for a little man to come in and say, here is a plain 
question to answer, and they cannot do anything with it, it 
requires a great deal of humility to acknowledge the fact. 

I said to him, "Now, when he begins to talk this way, and 
tries to mix you up and ask you about so and so, and tries to 
confuse you, you say, 'O doctor, I do not seem to have stated 
my question properly.' Put the blame on yourself, you can do 
that honestly, you know, because you are not bound to 
suppose that he is trying to evade your question; you have just 
as much right to say to him~I have not stated my question 
properly. Say to him, 'Doctor, I do not 



{PageQ294} 

seem to have stated my question properly; that is not the 
question you are answering. The question I wanted to ask 
you was about the times of restitution of all things; what does 
that mean?' You must bring him back to that; and he will try 
again to get you mixed up. But you say, 'O Doctor, I do not 
get my question straight; I wish I knew how to state my 
question properly. I want to know about the times of 
restitution.' You hold him right down to that, brother, and 
there is not a doctor of divinity in this country or state that 
can match you with the knowledge of the Word of God, and 
you have been only three montlis in the truth." 

"Brother Russell," he said," instead of trying to catch him 
and hold him for an hour, I thought I would have to try to get 
loose myself, and prevent them from holding me." 

I said, "No, brother, you have not the idea; you will have to 
try to hold them down to the question, because they cannot 
answer it, and they know they cannot, and they will try to get 
you mixed up. And they will not admit that they cannot 
answer it. 

And this reminds me of another gentleman. As I was going 
down the street near the Bible House, walking a little more 
rapidly than usual, I passed him. I suppose he recognized me 
and said. Brother Russell, a moment. And he caught up with 
me. He was a man that I had never spoken with in my life. 
He was a very nice-looking gentleman, well dressed. I did 
not know who he was. He gave me his name, but I have 
forgotten it. He said, "I wanted to ask you a question about a 
parable." I thought that was very queer for a man to meet you 
on the street and ask you that kind of a question. I said, 
"What parable is it, brother?" He told me--I have forgotten 
now which one it was—but it was a very simple, plain parable, 
and I answered the question and explained it very easily, I 
think, in about two minutes' time. "Why," he said, "that is 
very simple, very satisfactory," and repeated, "very 
satisfactory." 

I said, "How does it come you are so agitated about so small 
a matter as this?" He said, "I wonder why it is my preacher 
cannot tell me that. I belong to Dr. Kennedy's church, just 
opposite the Bible House—the principal Presbyterian church 
in Allegheny- and I have gone to him and asked him that very 
question." 

"Now," he said, "you would have thought I was the most 
stupid man on earth, and he practically told me, why, you 
have not sense enough to understand it if I were to explain it 



to you. He made me feel like a very small potato. I have 
never thought that I was a great man, but I thought I was 
deserving at least of reasonable treatment, that he might have 
tried to tell me, and then if I could not understand it, it would 
have been my fault. He just sat down on me instead of telling 
me; he did not tell me anything about it. Now, what do you 
suppose was the reason for that?" 

I said, "Brother, I guess the reason why he did not was 
because he did not know how to answer it, and thought that 
was the best way to get out of it." 

He said, "I wonder if that was it." 

We know, dear friends, those of us who have had such an 
experience, that that was just the difficulty. Dr. Kennedy 

{PageQ295} 

is a very able man, a very fine man in many respects; I am not 
speaking to his discredit as a man, or saying a word against 
his character; for as far as I know, he is a well educated 
minister, and he must know about a great many things. He 
knows what sheol is—at least I cannot suppose that he is 
stupid and ignorant enough not to know, after all the 
opportunities he has had to know. 

This man went on to say, "Well, I could not help thinking 
that if I was the most stupid man in the congregation, they 
should not have selected the most stupid man as an elder." 

I said, "Brother, I do not think it is entirely your stupidity." 

He said, "I have head enough to understand it when you 
explained it." 

Now, I merely mention these things to illustrate the point. 

But coming back to Rev. 19, where it says, "Let us be glad 
and give honor to God, for the marriage of the Lamb has 
come, etc." They were glad when they found out the true 
situation, that God had delivered them, and that the institution 
was a hindrance to God's plan in many respects. While they 
do good in the way of building hospitals perhaps, and 
inculcating some morals, and keeping some people out of the 
saloons, and sometimes getting up a saloon law, and 
sometimes an underground saloon so as to keep people from 
going to a saloon of a worse class, sometimes having a 
bowling alley to keep people from going to bowling alleys 
where they get whiskey,--with all of this they are trying to act 
in a moral way. I give them credit, I think, for all they claim 
themselves, but as for teaching sanctification of the spirit and 
faith in the precious blood of Christ, I do not think many of 
them pretend to be doing that; I do not think many would say 



that was their true mission, and what they are trying to do. 
On the contrary, they would say that they must go after the 
people, save the masses, and in trying to save the masses from 
something, without having their hearts changed, they are 
neglecting the true people of God who need to have the 
feeding, as God tells us, "Feed My sheep." Our Lord when He 
spoke to the Apostle Peter did not say anything about going 
out and catching some wolves and putting sheep's hair on 
them, and finding some rattlesnakes and fixing them up and 
making them look like sheep. You take care of the sheep, and 
the lambs, and the Lord will take care of how they got to be 
sheep and lambs. He is to do the drawing. It is whosoever 
the Father draweth that comes to Him. "Whosoever cometh 
unto Me, I will in no wise cast out." You and I are not to try 
to smash people's hearts, or their heads either. Let the 
providences of God do all of the breaking of hearts. The 
Gospel He has given to us is to bind up the broken hearted, 
and take hold of the sheep and lambs and feed them; that is 
God's proposition. We want to stand by the Lord's Word. 
We have not the confidence in our own hearts that we are 
wiser than the Lord; we would not take a bundle of bramble 
bushes and tie a few bunches of grapes on them and say, these 
are genuine grape vines. 

But these will find that the fall of Babylon, the complete 
overthrow of the human systems, has really worked a 

{PageQ296} 

good. Then they are represented as getting a special message 
from God, saying "Blessed is he that is called to the marriage 
supper of the Lamb." Now there is a difference between 
being at the marriage, and eating of the marriage supper,--that 
which is accomplished when the wise virgins go in and the 
door is shut, is the marriage, but the marriage supper did not 
take place for a little while after that. The marriage supper, of 
course, is just a grand picture before our minds. There is 
really no sitting down to eat or drink, but it is merely a picture 
of the joyous occasion that will follow. And to these great 
festivities, the Great Company are invited to come and share. 
They were not loyal enough to lay down their lives, but they 
had loyalty, because they would not deny the precious name 
and blood, and therefore the Lord would not deny them, and 
there would be a place for them; they would have an 
opportunity to come in to the marriage supper and have a 
share in the rejoicing. Just as in the 45th Psalm it is pictured, 
the Bride is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought 



gold. She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of 
needlework—representing the Church all going into the 
Father's presence at the end of this age, and then we read in 
the next verse, "The virgins, her companions that followed 
her." These were the foolish virgins. They are virgins, 
nevertheless, that follow her. They also shall be brought into 
the presence of the King. We are glad for them also. There is 
no selfishness in the love of God. We are glad to see what 
the Lord has arranged for the Little Flock, the Great 
Company, and the Ancient Worthies, and for all the world of 
mankind—for all who desire to be in harmony with Him when 
they come to a knowledge of the truth. 

GREAT COMPANY--Of the Past Re the Great 
Tribulation. 

Q296:1:: QUESTION (1907)-l-Those of the Great 
Company who died in the past ages, how will they come up 
out of great tribulation, as they died long before the 
tribulations came on? 

ANSWER.— I answer that, according to our 
understanding, there have been some of this class all the way 
down through the Gospel Age, yet the most of this class are 
living at the present time. There are reasons why, in the past, 
there would not be nearly so many. For instance, when there 
was a sharp persecution against all who named the name of 
Christ, it was quite a test, and not so many were ready to 
make a full consecration of themselves. As a consequence, 
those who did make a consecration were the class more 
earnest and willing to carry it out. But today, we are living in 
a time when everything is more favorable outwardly, and a 
good many people want to say they are Christians, whether 
they are or not. It is rather popular today. So some people 
have no doubt made a consecration under the present 
favorable conditions who would not have made it in the past. 
So a great many, we believe, are in this condition that they 
have made a consecration to the Lord, but because of the 
favorable conditions in another sense of the word, they are 
not living up to their consecration; they are not becoming 
overcomers; they are bound in Babylon. And so, this is the 
time when the Great Company ones are specially prominent. 
We are not competent to say who in all these various 
churches belong to this class, but we see that a large 



{PageQ297} 

proportion of this class belongs in our day. Down through the 
age we would understand there were some who were 
unfaithful in a degree, in that they did not voluntarily and 
gladly and willingly lay themselves down after they had 
agreed to do so. We can see how the Lord might have 
allowed some of them to go through the persecutions, the 
thumb- screw and rack, and how they may have come through 
great tribulations then. I have no idea at all that all those 
people who suffered by being burned at the stake, etc., were 
saints. I am not judging them, but reading between the lines 
of history, I would infer that a good many of them were not 
saints in the highest sense of the word as we understand the 
Scriptures to imply. 

GREAT COMPANY--Re Receiving Life. 

Q297:1 :: QUESTION (1909) 1 Does the Great 
Compay receive life direct from God on the spirit plane? 

ANSWER. —Yes, they receive life direct in that they 
have been begotten of the Holy Spirit, and when they are 
begotten they are just the same way as the little flock, because 
we are all called in the one hope of our calling. They do 
not make their calling and election sure, but not being worthy 
of second death, they therefore receive life on the spirit plane. 

GREAT COIMPANY-Re Life Giver. 

Q297:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2- Who is the life-giver 
to the Great Company? 

ANSWER.--Not the Lord Jesus, but the Heavenly 
Father. Ye are begotten of the Holy Spirit of the Father in 
this present age. That is what the Lord Jesus and the Apostles 
tell us. Our Lord Jesus has only restitution life to give, and 
He gives now to only those who come in under the Father's 
drawing, to be members of the Lord's Body; they and they 
only receive the Holy Spirit begetting to this new life. The 
world is not dealt with at all—restitution is not yet offered. 
The only restitution offered now is that of justification by 
faith, with the understanding that it will be laid down. 

If you are unfaithful, after you have been begotten of the 
Holy Spirit, there will be no other life for you. Having been 
begotten of the Holy Spirit, you have come to the place where 
you are a new creature. If you fail to go on, you are still new 
creatures even if you go into the Great Company class; they 
are all spirit beings, because begotten of the Father for the 



Father is doing all the begetting. 

GREAT COMPANY-Spirit Begetting Re Tabernacle. 

Q297:3:: QUESTION (1909) 3 How do the 
Tabernacle types illustrate or show that the Great Company 
are begotten of the spirit? 

ANSWER.— We have already pointed out that God does 
not make very particular mention of the Great Company in the 
Bible, and we have found out the reason for this; namely, that 
if the Great Company were treated on the same plane and 
with the same degree of interest and explicitness as the Little 
Flock, it would imply that God had offered both and said. 
Here they are, take your choice. But that is not so; the Lord's 
statement is, "Ye are all called in the one hope of your 
calling," to be members of the Body of the Anointed. Thus 
the Scriptures merely give the hint that there will be some 
who will constitute the Great Company, who will get 

{PageQ298} 

a great blessing, to which there was never an invitation. This 
is rather than that they should be destroyed in the second 
death. Every one of that Great Company receives the grace of 
God in just the same way as the Little Flock, but not using it 
in the proper way, which was to lay down their lives with the 
Lord Jesus, for in carrying out the Plan it must all be laid 
down in death, all be given to seal the New Covenant. So, 
then, with the Great Company, it is a question whether they 
are copies of the Lord Jesus, or whether they come through 
great tribulation and eventually get spirit life. 

GREAT COMPANY--Re Cancelling Sins of World. 

Q298:1:: QUESTION ( 1 909)-- 1 --How can the Great 
Company cancel the penalty for the particularly wilful sins of 
the world? How does the scapegoat make an atonement with 
God? 

ANSWER.— The Great Company has nothing to do with 
it, neither has the Little Flock anything to do with the 
cancellation of sin. It is the High Priest that does that work. 
He may use various things for the basis of His various steps, 
but He is the one that makes the application, and neither the 
Great Company nor the Little Flock do anything in the 
cancellation. 

We have suggested in the Tabernacle Shadows, and still 
agree to it, that the scapegoat represents the Great 
Company. Many say, well, the Great Company or the 



scapegoat do not go into the Holy. I answer that neither does 
the bullock or the Lord's Goat. What did go in there? The 
blood of the bullock and of the Lord's goat, representing the 
value of the sacrifice, was taken in to make atonement. The 
blood of the bullock was to make atonement for the sins of 
the Tribe of Levi, including the priests, called the body or 
house of the High Priest, the priestly family, and the blood of 
the bullock settled for the sins of all of those, the body 
members, or under priests. Then the blood of the goat was 
taken, which represented the under priests. The blood of the 
goat was not sprinkled by the goat, but by the High Priest, and 
it was applied for all the people. It is the High Priest who had 
the whole thing to do, and we would not be properly holding 
the Head, if we thought we had anything to do with it--it is 
merely as members of His Body that we are counted in 
at all. 

Since the blood of the bullock cancelled the sins of the 
household of faith, and the blood of the goat cancelled the 
sins of all those outside, what sins, then, are left in connection 
with the scapegoat? The answer is that the High Priest took 
the sins of the congregations, and confessed them upon the 
head of the scapegoat. What sins are those besides the ones 
already mentioned, for which the blood has been applied? I 
answer that those sins for which atonement was made in the 
Holy and Most Holy were original sins which come because 
of Adam, and the imperfections inherited from him. Christ's 
merit passing through His Body is applied for all these sins. 
What other sins are there? They are the ones which are not 
due to Adamic weakness. The world is not doing the best it 
can and therefore they commit many sins that are not due to 
Adamic weakness. Some men's sins go before and some 
follow after, but the Lord will see to it that all sins are settled 
for. Every intelligent sin is a sin of this kind, and these are 
the ones that are confessed upon 

{PageQ299} 

the head of the scapegoat. We will give you an illustration: 
You remember reading, "Of this generation shall be required 
all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of 
righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias," etc. What 
righteous blood is referred to? Evidently the wrong deeds 
done by mankind not due to Adamic weakness. The Lord 
sees some way in which the intelligent sins of humanity may 
be cancelled, and when you and I see the philosophy, we will 
say that it is all right. So the Scriptures seem to indicate that 



there is to be another accounting with the world. You 
remember the Scripture which speaks of the souls under the 
altar crying out, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou 
not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the 
earth?" The Lord has an accurate system of bookkeeping, and 
He will reward each one and punish each one according to 
what they did that was right or wrong. Those who have 
sinned intelligently will have a certain punishment coming to 
them which must come before the books are squared. In view 
of the fact that we are living here and looking back upon the 
"dark ages," we are to acquiesce in the things that come to 
pass. At all events, there is a great time of trouble coming at 
the end of this age, and they are to be allowed to share in that 
trouble. They are to be permitted to share in this to the extent 
of laying down their lives, because if they do not die, they 
cannot have a share in the spiritual blessings. 

GREAT COMPANY--Re Marriage of Lamb. 

Q299:1:: QUESTION (1909)--1--Will the Great 
Company participate in the marriage of the Lamb when we 
are told that the Bride will be complete sometime before? Is 
the marriage of the Lamb a particular event? 

ANSWER. ~I answer that the marriage of the Lamb is a 
particular event and that our marriage custom of today does 
not properly illustrate the matter, but the marriage custom 
which prevailed amongst the Jews does properly represent the 
matter, and we should therefore look there for the illustration 
as it has come down through history. 

A marriage contract was entered into, a marriage vow, 
usually in the form of a written contract between the one who 
was to be the bridegroom and the one who was to be the 
bride, and thus these two were both espoused or betrothed, 
and this usually lasted for about a year; and this was as 
binding as though they were actually married, and any 
impropriety on the part of either would be considered the 
same as though they had been married. During that year, she 
was known as the betrothed, and properly so. At the end of 
the year the man would come and receive her to himself, and 
from that time, she was his wife. Next followed a sumptuous 
feast that might last a considerable length of time, and that 
was not known as the marriage, but the celebration of the 
marriage, the marriage feast. The Lord's dealings with the 
Church is along these lines: First of all, 1800 years the 
Church was betrothed to God's Son, and then He went into a 
far country. He first promised that when He came back again 
He would receive His betrothed Church to Himself. All 



during this Gospel Age the Church has been waiting for Him, 
and has had the mark of her espousal, the Holy Spirit. When 
He comes and receives her to Himself, 

{PageQSOO} 

she will be the wife, just as in the type—there is no ceremony 
needed. 

What is the antitype? We understand that at the second 
coming of the Lord, the faithful ones of the Church who had 
died were raised and were at once received of the Lord, so 
that that portion of the Church is married to the Lord just as 
soon as they are received by Him. They were merely 
betrothed before, but now He has received them to Himself. 
We are going in and are being changed in the twinkling of an 
eye. This was represented by the five wise virgins; they did 
not all go in at the same instant, but followed one another. So 
with us, we shall be changed in the moment of our dying, we 
shall be changed in a moment and so we will be forever with 
the Lord. That will be the marriage with the Lamb. It is after 
that that the Lord sends the message to the Great Company, 
saying: Blessed is he who is called or invited to the marriage 
supper of the Lamb. It may take several days or weeks, or a 
year or more for this sumptuous feast. At that marriage feast 
will be the Great Company, the virgins which followed her, as 
we read in the 45th Psalm. 

GREAT COMPANY-Re Being in the Holy. 
Q300:1:: QUESTION (1909)-l-Should the Great 
Compay class be spoken of as being in the Holy? 

ANSWER.Well, I answer, the Great Company class are 
not the Great Company class until they are put out of the 
Holy. You see what I mean. All those who receive the Holy 
Spirit during this Age receive it because they make the 
consecration unto death, and that admits them as if they were 
going to be priests. Jesus admits them, but if they fail to 
comply with the conditions, they will not be worthy to remain 
as priests. They are cast out and they go out into the court. 
So, when one comes to the place where he must be of the 
Great Company class and not of the Royal priesthood, that 
means that he is out of the Holy. But at first when he made 
his consecration, he consecrated to be a priest and to all 
intents and purposes was treated the same as the others up to 
the time he failed to make good in his consecration. 



GREAT COMPANY-Re Abihu As a Type. 

Q300:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2--In what manner in the 
type did Abihu represent the Great Company class? 

ANSWER.— There were two sons of Aaron, and we read 
that they served in the office of priests, and we read that they 
offered strange fire before the Lord. Nothing more than that 
is said and we have to guess as to what is meant. Nobody 
knows, but we believe it to be a type; for, as Aaron was a type 
of our Lord Jesus, so the under-priests were a type of the 
Church. So these two who offered strange fire and perished 
in so doing would seem to represent a class. Whether a class 
going into second death, I do not know; or whether one stands 
as a representative of that class, and one for another class, I 
do not know. There was a time when I thought that the two 
could not stand for those going into the second death. Why? 
That would be two-fifths of all the priesthood, and would 
imply that 

two-fifths of God's consecrated people would fail and go into 
the second death. But, dear friends, I have been thinking 
lately that perhaps 

{PageQSOl} 

I did not take the right view of that matter. There may be a 
great many more going into second death than I had 
supposed. I remember I congratulated myself about the sheep 
and goats representing classes of people—sheep His people, 
and goats the others. I was glad there were so few goats. But 
when I was over in Palestine and looking over the flocks 
noticed nearly as many goats as sheep, I felt rather dubious 
about this illustration holding out. 

My thought now is that none can be of the royal priesthood 
or get eternal life at all unless he shall have the perfect law of 
God, loving God with all his soul, mind and strength, and thy 
neighbor as thyself. And a new command give I unto you, 
that you love one another as I have loved you, etc. If this is 
the requirement, and it is, I really wonder how many will 
come up to that requirement. I have felt like being very 
careful myself, saying, "My soul, be on thy guard." 
Whether these two represent those who go into second death, 
it will not hurt you to be on your guard. Be not satisfied with 
anything short of the divine standard for your own heart and 
life. 



GREAT COMPANY--Re Consecration. 

Q301 :1 :: QUESTION (1909)--l--Who are those that 
constitute the great company besides those who have failed to 
keep their consecration vow? That is, those dying before the 
time of trouble? 

ANSWER. --I do not get that question. I do not know of 
any who will be in the Great Company but those who fail to 
keep their consecration vow, which is a vow to voluntarily lay 
down our human life, and if anyone will not do this 
voluntarily, the life will have to be taken away. 

Did you notice this morning that we pointed out how our 
Lord ascended up on high, gave to the household of faith the 
human rights which He had purchased, and that He gave them 
under the terms and conditions that they would lay them 
down? Yes. Well, they that do so voluntarily and are of a 
good heart and earnest, they are the more than conquerors. 
And the others, what? It will have to be taken from them, 
because it must be passed on to seal the New Covenant, but 
they will fail to get the high reward. 

GREAT COMPANY-Things That Lead to it. 

Q301:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-What are the chief 
things that will draw us from the little flock to the Great 
Company class? 

ANSWER.— My answer would be, lack of zeal, lack of 
love for God, lack of love for the brethren. That is to say, the 
coolness on the part of your heart. But, to answer and go 
more specifically to the root of the question, would be this: 
Little sins on your own part would be the things most likely to 
separate you from the little flock and give you your portion 
with the Great Company. The thought is given in Revelation, 
where it says, "These are they which came up out of great 
tribulation, having washed their robes and made them white." 
Now that washing of the robes gives the clew. Why did they 
need washing? Because they were soiled, etc. The Scriptures 
tell us that we should keep our robes unspotted, that we might 
be presented without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. 
Here is the difference: The little flock will be the class 
without spot, etc., while the Great Company will be the class 
whose robes are spotted, and wrinkled and not fit to be of the 
Bride class. Let us apply this personally to 

{PageQ302} 

your affairs and to mine. Is it possible for any Christian 
person to so live as not to get a spot on the robe, and is that 



the teaching of the Bible? No, that is not the teaching of the 
Bible. Having an imperfect body, you, as a new creature, 
loyal to God, desirous of doing his will, find that you cannot 
do all the things that you would do, and therefore you will 
have occasionally a spot or wrinkle come to your white 
garment, that was given to you when God accepted you as a 
new creature in Christ. You cannot keep from having some 
spots or blemishes, because of the imperfection, because you 
must use this imperfect body. You must use the one you have 
and so you are sure to do those things which you would not 
desire to do; or as our Episcopal friends say, and very 
properly, "We have done those things which we ought not to 
have done, and we have left undone those things which we 
ought to have done, and there is no help in us." That is true, I 
believe, of every one of us. We cannot do all that we would 
do. We all know it, but there is no excuse for our not making 
the effort. God is going to watch the effort, and it is 
according to the effort that he is going to judge you. He is 
judging the new mind, not the flesh, for it is the new mind 
that is on trial. Now, then, suppose that because of flesh or 
ignorance, you are overtaken in a fault, you get a spot, what 
are you going to do? That is the question. Well, here the 
Lord has made a provision, there is a cleansing fluid, and if 
applied it maketh clean, as we sometimes sing, "His blood 
avails for me." So the Scriptures state, "The blood of Jesus 
Christ cleanseth us from all sin." He is not speaking of the 
original sin, you did not get to be of the "us" class until you 
had come under the blood, and it had purged the 
responsibility for original sin. After you had received the 
robe of Christ's righteousness, then what? If you get a spot 
we are immediately to come to the Advocate, as we read, "If 
any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, even Jesus 
Christ the righteous." We have no Mediator with the Father, 
there is not a word about that in the whole Bible. We have an 
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We are 
to come to the Father through him, entreating him for the 
forgiveness of this sin. 

This Advocate is our Advocate, by virtue of his having a 
merit of his own that he can apply for us, applying it first for 
the sins that are past, and as he has applied it also for every 
weakness and imperfection that is present, that he may 
present us holy and spotless before the Father. But it will be 
this class, you see. This class, that want to have their robes 
cleansed, that deplore even one spot upon the robe. That is 
the class for whom the Advocate will do the work of 
cleansing. 



Now let me refer to your own experience. When you go to 
the Advocate with the matter, you say, Lord, Lord, through 
weakness or imperfection I have failed in this point, I am 
sorry, and ask for forgiveness, and ask that it be not charged 
up against me, because my real intention is right, and I really 
desire to do thy will in my heart. You ask forgiveness for 
this, and he forgives. You say. Lord, I will never do this 
again. Then perhaps a little while after, it may he a year or 
six months, you do the same again. You say, O, I said the 
other time I would never do it again, and 

{PageQ303} 

now I am ashamed to go to the Lord and tell him I am 
negligent. What shall I do? Only one thing to do, that is to 
be so anxious for the Lord's favor and smile, that you will go 
to the throne of grace to obtain mercy. But there are some 
who do not. They say, O, not tonight, not tonight, I cannot 
pray tonight. Then they get into bed and sleep. The next day 
it is very much the same. They are a little farther from the 
Lord, the cloud is a little larger, and they say, I will try not to 
think of it at all. So there becomes an accumulation of spots, 
and at first they deplored them, hut now they do not. Then 
they say, I guess I was taking the matter too seriously at first, 
I find everybody has those spots. We do not like them and so 
they get to living a careless life, they are getting ready for the 
Great Company. You see they will have to wash those robes 
before they will be accepted to the heavenly condition. If you 
do not keep yours clean by constant application to the throne 
of heavenly grace, the spots will accumulate, and the only 
way to wash your robes will be in the great tribulation. 

GREAT COMPANY-Who Depose Them. 

Q303:1:: QUESTION ( 19 10)-- 1 --Tabernacle Shadows, 
page 69, states that the Great Company class cut themselves 
off from Christ. John 15:2, "Every branch in me that 
beareth not fruit He taketh it away," seems to indicate some 
additional act on God's part. Please define the two acts. 

ANSWER-Well, God acts only because the others act. 
For instance, Jesus says, "I am the Vine, ye are the branches; 
every branch in me that beareth fruit my Father purgeth it that 
it may bring forth more fruit. Herein is my Father glorified, 
that ye bear much fruit." This pruning we see to be the trials 
and difficulties of life, but these are only for such as are 
branches in Christ. Now how do they get into Christ? By 
making consecration. And what was the legitimate intent or 



purpose of your consecration? That you might be a fruit-bearer. 
That is the very object of your coming into the membership 
of the Vine, the Body of Christ. Therefore if you do not 
bear fruit, if you do not cultivate the fruits of the spirit, 
you are marking yourself off, or cutting yourself off, for your 
failure to bring forth the fruitage God is requiring. Then he 
would separate those from his Church of the elect—the elect 
Body of Christ. 

GREAT COMPANY-Suffer for Sins of World or People? 

Q303:2:: QUESTION (1910)-2-June 15 Watch Tower 
makes a distinction between the world and the people. Are we 
to understand that the Great Company suffer only for the sins 
of the people, or do the Great Company suffer for the sins of 
the world? 

ANSWER~The Watch Tower did not know it was 
making any such distinction. I understand the people 
mentioned in the Scriptures to refer to the world, so if we 
made a distinction of that kind it was unintentional. It is very 
difficult to write and keep from tramping over somewhere in 
your writing and to remember all the different attitudes of 
mind, and how someone may look at it from this standpoint, 
and some from that, and some from another. You will have to 
read more carefully and I will have to write more carefully; so 
we will both take a share. 

{PageQ304} 

GREAT COMPANY--Re Seed of Abraham. 

Q304:1:: QUESTION ( 19 10)-- 1 --Is the thought that the 
Great Company class is a part of the spiritual seed of 
Abraham contained in the question re the covenants? See 
February 15, Tower, 1909. 

ANSWER.— 1— I do not know what the reference is. The 
questions should always be independent of anything, then if 
the Tower is out of harmony you will notice it. But I will 
answer the question without reference to the Tower— "Is the 
Great Company class a part of the spiritual seed of 
Abraham?" I answer. Yes, to my understanding they are, but 
there are two ways of viewing the matter. The type of the 
spiritual seed of Abraham was Isaac and Rebecca, Isaac 
representing the Lord and Rebecca representing the Church, 
the Bride class, the Little Flock; and then in the account of 
how Rebecca was called, you remember we read that certain 
maid- servants were given to her and they went with her. 
These maid-servants, you see, represent the Great Company 



class. They traveled right along with Rebecca; they were not 
the Bride, but "The virgins, her companions," that went with 
her. So it was customary in all incidents of the Old 
Testament, that wherever the bride is mentioned, there is 
mention also of a maid as going along. There were the wives 
of Jacob, and each one of them had a maid. It was a custom 
of the times. So we read that Rebecca had at least two if not 
more. In the 45th Psalm, picturing the Church as the Bride of 
Christ, we read that the Bride is all glorious within; that she 
shall be brought unto the King in raiment of fine needlework. 
Then we read of the virgins, her companions, that follow her. 
These companions of the Bride are a part of the household. 
So the Great Company class is a part of the household. But 
take another picture that is given, the tribe of Levi. Go back 
and see where it came from. You remember the Passover 
night. In that night the Lord passed over the first-born of 
Israel. Then you remember that subsequently the Lord said to 
Moses, I have passed over and spared the first-borns of Israel, 
but now exchange these for the tribe of Levi. Thenceforth the 
tribe of Levi represented all of that first-born class, and that 
first-born class represented the Church, for ours is called the 
Church of the First-born whose names are written in Heaven. 
Now the whole Levite house, you see, was representative of 
this first-born class, this Church of the First-born. But among 
these Levites there were two classes. There was selected from 
the Levites a little flock of Priests-Aaron, and his family-and 
the remainder were the servants of this priestly family. Here 
we have another picture of the general fact that the household 
of faith includes Jesus, and the elect Bride class, and the 
Great Company class, and they are all the Church of the First- 
born whose names are written in Heaven, and they are all of 
those who are spared or passed over in this night time—in the 
present time before the Millennial morning begins. That night 
takes in the whole Gospel Age, and all of those who are 
spared in that night were represented in the whole tribe of 
Levi. Therefore the whole tribe of Levi represents the Church 
of the First-born, and these two classes are the elect Body of 
Christ, or Bride of Christ; and on the other hand the spiritual 
servants of the Church, the Great Company class. 

{PageQ305} 

GREAT COMPANY--Re Separation From Little Flocl^. 

Q305:1 :: QUESTION (1910)-l-Do you anticipate an 
outward separation of the Great Company from the Little 
Flock, or merely a separation in spirit, and a general 



affiliation of both classes in one assembly to the end of the 
harvest period.? 

ANSWER—I know of nothing to indicate that the Lord 
will make a separation between the Little Flock and the Great 
Company, as far as separating them into parties is concerned. 
You remember we pointed out in the Scripture Studies that 
Elijah was a type of the Church and that possibly Elisha 
was a type of the Great Company class, and subsequently of 
the Ancient Worthy class. We are not so sure about Elisha, 
but we are sure about Elijah, because we have positive proof 
in Revelation that Elijah was a type of the Church class; but 
if Elisha was a type of the Great Company class, then that 
type would seem to prove that there will be no separation, 
because there were frequent offers to separate as representing 
the trials and testings that would tend to turn them aside. As, 
for instance, Elijah said to Elisha, Now you tarry here, the 
Lord has sent me thus and so. But no, says Elisha, I will not 
stay; wherever you go I will go with you. So he went. Then 
presently another time Elijah said. Tarry here, the Lord hath 
sent me to so and so. But Elisha went with him everywhere. 
And finally Elijah acknowledged to Elisha that his getting a 
special blessing would depend upon his being with him down 
to the last. Elisha asked to have a special blessing—Cannot I 
have a special blessing, give me your blessing? Elijah 
answered. If you are with me when I am taken, then you 
shall have a blessing. In other words, if you continue 
steadfast and follow on and are not separated by the trials by 
the way, you will get a special blessing after the Elijah class 
is gone. And that is just what we would expect. You 
remember then the picture that when Elijah was taken up, his 
mantle fell from him for Elisha and Elisha went and got the 
mantle. The mantle is a symbol of power. You remember 
Elisha put on the mantle of Elijah and had some of the powers 
of Elijah. When he came to Jordan he smote the river with 
the mantle and it divided so he could cross over dry shod. All 
of which would be symbolical of the death of the Great 
Company class—that they would pass through death, which is 
symbolized by Jordan, victoriously, after they had the mantle 
of Elijah with them. Anything that happens beyond the 
crossing of the Jordan we would understand, if this be a type 
at all, to be typical of what the Ancient Worthies would do 
when their time would come after the Great Company had 
passed through the Jordan of death. 



GREAT COMPANY-Fallen from Mark of Perfect 
Love. 

Q305:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-Can any one who has 

reached the mark of perfect love fall back into the Great 
Company? 

ANSWER--I think he could; I think he could not only 
fall back into the Great Company, but I think it would be 
possible for him to fall away entirely. That if he had reached 
the mark of perfect love, and been a teacher of others, he 
might be a castaway himself if he did not maintain his 
standing and relationship to the Lord. 

{PageQ306} 

GREAT COMPANY-Re Serving as Priests. 

Q306:1:: QUESTION (1910) -1-Are the Great 
Company Priests in the service of holy things? 

ANSWER— No, they are not priests. They were 
accepted as priests. The picture is a double one. But the 
priesthood God is providing is one that belongs to the future, 
that is, the spiritual priesthood; the Royal Priesthood is 
future. We now speak of ourselves as members of the Royal 
Priesthood, but not in the actual sense; you are now 
probationary members to see whether or not you will be 
worthy of being members of the Royal Priesthood. The 
members of the Royal Priesthood will be those who will share 
with Jesus in his resurrection, the first resurrection. "Blessed 
and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such 
the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of 
God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand 
years." But the Great Company are those that after having 
consecrated and proposed to take the proper steps to which 
they were called as priests fail to take the steps and therefore 
they will not be priests in the future. They are now in with us, 
and it is not for you and for me to determine who are the 
priests, and who are performing their sacrifices properly; that 
is for the Lord to determine. In this company there may be 
some who will be Priests and some who will be Levites, and 
will not attain to worthiness for the priesthood. But it is not 
for me or for you to make a distinction and say. You are not a 
Priest, but you are a Levite. The Lord did not give us any 
such authority. So we now speak of ourselves together. You 
consecrated and are going on but I don't know whether you 
are making your sacrifice properly or not, and you do not 
know about mine. 



GREAT COMPANY-Re Losing Crowns. 
Q306:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-Are the words, "Take 
heed, let no man take thy crown," strictly applicable to the 
Great Company class? Can these be said to have the crown of 
life? 

ANSWER— I answer that there is no Great Company 
class in the beginning. Nobody was received as a member of 
the Great Company. He was received as a consecrating 
priest, and everyone is elect at the time of consecration. A 
crown was apportioned to such one. The object in inviting 
him at all was that he might have a crown. But the question 
is. Will he maintain his right to that crown by being an 
overcomer? If he does that will mean that he continues to be 
one of the priestly class to which he was invited, for we are 
all called in one hope of our calling. But if he fails to be an 
overcomer, then he ceases to be of that Body of Christ class, 
the Little Flock class, and by ceasing to be of that class 
forfeits his right to a crown. But the crown was there when 
he consecrated for no one is accepted but to a crown. 

GREAT COMPANY-Re Awakening of Great 
Company. 

Q306:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3--Is ityour 
understanding that since 1878 all the consecrated who are 
faithful pass immediately at death to the spiritual plane 
beyond, and would this include any of the Great Company? 
And do you understand that any of those of the Great 
Company who died previous to the present harvest-time 

{PageQ307} 

were awakened at that date.? And if this is true, how would it 
harmonize with the parable of the wise and foolish virgins? 

ANSWER~I answer: I do not know anything in the 
Scripture that would give us a proper ground for reaching a 
conclusion, and I do not know that it is very important that 
you should reach a conclusion. The conclusion that you and I 
want to settle is that we make our calling and election sure, 
and that we try to keep out of the Great Company class, and 
try to get into the Little Flock. I can see no difference to any 
of us as to whether the Great Company were awakened in 
1878 or not. That is our understanding respecting the Little 
Flock, that from that date, all those who were members of the 
Body of Christ experienced a change; but as for the Great 
Company, we would not undertake to answer. We do not 
know. We are rather inclined to think not, but we have no 



ground on which to answer. 

GREAT COMPANY-Ran for Prize and Lost. 

Q307:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l-Willtherebe any 
among the great company class who ran for the prize and 
lost, and then went into the great company class? 

ANSWER— We answer yes; to our understanding they 
will all be in this class—all those who started out to run. Some 
of them may only have run one step or two, but the running 
for the prize seems to me to begin right at the gate. Just the 
minute we enter the gate we begin running; you are on the 
race course and they are all running from that point. Whether 
you run fast or slow, you are on the race course and all enter 
by the same gate. As the apostle says, "We are all called in 
one hope of our calling." God did not call anybody to be of 
the great company class. Everybody that is called in this age 
is called to be of the little flock class. All of those go into the 
great company class; there will be those who having started to 
be of the consecrated class, and having consecrated to give up 
all, having made that much of a start in the race course, then 
fail, they must either then go into the great company class, or 
worse, into the second death. 

GREAT COMPANY-Consecration But Not Running. 

Q307:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-Willtherebe any 
among the great company that made a consecration and 
never ran for the prize? 

ANSWER— I don't know that anybody could answer that 
question except the Lord; hut I would suppose there would he 
none in the great company class that had not made the start in 
the running. 

GREAT COIVIPANY--Re Begetting. 

Q307:3:: QUESTION (191 1)-3 -Is it correct to say 
that the great company class is begotten to the divine nature, 
seeing that only the little flock are born as divine, of the 
immortal nature? Please explain the Scriptural teachings on 
the begetting of the Holy Spirit. 

ANSWER-I would think it entirely right to use that 
expression, "begotten to the divine nature." I did change it 
however, in "The Dawn," to read: "begotten to the Spirit 
nature," but I did that, not because I thought it as necessary to 
do so, but because I thought to make it easier for some to 
grasp the thought. The begetting is to a certain nature, just 
the same as we are all called in one hope of our calling. 



{PageQ308} 

The begetting of the Holy Sprit is the same begetting in every 
case, but if it has one turn, or development, the result will be 
the divine nature, and if it takes the other turn, or 
development, the result will be the nature like unto the angels. 
We think it is well illustrated by the fact that those who are 
begotten of the flesh may be born either male or female. The 
same begetting may result in the child being born male or 
female; so it does not follow, then, we must say that one is 
begotten to be a female or begotten to be a male. The 
begetting is the same in every case. So, with the Holy Spirit's 
begetting; they are all of one begetting, all by one Father, and 
all of the same kind. But as certain things in the human tend 
to determine whether it will be a male or whether it will be a 
female, after the begetting process is ended, just so with the 
spiritual; after the begetting of the spirit has been 
accomplished, certain conditions, etc., tend to determine 
whether the one will be born from the dead to the divine 
nature, or to the spirit nature like unto the angels, and that 
determining factor we find plainly stated in the Scriptures is 
with ourselves. In proportion as you and I are faithful to him 
who called us, and to the terms and conditions, we will make 
our calling and election sure. That calling, that election, that 
begetting, which we are to make sure, is to the divine nature. 
If we fail to make it sure in the highest sense of the word, 
there is still a possibility of a birth to a lower nature by the 
same Spirit begetting; or there is still a possibility of being 
utterly cast away into second death. 

Another illustration you remember, brought to our attention 
in the Watch Tower, is that of bees. In bee culture it seems 
there are three classes of bees; there is the worker, and the 
drone, and the queen bee, and these are all begotten alike 
originally; but whether the cell shall turn out the one or the 
other depends upon certain subsequent treatment. When the 
bees desire to make a queen bee they apparently feed that 
larva more and more nourishing food until it becomes a queen 
bee, of larger size, distinct entirely from the other bees. I 
think perhaps we may learn a lesson there; that those who 
feed most upon the spiritual food have the best chance of 
getting to the royal position. 

The Lord has given us plenty, and we are all called to be of 
this king bee and queen bee, class--the queen class rather suits 
us pretty well, since the Lord himself is king. We are to be 
his queen. So whether we shall be of that class depends 



largely on how we shall assimilate the truths that the Lord has 
given us, and the assimilation includes also our use of the 
blessings and favors that are coming to us. So all having one 
begetting, much will depend on ourselves as to how we use 
the varied opportunities and blessings. 

GREAT COMPANY-Re Part in First Resurrection. 

Q308:1:: QUESTION (1912 Z) 1 Will the Great 
Company have part in the First Resurrection.? 

ANSWER— Those in the First Resurrection will live and 
reign with Christ a thousand years. (Rev. 20:4,6.) 
Therefore those of the Great Company will have no part 
whatever in the First Resurrection. The Apostle Paul speaks 
of Christ's Resurrection— "That I might know Him and the 

{PageQ309} 

power of His Resurrection and the fellowship of His 

sufferings, being made conformable unto His death." (Phil. 3:10.) 

This is the First Resurrection. 

There are, however, two other Scriptures which include the 
Great Company: Heb. 12:23, where the Apostle speaks of 
the Church of the First-borns whose names are written in 
heaven, and Rev. 2:27, where mention is made of those 
whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. All will 
attain life on the spirit plane, whose names are written in the 
Book of the Lamb, and the Lord said that He would not blot 
out the names of any overcomers.-Rev. 3:5. 

Do the Great Company overcome? Yes. God has no 
blessings to give to those who are not overcomers. What is 
the difference between the Great Company and the Little 
Flock? The difference is that the Little Flock are those who 
are more than loyal to God. The Great Company will be loyal 
to God in that they will not withhold their lives when the test 
shall come. They will perish rather than deny the Lord; and 
thus they will experience the destruction of the flesh. But 
they did not go forth with sufficient zeal to carry out their 
consecration. They were loyal to God, but they did no more 
than maintain their loyalty. 

Then we have our Lord's statement as recorded in John 5:28,29: 
"For the hour is coming, in the which all that are in 
the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth; they that 
have done good, unto the resurrection of life." This will 
include both the Little Flock and the Great Company; both 
classes will get eternal life. If this statement includes the 
Ancient Worthies, then it means three classes: the Little 



Flock, the Great Company and the Ancient Worthies, though 
there will be different planes of perfection— human perfection, 
the perfection that will be like that of the angels, and lastly 
the perfection that will come to those who shall be like Christ, 
namely, that of the Divine nature. 

GREAT COMPANY-Not Shown in the Pyramid. 

Q309:1 :: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-Is there nothing in 
the Great Pyramid to represent the Great Company-the 
Bride's virgin companions, who will follow her? (Psa. 45:14.) 
We understand your interpretation to teach that the 
Queen's Chamber symbolically represents those who will 
attain perfection on the human plane, and that the King's 
Chamber symbolically represents those who will attain to the 
divine nature. Is the Great Company not shown in the 
Pyramid or have you merely neglected to call attention to the 
feature which symbolizes it? 

ANSWER~God, during this Gospel Age of nearly nine 
teen centuries, has been calling the Church to glory honor and 
immortality. During the next Age, under Messiah's Kingdom, 
He will open up a way of Restitution and return to earthly 
perfection for all the willing and obedient of mankind. God 
did not call any to be of the Great Company Class. 
Those who will ultimately be of that class, "saved as by fire," 
will get a reward to which they were never called or 
invited. There is but one call during this age; as we read, "Ye 
are called in one hope of your calling." (Eph. 4:4.) That 
call was to self-sacrifice- -to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. 
Only by making that covenant of sacrifice were any of us 
accepted or begotten of the Holy Spirit 

{PageQSlO} 

or privileged to call ourselves the elect of God. 

In view of these things it would seem quite appropriate that 
the Great Pyramid does not show a place for the Great 
Company, as though they had been invited to such a place. 

The ante-chamber, as we have already pointed out, marks 
the experiences of the Church in the School of Christ, which 
are necessary before any could pass, by the power of the First 
Resurrection, into the divine perfection symbolized by the 
King's Chamber. We may, therefore, assume that the Great 
Company class all come into this Ante-Chamber, or School, 
but that only the "faithful unto death" pass beyond it under 
the granite leaf into the King's Chamber. 



GREAT COMPANY-Spirit Begotten, Levites, Court. 

Q310:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-Please explain about 
the Great Company, "Spirit Begotten "--the anti-typical 
Levites, as against the Court being the justified condition. 

ANSWER— In the Tabernacle the Court represents a 
condition which is not yet complete or perfect at the present 
time. Let me illustrate the matter in our spiritual experience. 
We will suppose that we belong to the Camp, and over yonder 
in the background is the Tabernacle with its curtains and 
everything else which I need not describe to a class of Bible 
Students. We would, before long, say to ourselves that we 
had the desire to go across, and we learn that there are those 
who are special servants in there, and we wish ere long to 
become one of the servants of God in connection with the 
Tabernacle. We realize, however, that we are sinners and so 
imperfect, but still we turn to God, and we walk toward the 
Tabernacle and our Justification may be said to have its 
beginning from that very moment we turned toward the 
Tabernacle. We are enjoined to seek "that which is right" and 
it is right and just that we should have this attitude towards 
God, therefore we are taking the right course or the course of 
Justification. There are many people in the world saying that 
God is not far from everyone of us, but the inspired writer 
said that there are many who are "feeling after God, if haply 
they might find Him." Those who leave the Camp to come 
into the Court of the Tabernacle are feeling after God with the 
desire to find Him. When they come up to the Tabernacle 
enclosure they find that there is only one entrance (Faith in 
the Lord Jesus Christ), and that that one way is the only way 
of approaching the Tabernacle. They enter, and as they enter 
they must pass the Brazen Altar of Sacrifice before they 
have gone very far within the enclosure. The person who sees 
that much sees more than ever before of the matter. But he or 
she is not yet at the Tabernacle proper. Those who have 
come thus far must remember that they have still to go on for 
a bit more yet. At that Altar they have seen the fact that God 
has provided a way from sin. Recognizing this, they may stop 
there for a longer or shorter period. A danger is that some are 
so pleased with that portion that they would sit down there 
content with that. It is good that we thank God for having 
made that provision for salvation, but there must be a going 
forward for a distance yet. What is there after seeing this 
Altar and its meaning? The next step is to yonder Laver, and 
towards yonder Laver they go next. What do they find? 
Water! This surely means Cleansing. O! to put away the 
filth of this flesh and make myself—or rather 



{PageQ311} 

allow myself to be made--as nearly as possible right with 
God! Have I wronged anybody? Such questions as that must 
be asked of ourselves and answered by ourselves. This is the 
attitude of those who have reached the Laver for cleansing. 
We may cleanse ourselves at the Laver, but still we have not 
fully come to God. Is there not something I can do? That is 
the next question which turns up in the mind of those who 
have reached the Laver. We remain in a justified condition so 
long as we keep forward in our way, and we become more 
right with God and more justified, if we might say so, every 
step of the way onward. Now we come to the Door of the 
Tabernacle and we present ourselves as Sacrifices as 
represented by the Goat for instance. "Present your bodies" is 
the injunction which comes to us now. When we have done 
that, we have done everything in our power to do. There is 
nothing more we can possibly do after that presentation of our 
bodies as Sacrifices in that sense. But we are not justified by 
that action. Nothing of ourselves can justify us for our 
justification is not of works. "It is God that justifies." And 
there is only one way, namely, that way through HIM who is 
the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. He must be our 
Advocate. When we present ourselves at the Door of the 
Tabernacle, and say: "Here, Lord, I give myself," then is the 
time for God to put into operation the gracious arrangement 
He has made previously, and there and then the High Priest 
becomes our Advocate. When He applies His Merit the 
sacrifice is accepted. That moment we are justified, and then, 
as a consequence, the Heavenly Father receives us through 
the Holy Spirit and we are begotten of that Holy Spirit as 
New Creatures. The New Creatures are now in the 
Tabernacle; have passed under that first vail, and they should 
enjoy the light from the Candle Stick and the Shew Bread and 
the Golden Altar, and then at the close of life should pass 
beyond that Second Vail—the Resurrection, and should land 
on the other side of that Vail in safety. It is all in this present 
life. Whoever is coming near to God by believing in the work 
of Jesus, and who trusts in the precious sacrifice, these are in 
a tentatively justified position, but justified only as they have 
made a full consecration to the Lord. They are justified to the 
privilege of approaching, but they are not privileged to be 
Priests, and they cannot come into God's full favor without 
going on and still on. Suppose anyone went as far as the 
Laver and then began to reason that he was advancing too 



rapidly, and then stands still arguing that he must stop this 
rapid progress by taking matters slowly and wishing to remain 
here for some time before going on to the Priesthood, that one 
never has his Justification completed. His Justification is 
never fully completed because he never takes the final step by 
which that Justification is vitahzed. That is the step of FULL 
CONSECRATION. After wandering around in this way for a 
length of time without any sign of going on in the way, some 
grow cold and get out of the way, and perhaps out of the 
Court altogether. That represents the use of the Court at the 
present time. When it comes to the end of this Age and to the 
perfection of the saints at that time, those who were 
approaching unto God sincerely during this Age, and who 
have come all the way there will be accepted. The remainder 
will no longer be justified in this way, but will be 

{PageQ312} 

with the rest of the world waiting for the blessings of the next 
age. The Court will be emptied, so to speak, and all those 
who have entered fully into the Most Holy will then remain as 
the Members of the Body of the Christ. At the end of that 
time a distinction will be made between those who have been 
found worthy and those who have not been found worthy. 
Those who are found worthy shall pass into the Most Holy to 
be there forever with the Lord, but the others who are not 
found worthy will be excluded from that and they will belong 
to the second company. They still have Justification. They 
got it the moment they passed the First Vail of Consecration— 
the moment Jesus Christ became Surety for them. They 
cannot be of the Elect. They are of the Levites. These 
positions represent the attitude of the two classes. All the 
Levite Class represents the Court condition; all the Priest 
Class, the Elect condition. 

GREAT COMPANY-ln Holy or Court. 

Q312:1:: QUESTION (1912)-l-Canone whohas 
entered the Holy as a Priest, during the Gospel Age, ever 
drop back into the Great Company, or the Court condition? 

ANSWER—This shows a misunderstanding—the Great 
Company are not in the Court. The only ones in the Court 
now are those in a tentatively justified condition' --the Great 
Company are not in the Court. At the close of this Age there 
will no longer be a tentative justification. There will be 
nobody in the Court condition, except the actually justified. 
If the Great Company will be excluded from the glory of the 



priestly office, at the end of this age, then it will be theirs to 
serve in the Court, as the Levites of the next age. But those in 
the Court now, during this age, are only those in a tentatively 
justified condition. 

GREAT COMPANY-Re the Holy. 

Q312:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-Can anybeof the 
Great Company class who have never been in the condition 
typified by the Holy of the Tabernacle? 

ANSWER-No, they could not be of the Great 
Company class, unless they had gotten into the Tabernacle--only 
those who make the consecration and those 
consecrations have been accepted, are tentatively counted as 
members of the Body of Christ. If, after entering the Holy 
they fail to have the Spirit of Christ, fail to be exercised by 
His Spirit, the end will show that they have not retained their 
position in the Body of Christ, but no one is competent to 
decide that point now. The resurrection will reveal the 
Master's decision. 

GREAT COMPANY-Should We Fear We are in it? 

Q312:3:: QUESTION (1913)--3--While we realize that 
fear is of the Adversary, would it be improper to expect that 
we would have some sure indication in our own hearts, that 
we have lapsed into the Great Company class, or made our 
calling and election sure in this late time of the harvest? 

ANSWER.~My thought would be that your head is poor 
and imperfect, and so is mine, too; that you would not be able 
to juggle all your thoughts sufficiently to know where you 
stood. If you attempt any such hair splitting with yourself the 
best thing is to say, I know the terms and conditions, am I 

{Page Q3 13} 

living up to the best of my ability to these terms? If you can 
say to yourself, I am doing all I can in the fulfillment of my 
consecration vow, you could not do any more, so do that 
much and let it go there. Say to yourself, "faithful is he that 
called us who will also do his part;" If you do your part the 
Lord will do His part-that is the end of it, it is no use arguing 
any more. If you were in the Great Company class you 
probably would not realize it at all. I would say simply this: 
did you make a consecration to the Lord? Yes; are you doing 
your best? Yes; do you think you could do any better? Yes; 
well, try and do a bit better. 



GREAT COMPANY-Their Development. 

Q313:1:: QUESTION (1913) 1 Have the Great 
Company class been developing all through the Gospel Age; 
or will they all come out through the time of trouble? 
ANSWER— We have already answered that in the 
Studies in the Scriptures, and perhaps a second reading will 
give better light. The fact is, the Great Company is not to be 
known to you, or me, or any other individual. There will be 
no such class until the Lord shall make the decision as 
represented in the parable. He is represented as having given 
certain talents to his servants, and upon His return He reckons 
with the servants, and that means the church. Some will be in 
one class, and others in another. That classification will 
affect the dead as well as the living. In God's providence, 
some may have been experiencing the tribulation which 
belongs to the secondary class, during the Gospel Age. We 
cannot determine who are of the little flock. 

GREAT COMPANY--Re 1914. 

Q313:2:: QUESTION (1913)-2-Do you think those 
going beyond 1914 will go into the Great Company class? 

ANSWER— I do not know, and my think or guess, 
would not be of any value. I think the less guessing we do the 
better. As respects 1914, we have some reasons for believing 
that to be a very important year. We have never set forth 
anything to indicate that our view in the matter was infallible. 
I do not know positively that the times of the Gentiles will 
end in October, 1914, or at any other particular time. We 
think there is strong reason for believing that the Gentile 
Times will end in October, 1914. We give it as our opinion, 
and set before you the Scriptural reason. Some may believe 
and some not. This is our thought and if it is correct, about 
that time, or shortly thereafter, a great time of trouble will 
come upon the world. Not a burning of literal fire, but a 
symbolic fire, in that the world will pass through fiery 
experiences, in the midst of which Messiah's kingdom will be 
established. 

GREAT COMPANY-Expiating For Sin. 

0313:3:: OUESTION ( 19 13)-Is it your thought that 
the Great Company expiate for the partially wilful sins 
committed against the Church so far as justice is concerned, 
in order that they may come from the tomb? 

ANSWER— I would not put it in that form. I would put 
it in the form it is in the WATCH TOWER or DAWNS; I 
think that is better. This brother may be all right, but I do not 



like the way of stating it. If you will read over again what is 
in the WATCH TOWER, that is what I prefer. On 

{PageQ314} 

most of these doctrinal questions I prefer not to say either at 
conventions or in private letters anything else than what is in 
the WATCH TOWER because I find that some of the dear 
friends are inclined to say, Oh, well, that is what Brother 
Russell used to believe, that is what is in the DAWNS and in 
the WATCH TOWER, I know, but since then he has changed 
his mind; he wrote me a special letter, but I heard him say at 
the convention this year so and so. I understand that even one 
of the Pilgrims has been telling what Brother Russell changed 
his mind about. I want to say that when Brother Russell 
changes his mind, he is going to put it in the WATCH 
TOWER; he wants you all to know. You just take it from the 
WATCH TOWER. I will make it as plain as possible there, 
and, if I cannot make it plain enough there, I am afraid I 
would not do so here. 

GREAT COMPANY-Their Change. 

Q314:1 :: QUESTION (1913)--l--Are those of the Great 
Company class changed at the moment of death at the present 
time? 

ANSWER-Do we understand that those of the Great 
Company class are changed at the moment of their dying? I 
think not. To my understanding, the Little Flock class will 
constitute the first resurrection; as we read. Blessed and holy 
are all of those who have part in the first resurrection: they 
shall he kings and priests unto God and Christ, and shall reign 
with Him a thousand years. This is the first resurrection. I 
would understand the Great Company class will not he 
changed until after the Church class, the Little Flock 
company, is all completed on the other side of the vail. 

GREAT COMPANY-Their Change. 

Q314:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-About what time will 
the Great Company class be glorified? 

ANSWER--I think shortly after the Little Flock has 
been glorified, and the great time of trouble has come upon 
the world in general in which the Great Company class will 
be amongst the first to share and that after they have all 
finished they shall he glorified and brought into the presence 
of the great King, as described in the 46th Psalm. 



GREAT COMPANY-This Side the Vail. 

Q314:3:: QUESTION (1913) 3 Is there any Great 
Company class on this side of the vail and is there any 
separation between the Little Flock and the Great Company 
on this side? 

ANSWER--We tried to say last evening there is no 
separation, no two classes at the present time, and it would be 
quite improper for you or I or any others of God's people to 
try to say. This one belongs to the Great Company and that 
one to the Little Flock. No one decides that but the Lord 
Himself, and that apparently is left to the very close, therefore 
we think it would be quite improper to speak of two classes in 
the Church. "All ye are brethren." All come under one name. 
Seek to make your calling and election sure. No man can 
know nor say how well you are running in the race. Only 
God and you know how loyal you are, and the Apostle 
intimates that we might ourselves be fully confident as to how 
well we are doing. You remember he says. It is a light thing 
that I should be judged of you or any man. Yea, I judge not 
mine own self. I might pass a wrong judgment on myself and 
say. You do not belong to the Little Flock, or say. Surely you 
do belong to the Little Flock. So it 

{Page Q3 15} 

would be a small thing that we should be judged of each other 
or by our own selves. There is one that judgeth, even God, 
and He will decide the matter. No one else is competent to do 
so. We do well to avoid any such judging. Help one another, 
encourage one another, point out the conditions and terms and 
all that, but do not judge one another. 

GREAT COMPANY-What Part in the General 
Assembly. 

Q315:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--To the General 
Assembly and Church of the Firstborn which are written in 
Heaven—does the church of this text include the Great 
Company and when does the text apply? 

ANSWER—This question we had earlier in our service. 
It does include, as we then showed, the Great Company class, 
and it applies at the present time. That is to say, the Apostle 
is telling about the gathering of the Church. The General 
Assembly, we believe, is going on now; just the same as this 
convention has been going on now for two days; some came 
on Saturday morning, some in the evening and some have just 
come in. I saw some coming in with their valises just now. 



So there is a gathering here and it has been coming together 
gradually. Just so God is gathering in the first resurrection, 
the Church of the Firstborns. The Firstborn of the Church, 
Jesus the head, went to glory 1,800 years ago, but the 
gathering of the Church which is His Body we understand 
takes place during this harvest time. Those who sleep in 
Jesus will be the first to be changed, then we which are alive 
and remain are to be changed gradually, each one in his own 
order, until all the church will have experienced the change. 
And this same process of gathering the Church of the 
Firstborn will include the Great Company class, and all of 
those will come in as part of the gathering together of the 
General Assembly of the Church of the Firstborn whose 
names are written in Heaven. Their names are not all written 
in the Lamb's Book of Life, because those whose names are 
written are the special class, the Bride class. Their names are 
written from the time they first made their consecration, and 
the Lord said He would not blot out their names unless they 
would prove renegade—unless they would turn against him 
and His arrangements. So we see that the Lord is dealing 
very graciously and even will bring some through great 
tribulation. 

GREAT COMPANY--Re Chart of Ages and 
Tabernacle. 

Q315:2:: QUESTION (1913)-2-On the chart the 
Great Company is represented above plane M of spirit 
begetting, yet we are told in the finished picture in the 
Tabernacle type they will be in the court condition below the 
spirit begetting. Please harmonize this. 

ANSWER~The chart is a picture of the progress of the 
Church upward to the attainment of the High Calling, and 
then in the large pyramid at the end of the chart the different 
relationships of these the one to the other is pictured. We 
cannot say that we can harmonize it to everybody's mind. 
Take as much of it as you can and leave the rest. Some can 
get more nutriment out of a slice of bread than another can, so 
we cannot hinder the one that gets only a little nutriment from 
eating the bread, and, if he need it, eats more. 

GREAT COMPANY--Re Teaching What is 
Understood. 

Q315:3:: QUESTION (1915)--3--Cannot Rev. 7:9-17 
be applied 



{PageQ316} 

to the saved world of mankind, rather than to a Great 
Company class? Is there not a very serious danger in 
teaching that there is to be a great company on the spirit 
Plane and that those who lack a thorough appreciation of the 
high calling, and a consecration thereto, will be saved 
notwithstanding? 

ANSWER~It would he very dangerous for any person 
who does not see a thing to presume to teach it. The 
questioner evidently does not understand this subject, and that 
cuts the answer short. When we leave a subject as the Lord 
puts it, we have it right. "The prophet that hath a dream, let 
him tell a dream; and he that hath My Word, let him speak 
My Word faithfully." "We speak that we do know." This is 
the privilege that we intend to have until we die. Is it not? 

GREAT COMPANY-Their Change. 

Q316:1:: QUESTION (1915)--l--Will the Great 
Company be take Home before the Kingdom is set up? 

ANSWER--I think not. I think the Kingdom will be set 
up before the Great Company is taken. I believe that after the 
Kingdom is set up and after the Time of Trouble is fully on 
the Great Company will wash their robes and will finish their 
course, during the period of anarchy, and will then be present 
at the Marriage Supper. They will not be a part of the Bride, 
but may nevertheless have the honor of being at the great 
Feast and have association with the Bride, become her 
honored servants—her bridesmaids so to speak. 

GREAT COMPANY-And The Divine Nature. 

Q316:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-Are there any 
Scriptures to prove that the Great Company will not receive 
the Divine nature? 

ANSWER— There are no Scriptures to prove that the 
great company will get the Divine nature, and there are many 
scriptures to prove that they will not get the Divine nature, 
because the Scriptures say that the Divine nature will be given 
only to those who are more than conquerors. The great 
company will finally be conquerors, but the Little Flock class 
will he more than conquerors and will consist of those who 
gain a great victory in that they fully follow the Lamb. Jesus 
went on voluntarily presenting His body as a living sacrifice. 
The little flock will be voluntary sacrifices, whereas the great 
company will not be voluntary sacrifices. They will therefore 



be sent forth into the wilderness of the tribulation for the 
destruction of their flesh. Only those sacrificers who cooperate 
willingly and gladly with the sacrificing Priest, the 
Lord Jesus, will be members of the bride class and become 
partakers of the Divine nature—glory, honor and immortality. 
At first the Father only, had immortality, afterwards the Son 
received this as a reward for His faithfulness, and then the 
bride class will sit with Him on His throne and share His 
glory. St. Peter says He has given us exceeding great and 
precious promises that, by these (working in our minds and 
hearts) we might become partakers of the Divine nature. He 
speaks to the little flock class, and not to the great company 
class. Why not? Because the Word of the Lord is not for the 
great company. They refuse to go faithfully forward until 
death, so the Word of the Lord is not sent unto them. They 
will have 

{Page Q3 17} 

to be pushed in, you see; but those who will be willing to 
go in by the Word, they will share the Divine nature. St. Paul 
speaks of those who seek glory, honor and immortality as 
gaining this eternal life, but they must seek for it. It is 
something to be done. The worthy ones are those who seek 
for it. We must first apply that promise by entering into the 
covenant by sacrifice, and then, if we will run properly, we 
will attain unto that prize. Others will receive a lesser 
reward. 

HANDS-Placed on Heads of Offerings. 

Q317:1:: QUESTION (1909)-1-What was the 
significance of the High Priest always laying his hands upon 
the heads of the offerings? 

ANSWER—I am not sure that he did always lay his 
hands on their heads, but when he did, it would imply that he 
accepted it, and that it would represent him, as being his 
sacrifice. The same also when a sinner laid his hands upon a 
sacrifice, it was accepted instead of himself and represented 
him. Also the same in the case of the Church laying their 
hands upon Paul and Barnabas, that act said, in effect. We 
accept them as our representatives, and when they go out they 
represent this Antioch Church, that they would bear their 
expenses, etc. 



HARVEST-Difference Between Separating and 

Reaping. 

Q317:2:: QUESTION (1908)--2-What is the difference 
in the character of work between separating the wheat from 
the tares, and the reaping? 

ANSWER—Well, dear friends, I suppose this 
illustration of a harvest is not a perfect illustration; I would 
scarcely think that it would be a perfect illustration. If we 
were to think of it that way, we would have to suppose, first 
of all, there would be the cutting of the grain, and then the 
separating of it, and the threshing of it, and the gathering of it 
into the barns; and if we were going to apply that, we would 
see so many ways for cutting it down, so many ways of 
separating it, so many ways for threshing it out, etc., that it 
would not fit with the facts. To my understanding, this 
harvest work is going on for all of these forty years, and there 
are some who went promptly into the garner away back in 
1881, and some have been going into the garner ever since, all 
the way down; so here in this beautiful figure of the harvest 
work I do not think we could expect the fulfillment of every 
little detail. The main features are given in the parable itself, 
namely the Lord taught that the harvest would be the end of 
the age, and in the harvest He would send His reapers who 
would gather the tares into bundles for burning. Now, the 
gathering of the tares into bundles to my understanding, 
represents the gathering and the tying tight of organizations. I 
am not going to limit this to so called secret orders; I think 
that probable they are part of it. All the various 
denominations are part of that great bundling system, and the 
effect is very similar in; fact I do not know why anyone who 
is a member of an ordinary church should make objection to a 
man being a member of the Odd Fellows or the Masons. So 
far as I can understand, they are a kind of a church, too, or 
they clam to be; they have their regular ritual service, and 
claim to go to the holy, 

{Page Q3 18} 

etc., when they die. Only a few days ago I heard a little 
dissertation along that line. Their comrades are all supposed 
to be welcomed when they die into the great hereafter; they 
pass them along gently, just about as well as any of the 
nominal church people could do it, and with just about as 
much authority, and with just about as much sincerity, so far 
as I can tell. I am not judging at all, I am merely saying, so 



far as I can tell. But my understanding is, that all of these are 
bundles, and each bundle is getting tighter. Some of you 
know a great deal more about Freemasonry than I do, and I 
am not here to say anything against it, because I do not know 
anything to say, and I do not know as I would say it if I did 
know it. The Lord did not send me to preach against 
Masonry or Odd Fellowship, nor against Presbyterianism or 
Methodism. Our opportunity is to tell the truth, to preach the 
true gospel of Christ, and the Lord says that this message is to 
have its effects on the different hearts. Now, if you find 
yourself in any kind of a bundle, you know that is not the 
program so far as the wheat is concerned. The wheat is to he 
gathered into the garner; it is not to be put into bundles in the 
present life. The wheat is to be free. If you find yourself in 
any kind of a bundle, better get out of the bundle. Trust in the 
Lord, and be in harmony with Him, and this will take you out 
of all kinds of bundles and human organizations, I believe. I 
should, perhaps, say a cautionary word here to the effect that 
I would understand this would mean, for instance, that if I 
were a carpenter I would prefer to be at liberty, but if it were 
demanded of me that I should join a union before I could have 
work, and that I must pay so much of my money into that 
union's coffers, I should join. I should understand that I was 
making so much of a contribution to the general weal of the 
carpenters, and I would have no hesitation in the matter, 
because there is nothing of a religious kind there. There is 
nothing that would fetter my heart or mind. But if that 
organization should do anything I could not approve, I would 
feel perfectly free to withdraw at any time. So I would make 
that limitation. But, so far as wheat and tares are concerned, I 
think there are plenty of bundles all around you, and I notice, 
too, that these different worldly organizations, if we may so 
call them in contradistinction to church organizations, are also 
taking the same methods the church people are taking. It used 
to be very easy to withdraw from one of the churches and you 
could say, "I will thank you for a letter," and then they would 
take the letter and never deposit it, but burn it up, if they 
desired. And so with the Masons; they had a method by 
which anyone desiring to leave the order could ask for a demit 
and he would get that without any particular question. I have 
been informed that now this is changed somewhat. If you are 
a Presbyterian, and you wish a letter, they say, "To which 
church do you wish the letter addressed?" You say, "Oh, just 
make it out anyway." "Oh we do not do that now; we will 
give you a letter to a certain, particular church and it is to he 
deposited there-good when deposited there." And so I am 



informed that our Freemason friends are doing the same 
thing; they do not give demits now. If you wish to be 
transferred to another lodge they will transfer you, but they do 
not give demits now in the same way they formerly did. 

{Page Q3 19} 

A Brother: Brother Russell, I am a Mason and, 
unfortunately, hold a high position in the order, and I would 
like to make a little correction on that. A Mason is perfectly 
free to leave when he feels so disposed. No restraint 
whatever is placed upon him. 

Brother Russell: I told you in the beginning that I did not 
know about it myself; I was only relating what a brother told 
me. 

Another Brother: I was a Mason in a different jurisdiction 
from that of the brother. It may he all right in his particular 
jurisdiction, but it is not the same in other jurisdictions, as I 
know. 

Brother Russell: You will notice that we never have 
anything to say against any of these. We have not said an 
unkind word about Freemasonry, and you never read anything 
unkind that we have ever said about it, and I do not wish to 
say anything unkind about Presbyterianism, or Methodism. I 
think that many of the dear friends in these denominations are 
good people, and I appreciate their characters. What I talk 
about sometimes is Presbyterian doctrine, and they talk about 
it, too. And I have read things they have said about 
Presbyterian doctrines far harder than anything I have ever 
said. I sometimes quote in the Watch Tower some things 
Presbyterians say about their own doctrine, and I occasionally 
quote in the Watch Tower something the Methodists say 
about their doctrine, because they say it stronger than I should 
wish to say it. 

HARVEST-Great Harvest, Little Flock. 

Q319:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--"The harvest truly is 
great." If it is a "Little Flock" that comes out, how is the 
harvest great or plenteous? 

ANSWER~The Lord's illustration must be borne in 
mind; he was in the harvest time of the Jewish Age, and the 
whole Jewish nation was the harvest field at that time, so then 
we will have to find fault with the Lord. If there is any 
mistake, he made the mistake, for He said, "The harvest is 
great and the laborers few." Now, then, the harvest there, so 
far as Jesus was concerned, was the gathering in of 500 



brethren at that time, but that was not all of the Jewish 
harvest, for more were gathered later. We must suppose that 
Jesus meant relatively, there is a great work to do in 
comparison with the few that are ready and willing to do it. 
Also they were a typical people and it was true then, and so it 
is true now. All of the Jews were not gathered then, for 
millions were not gathered, but the Lord spoke of those who 
were gathered as plenteous, all good characters, and he was 
satisfied. He will be satisfied with what he gets out of the 
Gentiles. But the point of the argument seems to be that the 
laborers are few, more work than the laborers could do. 
There is plenty for all, and work for more. So he said. Pray 
ye the Lord of the harvest that he will send more laborers. 
Such should expect that the Lord would send them. Apply 
the same thing now—do not expect that the harvest work here 
will include millions, but a considerable number, and in my 
judgment there is yet a great work to he done. I can see 
where ever so many more of the Lord's faithful people could 
be used in the Lord's work. I have been calling attention to 
the London office, that there ought 

{PageQ320} 

to be a great many more Colporteurs here. There is a great 
field for work to be done. If the Colporteurs do not do it, I 
presume the Lord will find some other way, but the 
opportunity will be lost. 

As an illustration: the Lord hindered the books from being 
sold in book stores, and I presume it was to make the way 
clear for the friends to sell the books. For a long time the 
Lord did not open the way for the newspapers, so the friends 
could give out the tracts, but now the Lord is opening up the 
worldly newspapers, and sending them to millions of people. 
Why? There are not enough reapers. While praying, ask 
yourself. What can I do? If he has a work going on you want 
to get your share, so with everyone. 

HARVEST--Re Ending in Spring of 1910. 
Q320:1 :: QUESTION (1910)-1-A thought is being 
advanced among the friends that the work will close next 
spring. Do you find any Scriptural proof for such thought, 
and are you in sympathy with the advancing of such theory? 

ANSWER-I do not find any ground for such a thought. 
I am not in sympathy with the advancement of such a theory. 
I think it would be far better for the dear friends not to 
speculate about things of which they have no knowledge. At 



least, I will say that I think I would do best not to speculate 
about things of which I have no knowledge. If they have any 
knowledge on this subject, they have some knowledge I do 
not have, and if they are sure that they have knowledge, of 
course to their own Master they are responsible for the using 
of it. But so far as I can see, dear friends, discussing such 
matters as that merely takes away from the friends 
opportunities for usefulness, and we would far better stop 
talking about such things and be busily engaged in the harvest 
work, doing what we can do, never minding whether it is 
going to stop next spring or not. I will tell you next spring 
how it will be. In the meantime, as far as I can see, we all 
have plenty to do. Do not anybody stop for lack of work. 

HARVEST-Re Extent of Opportunities for Service. 

Q320:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-Accordingto the 
present outlook, can you give us any idea how long the 
opportunities for service will continue, the pilgrim service, 
colporteur service, volunteer work, etc.? 

ANSWER~I cannot. Some of the dear friends would 
seem to think that they have it all very nicely figured out. 
Well, I cannot quarrel with them, because I do not see it. If 
they say they see it, why they see more than I do. So far as I 
can see now, dear friends, I have no reason to think that the 
colporteur work or the other parts of the service are going to 
shut down immediately. It looks to me as though the work 
never had a more prosperous appearance than it has at the 
present time. My thought is that you and I, and all who are 
interested in the work, had best not be bothering our heads 
about when it is going to close. You will find out when it 
closes all right, won't you? Of course you will. So then do 
with your might what your hands find to do, and you will find 
lots to do now, large opportunities every day in all these 
various directions. My advice is, go 

{PageQ321} 

ahead; never mind what somebody says about when you can 
not go ahead; you will find that out in due time yourself. 

HARVEST-Length of in Parables, IVIatli. 13:30 and 
IVIath. 20:1-16. 

Q321:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Does the harvest 
referred to in the parable of the tares in Mat. 13:30 cover a 
corresponding period of time to the work in the vineyard in 
Mat. 20:1-16? 



ANSWER-I don't know. 

HATE-The World Cannot Hate You -To Whom 
Spoken? 

Q321:2:: QUESTION (1907)--2--Please harmonize these 
verses: "The world cannot hate you, but Me it hateth because 
I testified of it that the works thereof are evil." And the other 
text is: "If ye were of the world, the world would love its own. 
Now, because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you 
out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." Please 
harmonize these two particular texts, and particularly the 
words, "The world cannot hate you," and "therefore the world 
hateth you." 

ANSWER— The one was spoken to a mixed audience of 
people, and the other was spoken to those who were His 
disciples, whom He had gathered out from the Jewish people. 
He said. Them that you gavest me, they received my Word, 
and because they received My Word and became My footstep 
followers, therefore the world hates them because it hated 
Me. It did not hate them originally; it was not opposed to 
them originally. It might have ignored them, but it did not 
hate them. But He was bearing the light, and the light 
rebuked the darkness, and so they hated the light, and hated 
the light-bearer. Now you have become sharers with me in 
holding up the light— "Let your light so shine"— and in 
proportion as you do so, the world will hate you just as it 
hated Me. 

HATRED-For Satan and his Sympathizers Proper. 

Q321:3:: QUESTION (1915)-3-Please explain the 
Scripture: "Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee? I 
hate them with a perfect hatred." (Psa 139:21,22.) 

ANSWER— We may not he sure that we get the full 
import of the Psalmist's words in this passage, but we can 
apply the matter to ourselves and say that all the Lord's 
people should hate that which is evil. We could not properly 
have any sympathy with that which is evil. And so, of our 
Lord Jesus it was said, "Because Thou hast loved 
righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God, even Thy 
God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy 
fellows" (Heb. 1:9). Now the great Head of the Church 
loved righteousness, and we must cultivate that same love for 
righteousness. He hated iniquity, sin, and we must have that 
same hatred. 

There are people who are more or less under the influence 
of iniquity by reason of weakness with which they are born. 



We must still hate the iniquity, but must learn more and more 
to have sympathy for the poor human race, as God has 
sympathy for them. His sympathy is so great that "while we 
were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly," the unjust, 
those out of accord with God's Law (Rom. 5:8). We must 
have the mind of the Lord; but we are to 

{PageQ322} 

have no sympathy with the evil. If there are any who have 
come to the place where they are in full sympathy with 
iniquity, and there are some such the Scriptures assure us, 
they are themselves iniquitous and would properly be classed 
with Satan. 

Satan has shown this iniquitous spirit not only by his course 
when he first defied the Almighty and deceived mankind and 
became the murderer of our race, but all along up to the 
present time. Jesus said to Satan, "When he speaketh a lie he 
speaketh of his own; for he is a liar and the father of it" 
(John 8:44). Now if Satan had turned from his iniquity, 
then no doubt God would have found some way, even in 
Satan's case, by which he might come back to God. Since he 
has never made any manifestation of repentance nor of 
sympathy for righteousness, his name is properly used in the 
Bible as the synonym for iniquity. 

What about the fallen angels? We are not able to judge of 
them all. The Bible tells us about the final destruction of the 
Devil and his angels—those who prove, like him, incorrigible. 
All such will be iniquitous—not merely under the evil 
influence of another, but they themselves inseparably 
identified with iniquity, because of their own choice and 
volition. This class will include both evil men and evil 
angels, and such will be the class that would be the haters of 
God referred to in the text cited by the questioner: "Do not I 
hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee? I hate them with perfect 
hatred." 

Do I hate Satan? I certainly do ! Is it a perfect hatred? I 
hope it is a perfect hatred, so much so that I would not 
compromise or enter into anything that would bring me into 
relationship with any of Satan's methods. We wish to be 
separate from everything that is occult, remembering that 
there are but two masters, the one our Master, and the 
other his opponent. We have no fellowship with him. All our 
interest is on the Lord's side. The Adversary, Satan, the 
Prince of Darkness, we hate with perfect hatred; and any who 
prove to be his followers or sympathizers under full light 



deserve the same hatred. 

But such a hatred would not mean on our part any pleasure 
in having them tortured throughout all eternity. It would be 
the same kind of hatred that God has. God is altogether 
righteous and His hatred will mean the destruction in due time 
of Satan and all who are of his spirit. This is the proper 
hatred that we should have, the hatred that would wish to see 
the opponents of God destroyed. 

HEAD COVERING-Kind of. 

Q322:1 :: QUESTION (1906)--1--The modern hat is 
certainly anything but a convenience in an audience, and 
some of the sisters wish to know if any one can suggest some 
method by which women can have the head covered during 
service without wearing the objectionable hat, and yet be 
something that would not call undue attention to the fact? 

ANSWER--Am I a Solomon, that I would have the 
wisdom to decide questions like this? I will tell you, dear 
friends, what I have noticed some sisters do, and thought that 
if I were a sister it is quite probable I would adopt it, though 
this is the first time I have ever mentioned it, I believe. I have 
noticed some of the sisters wearing a little lace covering, and 
thought, now that looks very neat, and as far as I 

{PageQ323} 

know, that covers everything the Apostle had in mind. It is 
merely a sign, and I would not know any reason why that 
would not be proper. But, mind you, I am not laying down 
any law. 

HEAD COVERING-Authority for. 

Q323:1:: QUESTION ( 1 906)-- 1 --Is it necessary for 
women to wear hats or some other covering during meetings? 

ANSWER-Well, ask the Apostle Paul: he is authority 
on the subject and I am not. 

HEADSHIP~Re Writing in IVIannas, etc. 

0323:2:: QUESTION (191 l)-2-Is it denying the 
headship on the part of a sister who signs her name in 
Mannas, etc., instead of her husband's full name, as for 
instance, Mrs. Mary Dodds, instead of Mrs. Joseph Dodds? 

ANSWER—Well, it would be not necessarily denying 
the headship, dear friends; I would not say that; but it would 
be a matter of etiquette, and a question as to what would he 
the proper form. As a rule, the understanding is that when a 



woman signs "Mrs." to her name she puts her husband's 
initials or name, but that if she wishes to sign her own name 
she leaves off the "Mrs." or else puts the "Mrs." in 
parenthesis. 

HEALINGS-Call Elders, Pray and Anoint. 

Q323:3:: QUESTION (1909) 3 How should 
Christians follow the admonitions of Jam. 5:14. "Is any sick 
among you? Let him call for the elders of the Church; and let 
them pray over him, anointing him with oil, in the name of the 
Lord. . . .and if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven 
him." 

ANSWER--" And if he hath committed," that I consider 
the essence of it. The intimation is that such an one has 
committed sin, become estranged from God, and is unable to 
go to Him. Therefore in this sad and separated condition, 
"Though he hath committed sin," he may call for the elders of 
the Church and confess his fault, as the Apostle said: 
"Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another." 
This I would understand to be spiritual healing. Why not 
physical healing? To understand it so would he to understand 
it out of harmony with the whole Bible, which tells us that 
instead of expecting physical healing, we are to lay down our 
lives in sacrifice. There is not a suggestion anywhere that our 
Lord's disciples were healed by him. While Jesus sent forth 
His disciples to heal others. He never told them to heal 
themselves, and they never did, and Jesus never healed them. 
In the case of Paul, he mentions several brethren who were 
sick, and the Lord had mercy and finally healed them, but the 
Apostle did not command any magic work to be done for 
them, nor give them any aprons or napkins, etc., but he did to 
others. When Peter's wife's mother was sick of a fever, then 
she was healed, but not Peter nor any of the disciples. Hence, 
if James' statement is to he regarded as a general one to the 
Church, it would he contrary to everything else in the 
Scriptures. 

When you and I were accepted, we were counted as having 
received restitution or life, and were admonished to present 
our bodies a living sacrifice. When our Lord was worn and 
tired from labor of preaching and teaching, did He pray to be 
healed? What did He do? He sat on the edge of the well and 
rested, just as you and I would do if we were tired. When He 
was hungry, did He command the 

{PageQ324} 



stones to be made into bread? No, He said it would be using 
power improperly. But, He did use that power for the feeding 
of the multitudes, and He may have eaten some of that which 
was provided for the multitudes, which would not have been a 
special use of His own power for Himself. We are called to 
sacrifice, and not called to restitution-that will be in the next 
age. 

A friend of mine, believing in Present Truth, called upon 
me one day and said he had a cold. I drew out a drawer and 
said I would give him something that would help him. He 
said, "No, the Lord is my healer, and I will get over it in two 
or three days." "Oh," I said, "I thought I might help you over 
it sooner." I then remembered that he had the thought that if 
he had a toothache, or earache, or a corn that the Lord would 
heal him. He was inquiring for a brother and said he was so 
sick that his life was despaired of, and he also believed the 
same way. I said, "Brother, I will take this opportunity to tell 
you something. You believe that you should take your aches 
and pains to the Lord and then wait. Now, brother, I would 
like to call your attention to this fact that this brother, 
notwithstanding he has the Lord as his healer, is now so sick 
that you can't even see him, and then after being sick a long 
time, then gets a doctor and gets well. Now you are sick, and 
I remember several occasions when you have been sick. 
Now, while I am not boasting of the Lord being my healer, 
nor of my suggestions, I want to tell you that the Lord in His 
providences has so overruled in my life that I have been but 
one day in bed sick in forty-five years. Now, brother, do you 
think it would be better for the Lord to keep you well or to let 
you get sick and then heal you?" He seemed to see that the 
Lord could keep him well. 

My thought is that you and I have a perfect right, according 
to God's arrangements, to do anything that we can properly, 
and to use anything for our physical health. When you are 
hungry, you eat meat and bread and potatoes, and they are 
some of the very best medicines. Also a little sleep. Now we 
do not think of doing without these. And if I thought that a 
pinch of catnip or anything else would arouse the liver and 
settle the stomach, I would not hesitate to take it any more 
than to take bread or potatoes, and I would think I was using 
the same common sense in caring for my body. We read: "Of 
all the herbs of the field you may freely eat." Do the best you 
can, you are a groaning creation, do anything for your relief. 
When I take some medicine I am not doing something but that 
is open and common to all mankind. I have consecrated all 
that I have to the Lord, but he never expected me to give up 



the eating of bread and meat or of taking some catnip if it was 
good for my stomacii. 

HEALINGS-Re Jesus' Command. 

Q324:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--What does this mean: 
where Jesus commanded his disciples to heal the sick, raise 
the dead, and cleanse the lepers? 

ANSWER--His disciples did go out and do that very 
work to a certain extent; but there is one passage of Scripture 
which this brother refers to, which reads like this: "And these 
signs shall follow them which believe. In my name 

{PageQ325} 

they shall cast out devils, and heal the sick, and if they drink 
any poisonous thing, it shall not hurt them," etc. What is the 
matter with that? As a matter of fact, that passage is not a 
part of the original Gospel; that chapter ends with the ninth 
verse; everything after the ninth verse is an interpolation, 
added somewhere about the eighth century as near as we 
know. It is not in the oldest manuscripts in the Greek, as all 
scholars know. Giving you an illustration of what has been 
added to the Bible take the last verse of the gospel of John. 
Anybody can see that it is an interpolation; it is not in any of 
the old manuscripts. It reads this way: "And I suppose that if 
all the things Jesus wrote and done were written the world 
itself would not be able to contain the books that should be 
written." What a whopper! Somebody who wanted to make 
it large felt at liberty to add that verse without any authority. 
Now, I do not go in for all the additions to the Word of God; I 
merely stand for what God said, as written by his prophets 
and apostles, nothing more. 

HEALINGS-Result of Prayer. 

Q325:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--Has the due time 
come in God's great plan when the consecrated may pray for 
the removal of mental or physical defects in children? 

ANSWER— I do not think restitution blessings are due 
to the world yet. I understand that restitution is God's 
provision to be inaugurated after the second coming of Christ 
and the establishment of His Kingdom. What Jesus did in the 
way of restitution at the first advent, and what the Apostles 
also did at that time, we are not to consider against God's 
plan, and if the Lord could and did do miracles there in 
advance of the restitution it would show that it was violation 
of God's law, and hence if God should grant more restitution 



blessings now there would be no law to hinder it, as there was 
no law to hinder Jesus and the Apostles from performing 
restitution blessings. But the time for them is future. So, 
then, if I were to think of or pray for such, and in connection 
with their infirmities, my thought would be like this: I know 
that God has made full provision for the restitution of my 
children and other children, and for the whole human family 
by and by; I am not sure that God is ready now to give any 
special manifestations along this line; if I would pray at all on 
this subject I would pray with a certain limitation in my mind 
as well as in my expression, and I would say, "Lord, 
notwithstanding though I ask this. Thy will be done, not my 
will." I would see no harm in making such a prayer under 
such conditions, saying, "Lord, I know not whether the time 
has come that you will be pleased to grant some measure of 
restitution to my child, therefore I leave the matter in your 
hands. I pray, if it is in harmony with your will that such 
blessings may come to it. Father, I ask nothing of restitution 
rights for myself, because all of these earthly and restitution 
rights I have sacrificed and therefore I ask nothing for 
myself." My petition would merely be for this child, this one 
who is the subject of prayer. 

HEARING ear-Is it Miraculous? 

Q325:2:: QUESTION (1909) 2 Do we have the 
hearing ear by a miraculous gift from God, or because the 
image of God has not been wholly obliterated? 

ANSWER—I understand that this expression "hearing 
ear" might be viewed from different standpoints. If you refer 

{PageQ326} 

to the natural man, then it would have one meaning, but if to 
the New Creature, then it would have another meaning. As 
for instance, if I speak to Christians and speak of our eyes 
being opened, and of our ears being blessed of the Lord, I am 
speaking of our spiritual eyes and ears by which we can 
appreciate the spirit of the Lord. Another illustration, when 
you first came to the Lord, you were drawn to the Lord, or 
you heard His voice, and that attracted you, and you came to 
Jesus. This is where the natural ear had not been entirely 
vitiated by the fall. You perhaps were born with some 
reverence which would say. You ought to bring an offering to 
the Lord, you ought to render thanks to Him. This led you to 
feel after God and He was pleased to he found of you, and He 
took you by the hand, saying, this way, my honest soul, this is 



Jesus, the one through whom I am pleased to have all come 
who would come to me. But don't make a mistake of 
confounding the hearing ear of the human nature with the 
hearing ear of the New Creature. 

HEAVEN AND HELL-Did Pastor Russell Say There 
Was None? 

Q326:1 :: QUESTION ( 1 909)-- 1 --If there is no heaven 
or hell please tell us how you found it out? 

ANSWER~We have already said that there is a heaven, 
and enough space for all the angels and the saints. Our Lord 
said, "In my Father's house are many mansions, but I go to 
prepare a place for you." But He did not say anything about 
preparing a place for mankind in general. The time to prepare 
for them is in the Millennial Age. 

HEAVEN AND HELL-Are There Such Places? 

Q326:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-Why are heaven and 
hell mentioned in the Bible if there are no such places? 

ANSWER— We believe that there are such places. We 
believe that there is a heaven, as the Scriptures say: Heaven is 
my throne, the earth is my footstool, sayeth the Lord. 

Supposing that every one born into the world is eventually 
to go to heaven is one of the errors that we have fallen into. 
God, in the greatness of His wisdom and power, was pleased 
to create angels and then subsequently, in the further 
development of His plan. He was pleased to make this earth 
and then create mankind. He made human beings a little 
lower than angels. Man never was an angel, never fell from 
being an angel, and was never intended to be an angel. Made 
a little lower than the angels, just like them in respect to 
having the divine characteristics of mind and will, and in 
some respects God made man higher than the angels, in the 
sense of giving them dominion over the earth, but to the 
angels He never gave any dominion; He put all these things 
under the feet of men. Heaven was intended for the angels 
and for Himself. During this present time God is developing 
the New Creation and they are to be heavenly beings and are 
to go to heaven, and as the Scriptures state, they will have a 
nature not only like the angels, but in some respects superior 
to them, in that they will have the divine nature. 

We do not know how many orders there are of spirit beings, 
but we read about Cherubims and Seraphims. He informs us 
that He has put these all under subjection to Christ. When 
Christ ascended up on high, God said, let all the angels 
worship Him. But this does not interfere with God's plan 



respecting the earth, which He designed should 

{PageQ327} 

he inhabited. It would be very absurd to think that after God 
had spent six thousand years in training the world, and then 
1 ,000 years in making them fit for eternal life. He would blot 
them out. 

As for hell, we certainly believe more about it than others, 
for we understand that all go there, while others put 
only part of the people there; but it is a different hell, it is the 
Bible hell, the state of the dead, sheol, and the whole world 
goes to sheol. Get your Bible and compare how this word is 
used all through the Old Testament. Good and bad all go 
there; they are all gathered to their fathers, and sleep with 
them whether they are good or bad. It would be very strange 
to say that they slept with their fathers if their fathers were in 
hell, for they are awake in the theological hell. 

We do not deny that there is a hell and a heaven, but we do 
deny the nocturnal hallucinations that have come down to us 
from the dark ages. 

HELL-lts Opposite. 

Q327:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1-We say that everything 
has an opposite; if so, why is there no place of 
punishment? 

ANSWER—Well, I don't know that you ever heard me 
say that everything has an opposite, nor that the Lord said so, 
and whoever said so, he is the one you ought to ask this 
question of. It is true that wherever there is a mountain, there 
is pretty sure to he a valley, but there are some mountains 
rising up out of the sea and there is no valley present. Mean 
things are opposite to good things, and sweet things are 
opposite to sour. 

The Bible places life and death as opposites, and he who 
will not serve God shall not have life but death, but he who 
will serve and obey Him shall have life. That is the best kind 
of an opposite, and we have the Lord's word for it, "I have set 
before you life and death, choose life that you may live." So 
the whole proposition during the Millennial Age will be. 
Obey and live, disobey and die. Those are the antitheses or 
opposites. 

HELL-Re Destroyed by Pastor Russell. 

Q327:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-If you do away with 
hell, and its torment, why do you not do away with the devil? 



ANSWER—I do not do away with hell, my dear friends. 
All of you who were here this afternoon will hear me witness 
that I preached more hell than you ever heard before, and said 
that everybody goes to hell--the Bible hell; but there are no 
demons in the Bible hell. The Bible never says anything 
about demons in hell. The Bible tells us that Satan goes about 
as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. How could 
that be if he is stoking fire off in some place beyond space or 
time, how would he be able to attend to things so well in 
Winnipeg? 

HELL~Re Being Opposite of IHeaven. 

Q327:3:: QUESTION (1911)--3--What answer should 
be made to those who declare that if there is a heaven of 
everlasting happiness for the saintly, there must be also a hell 
of everlasting torture for the wicked? 

ANSWER—Well, we would not like to answer such a 
person really according to the logic of the question, because 
that might seem rude, and Christianity is never to be rude. 

{PageQ328} 

The person who asks a question like that of us implies that he 
has not good reasoning faculties. There is no comparison 
between everlasting life in happiness, and everlasting life in 
torture, there is no such proposition set before us in the Bible. 
The antithisis of life is death. You will live or you will die. 
And so the Lord, you remember through the prophet, said, "I 
have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; 
choose therefore life that ye may live." This is the whole 
invitation of the Gospel, that we might live. God is offering 
life. He declares that there is no everlasting life to any except 
through our Lord Jesus. "He that hath the Son hath life, and 
he that hath not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of 
God abideth upon him." The wrath of God is a death penalty. 
As you and I look out into the world today, every funeral we 
see, every piece of crepe we see, everything that indicates 
sickness and death, speaks of the wrath of God—the sentence 
of God as the Bible presents it. Anything else is a 
misconception. We look back and see what the curse was that 
God put upon Father Adam. When Adam was placed in the 
garden of Eden, it was upon the condition that if he would 
remain obedient to God he might continue to live and live in 
happiness, live in an earthly Eden, and if he was disobedient 
to God he would die. "The wages of sin is death." "The soul 
that sinneth it shall die." This is God's sentence, and so it was 



then, that when Father Adam was disobedient, this sentence 
or curse of death came upon him, and you and I as his 
children today are suffering this curse of death; all the aches 
and pains, all the mental and moral imperfection that you 
know about and possess, and that I have anything to do with 
all of these are so much of death working in us. This is the 
original penalty that is bearing the human family down to the 
tomb. That is the great hell of the Bible, sheol, hades. 
Death is the penalty for sin and all the aches and pains 
incidental to it are so much incidental to the full culmination 
of that penalty. And so it is that God set before Adam life 
and death, not heaven and hell. He might continue to live in 
Eden if obedient, he would die if he were disobedient. He did 
disobey, he did die. We are all witnesses that the whole race 
is in death. Saint Paul expresses this matter most clearly in 
Rom. 5:12 when he says, "Wherefore as by one man sin 
entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed 
upon all men, for that all have sinned." It does not say a word 
about eternal torment passing upon anybody; there was no 
such sentence; the wrath of God is not revealed in eternal 
torment. The wrath of God is revealed in the death sentence 
that has been on our race for six thousand years. So the 
Apostle in another place says the wrath of God is revealed 
against all unrighteousness. Who will say that the wrath of 
God is revealed in hell fire? Did you ever see it? Not at all. 
Was it ever revealed to anybody? Not at all. How is the 
wrath of God revealed? I answer, you feel it, and you see it 
all about you in the dying of our race. And so in God's due 
time he has arranged that our race should be redeemed; he has 
laid hope upon one who is able to help, mighty to save, Jesus; 
and Jesus has appeared, and he was the manifestation of 
God's mercy, and has laid down his life! He did not go to 
eternal torment for us; he did not pay any eternal torment 
penalty, and if you and I were ever under any eternal torment 

{PageQ329} 

penalty, we would still be under it; it has never been paid by 
our Lord; it has never been paid by anybody. But what say 
the Scriptures? The Scriptures say the penalty against us was 
a death penalty, and that Jesus died, the just for the unjust, 
that he might bring us hack to God. The penalty he paid 
therefore was the death penalty. "He tasteth death for every 
man," "He poured out his soul unto death," "He made his soul 
an offering for sin," and the Scriptures also say that 
eventually he will see the travail of his soul and be satisfied. 



I am glad, I will he satisfied first of all to see the saintly 
Church in glory, and I will be satisfied completely with the 
end of the work when the full knowledge of God shall have 
reached the whole human family, and every individual of our 
race shall have had an opportunity of coming back to God's 
favor and eternal life. The masses of mankind will have the 
privilege of coming back to perfect human life during the 
Millennium, during the time of Christ's reign, and the saintly 
ones will be coming to this high calling, the heavenly 
condition which was never lost; you never lost the heavenly 
condition; you lost life. God says if we walk in the footsteps 
of Jesus he will not only give us life, but he will give us life 
more abundant. So then we quote the text again which says, 
"He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son 
shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." The 
death penalty will continue on him, he will go into the second 
death. Plain enough! We are in the first death through 
Adam's disobedience, now if when God sent forth his Son to 
be the life-giver, and the rescuer from death, and one neglects 
or refuses the Son, he will die for his own sin, and it will be 
the second death. 

HELL-The Wicked Cast Into. 

Q329:1 :: QUESTION (1913)--l--Please explain "The 
wicked shall be cast into hell, with all nations that forget 
God." Is this hell the place for all, including the church? 

ANSWER~In the first place, people who forget God 
must be people who have known Him. No man can forget 
what he has not learned. The time for most of the people to 
learn of God will be in the future. There are very few in 
Springfield who know God in the true sense. You and I find 
that we are daily coming to a better knowledge of God. Jesus 
said, "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the true 
God." How many know him in that sense? Every one must 
come to know Him before they can forget Him. 

But who are these wicked ones referred to by the Psalmist? 
We have looked up that particular text and remember how it 
reads. According to the Hebrew it should read this way, "The 
wicked shall he returned into sheol, together with all nations 
that forget God." It means to go to sheol a second time, or it 
is another way of saying they will go to second death. Into 
sheol everybody will go the first time; not merely the wicked, 
but every one; the rich and poor, black and white, male and 
female, every one shall go to sheol. But they cannot go there 
a second time unless the son shall first set them free. We 
learn that it will be his work during the millennial age to 



release these prisoners from the state of death. He will say to 
the prisoners, "Show yourselves. Come forth." During the 
thousand years of Messiah's reign all these prisoners will 
come forth. All who do not prove themselves worthy of 
everlasting life during that time will 

{PageQ330} 

be returned to sheol. It is simply another way of expressing 
the second death. 

HIGH CALLING-Coveting Crowns of Others. 

Q330:1:: QUESTION (1905)--1--If the called ones 
were all selected prior to 1900 are we not coveting the crown 
of another? I mean those that have started in the race since 
then? 

ANSWER—I think the brother does not mean just as the 
question reads, for if the required number has been selected 
that would end the matter. I think what he means is that if a 
sufficient number had been called to complete the election, 
prior to 1900, would we not be coveting some one else's 
crown? We answer, no, not at all. It is according to God's 
grace, and not as we will. It is not because you or I do this or 
that, but because God has something to give away. God has 
done his own work in scattering the truth, etc., and God has 
favored those that come into the call. If they count 
themselves unworthy of the crown or do despite to God's 
favor they are not the kind God intends should get the crown. 
He intends to give them the opportunity just as though he did 
not know how it was going to result. Suppose a sufficient 
number at the present time have the grace of God and that 
there is no lack of numbers, and suppose I were one that had 
not yet made the consecration, and suppose I should like very 
much if the Lord had some blessing to give that I might be 
one of his favored ones, but I do not know, and the whole 
number may be completed and it might be useless to try, for I 
might be taking the crown from some one else? I ought to 
say, I have learned of the riches of your grace. Lord, and I 
give myself to you anyway, whether the number is complete 
or not, and you can give me what you please. Anything that 
the Lord would give would be a very great thing. All kings 
give presents in proportion to their positions as kings. It 
would be all out of harmony with God's character to give a 
mean thing. The Lord is going to give a blessing to thousands 
that are his. You give him your heart and you will get 
exceedingly abundantly more than you could have asked or 



thought of. So it would not be coveting another's crown to 
consecrate yourself to the Lord. If he gives you a crown, take 
it, for it will not be coveting any one else's crown. 

HIGH CALLING-Will Our Families Know About Us? 

Q330:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Will those of our 
families who are left behind know that we have made our 
calling and election sure, and how will they know it? 

ANSWER--I think they will. It will be just like our 
Heavenly Father to make something known of the richness of 
His grace toward us in Christ Jesus. A Scripture in Psalms 
says. It shall he said of this one and of that one, that such a 
one was born in Zion. What does that mean? I think that 
refers to the heavenly Zion, and to those who shall be born in 
the first resurrection, and our friends and our relatives will 
know of our resurrection and birth in Zion, and that we had 
passed beyond the vail, just as we know of our Lord Jesus 
having passed beyond the vail. 

HIGHWAY-Will Force Be Used? 

Q330:3:: QUESTION (1912)-3--Will it be consider 
walking up the Highway of Holiness if force or compulsion be 
used? 

{PageQ331} 

ANSWER— There is no Highway of Holiness yet; hence 
nobody is walking on it yet. None can walk that way until it 
is prepared. There will be no such highway until the Great 
King takes control of affairs, overthrows the present order of 
things and sets up the Kingdom of Messiah—then there will be 
a Highway of Holiness. Then the righteous can go up 
thereon. 

Now there is only the Narrow Way and the Broad Way. The 
Narrow Way is for those who wish to walk in the footsteps of 
Jesus, the steep and rugged way. To be forced is not the 
thought, it must be a voluntary devotion, a willing walking in 
the footsteps of Jesus, or it will not be acceptable at all. 

The Great Company will have certain experiences in being 
forced. But they will not be forced to perform, but forced to 
decide for themselves. You see the difference between 
forcing a man to go into a boat and bringing certain influences 
to cause him to desire to go in. Will I turn my back on the 
Lord to escape the trouble, or will I take the way of the Lord? 
Even those who choose to take the way of the Lord under 
stress will be overcomers. In the next age, when the world's 



Highway of Holiness will be opened up, force will be used to 
bring all to a knowledge of the Truth respecting God's 
provision for them. Wrong doing will be punished with 
corrective stripes. But it would be far from right to suppose 
that mankind will be then driven or forced along the Highway 
of Holiness. All who will go up thereon must exert 
themselves—it will be an upward way. Our Saviour stated the 
Father's sentiment respecting all to whom He will ever grant 
life everlasting: "He seeketh such to worship Him as worship 
Him in spirit and in truth." 

HIGHWAY-Rod of Iron Used. 

Q331 :1 :: QUESTION (1913-Z)-l-Will any one, be 
forced, or compelled, to walk up the Highway of Holiness? 

ANSWER~At present there is no Highway of Holiness; 
consequently no one is walking on it during the Gospel Age. 
There will be no such Highway until the Great King takes 
control of affairs, overthrows the present order of things and 
sets up the Kingdom of Heaven. Then a Highway of Holiness 
will be prepared, upon which the righteous can walk. During 
the Gospel Age there are but two ways--the Narrow Way and 
the Broad Way. (Matt. 7:13-14.) The former is for those 
who desire to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, and is a steep, 
rugged path. The latter is the road that leads to destruction 
and is a broad way on which the human race are hurrying to 
the tomb. 

Those who walk acceptably in the footsteps of the 
Master must do so willingly. Theirs must be a voluntary 
devotion'. To be forced is not at all. the thought. The 
Little Flock will thus run the Narrow Way; but the Great 
Company will have experiences which will force them, not 
to take one special way, but to decide for themselves what 
course they will pursue. There is a difference between 
forcing a man to go aboard a vessel, and bring certain 
influences to bear which will cause him to desire to do so. 

In the next Age, when the world's Highway of Holiness 
shall have been opened up (Isa. 35:8), force will be used 
to bring all mankind to a knowledge of the Truth respecting 

::PageQ332} 

God's provision for them. Wrong doing will then be punished 
with corrective stripes. But it would be far from right to 
suppose that mankind will be driven or forced along the 
Highway of Holiness. All who go up thereon must exert 
themselves; for it will be an upward way. Our Savior 



stated the Father's sentiment respecting all to whom He will 
ever grant everlasting life. His words were, "But the hour 
Cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship 
the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to 
worship Him." 

HOLY SPIRIT-ln What Sense Received Before Pentecost. 

Q332:1 :: QUESTION (1908)--1--In what sense did the 
disciples receive the holy Spirit before the Day of Pentecost, 
as stated in John 20:22: "He breathed on them, and said 
unto them. Receive ye the Holy Spirit." 

ANSWER— The record here would seem to imply that 
this was done some time before, at the beginning of the 
ministry. I was not there, and do not know to the contrary, 
but I fancy that while John recorded it here, the fact is that it 
was done some time before, at the beginning of the ministry 
of Jesus, when He sent forth the disciples in His name. That 
is the time I think He breathed on them and said, "Receive ye 
the Holy Spirit," and sent them forth; and when they went 
forth, they went in His Spirit, in his power, and they exercised 
His power in His name, and cured diseases and cast out 
devils, and did many wonderful works. So I presume then 
that this breathing on them, and giving them the Holy Spirit 
was in this sense of the word, and at this time. What could it 
mean? The Holy Spirit as it came to the Church at Pentecost 
was the heavenly Father's manifestation of His acceptance of 
the Church, and that was deferred until after Jesus had made 
His sacrifice at Calvary—until after He had ascended up on 
high and appeared in the presence of God for us; and it was 
an evidence to these disciples that God had accepted them, 
and that they might count themselves in as members of the 
Body of Christ, His spirit-begotten sons. The spirit that 
Christ put upon them was His Spirit, His power, before that. 
He had received the Spirit without measure; He used that 
Spirit Himself in the healing of diseases, because the power 
was thus put upon Him; so He gave the disciples of this 
power and sent them forth as His representatives in His name. 

HUMAN BEINGS-Rights and Privileges-Belonging to. 

Q332:2:: QUESTION (1908)-2-What are our human 
rights and privileges? 

ANSWER— I suppose the thought in the mind of the 
person asking this question is, that you and I and all others 
propose to lay down all rights and privileges, to sacrifice 
these. What are these? Now I think of one that will serve as 
an illustration. I was on a sleeping-car not long ago, and the 



porter and some fellow-traveler in the middle of the night got 
into a conversation, talking about a variety of things, loud 
enough to wake up all of those who were not as sound asleep 
as they might be. I exercised my right and privilege by 
calling the attention of the porter to the fact that he was not 
attending to his business properly, and that unless he desisted 
I would report him to the company. That 

{PageQ333} 

was my right; that was my privilege. He afterwards made 
some amends, and I dropped my privileges in connection with 
reporting him. That is an illustration and you can apply it in a 
thousand different ways in the affairs of life. You have 
rights, everybody has rights, and you will find that people 
trample on your rights every little while, and possibly 
unintentionally you may trample on theirs; it is your business 
and ours to see that we do not trample on anybody else's 
rights; we want to obey the golden rule and do to others as we 
would that they should do to us. But it is unnecessary to 
insist that they should do to us according to the golden rule. 
You have a right to demand justice, but you can forego these 
rights. Now in connection with this matter, I will tell you that 
I learned a little lesson myself and I have made a partial 
resolution; I have not made it a fixed resolution yet. When I 
go to make a resolution, or a vow, I usually think it over 
pretty well, and try it for a little while, see how it would go, 
and whether it would do to make it a fixed resolution or not. I 
have never been as much afraid of vows as some of the dear 
friends, but I have made a number of vows to the Lord, and I 
hope I will make some more. Whenever I find a place where 
I think I can improve on the old man, then I say. Here, put 
another strap around him and tie him down, and if you find it 
is likely to be able to hold, make it positive, clinch it with a 
vow, and that helps you ever afterwards. If you leave it open 
to be tried another time, every time that matter comes up you 
have to fight it over in your mind; but if you have once fought 
it over and gotten the conquest, and realized that it is the right 
thing, then nail it down, or as the Apostle says, put the body 
under and bury it~'T keep under my body." So when we find 
any part of the body sticking up a little from the grave, bury it 
again, stick it down and put a little more dirt on it. In this 
matter I was thinking some years ago to make a resolve, or 
vow, to the Lord that with His assisting grace I would never 
murmur or complain in respect to anything He permitted to 
come to me. I thought that was right. What right have I to 



complain? Shall I receive blessings at the Lord's hand, and if 
He sees proper to give me some that are not quite so pleasant, 
shall I refuse those? No. Then I have no right to murmur or 
complain. So I said, with your assistance and your grace I 
make this vow, that I will never murmur nor complain with 
respect to anything that your providence may permit to come 
to me. Now as far as I know I have always kept that vow, and 
I am very glad I made it. If I could find another as good as 
that, I would make it right today. When I was thinking about 
this porter afterwards, and how I had hauled him over the 
coals, and it was all right, there was justice about it, but I 
thought this. Now how do I know but what that porter might 
some time have a kind of grudge at me, and suppose the truth 
should come to him. He would say, "That is the man that 
raked me over the coals, and I do not like anything he has, 
though it may be reasonable, or just, because he held me to 
account there." But it might keep him from getting the truth. 
I would not keep that poor man from getting the truth. I had 
better not say anything to him. It is a good principle to apply 
all through. This resolution that I would never murmur has 
been a great blessing to me. I find so 

{PageQ334} 

many people that are groaning, and working, and grunting, 
and complaining about things, and I think they are making a 
great mistake. All their burdens are harder after they have 
grunted over them a while; they make them worse all along. I 
find we get along much better by saying. If the Lord is 
pleased to let that come, I would not think of murmuring 
against His wisdom in the matter, but will accept it as of the 
Lord. If I break my leg this afternoon, shall I murmur? Not a 
bit of it. Not one of you would hear a murmur come out of 
my mouth. If something else happened I would not murmur. 
What right would I have to murmur? What good would it do 
to murmur? It is the Lord's will I want to be done, and He 
says He will not allow anything to happen to His children that 
He will not overrule for good. If the Lord thinks it is good for 
me to break my leg this afternoon, I hope I will break it. We 
want that which the Lord's will sees is best for us. So we 
have nothing to complain or murmur about; we are not to be 
complainers. You remember the Apostle points out that that 
was one of the difficulties of the children of Israel. They first 
murmured and complained, and afterwards it led up to 
opposition to the Lord. So when you begin to murmur you 
begin to get out of accord with the Lord. So I said to myself. 



I think I will make a resolution, or a vow, that I will not 

murmur about what other people do to me. If they do 

something bad, I will not murmur; I am not bound to take it 

up and say, "I challenge you, sir; that is a lie." I need not do 

that. I need not murmur or make a complaint against him. 

Let him take his course; let the Lord deal with him. What 

will I do? I will try and take it as meekly as I can, and I will 

get a good lesson out of it in patience, perseverance, and self-control. 

I do not know how much of a blessing there may be 

in that resolution. I have an idea that resolution, or vow, 

never to murmur about anything anybody says, if I shall make 

it, will do me good. I have not made it as yet in full; I have 

merely thought to try it and see if it will not be good; but I 

think I will make it, and I think it is going to do me a lot of 

good. You can say anything you like about me and I think I 

will not say anything back to you. 

HUMAN NATURE-Does It Desire Sympathy? 
Q334:1:: QUESTION (I908)--1-Is it part of human 
nature to desire sympathy from others? And then, if so, does 
avoiding telling our troubles to others, even other members of 
the Body of Christ, bring us into nearer relationship with him, 
causing us to lean solely on the arm of the Lord? 

ANSWER--I answer: Yes, to the first part of the 
question. The Apostle's suggestion is that each one should 
seek to bear, so far as he can, and not only should he seek to 
bear his own burdens so far as possible, but he should seek to 
bear somebody else's burdens. And whoever has burdens of 
his own and tries to bear them and to have the Lord's 
assistance for them, and then who is seeking and reaching out 
to help other people with their burdens, will find his own 
burdens thereby a great deal lighter, and that he has a blessing 
on the way. So then the proper attitude for each one of us is 
to seek so far as possible to bear our own burdens and then to 
help somebody else, and not to think too much of our own, 
not to imagine that we have all the labors and all the troubles 
and all the burdens, but to look out and see 

{PageQ335} 

how many other people have troubles, and you will find that 
many of them have more than you. But before that, when 
looking at your own, they seemed very large. This does not 
mean that you and I will never get sympathy from others; but 
we will not be seeking for the sympathy so much as before; 
we will be trying to bear our own; and the Lord will send 



someone perhaps who will give us some sympathy when we 
did not reach out for it; sympathy will come as the Lord sees 
best. You remember the great Head of the Body is the Lord 
Jesus Christ and every member of the Body is under His 
superintendence and care; and just as if you had a sore finger, 
what would the finger do? Appeal to the foot? No. To the 
other hand? No. Well, what would the finger do? The 
nerves of sensation would telegraph to the brain, "I am hurt." 
And the brain would telegraph to the other hand, "Go and 
help that finger." And thus you see, our Lord is the One we 
tell our troubles to, and we are to look to Him for the aid, and 
then we are to expect whatever we may need and it may come 
from the fellow members of the body; and as fellow members 
of the Body, we must all be in that attitude of seeking to 
respond to the Head, knowing the Head would have us 
sympathize with one another, to give to one another in His 
name, so that we will be trying to do good, and to look for 
opportunities to serve one another. This is the way we will 
have the most blessings, the most peace, and the most joy, 
doing the best we can to bear our own burdens and to bear as 
much as possible for others, to sympathize and to help others. 

IDENTITY-ln the Millennial Age. 

Q335:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--Will you please 
explain If the identity of each individual will be maintained 
throughout the Millennial Age, and afterwards. 

ANSWER I understand that it will, that the identity of 
each individual will be preserved; that is to say, all except 
those who go down into the second death. I cannot say I 
know of any Scripture to bear that out; it is merely a logical 
conclusion. God deals with us as individuals; He is not 
dealing with us as pieces of wood or metal or something that 
has no intelligence, but as an individual personal intelligence 
with a body to identify us as persons. And so we believe it 
will always be. We are not expecting that in the future things 
will be worse than the present, but when that which is perfect 
is come, those things of the present which are in part will be 
done away. 

IMMORTALITY-When Brought to Light? 

Q335:2:: QUESTION (1908)--2-Did our Lord bring 
immortality to light before or after; His resurrection? 

ANSWER--The Apostle says that He has brought life 
and immortality to light through the gospel. It was neither 
His living, nor His dying, nor His resurrection, that brought 
this to light in the fullest sense of the word. It is the gospel 



that brought it to light, and this gospel was not fully 
understood by the Apostles at the time of the Lord's 
resurrection, but only after they had received the Holy Spirit. 
There were certain things our Lord said that would imply this, 
but they did not yet understand the matter; the thing was still 
hidden from them, so that it was not brought to light until 
after Pentecost. Then they began to see that there was not 
only hope for all of mankind who would ultimately come into 

{PageQ336} 

harmony with God, but that there is another hope, still 
greater, still more wonderful, for the Church which is the 
Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ, and that is immortality. 
So Christ in His message—the message of which His death 
was the center, and His resurrection a share, this great Gospel 
which centered in His death and resurrection—this great 
gospel message brings to light to all who can see, both life 
and immortality. We find, as soon as the light comes in, we 
can see in our mind's eye the testimony, "As the Father hath 
life in Himself, so has He given to the Son to have life in 
Himself." We can see there a testimony with reference to the 
immortality of the Church; so we can see that He gave His 
life for the whole world that they all might have life, and life 
more abundantly. There is general testimony concerning life 
for all mankind, but to get it in clear form requires the 
blessing of the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost which would 
open the eyes of our understanding respecting these things 
which our Lord had said and illustrated in His own life 
experiences. 

IMMORTALITY-Has a Believer in It Hope of Membership IN' 
Christ? 

Q336:1 :: QUESTION (1908)-1-Can a believer in the 
immortality of the soul, and in the doctrine of eternal torment, 
have a well grounded hope of becoming a member of the 
Body of Christ? 

ANSWER— In considering that question, I would have 
in mind the fact that there have been people in the past who, 
so far as you and I know, were Saints, and yet held these 
erroneous doctrines, as for instance, I should not at all be 
surprised that John Wesley was of the class that would be 
covered by this description, if he believed in eternal torment, 
and if he believed in the immortality of the soul in some sort 
of a fashion. Therefore, I would think quite likely that it was 
possible in the past, at least, that a person might be that much 



in darkness respecting God's plan and yet be a real member of 
the Body of Christ and a real sacrificer--a real believer in 
every sense of the word. I would add, however, that my 
understanding is, we are today in a peculiar position in that 
greater light has come into the world, and therefore there is 
greater responsibility on the people who are living today; as 
our Lord said in His day, you remember, that if He had not 
come amongst them, and that if the light had not shined in 
their hearts, they would not have had this responsibility. 
Those are not the exact words, but that is the thought. So, I 
think it is today: that the Lord is pleased in our day to bring 
increased light to His people, and to bring this to our 
attention, and we have a measure of responsibility in 
connection with the truth after it has come to us that we 
would never have had if it had not come to us. From this 
standpoint, we might suppose that the true light that is now 
shining would be granted to all who are in the right attitude of 
heart to receive it. In other words, just as at the First Advent, 
Jesus said of Nathaniel: Behold an Israelite indeed in whom 
there is no guile, and then he made the matter so plain to 
Nathaniel that it was very easy for him to believe the Lord. 
So I think it is today, that wherever there is an Israelite indeed 
in whom there is no guile, there we may expect the Lord will 
make the truth so plain and so clear and so simple that that 
person will be able to see it and appreciate it and enjoy it; and 
that where 

{PageQ337} 

there is not a reception of the truth it is an implication, at 
least, that there the person is not an Israelite indeed, or else he 
is not without guile. We are not to judge, but the truth is to 
do the judging. That is what we understand the Lord to mean, 
that His Word will judge. So His Word, we believe, is 
judging today in the Church, and His Word will judge by and 
by the whole world. But we think that His Word of Truth is 
acting as judgment now, and the Spirit and power now; that 
this is the sickle of truth that is going forth in His "harvest 
time," to gather all the true wheat and to separate them from 
the tares. So then we are content to let the Lord do this work, 
without particularly making tests in our own minds, but 
simply that our expectation would be that wherever there is an 
Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile, the Lord would 
lead him to an appreciation of Present Truth. 



IMMORTALITY-Who Only Hath Immortality. 
Q337:1 :: QUESTION (l913)--l--To whom does the 
following Scripture apply: "Who only hath immortality, 
dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom 
no man hath seen nor can see?" (1 Tim. 6:16.) 

ANSWER--This passage is somewhat ambiguous; that 
is to say, in the way it is presented, it would be possible to 
take two different views, and if someone would claim that it 
was the Heavenly Father who was meant, we would not have 
any special controversy with him over the matter. In giving 
our own view of what it signifies we have already stated, and 
still believe it refers to our Lord Jesus. If it referred to the 
Father, it would mean that He alone has immortality, and that 
would imply that the Lord Jesus would not have immortality, 
whereas the Scriptures declare that He has. Then, if we apply 
it to the Lord Jesus and say He only bath immortality, it does 
not cut out the Heavenly Father from having immortality, 
because, as the Apostle explains, God is always excepted in 
every rule and proposition; He always is excepted. 

IMPERFECTION-Excuse For. 

Q337:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-In Paul's letter to the 
Romans, 7th chap, and 15th verse, we find these words, "For 
that which I do I allow not; for what I would that do I not; but 
what I hate, that do I." Does that apply only to the inability of 
those under the law to comply with its requirements, or does 
it apply to us in the Gospel Age and at the present time in our 
imperfect efforts to do the will of our Heavenly Father? In 
other words, have we a right to use this as an excuse for our 
imperfect ways? 

ANSWER— I understand that the Apostle was speaking 
of the Jews and all who were under the law, that what they 
allowed or admitted was the just law of God they could not 
comply with, because of the imperfection of the flesh. You 
see the perfect law of God and you know you are not able to 
keep that in every thought, word and act, for in our flesh 
dwelleth no perfection. Our heads are more or less 
misshapen, and the New Creature finds that it cannot do the 
things that it would. You would be perfect, but you know that 
you are not. How then can God deal with us? Because He 
has graciously covered our imperfections; everything that we 
strive against, he covers with the merits of the sacrifice of 
Christ. If we could keep the law perfectly. 



{PageQ338} 

then Christ died in vain, for as the Apostle said, If 
righteousness could come through the keeping of the law, 
then Christ's death was not necessary, but we needed Christ to 
come, and die for us, and justify us. So this language, while 
used for the Jews, has an application for us as Christians. It 
does not mean that we should look at our shortcomings and 
say, O, you know I have so many weaknesses, and excuse 
ourselves that way. No, we have been given the robe of 
Christ's righteousness, and the Scriptural instruction is that we 
should keep it unspotted from the world. We are likely to get 
a spot on it by a hasty word or by our manner not being what 
it ought to be. The Scriptural injunction is that the blood of 
Christ cleanses us from all sin, not only from the original sin, 
but also from these imperfections, after we get the robe. 
After we have made a mistake, we should at once seek the 
Lord's arrangement for cleansing, thus getting rid of the spot, 
then our robe will be clean again. You go to the Lord, 
making application for this merit, acknowledging that you 
have erred, asking His forgiveness, you come to the throne of 
grace for help in every time of need, and you will get rid of 
the spot and then you can keep it unspotted. 

There are a great many dear friends, which the Scriptures 
state will constitute a great company; they get one spot and 
say, I don't like that spot, then they get another and another, 
and then someone says. You have a great many spots on your 
robe. They say. Yes, but I guess I must have them. So they 
get used to them, they get so many of them that it is a difficult 
matter to get rid of them. So what you and I want to do is to 
keep as close to the standard as possible. See that you not 
only go to the Lord, but to the one you have wronged, 
whether your parent, wife, husband, brother, friend or enemy, 
and make it good to him. Take it to the Lord in prayer, and 
ask Him to apply the precious blood on your behalf. 

IMPUTATION-Of Righteousness. 

Q338:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11-Z)-1 -Does Christ impute 
His righteousness to the members of His Body? 

ANSWER—When we say that our Lord imputes His 
righteousness, we are not to think that He gives His own 
righteousness as the High Priest, but that He imputes the merit 
of His human sacrifice on our behalf. When, as the Man 
Christ Jesus, He laid down His life, without being under 
sentence of death in any degree, there was a merit in that 



sacrifice. The earthly life-rights, which the Lord laid down, 
were to His credit, giving Him the power of restitution for the 
world of mankind, the power for their regeneration. But 
before the merit of that sacrifice is given to the world, it is 
made the basis of OUT justification, for the covering of our 
imperfections. It could have been used for us in restitution 
but such was not God's Plan during this Age. Hence, Jesus' 
merit is imputed to believers who consecrate, and also covers 
the blemishes and unwitting trespasses of their imperfect 
earthen vessels to the end of their course. 

IMPUTATION--Of Christ's Merit. 

Q338:2:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-2-Whatismeantby 
the expression, "Christ's imputed merit?" 

ANSWER—When speaking of Christ's imputed merit 
we should keep distinctly in mind that He has a personal 
merit, a righteousness of His own' which He has never 
given away. 

{PageQ339} 

He needs His own righteousness. In this sense of the word 
He could not give us His righteousness, without being bereft 
of righteousness. The same would be true of His life-right. 
He has a right to life; but it is not that right to life which 
He imputes to us; for He needs it Himself. He needs His 
own personal merit. 

In what sense, then, do we say that He will give to 
mankind during the Millennial Age and impute to the 
Church during the Gospel Age, a life-right and righteousness 
respectively. In this way: He will give mankind His human 
life-right, the merit that was His as the reward for His 
obedience as the maN' Christ Jesus, namely, the privilege, 
or right, to live as a human being. That right was secured to 
Him by obedience to the Law. (Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3:12.) 
Now He is highly exalted, a partaker of the divine nature, and 
no longer needs that right to human life and the righteousness 
which goes with that right. He is quite satisfied and 
complete in his present condition. He has, to give to the 
world, by and by, the right to human life and the 
righteousness which goes with that right, the merit of that 
earthly sacrifice. Of this. He imputes to the Church at the 
present time a sufficiency to make good for their 
imperfection. We are complete in him, so that our offering of 
ourselves may be, through Him, an acceptable sacrifice to 
God and reckoned holy. 



IMPUTATION-What Releases Imputed Merit? 

Q339:1:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-In thecaseof the 
one who makes utter failure and who dies the Second Death, 
is the imputed merit released at the time his failure is 
determined or at the time when he actually dies? 
ANSWER— The merit of Christ is imputed to those who 
come unto the Father through him. Those who repudiate this 
earthly merit of Christ have it no longer from the moment of 
their repudiation; from the moment of their rejection of the 
Lord all the merit that they had is released, forfeited, gone. 
This does not mean that they must die actually at that 
moment. But they fall into the hands of the living God; that is 
out of the hands of Mercy, into those of Justice. 
And we know that no one can stand in the presence of the 
living God and Justice without perfection. Those who 
repudiate the Ransom seem to have no longer a sense of sin. 
This is illustrated by the parable of the man who takes of the 
"wedding garment;" from the moment of his repudiation, no 
longer is it his in any sense of the word. 

IMPUTATION-Pastor Russell's View. 

Q339:2:: QUESTION ( 19 12-Z)-2-Have you changed 
your mind in regard to the following quotation? In Dawn, 
Vol. 1, page 232, par 1, we read as follows: "Our sins He 
consented to have imputed to Him, that He might bear our 
penalty for us, and He died on our behalf, as though He were 
the sinner." In Vol. 5, page 109, line 23, we also read: "Not 
imputed to them, but imputed to Him, who bore our sins in 
His body on the tree." In Vol. 5, page 444, par 2, we also 
read: "That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto 
Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, but 
imputing them unto Him." 

ANSWER— The work of Christ is presented from a 
variety of standpoints, some showing modifications of one 
kind and some of another; some stating the matter from the 
human standpoint and some from the Divine. What we need 
in all Scriptural matters is to get at the real import. 

{PageQ340} 

From God's standpoint human sin is imputed to Jesus; that 
is to say. He was provided to be the sinner's Representative—to 
pay the price for the release of man from the death 
sentence; thus God pictures Christ as the serpent raised upon 
the pole. Thus the Apostle says He was made sin for us. 



although He knew no sin—He was a sin-offering. 

Viewing the matter from the other standpoint, from the 
human standpoint, we see our own weaknesses and 
shortcomings, realizing the necessity of our Master's imputing 
to us the merit of His sacrifice to make up for our deficiency. 
Thus the facts agree, whether we state them from one 
standpoint or another. Our sins were reckoned against Jesus 
when He died for sin. The righteousness of Christ is 
imputed to us when we offer ourselves to God and our Great 
Redeemer and High Priest makes good our deficiency. 

IMPUTATION--By Whom? 

Q340:1 :: QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-If Merit is imputed, 

who imputes it? If Righteousness is imputed, by whom is it 

imputed? 

ANSWER~Our Lord Jesus imputes His own Merit to 
His own followers under the conditions of their covenant of 
full consecration; but this imputation is with the full sanction 
of and in co-operation with Divine Justice—not otherwise. 
This imputation of Merit to the imperfect one desiring to he 
the follower of Jesus may be expressed as an imputation of 
Righteousness to such a one on the part of Divine Justice, 
on the part of the heavenly Father; as we read, "It is God that 
justifieth."-Rom. 8:33. 

IMPUTATION-Old Testament Teaching. 

Q340:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-2-Is the imputation of 
Christ's merit shown by types and shadows in the Old 
Testament? 

ANSWER— I know of nothing that teaches it directly. 
In the Tab. Shad, we have many things which teach a very 
similar matter, but not directly that I know of. 

JMPUTATJON-Meaning of. 

Q340:3:: QUESTION (1916)-3-Define the meaning 
of the word imputation, please. 

ANSWER— The word imputation signifies to make 
applicable to another. Something the other does not have. Not 
by a direct gift, but by an imputation. It is rather difficult to 
define the word imputation. We can illustrate it better. If I 
was in need of $1,000 and asked you for it-that would not 
do. We never ask (laughter). I guess I had better change that 
illustration. Suppose John Smith needed $1,000, and Henry 
Brown had $1,000 and would give him the use of it, and yet, 
he said to himself, I think I will not give him the $1,000. He 
promises he will work it out. Let him give me his note, and I 



will endorse his note and let him go and borrow it of the 
bank. When you endorse his note you impute the $1,000 to 
his note. John Smith did not have a penny. The banker says, 
have you any money or property? No, not worth a cent. Can 
you have some one endorse it for you? John comes to you, 
and you endorse his note; you have imputed full value to that 
note. He takes it to the bank and it is all right. Worth $1,000 
now, and not worth a cent before. So in this Gospel Age 
there are certain terms by which we can come to the father. 
The same terms by which Jesus came in that you will become 
a living sacrifice. You say, I am very willing to be a living 
sacrifice. You say, God 

{PageQ341} 

I would like to do what Jesus did. God will say, your 
promise is not worth a cent here. Why not? Why, you are a 
bundle of imperfection; I know you very well. You could not 
do anything at all. You get Jesus to endorse it for you. Let 
him be your advocate and take up the matter for you. So you 
go to Jesus. Will you, dear Lord, be my advocate with the 
Father? Will you make it possible for me to come in under 
these terms and present my body holy and acceptable? Will 
you help me do that? That depends. Oh, you have terms? 
Yes, very strict terms. You must turn your back against sin 
and enter into a special covenant as I have done. A covenant 
of sacrifice, giving up yourself absolutely. You say, I am 
willing to do that. Very well, you be my disciple and I will 
be your advocate and take care of the rest. You follow the 
lines I have laid down for you and you will come out all right. 
I will endorse for you. How does Jesus endorse for you? In 
this way--He has that corresponding price, that right to life, 
applicable to Adam and all his race. If you and I belong to 
the race of Adam, we had from the moment we were born, an 
inheritance in that great account. The Bible tells us in 
advance that the very object of God's having this plan of 
salvation was to give life to mankind. You and 1 have 
interest in that, because we belong to this race. If we can but 
know about it, we have the privilege of returning the human 
perfection, restitution; all that is included in that which Jesus 
put in the Father's hand. You could not accept restitution, for 
he has not offered it to any one yet. He said there will be a 
restitution of all mankind, and you and I merely know what is 
coming bye and bye. Then we learned that God has another 
feature of the plan separate and apart from the world and this 
is, that He is taking out a people for His name to be the Bride 



class, to be associated with Jesus in the kingdom. Now we 
see on what terms; that you shall walk in His steps, be like He 
was, and He will be your advocate with the Father, and when 
we agree to this and give up our little all, what do you give 
up? Just what you have got. Some ten years, and some ten 
days of life, and some more. You might give up a very 
healthy or a very sickly body. No matter what you have; great 
influence in the world or no influence at all, and give yourself 
just whatever you have. But all that you have—not a thing to 
be kept back—time, influence, money, everything goes when 
you make a consecration such as Jesus made. To be Jesus' 
disciple and follower that is what we agree to do. But when 
we come to the Father and find out we have not very much, 
we say, will He accept this? No, not that. How will it go 
through? Well, says Jesus, you know I have an account with 
the Father and a right to give restitution bye and bye and that 
includes you. Well, now I am going to impute to you all that 
I would be giving you bye and bye, and you give what you 
have now in your possession and I give in your behalf what 
will be coming to you bye and bye, so you see it will be all 
that will be yours in perfection. Illustration: We are not to 
think Jesus deals with each individual as they come along. 
The way Jesus did was this when He ascended on high He 
appeared in the presence of God for "us." Who are the "us?" 
It took in all those who will be of the Church class and it 
appeared for you and me away back there 1900 years 

{PageQ342} 

ago. The Holy Church is one church from God's standpoint. 
The Church He predestinated and foreordained. The Bible 
says God foreknew Jesus, and us by Jesus. Now if Jesus 
appeared for the whole Church at once He made an 
application of merit in the sense that it was imputed to all of 
us. I tell the banker, I have $1,000 I want to keep intact; I 
will be doing some endorsing. I will endorse a note for 
$1,000 and when that note is in, it will he for a number of 
people; to S. & Co. and the R. & Co., and a number of them. 
You know you have the merit there in my deposit, and that 
will be the merit for this note I endorse. So as long as this 
note is unpaid there will he an embargo on that deposit and it 
could not he used for any other purpose. Embargo means it 
has a handicap; a note given that covers the whole thing. Not 
the money given, but an endorsement. The Lord endorsed for 
the whole Church at once. Therefore He first imputed the 
merit to the Church and afterwards to the world. The Church 



does not need it now; we are going to join in with him in 
sacrifice; why should He give us the earthly life? We do not 
want restitution. We are looking for the better Hope; 
Spiritual Kingdom-glory, honor and immortality. Imputed to 
us, that which made our sacrifice acceptable to Him. 

INCARNATION-Re Belief in. 

Q342:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)-1 -Do you believe in 
Reincarnation, the soul reverting into the physical body? 
ANSWER— I do not. I believe it to he entirely foreign 
to God's Word in every sense of the word. 

INCENSE--We are in Christ a Sweet Savior to God. 

Q342:2:: QUESTION (191 l)-2-Should the sweet 
incense burned by the high priest, and which represented the 
perfections of the man Jesus, be understood as having been 
offered also by the members of the body of the high priest, the 
under priests? If so, how was this shown? 

ANSWER— Since there is nothing in the account in 
Leviticus that says that the incense was offered a second time, 
it is rather improbable that it was offered twice. And yet the 
thought is there that the sacrifice of the Church, made 
acceptable by the Atonement effected through Jesus' death, 
must continue to be presented until death, that these members 
might eventually be received into glory. "As our Lord was, so 
are we, in the world." As He was rendering obedience day by 
day, so are we rendering obedience day by day. As the spirit 
of loving zeal was demonstrated in His case, so in our case 
otherwise we should not be permitted to he members of that 
Body. 

So we might say that the incense which He offered up, in a 
certain sense and to a certain degree, represented the whole 
Church, which is His Body; for in harmony with the Divine 
intention, before the foundation of the world. He was to be 
the Forerunner, the Representative and the Advocate of those 
who would he accepted as His members. Hence, in offering 
up His own perfections. He was offering up that which 
would, by imputation, be our perfection, as His members. 

In view of the fact that nothing was said about offering the 
incense the second time, and since we do not go into the Holy 
as individuals, but as members of His Body, we are safe in 
saying that we are, "in Christ, a sweet savor to God," 



{PageQ343} 

though a bad savor to the world. "Be ye, therefore, followers 
of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath 
loved us and hath given Himself for us, an offering and a 
sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor." "For we are unto 
God a sweet savor of Christ." (Eph. 5:1,2, Cor. 2:15, 
Rev. 8:3,4.) "Therefore, let us offer the sacrifices of praise 
to God continually;" "for with such sacrifices God is well 
pleased."--Heb. 13:15,16. 

INCENSE--Re Lord's Goat. 

Q343:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--When the blood of the 
Lord's goat was taken into the Holy, was incense taken also 
the same as with the blood of the bullock? 

ANSWER--There is nothing stated of that kind, and I 
do not understand it would be at all proper. The incense 
represented, I think, the personal value of our Lord's personal 
sacrifice; it ascended up as a sweet odor and that smoke 
entered in beyond the vail and covered the mercy seat. I 
understand that sweet odor and perfume remained there, 
giving the high priest full right thereafter of access to the 
Most Holy, and going in and out with the blood of the goat 
had no part with the offering of any more incense necessarily. 
Yet I do not know. I merely know that nothing is said about 
additional incense, and I would see no necessity for any 
additional. 

INSANITY--Re Brethren. 

Q343:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-How would you 
explain the fact that several of the brethren thoroughly 
consecrated are lapsing into insanity, generally shortly 
before death? How would this "square" with the spirit of a 
sound mind that we would expect to be pretty well developed 
by this time? 

ANSWER--I do not know, I have not heard of it. I 
should not think there was anything in the truth to make 
anyone insane. The Apostle speaks of the Spirit of the Lord 
being the Spirit of a sound mind. I think that if you go deep 
into the matter that we have fewer persons of an unsound 
mind than in any other walk of life. Look at the condition of 
the state of New York, the Empire State. I find there more 
than twenty- five thousand people in that state in the insane 
asylums, adults, which would mean that for every one 
hundred and fifty adults in the state, one is insane. The state 



of New York has in it Presbyterians, Catholics, Methodists, as 
well as ourselves. How do you think we would compare, one 
in every one hundred and fifty insane? You would find fewer 
unbalanced minds in the truth than outside. If you find 
anything to the contrary, I would be glad to be informed. I do 
not know many who are insane. 

Everyone knows that there are periods of life when there 
may be a temporary derangement of mind, and there are very 
few families who have not had some such experience. If 
some of those should be truth people, it would not be strange. 
I think of one who had typhoid fever and he became delirious 
or insane. I do not know very many in the Truth that are 
going insane, but I will be pleased to be informed if you learn 
anything of the kind. 

INSANITY--Re Truth. 

Q343:3:: QUESTION (1909) 3 How does this 

"square" with the spirit of a sound mind? 

{PageQ344} 

ANSWER--I do not think it would square at all. I do 
not feel insane, and you do not look that way. I hope my 
mind is getting better balanced every year, and I hope yours is 
also. If any of us had reason to be perplexed or confused in 
our minds it was when years ago we thought that our friends 
and neighbors and children, all who had not died as saints, 
were all going straight to eternal torment. That was the time 
when your mind would probably give way. Now that we 
have found that it is not eternal torment that is the penalty, but 
death, and then learn that Christ died for all to bring eternal 
life—if that makes one insane, I do not understand the process 
of his mind. I would understand that if one in the truth loses 
his balance of mind, it would be due to something in his 
family line. 

Our Lord did not say that as soon as we came into the truth 
He would give us mental restitution and that we should have 
no more headache, etc. The promise He gives us is the 
promise of the kingdom. As the old flesh shall die. He 
intends that the blessing of the truth shall make us more glad 
and to have more peace and joy while we are seeking day by 
day to finish our race. 

insurance-Is it Right to Take out short Term 
Policies? 

Q344:1:: QUESTION ( 19 12) -1 -Is it right to takeout 



a five years' insurance policy to be paid at death or which 
lapses in five years? Is it worth taking out? 

ANSWER—I do not know the condition of your 
insurance societies here in Great Britain, but I know that we 
have many fine societies over in America. In many instances 
they are as strong as the banks, and in some other instances 
they have a stronger hold than the banks, and some of these 
societies are now in the course of issuing very cheap 
insurance. The man who can leave the money to his family 
may just as well leave it in insurance, for the insurance will 
be just as safe in the insurance company as in the bank. 
Would it be right to insure our lives? I should say that it is a 
great blessing to mankind. Do not, however, trust in the 
insurance companies instead of trusting in the Lord. Some of 
the poor worldlings are putting all their confidence in banks 
and insurance companies and exchanges. When these things 
smash, then their poor faith loses itself. We are not seeking 
to make provision for ourselves but we should seek to avail 
ourselves of every opportunity to help those around us and 
those who should remain after us in life. As to where to put 
your money; as to which bank to put it in, I do not know and 
so will not tell you. The Lord's advice was to have your 
treasure "where moth and rust doth not corrupt." I know of 
only one investment which is sure and certain, and that is a 
Heavenly investment. "Where thieves do not break through 
and steal." I cannot give, and will not try to give, any advice 
as good as the Master's words. I have merely thrown out 
some hints and suggestions, but this is not an answerable 
question finally and conclusively so far as I can make out. 

INSURANCE-ls a Short Term Policy a Good 
Investment? 

Q344:2:: QUESTION ( 19 12)-2-Is it WORTH taking 
out a five years' insurance policy to be paid at death? 

{PageQ345} 

ANSWER~I feel so sure that I myself will come to a 
calamity; that my own experience will probably end in some 
kind of a calamity, that I have taken out small policies in the 
accident companies in order to leave something for my wife 
and my sister. Of course, this is private information. Don't 
tell anybody. 

LB.S.A.--Styled Truth People. 

Q345:1:: QUESTION (1913) -1 -When the 



International Bible Students speak of themselves as truth 
people, do they mean that they alone understand God's truth? 

ANSWER--I should not put the matter in that form. My 
thought is that we are those who put the truth before anything 
else, we love the truth and would sacrifice anything we have 
for the truth. We are not putting creeds and traditions before 
the truth. We are not sacrificing the truth for any sect or 
party, but rather sacrifice sect and party, and even self, for the 
truth, because we understand God has put the truth as His 
own representative. Jesus so presents it in the word, saying, 
"I am the truth." In standing for the truth we are standing for 
the Lord. 

Besides, I might add, this word truth is sometimes used as 
in contrast with error. As we look at our past experiences we 
have held a great deal of error, and as we now find ourselves 
growing in knowledge and growing in truth, we have come to 
speak of the matter from that standpoint; it was not given a 
sectarian sense. The term was not given by myself, but 
sprung up amongst the truth people as those who love the 
truth. We are willing to welcome all people in the same 
general compliment. 

I. B. S. A."Re Denominational Affiliations. 

Q345:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-Why do allof the 
International Bible Students' Association speakers publicly 
advise people to abandon all denominational affiliations? 

ANSWER--I did not know that they do. We do, 
however, dear friends, hold that it would he proper to break 
down the denominational barriers. That is to say, these 
different creed fences, some of which have existed for 
centuries and some for but one century, are keeping Christian 
people more or less apart. Some have high fences and others 
low ones, hut they are separating in their tendencies, and we 
advise God's people to get over these barriers and get 
together. Get together in Bible study. These creeds are like 
so many stakes driven down and we have been chaining 
ourselves to them. Why not get free from these? We sing, 
"Send out Thy light and truth, O Lord, let them our leaders 
be," but are unable to follow because chained to the creed 
stake. Let us leave the stake and follow the light. We believe 
that is God's way. We are not saying anything unkind 
regarding Christian people in these denominations. What we 
say is against the creeds, for they have done us a great deal of 
harm, and are doing others harm still. If all creeds were 
smashed there would be a good opportunity for the people to 
come together to study God's Word and make more progress 



as the days go by. 

I.B.S.A.~Re Special Bible. 

Q345:3:: QUESTION (1913)--3--Is it true that the 
International Bible Students' Association has its own Bible, 
which is different from others? 

{PageQ346} 

ANSWER— Some dear people think we have a different 
Bible because when we quote some text of Scripture it proves 
to be one they did not know was in the Bible. We think of a 
lady who said to me, "My pastor called to see me after the 
death of my husband." Her husband, who was a brother of 
International Bible Students' Association, had died, and her 
pastor, a Methodist, said to her, "Your husband had a strange 
religion, did he not?" She said, "He believed differently from 
others in some respects." "What were some of the things he 
believed?" She said, "One of the things was that a future time, 
during Christ's millennial reign, there will be an opportunity 
for restitution for the whole world of mankind. They will 
then be coming up out of sin and death, the opposite of what 
they are now doing. The Bible calls this restitution, and my 
husband believed that." He said, "There is nothing of that 
kind in the Bible." She said, "I think there is." He said, "You 
are mistaken." She replied quietly, "I think I can find it in the 
Bible. I think he has it marked." She looked and handed him 
the book, opened at Acts 3:19-21, which was marked, and he 
read it. He said, "What kind of Bible is this?" and looked into 
the front of it. There he found American Bible Society, and 
said, "Well, I never noticed that passage of Scripture before." 

So with many other passages. We did not know some of the 
things which are there, and many things which we supposed 
were there are not there at all. We have not a different Bible. 
I might say, however, that we have a special edition of the 
Bible, which is the common King James version, but we have 
added in the back some special comments, gathered from 
selections from the Watch Towers and Scripture Studies, 
dealing with various passages of Scripture and explaining 
them somewhat. Some might call this a Watch Tower Bible, 
but we call it the Bible Students' Edition, because it is helpful 
in looking up what the Bible teaches on different subjects. 



I.B.S.A.--HOW International? 

Q346:1 :: QUESTION (1913)--!- Why does your Bible 
Students' Association claim to be international? 

ANSWER— Simply for the reason that it is international. 
Our Association has its headquarters, really according to its 
charter, in London, England, although it operates here. It is 
one of the auxiliaries of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract 
Society, which is the parent of several subsidiaries arranged 
for attending to different parts of the work. As the Methodist 
Church have the Epworth League, the Ladies' Aid Society, 
and I do not know how many other societies. They are all 
Methodist. Our society is international because it operates in 
all parts of the world. 

I.B.S.A.-Relation to Other Classes. 

Q346:2:: QUESTION (1913)-2-What relationship has 
the Springfield Class of Bible Students to the Class at Boston 
or Brooklyn? 

ANSWER— These classes are all independent. They 
have a moral relationship of sympathy and brotherhood, as 
Christians have in all parts of the world. "One is your 
Master, even Christ." We are all Bible Students and in the 
school of Christ. 

I.B.S.A.-Re Election of Its Officers. 

Q346:3:: QUESTION (1913)-3-How does the 
International Bible Students' Association elect its class 
leaders and officers, if non-sectarian 

{PageQ347} 

as claimed? 

ANSWER— Sectarianism is not the only method or 
method by which an election can be held. For instance, the 
Bible Class at Springfield, meeting as Christians, would select 
some one competent to serve them, after the manner of the 
early church. The election would be in the way prescribed by 
the Bible, by raising the hand, and the one chosen would he 
the elder, or teacher, as they are termed. 

I.B.S.A.--Others Studying With Us. 

Q347:1 :: QUESTION (1913)-1-I am a Catholic. Do I 
need to renounce my affiliation with my church to take up 
study in one of the I.B.S.A. classes? 

ANSWER-Not at all. You are welcome to take part in 
any number of them. We do not claim to have a mortgage on 



them. Whether Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, or of 
no denomination, if you come in the spirit of the Lord and 
desire to know the truth, you are perfectly welcome. 

I.B.S.A.-Re Membership Roll. 

Q347:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-What Profession does 
a person need to make before he is entitled to be called an 
International Bible Student? How many are on the entire 
roll? 

ANSWER— There is no qualification for membership, 
no grips, no passwords. Any person of good deportment is 
welcome to our meetings at any time. 

As to the full number attending these different meetings I do 
not know. I do not know how many attend the Springfield 
class or classes. I do not know how many classes are held 
here in Springfield, but suppose there are at least a half dozen, 
as there are forty or fifty in New York City. I will just give as 
an estimate, in a general way, that there may be 100,000. 
Perhaps more attend these classes; perhaps 200,000. Come to 
think of it I heard recently from Southern India that there are 
now about 3,000 attending classes there. At that rate the 
entire attendance may run up to 250,000. 

I.B.S.A.=-Length of Organization. 

Q347:3:: QUESTION (1913)-3-How many years has 
the I.B.S.A. been conducting its public work? 

ANSWER— This public work has been going on for the 
past forty years. Not, of course, with the same momentum as 
at the present time, and not the same numbers, but for forty 
years these classes have been in operation. We think we 
might be excused for saying, nearly 1,900 years there have 
been some of these classes. In the days of the Apostles they 
had some of these classes, and we have no doubt that during 
the dark ages there were classes of this same kind. But you 
will not find them mentioned in church history because the 
church had been neglecting the Bible and following the 
creeds. If we had an accurate history we would find there 
have been Bible Students for eighteen centuries. 

I.B.S.A.-Relation to Church Union. 

Q347:4:: QUESTION (1913)-4-How does the 
International Bible Students' Association stand on the 
question of church union? 

ANSWER— We believe the union of church to be just 
the right thing, because we take the Word of the Lord on the 
subject. All ye are brethren and one is your Master, even 



Christ. This is what we advocate when we 

{PageQ348} 

say, "Take away the creed fences and let us all unite, whether 
Baptist, Disciple, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, or 
Catholic; let us unite as Bible Students and followers of the 
Lord Jesus Christ." There is a difference between union of 
the kind we have described, and federation, of which we hear 
so much. The latter is quite unscriptural. The Bible tells us 
that it will have a measure of success, but denounces it. 

I.B.S.A.-Aloof From all Denominations. 

Q348:1 :: QUESTION (1913)--l--What is the reason 
for the L B. S. A. holding aloof from other denominations? 

ANSWER--The LB.S.A. do not hold aloof from any 
denomination. We welcome all to any class, at any time, in 
any denomination. We do not hold aloof from anybody. 
Why do we not go to a cathedral and hold meetings? They 
have not asked us to. Why not go to the Episcopal church? 
They have not asked us. Why not go to the Baptist church? 
They have not asked us either. We ask all in and try to have 
our meetings in public places, which will be free to people of 
all denominations. For instance, we have this beautiful hall 
until July 20th, and Jews and Gentiles, and people of all 
denominations have a full right to come here, and feel that 
they are invited. We do not hold aloof. Any aloofness is on 
the other side, I think. We say to people of all denominations, 
"Come with us, and you do not need to join anything." 

I.B.S.A.~Re New Denomination. 

Q348:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-Does the LB.S.A. 
pretend that it is the only true church? Are you trying to 
build up a new denomination? 

ANSWER— The one true Church, dear friends, is the 
church of the Bible. There never has been but that one true 
Church. All others are false, and if I built up another church I 
would be building up another false one. That is not our 
proposition at all. The LB.S.A. holds out the proposition 
which the Bible stands for, namely, that all people who are 
trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, and consecrated to follow in 
his steps, are of the church of the living God whose names are 
written in heaven. The LB.S.A. recognizes no other church. 
It does not say that only those in the LB.S.A. constitute the 
church. It recognizes that all true Christians in the various 
churches should be awake, and we are trying to awaken them 



to the truth. The LB.S.A. recognizes that these true Christian 
people are in danger of falUng into infidelity, unless they get 
the true light of God's Word, and so is trying to bring all 
Christian people to study the Bible, and thus into complete 
union as the church of Christ. 

I.B.S.A.-Why Leave Nominal Church to Join it? 

Q348:3:: QUESTION (1914)-3--If laminharmony 
with Present Truth, as presented by Brother Russell, but live 
consistent in a church for years, what would I gain by coming 
out into the I.B.S. Association? 

ANSWER--Shall I say they would gain a fortune, that it 
would be the making of your business, or entrance into 
society? What shall I tell him? I think he would gain a good 
conscience. Why, are there no good Methodists, 
Presbyterians, Baptists, Lutherans or Catholics? Yes, verily. 
I believe there is nobody in this world stands on a broader 
foundation than the LB.S.A. No other class of people who 
recognize all that are saints of God regardless of 
denominational lines more thoroughly than we. 

{PageQ349} 

Why should anybody leave the nominal church and join 
the LB.S.A. In the first place, you cannot join the LB.S.A. in 
the same way you join anything else. You simply can't keep 
out. They won't need to receive you in. You become a Bible 
student just as soon as you become free. The difficulty all 
along was that your mind was fettered and you did not know 
how to study the Bible, and you were afraid of it, and just as 
soon as you get free you are an LB.S.A member. 

Now you say, why could I not just as well stay where I am? 
It is not for me to decide for you. If you think you hear the 
voice of God telling you to stay where you are, then by all 
means follow God's voice; but to some of us the matter is this 
way. (You see I am leaving this broad and open to each 
man's conscience whether you remain in the nominal church 
or get out. I have not a word to say in deciding anybody's 
course.) All I have to say is this: As long as I would remain a 
Catholic, for instance, I would be understood by all of my 
neighbors and friends to be a supporter of and a believer in 
the doctrine of the Catholic church. If my mind got out of 
accord with any of their teachings it would be my duty to the 
Catholic church to withdraw from it as one who could not 
honestly represent it, and in honesty to myself I should 



withdraw. Why? Because I could no longer go to the people 
and say I am altogether satisfied. I would not longer believe 
its doctrines. For that matter I believe very few Presbyterians 
believe the Presbyterian creeds, and other churches the same; 
so, if they would all apply that same rule I am afraid all of the 
different churches would be depopulated at once and lose 
their membership, because people would say, I no longer 
believe that creed and can no longer stay in and be honest 
with myself, with God or with my fellowmen. 

What then would happen? It would be splendid. How? 
If all would do that they would all come together and there 
would be nothing but Christians. Then what would they be? 
I.B.S.A.'s. 

I.B.S.A.-Re Soliciting, Praying For, Accepting Funds. 

Q349:1 :: QUESTION (19 14)- 1 -Pastor Russell. My 
Dear Sir: -I am much interested in your great philanthropy, 
and will be pleased if I may be privileged to have some part 
in it also. Can you use, and are you willing to accept, the 
enclosed check to assist in the work? If so, I will be pleased 
to have you use it in whatever way may be deemed advisable 
to you. 

ANSWER-The check is for $2,700.00, and the 
question is will I accept it or not? I answer in the affirmative. 

I might say, my dear brethren and sisters, that although no 
money is ever solicited, all the money that is used is donated, 
and as a rule, those who give to the work are not very wealthy 
people. But very many people having had their own souls 
blessed feel as though they wanted to do something to give 
the blessings to others, and so they will hand in some money, 
in this form, and sometimes in another form, desiring that it 
shall be used in some way. 

For instance, when I was at Asbury Park one day an 
envelope was handed to me and I had not time to open it so 
just put it in my pocket; but I was talking to a reporter 
sometime afterwards, and he was asking about the work, how 
supported, etc., and I explained to him that it 

{PageQ350} 

was by voluntary donations; that I had been in this work forty 
years, yet we never had taken up a collection at any time, and 
whatever money the Lord provided was used to the best of 
our ability and judgment and as wisely as we knew how, the 
Lord being asked for wisdom to use the money of His own 



providing to His own praise, and that it keeps coming 
gradually, and that we never solicit it from the people nor ask 
God for it. Now that would seem very strange to some that 
we would not pray for money and tell the Lord how much or 
how little was in the treasury. But my dear friends, we have a 
God that knows all about the treasury, and what is the use of 
telling Him. He knows the account better than I do. I am not 
going to tell God how much He ought to put into the work. 
Let Him attend to that part. Whatever comes into our care is 
our stewardship and supervision. There our responsibility 
begins. Use it wisely and well and so it will gratify the Lord. 

I said to the reporter: That is the rule we follow, and when 
God ceases to provide the money the work would decline in 
that proportion, for we would not ask, but would use 
whatever He sends. The reporter seemed somewhat 
doubtful, and I said, "I do not know but what I may have 
something in my pocket now." I pulled out some letters and 
found this one and said, "Here is one I have not examined," 
and I opened it and found five $20.00 bills in it. He looked 
with bulging eyes. All that it said on the envelope was. 
For the dear Photo Drama, from a sister. That was all. 
But it tells the story, dear brethren and sisters, and so we 
thank this dear brother and will try to use this money wisely 
to the Master's praise. 

If all of the questions are as easy to answer as this one, my 
dear friends, I will have no difficulty. 

I.B.S.A.-Re Spirit of Babylon. 

Q350:1 :: QUESTION (I915)--1-Is it showing the spirit 
of Babylon to co-operate in methods promulgated from L B. 
S. A. headquarters, Brooklyn, without closely scrutinizing 
those methods? 

ANSWER—I would think that each one would have to 
use his own judgment about this matter. If anybody had been 
very badly "stung" he should be very much on his guard. If 
he had not been "stung" he would properly not be so much on 
his guard. It is quite right to use your own judgment about 
the matter. So far as the headquarters at Brooklyn is 
concerned, and my own identification with the work there, let 
me say: everything is under my supervision. Nothing 
emanates from there contrary to my conscience. But you 
must use your consciences. While there are many wise 
and capable brethren at the Brooklyn office, yet by present 
arrangement they are my assistants under my general 
supervision as long as I live. That was the arrangement made 
when I turned my property over to the Society, years ago. 



This applies also to the Society's work in foreign lands. 

I. B. S. A."True Definition of Babylon. 

Q350:1:: QUESTION (1915) 2 IftheLB.S.A. 
headquarters should promulgate methods not understood or 
approved by us are we to apply Rev. 18:4, "Come out or 
her, My people," and if so, how? 

{PageQ351} 

ANSWER--I think if the I.B.S.A. can be shown to be a 
section of Babylon, we all ought to get out of it. If we all get 
out on the same side, where shall we be then? I think we 
shall be pretty close together if all get out on the same side. 

The word "Babylon" signifies "confusion," and in Rev. 18:4, 
it is used in reference to mixing the things of God and 
of men. There was a time when, throughout Europe, the 
kingdoms came very much under the influence of the Roman 
Catholic Church. To some extent those kingdoms came under 
the influence of Christianity—to the extent that there was 
Christianity in the Roman Catholic Church. 

It is well to emphasize that there was a time when the 
Roman Catholic Church was the only church in the world, 
and when the people knew no better than to be in it and of it. 
Where would they have been otherwise? Then there came a 
time when the church officials, those who were high in the 
church management, succeeded in coming into affiliation with 
the Roman Empire; and the Roman Church became its 
successor. Then the Church of Rome began to sway the 
nations and to tell the people of this or that principality, 
"Your king is not in harmony with us. You can select another 
one." Then there would be a revolution. The Pope and the 
Catholic Church were back of these changes. That is the way 
it began. There is where the illicit marriage of the nominal 
church and the world took place. 

In many European nations this has now been gradually 
changed. In some the church and the state are completely 
separated. But this change has not been made in Austro-Hungary. 
The people are strictly under the control of the Roman 
Catholic Church. The church has to do with everything. 
In Great Britain, the representatives of the church of 
England sit in Parliament, as part of the government. The 
church bishops are members of the House of Lords. In 
Germany and Sweden, it is very much the same. Their 
government and God's government are linked together in the 
minds of the people. 



This state of things God calls Babylon~the professed 
Church of Christ being married to worldly governments. 
These have been called Christian governments by mistake. 
They are not Christian. Look at the present conditions in 
Europe. The governments at war are not manifesting the 
Spirit of Christ. There are Christians in all these 
governments, but the governments themselves are not 
Christian. The nominal church has been responsible for this 
state of things. The situation has so warped men's minds that 
they think their present course the right one. They think that 
Christ is now reigning. In their minds the reigning kings and 
the parliament represent God on earth. The Lord would have 
us separate from all this. 

There is another way in which the spirit of Babylon 
manifests itself; as, for instance, in the Protestant 
churches-Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, etc. They pander to the 
worldly spirit. They take note of the rich, trying to work in 
with the rich and get the rich into positions in the church. 
Thus they recognize money above spirituality. In many cases 
money runs the church. That is not the basis under which the 
true Church operates. There is a system in connection with 
all of them, even in the Baptist church, the most liberal of all. 

{PageQ352} 

The Baptists will say, "We are in no bondage; we have no 
ecclesiastical control at all." They do not realize that the 
spirit of Babylon has gotten into the church. Suppose we 
have here a congregation of Baptists. As a congregation they 
call their own minister and attend to their own affairs. A 
certain minister, then. Brother A., is called to serve them. But 
he must be ordained as pastor of this congregation. So they 
send for some other Baptist ministers—say Brother B., Brother 
C, and Brother D. to ordain him. But Brother A. does not 
stand in very well with the ministers called to do the 
ordaining. So they say, "We will not ordain Brother A.; he is 
irregular." And the congregation ask, "You cannot ordain 
him?" Then they reply, "We have nothing at all against 
Brother A., but we will not ordain him." So you see the 
preachers have the rule, and the people do not know it. 

The Baptists will tell you the preachers have no authority at 
all. But the Baptists cannot do a thing without the consent of 
the preachers; this they do not seem to know. The preachers 
hold a power that God did not repose there. God never 
authorized any men to go and ordain another men to preach 
the Gospel. God does the ordaining; and it is for the church 



to decide, according to its best judgment, whom the Lord 
ordains or calls as a pastor. All this ordination by men is 
Babylonish, a species of machinery to manage the people. It 
is all worked just like politics. 

Nevertheless, the Baptists are the nearest free, of all 
so-called "orthodox" sects. The people in the Methodist church 
have almost no liberty, except the privilege of giving money. 
That is the principal liberty they enjoy. The bishops rule in 
co-operation with the presiding elders. At each annual 
conference the presiding elder and the bishop have it fixed 
what minister is to go here and what one there. The minister 
that does not stand by the presiding elder will go to the 
country place which pays only $400; while the one who does 
stand by him, though no more capable, will be sent to a place 
that pays $1,000 or more. I have had several Methodist 
ministers tell me this. They complain about it, but do not 
want to get out of a job altogether. That is not the liberty 
wherewith Christ makes free. I realize that this is a system. 
Let me show you what a system it is. The bishops control the 
presiding elders, and under them the presiding elders control 
the preachers; and so it is all the way down to the class 
leaders They have their head or chief amongst them. They 
have a human head. The General Conference is the highest 
authority. 

So the Presbyterian church has a head in the way of a 
General Assembly which has the deciding of matters. All this 
is according to the course of this world. The simplicity of 
Christ is not generally observed, except amongst the friends 
of the International Bible Students' Association. There it is 
very general, and the Word of God is observed. They learn to 
take notice when things are going wrong. The simplicity of 
the matter is evident to all. 

On one occasion I was called upon by a minister of the 
Reformed church. He wanted to know how I managed my 
church I said to him, "Brother--, I have no church." He said, 
"You know what I mean." I answered, "I want you to know 
what I mean, too. We claim that there is only one Church. If 
you belong to that Church, you belong to 



{PageQ353} 

our Church." He looked at me in surprise. Then he said, 
"You have an organization; how many members are there?" 
I replied, "I cannot tell; we do not keep any membership 
rolls." "You do not keep any list of the membership?" "No. 
We do not keep any list; their names are written in heaven." 
He asked, "How do you have your election?" I said, "We 
announce an election; and any or all of God's people, who are 
consecrated and are accustomed to meet with this company, 
or congregation, may have the privilege of expressing their 
judgment of who would be the Lord's preference for elders 
and deacons of the congregation." "Well," he said, "that is 
simplicity itself." I then added, "We pay no salaries; there is 
nothing to make people quarrel. We never take up a 
collection." "How do you get the money?" he asked. I 
replied, "Now, Dr.— , if I tell you what is the simplest truth 
you will hardy be able to believe it. When people get 
interested in this way, they find no basket placed under their 
nose. But they see there are expenses. They say to 
themselves, 'This hall costs something, and I see that free 
lunch is served between meetings, for those living at some 
distance. How can I get a little money into this thing, 
anyway?' " He looked at me as if he thought "What do you 
take me for--a greenhorn?" I said, "Now, Dr.--, I am telling 
you the plain truth. They do ask me this very question, 'How 
can I get a little money into this cause?' When one gets a 
blessing and has any means, he wants to use it for the Lord. 
If he has no means, why should we prod him for it?" 

There would be nothing to come out of, as an organization, 
if one is an International Bible Student. You cannot get out of 
anything you have not gone into. If anyone can tell me how 
he got into Babylon by getting interested in the affairs of the 
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, let him show me how 
he will jump out, and I will jump with him. 

ISRAEL-Third With Egypt and Assyria. 

Q353:1:: QUESTION ( 1 906)- 1 -Please explain Isa. 19:24: 
"In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and 
Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land." 

ANSWER— This is a picture, we believe, in the future. 
Prophecies that are not yet fulfilled are not expected to be 
clearly and forcibly seen in all their details. In what way 
Israel is going to be one with these others is not very clear 
yet; but the Lord not only speaks of the three here but He 



speaks also of Egypt, Sodom and Israel in the book of 
Ezekiel, pointing out that a blessing shall be given to all three 
of these. Our Lord seems to have given prophecy more to be 
understood after it is fulfilled; and so you will find the 
prophecies relating to Christ were not understood until after 
they were fulfilled, and nearly all the prophecies relating to 
the second coming of Christ were not seen until they were 
fulfilled. 

ISRAEL-Outcasts of. 

Q353:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-(Isa. 11:12.) "And 
He shall set up an ensign for the nations and shall assemble 
the outcasts of Israel and gather the dispersed of Judah from 
the four corners of the earth." To whom is the Prophet 
referring when speaking of the outcasts of Israel, and the 
dispersed of Judah? 

{PageQ354} 

ANSWER~You remember, dear friends, there was a 
time in the history of the twelve tribes when they were 
divided, the ten tribes being known as Israel, and the two 
tribes of Judah and Benjamin, called Judah. The ten tribes 
went into captivity and later the two tribes. After a long time, 
God arranged that Cyrus should make the proclamation that 
whosoever desired to return to his own country could do so, 
and the record is that some of all tribes went back to 
Palestine, but most of them were from the tribes of Judah and 
Benjamin, and from that time on they were all known as "all 
Israel." Our Lord, when speaking of Israel, recognized the 
fact that those living in Jerusalem represented the whole 
twelve tribes. Our Lord said in one place. Matt. 10:5,6: 
"Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the 
Samaritans enter ye not, for I am not sent save unto the lost 
sheep of the house of Israel." We are not to fall into the 
mistake that some do that the ten tribes are lost somewhere in 
the world. No, they were lost for the reason that when they 
were taken captives to Babylon, they mixed with the people 
there to such an extent that they lost their relationship as 
Israelites. Now we come down to the present time; those 
whom we know as Jews belong mostly to the house of Judah, 
but some to all. Furthermore, we are to remember that any 
Jew who neglected circumcision was no longer considered a 
member of that nation. The people who mingled with the 
Babylonians back there were not longer considered Israelites 
from God's standpoint. Today the people who practice 



circumcision and are called Israel are called Jews. Now we 
have the matter up to date. What shall we say of the 
dispersed of Judah and the outcasts of Israel? I would 
suppose that this was a statement to cover all Israel, not 
merely the two tribes, but to guard against any 
misunderstanding, both are included. 

Just so when speaking of the New Covenant with the house 
of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not as though there 
were two houses, but so that those who were living at that day 
would know that the blessing would be not to the two tribes, 
nor to the ten tribes, but to all. That is my supposition. 
Cast-off and dispersed mean practically the same. He is 
going to count them all in as one nation. 

ISRAEL-Restoration of. 

Q354:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1--Kindly give us some 
idea regarding the Jews returning to Palestine, in what 
numbers are they returning, and is the land more productive 
than it used to be? 

ANSWER~The Jews are not going back very rapidly, 
but they are making ready to go back, and the land is 
becoming more productive. The prospects are that the new 
Turkish government, which has a kind of control over 
Palestine, will be more favorable to the Jews than the former 
Turkish government was, and so we look for something in 
that line before long. 

You remember when we pointed out in the Dawns about the 
return of the Jews to Palestine, they themselves had not found 
it out. It is not coming as fast as we might have been inclined 
to expect. The Jews are to be re-established in Palestine, not 
that all the Jews that are in this country are going back, for 
many are better satisfied here. Those likely to go there are 
the ones called "orthodox"; and their 

{PageQ355} 

hearts are turning toward Jerusalem. No doubt but that when 
the land shall be open to them, then Russia will thrust them 
out of their country, and they will then go back in large 
numbers. 

ISRAEL-Their Fall The Riches of The Gentiles. 

Q355:1:: QUESTION (1909)--l-(Rom. 11:12), "Now 
if the fall of them be the riches of the world and the 
diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles: How much 
more their fullness?" When was or will be their "fullness" 



and what is it? 

ANSWER—I understand the Apostle to be pointing 
down here to the end of this age, when God will give to Israel 
the fullness of His promise under the New Covenant. 

Now, if God's dealings in the past were made contingent 
one upon another, what shall we expect of God's blessings 
which shall go out to all the world in the times of restitution? 
We can expect a blessing of all the families of the earth, as 
God intimated to Abraham, through both the heavenly and 
earthly seed. 

ISRAEL-Smiting Jesus. 

Q355:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2--Please explain the words 
of Jesus, "But if that evil servant shall say in his heart. 
My Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smite his 
fellow-servants." (Mat. 23:48,49.) 

ANSWER--We understand that a certain servant which 
the Lord would use at the end of this age, whether you like to 
call it a class or an individual, whatever it is, if the servant 
shall prove wicked and shall lose his relationship to the Lord, 
then we should expect that that servant would be cut off from 
his relationship to the Lord. One evidence of his being 
displaced and put out of commission is this: He would begin 
to smite his fellow- servants and to deny the presence of the 
Lord. He would lose the spirit of Christ and the truth 
respecting the presence of the Lord. It does not say that it 
will be so, but "And if he should." It implies that when 
the Lord selects a servant, it is upon condition that he remain 
in the Lord's favor and in harmony with Him, and if he does 
not, then thus and so shall follow. 

ISRAEL AND JUDAH-Re Covenant Relationship 

0355:3:: OUESTION (1911)--l--When will the house of 
Israel and the house of Judah be in covenant relationship 
with God? 

ANSWER--The house of Israel and the house of Judah 
will come into this covenant relationship through the new 
covenant just as soon as Messiah in his glory shall establish 
his kingdom, and that covenant shall be ushered in. He is 
already preparing the better sacrifices; he must accomplish 
this; soon he will be taking the blood and sprinkling the 
mercy seat. Then the next order of things will be the 
sprinkling, or blessing, of the people, and Israel and Judah 
will be the first then to come in under that arrangement; they 
will have the first share in that great blessing which will not 
be for Israel only, nor for Judah only, nor for these together 



only, but for all the families of the earth. From them these 
blessings will go forth. 

ISRAEL-'Seven Times" of Chastisement a Blessing. 

Q355:4:: QUESTION (1915)--4-If the punishment for 
the righteous blood shed from Abel's day to our Lord's day 
came upon the Jews in the year 70 A. D., how can we explain 
the chastisements through which they have been passing all 
down the Gospel Age? 

{PageQ356} 

ANSWER— We certainly know that the Jews said at the 
time of our Lord's death at their hands, "His blood be upon us 
and upon our children." They not only were willing to bear 
personally the responsibility for Jesus' death, but expressed 
the desire that their posterity also should bear it. Doubtless 
God, with His foreknowledge in respect to what this people 
would do, as well as in respect to their general heart 
condition, had from the beginning planned their "Seven 
Times" of disfavor. This He had caused to be recorded by 
Moses in the book of (Lev. 26:18-45). God had there 
declared that if the Israelites did not repent of their 
transgressions against their Covenant, and if His repeated 
chastisements failed to reform them. He would bring upon 
them "Seven Times" of punishment and discipline. 

In Bible chronology a "Time" is a symbolic year. According 
to Jewish reckoning each year was composed of 360 days; 
hence when used symbolically each year would mean 360 
years, and seven such symbolic years would be a period of 
2520 literal years. These Seven Times, or seven symbolic 
years, began in 606 B. C. at the destruction of Jerusalem and 
the carrying away of the entire nation into Babylon, at the 
time when the foretold 70 years of desolation of the land 
began (Jer. 25:8-12; 2 Chron. 36:14-22), and has 
continued ever since, we understand, or until about September 
21st last 

During this long period of affliction upon Israel, the Lord 
has given the Gentile nations an opportunity of showing what 
they could do in the way of world-government. God had 
declared that during these "Times" He would deal very 
differently with His Covenant people from His previous 
dealings. He would walk contrary to them and would scatter 
them among the heathen (Gentiles); and they should be under 
the domination of their enemies, etc. It is a matter of history 
that the Jews have indeed ever since been oppressed by the 



other nations, "without a king," in full harmony with what 
was foretold by the Lord. This experience has been favorable 
to Israel as well as unfavorable. It has not been merely a 
chastisement for their sins. It has been an experience which 
the Lord has given them for their good. 

"BEFORE I WAS AFFLICTED I WENT ASTRAY." 

During the "Seven Times," then, the Jews have had severe 
tribulation and discipline. All of God's people, of every Age, 
have needed chastisements for their correction and 
development, some more and some less. God says to 
Spiritual Israel, "For what son is he whom the father 
chasteneth not? If ye be without chastisement, then are ye 
bastards (spurious) and not sons." (Heb. 12:8.) And so it 
has been with the House of Servants, Natural Israel. Because 
they were God's Covenant people, therefore He dealt with 
them; and He has really given them, during these 2,520 years, 
experiences which will prove favorable to such of them as 
will incline to do right. Those bitter experiences proved so 
favorable that when Jesus came they, as a people, were the 
holiest in the world; and at that time they had suffered only a 
small portion of these "Seven Times." 

So we find that the preaching of the Gospel by our Lord and 
His Apostles found about five hundred of the Jews ready to 
believe and accept Jesus as Messiah. And soon afterwards, 
just after Pentecost, there were quite a number of 

{PageQ357} 

thousands who believed. These, we are told, were Israelites 
indeed in whom there was no guile. It is very remarkable that 
there was so large a number in Israel ready to receive the 
Messiah. This would not have been the case had they not 
been passing through disciplinary experiences. These 
experiences were all such as would tend to keep them 
separate from the Gentiles, keep them from mixing with any 
of the peoples of the earth. 

If the Jews had prospered under the various governments ~ 
Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome--they might have 
intermingled with these other peoples and have ceased to be 
Jews altogether. And the same is true of their prosperity since 
their national overthrow under Titus, A. D.70. 

In God's providence the Jews have continued to have such 
tribulations throughout this Gospel Age as to have kept them 
separate from the rest of the world; and thus their minds have 



been kept in that condition of humility in which they will be 
best prepared for the Lord's service when the time of their 
complete restoration to favor shall come. 

Our thought is that when the proper time arrives the 
Israelites will be more ready for the Kingdom than any other 
nation. The afflictions through which they have passed, 
their obedience to the Law, etc., will have prepared them for 
the Kingdom. We are not, therefore, to consider this long 
period of their suffering and affliction merely as tribulation, 
as punishment. For their ultimate good the Jews were to be 
trodden down of the Gentiles until the full Gentile 
domination. 

ISRAEL'S GREAT REGATHERING. 

St. Paul tells us that just as soon as the Gospel Church shall 
be completed, God's favor will return to the Jews—return in 
the full sense. "Blindness in part is happened to Israel until 
the fullness of the Gentiles (the full predestined number of the 
Church to be gathered from the Gentile nations) be come in. 
And so all Israel shall be saved. As it is written. There shall 
come out of Zion (the glorified Gospel Church, spiritual Zion) 
the Deliverer (The Christ, Head and Body, Jesus and His 
Bride), and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Natural 
Israel) for this is My Covenant unto them when I shall take 
away their sins." —Rom. 11:1-33. 

The Lord purposed to take away all sins—the sins of Israel, 
the sins of those who were to constitute the Gospel Church, 
and the sins of the whole world. For this cause Christ was 
manifested, for this cause He died. This cancellation, or 
doing away with the sins of the whole world, will progress as 
each shall recognize the Heavenly gift of forgiveness and 
obey the Government. 

The orthodox Jews, those who still hold to the teachings of 
the Law and the Prophets, and have faith in God, will be the 
first to receive the blessings of the New Age. "As concerning 
the Gospel they are enemies for your (the Church's) sakes; but 
as touching the election (the natural election), they are 
beloved for the fathers' sakes." So, then, this condition of 
affliction in which the Jews have been throughout the Gospel 
Age, in addition to the overthrow of their nation in the year 
70 A. D., has really been a favor from God. All the 
tribulation through which this people have passed during the 
entire "Seven Times" of chastisement 



{PageQ358} 

will be finally found to have been to their advantage, 
preparing them for the blessings of Messiah's Kingdom. The 
Church will be the first in the Kingdom, Natural Israel with 
the Ancient Worthies at their head will be the second. 
Subsequently all nations will come into Divine favor and 
blessing, becoming members of Israel. All will be blessed 
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

JEHOVAH-Alpha and Omega. 

Q358:1 :: QUESTION (1908)--1--"I am Alpha and 
Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which 
is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." What 
does this text teach? 

ANSWER~We have entered into this text more fully 
than we will be able to do now in the Fifth Volume of the 
Millennial Dawn studies, and there we refer you for a more 
particular answer to the question. We would suggest, however, 
that the "first and the last" does not necessarily signify 
that the person who is the last is going to end, or cease 
to be. We might say of our heavenly Father, in one sense of 
the word, that He is the first and the last, that the whole 
matter begins with Him and ends with Him; or, as we would 
otherwise express it. He is the all in all. Everything is 
comprehended in the divine. Almighty power. For instance, 
we might apply this text to our Lord Jesus and say that he was 
the beginning and the ending of the creation of God, as He is 
referred to in one place; that He is the first one God created 
and the last one God created, and that God never directly 
created any but Him, and that all of the creation of God was 
through Him and by Him as the divine agent. 

JEHOVAH-His Spirit Will Not Always Strive. 

Q358:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-In Gen. 6:3, we 
read: "And the LORD said. My spirit shall not always strive 
with man, for that he also is flesh, yet his days shall be an 
hundred and twenty years." When will the Lord's spirit cease 
to strive with man? 

ANSWER— I have a thought in my mind respecting this 
verse which is a little different from what I once had, and the 
two are still struggling, and I don't know yet just what I think. 

JEHOVAH-His Inheritance. 

0358:3:: OUESTION (1909)-3-Kindly explain the 



passage of Scripture contained in Eph. 1:18 (Diaglott), 
"The eyes of your heart having been enlightened that you may 
know what is the hope of this invitation, what the glorious 
wealth of his inheritance among the Saints." How could God 
have an inheritance, He being the Possessor and dispenser of 
all? This is the point, dear brother, we wish to have 
explained, as various opinions are entertained by the Truth 
people. 

ANSWER~The word "inheritance" seems to be the 
point in question. In what way is the Church the Lord's 
inheritance? I would presume that the word used here would 
be in the sense of that which He possesses, that which He has 
come to possess; because, remember that the Lord does not 
possess us in the sense that He takes hold of us and says, "I 
have the authority, and you must submit, because you are 
mine." No, He possesses us by giving us certain promises, 
allowing us to accept the promises, and if we take hold of 
them He will own and possess us, and we shall be His. We 

{PageQ359} 

need to have the eyes of our understanding or hearts open, as 
the Apostle says, so that we may comprehend, and so that 
then the Lord can have us in His inheritance, or special 
treasure, as He puts it in another place. 

He owns the whole world in one sense, yet He has given it 
up and He has allowed Jesus to purchase the world and to 
give it back at the end of the Millennial Age. During this 
Gospel Age He is sending out a special invitation to find 
those whose hearts are in the proper attitude to give them 
special favors to receive them to Himself, and then He will 
have a new inheritance on a new plane, or on a plane not 
formerly recognized. 

JEHOVAH-Questioning His Methods. 

Q359:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l-Why didGod, who is 
all loving, permit his Son to be crucified? As a perfect God, 
why did he not make some other plan by which his Son would 
not have needed to be crucified? 

ANSWER—Well, my dear friends, this would be a large 
question to go into; it would involve the permission of evil in 
a general way, and that alone would take us at least an hour. 
And those of you who are following our weekly sermons will 
find that will he a topic for a weekly sermon sometime in 
September next— and in that sermon you will find the answer 
to this question— why evil is permitted. Or, if you wish, you 



will find a chapter in the first volume of the Studies in the 
Scripture on the subject, "Why God permitted evil." That 
covers why he permitted his Son to suffer evil, to suffer 
death, to suffer pain, to suffer sorrow. Why did he permit you 
to suffer sorrow? Why did he permit any of his people to 
suffer pain, sorrow or death? And the reason of it all lies in 
the same direction? The proper attitude of mind from which 
to approach this subject would be, not to find fault with God, 
and to tell him we know he should have done something else, 
but rather say we believe there is a great God, who made our 
earth, and made us, and who made all things, and we believe 
him to be the very personification of justice, wisdom, love 
and power, and then, from this standpoint, let us look into the 
Bible to see just what he says, and just why he does this; and 
if we should never be able to see just why, let us give the 
credit to our own small reasoning capacity rather than to 
God's insufficiency of wisdom, because we are not great 
enough to judge our Creator. If our minds were large enough 
we would undoubtedly understand his ways to be altogether 
right, and just, and true, and good. 

JEHOVAH--Re Author of Everything. 

Q359:2:: QUESTION (1911) 2 If God is the very 
personification of all good and perfection, he must be the 
author of absolutely everything from the earliest conception 
of creation, attributes and elements. But God, being all good, 
the author of everything, God must be the author of sin. 

ANSWER—What a wonderful logician this is! There is 
not a word of Scripture in it. I was asking for Scriptural 
questions. The Scriptures say, "All his work is perfect." There 
is no suggestion that God is the author of sin, or that he is the 
author of anything that is imperfect. He is not the author of 
sin; he condemned sin. Do you suppose he would make sin, 
and then provide his Son to redeem us from 

{PageQ360} 

sin? How ridiculous that we should think Almighty God is 
the author of sin, and then working against his own works. 
Dear friends, let us have reason. 

JEHOVAH-Re Seeing God. 

Q360:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)--1 --Please explain 
Exodus where it says they saw God; as compared with 
Timothy, where it says. No man hath seen God. 
ANSWER— The apostle in Timothy is saying that no 



man has seen God at any time, the only begotten of the 
Father, he hath revealed him. Now, Saint Paul means that no 
man ever saw the person of God. And in the Old Testament, 
it speaks how that at various times he was seen and how He 
showed himself; that he was seen through his representatives 
just as Jesus was the most precise representative of the Father; 
for instance, on the Mount, when the law was given. Moses 
saw the Lord; that is, the Lord's special messenger, the angel 
of the Lord. In one place it says, the angel, and in another 
place it says, the Lord. The thought is the same, namely, that 
no man could see a Spirit being, but the angel of the Lord 
could appear as a man and could confer with human beings. 

JEHOVAH-God's Occupation Previous to Creation of 
Eartli. 

Q360:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-What was God doing 
during the eternity of creation, prior to the creation of the 
earth? 

ANSWER~Now, John Calvin would have been the man 
to answer this question. It is beyond me, except this: I can 
tell you some things beyond that. The Scriptures say in John 1:1, 
that in the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos--the 
Word—was with the God, and the Logos was a God; the same 
was in the beginning with the God; and by him were all things 
made that were made, and without him was not one thing 
made. Here is a description of the Lord Jesus in his 
prehuman condition, before He became man, when he was 
with the Father, before the world was, and the Scriptures tell 
us that he was the beginning of God's creation, and then that 
through him angels and all things were made. Now what was 
before the Logos, I do not know. The Scriptures merely tell 
us that our heavenly Father had no beginning. I accept that. 
My head is not big enough to fathom it. There are some 
things that you and I do well to recognize as limitations to our 
thought. If you want another illustration that you can easily 
grasp, it is this: Suppose I should throw a stone and it should 
keep going on forever and forever—where would it land? It 
would not land at all if it kept on going, would it? Well, 
could that stone, if it went on forever, ever reach the end of 
space? No, you cannot reach the end of space, for there is no 
end of space. You see you cannot imagine unlimited space, 
neither limited space. What is the matter? Why, our heads 
are not large enough, we have not the information necessary 
for us to judge on some of these things. When it comes to 
anything connected with our Almighty Creator, we have to 
admit that we are lowly. We know just as much as he has 



revealed. What he has not revealed we are not able to know. 

JEHOVAH-Firstand Last. 

Q360:3:: QUESTION (1912)-3--Please explain the 
statement, "I am the Lord, the first and the last," in Isa. 41:4; 
Isa. 44:6. 

{PageQ361} 

ANSWER--Well, I suppose it means that God is the 
only one that should be recognized. All others go into 
forgetfulness. I will be the God eventually, in the end. So 
this primacy of the heavenly Father is recognized by the Lord 
Jesus when He said He would deliver up the Kingdom to the 
heavenly Father that He might be all in all. 

JEHOVAH-Meaning of Voice of. 

Q361:1:: QUESTION (1913-Z)-l-It is saidof Adam 
and Eve, "And they heard the voice of Jehovah." What is 
meant by the "Voice" of Jehovah? 

ANSWER— We suppose that it refers to our Lord Jesus 
in His pre-human condition. The Logos was a god. The 
Logos, Word, Voice, of God, communicated with man, as the 
Representative of God. 

JEHOVAH-Determining Our Standing Before. 

Q361:2:: QUESTION (1913-Z)-2-Is there any way of 
determining our standing before GOD? 

ANSWER-The Apostle John says that "If our hearts 
condemn us not, then we have confidence toward God." (1 John 3:21.) 
In order that we may begin to measure ourselves 
and our progress, to know whether or not we are pleasing God 
in the affairs of life, we must know first of all whether we 
have taken steps to come into His family. Have we made a 
full consecration of ourselves to do the Divine will? If we 
know that we have made a full consecration of ourselves, the 
next question should he. To what extent do I know 
God's will, and to what extent am I seeking to do it? Do I 
use my time, strength, influence and all that I have, 
sacrificially, to the best of my ability, not counting my life 
dear unto myself? If we find that in a general way this is the 
course we are following, then there is every reason for us to 
have great satisfaction. 

Then we find that the thing to be expected is that all those 
who will "live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 
(2 Tim. 3:12.) If we find that we have not the witness of the 



Spirit, if we have no persecution, then we have not been 
letting our light shine out. This should not lead us into 
anything foolish, but we should examine ourselves to see 
whether we are laying down our lives in His service. If we 
find no suffering in the present time, it should be a cause of 
perplexity to us. 

If we find persecutions, then we should make sure that our 
persecutions are not from any wrong which we have done 
ourselves, nor from busy bodying in other men's matters, but 
that we are suffering for the Truth's sake, for the brethren's 
sake. If we have these evidences that we have come into 
God's family, if we are studying to know and to do His will, if 
we are having trials and difficulties in the pathway and are 
being rightly exercised thereby, we may count ourselves as 
His faithful people. 

JERUSALEM-How the Mother of Us All? 
Q361:3:: QUESTION (1912) 3 Gal. 4:26, 
"Jerusalem, which is above, is the mother of us all." Who is 
the us? How is the Spiritual Jerusalem the mother of us all? 

ANSWER--The Scriptures frequently use this figure, 
and refer to a city as a mother of her inhabitants— "Jerusalem 
and her daughters, Sodom and her daughters," etc. So, God 
declares, "Jerusalem, which is the mother of us all." The 
citizenship of the Saints is in Heaven, in the Heavenly 

{PageQ362} 

Jerusalem, which will not be built until the First Resurrection. 
But we look forward and by faith speak of that promised 
condition and of our citizenship therein. The New Jerusalem 
was symbolized by Sarah, the wife of Abraham. The New 
Jerusalem is our Covenant, under which we become New 
Creatures in Christ, members of the Spiritual Isaac. 

The Church is developed under the same Covenant-Mother 
as Christ—for we are His members. His was a Covenant of 
Sacrifice, "Gather unto Me My Saints, those who have made a 
covenant with Me by sacrifice." (Psa. 50:5.) The man 
Christ Jesus entered into a covenant with the Father, which 
meant the sacrifice of His flesh. His earthly nature, as a 
reward for which sacrifice the Father made Him a new 
creature of the divine nature, "far above angels," constituting 
Him the great Messiah which should bless the world. And 
Jesus, carrying out the Father's plan, imputes His merit to 
such as now follow His example, walk in His steps, 
performing the same Covenant of sacrifice and if we are 



faithful, we will share in the great work of Messiah in 
blessing the world, and will be that New Jerusalem, that 
Millennial Kingdom~we are by faith its children. Even now 
our citizenship is in heaven. 

JERUSALEM-Mother of Us All. 
Q362:1:: QUESTION (1913 Z) 1 In the text, 
"Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us 
all" (Gal. 4:26), who are meant by "us," and how is the 
spiritual Jerusalem the "mother of us all"? 

ANSWER— The Apostle here uses a figure of speech 
which is common in the Scriptures, and in which a city is 
referred to as the mother of its inhabitants; for instance, 
"daughters of Jerusalem," "daughters of Zion," "Sodom and 
her daughters," etc. The "us" class means the saints of God. 
The citizenship of the saints is in Heaven ~ in the Heavenly 
Jerusalem, which will not he built until the First Resurrection. 
By faith we look forward and speak of that promised 
condition and of our citizenship therein. The Church is 
developed under the same Covenant-Mother as was Christ; 
for we are His members. His was a covenant of sacrifice. 
"Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a 
covenant with me by sacrifice." (Psa. 50:5.) The Man 
Christ Jesus entered into a covenant with the Father, which 
meant the sacrifice of His flesh. His earthly nature. 
As a reward for this sacrifice, the Father made Him a New 
Creature of the Divine nature--"far above the angels," 
constituting Him the Great Messiah who shall bless the world. 

Carrying out the Father's Plan, our Lord imputes His merit 
to such as now follow His example, and walk in His 
footsteps, performing the same covenant of sacrifice. If these 
are faithful, they will share in the great work of Messiah in 
blessing the world, and will constitute the New Jerusalem, the 
Millennial Kingdom. By faith we are its children'. Even 
now, our citizenship is in Heaven. 

JESUS-Not the Son of Joseph. 

Q362:2:: QUESTION (1907)-2-Does the first chapter 
in the New Testament lead us to conclude that God may have 
miraculously used Joseph as well as Mary in naturally 
bringing forth the perfect man Jesus from perfect, purified 
origin and nature? 



{PageQ363} 

ANSWER—I answer, no. It could not teach anything of 
the kind, and does not teach anything of the kind to my mind. 
The fact is, that if Jesus was a son of Joseph and Mary, He 
was just as much a son of Adam as you are and as I am, and 
He was just as much an inheritor of Adam's sin as you and I 
are, and if He was an inheritor of Adam's sin. He was just as 
much under the death sentence as you and I are, and if under 
the death sentence. He could not have redeemed Himself, let 
alone the world. So the Scriptures clearly teach that the 
Redeemer should be one whose life was not from the 
condemned source. But, as the Scriptures say, Jesus' life did 
come from the Father, and as He Himself said. He was with 
the Father before the world was, and as the first chapter of 
John says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was 
with the God, and the Word was a God. The same was in the 
beginning with the God. Without Him was nothing made that 
was made!" Here the prehuman existence of our Lord is 
affirmed, and how He left the glory He had with the Father, 
humbling Himself and did not stop, as says the Apostle Paul, 
with the angelic nature, but stooped to the human nature and 
was born of the woman, not of the man. He was horn under 
the Law that He might redeem the world. So the whole thing, 
according to the Scriptures, sticks together. If we bring 
Joseph into it, we spoil the whole matter. Jesus could not be 
your Saviour and mine, if Joseph had anything to do with His 
birth in any sense. I suggest that the one who made this 
question read in the fifth volume of Scripture Studies, the 
chapter, "The Undefiled One." 

JESUS-Human or Divine Since Resurrection. 

Q363:1:: QUESTION (1908)--1--If our Lord wasnot a 
man after his resurrection, and will not be a man at His 
second coming, how are we to understand Acts 17:31: "He 
will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He 
hath ordained"? 

ANSWER~I answer, the word "man" is used in a 
variety of senses in the Scriptures, as, for instance, the 
Apostle says God is to make of twain one new man. What 
twain? Well, there were the Jews, for instance, who had been 
God's favored people, and He took of them all that were 
ready, all that were in a condition of heart to receive Him as 
the Bridegroom, and He received them to Himself. "He came 
to His own, and His own received Him not; but to as many as 



received Him, gave He liberty to become the sons of God." 
Then He took from the Gentiles, all through this age, a little 
flock, and of this twain will make one new man, of which He 
is the head,~Jesus Christ the Head of the Church which is His 
Body; so that this is the new man through whom God will 
judge the world in righteousness. 

JESUS-Became Christ. 

Q363:2:: QUESTION (1909) 2 When did Jesus 
become the Christ, and when do we become actual members 
of His Body? Is it at our begetting or at the resurrection? 

ANSWER--Jesus was at the time of consecration 
begotten of the Holy Spirit, and God so recognized Him, 
saying, "This is my well beloved Son, hear ye. Him," but it 
was on probation. You remember how that in the garden. He 
offered up strong cries and tears to Him who was able to save 
Him from death, and He realized that if He failed, it 

{PageQ364} 

would mean eternal death. He did not fully come to the place 
of being the Christ, the anointed of God, in the full sense of 
the term until He rose from the dead. He was declared to be 
the Son of God with power by His resurrection from the dead. 

Just so with us. We receive the Holy Spirit because of the 
covenant we have made, and if faithful we will have all that, 
but if unfaithful, we will lose all. We will also be the sons of 
God by the power or share in His resurrection. 

JESUS-Re Prehuman Existence. 

Q364:1:: QUESTION (1909)--1--When did Jesus know 
of His prehuman existence? 

ANSWER--I do not know; He did not tell us. We 
merely read that He proceeded forth and came from God. We 
know also that He said, "Father, glorify me with the glory I 
had with Thee before the world was." Again, He said to 
Nicodemus, "If I have told you of earthly things and you 
believe not, how would you believe if I told you of heavenly 
things?" How did God give Him this knowledge? That is not 
revealed, but I can give you a suggestion that is helpful to my 
own mind. When our time shall come to have a resurrection 
change, and we shall be new creatures, that new spiritual 
body will not be this old earthly body. No. Well, how will 
we ever remember the things of this present life? You cannot 
imagine now, except that God has the power to give that new 
body, also has the power to impress upon the convolutions of 



that brain whatever is now stored in this brain, and then we 
would have all the thoughts of this present time vividly before 
us in the new state. And so, we might suppose similarly, in 
bringing our Lord Jesus into this earthly condition, God 
stamped or impressed upon His brain the knowledge or 
recollection of his prehuman condition. To allow the one 
would be to allow the other. 

JESUS-The Man as Ransom and Mediator. 

Q364:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-We tell people that 
the man Christ Jesus was the ransom price, because Paul 
says so in 1 Tim. 2:6, and that no other being could be a 
ransom, or corresponding price for Father Adam. Should we 
not also and for the same reason tell them that the man Christ 
Jesus is the Mediator between God and man, because Paul 
says so in 1 Tim. 2:5? 

ANSWER-Certainly, I always say that the man Christ 
Jesus is the Mediator between God and men. What, then, do 
we say further? We say that by God's arrangement the man 
Christ Jesus is counted the Head of the Church which is His 
Body, and the Christ is Jesus the Head and the Church His 
Body; so, both are the Mediator, both are the Priest, both are 
the Judge, both are the King, for we are all one in Christ 
Jesus, for God gave Him to be the Head over the Church 
which is His Body, and we are members in particular of the 
Body of Christ. Therefore, if, as the Body of Christ, we 
suffer with Him, we also, the Body of Christ, shall reign with 
Him; and, we also, as members of the Body of Christ, if we 
be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him. So Christ in 
the flesh was Jesus up to the time He died and rose again. 
Then at Pentecost and since, Christ in the flesh has been all 
those who are recognized as Members of Him, and it is 
because Christ is in the flesh that you and I are met here 
today. It is one body, one Lord, one faith, 

{PageQ365} 

one baptism, one God and Father of all. The body is in the 
world, but as Jesus said, "Ye are not of the world, for I have 
chosen you out of the world." You were before, but you had 
certain peculiarities which led the Father to draw, and Jesus 
said, "Whosoever the Father draws, I will in no wise cast 
out." 



JESUS-Perfect Human Life Aside from Law. 

Q365:1:: QUESTION (1909)--1--Did not Jesus possess 
perfect human life and accompanying rights and privileges, 
aside from the keeping of the Law, which He gave us as a 
ransom for that which was lost? 

ANSWER--A person would not have a right to a double 
life. No one could do any more than keep the Law. The Law, 
you remember, called for this : "Thou shall love the Lord 
with all thy soul, mind, and strength," and you cannot do 
more than that, except as Jesus did, by laying down that life. 
As a perfect man He did have a perfect life, but He had to be 
tested and His testing during the three and one-half years was 
a proof or test of His consecration vow unto death. He was 
keeping the Law and sacrificing His life at the same time. 
Father Adam was perfect and had a right to live, but he 
needed to be tested. The keeping of the Law merely proved 
that Jesus was a perfect man and it gave Him no additional 
rights than those of a perfect man. 

JESUS-Tlien Jesus Turned Questioner 

Q365:2:: QUESTION (1910-Z) -2 -Whose Son was 
Jesus? 

ANSWER— The Great Teacher asked the Pharisees 
"What think ye of the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They 
answered, "The Son of David." The teacher then queried, 
"How then doth David in spirit (prophetically) call him Lord 
saying. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right 
hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then 
calleth him Lord, how is he his Son?" 

Of course the question was too deep for the Pharisees. The 
Great Teacher could answer all of their questions, but they 
could not answer his. How beautifully clear we see it to be 
that the Messiah, according to the flesh, was born of the 
lineage of David, but that God's purposes were not fully 
accomplished in Messiah of the flesh—that he lay down his 
flesh, sacrificially, and was raised from the dead to the plane 
of glory, honor and immortality, "far above angels, 
principalities and powers." We perceive that in the days of 
his flesh he was the Son of David but that in His glorification 
He is David's Lord in that David will receive through him in 
due time, not only resurrection from the dead but also the 
blessings of participation in the Messianic Kingdom. The 
father of Messiah in the flesh will thus become the son of the 
Messiah of glory, whose earthly life is to be the restitution 
price for the whole world, including David. Thus it is 
written, "Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom 



thou mayest make princes (rulers) in all the earth." ~ 
Psa. 45:16. 

AN ILLUSTRATION IN AN EARTHLY PRINCE. 

At a German function in Berlin the story goes that a 
Colonel met a young officer unknown to him whose only 
decoration was a large medallion set in brilliants. The 
Colonel inquired, "Lieutenant, what is that you have on?" 
The young man replied modestly, "An order. Colonel." The 
Colonel replied, "Not a Prussian Order I know of none 

{PageQ366} 

such." "An English Order, Colonel," said the young man. 
"And who in the world gave it to you?" asked the Colonel. 
The reply was, "My grandmother." The old Colonel began to 
think that the young man was making game of him and 
inquired, "And who may your grandmother be?" To his utter 
astonishment and dismay the answer was, "Queen Victoria, of 
England." Here was a Prince in disguise. And so Jesus was 
the great King of Glory in disguise. "He was in the world and 
the world was made by him, and the world knew him not."~ 
Johnl:10. 

JESUS-Resting in Grave on Sabbath. 

Q366:1:: QUESTION (1910) 1 Was there any 
significance in our Redeemer's resting in the grave all the 
Sabbath day? 

ANSWER—I have never thought of any significance. 
There may be, but it has never occurred to my mind. He was 
to rest on the third day, and he was to rest on the first day of 
the week, because that first day of the week would properly 
symbolize or picture a new beginning, a new dispensation; as 
the seventh would be the completion of an old dispensation or 
order of things—the earthly order of things to him~so the 
resting on the first day of the week would properly represent 
him as rising a New Creature—the beginning of a new order of 
things. But I have never had any thought respecting the 
Sabbath day, and why that one day more than another was 
spent by the Lord in the tomb. 

JESUS~Re Adam and Eve Before Separated. 

Q366:2:: QUESTION (1910)-2-Was the man Christ 
Jesus like unto Adam before Eve was taken from his side, or 
after Eve was taken from his side, and before sin entered? 



ANSWER—I do not know, and nobody else knows, and 
I do not think it makes any difference to us about tiie matter. 
There is certainly nothing in the Scriptures that would tell us 
which way our Lord was perfect—whether he was like unto 
Adam in his perfection before Eve was taken from his side, or 
like the perfect Adam after Eve was taken from his side. I 
know of nothing in the Scriptures that would enable one to 
answer that. I feel there is no difference whichever way it 
was, the sufficiency for the ransom-price was in Christ 
because he was the Head anyway. If he was merely as Adam 
was after Eve was taken from his side, he was then the 
responsible one; and if he was like Adam before she was 
taken from his side, he was the responsible one also. 

JESUS-Our Lord the Express Image of the Father. 

Q366:3:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-3-When did Christ 
become the express image of God, as recorded ?--Heb. 1:3. 

ANSWER—Surely our Lord Jesus was an express 
likeness of the Father's person before he came into the world; 
he left that glory, however; he became a man~"He humbled 
himself." It was from this standpoint that he prayed, "Glorify 
thou me with the glory which I had with thee before the world 
was." There is a glory of human nature which our Lord 
possessed while He was a man, "the man Christ Jesus"~a 
perfect man in the likeness of God. However, the Apostle's 
reference in the above text was not to his prehuman existence 
nor to his earthly glory as a perfect man, but to the glory 
which he attained in his resurrection, as the Apostle declares, 
saying, "Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him and 
given him a name that is above every 

{PageQ367} 

name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of 
things on earth and things under the earth" (Phil. 2:9,10.) 
This, we believe, was the particular time to which the 
Apostle referred. 

We are not to understand that he began to purge our sins 
when he left the heavenly glory nor when he made his 
consecration, nor when he died on the cross. In all these 
sufferings our Lord was demonstrating his worthiness of the 
high exaltation. Having fulfilled the Law and laid down his 
life, our Lord had the human life, the earthly nature and 
earthly rights, to dispose of. He had not forfeited these by 
sin. They were his, therefore, to give away. When "he 
ascended up on high" he presented this merit of his as the 



satisfaction for our sins, the sins of his followers, to purge or 
cleanse, not only those who were waiting in the upper room at 
Pentecost, but also all others of the same class down through 
this Gospel Age, till the full number of the "elect" should be 
found. 

JESUS-Following in His Footsteps. 

Q367:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l-In what sense do we 
follow in His footsteps before we reach the mark? 

ANSWER— There are different parables, you remember, 
representing different thoughts, different phases of the 
Kingdom. One parable says the Kingdom of Heaven is 
likened unto this, in another it is likened unto that, and in 
another it is likened unto something else; just the same as you 
might get one view of this tabernacle from one quarter, and 
another view from another quarter, and still another view 
from another quarter, and they would all be somewhat 
different, but all would be pictures of the same building. So 
these different pictures of the Kingdom represent God's 
Kingdom that is to be, that is to rule the world, that is to put 
down sin and to lift up humanity, represented from different 
standpoints. It is the Church now, or it is the Church in glory, 
etc., different phases of the Kingdom experiences. And so 
with this question: one of the pictorial experiences of our 
Lord is walking in his footsteps. He says, "Unless you take 
up your cross and follow me you cannot be my Disciple." 
We are to walk in his footsteps. That is one picture. In no 
sense while we are sinners are we walking in his footsteps. 
No sinner is invited to walk in his footsteps. He must first be 
forgiven of his sins, first come under the blood of atonement 
before he can become a Disciple at all. 

JESUS-Responsibility for IHis Death. 

Q367:2:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)-2-Who killed Jesus 
Christ, the Jews or the Gentile's? 

ANSWER-We answer, it was the Jews that killed 
Jesus. The fact that Pilate and his soldiers, the soldiers being 
Roman soldiers, did the crucifying, amounts to nothing. 
Suppose a man were hanged. What was it that killed the 
man? Was it the man who pulled the rope? Why, of course it 
was the rope in one sense, and it was the man who pulled the 
rope in another sense, and it was the court that gave the order 
for the execution that was behind that. Now, who was it that 
caused Jesus to be crucified? St. Peter tells us most 
emphatically. He charged it up to some of those who were 



present with him on the day of Pentecost. He said, "You 
Jews have taken, and with wicked hands crucified the Prince 
of Life." And they were cut to the heart, and said, 

{PageQ368} 

"Men and brethren, what can we do about it?" And St. Peter 
said, "Repent and you shall be forgiven, for I wot that in 
ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." St. Peter did 
not mention the Roman soldiers at all. Pilate was merely the 
representative of law and order, and when it was demanded 
by the high priest, and scribes, and Pharisees, that he must 
keep order, and this is what they insisted on as being 
necessary, he could make no report to the Emperor, except he 
would obey the conditions. You will not understand me as 
holding that against the Jews. In God's providence, and God's 
intention, Jesus was to be crucified; there would not be any 
other way out of it; that is the way it must be. The Jews did 
not know whom they were crucifying, and they were not a bit 
more to be blamed than was Paul for assisting in the killing of 
Stephen. If I had been a Jew under the same circumstances, I 
might have done the same; I could not say. 

JESUS-Called Son of Man. 

Q368:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--Why is Jesus called 
the Son of Man? 

ANSWER~We answer that this is one of his titles by 
which he is called. There are a great many titles, and this is 
one of them, and a very proper one. You remember when God 
arranged to give mankind the earth, he did give it to Father 
Adam, and Adam was looking forward to a son who might 
become an inheritor, and amongst all the sons of Adam, there 
was no one that could claim the inheritance. He himself had 
lost his right to it by virtue of his own disobedience, and all 
of his children are imperfect—none of them could claim the 
inheritance. If any man at any time could have come forward, 
able to keep the divine law perfectly, he would have had the 
right to claim all the inheritance Father Adam had prior to his 
disobedience; 

but in due time, our Lord came to earth, having left the glory 
be had with the Father, and was made flesh-not that he got 
into the flesh, but that he was made flesh, for the time being 
he was a man; and so the Scriptures say he was the man 
Christ Jesus. He divested himself of the glory and honor of 
the spiritual nature which he previously had and was made 
flesh. He humbled himself to this degree, and he was the son 



of man; the one, who, by obedience to the divine law, claimed 
the inheritance of the earth; it was his; and after he thus 
established his right to the inheritance as the son of man, he 
gave up that inheritance that it might go as the purchase price 
for Adam and his race. 

JESUS~Re Man and Mediator. 

Q368:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-Since the man Christ Jesus 
gave himself a ransom for all, how can we say that this 
same Jesus is to be the mediator of the New Covenant? 

ANSWER— I am not sure if I get the point of this 
question. The questioner may mean, "How could Jesus be the 
ransom price and the mediator both?" If that be the thought, 
the answer is, that he is to be a king, and he is to be a priest, 
and he is to be a judge, and he is to be a mediator, and at the 
present time, also, he is our advocate; He fills many offices. 
So, also, in the type of the atonement day, he was typically 
represented by the bullock and at the same time he was 
typically represented as a priest 

{PageQ369} 

who slew the bullock. So, you see, dear friends, that this 
would not be any argument against the fact that he would be 
both the ransom price and the mediator 

Again, the questioner may mean, "How could the same 
Jesus be one who would be the ransom price, and be the one 
who would be the mediator?" And I answer that the name 
Jesus is one of our Lord's names; it particularly referred to 
His fleshly, or earthly, condition. As a man, he was Jesus, 
and yet the Scriptures identify our Lord in glory with this 
name; as, for instance, the angel who spoke to the disciples, 
said, "This same Jesus shall also come in like manner as he 
went away." And Jesus also identified the church as being 
members of Jesus, when he said to Saul of Tarsus, "I am Jesus 
whom thou persecutest." 

JESUS-This Same Jesus. 

Q369:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-When weread "This 
same Jesus which you see go up into heaven shall also come 
in like manner, "etc., does it not have reference to the new 
creature begotten at Jordan and not to the man Christ Jesus 
who gave himself a ransom for Adam—what does it mean? 

ANSWER— The expression "This same Jesus" was 
made to the apostles when they were still men, when they had 
not been begotten of the Holy Spirit, when, therefore, they 



were not able to understand the spiritual things. They had a 
great lesson in the fact that Jesus had arisen from the dead, 
and that he was changed somehow from what he was before— 
that was demonstrated to them by his coming and going as the 
wind, appearing and disappearing, etc., but still they were not 
able to understand the matter. They were still children in the 
primary grade, trying to learn something, and when telling 
them about the coming of the Lord the messenger did not 
include any particulars respecting the manner of the Lord's 
second coming, but simply the plain fact. This same Jesus,-- 
is it the same Jesus, the new creature Jesus, or is it the old 
creature Jesus? Well, I answer that Jesus was the name of the 
man, and Jesus was the name of the new creature, and Jesus is 
still his name, and he will still be Jesus when he comes. So 
when he would express himself on the subject in Revelation, 
you remember he says, "I am he who was dead, and behold, I 
am alive forever more," the same one. It was not the new 
creature that was dead, it was the old creature. But he 
preserved his own identity. He holds himself to be the same 
Jesus all the way down; the change is in the nature, but he is 
the same Jesus. It was this changed Jesus, the Jesus of the 
resurrection: it was the Jesus born of the Spirit, the Jesus who 
could go and come like the wind—this is the Jesus who would 
so come in like manner as they saw him go. He went away in 
a manner unknown to the world, a manner that was very 
quiet, nobody knew about it, the world did not see him go, 
therefore when he comes in like manner the world would not 
see him come. 

JESUS-Same Today, Yesterday, Forever. 

Q369:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-Please explain this 
text: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever? 

ANSWER-We are not to understand this text to be in 
conflict with any other text in the Scriptures; we are not to 
interpret all Scriptures so as to harmonize all. The Lord Jesus 
Christ did experience his changes. That is made plain 

{PageQ370} 

to us. He was merely the man Jesus at the beginning of his 
ministry; he was the Spirit-begotten Jesus at Jordan, and was 
the one born of the Spirit in his resurrection, but he is the 
same Jesus, the anointed one and the significance of this term 
"yesterday, today and forever" means that he has the same 
office, authority, and relationship to mankind, and the same 
character, and the same sympathy and the same love, all the 



way down. The changes of nature-this progression in the 
divine plan—has not altered his character in any manner or in 
any degree. 

JESUS-Live Forever as a Man. 

Q370:1:: QUESTION (191 l)-l-Could the man Jesus, 
by obeying the law in every Particular, live forever in an 
imperfect earth? 

ANSWER— If Jesus as the man had not consecrated his 
life, had not made this full surrender symbolized by his 
baptism, he would have had all the human rights that 
belonged to the first Adam, because he was the only one to 
take the place of the first Adam. Whatever, therefore, the first 
Adam had a right to and could have claimed of divine justice, 
Jesus could have claimed because he had taken the place of 
the first perfect man. What would that mean? He could have 
said, "Now, Father, here I am; I am perfect and I intend to 
keep your law, and I do keep your law, and now, according to 
your law, I am entitled to everlasting life. And it means I am 
entitled also to have things pretty nice. You gave Adam a 
perfect Eden and everything nice there, and now I am looking 
around for what you have for me, because I keep your law 
and in nothing do I transgress," And then it would have been 
part of the Father's duty— shall I say it that way, duty ?— 
according to his own law, his own arrangement— it would 
have been part of the heavenly Father's duty to have provided 
some good suitable place, some Paradise, for Jesus where he 
would not have had any inconvenience of any kind, because 
being perfect he would not necessarily be subjected to the 
imperfections that belonged to the sinful race. But nothing of 
this kind could come in, because just as soon as Jesus was a 
perfect man, at thirty years of age, he immediately presented 
his body a living sacrifice. There he gave up all his earthly 
rights, everything he could have asked for, he there 
voluntarily laid at the Father's feet-"Lo, I come to do thy 
will, O God; everything that is written in the Book, 
everything in the Holy Scriptures I am prepared to do"-all the 
Scriptures there prefigured in the Lamb and the Bullock, all 
the various sacrifices that pertained to him in the Father's 
plan— "Here I am, ready to do thy will, even unto death." He 
therefore, in that one instance, gave over every earthly right, 
and hence could not have claimed anything the next instant; it 
was all gone. 



JESUS-As Perfect Man and Live in Imperfect Earth. 

Q370:2:: QUESTION (1911) 2 Could Jesus as a 
perfect man live in an imperfect earth forever? 

ANSWER--That is the same question we had before. 
Had he maintained his right to human nature, without making 
his consecration to death, our Lord would have been fully 
entitled to have a Paradise and the heavenly Father would 
undoubtedly have provided it; that was the promise of the 
law-- "he that doeth these things shall live by them" 

{PageQ371} 

-not live in a sinful or in an unsatisfactory condition, but 
under proper conditions. 

JESUS-Father's Obligation To Give Him a Paradise. 

Q371:1:: QUESTION (191 l)-l-You stated that the 
Father could have provided a Paradise for him. Do I 
understand, then, that the curse would have had to be 
removed from the earth before it would have been possible for 
him to have obtained this everlasting life? 

ANSWER-No. Our brother's question is, "Would the 
Father have been obligated, according to the law, to give 
Jesus a paradise home, free from sin and so forth," and the 
brother wants to know whether this would imply that the 
whole earth must have been made perfect. No, I answer, 
when God gave to Adam a Paradise condition the whole earth 
was in an unfavorable condition, God merely preparing a 
Paradise eastward in Eden, and God could just as well have 
prepared some place for Jesus. 

JESUS-Re His Prehuman Existence. 

0371:2:: QUESTION (191 l)-2-Did Christ remember 
his prehuman existence? 

ANSWER—Very evidently he did. I cannot see how he 
could have been devoid of knowledge on the subject when he 
was praying to the Father that he might be glorified with the 
glory he had with the Father before the world was. For him 
to have spoken in this manner, if he did not remember this 
glory, would seem rather inconsistent. The question might 
then be raised, how would Jesus remember this glory since he 
as a man had never been on that plane of glory? We do not 
know how; we can only merely surmise. My surmise is that 
when our Lord was begotten of the Holy Spirit and the higher 
things were opened to him, that in some manner it gave him 
memory and recollection of the spirit things. We could not be 



so impressed because we never had such a spirit existence. 
We know however God has promised that in our new 
condition, when we shall attain to the higher nature, the spirit 
nature, while that body will be a totally different body from 
the one that we now have, it would therefore not have the 
marks of memory that this body had. We understand that 
God nevertheless will somehow or other, in some miraculous 
way as far as our knowledge is concerned, transfer our 
knowledge so that we in the future, will remember the things 
of the present and have full knowledge of our present 
experiences; otherwise our present lives would be of 
practically no avail to us; all the experiences of life would be 
lost. So with our Lord Jesus. Had he not a knowledge 
beyond all other people? Did he not have a knowledge of his 
prehuman condition? We think so, else he could not so fully 
as he did have been the victor, because the Scriptures declare 
in so many words, "By his knowledge shall my Righteous 
Servant justify many when he shall bear their iniquities." 
Father Adam did not have that knowledge, therefore Father 
Adam made a failure. Our Lord Jesus did have knowledge 
that Father Adam did not have and this superior knowledge, 
the Scriptures imply, was a great aid to his faithfulness. By 
his knowledge the Righteous Servant was able to justify 
many. 

JESUS-Re Only Begotten and First Creation. 

Q371:3:: QUESTION (191 l)--3--Jesus is called the 
only begotten Son 

{PageQ372} 

of God. Does this expression refer to his being the beginning 
of the creation of God, or to his consecration at Jordan? If 
the latter, what is the distinction between his begettal and our 
begettal to the spirit nature at our consecration? 

ANSWER—I understand that this refers to our Lord 
from the very beginning of his existence. He was the only 
begotten Son of God. God sent his only begotten Son. He 
was his only begotten Son before he sent him. After he sent 
him, he was made flesh. After he was made flesh he grew to 
thirty years of age. After he grew to thirty years of age, he 
made his consecration. Then he was begotten of the Holy 
Spirit to a spirit nature; but he was the only begotten Son of 
God the whole time, to my understanding. 



JESUS"Re Immersion Into Moses. 

Q372:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 Was Jesus a man 
immersed into Moses? 

ANSWER— The whole nation of Israel was immersed 
into Moses. Moses became the mediator or representative of 
the whole Jewish nation and the whole Jewish nation was 
immersed into him when they passed through the Red Sea, the 
cloud overhanging and the sea on either side. This was their 
immersion into Moses. Of course since Christ belonged to 
the Jewish nation, he was immersed into Moses, he was 
responsible to Moses, he was responsible to the law of Moses, 
and responsible to every feature of the law just as much as 
any other Jew was, exactly—no more, no less. The difference 
between him and other Jews was the same as the difference 
between him and the Gentiles. He was perfect and all the race 
of mankind are imperfect. He could keep the law and none of 
the rest of mankind could keep the law. He could keep the 
law because he was perfect. We cannot keep that great law 
that Moses gave because we are all imperfect, hence our need 
of one to make up for our deficiency. 

JESUS-Re Life Rights. 

Q372:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-If Jesus laid down his 
life-rights in consecration, how could he still have them at his 
resurrection? 

ANSWER— It would seem as though we had never 
learned the Enghsh language properly-or at least, as though 
we had learned in different schools, and had different 
dictionaries— because, apparently, the Lord's people, with the 
very same thought in mind, will use different forms of 
expressing that thought. Now, what is it to lay down life-rights? 

When Jesus said, in his consecration, "Lo, I come to do thy 
will, O my God," what did he lay down? He laid down his 
will. What did his will include? His will included everything 
that could happen to him— his life and all of his rights of every 
kind; when he gave his whole will, his entire heart, to God, it 
included everything. Had he, therefore, no life-rights left? 
The heart he still had left, and he still had that life to lay 
down until he cried out, "It is finished," on the cross. So he 
had not laid down his life, in one sense, and he had laid it 
down in another sense; he had laid it down in the sense that 
he had agreed he would not hold anything back that might be 
the Father's will— no matter what might 



{PageQ373} 

be the Father's will, he would do it. In that sense of the word, 
he had made a consecration of his all. But it is one thing to 
lay it down, and it is another thing to apply it. I laid down my 
hat here somewhere, but it does not follow that I do not own 
my hat, does it? I do not even know where my hat is now, but 
I laid down my hat; I gave it into the care of another. Now, it 
does not follow that I have nothing further to do with that hat. 
It does not follow that I should not direct that person into 
whose care I gave my hat to give it to you. I have laid it 
down; I put it in his hands; I could direct him that be might 
give it to you. Now just so, our Lord Jesus put his whole life 
into the Father's hands, and declared himself ready and 
willing to do the Father's will in every particular, keeping 
nothing back. Now, in the Father's will there were trials and 
experiences came to him, the final one being death on the 
cross, and he was faithful; he kept nothing back he let his life 
be laid down even to the very last, and finished the work of 
laying it down; but it does not follow that he had no right to 
that life; he had not given his life away. To lay a thing down, 
or to give it into the care of another is not to give it away. So 
these life-rights that Jesus had and that he committed to the 
Father, are not given away but are his still to bestow. If he 
did not have these life-rights to bestow, if he did not have any 
hold on them, if he did not have any right to them, he could 
never be the world's Savior, because it is these life-rights that 
he laid down sacrificially, or permitted to be taken from him 
at Calvary by wicked men-these very life-rights that the 
world needs, and that he, as the great mediator between God 
and men, intends to give to the world of mankind under the 
terms of the New Covenant. And it is for that very purpose 
that he may give these earthly life-rights to the world, that 
God has appointed that he shall have a kingdom, and shall 
rule the world, and instruct them, and bring them to an 
appreciation of what he has to give to them, so they will be 
ready to accept it on his terms. 

JESUS-Re Giving Up Life Riglits. 

Q373:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-How could Jesus give 
up his life-rights twice, at Jordan, and at Pentecost? 
ANSWER. -He did not give up any life-rights at 
Pentecost. He gave up his life-rights at Jordan. He 
completed the giving up of his life-rights to do the Father's 
will at Calvary. He finished the matter of giving himself 



there, but while he was thus giving himself, that was a 
different matter altogether from making application of the 
merit. That is the point that seems so difficult to some minds 
to grasp. I do not know why. To my mind it is just as simple 
as anything could be, but apparently to some other minds it is 
a very difficult thing to see the difference between our Lord's 
laying down his life in consecration and the finishing of the 
laying of it down actually at Calvary and his application of 
the merit in the "Most Holy." Let me see if I could draw an 
earthly illustration that might help you: Suppose you had a 
property and you sold it for $10,000 and you said, "I have a 
special purpose or use for $10,000 and I will sell that 
property." You first entered into a contract with the agent that 
you would give a deed. That 

{PageQ374} 

would correspond to our Lord's covenant at Jordan. Then by 
and by at the proper time, say a month afterwards, you signed 
the deed—gave over all your interest in the property, and you 
got the $10,000 and deposited it in the bank. Now that 
money in the bank is the proceeds of the sale of that property. 
Now the money in fact is still yours; you have sold the 
property that you might do certain things with the results and 
the results are now represented in the $10,000 in the bank. 
Then it is for you still to give an order or check on the bank 
giving or appropriating that money for some particular 
purpose. 

Now these four procedures correspond with our Lord's four 
transactions. First he made his consecration, which is like the 
signing of the contract with the real estate agent. 

Secondly, he finished the matter at Calvary, and that 
corresponds to signing the deed and making full delivery of 
the deed. 

Thirdly, he has the money placed to his credit in the bank, 
and that represents how he delivered himself up into the 
Father's hand— "Into thy hands I commit my spirit." 

And fourthly, he had the disposition or use of that merit in 
the Father's hands in the same sense that you would have the 
use or disposition of the money in the bank. It is to your 
credit. You are the one that can draw the check. So our 
Lord's merit was to his own credit in the Father's hands, and 
he also could draw the check and could make the application 
of that merit and he does make an application of that merit 
now, as the apostle says on our behalf. And the evidence that 
it was made on our behalf was indicated at Pentecost when a 



blessing came on certain members of the church, which is the 
body of Christ. 

JESUS-Was He Bom Three Times? 

Q374:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-! -Would it be correct 
and proper to speak of our Lord Jesus Christ as having been 
born three times? Col. 1:15, Luke 2:11, Rev. 1:5. 

ANSWER— I do not see anything improper about 
speaking thus of our Lord. The word "Birth" is more or less 
of an elastic nature. Was Jesus not created? Yes! Well then, 
birth and creation are both the same to my mind. The 
begetting is the beginning of life. That beginning of life 
carried out to its consummation means birth or the full 
attainment to life. Jesus obtained life as the "Only Begotten" 
of the Father long ago in the beginning. That was the first 
birth referred to in the texts given in this question. Jesus 
came as a babe and so we have the account of that birth in the 
second text above. Then He did come to life from the dead, 
and thus we have the last text answered. So you see that it is 
true in all these ways as is asked in the question. It is the 
same thought in everyone of them, although it is expressed in 
different words. That is all the difference. 

JESUS-Was He Begotten in tlie Court? 

Q374:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-Was Jesus begotten in 
the Court? 

ANSWER— Jesus' begetting was just the same as all the 
rest; He was in the Court, according to the flesh, and at the 
moment of His consecration He passed beyond the First Vail. 
He was a New Creature the moment the Holy Spirit came 
upon Him. Jesus' consecration was evidently before He went 
under the water. It was because He made His 

{PageQ375} 

consecration and was accepted that God indicated His 
acceptance by giving Him the Holy Spirit. But the moment 
He received it the New Creature was beyond the First Vail, in 
the Holy. So then, as a priest. He was in the Holy attending 
to that part of His work, from the moment of His spirit- 
begetting. Yet His flesh represented by the Bullock was taken 
outside the camp. He was a New Creature- was in this 
"Holy" condition all the time, every day and every night, 
whether awake or asleep— all the time He was in the Holy 
condition, for this is the condition which represented the New 
Creature. 



JESUS"Re Keeping Law. 

Q375:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-If Jesus had kept 
the Law blamelessly, yet had failed in some feature of His 
covenant of sacrifice, what would have been the status of 
human redemption? Would the Ransom-price of humanity 
have been paid by Jesus' keeping the Law perfectly, even 
though He had failed in obedience to His covenant of 
sacrifice, and thus failed to attain to glory, honor and 
immortality—the divine plane? If not, why not? 

ANSWER— Under the circumstances mentioned in the 
above question, the entire matter of redemption would have 
failed, so far as Jesus was concerned. His death would not 
have ransomed man from the death penalty. Indeed, the 
question pre-supposes an entirely wrong view of the Ransom. 
Jesus' death was a Ransom-sacrifice. That is to say it was 
a sacrificial death intended to effect the ransom of Adam 
and all lost through his disobedience. But a Ransom-sacrifice 
is one thing, and the payment of the Ransom-price is quite 
another thing. For instance: Jesus did His work perfectly; 
it had the Divine approval; the Ransom-price was laid down and 
was satisfactory to the Father, and Jesus has been rewarded for 
His loyalty and obedience manifested in that Ransom-sacrifice; 
but the value of that sacrifice, quite sufficient to be the 
off- set, or satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world, 
has not yet been applied. 

The merit of that sacrifice is in the hands of Divine Justice, 
subject to application for the sins of the whole world as soon 
as God's time shall have arrived. But that time has not yet 
quite arrived, and the world is still not redeemed, even in a 
judicial sense. Hence we read, "The whole world lieth in 
wickedness" and are all "children of wrath." (1 John 5:19; 
Eph. 2:3.) If the Ransom-price had been applied and 
accepted, the world would not lie in the hands of the Wicked 
One, and would no longer be "children of wrath." 

Before the merit of Jesus' sacrifice can be applied as a 
Ransom-price for the world's sins— to secure the world's 
release from Divine condemnation, and the turning over of the 
world to Jesus and the establishment of His Kingdom for its 
blessing— before all these things, or any of them, can take 
place, another matter must, according to the Divine Program, 
be attended to. That other matter is the calling and 
acceptance and begettal to the divine nature of an elect 
"Church of the First-Borns, which are written in Heaven." 
(Heb. 12:23.) This is the work which has been in progress 
for nearly nineteen centuries. As soon as it shall have been 



completed the glorious Redeemer with His exalted Bride class 
will inaugurate His glorious reign of a thousand years, by 
binding Satan and ushering in the New Dispensation, for 

{PageQ376} 

which the whole groaning creation has so long waited.-- 
Rom. 8:22,19. 

Thus it will be seen that our Lord's testing, which began at 
Jordan at the time of His consecration and which ended at 
Calvary, was two-fold, and the two trials progressed 
simultaneously, and to have failed in either particular would 
have lost all. As a man from the human standpoint, born 
under the Law, He was obligated to keep the Law in every 
particular. To have failed would have been death. As 
a New Creature, who had entered into a covenant of sacrifice, 
our Lord was obligated to sacrifice willingly and obediently. 
His life. His rights, everything that He possessed, in harmony 
with the overrulings of Divine providence. "The cup which 
My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11.) 
To have failed of the full, complete sacrifice would 
have cost Him everything, and He would have accomplished 
nothing by all of His previous experiences and loyalty. 

Our Lord's faithfulness in sacrificing during the three and 
a half years of his ministry added nothing whatever to the 
perfection which He had at Jordan. He was perfect and an 
acceptable sacrifice to begin with, and He merely 
maintained that perfection and that acceptance with the 
Father "faithful unto death." Wherefore He has attained His 
present exaltation and is in readiness to be the world's 
merciful and faithful High Priest, and He has also the merit of 
His sacrifice in the hands of Justice ready at the appropriate 
time in the end of this Age to be applied for the cancellation 
of the sins of the whole world. 

The Church shares in the benefits of our Lord's death in a 
different way from that of the world. She has her Redeemer's 
merit imputed to her by (because of) faith— to cover the 
weaknesses and blemishes of her flesh, so that her flesh may 
be presented holy and acceptable to the Father by the 
Redeemer, who imputes the merit of His sacrifice to it and 
makes it acceptable as a part of His own sacrifice. "For if we 
suffer with Him' we shall also reign with Him"; "If so be that 
we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together" ; 
"Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto 
God, your reasonable service;" "Fill up that which is behind 
of the afflictions of Christ." (2 Tim. 2:12; Rom. 8:17; 



Rom. 12:1; Col. 1:24.) These are some of the invitations 
offered to the Church who are now qualifying to be members 
of the Royal Priesthood in the great work of blessing and 
uplifting mankind as God has foreordained and promised. 

JESUS~Re Everlasting Life. 

Q376:1 :: QUESTION (1912 Z) 1 Was Jesus, at the 
time of attaining the perfection of manhood, possessed of 
everlasting life, or was it necessary for Him to be placed on 
trial as a perfect man before He would be accounted worthy 
of everlasting life? 

ANSWER— According to the Divine Law, under which 
Jesus was born into the world. His perfection proved His 
worthiness of everlasting life, just as Adam's perfection meant 
everlasting life to him. But as Adam, who when created was 
in covenant relationship with God, by disobedience, by 
breaking the Covenant, lost the right to life which was His 
by that Divine Covenant, so Jesus, as a perfect 

{PageQ377} 

man, was in covenant-relationship with God, and as a human 
being could have forfeited His right to life only by sin', 
or, otherwise, have disposed of it by sacrifice-the latter 
of which He did. 

JESUS-When Perfect 

Q377:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-At what Period in 
Jesus' life was He a perfect man? 

ANSWER-He was always perfect, but did not 
become the perfectmaN' until the 30th year of His life. In 
the very beginning, "the beginning of the creation of God" 
(Rev. 3:14), He was sinless, perfect on the spirit plane-- next 
to the Heavenly Father. When He humbled Himself, in 
harmony with the Divine Plan and in order that He might be 
man's Redeemer and Restorer, He still maintained His 
perfection. His sinlessness. When born of the virgin. He was 
still "Holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners." 
He was the perfect babe. As He grew to manhood. His 
perfection was maintained—He was the perfect boy, the 
perfect youth and finally the perfect maN'. Thus we 
read, "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor 
with God and man." 



JESUS~Re His Perfection. 

Q377:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-How could Jesus be a 
perfect man as Adam was, without being sexless? 

ANSWER— This is a question that no one in the world 
can answer because there is no information on the subject. 
The Bible presents to us the fact that Adam was created 
originally somewhat after the order of the angels. That is to 
say, he was not capable of producing his own kind, but for 
the purpose of having a race God divided him into two 
persons, taking Mother Eve from his side. Thus Adam 
became twain, and filled the earth with a population, in order 
that all might come from one man. Whether Jesus was like 
Father Adam before Eve was taken from his side, or like 
Adam afterward, no one can answer today. Nor is it 
necessary for us to do so, as we are all satisfied, I am sure. 

JESUS-One of His Titles. 

Q377:3:: QUESTION (1913)-3-Why is Jesus called 
the Only Begotten Son of God? 

ANSWER-In the first chapter of John's Gospel the 
Apostle describes the Lord Jesus in His prehuman condition. 
He says, "In a beginning was the Logos (the Word or 
messenger or mouth-piece), and the Logos was with the God, 
and the Logos was a God; the same was in the beginning with 
the God. By Him were all things made that were made; 
without Him was not one thing made that was made. And the 
Logos was made flesh and dwelt amongst us, and we beheld 
His glory as of the only begotten of the Father." John beheld 
His glory as of the only begotten of the Father. The chapter 
declares He was the only one the heavenly Father ever 
created, and all things were made by Him. He Himself was 
the Father's creation, and in all subsequent work of creation 
He was used as the Father's active agent. This agrees with all 
other statements of Scripture; that He was the beginning of 
the creation of God; the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and 
the ending, the first and last. He was the one whom the 
Father created, and the Father through Him proceeded with 
all creation. So the Apostle says, 

{PageQ378} 

"There is one God, the Father, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by 
whom are all things, and we by Him." 



JESUS-Trial for Human Life Rights. 

Q378:1 :: QUESTION (1914)-l-Did Jesus prove His 
right to human life from His birth to thirty years of age, or 
did He prove His right to human life from thirty years of age 
to the cross? 

ANSWER— We have no reason to doubt that our Lord 
Jesus as a perfect boy lived up to the highest standard that 
could be expected of a perfect boy, and so we read in the 
Bible that He grew in stature and in wisdom and in favor with 
God and man. That is pretty plain for the boy, and He kept 
on growing and He kept on coming up to full manhood and 
He did not reach full manhood until thirty years of age. Of 
course He was subject to the law all the way along, and any 
violation of that law would have impaired Him more or less 
directly, but the time at which He is specially brought to our 
attention as being on trial for life or for death is from the time 
that He gave himself at thirty years of age. So far as our 
judgment is concerned, we therefore would say that is where 
Jesus was under trial before the law and His covenant of 
sacrifice. But without doubt all of the previous years of His 
life He had lived up to the standard of His knowledge and 
perfection. 

JESUS~Re Ransom Price. 

Q378:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-2-Was Jesus at the 
age of thirty years qualified to give Himself a Ransom-price 
for Adam and His race, or was it necessary that first He 
should have a personal trial, or testing, in respect to His 
loyalty to God before His sacrifice could be accepted as the 
Ransom-price for Adam and his race? 

ANSWER— Jesus was at thirty years of age qualified 
and competent to present His body a "living sacrifice, holy, 
acceptable unto God," as man's Ransom-price-and this He 
did. God accepted the offering and sacrifice and signified His 
acceptance of it by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, by which 
he begat Jesus again, this time to the divine nature as a 
reward for the obedient sacrifice of that which He had 
consecrated unto death. 

Nevertheless, the necessity for a testing of One who would 
become man's substitute was not overlooked in the Divine 
arrangement. Two tests, or trials, proceeded at the same time, 
and both were necessary. As a man' He must prove loyal 
to the principles of righteousness represented in the Divine 
Law, otherwise He could not be a suitable substitute or 
Ransomer for Adam and his family. On His own account, to 
prove Himself worthy of the divine nature, Jesus needed to 



have trials as a New Creature. His begetting of the Holy 
Spirit could reach the fruition of the divine nature only by His 
faithfully carrying out His covenant of sacrifice. Hence, if He 
had failed to perform the sacrifice as He covenanted, He 
would have failed entirely, and would not have received the 
great reward of Divine glory, honor and immortality which 
came to Him in His resurrection. 

As St. Paul declares, "Wherefore, God also hath highly 
exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every 
name." (Phil. 2:9.) The entire test of our Lord Jesus was 
along the lines of His faithfully sacrificing Himself, in the 

{PageQ379} 

doing of the Father's will—in submitting to all things "written 
in the Book"~in the prophecies and in the types of the Law. 
Had He failed to keep His covenant of sacrifice, not only 
would He have failed to gain the exaltation to the divine 
nature, but He would have lost everything—even life itself. 
But the keeping of His covenant of sacrifice, obligatory 
upon our Lord as a New Creature, meant also that He kept 
the Law, obligatory upon Him as a human being 
because the things required of Him under His covenant were 
in harmony with the Law. To keep His covenant meant 
that He should keep the Law, and much more than that— 
to sacrifice His rights and interests which the Law did not 
demand should be sacrificed. 

JEWS-Our Attitude Toward Them. 

Q379:1:: QUESTION (1907) 1 Isaiah 40:1,2, 
"Comfort, comfort, ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye 
comfortably to Jerusalem, cry unto her that her warfare is 
accomplished, and her iniquity is pardoned; for she has 
received at the Lord's hand double for her sins." Do you 
consider this applicable to our attitude toward the Jews at the 
present time? 

ANSWER— I would think that it would be proper 
enough for us to speak comfortably to Jerusalem, but I do not 
think it implies that Jerusalem is going to hear at first. Now, 
we have spoken a good many comfortable things to the Jews. 
If you will take into consideration what is written in the 2nd 
volume of Dawn on the subject, and what is the future hope 
for the Jews, and in the 3rd volume calling attention to this 
very Scripture, and the booklet in the Hebrew jargon that 
gives the Tabernacle Shadows, and what we believe to be the 
true interpretation of the book of Hebrews, you will notice 



that we have tried to speak to the Hebrews some of these 
comforting words, but we have not found it has made very 
much impression on them—perhaps a Uttle, we do not know. 
But the Lord says the time is coming, and that those who have 
an ear to hear will hear, and the others that do not have an ear 
to hear will have to wait until the trumpet blows loud and long. 

JEWS-How God Will Deal With Them. 

Q379:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-By what process or 
method will the Jews be in a position to be dealt with by God? 

ANSWER— I can only give you my guess, which is that, 
at the end of the great time of trouble, the Jews as well as the 
rest of mankind will be in a great deal of tribulation and 
general distress, and about the closing time of the trouble, the 
Ancient Worthies will appear amongst the Jews, not the 
infidel Jews, for there are some real earnest Jews, who are 
longing and waiting for the Messiah, and I presume it will be 
that kind to whom He will reveal Himself, and as He makes 
Himself known to them, they will believe and then a neighbor 
will be found, and then other Jews will be gathered to them. 
There are probably plenty of unbelieving Jews who are with 
the Gentiles, and when they see the blessing coming upon 
Israel, they will want that blessing too. All the blessings of 
God are to be with those in harmony with Him. 

JEWS" Jesus Sent to Them First. 

Q379:3:: QUESTION (1910)-3-Please explain, "Unto 
you first, God 

{PageQ380} 

having raised up his son Jesus, sent him to bless you in 
turning away every one of you from iniquity." 

ANSWER. -This refers to the Jews "unto you"; the 
blessings of God must be first to the Jew and afterward to the 
Gentile. You remember that the Gospel did not reach the 
Gentiles until after the seventy weeks had ended, till three and 
a half years of favor to the Jews after Jesus died; then 
Cornelius was the first Gentile to come into favor with God. 
So Peter was right when he said, it cannot go to the Gentiles 
until this three and a half years of favor is over. 

JEWS-Number in Paul's Day. 

0380:1:: OUESTION (1911)-l-Some time ago you 
suggested that probably not more than ten thousand Jews 
came into the early church. In reading Saint Paul's letter to 



the Romans eleventh chapter, we note he refers to the 7,000 
of Elijah's time, and then adds, "Even so at this present time 
there is a remnant according to the election of grace." Do 
you think it would be reasonable to interpret this expression, 
"Even so now also" to mean that the remnant numbered 
7,000? 

ANSWER-No, I would not be so critical. We will ask 
Saint Paul by and by and see what he says. 

JEWS-How Get Life by Keeping Law Without Ransom? 

Q380:2:: QUESTION ( 19 12)-2-How could God offer 
the Jews Life if they kept the Law without a Ransom? 

ANSWER— God was not really offering the Jews 
anything mysterious. He practically said to them that He 
would make a proposition to them, and that proposition was 
that if they kept His Law they would have Eternal Life. This 
was an offer to everyone and anybody. They could not keep 
the Law, however, and they required somebody to help them, 
and the Lord was authorized to help them. They were in the 
fallen condition, and thus they required somebody to keep the 
Law for them. The Lord gave to Israel the same proposition 
as that given to the whole world from the time of Adam, 
namely: "Keep My Law and you shall have Life forever." 
The Lord requires that everyone in order to have Life must 
keep His Law. You and I must keep His Law. We are not, 
however, to keep that Law in the letter and form, but we must 
keep that Law in spirit to the extent of our ability. The full 
meaning of the Law is fulfilled in us, and it is accepted with 
this modification ("to the extent of our ability") because we 
are Members of the Body of Christ. The Jews, however, were 
NOT justified by God without the Ransom Price. It was 
merely a proposition, merely an offer to them. God merely 
stipulated in a formal way that if they kept His Law (which 
they boasted they could do) they would have life, but you 
know what the result was. No, I would say, God did not offer 
the Jews eternal life as we know it, for all were guilty before 
God and Justice and had not yet been appeased. 

JOSEPH--Re His Bretliren as Types. 

Q380:3:: QUESTION (1909)--3 -When will webe 

living in the parallel time when the Joseph class will be made 

known to their brethren, the Benjamin class? 

ANSWER— Well, it is only a speculative answer, for the 
Scriptures say nothing definite on this question. 

{PageQ381} 



Our inference would be that the Benjamin class --the Great 
Company, and the Joseph class—the Little Flock, will be 
made known to each other in the great time of trouble. In the 
19th chapter of Revelation, we read that a great many people 
will see after Babylon has fallen. There is a difference 
between Babylon falling in a judicial sense, by being rejected 
by the Lord, and the actual falling, as when she goes down 
like a millstone. In the 19th chapter of Revelation we also 
read that a great multitude said: "Let us be glad and rejoice 
and give honor to him; for the marriage of the Lamb has 
come, and his wife hath made herself ready." They rejoiced 
in the fall of Babylon. This is the Benjamin class rejoicing to 
know the Joseph class-it is after the Little Flock is changed 
and the Great Company is still in a measure of tribulation that 
they will recognize the Little Flock. 

JUBILEE-Re Millennium and Earth's Great. 

Q381 :1 :: QUESTION (1905)-1-When does earth's 
great jubilee commence, and is it different from the 
Millennium? 

ANSWER— No, it is not a continuation of the type. We 
are in the time of the great jubilee now. We do not see the 
restitution then, you ask? Well, how was it in the type? Did 
they begin in the middle of the night and take possession of 
things? The people did not know, but the priests were to let 
the people know by blowing on certain silver trumpets. We 
are in the anti-type of that time now. You are blowing the 
silver trumpet of truth in your neighborhood and I am 
blowing in mine. Proclaim the jubilee. 

JUBILEE-The Land Was Forced to Keep its Sabbaths. 

Q381:2:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-2-In achapter in Vol 
II of Studies of the Scriptures it is shown how the Israelites 
while in captivity were forced to observe the Sabbaths which 
they did not observe before. Why are these Sabbaths called 
Jubilees in Vol. II.? 

ANSWER-What the second volume of Studies says is, 
not that the Jews were forced to keep their Sabbaths while in 
Babylon, but that the land was forced to keep these Sabbaths, 
while the Jews were in Babylon. God says so. 
(2 Chron. 36:20,21.) The Jews were commanded that in the 
Jubilee year the land ShOUld reSt. Like the rest of humanity, 
somewhat selfish, they were afraid that if they should let the 
land rest a whole year they would get behind in their taxes, 
etc. So they did not properly keep those Jubilees. Israel had 



kept nineteen Jubilees up to the time when they went into 
captivity; and the Lord was greatly dissatisfied with them. He 
said: While you have had the land, the land did not observe 
the Sabbaths. You did not keep the Sabbaths properly. We 
are not herein blaming the Jews, for we believe that if the 
Lord should put such a commandment upon the United States 
or any other country, very few would keep it. 

According to the Law, the Sabbath year occurred every 
seventh year. The people were instructed to count seven 
times seven years, and then came the fiftieth, the Jubilee. 
Thus two Sabbaths came together, one of which, the fiftieth, 
was the great Jubilee year. The Jews kept these Sabbaths in a 
half-hearted way; so the Lord put them out of their land into 
the enemy's land, until their 

{PageQ382} 

land should accomplish her Sabbaths. Evidently God did not 
wish the Jew to understand the full import of these time 
features; for the Jew does not understand even to this day. If 
God had meant for the Jew to understand, the Jew would have 
understood. But we believe that these time features were 
meant chiefly for the Spiritual Israelite, and that the number 
70 was put there to show us when the time should come for 
the Lord to bless Israel and the whole world. When the time 
comes, then the Jews will understand about their Sabbaths, 
the captivity and the fulfillment of all things. But we get this 
information from the spiritual source, a higher source than the 
Jews and the remainder of the world. 

JUDAS-Betrayal of Jesus a Duty. 

Q382:1:: QUESTION (1905)--1--If it was necessary for 
one to betray the Savior why was Judas condemned for 
performing his duty? 

ANSWER~I do not know any place in the Scripture 
that says he had that duty to perform. The matter is simply 
this: Prophecy said that our Lord would be betrayed, just as it 
was also stated when our Lord rode into Jerusalem that there 
would be a shout, and so, afterwards, our Lord said that if the 
people had not shouted, the very stones would have cried out. 
It was not compulsion on Judas' part. The Scriptures say that 
he had a devil and that he was a thief. I do not have any 
sympathy to waste on Judas. 



JUDAS-Final Trial. 

Q382:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Was Judas' trial final? 

ANSWER— I do not know, I am not authority to say 
anything more than is written, which is this, that "It had been 
better for this man if he had not been born." I do not know 
how it would be better if he had an opportunity in the 
resurrection. 

We know that Judas and the other disciples had the Holy 
Spirit in a certain sense that the others of the Jewish nation 
did not have. The Lord put His spirit upon them and sent 
them out as His representatives, giving them power over 
unclean spirits and all manner of diseases, and this power 
operating in and through them seemingly gave them more 
power and advantage in every way over the other Jews. But 
if God has anything for Judas in the future, you will not find 
me making any objection—I have too much respect for the 
Lord to do that. 

JUDGMENT-AM Appear Before the Seat of Christ. 

Q382:3:: QUESTION (1907)-3-How shall we 
understand this text: "For we must all appear before the 
judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things 
done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it 
be good or bad? 

ANSWER— In one sense of the word we are all standing 
before the judgment seat of Christ now. Are we not on trial? 
Yes. Who is the one that is trying the Church? Jesus, as the 
Father's representative. All judgment is committed unto Him. 
And you remember how he tells the different churches that 
unless you hear My voice, etc., I will remove your candlestick 
out of its place. He was judging the Church, you see. When 
He comes to the Laodicean Church, He says, "Behold, I stand 
at the door and knock." The judging and testing is going on 
now. And if you hear 

{PageQ383} 

my voice, I will come in and sup with you, etc. And so the 
Lord all the way down has been judging His people. We are 
in the school of Christ; He is our teacher, and instructor, and 
discipliner, and when we need to receive corrections, the Lord 
Jesus, as the Father's representative, attends to that matter. 

JUDGMENT-ln Re The Dead Judged. 

0383:1:: OUESTION (1908)-1- "Who shall give an 
account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 



For, for this cause was the gospel also preached to them that 
are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the 
flesh, but live according to God in the Spirit." 

ANSWER—I understand here, making it brief as 
possible, that you and I, and all the Lord's consecrated people, 
called out from the world, are judged according to men's 
judgment, as in the flesh, and they look at us from the fleshly 
standpoint, and they say. Well, there are just as good people 
outside as there are inside. Not many great, not many wise, 
not many learned has God chosen. And that agrees with the 
Scriptural statement that God is not judging us thus. The 
Apostle tells us God is judging us who have come into Christ, 
we who have accepted of His favor, we who are trusting in 
the merit of His sacrifice, we who have made a consecration 
of ourselves to Him, not according to the flesh, but according 
to the Spirit. To be judged according to men in the flesh is 
one thing, but to be judged according to God's judgment in 
the Spirit is another thing. And so we are glad that our case is 
in His hands, and we must all be ready to give an account to 
Him that is able to judge both the living and the dead. And 
this is the kind of judging we will have. Thank God for that— 
not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 

JUDGMENT-Fearful Looking Forward. 

Q383:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-"But a certain fearful 
looking forward to of judgment and fiery indignation, which 
shall devour the adversary." Who are the fearful ones in this 
case, the ones who have sinned, or the ones who are looking 
on? 

ANSWER-This text is found in Heb. 10:27. The 
apostle is speaking of some who sin wilfully, and he says that 
there would remain nothing for them but a fearful looking for 
of judgment and fiery indignation that would devour them as 
adversaries of God. The apostle does not say whether those 
individuals themselves would realize their mistake and feel 
their alienation from God, and we are not to be wiser than he 
said. He simply said that it will be so. Nothing will remain 
for them, if they understood it. Those who once repudiate the 
blood of Christ are putting him to open shame, and there 
remaineth nothing for them but to be destroyed—fiery 
indignation which will devour them as adversaries of God. 

JUDGMENT--He that Judgeth Me is the Lord. 

Q383:3:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-3-Supposeone 
addicted to the use of tobacco and who began to reahze its 
filthiness should resolve to discontinue it and should really 



desist from using it for a time, but later should resume the 
occasional use of it, and thus did not conquer in the matter, 
the spirit being willing, but the flesh being weak—would this 
cause the 

{PageQ384} 

loss of the crown and relegate such an one to the "great 
company" —or might it lead to the Second Death? 

ANSWER~The use of tobacco is a very filthy habit; 
and there are other habits that are esteemed filthy by some 
people, but not by others. We are not to draw any line which 
the Bible does not draw. It is not, therefore, for any of God's 
people to judge another in the meat offered to idols, or in the 
chewing of tobacco, or in any such matters. We should 
encourage each other in cleanliness of life. To our 
understanding, no one would be condemned to death for not 
controlling the tobacco habit or the coffee habit or the 
morphine habit. God alone knows how each is struggling; He 
alone knows those who are fighting courageously day by day 
to the end. We are not competent to judge. St. Paul says, 
"With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of 
you, or of any man's judgment; yea, I judge not mine own self 
. . . HethatjudgethmeistheLord." 1 Cor. 4:3,4. We 
may not even too hastily judge ourselves to be worthy of the 
Second Death. It is to be left to God as to whether we are 
overcomers or not. With this in view it is our duty to strive 
earnestly and not to be discouraged ourselves nor to 
discourage others, but rather to uphold them and help them to 
greater courage, to greater zeal and in the service of our Lord. 

JUDGMENT-Difference Between it and Criticism. 

Q384:1:: QUESTION (1912)-l-Howmay we 
differentiate between "righteous judgment" and "criticism"? 

ANSWER--The Lord says that we should "judge 
righteous judgment." And again He says, "Judge nothing 
before the time." What, then, is a righteous judgment? 

A righteous judgment would be to reach a right decision. 
And how can we? Can we read the heart? The answer of the 
Scriptures is that we do not know and, therefore, should not 
attempt to judge the heart. Well, if we cannot judge each 
other's heart, motives or intentions, what can we judge? 

We may judge each other's conduct. If I were to see you 
doing something, I might say. Brother or Sister, you are doing 
something contrary to the Word of God, and it is bringing 
forth bad fruit. If that person should say. Brother Russell, it 



does not seem to me that I am doing wrong, I must not judge 
or condemn the brother's heart, but I should judge as between 
good and evil conduct, and at proper time and place call the 
matter to his attention, and leave it there. I can only appeal to 
the evil doer showing the fruitage, and say: Look into your 
heart and make sure that your motive is right. There is a 
difference in judging the heart, which we have no right to do, 
and judging the conduct, which is right to do. But it would 
not follow that our judgment of another's conduct must 
always be right either. 

If we should come to a brother and say. Your conduct 
seems to be wrong and I am sure you want to do right, can 
you explain? He may be able to explain and show us that the 
fruitage is good when we thought it was bad. We are not to 
condemn our brother, but go directly to him to get his view, 
and if we cannot agree, tell him how it seems to us and ask 
him to judge of his own heart. 

{PageQ385} 

JUDGMENT-Righteous and Criticism. 

Q385:1:: QUESTION (1913 Z) 1 How may we 

distinguish between "righteous judgment" and "criticism"? 

ANSWER~The Lord says, "Judge not according to the 
appearance, but judge righteous judgment." (John 7:24.) 
St. Paul says, "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until 
the Lord come." (1 Cor. 4:5.) The question then arises. 
What is "righteous judgment"? A righteous judgment is a 
right decision'. But since we cannot read the heart, how 
can we render a right decision? The Scriptures answer that 
we cannot read one another's hearts and therefore should not 
attempt to judge them. 

If, then, we cannot judge each other's hearts, motives or 
intentions, what can we judge? The answer of Scripture is 
that we may judge each other's conduct. If we see one of 
the Lord's people doing something improper, we might say, 
"Dear Brother (or Sister), your conduct would seem to be 
contrary to the Word of God, and to be bringing forth bad 
fruitage." If that person should reply, "It does not seem to 
me that I am doing wrong," we must not judge or condemn 
that one's heart. But we should judge between good and evil 
conduct, and at the proper time and place call attention to the 
matter and leave it there 

There is a difference between judging the heart, which 
we have no right to do, and judging the conduct, which 
is right to do. But it does not always follow that our 



judgment of another's conduct must always be right. We are 
all prone to make mistakes. 

If we should come to a brother and say, "Dear Brother, 
your conduct seems to be wrong, but I am sure that you want 
to do right. Will you explain?" He may be able to show us 
that the fruitage was good when we thought it bad. We may 
have misunderstood the matter. We are not to condemn our 
brother, but to go directly to him and get his view. Then if 
we cannot agree, we should tell him how it seems to us, and 
ask him to judge his own heart. We can do no more. 

JUDGMENT-lsraers Priests Died Typically. 

Q385:2:: QUESTION (1915) 2 Please explain 

Hebrews 9:27: "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after 

this the judgment?" 

ANSWER—This is explained better, perhaps, in the 
Studies in the Scriptures than I can take time to explain it 
here. It is difficult to explain a matter like this in three to five 
minutes, because the whole thought has gotten into people's 
heads upside down and back end first. They all think it refers 
to the time when people die. The Apostle Paul, in that 
statement in Hebrews, is giving a lesson on type and antitype. 
He is comparing the work of the Jewish priests every year 
with the work of Christ, and telling how these earthly priests 
went into the Holy and afterwards into the Most Holy. The 
priest took with him the blood of a bullock, then of a goat. 
He went into the Holy; and, after the cloud of incense had 
passed through the second veil and covered the Mercy-Seat, 
he went into the Most Holy, representing heaven itself. 

The antitype is that our Lord Jesus offered up Himself as 
the bullock. The bullock represented Jesus as a man; the goat 
represented the human nature of the church. As High 

{PageQ386} 

Priest, Jesus slew the bullock; at baptism He offered the 
sacrifice of His humanity. The typical priest took His two 
hands full of incense and crumbled it in the fire on the 
incense altar--that represented the three and one-half years of 
our Lord's ministry. This picture of the incense falling upon 
the fire represented the glorious qualities of Jesus as He came 
in contact with the trials of life. In every case His 
faithfulness yielded a sweet perfume. 

When Satan came to Him with temptation. His loyalty was 
an offering of sweet odor to God. When he had the 
suggestion come to Him to avoid giving what He had agreed 



to give, He put the temptation away and would have nothing 
to do with it. "The cup that My Father hath poured for Me 
shall I not drink it?" was ever His sentiment. The sweet 
incense went before Him and appeared in the presence of God 
before He finished His course at Calvary. His death upon the 
cross was the last crumb of incense falling into the fire, in the 
antitype. Then our High Priest went under the veil—into 
death. He was parts of three days under the veil, arising on 
the other side of the veil on the third day. This was the 
resurrection of Jesus. He arose on the spirit side of the veil, a 
spirit being. Then, forty days later. He sprinkled upon the 
Mercy-Seat in the Most Holy, in heaven, the blood of 
Atonement on behalf of the church. 

The apostle here is trying to get the church to see that the 
Jewish high priest did something of this kind in type. The 
Jewish high priest went into the most holy of the tabernacle, 
not without blood. That blood, in every case, represented the 
blood of the high priest—his life. Every high priest, when he 
passed under that veil on the Day of Atonement, was in 
danger of being stricken dead. If he had not done perfectly, 
according to the requirements of the Lord, he would have 
died as he attempted to pass that veil, under that curtain. And 
so it would have been death to Jesus if He had not done 
perfectly the will of the Father. 

Then the apostle declares, "It is appointed unto men 
(men-priests-get the thought) once to die (typically, in passing 
under the veil) and after that the judgment," or decision. 
They typified their death in the sacrifice of the bullock, and 
carrying its blood under the veil. If the priest had not done it 
perfectly, he died. The bullock represented the priest. After 
he had sacrificed it he passed with its blood under the second 
veil. "After death the judgment." There is no reference here 
to the death of mankind, but merely to these priests offering 
their sacrifice. Jesus died, passed the second veil, and was 
raised on the third day. After the high priest in the type had 
made his offering, and had passed beyond the second veil, 
and sprinkled the blood upon the Mercy-Seat, he came out 
and blessed the people. 

Our Lord Jesus, the High Priest, has not yet come out to 
bless the people. The antitype is a very large thing. Jesus 
went under the veil into the Heavenly Holy over eighteen 
hundred years ago. He has not yet appeared for the blessing 
of the world. But "To those that look for Him, He shall 
appear a second time, not as a sin-offering, but unto 
salvation." This is the best I can do on this question in the 
limited time I can give here. 



JUDGMENTS-Binding Kings and Nobles. 

Q386:1 :: QUESTION (1916)--l-The 8th verse of 
Psalm 149 reads: 

{PageQ387} 

"To bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters 
of iron, to execute upon them the judgments written. This 
honor hath all His saints." Does this apply to the present 
time? If so, how is it being fulfilled? 

ANSWER— We have already had something to say on 
this very subject in The Watch Tower. (Z 191 4, p. 135, par 3; 
col. 1.) It would be better, perhaps, to read this article. We 
pointed out that this Psalm evidently pictured a time when the 
Lord's people on this side the veil would in some way be 
prominent before the world. It says, "Let the saints be joyful 
in glory." Once we thought that this meant joyful in Heaven; 
but now we see that to be joyful in glory need not he on the 
other side, but on this side of the veil. The Psalmist proceeds 
to say, "Let them sing aloud upon their beds." He declares 
that the saints upon their beds will have a two-edged sword in 
their hands. The bed signifies a condition of ease, so far as 
the faith is concerned. We shall, of course, be at ease on the 
other side; but this evidently means an ease of faith on this 
side of the veil. The two-edged sword means the Word of 
God. That must mean here; for no one will be smiting 
anything with a two-edged sword over there. It will surely be 
here. This two-edged sword in the hands of the saints means 
that, while they are resting in their faith, they have the Word 
of God, sharp and powerful, and with it are able to oppose 
everything opposed to the Truth. All this belongs to this side 
of the veil. These are the saints who are to execute the 
judgments written. How? I cannot give all the details. 
Undoubtedly there will be a great many details when we 
reach that time. We should be ready to take any part which 
the Lord may give us. He will give all of His people a share. 

We shall see what this judging may mean a little later on. 
The river Jordan means a judgment, and the smiting of this 
Jordan may mean to put the Truth in such a way as to do the 
judging. The Elijah will handle this sword. The details are 
not given; but it is left to us to watch the leadings of the Lord. 
The Lord has kindly veiled our eyes to this matter. Until now 
we have never thought much about Elijah's going down to the 
Jordan and the important work he did there as having any 
special significance. But now we see that we went to the 



Jordan in 1914; and that Elijah and Elisha stood there, talking 
as we are doing now. After they had talked awhile, Elijah 
wrapped up his mantle, evidently referring to some special 
power given to the Elijah class; and he then smote the waters. 
We are watching daily to see what this may mean. 
Everything led up to that smiting. Everything went ahead to 
prepare for this. Now we see that what has preceded has only 
been preparing the way for this. I am daily looking for what 
the folding up of the mantle may signify. It looks as if it may 
mean a great deal of money. We are trying to wrap up 
whatever mantle comes. This smiting will probably affect the 
whole civilized world. They are going to feel the influence of 
this smiting. Let us be ready. 

JUSTICE-When Satisfied. 

Q387:1:: QUESTION (1908)--1-Has justice as yet 
been satisfied? If not, when will it be satisfied? 

ANSWER—Justice, dear friends, is the representative of 
God. While it is stated that God is love, that represents the 
very essence of His character; and when He represents Him- 

{PageQ388} 

self. He pictures Himself from the standpoint of justice. 
"Justice is the habitation of thy throne, O Lord." So that the 
satisfaction of justice is the satisfaction of God in that sense. 
Now has God been satisfied? In what respect? If we were 
speaking of God as being satisfied with respect to His own 
plan, certainly He is satisfied; He made the plan; but so far as 
justice is concerned. He has allowed these different qualities 
of His being to be manifested separately. For instance, under 
the operation of divine justice, the Lord pronounced the 
original sentence. "Dying thou shall die," and for more than 
six thousand years our race has been under that sentence of 
justice, and is still under it. Justice is calling for the death of 
the whole world, and that is the reason the whole world is a 
dying world. Well, has God made any provision for the 
satisfaction of His justice? Yes, we answer, God has declared 
that He loves the world, and that although His justice 
sentences the world, nevertheless He has provided a way out, 
and He has shown us what that way is: that our Lord Jesus is 
the way, the truth, the life. What is it Jesus did? We answer. 
He died for our sins. For whose sins did He die? I answer. 
He died before He appropriated it to anyone. When Jesus 
died, there was no appropriation of it to anyone; He simply 
died, and then what? On the third day He arose from the 



dead. The Father raised Him from the dead by His own 
power, and forty days afterward He ascended up on high. 
What for? There to appear in the presence of God for 
somebody. What does it mean by appearing for somebody? 
In the same way an attorney would go into court before the 
bar of justice and appear for you. If you employed him to act 
as your attorney, he would appear before the court for you. 
Now I might be guilty and he might not appear for me; he 
might even be a friend of mine, or at least have given 
assistance to me, but he is not my attorney unless I have 
engaged him, and he is not therefore authorized to appear for 
me unless I engage him. Now when our Lord Jesus ascended 
up on high. He appeared in the presence of God for us. Who 
are the "us"? Us believers, us of the household of faith. Did 
he not appear for the world? No. Did he appear for Adam? 
No, he did not. Well, had he not merit enough to appear for 
all? O yes. He had plenty of merit, no lack of merit! The 
one sacrifice was necessary for any one member of the race. 
No one member of the race could be reconciled to God, or 
atoned for, except by the death of Christ. But suppose in 
God's plan it had been to make reconciliation for your sins 
alone, individually: it would have taken the whole death of 
Christ to make that possible, would it not? And if it were I 
alone, it would have taken the whole merit of Christ to atone 
for me; nothing less than that would have done; so that if 
Adam had been atoned for, it would have required all; any 
member of the race would have required all; but since all died 
through one man's disobedience it is possible for that one 
person who paid the ransom price to apply His blood for a 
thousand individuals, or for a hundred thousand individuals, 
or for a million individuals, or for the entire membership of 
the human race, and for Adam himself. He could appear for 
just as many as he chose; He could apply the merit of His 
sacrifice for one or for all, 

{PageQ389} 

but less than His sacrifice would not do for any one. And 
more than His sacrifice was not necessary for all. Now, who 
did He appear for? He appeared for the household of faith. 
Where have we anything to illustrate the matter? I answer in 
the 9th chapter of Leviticus, in the Tabernacle Shadows, we 
have a picture which shows the very matter, how the high 
priest after having offered up the bullock, which represented 
himself, went into the holy. For whom did he appear? He 
appeared for himself, his body, and his house. He appeared 



for his own sons, who were the members of his own body, the 
underpriests, and he appeared for his own tribe which was the 
tribe of Levi; he appeared for all of these, and he sprinkled 
the blood for all of these. Was it accepted? Yes. For whom? 
Just accepted for those for whom he applied it. It was not 
accepted for any except those for whom he applied it. He 
could have applied it for all, as we see, looking at the Lord 
Jesus, the antitype, but it was not made available for all. It 
was only applied to his members, to his house. Now it is so 
with Christ. He applied the merit of His sacrifice for us, the 
household of faith, all believers; and amongst these believers 
are consecrated ones, the members of His body. He did apply 
it for us; and what was the consequence? The consequence 
was that justice was satisfied so far as we are concerned. How 
do we know? Because the Scriptures tell us that the Lord 
Jesus has made a reconciliation for our sins. The Scriptures 
tell us that the Father Himself loveth us. The Scriptures tell 
us that we have access to God through the blood. Who has 
access, sinners? No. Well, who? Believers have access; 
those who have turned their backs on sin, those who have 
become members of the household of faith have access 
through His blood. Others do not have any access to God 
through the blood; it is not intended that they should; He has 
applied His blood only for this particular class. Now what is 
the second step? We answer, the second step is shown in the 
type also. After he appeared for us then he appeared in us. 
That is to say. He accepted these consecrated ones as 
members of His body, accepted them as the Lord's goat in the 
type; they were no longer their own. "Ye are not your own." 
All those whom He accepts as joint- sacrificers with Him have 
first of all given up their individuality, their own personality, 
"Ye are dead." Now there is the point a great many of our 
dear friends are mixed on, I think. They do not see that, "Ye 
are dead." There is no you; you are out of the question. 
Some of the dear friends will say," Brother Russell, don't we 
offer the sacrifice?" I say, not at all, my brother. Did the goat 
offer itself in sacrifice? Not at all; the high priest slew the 
goat; the goat had nothing to do with slaying itself; you, 
according to the flesh, and I, according to the flesh, when we 
presented ourselves to God in sacrifice are represented by that 
goat, which does none of the sacrificing at all. So you did not 
do the sacrificing, and you are not sacrificing now, and you 
are not going to offer your own blood. Nothing of the kind. 
You simply gave yourself to the Lord and your individuality 
was lost immediately; you are dead. When the goat was 
killed it represented you dying as a human being, as an old 



creature, and henceforth what? "Henceforth for me to 

{PageQ390} 

live is Christ"~and a member of the Body of Christ. That is 
the only standing I have, and the only standing you have, 
because we are members of the body. And what part of the 
Body is to do the sacrificing? I answer, it is the Head. All of 
your intelligence is in your head, and all the willing is in your 
head. So with the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ; all the 
willing for the Church is in the Head, and all the 
responsibility of the Church in the sacrificing is in the Head, 
Jesus Christ; and He may use the hand or some other member 
to assist in the sacrificing, but it is He, the Head, the great 
priest, that does the whole work, and you and I merely as 
individuals have ceased to be; we have nothing to do with the 
sacrificing at all. As members of His Body we have 
something to do with it, namely: we are to co-operate with 
Him as members of His Body. Suppose your little finger 
were in the body of the Lord, figuratively speaking, and it 
was in opposition to the Lord? It would have no longer a 
right in that Body. But if that little finger is in harmony with 
the Head, all that the Head shall direct, it will do; but that 
little finger is not according to the flesh; it represents my 
membership in the Body of Christ as a New Creature. So 
get that thought, and the whole matter straightens out before 
you. It is all Christ's sacrifice, first and last, and He that 
began the good work will finish it. The whole work is of 
Christ. He is the mediator. The Head was the mediator to 
begin with; He began the work of mediation at the first advent 
in the sense of the word that He began the work the basis of 
which He was then doing; He was giving His own life which 
was the basis of the new covenant with the world, and the 
basis of the mediation of the next age; He gave His own life, 
and after having done that. He is taking on, during this 
Gospel Age, members of His body, but He is still the Head, 
and the whole Body is growing; it is merely Christ coming to 
an enlarged position, if you please; it is the great Christ,-- 
Christ, the Head, and the members which He has added to 
that Head by the will of the Father; so the same great Christ 
that began the work at Calvary is the same great Christ that 
will do the work in the Millennial Age. It is the same great 
Christ that began the work with His sacrifice on the cross, and 
has been carrying it out throughout this Gospel Age, and has 
been sacrificing himself in the flesh, namely—those whom he 
accepts. He has been sacrificing all through the Gospel Age; 



and He has not finished His sacrifice; and not until He has 
finished this work of His sacrifice will He make the full 
atonement, the full presentation. You remember, in the type, 
the High Priest, after he had killed the goat, took its blood 
and brought it into the Holy and then immediately into the 
Most Holy. It has taken, dear friends, more than these 1,800 
years of the Gospel Age to kill the goat and to take the blood 
in; but it is His own blood, for, remember, "Ye are not your 
own." It was all given over before He did any work with it at 
all. Until you had made a full presentation and let go of it. 
He would not accept it. So, if you are still holding on to 
yourself, you are not His, and not a member of the Body at 
all. It is those who have given up all to the Lord, those who 
recognize that their all is in His hands, that it is His blood, 

{PageQ391} 

and He is doing for them, and eventually He will represent it, 
not as your blood, and you will not present it, and I will not 
present it, nobody will present it, except the great High Priest; 
you may be in Him as a member of His Body when that 
presentation takes place, but the whole responsibility, the 
whole merit rests in the Head of the Church. And when He 
shall present you before the Father and shall present the merit 
of the sacrifice. His own sacrifice it will be, you merely 
joining in as acceptable members in Him. Then it will be that 
the blood of the goat at the end of this Gospel Age will be 
fully presented to justice, and what then? What are we told? 
With that presentation to justice, the whole world shall be 
turned over to Christ. What to do with them? To do what He 
pleases with them. Well, what will He be pleased to do with 
them? The Scriptures tell, dear friends, of all the riches of 
God's grace and loving kindness Jesus will manifest during 
that thousand-year reign. Justice, you see, will let go the 
world there; justice will be satisfied there, so far as divine 
justice is concerned; and just as soon as justice turns over the 
world and is satisfied to turn it over to Christ, then all of this 
reign of sin and death comes to an end; it continues now 
because justice is not satisfied; because the world has not yet 
been turned over, and it is not yet turned over because the 
sacrifice is not yet complete; and not until the last member 
shall have finished his course, not until the last member of the 
Body of Christ shall have suffered with Christ, being made 
partakers of His sufferings, can this presentation before divine 
justice take place, and the transfer of the world to Christ be 
effected. Now, get that matter before your mind, and I think 



the whole matter of the satisfaction of justice will be clear. It 
is all the one satisfaction; it could have been done long ago; it 
is not done yet. It is not yet finished. Our Lord's sacrifice, 
which is the basis of all, was finished at Calvary, but He 
began the intermediate work of dealing with the Church 
which is His Body, and He has not finished the intermediate 
work of grace in you, and in me, and in this faithful class; but 
by and by He shall have finished it, and the same High Priest 
who presented the first sacrifice is the same High Priest who 
will present the second sacrifice, and that will bring the 
transfer of the world. 

JUSTICE-When Satisfied? 

Q391 :1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1-We read in 1 Tim. 2:5,6, 
that "The Man Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom of all." 
Are the claims of justice satisfied at this present time? 

ANSWER--I answer that the claims of justice against 
the world are not satisfied at this present time, except that the 
world is under sin and justice is satisfied to hold on to the 
sinner. So we may claim that the justice is satisfied, but 
justice is not satisfied to let the sinner go and have eternal 
life. 

Well, how does this text apply, that the Man Christ Jesus 
gave Himself a ransom for all? Why, dear brother, the giving 
of something for a particular purpose and then its application 
are two different things. We give an illustration: We might 
say that John Smith gave a million dollars to build a college 
to educate all the Scandinavians 

{PageQ392} 

on the Pacific Coast. It is one thing to give the million 
dollars, another to build the building, another to get the 
people into the building, and still another thing to educate 
them after you get them inside. When he gave the million 
dollars, he gave it for that purpose. So, when Jesus died. He 
gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time 
according to a purpose God has already marked out and from 
which He cannot deviate. 

JUSTICE-Satisfaction vs. Christ's Deatli. 

Q392:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l-"While we were yet 
sinners, Christ died for us." Please explain this with the 
thought that justice is not satisfied with sinners. 

ANSWER— It is a mistake to express it that way. 
Justice is satisfied with sinners who turn from sin and have 



accepted God's provision in Christ. That is the "us" class. 
Such are no longer sinners in that they are not willful sinners. 
As long as you are a willful sinner you are a part of the world. 
It was after you have left sin and drawn nigh to him that he 
drew nigh to you. Still he did not receive you except as you 
came unto the Father through the Advocate. 

JUSTICE-Re Application of IVIerit for Only a Part. 

Q392:2:: QUESTION ( 19 10)--2-Could Divine justice 
accept an application of the merit of the ransom- sacrifice for 
only a portion of the condemned race if there was to be no 
subsequent application? If so, please explain this principle of 
justice. 

ANSWER~We have already explained it, that this is a 
misconception, for the ransom- sacrifice was already in the 
hands of Justice from the time our Lord finished his work, 
that it has not yet been applied for anybody in this sense of 
the word, except as his merit has been imputed to the 
Church. There is a difference between applying the merit, 
and imputing the merit. What the great High Priest will 
give to the world of mankind will not be an imputation of 
his merit, but the world will have that given back to them 
which was lost in Adam, and purchased or secured by the 
death of Christ. But not in the case of the Church. We are 
not to get restitution, we are not to get the things that Christ 
laid down, and that he will give to the world. We are not 
called to get restitution blessings, we are called to have the 
privilege of suffering and sacrificing with Christ. The only 
difference is that our bodies are not perfect, and therefore we 
must ask the great High Priest to be our Advocate and impute 
enough of his merit to make good for our deficiencies, that 
we may be accepted of the Father. 

JUSTICE-Re Experience in Gospel and Millennial Ages. 

Q392:3:: QUESTION (1911)-3-Wouldithavebeen in 
harmony with justice to have given the human race only the 
experience of evil without the experience of the Millennial 
Age? 

ANSWER— Yes, I think it would be, as far as we know 
what justice is~as far as we are able to properly reason along 
the lines of justice. We should say, for instance, that a dog 
has no hope of a future life, and a dog's life is given as a 
synonym for a pretty rough and tumble experience. As some 
one would say, "He has led a dog's life." He does not 

{PageQ393} 



mean it was a very nice life. Shall we say that God arranged 
it so for the dogs that they have an injustice practiced against 
them in that they are permitted to live? No. They have a sort 
of happy day that fits their condition very well, they have 
their pleasant times—even when they wrangle over a bone. In 
man's case, sin against the divine law brought upon him the 
sentence of death, and then that death had the same operation 
against him it would have in all the rest of the animal 
creation. God owed him nothing; there was no obligation on 
God's part to do anything for man's recovery, and the sin, 
disaster, trouble, pain, sorrow, in the world, are not something 
that God has provided, but something that man's sin has 
brought upon himself. Hence there is no obligation on the 
part of justice to do anything for mankind. Nor is there 
anything in the present order of things which permits this 
reign of sin and death that would imply that divine justice had 
been derelict and unfaithful, that God should have done 
something more. I understand, therefore, all that God is to do 
in respect to man's recovery, restitution, etc., is all of grace, 
all of favor, and not of any necessity or demand of justice 
against him. 

JUSTICE-Was it Demanded? 

Q393:1:: QUESTION (1913)-l-Did Divine Justice 
demand a sacrifice for Father Adam? 

ANSWER-Divine Justice did not need to demand 
anything; Divine Justice took Adam without waiting to 
demand anything- Adam you die. Justice does not wait at all. 
Justice has not been waiting for these 6,000 years, but when 
God's love got ready to move it had to reckon with justice and 
God's love said. Here is this human family and my purpose is 
to bring them a blessing; I believe the lessons they have 
learned, the sorrows, the tears, the sighing and crying, might 
be made profitable to many of them if now they will be 
brought to a clear knowledge and opportunity of returning. 
And God's purpose is to give them an opportunity to return, 
but when God would carry out that loving purpose it became 
necessary, according to His own arrangements, to observe the 
sentence of His own justice and to meet the sentence of His 
own justice and provide a substitute. It was not that Justice 
demanded anything. Here I have this handkerchief; I am not 
demanding it, I have it already. So Justice was not 
demanding a substitute for Adam; Justice says, I have Adam. 
But when Love said, I would like to take Adam out of your 
hands and give him a further opportunity to come to 



everlasting life, Justice said If you take Adam out of my hand, 
put something else in it. So God made the requirement and 
provided the ransom price for all, Jesus Christ the Righteous. 

JUSTICE-Just for Unjust. 

Q393:2:: QUESTION (1914) 2 Justice is the 
foundation of God's throne. How could justice allow the 
innocent to suffer that the guilty might go free? 

ANSWER— The best answer to that question would be 
for me to suggest that the inquirer read the fifth volume of 
Studies in the Scriptures. He will get it all there so plainly 
that he could not think or see it any other way. If he 

{PageQ394} 

can, we would like to see what he looks like after he gets 
through reading it (laughter). Briefly: God's justice did not 
force anything upon our Lord Jesus Christ. Justice could not 
have forced our Lord Jesus to die for our sins. The Bible 
nowhere says that God forced Jesus to die for our sins; but 
the Bible does say, in full line with justice and in full line 
with love, that God has set before His Son a great and 
glorious proposition, leaving it open for Him to choose it or 
to disregard it; and the Bible says that He chose to accept that 
proposition and that in accepting that proposition He gave 
himself a ransom price. It was a voluntary matter so far as 
Christ was concerned. But the Father's proposition was this: 
that if the Son would manifest His love and obedience and 
loyalty to the extent of humbling himself to leave the 
heavenly plane and come to the earthly plane of being, and 
then would give himself completely unto death on man's 
behalf, and give up sacrificially this earthly nature in the 
interest of humanity, that God would appreciate all these 
demonstrations of love and that He would reward it; and the 
Bible goes on to say that God did reward it! and St. Paul says, 
speaking along this line, "Who for the joy that was set before 
Him endured the cross, despising the shame." Mark you that 
it was not forced upon Him to endure the cross or despise the 
shame, for He himself states that He could call forth legions 
of angels for His own defense. He was not compelled to do 
one bit of it; but for the joy that was set before Him, for the 
great promise that God gave Him in respect to the Kingdom, 
in respect to the blessing of mankind and His own 
glorification, for these things He endured the cross and 
despised the shame. "Wherefore," says the Apostle, "God 
hath highly exalted Him and hath given Him a name above 



every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 
of things in Heaven and things in the earth." The things in 
Heaven already have bowed, acknowledged Him as Lord of 
lords, and things of earth will bow during the Millennial Age, 
for unto Him every knee shall bow. 

JUSTICE-Basis for Jointheirship. 

Q394:1 :: QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-How can any one be 

a joint- sacrifice with Christ, if Justice was not fully 
reconciled by Jesus Christ when He ascended into Heaven? 

ANSWER— Deposit was made of sufficient merit to 
satisfy for the sins of the whole world and on the strength of 
this Deposit, Justice was perfectly reconciled to the releasing 
of these members of the race who came into a special 
covenant-relationship with God through the Lord Jesus 
Christ, who made a Covenant by Sacrifice. 

JUSTICE-Satisfaction of. 

Q394:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z) -2 -Did Jesus satisfy 
Justice when He ascended into Heaven? 

ANSWER— Justice is always satisfied. Justice never 
lets go until it has an equivalent. Justice was satisfied, 
for instance, when Adam was condemned to death on account 
of transgression. Justice has been satisfied all along in 
holding Adam and his race for that sin. Justice is satisfied 
now to allow the Church to pass under the present conditions, 
because a deposit is in the hands of Justice fully equivalent to 
the requirements of the Church, and more. Justice will 

{PageQ395} 

not be satisfied to release mankind until the Ransom-price 
shall have been fully paid over into the hands of Justice. 
This will be after the Church is completed and glorified. 

JUSTICE-Satisfaction of. 

Q395:1:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-When andhow is 
Justice satisfied? 
ANSWER— This question is answered above. 

JUSTIFICATION-World's Justification at End of IVIillennium. 

Q395:2:: QUESTION (1907)-2-Whenis the world 
justified, at the beginning or at the end of the Millennium? 

ANSWER— We answer that the world will be justified 
at the end of the Millennium. According to our understanding 
of the Scriptures, God's dealing with the world will not be the 



same as His dealing with the Church. Now, those who 
believe individually are reckoned as justified. Mark you, they 
are not justified, but reckoned as justified. The word 
justification means, to make right, and you know your body is 
not right and I know that my body is not right. Believing into 
the Lord Jesus Christ did not make the body right or set the 
organs in proper balance in your head, and did not grant you 
perfection of being at all. But when He comes to deal with 
the world. He will not so deal with them, the dealing with the 
world, as the Scriptures point out will be an actual 
justification, and instead of saying to the people, during the 
Millennium Age, now you are justified by faith, the message 
will be. You will now obey the law of this kingdom and if 
you are obedient you will make steps of progress back, back, 
back to perfection, and when you get back at the farther end 
of the Millennium, you will be perfect and you will be just. 
They will not be justified, but they will be just. So God's 
proposition is for the world, that of bringing them back to 
actual perfection. 

JUSTIFICATION-Vs. Sanctified Through the Blood. 

Q395:3:: QUESTION (1909)--3--Please explain the 
difference between "justification through the blood of Jesus," 
and "sanctification through the blood of the covenant." 

ANSWER--We are justified through the blood of Jesus 
in the sense that we realize that the blood or death of Christ 
paid the penalty for sin, and that by God's grace and 
application of that blood to the household of faith since the 
day of Pentecost, to whosoever would receive it and come 
under its terms. In the present time it is being passed through 
the Church, and ultimately will be passed through Israel to all 
the world of mankind, but all the merit proceeds from the 
blood of Christ. That justifies us to the human nature. 
Nobody was ever justified to the spirit nature, nor had it given 
to them through justification. Justification signifies "making 
right." The whole world is under condemnation, unjust, 
unrighteous, and what they need to restore them to God as 
perfect men and women is justification, and during this age it 
is reckoned to them through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. 

Now the other part of the question: What is it to be 
sanctified through the blood of the covenant? We are 
sanctified through the blood of the New Covenant, because it 
is the opportunity or privilege of coming into relationship 

{PageQ396} 



with that New Covenant, the privilege of coming into 
relationship with the sacrifice of Christ. How? The Lord 
Jesus invites you and me, now that we have been justified 
through the blood of Jesus, to consecrate ourselves, our lives, 
a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. What for, why 
should we do it? In order that we may have a share thus in 
His suffering, in His sacrifice, that we may have a share, as 
members of His flesh now, that we may have a share with 
Him in laying down our blood, or our life, in connection with 
the sealing of the New Covenant, which, in connection with 
Israel, is to bless all the families of the earth. That is a very 
important question, and I am not certain that I have made it 
clear. Will all who do not see it clearly, please raise your 
hands. (No hands went up.) Well, I am very glad. 

But by way of emphasizing the question, because of its 
importance, I might say that, justification comes through the 
blood of Jesus, while sanctification comes through our 
privilege of suffering with Him, in connection with the 
pouring out of our blood, or death of the old body, which is to 
seal the New Covenant. If that New Covenant were not to be 
sealed, then you and I would have no opportunity of laying 
down our lives with Jesus. 

JUSTIFICATION-Refusing to Consecrate. 

Q396 : 1 : : QU ESTION ( 1 909)-- 1 -If a person is justified, 
and loves truth and righteousness, and wants to please the 
Heavenly Father, and then comes to understand Present 
Truth, and the difference between justification and 
sanctification, and the Divine Plan of the Ages in general; 
and then deliberately concludes not to consecrate, but is 
satisfied to be on the human plain, does the Lord hear their 
Prayers after they reach this point, if such a one is trying to 
overcome weaknesses of the flesh and asks the Lord's help? 
In what degree does the Lord help them, and how long can 
they remain in the justified condition? 

ANSWER~I answer that justification by faith is the 
only justification that God has arranged for during this 
present time, and by "justification by faith," is meant that 
such a person is reckoned as being right or perfect. God's 
object in providing this reckoned justification is to give the 
individual an opportunity to consecrate himself, and thus to 
become a joint sacrifice with the Lord Jesus Christ, as a 
member of His Body. Consequently, this justification is not a 
matter for the world in general, but merely for those who 
desire to approach God for the purpose of making a sacrifice 
with our Lord. If, therefore, a person decides that he will not 



consecrate himself to the Lord, I would understand that from 
the time he had reached that conclusion, he would be 
considered from the Lord's standpoint as outside this class 
that the Lord intended to benefit, that he had had all the 
benefit from this knowledge, and had received the grace of 
God in vain, in the sense that he was not willing to use it. I 
should think that such a person would do well to consider that 
he has taken himself entirely out of God's special arrangement 
at the present time. He would still have, in conjunction with 
the world of mankind, an opportunity for restitution. But our 
thought is that he will not fare as well in the next age as some 
who had less opportunity and less privilege in the present 
time. They who 

{PageQ397} 

had much light have correspondingly much responsibility, 
and those who reject much light, correspondingly may expect 
many stripes. 

JUSTIFICATION--By Faith. 

Q397:1 :: QUESTION (1910-Z)-l-Will any of the 

Gentiles be justified by faith during the Millennial Age? 

ANSWER--We understand that justification by faith 
applies to the present age and to our salvation--the Church's 
salvation—which is called "salvation by faith" in 
contradistinction to the salvation that was offered to the Jews 
in their Age, the salvation by works, under the Law Covenant, 
and also in contrast with the salvation that will be offered to 
the Jews and to the world in the next Age, which will be a 
salvation by works under the New (Law) Covenant. In other 
words, this Gospel Age is the only Age in which faith takes 
the place of perfection. It is true, of course, that no Jew 
could have been justified before God by keeping the Law 
Covenant unless he had believed in God; and it is equally true 
that no one will be justified under the New Covenant 
arrangement except he believe in God and is in harmony with 
the arrangements that will then be open to all. However, this 
will not make it a faith- salvation, a salvation by faith, but 
a salvation by works— the works of the Law. 

The works of the Law were unable to save the Jews during 
the Jewish dispensation because they could not keep the Law, 
and because there was no arrangement made through an 
efficient mediator to lift them up out of their degradation, but 
this arrangement has been made future for all Israel and all 
who will come in under this arrangement in the Millennial 



Age. They will be enabled to perform the works. They will 
be helped out of their degradation. So we read in Revelation 
that the sea will give up her dead, the grave will give up the 
dead that are in it, and that they shall all stand before the 
great white throne during the Millennial Age, and shall all be 
judged out of the things written in the book; according to 
their works shall they be judged, then. The distinctive 
statement made regarding us now is that it is not according to 
our works that we are judged, but according to our 
faith. So, then, there will be faith and works in the 
Millennial Age, and there are faith and works in this Gospel 
Age; but the faith of the Millennial Age will be less 
meritorious in proportion because everything will be very 
plain and easy to believe, and hence it will not be the faith 
that will be specially rewarded then, but the works. In this 
Age faith takes the most important place, and we are not 
rewarded according to our works, for we have none to 
reward. But it is the faith that will be rewarded. 

Faith and works apply to both ages, but in the one age it is 
the faith that is rewarded, and in the other the works 
will be rewarded. In the one, faith is the standard or test 
of whether one is worthy or unworthy and in the other 
works will be the standard or test of whether one is worthy 
or unworthy of eternal life. 

Gal. 3:8 seems very particularly to show that the reference 
is to the Gentiles who are justified through faith and not by 
works; hence, we understand that this text 

{PageQ398} 

applies to the Gospel Age in the sense that God foresaw that 
during this Gospel Age he would justify certain of the 
Gentiles through faith, just as he intended also to justify some 
of the Jews through faith. The Gentiles never were under the 
Law of works, but are accepted under the Gospel 
arrangement, by faith. 

JUSTIFICATION-Re Ancient Worthies and Justified of 
Gospel Age. 

Q398:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l-What is the difference 
between the justified condition of the Ancient Worthies in 
their day, and the measure of justification of those who have 
not gone on to consecration in this Gospel Age? 

ANSWER— We answer that one made consecration and 
the other did not. We are in a justified state from the time we 
turn from sin, but the justification is only a part, only as far as 



we have gone. It is just the same as if you were going to the 
City Hall, and we should ask, Where are you going? To the 
City Hall. Later on, we would ask. Why, are you still going? 
Yes, I am not there. So with justification; you start out and 
you will have to keep going until the very end or your 
justification will not be completed. The only thing God will 
accept is full consecration. The Ancient Worthies did make a 
consecration, and God accepted them. He said, if those men 
had perfect bodies they would not do anything wrong. I will 
count them as though they had perfect bodies. Only in a 
prospective sense were they justified in life, which they will 
get "in due time." They must wait until the due time, after 
Jesus has made "reconciliation for iniquity," before they will 
get the benefit of their justification, and reach the full 
perfection of being in the resurrection. 

JUSTIFICATION-Basis of Sonship in the Past. 

Q398:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-In view of the clearer 
light on justification and other Scriptures, what is the basis of 
the sonship mentioned in Proverbs, "My son, gave me thine 
heart"? 

ANSWER-During this Gospel Age, dear friends, God 
is calling out sons, and that is the whole work of this Gospel 
Age. Adam was originally a son, but he failed, became 
disloyal to his Heavenly Father, and was not worthy to be 
further called a son of God, and was sentenced to death, and 
so you and I were all born with a share of that condemnation, 
so that we were not worthy to be called his sons. God 
purposed that eventually he would give the whole world an 
opportunity to come back into sonship during Messiah's reign. 
Now, during this present time, he proposes something for a 
special class, those who have an ear to hear and the heart to 
appreciate when they do hear, and he is calling to see how 
many have the ear. Many are called. Many hear the call, but 
few are chosen, for the reason that many refuse to respond to 
this call when they hear it. God wishes some to deny 
themselves and to walk in the way of righteousness. The 
majority of the people hear the call, and say, I think I will pay 
attention by and by, but will taste of sin a while first, so the 
call passes them by. Whether they hear it again after it has 
passed by or not, is another question. There are some, who 
when they hear are of a different disposition, they appreciate 
and lay hold upon it, and are thus accepted of the Lord to the 
extent that they lay hold. When immediately they turn 

{PageQ399} 



from sin, they are turning toward righteousness. What is 
righteousness? Justification is righteousness. If those two 
words can be held together as meaning the same thing, you 
have something that will assist you to know what justification 
means. Justification means that which is right, so that when 
you turn from sin to serve the living God, that was a 
conversion, a turning round, from sin to the way of 
righteousness. That was a measure of justification. The heart 
was coming into the right attitude toward God and he began 
to draw near to you. The Lord said, "Draw near to me and I 
will draw near to you" and as you drew near to the Lord, he 
came a little nearer toward you. Now you were in a justified 
condition all the time. That is to say, your justification was 
not perfect, not righteous in the absolute sense, but in a 
condition which God approves-turning from sin to 
righteousness. Therefore we call that justification, or the 
condition that leads up to ultimately attaining justification. I 
do not know how long you may have been in this condition of 
knowing God's will, but whether a longer or shorter time, 
God showed you if you would be one of his sons what the 
conditions of said sonship were, namely, that you must love 
righteousness so much, and hate iniquity so much, that you 
will be ready to lay down your life in the service of 
righteousness and truth, and in opposition to the wrong. Now 
it is not everybody that is willing to lay down life, to give up 
the pleasures of sin, or of the world, and of earthly objects, 
and aims and hopes--not all are ready to follow in the 
Master's footsteps; therefore the words of Jesus came to such, 
"If any man will be my disciple, let him deny self (give up his 
own will), take up his cross (in the sense of being sacrificed, 
even of earthly interests) and follow me." It is plainly stated. 
He has come as far as he can, up to that point. Now be bears 
the Master's words. He wanted to he a disciple, when he first 
turned from sin. He began to draw near unto God, his 
standard of righteousness and now he has come up to the 
point when the Lord shows him what is the final test by 
which he may be accepted as a son. He cannot be a son and 
be justified to life, except upon one condition. If he wants to 
have restitution, etc. God says, I have a provision for that by 
and by, during Messiah's reign, with all the rest of the world, 
and I will see that the way is a shining way, that knowledge 
will be there, etc., but if you want to come now, there is just 
one way left open. "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way 
that leadeth unto life." That will take you out of this death 
condition. It's narrow and there is only the one way. Had 



you seen the gate when you started you might not have 
entered, but when you have come a certain distance he shows 
you the terms of sonship, and no one has the right to make the 
terms one whit less than God shows, namely, deny self, take 
up your cross, and follow me. If, then coming to the 
condition, you say. I am ready to do thy will what would he 
say? Paul tells us in Rom. 12:1. My brethren, this a blessed 
thing, this is a grand opportunity, so grand to be privileged to 
come in now, under this high calling, and become joint heirs 
with Christ in his kingdom. The world does not know it, but 
to you it is given to know because you had this inclination to 
feel after righteousness, and God has gra- 

{PageQ400} 

graciously made known to you something respecting this call, 
and the terms and conditions. Now, then, take the step, and 
so he says, "I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God 
(these mercies that you have been enjoying while you have 
been drawing near to him), present your bodies a living 
sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your 
reasonable service." That is the only way you can get it. 

What is the philosophy of it? Well, now, we are not saying 
that those who do not enjoy the philosophy cannot enjoy the 
fact. Before you ever heard of the ransom and what it 
signified, you enjoyed the benefits of it, though you did not 
understand the philosophy, and you were accepted as children 
of God~I was, before I knew God in the sense that we now 
speak of God and his plan. I had given my heart to the Lord, 
and he had given me the spirit of sonship, whereby I called 
him Abba, Father, without a knowledge of the philosophy, 
and I had to take the step of consecration before I could know 
the philosophy. But now in this day, when the Lord is 
permitting a whirlwind of error to sweep down upon his 
people, and to call his book a fable, and to allow higher 
criticism to make light of his Word, now he is giving us 
something whereby we may be strong in the Lord and in the 
power of his might. He is permitting us to understand his 
word and the philosophy of the atonement, that the Lord Jesus 
is the great Redeemer. You realize that you were already 
condemned to death, that you had nothing whatever to offer 
to God but that as you accepted Christ in your mind and 
realized that he is the Son of God, the Redeemer of mankind, 
and thus the basis of your faith in him, you presented your 
body a living sacrifice, and your Redeemer stepped forth to 
be your and my Advocate, and then your sacrifice and mine 



could be acceptable to God with its imperfections, because of 
his imputed merit, which made them holy in his sight, and at 
the very moment he imputed his merit, that moment the 
Father could accept you. Then he gave you a token of his 
acceptance, by the impartation of the Holy Spirit. You are 
begotten again, you are new creatures, you have received the 
culmination of your justification. Everything was leading up 
to it. It was at the moment when you gave up, and Jesus put 
his merit to it, that the Father accepted the same. Now, then, 
this is in accord with this whole thought, "My son, give me 
thine heart." We are treated as sons in a relative way, the 
moment we turn from sin, because we wish to be sons, and he 
is dealing with us as sons. Just as you and I today, if one is 
here meeting with us, and is seeking to turn from sin to the 
Lord we say, brother or sister, even if they have not made the 
full consecration. They belong to the household of faith, but 
they will not be sons in the full sense, until they do make the 
consecration. When we see them take the final step and 
receive a blessing of the Lord, and acceptance of them as 
children of God, we are glad, and then the matter they started 
out for is accomplished, but all the way down they are treated 
as sons, because they desire and are approaching that glorious 
standard. 

JUSTIFICATION-lllustration of Tentative. 

Q400:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)--1 --Please illustrate 
tentative justification, and also vital justification. 

{PageQ401} 

ANSWER. --We are tentatively justified from the 
moment we turn our backs upon sin, and turn toward God 
with longing desire and with good intentions of heart. Here is 
an individual who has been delving in sin, and walking 
according to the flesh, and he hears and comes to some 
understanding that this is the wrong course, and that God is 
willing he should draw nigh to him. So he is converted, 
turned around, and now he is facing toward God, and begins 
to take steps in that direction, and puts away the filth of the 
flesh, and strives to walk in a more orderly way. If he has 
been a drunkard, he puts away his cup, if he has been vile in 
some other respect, he puts away those vile practices, and he 
seeks to draw nigh unto God. Now, what is the Lord's 
attitude toward him? The Lord says, "Draw nigh unto me and 
I will draw nigh unto you." So he goes a little nearer. Now, 
what is his attitude? We speak of him as being in a justified 



attitude. Why so? Justified means right. He is not fully right 
yet, but he is in that attitude; he is making an approach 
toward the right. He is there tentatively; to be spoken of as a 
justified person; he is seeking to walk righteously. So he 
draws nearer, and as he draws nearer, he says, "Now, Lord, I 
would like to come very near and be your child." Well, the 
Lord says, "Now that you have come this near, I will explain 
what is necessary." 

"Lord, I would like to know upon what terms I can be fully 
your child and receive your Spirit, and receive share in all that 
glorious inheritance which you have provided in Jesus for 
those who will be joint-heirs." 

"Well," the Lord answers, "they are very severe terms. They 
are very strict terms. You must take up your cross and follow 
the Master. You must be prepared to lay down all that you 
have, even life itself, in my service. Only thus can you 
become a child of mine in the full sense of the word, because 
this is the only class I am calling now." 

"Well," the person says, "Lord, I do not care to sacrifice, 
and make a consecration to death, but would like to simply do 
right, and if I do right--" 

"Well, but you cannot do right; in your own flesh there is 
no perfection, and you cannot be right; you can never 
approach me on the basis of the law, because by the deeds of 
the law, no flesh can be justified. 

"Well, Lord, how can I be justified, then, if it is impossible 
to keep the law?" 

"You can only be justified in one way, and that is through 
the merit of the great Advocate." 

"Well, Lord, will he be my advocate?" 

"He will only be your advocate if you come to the place 
where you make a full surrender of all that you have." 

"Well, will he do nothing for me?" 

"O, yes, he is prepared to deal with you as with all the 
remainder of the world; he is prepared to be your Mediator 
under the new covenant arrangement; he is prepared to bring 
you restitution to full perfection and harmony with God as 
Adam had, and that Adam lost." 

"But, Lord, I would like to come in now." 
"Well, you cannot come now, except under the call that I have 
issued now; the call which I now have issued is the call we 
term the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, to become heirs 
of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ to an 

{PageQ402} 



inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not 
away, reserved in heaven. This heavenly call is the only one 
that is open now, and the heavenly call demands a full 
consecration of your life to the Lord, and to follow in the foot 
steps of Jesus. If you do not now wish to take this step, stand 
aside." 

You see, this one has been tentatively justified up to this 
time. Now he has come to the place where he has knowledge, 
he knows what the Lord requires of him, and if he takes the 
step of consecration he will be begotten of the Spirit a new 
creature; and this will continue until the last number of the 
elect shall be completed. But if he does not, then his tentative 
justification lapses; it does not hold up; it is not confirmed; it 
is not made actual or vital. The only way in which this faith— 
justification~is made actual, or vital, is by consecration. 

Now, suppose he consecrates. "Now, Lord, I have sat down 
and counted the cost. I have concluded to accept your terms; 
I give you my whole heart and everything I am and have; I 
make a full surrender. 'Use it. Lord, in ways of thine." Now, 
having made that consecration, the great Advocate becomes 
his personal Advocate, and imputes of his merit to cover his 
blemishes, so that his consecration may he accepted by the 
Father; and in that way his justification is vitalized, it is made 
complete; it is made a living justification, he is justified to 
life; and then being justified to life in that same moment he 
presents that justified life a living sacrifice, acceptable to 
God, a living consecration that God accepts through Christ as 
a sacrifice; that is the vitalizing of that justification. Up to 
that point it was not made vital; it was merely a tentative one. 
He was going in the right direction, and God treated him 
patiently and encouraged him to go on until he got to the 
point where he must decide. If he decided to give up all, then 
the great Advocate vitalized his justification, and by faith he 
was recognized as being perfect, and by faith he was 
recognized as presenting himself, and God accepted the 
sacrifice. 

Now, in the world's case in the next age, justification will 
not be by faith, but by works. You remember, in the book of 
Revelation where it speaks of the world coming forth to their 
day of judgment, we read, "They were all judged, every man 
according to his works." 

The test, then, will be works; the test now is faith. Why not 
works now? Because you cannot work perfectly. Why not? 
Because you have imperfect bodies, and because God is 
dealing at the present time along this line—he is treating with 
those who, with imperfect bodies have perfect minds, perfect 



wills, fully submitted to his will. And thus he draws that new 
will, that new mind, and justifies the new creature and accepts 
the consecration, and the matter is thus vitalized. But for the 
world in the next age, all through that thousand years they 
will be coming up, up, to perfection, and every day they will 
be getting more justified, more justified, and more justified, 
and they will be getting more nearly right every day. So they 
will be approaching gradual justification, and every one of 
that time who will be in the right way, and seeking to be in 
harmony with the Lord, will be said to be tentatively justified; 
but his justification will not be reached in the same way as 
ours, as he would be coming up gradually out of his 

{PageQ403} 

imperfection and he would be justified actually when he 
would reach full perfection. Then he would be put right, 
perfect, and being in that condition at the end of the thousand 
years, the Mediator would step from between and allow that 
just, perfect person, to be presented to the Father. And he 
would he acceptable to the Father, and then would stand the 
trial to see whether or not he would be willing and able to 
stand the tests. Just as Adam was perfect and in harmony 
with God, and was subjected to a test, so all the world of 
mankind in their perfection will be subjected to a test. So, in 
Revelation we read, that at that time, after Christ shall have 
delivered over the kingdom to the Father, and the thousand 
years are finished, and the Mediator shall step from between, 
then Satan will be loosed that he may test all who dwell on 
the face of the whole earth, the number of whom will be as 
the sand of the seashore. Those who shall succumb to the 
temptation will be those who have not the proper condition of 
heart, and God will give them no further opportunity. They 
have had all the blessings ever intended for them. And those 
who will stand the temptation of that time will have the grand 
entrance into the everlasting condition, fully approved of 
God, as worthy of life everlasting. 

JUSTIFICATION-Previous to 1881. 

THE GRADUAL END OF GOSPEL FAVOR. 
Q403:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11-Z)-1 -Do you understand 
the Scriptures to teach, either directly or indirectly, through 
the Parallels of the Jewish Dispensation, that it was necessary 
that all who would eventually constitute the "little flock" must 
have been in a justified condition previous to October, 1881? 
ANSWER.— No we do not so understand the matter. 



JUSTIFICATION-Completed at Consecration. 

Q403:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2-Are we grafted into 
the olive tree wiien justified or when consecrated? 

ANSWER.--Both. That is to say, the completion' of 
justification is at consecration'. No one has his 
justification complete, or full, unless he has consecrated 
himself. Our justification begins when we turn toward that 
which is just or right, and away from that which is unjust; 
and we get more justification, more nearly right (for 
justification means being right), as we proceed toward 
consecration. When our justification has progressed to the 
point of full consecration, only then are we recognized as 
begotten of the Spirit, and as branches in the Vine, pictured 
by the Lord in the 15th chapter of John. In the picture of the 
olive tree the same is true. Only spiritual branches are 
grafted into this "olive tree." 

The question is doubtless based upon Rom. 11:17, where 
the Apostle tells us that the Jewish nation represented the 
olive tree which had the good root. The root of the olive tree 
was the definite promise made to Abraham--"In thy Seed shall 
all the families of the earth be blessed." (Gen. 12:3.) The 
promise then began to produce branches. Every individual 
Jew claimed to be connected with this Abrahamic Covenant. 
The Apostle tells us that because of unfaithfulness many of 
these branches were broken off. The time that they were 
broken off was during that forty-year period which began 
with our Lord's ministry and ended with the destruction of 
Jerusalem. 

{PageQ404} 

During that time all the branches that were not fit to be kept 
in were broken off, and those that were fit to stay in were 
"cleansed by the washing of water through the Word," and 
transferred from Moses into Christ, and begotten of the Holy 
Spirit. The Apostle proceeds to say that ever since the Jewish 
branches were broken off God has been gathering branches 
out of the Gentiles, and that we are being grafted in 
instead of those broken off branches. Thus you and I 
may get into the olive tree. We who were by nature children 
of wrath, aliens, are now grafted into the real tree through 
which the blessing is to come. 

If we can get into that olive tree, into that Vine, into Christ, 
the next thing to do is to abide in Him. There are certain 
tests applied; and those who do not conform to those tests will 



not be permitted to abide, but will be cut off. Respecting the 
Vine the Great Teacher said, "Every branch in Me that 
beareth not fruit He (the Father) taketh away; and every 
branch that beareth fruit. He purgeth it, that it may bring forth 
more fruit." (John 15:2.) So, if we have the trimmings and 
prunings that He gives to the fruit-bearing branches, let us 
rejoice that we are in the good Husbandman's care and are in 
good condition. If we abide in the true Vine the time is not 
very far distant when we, with the remainder of the Church, 
will be glorified and constitute the Kingdom of Messiah, 
which in turn shall bless natural Israel and, through natural 
Israel, all the nations of the earth. 

JUSTIFICATION-View of Today. 

Q404:1 :: QUESTION (1913-Z)-l-Have you changed 
your views respecting the justification of the Church, so that 
the presentations of Studies in the Scriptures, Volume I, on 
this subject no longer represent your thought? 

ANSWER. —Surely not! If we have, why would we 
continue to publish and circulate the Volume? "The path of 
the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more 
unto the perfect day." So the subject of our justification is 
clarifying daily to many of the Lord's dear people. Features 
of justification not previously discerned by them are now very 
clear. For instance, many failed to see in the past, and some 
still fail to see, that justification by faith is a gradual 
process. Each step of faith brought us nearer to the climax. 

But the climax was not wholly reached until our faith 
manifested its perfection by our obedience and full surrender 
in consecration to the Lord. Then our great Advocate 
accepted our consecrated bodies and imputed to them of His 
merit, absolutely justifying them in the sight of Justice—the 
Heavenly Father. Then it was that the Heavenly Father 
accepted that completely justified soul by the begetting of the 
Holy Spirit. Thenceforth he was a New Creature, and a son 
begotten to the spirit plane. 

During the period of progress in faith, justification was 
being gradually approached, and the individual had more and 
more of the Divine favor. But not until the final step was 
taken did he become fully justified to human nature— a son on 
the earthly plane. And only for an instant did he there 
remain. Then the begetting of the Holy Spirit in dictated the 
acceptance of the sacrifice of the perfected one, and started 
him as a New Creature. 

{PageQ405} 



TENTATIVE AND ACTUAL SONSHIP. 

All this is indicated in the Chart of the Ages. Plane N' 
represents the justified condition in its various steps. Thus 
Abraham and others of the Old Testament times were justified 
before God by their faith. They were not justified to life, 
not justified even to sonship. They were justified to God's 
friendship, favor and supervisory care. After Jesus had 
died, risen, ascended and made application of His merit on 
the Church's behalf. He became the Advocate of all this class, 
desirous of walking in His steps in full consecration. The 
imputation of His merit constitutes for each one the work of 
justification, and this makes it possible for God to accept his 
sacrifice and to beget him to the new nature. 

Abraham was styled God's friend, because of his faith and 
desire for harmony with God. So was John the Baptist, of 
whom we read, "The friend of the Bridegroom * * * 
rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice." The 
term "servant" is in the Bible specially applied to those Jews 
who were under the Mosaic Law Covenant. By that 
Covenant they enjoyed God's care and blessing, and were 
permitted to be His servants. Although many of them, as well 
as Abraham, were friends of God, and would have been fully 
qualified for all the sonship privileges, nevertheless it was not 
possible, in harmony, with the Divine arrangement, for them 
to be recognized as sons. For, as the Apostle explains, a "son 
abideth forever," and not until Christ's sacrifice had opened 
the way for the cancellation of sin and death, could any be 
received to Divine sonship. 

Likewise our standing even now as sons of God is tentative. 
If we abide in God's love, we shall abide as His sons and be 
perfected in due time. But if any man draw back to wilful sin 
and its service, he will lose his sonship. His name will be 
blotted out of the Lamb's Book of Life. The Advocate with 
the Father would cease to recognize him. He would have no 
standing with the Son, and another would be permitted to take 
his place as a member of the Body of the Anointed. 

Thus the Apostle declares, "Now are we the sons of God in 
embryo', and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we 
know that, when He shall appear our Redeemer, our Head', 
we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." 
(1 John 3:2.) That is to say, our present sonship is tentative. 
The actual sonship will begin after we shall have passed our 
probationary trial. As many as shall prove acceptable by their 
faith and loyalty will be made sons in the fullest sense, by the 



glorious resurrection change. Thus we see that as none are 
fully received to plane N' until they have gone the full 
length of consecration, so none will be fully received to 
sonship until they shall have reached plane L. 

THE "BETTER RESURRECTION." 

Although the Ancient Worthies, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, 
Moses, the Prophets, etc. (Heb. 1 1:38-40), could not be 
styled sons of God, and were not so named, it was not 
because they were not worthy of such a station and such a 
name. The Apostle draws our attention to this, assuring us 
that they "pleased God," and nothing pleases Him short of 
perfection of heart. The only thing which hindered their 
acceptance as sons was the necessity that first the Atonement 

{PageQ406} 

blood should be presented on their behalf. In the "better 
resurrection" which the Ancient Worthies will experience, 
they will, we understand, come forth perfect men. They will 
be perfect as was Adam before his sin, and with minds, hearts 
and wills developed, exercised, tested, proved loyal to God. 
In that perfect condition they will be samples of what all 
mankind may attain by obedience during Messiah's Reign. 

From the moment of their resurrection, these perfect men 
would have the same right to come to God as had Adam, and 
would be as fully entitled to be called sons of God as was 
Adam, except for one thing. And that is, that the Ancient 
Worthies, as well as the rest of mankind, will be in the hands 
of the great Mediator of the New Covenant for the thousand 
years of His Messianic Kingdom. And, according to the 
Scriptures, not until the end of that period will He deliver up 
the Kingdom to the Father. 

Hence we understand that the Ancient Worthies will have 
no direct dealing with the Father as sons, and no direct 
recognition from Him as such, until the end of Christ's Reign, 
when He will deliver over to the Father all things, that He 
may be "all in all," and that all may be directly subject to 
Him. During the thousand years, however, under Christ's 
Mediatorial arrangements, the Ancient Worthies, perfected, 
and all others, in proportion to their attainment of perfection, 
will enjoy privileges and blessings, because they will no 
longer be under a reign of sin and death and of Satan, the 
"Prince of this World," but under the Prince of Life and His 
reign of Righteousness unto Life. 



JUSTIFICATION-Received in Vain. 

Q406:1 :: QUESTION (1913)--l-In regard to those who 
were justified but do not go on to consecration, will it be 
better or worse for them in the restitution? If worse, how? 

ANSWER.— There are none justified who do not go on 
to consecration. There are those who take steps looking 
toward justification; that is, they come into a justified 
attitude, they are drawing near to God, but they do not reach 
the place where they are counted as having been pardoned 
and reconciled to God through the death of His Son until they 
come to that place where they make the full surrender. As, 
for instance, the entire call of this Gospel Age is for the Royal 
Priesthood. Ye are all called in one hope of your calling. It 
is not that some are called to justification, and then some 
others called to sanctification, but the one invitation that goes 
out is, God has caused the way to be opened up and 
whosoever will may draw nigh to God since Jesus has died 
and redemption has been arranged for. Whosoever will may 
now approach if he has an ear to hear and understand. Look 
at the Tabernacle as being God's picture of this matter. We 
see that those who approached the Tabernacle might be at a 
distance, and they are drawing nearer and nearer. When they 
come to the door, the gate, there they see first of all the gate 
itself, which is an embroidered gate, and which tells in a 
figurative way certain lessons about the necessity for the 
forgiveness of sins, symbolically; and they look past the gate 
and see the altar of sacrifice standing right in front of them. 
That means they cannot make any further progress unless 
they believe in the sacrifice of Christ which that altar 
represents, and if 

{PageQ407} 

they are of good courage to still go on they go past the altar, 
being more nearly justified—not completely justified, you see, 
but being more nearly justified. That is, they are approaching 
more and more closely to the justified condition. Then they 
go on a little farther and they see the laver filled with water 
put there for the washing away of the wilderness filth— the 
filth of the flesh. They say, I would like to be cleaner than I 
am, and that means putting away of some of the filth of the 
flesh; it means they are striving to be more nearly in harmony 
with the laws of divine righteousness which they come to see 
more and more clearly. Then finally they come right up to 
the door of the Tabernacle, and there according to the picture, 



if they are the Lord's they are tied—tied to the gate. In other 
words, the goat was brought and tied at the door of the 
Tabernacle— not at the outside door, the gateway, but tied at 
the door of the Tabernacle proper; and that means the 
presentation of your body as a living sacrifice. The goat was 
not dead, but was a living goat when it was tied there, and 
that represents how you, as one of the goats by nature, was 
tied up, or consecrated, or bound to the Lord, presented your 
body a living sacrifice. Now nothing more could be done 
except what the High Priest would do. The next step was for 
the High Priest to come and accept that goat in sacrifice by 
killing it, and that meant that your consecration to the Lord 
was accepted of Him through the High Priest; you do not 
directly kill your own goat, but you bring yourself to the Lord 
and present yourself to the Lord, and if it is acceptable to the 
Father at all it will be because He accepts that goat as being a 
part of Himself, and a part of His sacrifice. Then because it is 
His sacrifice, justified by the merit of His atonement, 
therefore it is acceptable with the Father. All of His sacrifices 
are accepted, and thus we are accepted in the Beloved, and 
from the moment of the acceptance of our sacrifice we are in 
Christ, members of that High Priest, no longer of the goat, but 
now counted in as part of the High Priest who is officiating in 
all the work. So we are members of the Body of Christ, and 
this Christ of which you are members was typified by that 
Great High Priest, and the anointing oil came on the head 
representing the Holy Spirit that came on Jesus, and 
subsequently ran down clear to the skirts of the garment, thus 
covering, or acknowledging, or begetting of the spirit all of 
those whom He accepts as members of His Body. This, then, 
is the completion of our justification. It is a very fortunate 
arrangement when we think of it, because if we were accepted 
of God at the time of our first coming to Him before we had 
really made a consecration, and if He would impute His merit 
to us then, there would be no more for us to have in the 
future, for when once the merit of Christ is imputed there is 
no more to be imputed. In other words, when Christ died for 
our sins there was one share for you and one share for me, 
and one share for each member of the race. When you get 
your share you will never have it duplicated. If you misuse 
that share after you get it that is your responsibility, you are 
not to get a second share, Christ dies no more, death will have 
no more dominion over Him, and He makes an imputation of 
His merit only once on behalf of the human family; you get 

{PageQ408} 



your share, and each other member gets his share. The 
thought then, is, you see, that if God would accept us and 
justify us and thus give us the merit of Christ, and we do not 
go on to make our sacrifice, then we would lose all the 
privileges of the future; there would be no hope for such a 
person in the future life that he might get it under Christ's 
Kingdom because he has had it now. Therefore, God kindly 
arranges the matter that we may approach and may speak of 
ourselves as being in a justified attitude, and our families as 
being in a justified attitude, in the sense that they are drawing 
nearer to God and feeling sympathetic with His arrangements, 
and thinking more and more about where they will take the 
great step and complete the great transaction which God has 
offered; namely, present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, 
acceptable. If you do present it, and in time, then it is 
acceptable to the Father, and the moment it is accepted is the 
moment of your begetting; then you are a New Creature. So 
there is just one moment between; there must be the 
instantaneous moment when you will be justified according to 
the flesh, and it is just the same consecutive moment that you 
are accepted, because all that God is waiting for to accept any 
of us is that our sins should be forgiven and Christ should 
present us; and He does that the moment you are ready. So 
He says. If any man will be My disciple I am ready to be his 
advocate. If you want to be My disciple take up your cross 
and follow me. 

JUSTIFICATION--Re Christ's Robe. 

Q408:1:: QUESTION (1913) 1 In Tabernacle 
Shadows, page 21, paragraph 3, it says: "We see, then that 
justification by faith, our first step toward holiness, brings us 
into a condition of peace with God through our Lord Jesus 
Christ (Rom. 5:1). When our sins are forgiven, or 
reckonedly covered with Christ's righteousness, we are a step 
nearer to God, but still human in the court." What does the 
covering of Christ's righteousness mean here? Is it a 
receiving of the robe? 

ANSWER. --Justification means "to make right." It does 
not signify a change of nature, merely means to make right 
that nature which was. In our Lord's case, fully justified in 
His trial or testing of His faith which proved Him to be just 
and perfect; but in our case we recognize we are all sinners, 
there is none just, none righteous, no, not one; when we, 
therefore, approach God, before we can have anything to do 
with sacrificing, we must be justified, that is, made right; our 



sins and imperfections must be set aside either actually or 
reckonedly, and thus justified by faith. The world will get her 
justification in the next age, but not by faith, an actual one. 
Their justification will be a gradual one; as they obey the 
laws of the Kingdom they will become more clearly perfect 
mentally, morally and physically until at the end of the 
thousand years when they will have reached human 
perfection they will be justified, right, perfect. It will not be 
justification by faith, but the process of works which the 
Master will arrange for that time for the world. But the 
Church is justified by faith; it is reckonedly to us; it is 
counted to us; we are not actually made right or perfect; we 
are merely reckoned perfect, the Lord imputing His merit to 
us and making up for our deficiency. 

{PageQ409} 

That constitutes us right or acceptable. For what purpose? 
for the purpose of this Gospel Age. And what is the purpose 
of this Gospel Age? That we may offer sacrifice holy and 
acceptable to God; that is the only object for one if permitted 
to come near to God. God's time for allowing the whole 
world to come near Him is that time during the Kingdom, but 
now He has opened up a new way for us who are desirous of 
being sacrificed as the Master was sacrificed for us, who are 
desirous of laying down our lives, giving up all our human 
rights and interests. There is a new way opened up for us 
entered, first, by justification, and secondly, by the 
acceptance of that justified person or body. God could not 
accept us as a sacrifice unless first we were justified. Now, it 
is not necessary that we should be justified for a year, ten 
years, or ten months, but justification must come first, for 
God cannot accept an imperfect sacrifice. We must be made 
right by the imputation of Christ's righteousness; and we 
believe that the very next instant after Christ has imputed His 
merit, the very next minute the Father accepts our sacrifice 
and grants us the indication that we are accepted by giving us 
the Holy Spirit. Taking the picture of the Tabernacle, we see 
that none are permitted to go into the Holy except the priests, 
and so if we are ever permitted to go in, it is because God 
accepts us as priests, and He will accept us as priests if we go 
by the terms and requirements He has arranged. We endeavor 
to draw near to God because we know that He desires us to 
draw near Him, as it is written, "Draw nigh unto God and He 
will draw nigh unto you." We come to the gate looking 
beyond, we see the brazen altar which speaks to us of 



justification on our behalf, because that altar is always 
symbolical of sacrifice. As we face the altar it signifies that 
we believe and accept the fact that Christ died for our sins; all 
who do not believe that are represented as being outside; all 
who pass inside accept the death of our Lord for the 
forgiveness of their sins. We are drawing nearer to God, and 
we go on until we approach the laver, in which is water for 
washing, for cleansing, washing the hands and the feet before 
entering in. This signifies that we must put away the filth of 
the flesh if we desire to be of the priestly few. But we are 
still drawing near to God and are said to be in a justified 
condition from the time that we enter the gate and see the 
altar and accept of His forgiveness and believe in the Lord 
Jesus Christ; at the laver we are said to be in the justified 
condition; we are going in the right direction, we are 
becoming more reconciled to God every step we take, until 
we come right up to the door of the Tabernacle. There, 
according to the type, the goat was tied, representing our full 
consecration to the Lord. We are now acceptable to the 
Father and this was represented as accomplished when the 
High Priest comes out of the Tabernacle and lays His hand 
upon the goat and kills the goat. By laying His hand upon the 
goat He signifies that He has accepted it as a sacrifice, as a 
part of His sacrifice. That means He has imputed to us His 
merit, for He would not begin to offer except by imputing the 
merit. The laying of His hand would represent the imputing 
of His merit and the killing the acceptance of our 
consecration. All this is before we enter in at all and before 
we receive the new nature, 

{PageQ410} 

but the moment He does that He receives us as members 
of His body that we may be counted in with Him and pass 
with Him into the first place, the Holy, and there, the Apostle 
says, we sit together with Christ in the Heavenlies. We have 
already entered into the Holy, and there privileged to enjoy 
the light of the golden candlestick, the privileges of prayer, as 
represented by the golden altar, and spiritual feasting, as 
represented by the tables of shew-bread. After we have done 
all our part in coming to the Lord, accepting the sacrifice at 
the altar and coming to the laver and doing what we could to 
wash away the filth of the flesh and purifying ourselves, then 
we have come here up to the door and tied ourselves here and 
made a consecration, presented ourselves, as the Apostle says, 
"Present your bodies a living sacrifice," but we do not do our 



own killing; we do not do the sacrificing ourselves; He does 
all the sacrificing. It is not everybody who offers sacrifices 
and we were not priests; we were merely represented by the 
goat; the goat could not sacrifice itself ; it is the High Priest 
who sacrificed the goat, and so we are accepted of the Father 
in the beloved for He is the Father's agent in all dealings with 
the Church. 

JUSTIFICATION--By Whom? 

Q410:1:: QUESTION (1916) 1 Who does the 
justifying—Jehovah or Jesus? 

ANSWER.-Both Jehovah and Jesus justify. The 
Apostle says, "It is God that justifieth." (Rom. 8:33.) We 
are justified through faith in the blood of Jesus. God's 
justification is provided through the blood of Jesus. God's 
justification was not provided for any one apart from the 
blood of Christ. It was necessary first for Christ to die, before 
anyone could be justified. Even as the Apostle says, "By the 
grace of God He tasted death for every man." (Heb. 2:9.) 
No one who preceded Christ had anything more than a 
tentative justification, no matter who he was. This actual 
justification depended upon what Jesus would do on the cross. 

It is God that justifies; for it was God who condemned. It 
was not Jesus who put Adam on trial. Adam did not sin 
against Jesus nor against any law of Jesus, but against the 
Father's Law, against Divine Justice. It was Divine Justice 
that brought the sentence against Adam. Therefore he cannot 
be justified except Divine Justice first be satisfied. Before we 
can be justified we must come into a certain condition 
ourselves, and then we must have an Advocate with the 
Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous. This Advocate is the 
great High Priest whom God has set apart for this service; and 
God accepts us on the basis of that High Priest's atonement 
work. 

JUSTIFICATION-Legal Basis of. 

Q410:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)--2-In a recent expression 
from your pen it was stated that there could be no legal 
justification without actual justification; but that if it was 
legal, it was actual. How can this be true? Is not the 
justification of the Church at present legal, and their 
perfection reckoned, not actual? 

ANSWER.— The written statement made is a correct 
one; but the questioner has not the proper view of the matter. 

{PageQ411} 



The mistake in the mind of the questioner is this: He 
thinks of the New Creature as being justified. But the New 
Creature did not need justification, and never did need it. The 
New Creature has done nothing wrong. It was the old man 
that was the sinner, that inherited sinful tendencies and that 
was under condemnation. It was this old man that needed to 
be justified before he could become a New Creature; and this 
justification must be an actual one~a bona fide one. We 
are justified--not that we hope to be; but being justified 
we have been accepted by the Father. 

It is an actual transaction, and took place, so far as we are 
individually concerned, at the time when we put ourselves 
over into our Lord's hands by a full consecration; and at that 
time Jesus accepted us. That was real—so real that henceforth 
God counts us as dead, and will no longer recognize us as 
having any right to restitution or anything else human. As the 
scriptures declare, "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with 
Christ in God." The New Creature is addressed here, and the 
New Creature does not need justification. It was the old 
creature that was justified; and the evidence that you have 
that it was justified is that you have received the Holy Spirit, 
your old life is henceforth dead, and your new life has begun; 
and that new life is in Christ, and with that new life alone 
God will deal. 

In the Lord's arrangements He does not justify each one 
individually as though each one had to wait until the Lord 
was through with other matters. This whole matter was 
arranged for and attended to in advance. Our Redeemer 
imputed the merit for us in the beginning once for all. We are 
all represented in that one act. The whole Church was 
included when He appeared in the presence of God for us. 
(Heb. 9:24.) The imputation made at that time was 
sufficient for the whole Church, and by that merit we are 
justified. We get our share of this imputation when we 
comply with the conditions, the terms. The High Priest deals 
with us along automatic lines. Jesus accepts as many as will 
come unto God according to his own terms. He made 
provisions for the sins of the Church over eighteen hundred 
years age; and if He receives you. He receives you in the 
Father's name. We get our share in the provisions made by 
the High Priest, and we comply with the conditions of a full 
consecration of ourselves to God. It is the same as the 
Pentecostal blessing, which was given to the Church once for 
all in the beginning, and each member of the Church gets his 
share when he comes into Christ. When one becomes rightly 



related to the head he receives his share of the anointing. 
You are a member of the body of Christ and have your share 
of the blessings of the Anointed company. It is thus the 
imputation made by the High Priest for the whole Church at 
the beginning of the Gospel Age, works automatically in the 
way of justifying each individual when he presents his body a 
living sacrifice. 

JUSTIFICATION-Relation to Consecration. 

Q411:1:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-- 1 --Is it correct to say 
that previous to consecration believers are justified, or are 
they merely approaching justification? 

ANSWER.— They are approaching justification. These 
steps of tentative justification in the Court are simply leading 
him to the point of vitalizing his justification. Jesus 

{PageQ412} 

justifies at the Door of the Tabernacle; but He does not justify 
a person who merely wishes to put away the filth of the flesh. 
Only when one comes to the Door, ties himself up and makes 
a covenant with God, can he be fully justified. There the 
High Priest is ready to impute to him His righteousness and to 
accept him as a member of the Body of Christ— while at the 
door. 

If the Lord should justify any one just as soon as he entered 
the Gate and came into the Court to the Brazen Altar, there 
must, of course, be some object in that justification. What 
could the object be? The object of justification is to make 
one amenable to or ready for the reception of the Holy Spirit. 
If, therefore, he should be justified at the Brazen Altar and 
receive the Holy Spirit, all his earthly chances or privileges 
would be gone. He might want to go out-as many do-but it 
would be too late if positive justification had taken place. 
Whoever has not come to the point of making a Covenant 
with God, has not given up his restitution rights. Until his 
consecration, he still has an opportunity for these in the 
future, in the Millennial Age. But whoever makes this 
consecration and is accepted by the Lord, will never get 
restitution or anything else on the human plane in the future 
Age. In mercy, therefore, the Lord does not recognize any 
one until he has taken all these steps in just such a tentative 
justification, has thoroughly decided that he wants to be the 
Lord's disciple, and has truly said so after he has sat down 
and counted the cost. Until he has come to this point of 
decision, the Lord will have nothing to do with him. But if he 



will bind himself up to that door by way of making a 
covenant with God, then the Lord will take charge of him and 
make everything work together for his good—but not until 
after he has taken that step. 

JUSTIFICATION--Re the Court. 

Q412:1:: QUESTION ( 19 16)- 1 -In connection with 

the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, is justification shown in the 

Court? If so, how? 

ANSWER.— In the Court is shown what we term a 
tentative justification'. Suppose now that this room were 
the court; that the Tabernacle were down there at the other 
end entered by those doors; that at this end we have the white 
curtain running all around, instead of these walls; and that 
right in front here we have the Brazen Altar. Anybody 
entering into the Court condition would thereby intimate that 
he has a desire to draw near to the Lord. God is represented 
by the Holy or Holies, away back there; and away over here 
represents the general condition of the world. The person 
seeking God, draws near as he enters the gate and comes to 
the Brazen Altar. He sees this Altar and what it means. To 
him it means that he knows that he is a sinner, and has no 
means of access to God except by way of sacrifice for sin. 
He recognizes that the sacrifice was necessary to make 
atonement for sin. Seeing that, he says, "I do not wish to stop 
here, but to go on to that polished copper Laver, in which 
there is water for the purpose of washing away the 
defilements of the wilderness— the feet and the hands 
especially. 

Here at the Laver he begins to wash, and thus signifies that 
he recognizes the necessity of cleansing, even after he has 
beheld the sacrifice on the Altar. He says, "I see the 

{PageQ413} 

necessity for a cleansing of myself from sin and defilements 
which came to me in common with the world of mankind on 
the outside of the Court." This washing at the Laver means, 
of course, that he does some cleansing of himself. This is the 
right disposition; and unless he has this disposition, the blood 
on the brazen Altar would not benefit him. By going to the 
Laver he shows that he desires to be cleansed from the filth of 
the flesh, to be cleansed in word, in thought and in act from 
everything that is defiling and wrong. 

After ridding himself of the impurities of the flesh at the 
Laver, he may wish to draw still nearer to God. He can come 



as near as the curtain, no nearer; for the First Veil represents 
the death of the will. The death of the will means that one is 
willing to give up every earthly interest to the Lord. Unless 
he do this, he cannot go any further. Up to this time he may 
have been very much under the control of his own will. But 
when he had his own will controlling him it was not 
satisfactory; and now he wishes to get into harmony with 
God and do His will. 

He knows enough about God's will to know that it is better 
than his; and now he is sure that he wants to do God's will. 
At this point he will find that it will cost him something to 
have God's will done in his life. He is therefore directed by 
the Word of God to sit down and count the cost. How much 
will it cost? Possibly the friendship of the world. His 
friendly connection with the world will be broken; for they 
will want an easier course in life than he will have. They will 
say that he is too good, that he wants things too good and that 
he cannot get along that way. Presently they will cut loose 
from him because he is too good for them. His company will 
no longer be agreeable; for they are working along different 
lines. He may previously have been keeping company with 
some people who used immoral language. He will have to be 
free from them; for he wants to be in fellowship with the 
Lord. This does not mean, of course, that he will not trade 
with them; but it means that he will not want them for his 
companions, neither will they wish his companionship. 

The washing process will thus be going on; and as it 
proceeds in his mind and heart, as well as in his conduct, he 
will by and by come to say, "At any cost I would like to be 
the Lord's. I understand that He has some great favor and 
privileges or blessings for those who become entirely His. I 
know enough to know that I would like to be on the Lord's 
side and stand for the things that are lovely, good and true." 

The thing for him then to do will be for him to tie himself 
up to the gate post. It is necessary for him to restrain himself, 
to give up his own liberty. He may say that this is a pretty 
hard undertaking. Yes, but it is necessary to give up the 
liberty of his will and to say, "Hereafter, nothing but the 
Lord's will for me. I agree that God's will shall be first with 
me henceforth." Do you say, "I have concluded that I will do 
it?" Then tie yourself up, making a covenant with God. Give 
yourself wholly to God, and like the Lord, say, "Hereafter, 
not my will, but Thine be done." When you do this, you have 
tied yourself up at the door of the Tabernacle. 

Then the High Priest comes out and kills you according to 
the flesh. In the type the high priest takes the goat and 



{PageQ414} 

cuts its throat, and it is dead from that moment. That act of 
the great High Priest represents that God accepts your 
consecration. In that same minute you are begotten and 
become a New Creature in Christ. You are now counted as a 
member of the Body of the Priest. As a New Creature you 
have become a member of the Body of Christ. But according 
to the flesh, you are that dead goat. In the type the high priest 
took the fat of the goat and put it on the Altar in the Court to 
be burned. The blood of the goat represented the life given 
up, that which is precious in God's sight. You may say you 
did not have much to give; but when you gave all that you 
had in your right to Restitution blessing, you gave all that you 
could give. The blood of the goat the high priest took into the 
Most Holy and sprinkled on the Mercy Seat, just as he did the 
blood of the bullock. The fat was put upon the Altar in the 
court to be burned; and everything else was taken outside of 
the Camp to be consumed by burning outside the Camp. 

What a stench it would make! That shows how your life 
will look to the world. It will be considered as the filth and 
off- scouring of the earth, the same as was that of the 
Apostles. Jesus went outside of the Camp first. He sanctified 
the place of burning. The Apostles also went out; and 
throughout the Gospel Age all the saintly ones of God's 
people have been "burned without the Camp." That is the 
best thing for us. The High Priest's directions are that we 
should go outside the Camp with Him. It may be that some of 
your relatives will do the burning; for you are there to be 
burned, according to the flesh. 

How about you spiritually, as a New Creature? That new 
life is not to be burned. It is the flesh of the goat that should 
go outside the Camp to be burned. You are a New Creature, 
and a member of the Body of Christ. Spiritually you have all 
sorts of privileges and blessings--the Peace of God passing all 
understanding ruling in your heart—while the burning goes on 
in your flesh at the same time. While the Apostle was being 
"burned outside the camp"~in the Philippian jail—inside by 
faith in Jesus, he was having a fine time; so much so that he 
sang praises to God. You may have some very trying 
experiences and at the same time be able to sing praises unto 
God. (Provided you do not disturb your neighbors!) The 
Scriptures assure us that if we suffer with Christ, we shall 
also reign with Him. We can therefore rejoice in our 
sufferings-not in sufferings for foolishness sake; but in the 



sufferings that are on account of our faithfulness and loyalty 
to the Lord and to the Truth. All such sufferings give us joy. 
We rejoice that we are in the Holy, where we can have some 
of the joys of the Lord. In the Holy we have the Bread of His 
Presence, and enjoy the light of the Golden Candlestick, as 
well as having the experiences of the Golden Altar. 

Now, the Court represents all the believer's experiences in 
justification, from the time he enters the gate, coming into the 
Court passing the brazen Altar, till he comes to the door of 
the Tabernacle. It is tentative justification, from the time the 
individual begins to take the first step. He begins to draw 
near to God just as he passes through the gate to the Brazen 
Altar. He draws still nearer while he is washing at the Laver, 
and still nearer when he ties himself up at the 

{PageQ415} 

Door of the Tabernacle. When he has done this, he has done 
everything he can do. The next thing must be done by the 
Lord, represented by the high priest of Israel. The antitypical 
High Priest there accepts you as a member of His Body, 
presents you acceptable before the Father; and the Father, in 
accepting you, gives you the Holy Spirit; and you become a 
New Creature. This justification, sanctification and spirit- 
begetting are all done at once. The process of tentative 
justification may in some be very slow. Often they progress 
very slowly because of the doctrines of Babylon and false 
teachings. They will wander in and out, playing hide and 
seek, not realizing what are the proper steps to be taken. 
What a condition! We were all in it ourselves. We knew not 
what to do; neither could we tell any one else what to do; 
but it is now getting very plain. All the various steps in 
connection with tentative justification are getting quite clear; 
for God's time has come for making things plain. We are, 
therefore, seeing things. We can now run down to the Laver, 
wash away the filth of the flesh, and tie up at the door in a 
very short time; for we know how to do it. How blessed it is 
to live in this time ! 

JUSTIFICATION-Basis of. 

Q415:1 :: QUESTION (1916 Z) 1 Is it Merit or 

Righteousness that is imputed to the one who is justified by 

faith? 

ANSWER. --We would here need to qualify the 
expression, "justified by faith," because in Bible usage this 
term has two different significations. We read, for instance, 



that Abraham was justified by faith, but surely not in the 
sense that the Church is justified by faith! Abraham was 
justified to fellowship with God, to receive the Promise, to 
know about certain things that God purposes in the future, 
and to demonstrate his loyalty to God under a Divine 
standard. But he was not justified to eternal life. He was not 
justified in the sense that he could be invited to present his 
body a living sacrifice and become a redeemer for Adam, or 
in any sense a meritorious sacrifice for another. No one 
could be thus justified by faith until after the death of Jesus, 
until His imputation of His merit after He ascended up on 
High and appeared "in the presence of God for us "--the Church. 

JUSTIFICATION-Order of Re Consecration. 

Q415:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-2-Which takes place 
first. Justification or Consecration, and why? 

ANSWER. -It depends upon the meaning attached to the 
word consecration'. The Bible recognizes consecration 
from two different viewpoints; first, the consecration of the 
individual; and second, the making of this consecration valid 
by the Lord Jesus Christ, and its acceptance by the Father. 
The consecration of the individual to do the Lord's will, the 
full surrender of his own will, as typified by the tying of the 
goat to the door of the Tabernacle, precedes justification. But 
the second step is this: namely, that it is necessary for our 
Lord Jesus Christ to become the Advocate for those who 
desire to become members of the Royal Priesthood, before 
they can be acceptable to the Father. Hence, their 
justification by the Lord Jesus Christ, who imputes of His 
merit to them, follows their consecration of themselves and is 
immediately followed by the Heavenly Father's act of 
consecrating these, in the sense of accepting them as consecrated 

{PageQ416} 

persons and giving them all the rights and privileges 
included in this covenant arrangement. 

JUSTIFICATION-For Past Sins. 

Q416:1:: QUESTION ( 1 908)- 1- As Christ died for our 
sins in Adam, would not that imply that at justification we are 
at peace with God for all of our past? 

ANSWER.— I answer Yes and no— in this way: It is 
according to your faith. What God says now is merely on the 
basis of faith. Those who cannot exercise faith cannot have 
present blessings. Everything that God gives during this age 



is according to faith, and to those who exercise the faith. You 
see there are some people so constituted that they cannot 
exercise faith, and they cannot get the blessings of this 
present time unless they can exercise faith. Must they go to 
hell because they cannot exercise faith? We are not talking 
about going to hell; we are not talking about eternal torment. 
We are glad, thank God, that is not the divine provision for 
those who cannot exercise faith at the present time, but that in 
due time, in the Millennial Age, they will be treated 
according to sight. If they cannot exercise faith now, they 
will have an opportunity of having sight bye and bye in the 
Millennial Age, and they will then see the things that you and 
I now see with the eye of faith. The eye of faith is directed 
by God's Word and to those that have the eye of faith, and the 
ears of faith, there is a special blessing now, because this 
class which God is now calling out of the world are those that 
do hear and see with this power of faith. Others are left 
waiting for the time when God will deal with them. You 
remember how the Apostle and the prophet declare that the 
time is coming when all the blind eyes shall be opened and all 
the deaf ears shall be unstopped. Thank God! It will not be 
merely to those that have faith, but now the present offer is 
only to those who have faith, because God is now gathering 
out the elect class, the little flock, who will be with Christ, 
and no one will be suitable for this position unless they can 
exercise faith. Therefore God is leaving the matter in such 
form that only that class can receive it now. "Blessed are 
your eyes, for they see; and blessed are your ears, for they 
hear." For others who cannot see and who cannot hear for the 
lack of faith, or for lack of something else, God has a blessing 
of another kind. Now suppose you did exercise faith, what 
would be the result to you? If you can exercise faith in 
Christ, and know that Christ has died, and fully believe it and 
accept it, then it is your privilege to realize that you are one 
of those who were covered by the merit of that sacrifice; and if 
you are governed by his sacrifice, it is your pleasure then to 
feel. Now from God's sight, all my blemishes and my 
imperfections according to nature are covered by the merit of 
Christ's sacrifice, and now God will not hold them against 
me. But mind you, that is yours only so long as you exercise 
faith. If you lose the faith before night you have lost all of 
the justification that went with it, because it is only a 
reckoned justification, it is not an actual justification; you are 
not made actually free from those imperfections and sins; they 
are merely covered; the Lord covers them on account of your 
faith, and if your faith goes you are back exactly where you 



were before. So, according to your faith be it unto you, in 
this present time. Thus the Lord teaches those whom he is 
now schooling, 

{PageQ417} 

namely, those who are in the school of Christ, the household 
of faith, he is teaching the importance in his sight of full 
confidence and trust in Him. When he tells us that our sins 
are covered and we are willing to receive it so, why then his 
blessing is with us. That does not mean that all your sins in 
the future and in the past are covered. What is covered then? 
I answer all the sins which come to you through Adam and 
through heredity, through your parents; but whatever you did 
personally and wilfully, knowing it was wrong, and not of 
heredity or weakness, is still yours to settle for. Now, of 
course, heredity and weakness will cover, I trust, nearly all 
your blemishes and shortcomings; but to whatever extent you 
have done wilfully aside from these weaknesses you have 
inherited, and aside from ignorance, you are responsible for, 
and you will have to have some kind of stripes for them still. 
That is the way I understand it. And if today, or at any time, 
you commit sin, with knowing intelligent wilfulness, the Lord 
may see better than you that some portion of it was 
attributable to ignorance, or to your heredity, and he will give 
you credit for all of that. You will not have to settle that. 
Therefore the Apostle says, I judge not mine own self. He 
says, it is a small thing with me that I should be judged by 
any of you. What do you know about me? You cannot read 
my heart. It would be a small thing for me that I should be 
judged by any of you. Yea, I judge not mine own self, the 
Lord is the one who is going to decide. And the Lord knows 
exactly how much wilfulness or ignorance there is in 
connection with anything you have done, and according to 
that reasonable arrangement he is going to cover through faith 
in Christ everything that was of ignorance, and every element 
that was of heredity. You will have a clean sheet, so far as 
that is concerned, and you will stand responsible and be held 
accountable only to the extent that you did wilfully and 
intentionally. What a comfort that is to us, and what a 
restraint. It is a great mistake some seem to make, some 
perhaps who are Catholics, and some perhaps who are 
Protestants, that there is forgiveness for everything. Catholics 
say, we will go to the priest and confess it and it will all be 
over, no matter what it was. I heard of one man who had 
stolen two hams, and he confessed to the priest and said, I 



brought you one of them as a present. The priest found after 
he had given him absolution that he had stolen them from 
himself so; he was just in one ham. I am not giving that as a 
true story, or a reflection against our Catholic friends, but 
merely as illustrative of the point that we cannot do any 
shilly-shallying with our heavenly Father, for he knows all 
about our matters, and he has made provision for one class of 
sins, all that was from Adam, all the ignorance and heredity, 
are provided for freely, fully, graciously, and we have nothing 
to pay at all; but we must feel that we have a personal 
responsibility for every action and for every thought, and for 
every word. If you get that thought into your minds, it will 
make you very careful. You will realize that however much 
Christ may have done for us through forgiveness of sins that 
are past, nevertheless there is a responsibility on our part for 
everything that we do, think, or say. 

JUSTIFICATION-Legal and Actual. 

Q417:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--In September 15th 
Tower, page 281, 

{PageQ418} 

Article on Justification, discussing "Legal and Actual" 
Justification, is this statement: "It is legal and it is actual at 
the same instant." Is the thought here meant to be that our 
justification is actual and not reckoned? 

ANSWER. —That is what we tried to say and apparently 
did not succeed in saying it properly. We cannot say it so 
that all of God's people will understand it. 

JUSTIFICATION-Pastor Russell's Views Not Changed. 

Q418:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l-Comparing articles on 
Justification in Volume 6, Tabernacle Shadows and Sept. 15, 
1916, Tower Do these harmonize? Has Brother Russell 
changed his views on Justification? 

ANSWER.— Brother Russell has not changed his views 
on Justification. Justification is justification, has always been 
justification and will always be justification, and Brother 
Russell could not change justification for himself or for 
anybody else. Justification means to make right, to make just. 
As, for instance, if we had a pair of scales in our hands, and 
placed something on one side, then by placing something of 
equal weight on the other side, we would balance the scales. 
That is the basis of the thought of justification-the balance. 
Apply this thought to the world of mankind. You and I and 



the whole human race get out of balance. The true balance of 
Adam was a perfect mind, and God required nothing more 
than he could do. He was therefore a balanced man, and 
being separate from sinners, needed no justification to be 
made right. Jesus was the same. He was "holy, harmless and 
separate from sinners," was not wrong in any sense, and 
therefore needed no balancing, required no justification, or 
making right. He was right. Only that which is wrong, or 
unbalanced, needs justifying. The whole world has been tried 
in Adam, placed in the scales, and found wanting and 
consequently sentenced to death by the Righteous Judge. He 
has adjudged all in Adam to be unworthy of life, and He will 
never alter or change His mind. How, then, you inquire, will 
He bless the world? God tells us that all this condemnation 
came through the disobedience of one man, and then passed 
down to all the children of Adam, so that all are subject to 
this unbalanced, undone condition started in Adam. We were 
born with an unbalanced mind and body. We are not to be 
held responsible for that in the sense that we caused the 
wrong, but still, we are wrong, although not responsible for 
the wrong. Adam is the one responsible for it. As by a 
man' came sin, by man came death. We did not bring in 
this death-condition; we were born in it. We were born in 
this unsatisfactory state which is unworthy of life. God has 
provided that we shall be justified, or made right. In the case 
of Adam, it would mean that he must he made right with God, 
or else he can never have everlasting life, and Christ will do 
something for him in the way of justification that will make 
him acceptable to God. What will Christ do for Adam and 
the whole race of mankind? What He will do for Adam and 
the race will be different from what He will do for the church. 
In the Millennium He will make Adam and the race perfect. 
All the obedient will become perfectly balanced, well-poised, 
in full harmony with God in all their talents and powers by 
the time Jesus gets through with them at the end of the 
Millennial Age. They must, however, be willing and cooperate 
with Him. God 

{PageQ419} 

does not intend to force any man's mind contrary to its natural 
bend, but, if willing. He will help them up to the perfection 
that was lost in Eden, and give them the privilege of complete 
recovery. This is the way the world will be justified, or made 
right. This has been stated in the Sixth Volume; the same 
justification has been taught in the Tabernacle Shadows, and 



twenty times in the Watch Tower. It is the same in every one 
of them. No new meaning has been given. This justification, 
however, applies to the church differently because the church 
is separate from the world in God's great plan; consequently 
the justification comes to them in a different way. Why? If 
the Lord were to justify you and me in the same way that He 
will justify the world. He would make us perfect human 
beings. However, He did not make us perfect, for our flesh is 
the same as when we gave our hearts to the Lord. Being 
imperfect in the flesh proves that we are not justified in the 
flesh. How, then, does He justify us? From the type we see 
that the merit of Jesus is imputed, or reckoned, or counted to 
the church for the purpose of covering their blemishes, as 
though God would hide these blemishes from His sight, so 
that with this covering or imputation of the merit of Christ to 
us, God can accept us as sacrifices. He could not accept us as 
sacrifices so long as we were sinners. We must be granted 
the right to life before we can present our bodies as living 
sacrifices. We can't give anything before we have it. We 
must therefore be justified by FAITH. Mark the difference 
between the making one actually perfect during the Millennial 
Age, and the justification by faith during this age. We have 
this justification by faith. It begins with us. "Too late! too 
late! will be the cry when we have been glorified. When did 
we get started? When we turned our backs upon sin and 
began to feel after God. To convert is to turn around. If I 
were going in one direction, the natural course of sin and the 
world, and I hear something about God and the truth, and 
come to have some knowledge on these subjects and that God 
is willing to receive sinners back to Him, what shall I do? 
Turn around and get on the side of righteousness. I am then 
converted, or turned around. This turning around does not 
mean that you become a saint. O, no! You were not a saint 
because you turned around. You turned around because you 
wanted to find God: "If haply you might find Him." We 
found Him when we turned around from the wrong course 
and wanted to go in the right way. We found Him when we 
began to walk in the right way. We then took steps toward 
putting away sin, putting away filthy habits, for we must put 
these away. So we began to divest ourselves of the filth of 
the flesh. We kept on trying, and said, we want to draw 
nearer to God. Finally, we said we want to get fully to God 
and we hear that we must get into touch with Jesus and He 
will justify us and make us acceptable to the Father. How 
shall I get acquainted with Jesus? You begin to have 
reverence. You learn from the Bible, Scripture Studies, 



tracts, friends, etc., and get the understanding that you must 
make a full surrender of yourself to Jesus in order to be His 
disciple, and you learn that if you do thus come to the Lord 
and He accepts you that He will then justify you and 
immediately present you to the Father, who will indicate His 
acceptance of you by giving you the Holy Spirit and thus 

{PageQ420} 

begetting you to a spirit life. Just as soon as the great 
Advocate with the Father accepted you in the name of the 
Father, your spirit begetting was the next thing in order. 
Instantaneous with your full consecration and acceptance 
came the begetting of the spirit. Up to that time you were in 
the process of being justified. You had turned in the right 
direction to become justified, and you were getting a little 
nearer to the justified condition where God would be pleased 
with you, but He would not give you any hearing at all until 
you had first turned around. As you went on in this way you 
were always progressing toward justification; each step was 
leading you to the point of justification. Was this shown in 
the Tabernacle, and if so, how? An Israelite on the outside 
who wished to approach God would first see the white curtain 
surrounding the court, representing our standing before God, 
and would learn that he must go to the gate, and by invitation, 
pass through to the brazen altar and the sacrifice made 
thereon. This would say that he was turning from sin and 
desired to approach God. This altar and sacrifice represented 
God's provision for the sinner. He made a sacrifice in the 
interest of sinners that he might be able to receive you justly 
and treat with you. We went to God along that way. Then he 
would pass on to the copper laver. That contains water, and 
the water represents truth, and also cleansing, and so, as the 
picture shows, everyone who goes to the laver puts away 
some of the filth of the flesh, and consequently gets into a 
purer and better condition. Should we not go to God first and 
get rid of the filth of the flesh afterwards. Never! You are 
now going to God and it is very proper for you to show your 
desire to do everything in your power to put away filth from 
yourself and this is represented by the laver, and then, you go 
on still further and draw near to the first vail, and inquire, 
what shall I do now? I would like to go on now and become a 
priest. I know that God is now calling for priests. But you 
can't be a priest unless you are a sacrificer. You will have to 
sacrifice if you have any hope of being a priest. You must 
have the priest to make the sacrifice. Jesus is this priest. 



Previous to being sacrificed you must first be tied up at the 
door of the tabernacle just as the goat was tied up. You tie 
yourself up by giving up your will to the Lord—all that you 
have and all that you are. The tying of that goat at the door of 
the tabernacle represents your consecration and my 
consecration. The consecrated goat is smitten by the high 
priest. It is the high priest who kills us. He does this. Just 
the moment that he accepts you and the killing or sacrifice 
takes place, that is the very moment that He justifies you. 
God won't accept you before His merit is imputed to you. 
Then you are begotten of the holy spirit and become a new 
creature, and it is this new creature, begotten of the holy 
spirit, that is a member of the Christ, and goes beyond the 
second vail. The goat never goes beyond the vail. Neither 
goat went in; neither did the bullock. The bullock and the 
goat represent the flesh, and the flesh never goes in. It is the 
new creature that goes in. The moment the Lord accepts you, 
you are justified, and that moment you receive the Holy Spirit 
and are received into the body of the high priest, and because 
you are in that body, you are in the holy. The next thing will 
be faithfulness until death where you will pass under the 
second vail. 

{PageQ421} 

Now you see where this justification comes in. This might 
be stated in a variety of ways, but it is the one start, the one 
sacrifice necessary, the one consecration necessary, and the 
one justification by the precious blood. 

KINGDOM-Outcast Children of the Kingdom. 

Q421 :1 :: QUESTION (1 906)- 1 -Please explain 1 Mat. 8:12? 
How shall the children of the kingdom be cast out into 
outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of 
teeth, while many from the East, and West and South, sit 
down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom? 

ANSWER.— I answer that the Lord was here discussing 
the matter of the earthly kingdom with the earthly children of 
the kingdom, and He was telling them that because they were 
rejecting Him, the time would come when they would be 
rejected. He was explaining to them spiritual things, and did 
not try to explain the difference between the heavenly and the 
earthly parts of the new kingdom; it was not proper that He 
should do so; they were not yet begotten of the holy spirit 
and could not have appreciated spiritual things, if he had 
taught them spiritual things. Therefore our Lord, in all His 



teachings of the people during His three and one-half years of 
ministry, did not attempt to teach them spiritual things; he 
merely taught them natural things. Anything beyond the 
natural was stated in parables and dark sayings, and He told 
the disciples, who were able to receive those messages that 
the time would come by and by, as a result of this going to 
the Father, that the Holy Spirit would come, and bring these 
things to their knowledge—not to the knowledge of the others. 
Therefore those who are addressed, and who were rejecting 
Him, were not intended to understand in its fulness and 
clearness the earthly and heavenly phase of the kingdom. 
From their standpoint the best way He could talk to them was 
on their level: that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would be in the 
kingdom, not saying whether the earthly or heavenly phase. 
We know from other scriptures that they will be in the earthly 
phase of the kingdom, but the Lord did not undertake to 
explain matters or dilate on that feature of the subject, but 
merely that they would be in the kingdom, and that these 
others when they come forth will find that, instead of being 
companions to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom as 
they hoped to be, being the chosen nation of God, will find 
themselves in the outcast condition. When do they get the 
weeping and gnashing of teeth? We answer they went into 
weeping and gnashing of teeth at the end of their Age. Those 
who rejected the Lord found a great time of trouble coming 
on their nation. That fits that part of the statement very well. 
By and by when they come forth, in awaking, they will find 
what a great mistake they made, and the prophet speaking of 
them and respecting them says that they shall look upon Him 
whom they pierced, and shall mourn because of Him. 

KINGDOM-Spiritual or Earthly. 

Q421 :2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-When our Lord in His 
parables spoke of the Kingdom, did He always refer to the 
spiritual phase? 

ANSWER. —Apparently in one case He was speaking of 
the earthly when He said, "Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac and 
Jacob," etc. I do not remember any other parable referring to 
the earthly phase except the parable of the sheep and 

{PageQ422} 

goats, when all mankind as sheep and goats will be gathered 
before the Millennial throne, the earthly phase of the 
kingdom, but in general the kingdom referred to by our Lord 
is the spiritual kingdom, from which proceeds the power and 



authority. 

KINGDOM-Concerning Messiah's. 

Q422:1:: QUESTION ( 19 10-Z)-1-Please give briefly 
your understanding of the expression, Messiah's Kingdom, 
and the work of that Kingdom. 

ANSWER. --Our understanding is that Messiah's 
Kingdom will be a spiritual one, invisible to mortals, yet all- 
powerful, for the accomplishment of the great things 
promised in the Law and in the Prophets. The Empire which 
he will establish, invisible to men, will take the place of the 
Empire of Satan, likewise invisible. The King of Glory will 
replace the Prince of Darkness. Principal amongst Messiah's 
earthly agents and representatives will be Abraham, Isaac and 
all the Prophets, resurrected in full human perfection. Instead 
of their being, as heretofore, the fathers, they shall be the 
children of Messiah, whom he will make princes in all the 
earth. (Psalm 45:16.) With this Kingdom the nation of Israel 
will speedily unite, and eventually every nation will come 
into harmony with Messiah, and all people will be privileged 
to come in under Israel's New Covenant, then established by 
the great "Messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in."~ 
Jer. 31:31-34; Mai 3:1-3. 

The glorious Messiah, whom the Jews identify with 
"Michael, the great Prince, which standeth for the children of 
the people" (Dan. 12:1), the Mohammedans also expect and 
identify with Mahomet of the past. The Free Masons also 
expect the same glorious personage and, in their traditions, 
identify him with Hiram Abiff, the great Master-Mason. This 
same great Messiah, Michael, the archangel, the anti-typical 
Melchisedec, Priest as well as King, we identify as "The Man 
Christ Jesus, who gave himself a Ransom for all, to be 
testified in due time." (1 Tim. 2:5,6.) But when the great 
King shall appear in his glory and establish his Kingdom with 
Israel he will be, as promised by the Prophets, "the desire of 
all nations." (Hag. 2:7.) Then all the blinded eyes will be 
opened and all the deaf ears will be unstopped. Then who he 
is and how he should be identified with Abraham's Seed and 
David's line, will be clearly known to all, in heaven and in 
earth. Not now, but when the King shall reign in 
righteousness, all shall fully understand the significance of 
Zechariah's prophecy (Zee. 12:7-10) and Psalm 22:16. 
Content that Messiah shall show the Truth in his day of 
revealment, we are glad to point Jews, Mohammedans, 
Christians, all, to the glorious Messiah and the great work of 
blessing for all the nations which he will accomplish through 



the Seed of Abraham, according to God's Covenant and his Oath. 

KINGDOM-Breaking Least Commandment. 

Q422:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-Please tell us to what 
party and people Christ was referring in the nineteenth verse 
of the fifth chapter of Matthew, when he said, "Whosoever 
therefore shall break one of the least of these commandments, 
and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the 
kingdom 

{PageQ423} 

of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same 
shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven?" 

ANSWER. —The kingdom of Heaven is spoken of in two 
different senses of the word. In one sense the kingdom of 
Heaven is not at hand. We are waiting for that kingdom of 
Heaven when the Elect shall all have been completed, and 
shall all have experienced the change to glory. But in another 
sense you and I are the kingdom of Heaven now. We are the 
ones who represent the kingdom in the world, and we are 
spoken of by the Apostle Peter as a royal priesthood, a holy 
nation, a peculiar people, now; even though it is not certain 
you will be one of these, and it is not certain that I will be; 
still we are spoken of in this way. In this sense, all the church 
is spoken of as the kingdom of Heaven. So, Jesus said, you 
remember. The kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence; the 
violent taketh it by force. Now, the heavenly Kingdom of the 
future was not suffering violence then? No, but Jesus 
represented that kingdom and he was suffering violence, and 
his disciples represented this kingdom, and they were 
suffering, for the violent ones were taking them by force, and 
they caused the Lord's death, and the scattering of the church, 
etc. So then, in this scripture also; whosoever in the church 
class will make little of any command of God, he will make 
himself less, or should be considered that much less amongst 
the Lord's people; if anyone would do or teach anything 
contrary to the Lord's commandments, no matter which they 
are, anything we believe to be of divine institution—whoever 
would go contrary to God's arrangement or will in any 
respect, we should consider him thereby less on that account. 
He that breaks the commandments and teachers others to do 
so, and sets a had example, count him least in the kingdom 
and those who teach the will of God, and strive to do the will 
of God, consider those amongst the greatest; and so that is 
the advice of the Apostle to the church. Look out amongst 



you those who are walking the most in the footsteps of Jesus 
if you want to elect elder brothers and deacons in the church. 
Look out amongst you those who are copying the most 
closely the divine arrangements, and choose of this kind. And 
those who have these qualifiations for service, let them be the 
servants of the church. They will be the least and the greatest 
in proportion as they are doing the divine will. That is the 
proper standard for you and me to recognize. 

KINGDOM-Turning Over to Father. 

Q423:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--When we read in first 
Corinthians, the fifteenth chapter, that Christ shall deliver all 
things over to the Father who put all things under him, will 
this turning over of everything to the Father be before or after 
the little season mentioned in Revelation, the twentieth 
chapter, where we read that Satan shall be loosed for a little 
season that he might tempt the world? 

ANSWER. --We answer that it will be before. When the 
thousand years are finished Christ will deliver the kingdom 
up to the Father and Satan will he bound for a thousand years. 
So during all of that thousand years evil will be restrained, 
Satan shall be bound and Christ will do his work completely 
of restoring; and then having finished his work, he will turn it 
over to the Father, and then all mankind, being perfect, will 
be under the control of the Father. Then 

{PageQ424} 

you say, "What is the difference between the control of the 
Father and the control of the Son? Do they have different 
laws?" No, there is no difference in the law. The law which 
Jesus will enforce, during the thousand years, will be exactly 
the same law that God will enforce after the thousand years, 
but Jesus stands for, or represents, divine mercy; as the 
Mediator, he stands between divine justice and the sinner; he 
stands as Mediator by virtue of having redeemed the sinner. 
And so in this position he represents the Father's mercy. Now 
if God were to establish a precedent and he himself were to 
exercise mercy, he would have to set aside his justice, and 
God does not propose to do that. If every now and then he 
would set aside justice, he would be destroying the order of 
things, would be rather cultivating the spirit of error. For 
illustration, suppose one angel should say, "Now, heavenly 
Father, I have sinned; please overlook this matter." Suppose 
the Father would say, "Very well, I will overlook it." Then 
another one would say, bye and bye, "Well, heavenly Father, 



I have sinned; please overlook this matter." Bye and bye it 
would be fashionable among the angels to say, "I have not 
had my turn yet at forgiveness." God does not propose to 
have any such operation as that. He makes all his creatures 
perfect; as we read, his work is perfect. And having made 
them perfect, he expects them to maintain that perfection, and 
therefore he makes no allowances for imperfection. And in 
the case of man, he allowed this course of sin, and arranged in 
advance that Jesus would redeem man, so that thus he might 
illustrate the glorious qualities of his nature in condemning 
man to death, and allowing this reign of sin and death, his 
justice in not forgiving, then the justice that would require a 
ransom for them, and would send forth his Son to be the 
Redeemer-all of that was a great lesson to the angels, and it 
is a great lesson to us, and will be a great lesson to mankind, 
that God is not trifling; that God's word, "Thou shall not be 
disobedient," is something that is to be recognized; there is 
no trifling with our God. You cannot say, "Well, he will 
forgive me, and it won't matter." Sin would be common 
amongst a great many people if God in that manner-in 
carelessness, so to speak—in dealing with them, and in 
following out his own will, would be careless with the sinner; 
it would be very common to sin; and it would really be an 
invitation. But God sets a ban on sin. He says it is injurious 
to every person, that righteousness will be a blessing, and that 
he will not allow a single case of sin. And then he illustrates 
that in man's case and allows it to go on, then provides a 
Redeemer, and allows the Redeemer to stand as the Mediator 
for a thousand years, dealing with mankind and helping them 
up. He does not take any part in this, they are all under the 
care of the Mediator during that thousand years, until the 
Mediator shall bring them up to full perfection. But at the 
end of the thousand years they are perfect and do not need a 
Mediator any longer. A perfect man does not need a 
Mediator, any more than a perfect angel needs a Mediator, or 
any more than Adam needed a Mediator-and not as much, 
because Adam did not have the experience that these perfect 
men at the end of the thousand years of Christ's reign will 
have had with the reign of sin and death and the reign of 
righteousness, and having seen the goodness of 

{PageQ425} 

God, and now then they ought to be thoroughly fixed in their 
character. No doubt about it. So then the Mediator steps out 
from between. What does it signify? It means that mankind 



will be turned over to simple, pure justice—nothing more, 
nothing less; and God will require them to do right, exactly 
right in every case; no allowances whatever; no way of 
making good if they go wrong. If they infract the divine law 
a little bit, it will mean that they do so with knowledge, and it 
will mean that they will die the second death. However, we 
are not to understand that the Son will have nothing to do 
with the matter. While Revelation says that fire will come 
down from God out of heaven and destroy Satan and those 
who go with him in the error of that time, and that indicates 
that it comes from justice, nevertheless we understand that in 
all these things the Lord Jesus, and the church, his body, 
associated with him, will be the Father's agent; but in the one 
case, as Mediator, he is acting upon his own initiative, upon 
that which he bought with his own precious blood, this right 
which he has to rule the world having come to him through 
his redemption of the world, but that work being finished, he 
will resume active operations in the universe as the 
representative of Jehovah, just as he was before he came into 
the world. He was God's representative in the creation of the 
world, in the creation of the angels—all things were made by 
him; and just so after the thousand years, when he shall 
resume his relationship to the Father, he will be the Father's 
agent in all things that shall be done. So I presume it will be 
the Lord Jesus who will have the supervision of this matter, 
and the destruction of Satan and the others, and that seems to 
be the picture given us in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, 
where the parable of the sheep and the goats carries us down 
and shows us that Satan and those associated with him will be 
cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. 

KINGDOM-Messiah's Kingdom Will be Spiritual 

Q425:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-Whatismeantby 
Messiah's Kingdom? 

ANSWER. -Our understanding is that Messiah's 
Kingdom will be a spiritual one, invisible to mortals, yet all- 
powerful for the accomplishment of the great things promised 
in the Law and the Prophets. The Empire which He will 
establish, invisible to men, will take the place of the Empire 
of Satan, likewise invisible. The King of Glory will replace 
the Prince of Darkness. Principal amongst Messiah's earthly 
agents and representatives will be Abraham, Isaac and all the 
Prophets, raised to full, human perfection. Instead of their 
being, as heretofore, the fathers, they shall be the 
children' of Messiah, whom He will make "Princes in all 
the earth." (Psa. 45:16.) To this Kingdom the nation of 



Israel will speedily unite. Eventually every nation will come 
into harmony with Messiah, and all people will be privileged 
to come in under Israel's New Covenant, then established by 
the great "Messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in."-- 
Jer. 31:31-34; Mai. 3:1-3. 

The glorious Messiah, whom the Jews identify with 
"Michael, the great Prince, which standeth for thy people" 
(Dan. 12:1), the Mohammedans also expect, and identify 
Him with Mohammed of the past. The Free Masons also 
expect the same glorious personage and, in their traditions, 

{PageQ426} 

identify Him with Hiram Abiff, the great Master Mason. This 
same great Messiah, Michael, the Archangel, the anti-typical 
Melchizedek, Priest as well as King, we identify as "the 
Man Jesus Christ ,who gave Himself a Ransom-Price for 
all, to be testified in due time." ~1 Tim. 2:6. 

But when the Great King shall appear in His Glory and 
establish His Kingdom with Israel, He will be, as promised by 
the Prophets, "The desire of all nations." (Hag. 2:7.) Then 
all the blinded eyes shall be opened and all the deaf ears shall 
be unstopped. (Isa. 35:5.) Then, who He is, and how He 
should be identified with Abraham's Seed and David's line, 
will be clearly known to all in Heaven and all on earth. Not 
now, but when the King shall reign in righteousness, all 
shall fully understand the significance of Zechariah's 
prophecy (Zee. 12:7-10) and of Psa. 22:16. Content that 
Messiah shall show the Truth in His Day of revealment, we 
are glad to point Jews, Mohammedans, Christians, all, to 
the glorious Messiah, and the great work of blessing for all 
the nations, which God will accomplish, through the Seed of 
Abraham, according to His Covenant and His Oath. 

KINGDOM-Bringing Forth Fruit for. 

Q426:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-When the Lord said in 
the parable that the seed would being forth some thirty, some 
sixty and some a hundred fold, are all these classes belonging 
to the Church or to the Great Company? 

ANSWER~He does not say, and I would suppose it 
would represent all that are fruitful, that would bring forth the 
fruits of the spirit. One hundred fold might be those who 
came up to the very highest standard, and those who would 
bring forth sixty might refer to that same class, but not to 
shine quite as highly in the Kingdom, as we read that "Star 
differeth from star in glory." And the thirty fold might mean 



those who perhaps will be of the Great Company class, who 
will develop the spirit of the Lord, but not in such an 
abundant measure. They will all bring forth fruits of the 
spirit, in any event; just the same as those who are of the two 
classes, the wise and the foolish virgins. They are all 
virgins--all pure, all acceptable to God. 

KINGDOM-Will Children Be Bom in the IVIillennium? 

Q426:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-To whom do you 
understand Isa. 65:23 to refer, especially the last clause, 
"They shall not labor in vain nor bring forth for trouble, for 
they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their 
offspring with them"? 

ANSWER—Apparently, it would refer to a human class 
and under the administration of the Kingdom. If we inquire, 
would they be having offspring there, the answer would be 
that in all probability the cutting off of the matter of human 
families will be a gradual one and not an instantaneous one. 
For some time there may be sexual lines, but this condition of 
things will be gradually eliminated as they attain nearer to the 
perfection in which "there will be neither marrying nor giving 
in marriage." So I believe this text would refer to an early 
stage in the Millennium. 

KINGDOM--A Point Yet in Doubt. 

Q426:3:: QUESTION (1915)--3--How are wetoknow 
when the Kingdom is set up? 

{PageQ427} 

Well, dear friends, I am sure I will know when I get set up! 
(Laughter.) When I get set up, it will be when I receive my 
"change;" it will be when you receive your "change" to the 
spirit nature that each of you will be set up, passing through 
the door into the Most Holy, beyond the veil. We believe that 
the majority of the Kingdom class have already passed 
beyond the veil. To our understanding of the Bible all the 
sleeping saints of this Gospel Age were resurrected and 
passed beyond the veil in the spring of 1878. Of course it is 
by faith that we understand this. We think there are 
reasonable evidences for so believing, but we do not believe 
that the Kingdom was fully set up then. These saints are 
glorified in that they have now their glorious spirit bodies; but 
their spirit bodies do not constitute the Kingdom. The 
kingdom is the reigning power. The Bible intimates that 
Jesus is to take to Himself His great power and reign before 



the great destruction of the present Order comes about. This 
destruction means "Armageddon," and probably all of the 
Bible class will he with their Lord in glory by the time that 
Armageddon, the final phase of the great Time of Trouble, is 
on. Yet we are not wise enough to surely know. 

We have pointed out in the Watch Tower the possibility of 
the last members of the Body of Christ remaining yet for a 
little time. You remember the words of the Psalmist: "Let 
the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their 
beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth and a 
two-edged sword in their hand," etc. (Psa. 149:5-9.) This 
intimates a rejoicing, and it appears to be on this side of the 
veil, and seems to imply that there might be some of the saints 
during this time of smiting the nations who would he 
exercising power while still in the flesh. But we do not 
know. It looks that way. Some of us might be set up in that 
sense before our "change" takes place; for the Prophet goes 
on to say that they shall "execute vengeance upon the heathen 
the nations' and punishments upon the people; to bind their 
kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron; to 
execute upon them the judgments written. This honor have 
all His saints." This honor has not come to us yet. You have 
not bound any kings; neither have L We are looking to see 
what this means. We are not to expect the prophecy to be 
clearly understood until the fulfilment. 

Look back at the First Advent. The prophecies relating to 
that time were not understood until after they had been 
fulfilled. It was so with the disciples after the Lord was risen 
from the dead. When He explained the prophecies to them 
after His resurrection they understood. When He told them 
before what would take place, they did not understand. It was 
not then due time for them to understand these things. So it 
may he with us, that we will not understand until we are in 
the midst of the fulfilment. We had better leave it for the 
present with an interrogation point. 

KINGDOM-The "Pearl of Great Price." 

Q427:1:: QUESTION (1915)-l-The kingdom of Heaven 
is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls, who, when 
he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that 
he had and bought it." (Matt. 13:45,46.) What is this 
pearl? 

ANSWER. --We might very properly understand the 
pearl of this parable to represent the Kingdom of God. You 
and I and all persons have intelligence or something to sell, 
some 



{PageQ428} 

thing to give away, sometliing to exchange. What are you 
giving? What kind of exchanges are you making? Well, as 
children we were taught to exchange our time for knowledge; 
so we began our trading early. We traded off our hours, our 
minutes, our attention, to get instruction and knowledge. As 
we grew older we said, "Now we must do something in the 
way of business." So we went into business, some as bakers, 
some as clerks, others as dressmaker or milliners, others as 
wash women, to which we gave our time in exchange for 
money. One says, "I will be a lawyer, and I will make money 
and then become able to have an automobile "--an automobile 
comes first, you know (laughter) —and I will get a house of my 
own and become prominent and have a good name. Then 
when I go out with my family people will say "There comes 
Mr. So-and-So~well thought of!" That is the prize that many 
set before them. That is the pearl they intend to buy. That is 
what they are living for. That prize they spend their days and 
hours and minutes in attaining, planning how they will work 
their business so as to make money. 

Others set before them a different prize. One says, "I would 
like to be a great physician." So he goes to medical college. 
He works hard to get his education, thinking, "I will be one of 
the greatest surgeons in America. That is my ambition." 
Therefore he spends his time along that line, bending every 
energy to its attainment. Another man says, "I would love to 
be a great musician. I love music best of all." This one 
spends his time and strength and money in mastering this 
great art. Everything goes for music, because that is his one 
ideal. And so each person, properly, has some ideal in life 
toward which he labors. 

A child should be early taught to have some ideal in life; 
and according to the wisdom of the parents will the ideal be 
more or less reasonable, more or less valuable to the child. 
Every child should have a good ideal, something worthy for 
which to work. Children not blessed with good parents or 
teachers who are able to guide them aright do not get the 
proper blessing out of life, because the child's mind is feeling 
out and wishing for something to exercise itself upon. 

A young girl in her early teens may say, "I would like to be 
the wife of some great orator or musician." The youth may 
say, "I would like to marry an intelligent and accomplished 
lady." Then is the time for parents to carefully impress the 
proper and noble ideal, so that the children will early begin to 



get a real blessing out of life. 

Before we come to the Lord, we have one or more of these 
different ideals or aspirations, some having more valuable 
ideals and some less valuable. Any of these ideals are better 
than having no ideal in life. The person who has no ideal and 
is not aiming at any particular attainment is not doing the best 
he or she can do for himself or herself. But when we come 
into Christ, we come to know about the Gospel, about the 
wonderful High Calling now open, and we have the grandest 
ideal of all. We have heard about this "pearl of great price," 
of great value, and have given all we had to purchase it. All 
the other pearls--the pearl of being a great doctor, a great 
artist, a great musician, or a model housekeeper, or something 
else—all these are trifling and insignificant in comparison with 
this great Pearl, so large, so wonderful, so priceless! 

{PageQ429} 

What is this great Pearl, this great High Calling? This 
Pearl, my dear brethren, is what the Gospel sets before us. 
The "Pearl of great price" is the Kingdom of God, in which 
you and I are offered a share. Is it possible for us to get such 
a Pearl as that? What does it mean? It means glory, honor 
and immortality, the Divine nature, sitting with Christ in His 
Throne! We do not get merely a part of these glories. We get 
all or none. To get into the Kingdom means to have a share 
with Jesus in blessing "all the families of the earth," and to 
have a share in all His future glory and honor. This is the 
Pearl of great price. 

Our Lord very forcefully pictured this matter in this parable 
of the merchantman seeking goodly pearls. You and I and 
everybody else seek something valuable for which to 
exchange time and influence. But when we come to see this 
one thing, this choicest of all pearls, we are so enraptured 
with it that we are only too glad to sell everything else we 
have to obtain it. You say, "I will give everything I possess 
for this!" Then the Lord says, "That will be just the amount 
required to obtain this great Pearl." If you say, "I would like 
to keep just a little," the Lord will say, "Then you cannot have 
it. It will take all you have." Jesus gave all He had, and He 
had far more than any of us. So we must give our all, 
whether we have much or little according to worldly 
estimates. We are getting a Pearl worth a great deal more 
than thousands of millions of dollars, and all for a few paltry 
pennies, so to speak! You haven't much to give; none of us 
have! But our God says, "This great Pearl is for sale. 



Anybody who has the disposition to appreciate it may have 
it." So, dear brethren, it is our blessed privilege to obtain this 
wonderful Pearl if we will. 

KINGDOM-Heirs of the Kingdom. 

Q429:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l-What great lessons 
will be required of those who will be heirs of the Kingdom? 

ANSWER.— (1) A proper, thorough appreciation' of 
Justice, and a manifestation' of that appreciation of justice 
by an endeavor to comply with the requirements of the 
Golden Rule—to love our neighbor as ourselves. (2) A further 
lesson is that of Love, sympathy, compassion, mercy. 
However exacting we may be respecting ourselves, our 
own thoughts, words, and deeds, we are not to exact from 
others, but be willing to take from them whatever they are 
pleased to give— as did our Savior. This will mean (3), 
suffering with Christ, having fellowship in His 
Suffering. It will mean the learning of valuable lessons to 
fit and qualify us for the work of being kings, priests and 
judges with our Lord in His coming Kingdom. 

St. Paul emphasized the importance of having the Christ- 
character engraved on our hearts when he wrote that God's 
predestination is that all who will be of the Church in glory 
must be copies of his dear Son— must have the Epistle of 
Christ written in their hearts. (Rom. 8:28-30.) No 
matter how imperfect their bodies, how imperfect their 
attainment of their ideals, those ideals must be 
according to the Divine standard. And they must be so in 
sympathy with those ideals as to be glad to suffer for their 
attainment. 

KISSING-Re Promiscuous Kissing 

Q429:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-Is promiscuous kissing 
advisable among the sisters in the truth? 

{PageQ430} 

ANSWER.— Well, I might be entrenching upon 
somebody's rights if I were to give some law on the subject, 
but I am not a law-giver, merely a law interpreter, that is all. 
Some people might like it, and some sisters might not; so, 
love in the matter should be the rule, and it should lead us to 
be very careful and considerate, and if I were one of the 
sisters that liked to be kissed, I should not take offense if they 
did not. Besides, scientists tell us that kissing is a means of 
communicating diseases, and therefore, not a very wise 



proceeding. I should think that as a rule a good, hearty 
handshake would be quite sufficient, but if any like to kiss, I 
do not know of anything in the Scriptures to hinder, and the 
law of love is the only thing between the sisters kissing each 
other and the brothers kissing the brothers. 

LANGUAGE-What is the Pure Language? 

Q430:1:: QUESTION (1909)--1--What does the 
Scripture mean which says, "I will turn unto them a pure 
language?" (Zeph. 3:8,9.) 

ANSWER. --We understand this "pure language" to 
mean a pure method— the pure method of God's plan. The 
world doesn't know this method now. Only we know what is 
the pure method. It has brought us life and joy and blessing, 
and the promise is that in due time He will turn into them all a 
new method— they will not hear the babble that is now going 
on. One says: I believe you must get into the water— another 
says it is free grace, etc., etc. The people have no pure 
method. Each has a different method. After this great time of 
trouble, when the whole world will be humbled, then He will 
turn to the people a pure method. They will not be serving 
Methodism or some other ism, but will serve the King of 
Kings and Lord of Lords. 

LAST DAYS-Conclusion of This Age. 

Q430:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-Are weinourlastdays? 

ANSWER.— I don't know. This may be my last day for 
ought I know. If so, I am in the last day for me. The 
questioner may mean. Are we in the last days as that 
expression is used in the Bible? If that is what he means, I 
think that is the right thought. The Bible uses this term "last 
days" to refer to the conclusion of this age and the 
inauguration of the new because this one is to pass away with 
great commotion and the new order brought in. So the one is 
represented as being burned up, or destroyed, while the other 
as the new heavens and new earth will be brought in. The 
new heavens will be the church in glory and the new earth 
will be the new social order or condition of things. We are in 
the last days of the old order, and in the dawning time of the 
new dispensation. 

LAW-Abstain from Things Strangled. 

0430:3:: OUESTION (1909)-3-Why does St. Paul 
command us to abstain from things strangled and from meats 
offered to Idols? 
ANSWER.— This was not Paul's command, for he did 



not so command. Paul had been teaching the Gentiles that all 
the regulations of the Law were given to the Jews, and were 
not upon the Gentiles, but that the Jews were bound by them 
until they came into Christ. Then there arose a discussion as 
some came down from Jerusalem and said that they had to be 
circumcised and keep the law. Then some said Paul tells us 

{PageQ431} 

this, and another tells us something else; so they had a general 
conference to ascertain to what extent the law of the Jews was 
upon the Gentiles. You remember James was the Chairman, 
noting God's providential leadings, and then Peter told how 
the Gospel was first preached to the Gentiles. Then the 
Conference of the Apostles concluded that there were no 
mandatory laws upon the Gentiles, and that they should not 
put any upon them. But they said, let us enjoin this upon 
them rather as a recommendation, that they abstain from 
things strangled, from fornication, and from meats offered to 
idols. Why did they make that recommendation? Because 
they believed that at that time it would be a wiser matter to 
advise. We would suppose that abstaining from fornication 
would always be in harmony with God's will. But about meat 
offered to idols, Paul explains that the idol is nothing but a 
block of wood or of stone; it had not hurt the meat at all, but 
if any man would think that it had been hurt, if he had thought 
that something had happened to the meat, and that he would 
be dishonoring God if he ate of it, then Paul said: If there be 
any among you that are weak, and think that it is wrong to eat 
it, those that are strong should condescend to such an one. 

Then as to things strangled. That was a custom among the 
Jews because blood was a type or symbol of life, and God 
commanded the Jews not to eat anything strangled. They do 
not state why they advised it, but they did advise it and they 
advised it after they had stated there was nothing in the law 
that was binding on the Gentiles. 

LAW-Eating Thing that Dieth of Itself. 

Q431 :1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-"Ye shall not eat of 
anything that dieth of itself; thou shall give it unto the 
stranger that is within thy gate, that he may eat it; or thou 
mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art a holy people unto 
the Lord thy God." Please explain this. 

ANSWER. —It seems to me that it means what it says. It 
was said to the Jews, not to us. An animal might die of itself 
without being put to death and yet not be unfit for food except 



to those forbidden to eat animal food not specially killed. For 
instance, an animal might get caught and strangle itself or 
might fall over a precipice and die without being killed in the 
manner prescribed to the Jews. That meat might be just as 
good; it would not produce sickness or death; and, therefore, 
giving it or selling it to a person not under the Law would not 
mean injury to him. 

LAW-When Put At An End. 

Q431 :2:: QUESTION (1916)--2-When did Jesus put 
an end to the law? At Jordan, or at Calvary? 

ANSWER.— This expression "Putting an end to the law" 
is one that is apt to be misunderstood. The question might be 
viewed from various viewpoints. Jesus never put an end to 
the law in a very important sense of the word. The law is the 
Father's law. It existed before Jesus came. It still exists. It 
will always be in existence. Jesus did not put it to an end and 
never will put it to an end. It is God's law briefly summed up 
in this: "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
with all thy soul, mind and strength and thy neighbor as 
thyself." When will that law be put an end to? Never! 
Never! We get a little nearer to an 

{PageQ432} 

appreciation of it every day. Neither at the Jordan or at 
Calvary, nor at any time will He ever put an end to that law. 
What, then, is meant by this expression? Upon the basis of 
that law as God gave it through Moses to the Israelites was 
made a covenant, and that covenant was often called the law 
because it was the law-covenant and consequently this word 
covenant, because the covenant and the law were so closely 
associated and vitally connected, was sometimes used when 
the law was meant, and the word law was used to include the 
covenant based upon it. It was in this sense that Jesus made 
an end of the law, that is, the law-covenant or the covenant 
based upon that law. He made an end of this covenant, and 
yet. He did not make a full end of the law— covenant even, 
for, to my understanding, the Jews are still under that law- 
covenant, and certain blessings are to come to them in 
consequence. They are now under the condemnation part of 
that law-covenant, but, if it were dead, they would not be 
under its condemnation phase. They could not be under the 
condemnation of a dead covenant. Jesus therefore made an 
end simply of the favors, privileges, opportunities granted to 
the Jews under that covenant. How? By Himself fulfilling all 



its obligations and Himself thus becoming the Heir of God to 
the things which the law had promised to the One who would 
keep it. The whole Jewish nation had an opportunity of 
becoming heirs of these blessings if they had kept the law, but 
they failed to keep the law; but Jesus coming in, He kept all 
its requirements and thereby became Heir and inheritor of all 
the blessings which that law had promised, and thus He made 
an end of those blessings, so far as others were concerned; 
and from that time on no Jew can come in. Jesus got all the 
blessings. The Jews can get the curse, but not the blessings. 
Jesus is dividing these blessings with all those who become 
His disciples. We became joint-heirs with Him to all that 
inheritance which He inherited by keeping the law. We are 
unable to keep the law, and these Jews were not able to keep 
the law, but Jesus kept it and won its blessings, so that we 
may now become (both Jews and Gentiles) joint-heirs of all 
the promises made to natural Israel, through faith in the Lord 
Jesus and becoming members of His body. We come in and 
we get possession of all these things. What Jesus made an 
end of then, was, such requirements upon the Jews except 
certain obligations they had. Then coming under the new 
arrangement they are liberated from the requirements of the 
old. For instance, the Apostles coming in, the requirements 
of the law covenant were no longer binding upon them, when 
Jesus made the new provision whereby they might enter in. 
The new provision was to enable them to come in under the 
new arrangement. The Apostles became dead to the old 
things of the old arrangement in order that they might become 
alive to the better things—to God~by choosing to become the 
disciples of Jesus. 

LAW COVENANT-Testator of. 

Q432:1 :: QUESTION (1909)-l-Who was the testator 

of the (old) Law Covenant? "For where a testament 

(covenant) is, there must also of necessity be the death of the 

testator. For a testament (covenant) is of force after men are 

dead; otherwise it is of no strength while the testator liveth." 

(Heb.9:16,17.) 

{PageQ433} 

ANSWER. —The Apostle's argument here in using these 
words was particularly respecting our Lord Jesus, and he does 
not say anything about the Law Covenant. We may not 
improperly suppose that Moses, as mediator of the Law 
Covenant was its testator to some extent, and his death was 



represented in the bulls and goats that were offered back there 
under the Law Covenant. It was only a typical covenant, and 
the sacrifices were only typical sacrifices. Our thought would 
be that if it were applicable at all to Moses, it would be in the 
sense that these sacrifices represented Moses. 

But the force of the Apostle's words in speaking of Jesus as 
being the testator of the New Covenant is one that it is well to 
note very closely. While it is not the question here, if you 
please, I will add a few words on this line which may be 
helpful to some. Get the thought that under the Law 
Covenant, God had offered to any Israelite who would keep 
the Law, all the blessings, and rights, and privileges that 
belong to a perfect man, so that if any Jew had lived at any 
time from the institution of the Law Covenant down to the 
time of Christ, and could have kept the Law, he would have 
had the right to all that Adam had lost; he would have proved 
himself to have been a perfect man, and, therefore, would 
have had the right to everything under that covenant, of 
everything that Adam had; he would have been worthy to 
have taken Adam's place. But, we know, as a matter of fact, 
for over sixteen centuries the Law Covenant was in force, but 
not a Jew was able to keep the Law, and so Paul said that 
"through the deeds of the Law, no flesh should be justified." 
But our Lord Jesus, coming into the world with a special 
body, a body having been prepared, and that being holy, 
harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, was able and 
did keep the Law, and thus by keeping the Law, He proved 
Himself to be perfect, and was able to be the ruler of 
mankind. Did He do this? No. Why not? Because God had 
a broader and deeper plan. What was it? It was this, that the 
Lord Jesus should not only demonstrate His worthiness to be 
a perfect man, but having demonstrated that. He should 
sacrifice that perfect life, that He should lay all down in 
death, and this He did. Then, the Scriptures tell us, "God 
raised him from the dead," as a reward for His obedience. 
Then He had, so to speak, all the merit, all the virtue, all the 
value of a perfect human nature at His disposal. All the 
perfect rights of a perfect man were in His hands, to do with 
just as He pleased. What did He do with it? He could have 
applied it for all of the human race, or He could apply it for 
Adam or for any number of the human race. What did he do? 
Well, we naturally would have expected Him to have applied 
it in favor of the Jewish nation—you see He had something to 
give away. He was going to die, and He was going to give 
these earthly rights away; He was the testator and He was 
going to make a will, which represented His earthly life laid 



down in sacrifice. To whom has He given them? Not to the 
Jews, as we might have expected, Jesus did not seal the New 
Covenant with His blood. What did He do with it? He 
ascended up on High and appeared in the presence of God for 
us, whosoever would respect Him and come under the 
conditions and terms of justification and sanctification. He 
applied the whole of that merit to the Church; He did not seal 
the covenant at all. 

{PageQ434} 

How was He going to use it in the Church? The Scriptures 
show in the type that the bullock represented the Lord Jesus, 
and that the High Priest took the blood of the bullock and 
sprinkled it upon the mercy seat for Himself and His 
household of faith, all who belong to Him in the true and 
proper sense of the word. To these, then. He gave the merit 
of His earthly life. He did not give them a spirit life; He did 
not give them immortality, but only that which He had to 
bestow. He had no spirit life to bestow, because it was not 
spirit life that He had secured by keeping the Law—only 
earthly rights, and therefore. He had only earthly rights that 
He could bestow upon anyone. So, when He ascended up on 
high. He bestowed those rights upon believers who took a 
certain stand in harmony with His teachings, that, if any 
would be His disciple, let him take up his cross and follow 
him—only to such would the full benefit of justification come. 
Others who failed to make their consecration would fail of 
receiving the full benefits that had been offered, but those 
who would come into the right attitude, would have imputed 
to them the merit of Christ's sacrifice, on condition that they 
would lay down' their lives. In other words. He gives us 
the full restitution rights and blessings of perfect manhood, 
the only thing that He had to give away. So what He gives to 
you and me as a free gift is justification, on condition that we 
lay down our lives with Him in sacrifice. Any who will not 
do that is not included in this class. 

The faith comes first, and that is a certain introduction to 
other blessings and opportunities, but they do not become a 
fixed matter until the consecration which follows. It is then 
unchangeable; neither angels nor God can change it after 
giving His recognition of His spirit. All who receive 
justification and then the impartation of Holy Spirit at their 
consecration, which seals them as the lord's people, all such 
are counted in with Christ in His death. Those are the 
conditions, those are the terms. Whether members of the 



Little Flock, they must go into death with Him or if members 
of the Great Company, they must also go into death-there is 
nothing else for these, but not all who make the consecration 
go on and follow in His footsteps, and hence they do not get 
the same reward. Some hold back and the Scriptures tell us 
that they will be the Great Company who come up through 
great tribulation; their flesh will be destroyed that their spirit 
may be saved in the day of the Lord. The restitution blessing 
that God is giving the Church is not to stay; no, not one 
particle, but having received it, it is passed through the 
Church and passed on for further use. It is the same precious 
blood that He shed and applied to the Church, which the 
Church passes on, so at the end of this age there is just as 
much to dispense as there was at the beginning. It was the 
whole merit which was given to the Church, and when the 
Church shall have passed beyond the vail, and shall have laid 
down these justified lives and earth rights, then the New 
Covenant will be sealed and its benefits applied to the whole 
world. 

So, then, Jesus is the testator of the New Covenant, and 
when He laid down His life, it was with a view of mediating 
that covenant, but, instead of doing it at once. He first of all, 
in harmony with the Father's Plan, gathered out His Church, 
that we might be members of His Body, participators 

{PageQ435} 

with Him in the work of laying down our lives and sharing in 
this testament. 

Paul, in the 1 1th chapter of Romans, tells us that they shall 
obtain mercy through your mercy; it will be the mercy of the 
Father and of the Lord Jesus, but it will be the Father's mercy 
through Christ, and through the Church. His mercy will 
proceed until all the families of the earth have received His 
blessing. 

LAZARUS-Parable, Its Foundation. 

Q435:1 :: QUESTION (1909)-1-It is generally 
accepted that all of our Lord's parables were suggested by 
certain facts. How about that of the "Rich man and 
Lazarus?" It is the only one founded upon imagination? 
ANSWER. ~I had never thought of the matter that way 
before, and I do not know. But, what are you going to do? It 
is there. If any one takes it as a fact, be has a tough brain. 
Brother Russell then went on to show how ridiculous the 
whole parable would be if each item in it were a fact, how 



that the rich man would be sent to torment simply because he 
had enough to eat, wore linen and purple, so Brother Russell 
said according to that, many of us here would have to go to 
torment, simply because we had enough to eat, had on a clean 
shirt and wore some purple. Also, in the case of Lazarus, he 
went to heaven simply because he was full of sores, laid at the 
king's gate, and had the dogs lick his sores. He then showed 
that if taken as literal facts, Abraham's arms would soon be 
full of people full of sores, for he could not hold very many. 

LEVITES-Represented in Great Company. 

Q435:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-In what way do the 
Levites represent the Great Company? 

ANSWER.--Well, now, I thought that I answered this 
yesterday. I will repeat. Those who were separated on the 
night of the Passover, when the destroying angel destroyed all 
except the first-born that were under the blood, all of these 
first-born that were separated represented the Church of the 
First-born whose names are written in heaven, and these first- 
borns of Israel, according to God's direction, were 
subsequently exchanged for the whole tribe of Levi; so that 
the whole tribe of Levi represents the household of faith, or 
the Church of the First-born. In that tribe of Levi there was a 
certain special family, or class, selected that were the priestly 
family, and were representative of that portion of the 
household of faith, the Church of the First-born, who are to 
be the Bride, the Lamb's wife, and it leaves all the remainder 
of the Church of the First-born corresponding to the Levites 
and antitypical Levites to be the Great Company that follow 
with the Little Flock of priests and constitute the servants on 
the spiritual plane. 

LEVITES-Theirs Will Be a Heavenly Inheritance. 

Q435:3:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-3-If the antitypical 
Levites have no inheritance in the land, as shown in the type, 
what will be their reward? 

ANSWER.— The typical Levites were the whole tribe of 
Levi, a part of which was selected for a little company of 
priests. In the wilderness of Sinai, the Lord set the Levites 
apart for His service. (Num. 3:11-16.) Thenceforth, that 
one tribe represented the first-borns of Israel, who, the 

{PageQ436} 

Apostle says, were typical of the Church of the First-born 
(Heb. 12:23)~typical of the spiritual class. 



In the type, the entire tribe of Levi was cut off from having 
any possession in the land. No title to land was given them; 
no field was given them. The land was divided amongst the 
other tribes, but not amongst the Levites. God thus typified 
the fact that the antitypical Levites would not have an earthly 
inheritance. All the Gospel Church are called to heavenly 
conditions; and therefore they are cut off from their earthly 
rights as men, that they may have the heavenly rights as New 
Creatures. The Apostle says God has "called us with a holy 
calling," a "heavenly calling," a "high calling."--2 Tim. 1:9; 
Heb. 3:1; Phil. 3:14. 

The tribe of Levi was divided into two classes, a priestly 
class and a Levitical or servant class. In the antitype are two 
classes on the spirit plane--the Royal Priesthood, composed of 
Christ and the Church, His Bride; and also the servant class, 
"the virgins, her companions, who follow her," and who are 
to enter into the King's Palace with rejoicing. As these do not 
come up to the high standard required for admission into the 
Bride class, they are not counted worthy of being in this class 
who are presented unto the King "in raiment of needlework." 
Nevertheless, they must all be grand characters, worthy to 
receive palm branches, indicating their victory over sin and 
all evil.--Psa. 45:13-15; Rev. 7:9-17. 

LEVITES-ln Court on Atonement Day. 

Q436:1 :: QUESTION (1913)-l-Did the Levites have 
access to the court on the Day of Atonement? Are the Levites 
represented in the camp or court? 

ANSWER. ~I do not remember anything particularly 
stated about the Levites being in the court on the Day of 
Atonement. I should think quite probably they were. I do not 
remember any prohibition of their being in the court. The 
Levites we see represent two pictures. We are keeping a 
Levitical attitude toward God when approaching Him and 
willing to do any kind of service, and we say. Yes, if you 
have something to do I would like to have a share. Are you 
consecrated, brother? No, not consecrated, this brother might 
say, but I am sympathetic with what you are doing. Well, in a 
figurative way he stands related to those who are consecrated 
and who are sacrificing. He is not one of those necessarily 
who will ultimately be of the Levite class. Those ultimately 
of the Levite class, have the future advantage also, such as 
have made a covenant with the Lord and they have failed to 
fully keep it, but in the present time all of those who will 
make the covenant at all are called priests. There is no Levite 
class recognized in this distinction at the present time, and 



anybody who is sympathetic with the Lord's work and comes 
in and does a kind of sympathetic work, tentatively or 
temporarily, occupies the place of the Levites. So in this 
sense of the word we may be said to be in the position of 
Levites up to the time that we accept the Lord's arrangement 
and make our full consecration. 

LEVITES-Antitypical Levites and their Work. 

Q436:2:: QUESTION (1915)--2-What is the antitype 
of the Levites? 

ANSWER. --We understand, first, that the antitype of the 
Jewish priests is Jesus, the High Priest, and the Church, the 

{PageQ437} 

"little flock," the under priests. The Great Company class, as 
it will eventually be, is the antitype of the Levites. Their 
relationship to the Bride class is that of "the virgins her 
companions that follow her" (Psa. 45:14). The work of the 
Great High Priest will be that of teaching and healing. The 
high priest's work in olden times, after his work of atonement, 
was to heal diseases and give instructions to the people; and 
the under priests were associated with the high priest and 
under his direction. Then came in the Levites, to do a less 
important part of that great work. So we understand that 
during the Millennial Age the Great Company class will have 
a great work-not so important as that of the Church, but a 
secondary work, more of a servant work, though honorable. 

Our idea of their work is this: The high priests, you know, 
will be small in number in comparison—only 144,000. When 
we compare that number with the world's population since 
Adam— twenty thousand millions— it would be a good many 
for each one of the Bride class to care for. Apparently many 
more than that number will be necessary. Every individual of 
the Royal Priesthood is to have the honor of managing and 
instructing, and we understand that the Great Company will 
be their instruments and assistants in connection with all this 
work. 

Let us illustrate: There are vast numbers of people in a 
large city to be governed. There is a mayor at the head of the 
city. Then there are the police judges coming next. In New 
York City there are a great many police judges. Then there 
are many thousands of policeman. The police judges do not 
go out and try to attend to everything throughout the city. 
But the policemen are on the street corners and along their 
beat. They are on the street-crossings, attending to the traffic, 



on congested streets guarding pedestrians from being run 
over, seeing that the law is not infracted, making necessary 
arrests, etc. These policemen report to the police judges. 
Thus the city's government is carried on. Certain important 
matters might come directly to the mayor, and not be dealt 
with by any others. 

Now all this, to our mind, furnishes a sort of illustration of 
how Christ will be the great Ruler, or King, corresponding to 
the Mayor in our figure. All the saints, the Bride class, will 
be under kings, corresponding to the police judges. They will 
be rulers and priests, having authority—ruling over two cities 
or five cities or ten cities, as Jesus parabolically represented 
the matter (Luke 19:17). But ruling over these would mean 
that they would have individual inspection of every case. 
Suppose some one were about to shoot another. The ruling 
judges would not take personal cognizance of each offender, 
because there might be many trying to do wrong at the same 
time. Therefore it would be necessary to have somebody to 
look out for each of these. 

It is so now with the saints. You know that each one of the 
Church is guarded by holy angels. "Are they not ministering 
spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of 
salvation?" (Heb. 1:14.) They are looking out for our 
interests, and are reporting us if we are not in the right way. 
They give us blessings and assistances according to our need, 
shielding us from harm; or if the report be for wrong-doing, 
we are given certain stripes and punishments. 

{PageQ438} 

So "the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that 
fear Him, and delivereth them" (Psa. 34:7). 

With the world in the next age, the Lord's power will be 
represented through the Great Company class, under the 
Bride. They will be a great police force, looking out for the 
whole people. They will have a big job; for God has 
guaranteed that "nothing shall hurt or offend in all His holy 
Mountain"-Kingdom (Isa. 11:9). That will mean a careful 
supervision. Yes, indeed! How will they hinder wrong- 
doing? If a person were about to speak blasphemy or slander, 
the tongue might be instantly paralyzed. Very easy! A 
policeman right on the spot! —not waiting until the offender 
had done the mischief and then punishing him, but fixing him 
so that he will not get the chance to do it, and punishing him 
for trying to do so. 

You may ask, "Brother Russell, what about those who try to 



do good?" There will be a great blessing for every one doing 
a good deed, a kind deed. They will get a blessing at once. 
All who come into harmony with the laws of the Kingdom 
will be rising up and rising up all through the Millennial Age, 
until all the willing and obedient will be restored. This will 
come through the agencies God is now preparing-Christ the 
High Priest, and the Church, the under priests, under kings, 
under judges, of the world. The Great Company class will be 
the instructors of the world under the Bride class. Then on 
the earthly plane, will be the Ancient Worthies, to do a 
certain work of judging and directing, making known to 
mankind the conditions of the Kingdom. These will be 
human, visible to men, serving under the invisible, spiritual 
guides. 

All this great provision to handle the twenty thousand 
millions of mankind! Won't it all be fine! There will be a 
host when all are awakened from the tomb! "But how do you 
know this? Is there Scripture for it?" Someone will ask. 
Yes, right to the point. It reads like this: "When Thy 
judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will 
learn righteousness" (Isa. 26:9). The judgments of the Lord 
will then be everywhere. Just as soon as anything wrong is 
intended—not committed, but intended—the punishment will 
follow prompt and sure. There might be a temptation to do 
wrong, but if resisted it will not be sin. But any evil planned 
and purposed will meet swift retribution. This, we 
understand, will he the rule that will obtain all over the earth, 
bringing blessings to every well-doer and punishment to 
every intentional evil-doer. 

As the number of the Bride of Christ is to be 144,000, it 
would be reasonable to think that each member of this class 
may have 144,000 to look after, as 144,000 x 144,000 equals 
20,736,000,000 (twenty billion, seven hundred and thirty six 
millions). Evidently just about the right number to be cared 
for— couldn't fix it better myself. Now 144,000 would he 
quite a host for each individual of the Bride class to look 
after. So we can see the necessity for the work of the Great 
Company and the Ancient Worthies. 

life-How Attain Perfect. 

Q438:1 :: QUESTION (1909)-l-How can an imperfect 
being attain perfect life? 

ANSWER. -If any fail to attain perfect life, they will 
attain to second death. This is my understanding. I 
understand this is God's law and nobody will ever be 
acceptable 



{PageQ439} 

to the Father except they come up to the standard of that law. 
"Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy 
soul, and with all thy mind and with all thy strength, and thy 
neighbor as thyself." That is the simplest and slightest 
obedience that the Lord will accept. If you and I do not come 
up to that standard you and I will not get perfect life. How 
can we do that? Will all the world in the Millennial Age 
attain to that standard? Yes. That will be the work of the 
Millennial Age. Every one who will be worthy of eternal life 
will be worthy of that perfection. God does not have different 
standards. This is the standard of all creation. No angel will 
be granted eternal life with the Lord unless they have this 
perfection. As for the world of mankind, they will all have to 
reach that standard, full love for God and for their neighbor. 
But, you say, here we are with our misshapen heads-how can 
we get there? You are not on trial according to your flesh. 
You are on trial as a new creature. If we do not learn our 
lessons as new creatures we will not be fit for graduation 
when the time comes. If we do not let the Lord develop this 
character in us we will not be fit for life on any plane. There 
are certain principles the Lord lays down, and if we are to 
have eternal life at all we have to get it on these principles. 
He is not dealing with us after the, flesh, but after the spirit. 
Our hearts, our wills, our intentions, our endeavors, will be to 
manifest that perfect love for God and for our fellow 
creatures. Suppose in my imperfection I do something 
unkind. Just as soon as the New Creature finds this out as a 
new creature I must go and make it right. But, you say, 
"Suppose pride in my heart will not enable me?" Then you 
are not the kind He is looking for. If you have done 
something amiss and have been angry with a brother or sister, 
go to the Lord and confess your fault. If you are solely His 
you will want to do those things that are pleasing to Him. Get 
the principle fixed; to what extent is my heart loyal to God, to 
the Word of God and to righteousness? While we are natural 
men we cannot help having these imperfections. One time in 
Allegheny after I had been preaching about speaking no evil, 
showing how contrary it is to the Lord's will and to the 
admonitions of His Word, a certain sister said, as she shook 
my hand, "Brother Russell, I am so glad you preached that, 
for it is just what is needed," and before she let go of my hand 
she began to speak evil. The poor sister was doing the best 
she could and I thought the poor sister will gradually learn. 



She approved of the things she had heard and she thought she 
was applying them most thoroughly. If sometimes you find 
some of the brothers and sisters do not appreciate some of the 
higher principles, remember the Apostle says God hath 
chosen the mean things of the world. They are not all mean- 
some of the Lord's people are the noblest people in the world, 
but "Not many mighty not many noble are called," but chiefly 
the mean things. And do not be too sure that you have not 
some of the meanness yourself. Be very sympathetic and glad 
if you see your brothers and sisters are getting the advantage 
over the old creature. It is the old creature that He accepted 
that is mean. The transforming grace of the heart, the new 
creature, is proving more and more what is that good and 
acceptable will of God. I sometimes give the example of a 
scale, beginning with zero. Some have 40, some 50, some 20, 
some 

{PageQ440} 

30, and some only a tenth of the perfection belonging to a 
perfect human being. Now when these consecrate, whatever 
they may be, the Lord agrees to take them and He gives them 
sufficient grace. Suppose a man is only rated at fifty, or 
seventy, or here is one with only thirty marks. The Lord 
makes up the other 70 per cent. His grace is sufficient- 
sufficient for the needs of each one that He receives. The 
Lord's grace is sufficient and makes up for every deficiency. 
He is going to judge you at what your heart or intention is. 
Your will must never be at the 90 or 50 mark. Your intention 
must be at the hundred mark, and if you are doing his will to 
the best of your ability it is counted to you for a hundred and 
you are His and in full fellowship with Him. That 100 mark 
means a perfect heart. But the Lord requires more of us than 
He will require of the world. He requires that we love him 
with all our mind and strength and our neighbor as ourself, 
but He will require this of the world also. You say how can 
He ask more? He is asking more of you and of me. How? 
Jesus said, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye 
love one another as I have loved you." You are to deal with 
your neighbor as with yourself. You are not to give all that 
you have or sacrifice your own interest and go without 
yourself. But when it comes to the Lord's disciples it is a 
different matter. It meant the sacrifice of our Lord's life. We 
have got to love one another as He loved us. You have bound 
yourself by that arrangement and you cannot be one of the 
little flock unless you are a sacrificer. Every one who is of 



that little flock is a sacrificing priest, so if you belong to the 
Royal Priesthood you will be sacrificers. 

LIFE"At End of Millennial Age. 

Q440:1:: QUESTION ( 19 10)-- 1 --Will the purified 
humanity at the end of the Millennial age have eternal life or 
everlasting life? 

ANSWER.— I answer that these terms "everlasting" and 
"eternal," as used in the Scriptures, are not used with that 
same exactness that the writer here seems to infer. The 
general thought of the Scriptures would seem to be not eternal 
life, but everlasting life, if you are going to make a distinction 
between them. But the majority of people do not make a 
distinction between them, and consider that if they say eternal 
life, they mean life that lasts forever; and if they say 
everlasting life they also mean that life which lasts forever; 
so with that definition they are right anyway. But if you are 
going to add to the word "eternal" life something that means 
immortal life, then it is a mistake. It would not be proper to 
use it with that thought in mind; the world is not to have 
immortality, but the world is to have everlasting life, or, in 
that sense of the word, eternal or unending life. 

LIFE-That Possessed by The Man Jesus and by Jesus Christ. 

Q440:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-Does Jesus Christ our 
Lord have the same life that the man Jesus had? 

ANSWER.— Again we are not sure what the questioner 
had in mind. We have said in volume one that all life is the 
same. Life is life. God has life. Angels have life. Man has 
life. Beasts have life. Birds and fishes have life. So, of 
course, Jesus had the same life as He had before. The nature 
is different, and so God has life on the divine plane 

{PageQ441} 

or nature. The cherubim have life on their own plane, angels 
on theirs, man on his, and beasts, etc., on theirs. Each has life 
according to its nature. Suppose the questioner meant. Does 
Jesus have the same nature and life on the same plane as 
before? Our answer would be. No. "He was put to death in 
the flesh and was quickened, or made alive, in the spirit." He 
was a spirit being with a spirit nature and therefore had a 
spirit life after his resurrection; on the other hand he had 
human nature with human power and with human life when 
He was the man Jesus. As the Logos or mouthpiece of God, 
He had a spirit life. After this He came into the world to 



sacrifice Himself. When He had sacrificed Himself He had 
finished the work the Father had given Him to do. The Father 
then raised Him up from the dead, and He showed this change 
in appearing in various forms, manifesting that He was a 
spirit being with a different nature. He did not manifest 
Himself as a man, but after His resurrection manifested 
Himself as a spirit being and at the same time showed the 
change from human to divine nature. 

LIFE EVERLASTING-The Final Testing Will Determine It. 

Q441:1:: QUESTION ( 19 12-Z)-1- Will restitution 
include the right to everlasting life, or will the right to 
everlasting life be determined by the final testing that will 
come at the end of the Millennial Age? 

ANSWER. —Perfection was given to Adam originally; 
and by virtue of his perfection he had a right to continue to 
live, if he were obedient. But as God saw fit to test Father 
Adam, so He will test the human family. And the final test, 
after the Kingdom shall have been turned over to the Father, 
will be by way of testing their worthiness to attain these life- 
rights and to keep them everlastingly. The thousand years of 
Christ's reign will be for bringing mankind to perfection. At 
the end of that reign those who have reached perfection will 
be delivered over to the Father. The New Covenant will have 
accomplished for them all that it was intended to accomplish. 
But before God determines them worthy of the fulness of His 
everlasting life. He will see that all are tried individually and 
without any Mediator between. We may be sure that the test 
will be a crucial and a just one. 

LIFE-GIVER-Spiritual Father and Mother with Earthly Children. 

Q441:2:: QUESTION (1905)-2-If Christis tobethe 
life-giver and the Church the mother, how can the children of 
the restitution class be of the human nature? 

ANSWER.— This is a case of adoption as far as the earth 
is concerned. They were children of Adam and Christ 
proposes to give them a life in place of the one they lost 
through Adam. They are not begotten in the sense that we are 
begotten; their promise is of restitution to that which they 
lost through Adam. The second Adam is to take the place of 
the first Adam. They get the life Christ laid down for the 
world, otherwise there would not have been any for them. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-When Given Up? 

0441 :3:: OUESTION (1911)-3-When do we give our 
life rights, at consecration, or at death? 



{PageQ442} 

ANSWER. --We give up our life rights at consecration. 
That is the principal thing that you give up. You give what 
you have, and what you have is very little-what anybody has 
is very little. But God has provided in Christ for every 
member of the race earthly life-rights through Jesus, and 
these belong to you in a reckoned sense from the time you 
believe in Jesus and understand that God has a restitution plan 
for mankind. You might say to yourself, and I might say to 
myself, "Oh, I have a little life now, very little indeed, but 
God's provision through the Redeemer is that I shall have a 
future human life. This will he imputed to me now through 
God's mercy, that I may give up all that I have. I give up 
what I have a right to now, and all of these rights of mine that 
would belong to me if I had maintained my human nature, 
and claimed my rights as a human being, under the general 
merit of Christ's sacrifice." So we give up all our life rights 
the moment we consecrate—the present life and that which is 
to come. When did Jesus give up his life rights, at Jordan, at 
Calvary, or at Pentecost? Jesus gave up his life rights at 
Jordan. He gave everything into the Father's hands. "Lo, I 
come to do thy will, everything written in the book." He held 
nothing back, everything was given up. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Are they Sacrificed. 

Q442:1:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-What rights did our 
Lord possess when He was a spirit-being, before He become a 
man, and what became of those rights when He became a man? 

ANSWER. —Our Lord was rich and for our sakes 
became poor (2 Cor. 8:9) by exchanging the heavenly rights 
and perfectioN' for the earthly rights and perfectioN'. 
This exchange was not a sacrifice not an offering'; 
for it was the maN' Christ Jesus who became a ransom. There 
is no statement in the Scriptures that He sacrificed any 
pre-human rights. He did, however, resign these for the "joy 
that was set before Him."-Heb. 12:2. 

The rights that man needs are earthly rights, humaN' 
rights; and it is those rights that Jesus redeems through 
giving His earthly life sacrificially. As a spirit being He 
could not have sacrificed the rights of a spirit being; for there 
were no spirit beings condemned to death. It was the 
maN' Adam whom He was to redeem. "Since by maN' 
came death, by man comes also the resurrection of the dead. 
For as all in Adam die, even so all in Christ shall 



be made alive."— 1 Cor. 15:21,22. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Vs. Merit. 
Q442:2:: QUESTION (1911 Z) 2 How shall we 
distinguish between the merit of Christ which He will 
appropriate for the sins of the world, and the life-right of 
Christ which He will give for the sins of the world? 

ANSWER.— Our Lord's righteousness on the human 
plane of course appertained to Him while He was a man. 
He has no righteousness as a man' now. He has merely the 
credit of that righteousness in the Father's sight, in the 
sight of Justice, constituting a merit which is to be 
appropriated to the world in due time, but which is 
loaned to the Church during the Gospel Age. 

The human life-rights Jesus had need for up to the moment. 
He died. In dying He committed them to the 

{PageQ443} 

Father, according to the Father's arrangement. He said, "The 
cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?" 
(John 18:11.) When a man, those life-rights were His to 
use; but He does not need them now; for He has better 
rights. But He has a right to human life, which He does 
not need personally-but which He needs in order to 
give for the world of mankind, that they may have life 
everlasting if they will. 

The Lord is to be viewed from the standpoint of His own 
personality. First of all. He was a spirit-being; secondly. He 
was made flesh— holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from 
sinners; third, for permitting the earthly life to be taken 
from Him, God rewarded Him personally with a high 
exaltation.-Phil. 2:9. 

God has arranged that this glorious Personage shall do 
certain things for the world of mankind. The power to do 
these things lies in the fact that He still has a right to 
earthly life, which He does not need. He holds it over to 
give to the world in the Millennial Age, gradually, as 
they will come into harmony with the terms of the New 
Covenant. He imputes now a share of that value to such as 
desire to become his members-to cover their blemishes and 
make their sacrifices acceptable to the Father. 

Christ's merit was in doing the will of the Father. 
That merit the Father rewarded with the new nature on the 
other side of the veil. And, of course, that merit still 
persists; and He will always have, in God's sight, a 



personal merit, irrespective of anything that He may do 
for mankind. Therefore we cannot suppose that He 
would give away His Merit; in that case He would be left 
without merit. But having obtained His reward, He has a 
right to human life, which is so recognized by God. And this 
constitutes a thing of merit in God's sight--a value for the 
redemption of Adam and his children—his purchase-price, 
so to speak. This He is to use for the world shortly and 
this He is now imputing to us. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Do We Actually Sacrifice them. 

Q443:1:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-Do theunder-priests 
sacrifice their earthly life-rights? 

ANSWER. —Since God purposes to give eternal life only 
to those who are perfect, and since we of Adam's race are all 
imperfect, therefore, we had no life-rights to sacrifice. But 
Jesus appeared as our Advocate and purposes to help us if we 
are desirous of becoming followers in His steps, and thus of 
being sharers with Him in His sacrifice and afterwards in the 
glories of His Kingdom. 

To enable us to do this. He purposes to make up for us a 
sufficiency of His merit to compensate for all of our 
blemishes and defects. But we do not present this merit 
imputed to us by our Lord. Our whole part is faith that our 
great Advocate is able to make up for our shortcomings. He 
makes up that which is imperfect, and then offers us in 
sacrifice; and the Father accepts the sacrifice. Really, we 
never had any life-rights to sacrifice. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Represented in New Covenant. 

Q443:2:: QUESTION (1911-Z) -2 -During the 
Millennial Age where will be the life-rights that Jesus laid 
down at Calvary? 

{PageQ444} 

ANSWER.— That which we speak of as the life-right of 
the great Redeemer is, we understand, that which is typified 
by the blood of Atonement. According to the type, in the end 
of this antitypical Day of Atonement, that blood of 
Atonement will be applied to Justice on behalf of the whole 
world of mankind and will be accepted on their behalf—that is 
to say, as the Apostle expresses it, "to make reconciliation for 
the sins of the people." (Heb. 2:17.) As soon as the people 
shall have been released from their death-condemnation they 
will be in a position to begin to receive blessings, but not 



before. As the great High Priest, our Lord undertakes, at the 
close of the Gospel Age, to seal with the Blood of Atonement 
a New Covenant between God and the seed of Abraham, 
natural Israel; and He, together with the "Church, which is 
His Body," undertakes to stand as the Mediator of that 
Covenant. All who come into full accord with that Law will 
have eternal life. Through all those years the Mediator will 
merely carry out the provisions of that Covenant, which 
promises that they shall have the privileges of Restitution. If 
they avail themselves of the opportunity they shall have 
eternal life. 

At that time, the right to human life will have passed out of 
the hands of our Lord as Redeemer, and will all, thenceforth, 
be represented in the Covenant itself, which guarantees all the 
things that God declared man should have. The stony heart of 
mankind will give place to a heart of flesh; and all who will 
live up to the terms of this Covenant shall have eternal life. 
During the Millennial Age the New Covenant will represent 
the life-rights laid down by our Lord. Whoever fails to 
observe that Law will receive chastisements. By this 
arrangement Christ, as Mediator of the New Covenant, will 
for a thousand years dispense the blessings. During this 
Gospel Age our Lord keeps the right to life under His own 
control in order to give it to Justice as the ransom-price for 
the world's sins, for the redemption of the world. As soon as 
He sums up this right at the end of this Age, Justice 
relinquishes it, and mankind receives it, as shown foregoing. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Necessity for. 
Q444:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11-Z)-1 -Could Christ 
become the Everlasting Father to the world if He did not have 
earthly life-rights at His disposal? 

ANSWER. —If our Lord Jesus did not possess the right 
to earthly life as an asset, in order to give that right to Adam 
and his race during the Millennial reign, then He could not 
properly be spoken of as the Father of that race. He could not 
regenerate the race unless He had a life to give, an earthly 
life. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Compare with Merit. 

Q444:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-What is the difference 
between the life-rights of Jesus and the merit of Jesus? 
ANSWER.— The answer all depends on the mind and 
viewpoint of the writer of this question. Jesus has this merit 
already spoken of, but He is never to give His merit to 
anybody. He is not to give His merit as the Son of God. If he 



were to give away His merit in this sense He would have none 
for Himself. The thought underlying this question may be all 
right, however. That sacrifice which He made and finished at 
Calvary was a special offering to Himself, 

{PageQ445} 

and on account of that He received this higher nature. He laid 
down His earthly nature and this is counted to Him as an asset 
in His favor. It all depends on the use of the word "nature." 
This earthly nature or life he laid down and it is intended to 
be given as the Ransom Price for the whole world as soon as 
Jesus gets ready to take over the world, but this is not just yet. 
"The world lieth in the Wicked One" still. The world would 
not still be lying in the wicked one if it is the case, as some 
tell us, that Jesus has applied His merit. When the proper 
time comes He will take His great power, and when He is 
ready to bless He will then make the application of His merit 
or the merit of His earthly life-rights on behalf of all 
mankind, all flesh. Then the blessings will begin to "all 
flesh" as the Kingdom will be the source of the channel of all 
the blessings. This is not yet applied to the world. They are 
still the children of wrath, but they will not be the children of 
wrath after the application of His merit. Afterwards, they will 
all be turned over to Christ, and then Justice will merely look 
at Jesus and not at mankind at all. Then at the close of one 
thousand years Jesus will step aside and lay all the people in 
the hands of His Father, for when He has done that they will 
be able to stand in the presence of God at that time. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Are Jesus' Imputed to the Church? 

Q445:1:: QUESTION ( 19 12)- 1 -Do we understand 
you to teach that the life-rights of Jesus are imputed to the 
Church? 

ANSWER. -Substantially so! Jesus has two life-rights. 
He has a life-right as a man. He laid down his earthly life; it 
was not taken from Him. He laid it down in harmony with 
the Divine arrangement: "Even unto Death." That which He 
laid down is still His. Suppose I lay down my book here on 
the table and let it remain there for a time, it is still mine and I 
am at perfect liberty to come and take up my book again. Am 
I not? Jesus did not forfeit His life. He merely laid it down 
of Himself. "I have the authority to lay it down and to receive 
it again." When the time came for His resurrection from the 
dead. He received life on the highest plane, as a Son of God 
on the Divine Plane. That was the reward for the laying 



down of His life. This was a "reward life." This was the Gift 
of God to Him. This was the reward of His obedience even 
unto death. He still had the right to earthly life, but He was 
given the Divine life as a reward. While He has this Divine 
life He has also this earthly right to an earthly life, and He has 
this to dispose of as He wills. It is in the hand of God. 
"Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit." Did He apply 
it to anyone? No! Jesus has His earthly rights still, as also 
has He the Divine Life. His earthly life-rights He intends to 
give to the world. The very object of God making this 
arrangement was that He might give these earthly life-rights 
to Adam and his children. Not now though! He is now 
selecting the Church, the Lamb's Bride. With regard to the 
others, Jesus becomes the "Guarantor" of all of us who come 
to the Father by Him. He is so to all who have presented their 
bodies "Living Sacrifices." He accepts and presents these as 
His Members through His own merit. There is a difference 
between the imputation and the giving of the merit. If you 
were to ask me for some money and I endorsed a check for 
you, you could present 

{PageQ446} 

that check at the bank and receive the money for it. So then, 
it might be said, that has been done with regard to the merit of 
Jesus. He endorses or imputes the merit of His perfect ability 
to us, and thus we can present ourselves holy and acceptable 
before God. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Has Adam Any? 

Q446:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-Has Adam any life- 
rights at present? 

ANSWER. -No, Adam has no life-rights at present, 
neither has anyone of his children except those few who have 
accepted Christ in the real sense of the word. "He who hath 
the Son hath Life." There are no life-rights except for those 
who have accepted Christ and have come under His 
conditions. Even the Ancient Worthies have no life-rights 
yet, and when the due time comes they will be the first to 
receive the blessings and come into harmony with God, and 
they will not get their life-rights until the end of the thousand 
years. All will get their life-rights at the end of these 
thousand years. The Lord Jesus had His part in making us 
ready, but it is God, the Judge, who is the one who gives the 
eternal life. He is the Father of all who will he His children. 
Therefore, there are no life-rights for Adam or his children at 



present. Provision is only in the course of being made, and 
the Great Plan is being surely unfolded and developed and 
finished. The time will come when the words "Come ye 
blessed of My Father" will sound forth, and then those in 
harmony will get their life-rights. Again I say that Adam has 
no life-rights at present, but the time is coming for him and 
his children. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Are Adam's Imputed to the Church? 

Q446:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-Is it correct in any 
sense to say that the life-rights of Adam are imputed to the 
Church? 

ANSWER.-Not at all! Adam had no life-rights to 
impute. All were forfeited. Not a particle of life-right was 
left to Adam and, therefore, there was nothing for him to 
impute or impart to anyone. Not having them for himself it is 
a moral certainty that he could not impute them to any other 
one. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Vs. Life. 

Q446:3:: QUESTION (1913)-3-Is it correct to say 
that our Lord will lift the condemnation from off the human 
race, that the life and life-rights lost in Adam might be 
restored to them, or is it more, correct to say that these were 
lost forever through Adam's sin and that the Christ, as the 
second Adam, will give life and life-rights to the race? 

ANSWER.— I think it would make very little difference 
either way. We may speak of the matter as a resurrection or 
as a new creation. In one sense it is really a new creation, 
and in another sense it is a raising up of things that were 
formerly there. In one sense it is to give back that which 
Adam lost, and in another sense Adam lost his forever. So it 
is very much tweedledeedee, tweedledeedum. 

LIFE-RIGHTS-Rlghtto Life. 

0446:4:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-4-Whatismeantby 
the terms "right to live" and "life-rights?" And what is the 
difference between these terms? 

ANSWER. —A person might have a right to live by being 
in harmony with God; for God has ordained that all of 

{PageQ447} 

His intelligent creatures may continue to live if they live in 
harmony with His Divine Law and its requirements. A right 
to live, therefore, was the privilege of Father Adam in the 



beginning. He had a right to life and he would not have 
forfeited that right had he not sinned. He came into the 
world, but also after He became the Man Jesus, He had a 
right to life. It was because of this right that He would be 
able to lay down His life sacrificially on behalf of Adam and 
his race. After He had made His consecration at baptism. He 
no longer had the right to live as a man'; for He had given 
up that right to live. But having been begotten by the Holy 
Spirit, He had a right to life as a New Creature, spiritually 
begotten, unless He should make failure by violating some 
Divine Law or by violating His own contract, or covenant. 
The world of mankind will have the right to live after the 
Millennial Age, after they shall have reached perfection, shall 
have been delivered over to the Father and He shall have 
accepted them. They will then have the same right to life that 
Father Adam had at first, before he sinned. 

"Life-rights." This term we may use in different ways. 
Applying it to the Lord Jesus Christ as having life-rights, for 
instance, we may say, while He had consecrated His life as a 
man. He had done nothing really to forfeit that life. He had 
agreed to lay it down; it was rightfully His; else He would 
not have had the right to use it again for others. He 
maintained the right because of His personal righteousness. 
Therefore He still possessed a right to human life, because 
this life which He was permitting to be taken. He had not 
forfeited. He still has the life-rights of a human being, 
although He has no need of human life or life-rights now 
for Himself; since He has something so much better, and 
since He could not use two lives at the same time. He has 
Divine life-rights; but He still maintains his human life- 
rights; and these He is about to dispose of, to give as a 
Ransom-price, as a full offset for Adam and all that was lost 
through him. 

LOGOS-Nature of the Logos. 

Q447:1:: QUESTION (1906)-1-What Scripture have 
we to prove that Jesus had not the divine nature before He 
came in the flesh? 

ANSWER.--! answer that the proof would be on the 
other side. What Scriptures have we to prove that Jesus had 
the divine nature before He became flesh? We answer there 
are no Scriptures to prove that He had the divine nature 
before he came in the flesh, but we have logic to prove that 
He did not have the divine nature. The logic of the matter is 
this: That the divine nature is the very highest of all natures, 
is immortal, cannot suffer and cannot die; that it needs no 



support, no sustenance of any kind. Now if our Lord Jesus 
had had what we understand to be the divine nature, 
immortality, then He could not have died, and what would 
have been the use of coming into the world to die if He could 
not die? So you see the logic of the matter says that He was 
not possessed of the divine nature, and there is nothing in the 
Scriptures to show that He was possessed of the divine nature. 
Therefore it is proper for us to understand that this nature was 
the great blessing and reward the Father gave Him, as the 
Scriptures particularly say. He humbled Himself, took upon 
Himself a bondman's 

{PageQ448} 

form, was made in fashion a man, humbled Himself unto the 
death of the cross, wherefore,--on this account,--God has 
highly exalted Him. Now, if our Lord had the divine nature 
before, which is the very highest of all natures, how could the 
Father have highly exalted Him after His obedience even unto 
death? It would be merely bringing Him back to what He had 
before. It would be no superior exaltation. And the 
Scriptures practically say that it was because He was obedient 
that God highly exalted Him and gave Him a name that is 
above every other name. 

LOINS""Gird up the Loins of Your Mind." 

Q448:1 :: QUESTION (1910-Z)-l-What does this text 
signify? 

ANSWER. —In olden times when they wore flowing 
garments, girdles were constantly worn for two purposes; 
one was to gird up their garments--as, for instance, we 
sometimes sing, "Gird thy bridal robes around thee." The 
girdle, therefore, was useful in keeping the garments in their 
proper place, or position, so that they would not be disordered 
in appearance, nor cause one to trip and fall. Then, secondly, 
the girdle was used for its effect upon the loins during active 
labor. For instance, when one was engaged in a strenuous 
occupation, such as lifting a heavy weight or carrying a heavy 
burden or running a race, the muscles of the abdomen would 
play an important part. 

Even in speaking we find the muscles of the abdomen 
contract, and thus give us the more force and strength of 
voice. In any kind of manual labor this is found to be the 
case, and these muscles become comparatively rigid. It is the 
custom, therefore, among workmen, even today, to wear a 
belt. When they have particularly severe tasks they take 



another "hitch" in their belt—that is, they pull it up a few 
notches more, making it a little tighter around the waist, the 
object being to support the muscles of the abdomen and to 
enable them to accomplish more labor with less fatigue; and 
when they are at rest they slacken the belt. 

This seems to be the special thought of the Apostle here-- 
"Gird up the loins of your mind." As there are loins in the 
body and they have their important part to perform and we 
strengthen them in time of exercise, or necessity, so with our 
minds. We who have devoted ourselves to be the Lord's 
people, to do this service, realize that our minds need to be 
strengthened. We need to be of good courage. We need to be 
fortified against all disposition to lassitude. 

When we undertake to gird up the loins of our minds it 
signifies that we have determined upon a course of activity; 
that rest and ease are put aside and that we are now engaging 
in an important work which we realize requires all the 
strength that we possess. The Christian has a great task 
before him, to lay down his life in the Lord's service, to 
accomplish all that he may be able to accomplish in respect to 
the use of opportunities which the Lord has provided us as his 
servants, his followers, that we may have a good report to 
give when he calls us to render our account; that we may say. 
Thou gavest me two talents and I have gained, two; or, thou 
gavest me five talents and I have gained beside, other five. 

LOVE-Agape vs. Philadelphia. 

Q448:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-When we are told to add agape to 

{PageQ449} 

Philadelphia, does it mean that we are to get a higher form of 
love for the brethren than Philadelphia? 

ANSWER. ~I understand that agape love refers to love 
of the broadest kind. We love the brethren with the 
Philadelphia love because they are brethren. We may not 
love their peculiarities, we may not love all their features, but 
we love them as brethren, whether black or white, bond or 
free, because they are brethren, comrades in the same race. 
But as we get agape love, it means that we love all the others. 

LOVE-Reaching Mark of Perfect Love. 

Q449:1:: QUESTION ( 1 909)-- 1 --Is it possible for all 
who are called to the high calling to reach the perfect mark of 
love, and how? 
ANSWER.— It is possible for every human being to 



reach that mark, and more than that, every individual who 
will ever get eternal life, either as a member of the little flock, 
or great company, or of the restitution class, whoever will 
receive eternal life on any plane will have to come to that 
place or mark of perfect love; because God will not give 
eternal life to any others. The law of love is the least thing 
that God will recognize. According to the spirit, you are 
under the law, and you are obliged to live up to everything in 
the spirit that the Jew was commanded to do in the flesh. 
You remember how it reads that, "Thou shall love the Lord 
thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and mind, and strength." 
Won't a little less than that do? No. Oh, but I have 
weaknesses of the flesh and cannot do the things that I would. 
Well, the Apostle said that the Lord is not judging us now 
according to the flesh, but according to the sentiments of our 
hearts. If it is full of love for the Lord, all your soul, mind, 
and strength, then you are up to that feature of the perfect 
mark. You cannot do more if you like, and you cannot do 
less. If your heart is not all of that you will not be of the 
Little Flock or Great Company, but such will go into the 
second death. All must come up to this standard in their 
hearts, or they will all die the second death. 

What about the second commandment, "Thou shall love thy 
neighbor as thyself?" It relates to mankind. How? Get the 
best of him in a trade or take advantage of him? No. You 
must treat him as you would want him to treat you. That 
would not mean, however, that you must exercise your 
judgment for him. If he thinks his farm is better than yours 
and you make a trade, you both go into it with your eyes 
open, but to take advantage of another would not be loving as 
you should. The Church must do more than that. How? This 
way, my dear brother: The law never requires sacrifice on 
your part, simply love your neighbor as yourself, but what the 
Father requires of those who will be Members of the Body of 
Christ requires more than that; namely, that you sacrifice 
your earthly rights and lay them down. Jesus did it and it was 
more than the law required. He laid down in sacrifice His 
earthly rights. His interests. Oh, well, you say, we sacrifice 
our earthly interests, but we do not think them worth much. 
That is right, but you must sacrifice them. 

LOVE-How to Manifest Love. 

Q449:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-Do you know the dear 
brethren in Great Britain, and especially London, love you, 
and is there any way we can more effectively show it to you? 



{PageQ450} 

ANSWER. —The Lord, you remember, said, "If ye love 
Me keep My commandments," and if we are thus abiding in 
His love now, my dear friends, that tells us that if we abide in 
His love we will abide in the Father's love. 

I love you and I wish you to know that. I love you and 
think this love is mutual in all the members of the Bride of 
Christ. It could not be otherwise. How could we love Him 
who begat and love not also those who are begotten of Him? 
(1 John 5:1.) As each one loves more and more the spirit of 
the Master, we will be bound to more and more love each 
one; until we all get perfected beyond the vail when our love 
for each other will be absolutely complete. 

LOVE-Proof of What? 

Q450:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--Whatis themost 

potent proof that we have passed from death unto life and that 

we are sons of God? 

ANSWER. --The Apostle tells us right in that same 
connection saying, "we know that we have passed from death 
unto life because we love the brethreN'. That is a very 
essential test, dear brethren, and it is one that we do well to 
keep in mind. If we lose love for the brethren it is not a 
favorable sign; if we never have love for the brethren it is not 
a favorable sign. The best sign is that you love all other 
children of God, no matter what their color or sex or position 
in life, rich or poor, bond or free; if you love the Lord you 
must love all those whom He loves and has chosen. We all 
belong to the Lord and every member of the Lord's family 
must be loyal to every other member of His family. We must 
have the Spirit of the Master, and to have this we must love 
all those who are begotten of God. Everyone that loveth Him 
who begat loveth him also that is begotten of Him. 
(John 5:1.) 

LOVE-Perfect, Casteth Out Fear. 

Q450:2:: QUESTION (1913-Z)-2-Whatkindof fear is 
referred to in the text, "There is no fear in love, but perfect 
love casteth out fear."~l John 4:18. 

ANSWER. —Fear is a mental condition which is begotten 
of uncertainty. There are some things which we ought to 
fear, and some which we need not fear. The Adversary seems 
to take advantage of the fallen condition of the race, and to 
cause them to fear. Mankind realize instinctively that they 
are sinners by nature and that there is a penalty for sin. 



Taking advantage of this fear of the consequences of sin, the 
Adversary tries to instill in them a dread of God. He pictures 
before their imperfect minds a God who is unjust, over severe 
in His dealings with sin and the sinner, for whom He has 
prepared a place of everlasting torture. 

As we gradually come to a clear knowledge of God and of 
the principles by which He regulates the universe, we lose 
this improper fear; and in its stead comes a love for God and 
a realization that He has love for us. Our love for Him grows 
in proportion as we perceive that He loves mankind, and has 
made provision for them whereby they may have an 
opportunity for everlasting life. After we have come to love 
Him perfectly, all fear in the sense of dread is cast out. 

Our knowledge and love should not, however, cast out the 
fear of displeasing God for proper fear (reverence) must 
never be cast out. The more we have of reverential love, the 
more of the proper fear we shall have. Who would not fear 

{PageQ451} 

to offend a brother or a neighbor whom he loved and 
appreciated? Much more should we dread offending our just, 
wise, loving God. 

The principle that "perfect love casteth out fear" should 
operate between husband and wife, between parents and 
children. The wife who fears her husband cannot be as happy 
as she would be if there were perfect love; and so also 
children who are in dread of either, or both, of their parents 
cannot love them with true filial affection. Each should fear 
to wound or offend the other, and should strive to have that 
perfect love which God is pleased to have all of His 
intelligent creatures exercise. 

LUCIFER-His Previous Job. 

Q451 :1 :: QUESTION (1913) 1 Is there any 
intimation in the Scriptures that Lucifer was given the 
oversight or made the overseer of God's earthly creation or 
Kingdom at Creation? 

ANSWER. --We know of nothing in the Scriptures to 
indicate that Satan was given jurisdiction or authority 
respecting humanity or the earth. 

LUST-Meaning Changed. 

Q451:2:: QUESTION (1905)-2-Whatismeantby the 
word "lust"~"Having escaped the corruption that is in the 
world through lust?" 



ANSWER. --Our word lust has changed its meaning a 
great deal. In the Greek it has a much wider meaning. Today 
it is generally restricted to mean immoral desires, fleshly 
desires. In the original it means any earthly desires, for 
instance, the lust for power. 

MAN~Re Man Christ Jesus. 

Q451:3:: QUESTION (1910)-3-Who are we to 
understand is meant in 1 Tim. 2:5,6, by the words, "man 
Christ Jesus"? 

ANSWER.— I answer that the man Christ Jesus does not 
to my understanding mean the Church. The man Christ Jesus 
who gave himself, to my understanding, points back directly 
to Jesus our Lord when he was a man, and at his baptism he 
there gave himself up and God accepted him there as the 
Mediator between God and the world. Not that he did the 
mediating work there; no, not at all. But he there became the 
Mediator. It is true that he was born to be Mediator when a 
babe, but he was not so recognized then. Only after 
consecration was he recognized of God as a Mediator. This is 
the one whom I delight in. Why? He is to be the great King, 
the great Priest. What will he do as King and Priest? He will 
mediate between God and the world. Will he make a 
successful mediation? O, yes; "Times of refreshing shall 
come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send Jesus 
Christ who before was preached unto you, whom the heavens 
must retain until the times of restitution of all things which 
God hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets." Will 
he always maintain this position of being the man Christ 
Jesus, or will he in some sense of the word share this with the 
Church? I answer that according to the Word of God a Body 
is being gathered from amongst the world, which is the 
Church, and it is to share with him his Kingship and his 
anointing descends on his Body members who are anointed to 
be kings on his throne. As his Body they share also in his 
anointing as the great High Priest, as pictured in Psalm 133, 
where 

{PageQ452} 

we read that the oil was poured upon the head of Aaron, the 
high priest, and it ran down even to the hem of his garment. 
This represents that all the Body of Christ is anointed, and 
they are the Christ, or the Messiah, because they were 
anointed, because the word "anoint" means "Christ." So if, as 
the Apostle says, "Ye have received the anointing," it is 



because you are a member of the anointed one. If anointed to 
be the Mediator, then you are anointed also as Kings and 
Priests that you may participate with him as members of that 
great Mediator which will do his great work between God and 
men during the Millennial Age. 

MANIFEST ATIONS-God Manifest in Flesh. 
Q452:1 :: QUESTION (1915) 1 Are the spirit 
begotten class a manifestation of God in the flesh? 

ANSWER— God was manifested in the flesh of Father 
Adam, because He made man after His own image (Gen. 1:26; 
Gen. 5:1; Gen. 9:6). Man was not made to sin. The 
Bible explains that sin came to mankind through the fall. Sin 
and selfishness coming in warped and twisted our judgments, 
so that now, the Bible declares, "There is none righteous, no, 
not one" (Rom. 3:10). Though God is not a fleshly being, 
yet when He made man in the flesh, in His own image, Adam 
was a manifestation of God in the flesh. And so Jesus, when 
He came into the world, leaving the heavenly, spiritual glory 
which He had with the Father and becoming a man, was a 
manifestation of God in the flesh. 

God is, of course, manifested in all human flesh to some 
extent; but in proportion as the original likeness of God has 
een lost, men are not in God's image—not a manifestation of 
God in the flesh. But if we become New Creatures, by the 
begetting of the Holy Spirit, we have a new mind, as the 
Apostle declares. Our minds are given up to the Lord, our 
wills given up to His will; and by reason of this submission 
of our will to God's will, the Apostle tells us, we gradually 
acquire the spirit of a sound mind. We have not sound 
bodies, but our minds become more and more sound by 
reason of their harmony with God's mind. God's mind is a 
sound mind, and as ours become submissive to His we 
become sound-minded. Whoever is guided by the Lord's 
Spirit has the mind of the Lord, and God will be much more 
manifest in his flesh than before such a one became begotten 
of the Spirit and this new mind had taken control. 

So we see that it is a very reasonable statement to say that 
each Christian, in proportion as he receives the Spirit of the 
Lord, and grows therein, becomes more and more sound in 
his mind. He becomes gradually a copy of God's dear Son, 
and therefore a copy of the Father; for Jesus is the Father's 
express image. The Christian who is growing in the likeness 
of Christ becomes, therefore, more and more a manifestation 
of God in the flesh (2 Tim. 1:7; Heb. 1:3.) 



MANSION-Prepare Place or Disciple for. 

Q452:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-(John 14:2), "In my 
Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so I would 
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." Did Christ 
mean that He would prepare a place for the disciples, or that 
He would prepare them for the place? 

ANSWER— The picture before my mind is this, that our 
Heavenly Father has many different arrangements or parts 

{PageQ453} 

to His plan. There was one order or department of cherubims, 
another of seraphims, and another order or arrangement for 
the angels. As for the earthly arrangement of man, this was 
made for him, but there was no place yet provided in God's 
universe for this New Creation that He intended to develop, 
so our Lord said, "I will go and prepare a place for you." He 
has made it possible for us to enter in with Him, as we read, 
"If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him." If He 
had applied His merit to the Jews under the New Covenant 
then, the blessing would have gone that way, and there would 
have been no place for us at all, but He went to apply same on 
our behalf, and gives us the opportunity of sacrificing with 
Him and of sharing in His high nature. It is true also that he 
is preparing them for the place. 

MANSIONS-Many in Father's House. 

Q453:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-"In my Father's house 
are many mansions." What does this mean? 

ANSWER— Our Father's house, in a large sense of the 
word, signifies the Universe, and the different members of his 
great family. He has one part of his great family on the 
angelic plane, we do not know how many; he has another part 
of his family that are seraphim and cherubim, and we do not 
know much about them. He has other parts of the spiritual 
family that the apostle Paul seems to refer to, but we do not 
know what these distinctions are; it is not revealed; but 
merely that there are different orders or grades of our 
heavenly Father's family on the spirit plane. Besides the 
church is to be on the spirit plane. Then he has also another 
part of his family of the human kind. Now he has made 
provision for all of these different families. He had already 
made provision for the angels; they have their plane, their 
status, their condition, assigned to them. So God has 
provided for mankind; the earth was made for man. But now 
was a new thing; the Lord Jesus came and called a church. 



and that church with himself is to constitute a new creation, 
and there was no place for a new creation; it was to be an 
entirely new creation. So our Master, who was the first-born 
of this new creation, when he ascended up on high left us 
word that if we would be faithful as his members he would go 
before us and prepare a place for us, and he tells us what 
place it will be, that it will be a place in the divine nature. 
Saint Peter says God has given us exceeding great and 
precious promises, that by these—by these promises working 
in us to will and to do God's good pleasure--we might become 
partakers of the divine nature. All who become partakers of 
the divine nature will have that place in the Father's mansion 
that is next to the Father's abode—the Father, the Son, the 
Bride, the Lamb's wife, and then all other orders under those. 

MARAH-Sweetening of the Waters of Marah. 

Q453:2:: QUESTION ( 19 10-Z) -2- What typical 
significance is there in the fact that when the waters of Marah 
were found to be bitter, and the Children of Israel had no 
water to drink, Moses caused a certain tree to be cut down 
and thrust into the stream, and thus sweetened the waters? 
ANSWER— As a result of Adam's sin there was nothing 
permanently refreshing for God's people to partake of. Those 

{PageQ454} 

who desired to be his people, those who left the world behind 
them, found a great deal of unsatisfaction, if we may so 
express it, from the provisions of the law, which brought only 
condemnation. In due time, however, God caused the death 
of our Lord Jesus, and through or by means of his death- 
through the message of the ransom sacrifice-those who drink 
of this fact, this water, will not find that brackish taste. 

We might say that it would not be unreasonable to consider 
that there is a correspondency of this at the present time. 
During the Dark Ages the water of life became very much 
polluted, and, as a consequence, undesirable. When we came 
to the waters of the Lord's Word and found that they were 
brackish and impure, nauseating, not wholesome, the Lord in 
his providence showed us more clearly than we have seen in 
the past the great doctrine of the Ransom, the reason for the 
cutting off of our Lord Jesus in death. Here was the 
manifestation of Divine Love and Mercy. And since we have 
realized this truth; since the truth has come in contact with 
and purified the message of the Dark Ages, we can partake of 
it with refreshment and joy. 



We may not know if this was intended to be a 
correspondency, but we can at least draw some lessons from 
it, the lessons being true whether the matter was intended to 
be thus applied or not. 

MARK~Re Great Company and Little Flock. 

Q454:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--Is there a difference 
between the mark attained by the Great Company and the 
mark attained by the Little Flock? 

ANSWER— The Little Flock has consecrated not only to 
be obedient to all the demands of righteousness and justice, 
but they have agreed with God that they will do his will at 
any cost to themselves, whether justice should demand it of 
them or not. What you must sacrifice is something beyond 
what justice does or could demand. Just so with our Lord 
Jesus. Justice could demand that he keep the law, but Justice 
could not demand that he sacrifice his life. God demands that 
every man keep the law, but never demands that we should 
present our bodies a living sacrifice; it is an invitation. God 
does not invite you to keep His law; he says that if you do not 
keep the law, thus and so will be the result; there is my 
standard. So God sets before you and me this standard, that 
we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, and mind, 
and soul, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. But 
you say. We cannot keep the law. No, we cannot, so far as 
the flesh is concerned, but we can keep it in our minds and 
hearts. We must do so. Anything short of that is to come 
short of the law of God and to find ourselves unworthy of 
having any eternal life. So it must be with the Great 
Company. They cannot come short of this standard of the 
law of God. They have agreed to do more, but they must 
come up to the standard of love. That is the standard for the 
world in general during the next age, which they will be 
obliged to come to. If they do not attain to that during a 
thousand years, they will not attain eternal life at the end of 
the thousand years. Now then, dear friends, don't you think 
the world will be a pretty nice set of people? I think they will 
be fine. When Jesus gets through with the work I tell you it 
will be well done, and humanity will be a 

{PageQ455} 

fine representation of the power of God, and godliness in 
humanity. 



MARK-Falling from and into Great Company. 

Q455:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--Have any of the Truth 
people who have reached the mark of perfect love and 
allowed themselves to be blinded by error any chance of 
coming into the Great Company? 

ANSWER-To my understanding, any of God's people, 
not merely those who are in present truth, but any of God's 
people, who may reach the mark of character development 
that we sometimes designate as the mark of perfect love, it is 
required of them that they shall maintain their standing at that 
mark of perfect love, and not be moved away from it by the 
trials and difficulties that will assault them after they have 
reached that mark; and I would understand some of them 
might temporarily be moved away from the mark, and might 
by the grace of God recover themselves, and still be of those 
characters that the Lord would count worthy of a share in the 
prize. But I could see that some might be so thoroughly 
driven away from the mark into such a wrong condition of 
mind or conduct that they would sin the sin unto death, and 
never have any future. And I could see that some others 
might, after being at the mark of perfect love, fail to have the 
proper zeal, and, without especially leaving the mark, find 
that they might fail to maintain their standing as zealous 
followers of the Lord, and be counted worthy of the Great 
Company class. 

MARK OR RACE COURSE-Finished Before Fighting. 

Q455:2:: QUESTION (1908)--2-Do the Scriptures 
teach that the Church must finish its course before they begin 
to fight as soldiers, or are we not to fight while we are 
running the race to the end, so we may finish with joy? 

ANSWER— There are different Scriptures which seem 
to present different thoughts to our mind. The subject has 
many sides. Just the same as if we were to take a picture of 
this building. We would say. What does that Auditorium at 
Nashville look like? One picture would be from here, and it 
would take in the Confederate Gallery; another from there, 
and another from here. They would be different pictures, but 
all would be pictures of the Auditorium. Then you go out and 
take a front view, and then to the side and take a side view, 
and to the rear and take a rear view. So the Lord and the 
Apostles have given us— God has given us by His Holy Spirit 
through these various channels-various pictures of truth, and 
of our experiences in life. One of them represents us as 
running the race. Now you have got to run for something. 
You do not keep on running forever and then just die the very 



moment you have gotten to the end of the race. While it is 
true the Scriptures do set forth in some places that we keep 
running, and our Christian race in some respects is like a race 
course all the time, in that we must never stop in our endeavor 
to do right, there is another picture, which seems to be a very 
proper one, that we run for a mark. Suppose that table is the 
mark. What do you mean by the mark? Why it is a mark in 
the sense of being something that we must reach. I run for 
that mark. I stop here, half way to the table; suppose I never 
went farther than this; I never reach the mark at all. Now 
there are a good many people I think never reach the mark 

{PageQ456} 

at all. It is important for us to see what the mark is, so that 
when we run we may run wisely and not merely as beating 
the air. It is not how much effort you can put forth, but you 
want to do it for a purpose; there is something to be gained; 
there is something to be grasped. The person running 
aimlessly is like the person running around some road. 
"Where are you going?" "I don't know." He could not run 
very long that way with energy, but if he knew he was to take 
a certain course, and wanted to get back to a certain starting 
point which was fixed, and wanted to see how many minutes 
he could do it in, then he has an object in view, a motive in 
mind, and he can run better. So God sets before us a certain 
mark, and we are to run to that mark. Now when we have 
gotten to the mark, what do we do? Why, having done all, 
stand—stand at the mark; do not run away from it. Is it going 
to be hard to stay there? Yes. There will be a good deal of 
endeavor to put you away from the mark after you get there. 
The Adversary will try harder to put you away from the mark 
than he did in preventing you from getting to it. There is an 
intense fight coming after you get to the mark. There is a 
certain amount of shielding done before you get to the mark, 
but after you get to the mark, that is where you have our 
severest test. Another picture is, "Put on the whole armor of 
God." Where do you get the armor? God's Word. You put 
on this armor, put on the whole armor of God, that you may 
be able to stand. Now while I am putting on the armor, the 
Lord grants me a measure of grace and protection that I shall 
not be assailed before I have had time to put it on; He gives 
me a reasonable time in which to put it on. He will not allow 
me to be attacked beyond that I am able to bear; so I have a 
certain measure of time in which to put it on. Now I have on 
the armor—and what? Now fight. You say, what is the mark 



for which we run? Why this, dear friends. There is a certain 
mark of character which God will accept, and nothing short of 
that character, and if you do not have that character you can 
never be in the kingdom. It is not just anything that God is 
going to take into the kingdom; He has set a certain standard 
and made it favorable for you and me to reach that standard; 
He has promised every assistance, but He expects you and I 
will manifest interest and strive and labor that we may get to 
that standard. What standard is set before us? How little will 
do? No, that is not the thought. We ought to have the desire 
of doing all that we can, and then more; never be satisfied 
with our attainments. But you can readily see that there is 
one standard you cannot be short of and get into the kingdom, 
because God has determined this. You remember that 
positive statement of the Apostle Paul in the eighth chapter of 
Romans that, "God has predestinated" --that is a strong word. 
What did God predestinate? That all of those who will be in 
the little flock must be copies of His Son; if they are not 
copies of His Son, they cannot be in the kingdom. That mark, 
you see, is a copy of God's dear Son. Until you are at that 
mark of being a copy of God's dear Son, God's predestination 
is that you cannot be of the elect; and if you do reach there 
and maintain that stand that you may be one. Now the mark 
is a very important thing, is it not? In our hazy way of 
reading the Bible at one time we did 

{PageQ457} 

not see the mark or anything else; it was a kind of blind way 
of doing. We did not know what God had said. We had not 
paid enough attention to what God had said. We had read the 
catechism and were confused. Now we have come to a time 
where we will see what God says in His Word, and He gives 
us Christ as a pattern, and as an example. Do you mean to 
say that we must all be like Christ? Yes, we must all be like 
Christ. But Christ was perfect; must we all be perfect? I did 
not say like Christ according to the flesh, my dear brother; I 
did not say in what way like Christ, but this is the way: Our 
Lord Jesus was perfect, and you are imperfect, and I am 
imperfect; we can never be like Christ in the flesh; but that is 
not the way in which the Lord is testing us. He says. Ye are 
not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of 
Christ dwelleth in you. He is not judging you according to 
the flesh, but according to the spirit. What about our flesh? 
Why, your flesh is reckoned justified, the merit of Christ has 
been appropriated to you according to the flesh, covering all 



those blemishes and conditions; as between Christ and 
perfection in the flesh and your imperfection in the flesh, the 
merit of His sacrifice is imputed to you and to me to cover 
these blemishes. Don't you see then that reckonedly your 
flesh is perfected, while actually your flesh is imperfect. But 
now then the object of God reckoning us perfect is that we 
may present ourselves living sacrifices. According to the 
divine will no sacrifice might come to the Lord's altar except 
it was without spot and without blemish. Our Lord Jesus was 
the Lamb of God without spot and without blemish, and He 
was the acceptable One. You and I have spots and blemishes 
according to the flesh, and the Lord says you cannot come to 
the altar with those. What must we do? We must get rid of 
them. How? They must all be covered. What will cover 
them for us? The merit of Christ's sacrifice, imputed and 
applied by faith. This covers all those blemishes. Why, 
Brother Russell, are we acceptable to God's altar after that? 
That is exactly the point, dear brethren. That is what the 
Apostle says: "I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of 
God (He having forgiven your sins and provided this covering 
for you) that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, 
acceptable to God, your reasonable service." Holy? Yes, 
holy. What have we done to make us holy? Christ did the 
thing which makes you holy. The word "holy" means "whole 
or complete." Christ's imputed righteousness makes us 
reckonedly whole, complete from sin, and from blemish. So 
then, according to the flesh you are no more, says the 
Apostle, but you are in the spirit, you have ceased to be from 
a human standpoint, you sacrificed that humanity as your 
reasonable service to the Lord; you count yourself henceforth 
as a new creature, begotten through the Holy Spirit. Now this 
newly begotten new creature in Christ Jesus, a member of the 
body of Christ, you see, is a different person from the old, 
and so the Apostle from this standpoint could speak of 
himself as the old "I" and the new "I." He says, I, and yet he 
says, not I. Here is the old and the new. Here is the new Paul 
and the old Paul. The old Paul, according to the flesh, is 
reckoned dead; the new Paul, according to the spirit, is 
reckoned alive. So then, this is our glorious position that we 
as new creatures 

{PageQ458} 

may offer our sacrifice, and as new creatures are acceptable to 
the Lord, and may fight the good fight and may win the 
victory, the Lord helping us all the way through. But as new 



creatures we must get to this stand, we must not stop; as new 
creatures, God tells us there is a mark, a copy of God's dear 
Son. Are you up to the mark? Oh, says someone, I never 
expect to be up to the mark until my dying moment. What 
makes you think you will be any nearer the mark at your 
dying moment than the day before? There is no reason 
whatever. You see, this mark is a mark of character, and you 
and I ought to get to that place in character. How do you 
mean? In this way: What was the character of Christ? In 
what way did He offer a sacrifice? In this way: Lo, I come in 
the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O 
God. Thy law is written in my heart. That is his standpoint- 
full consecration to the Father's will, nothing short of it. And 
must you and I come to that? Yes. Well, what is the Father's 
will? The Father's will is that we should conform, according 
to heart, not according to the flesh necessarily, but the best 
you can do according to the flesh, but according to the heart 
you must keep His will, and His will is, that you shall love 
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, 
and with all thy being, and with all thy strength. Can we 
come to that? I think so. The Lord says so. We can in our 
minds. With my mind I serve the law of God, says the 
Apostle, and with my flesh, to some extent I serve the law of 
sin; but the flesh is reckoned as dead, and the Lord is not 
judging according to the flesh. If we have the mind of Christ 
we will do the best of our ability in the flesh, endeavoring to 
keep it under in harmony with the Lord's will. But we are not 
being judged according to the flesh, but according to the 
spirit, according to the mind, according to the new creature. 
So here we have it, dear friends: With your mind you serve 
the law of God—all your heart, all your mind, all your being, 
and all your strength. If so, you are at the mark. Do you love 
your neighbor as yourself? Yes, you say. I love everybody 
and like to do good to everybody, and glad of it. Then you 
have really come to love the brethren? Yes. And you love 
God? Yes. And you love all mankind? Yes. Don't want to 
do harm to anybody? No. You don't want to do any wrong 
or see any wrong? You love them and would like to see good 
done to them? Yes. Well, I guess you must be at the mark. 
That is what the Lord puts as the mark. That is what Christ 
did. He loved the world and gave Himself for it. He loved 
the Father and laid down His life to do the Father's will. He 
loved the disciples; thus having loved his own. He loved them 
to the end. So that must be our spirit, and as soon as you get 
there, so that you love everybody, and love your enemies, you 
are at the mark. It is harder to love your enemies, but you 



must love your enemies; the Lord said so: "Do good to them 
that despitefully use you." If you have not reached the point 
of loving your enemies, you are not at the mark of the prize, 
because none having a less standard can be of the elect class 
at all. They must be copies of God's dear Son, and that is the 
copy; that is the mark. If you have not gotten there, run and 
get there as quick as you can. Let everything else go in life 
and get to that point. Someone may say, there is just one 
person 

{PageQ459} 

that I cannot love; he is an enemy, and he has spoken such 
and such a thing. Never mind what he said or did; you are 
not living for yourself, are you? You are living for the Lord. 
Now the Lord says. Put away all that evil, and envy, and 
everything else that is wrong in your heart, and get your heart 
to that condition where you will love them, and would like to 
do good to them. That is getting to the mark. After getting 
there, then what shall you do? Then stand. Why, that is 
nothing to stand there, that is easy enough. But wait a little 
while; stand there a little while and see. You will find that 
the Adversary will get at you in various ways, and the Lord 
will allow him to get at you in various ways. He will do 
various things to make you do otherwise than love your 
enemies, and love the Lord, and love the brethren, and the 
world. He will do everything he can to turn your mind from 
the glorious standard of Christ. You will be assaulted in a 
thousand ways, more than you were on the way to the mark, 
because on the way the Lord protected you and said, I will not 
permit you to be tempted more than you are able; but when 
you get up to the mark you were able to stand. Then I will 
allow you to be tempted as much more as you are able. He 
knows how much you are able, and He wants to test you as 
much as you are able because all of those who will be of that 
elect, glorified class must be thoroughly tested and proved, 
and it must be demonstrated that they have loyalty to God and 
to the brethren, and love in all of these high and noble 
respects. 

MARRIAGE~Re Spending Husband's Money. 

Q459:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1--Is a wife privileged to 
use money which is her own, against the wishes of her 
husband? 

ANSWER~If the husband were perfect and fully in 
relationship with the Lord, and the wife the same, then there 



would be no difficulty, and there would be no such question 
here. But that is not the case, and my thought would be this: 
that, according to the laws, and according to the general 
usage, a husband in marrying a wife undertakes to treat her as 
his partner, and he does this without any respect to the 
property which she may have in her own right, unless there be 
some specific declaration or contract to that effect. But if 
there be none, the understanding would be that the man has 
taken the woman to be his companion and become 
responsible for her care, without any respect to property she 
may have. This would mean also that there would be 
reasonable conditions between the husband and wife, and if 
the husband were sick that the wife would not only use means 
if she had any to provide for the family; also if she had no 
family and he as the natural protector was not in condition 
physically, it would be her privilege to lay down her life in 
serving him in any kind of work that was necessary. 

But suppose the question of necessity was out of the way, 
and the husband is abundantly able to provide for both and 
does not need what she may have in her own right. My 
thought is this, that she should consider that she is a steward 
of that money that has come to her individually and 
personally, and that she has a responsibility to the Lord, and 
her husband should co-operate with her. 

MARRIAGE-Propriety of in Believers. 

Q459:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-What is your view in 
regard to the 

{PageQ460} 

propriety of believers in Millennial Dawn assuming the 
marriage relation? 

ANSWER~We have no position to take, dear friends. 
That matter is not for anyone to decide but the individuals 
themselves. I would have no right to say that you should 
marry, nor that you should not marry; that is your business, 
not mine, nor anybody else's business. Millennial Dawn 
merely said what the Apostle Paul said eighteen hundred 
years ago: "He that marries does well, but he who marries 
not does better." Now, if I should talk all night, I do not think 
I could add to what the Apostle said, neither would I have the 
right or the inclination to change it. You and I have no right 
to meddle with their affairs. If they are our children, then we 
have a right to advise. If they are underage, then we have a 
right to tell them that we will guide them until they are of age. 



but when they are of age the parents must not interfere further 
than to advise. Whoever tries to be officious in this matter 
only brings trouble upon himself. Let us leave the matter 
where God leaves it, namely, with themselves. 

MARRIAGE-Does it Constitute the IVIan a Tyrant? 

Q460:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1--Why is the idea so 
prevalent and so inconsistently acted upon by the brethren, as 
well as among the world of mankind, that because a man is 
the head of his house he is necessarily a petty tyrant, 
especially in the matter of the marriage relation? 

ANSWER— I presume that the reason it is frequent is 
because it is frequent; that is all I can say. I think, however, 
that all those who are in Christ have the mind of Christ, which 
seeks to avoid anything like tyranny. Of course, something 
might he called tyranny which is not tyranny. One should 
learn that the power the Lord would have him exercise is the 
power of love. We give you the best advice we can in the 6th 
Volume of Scripture Studies. We disapprove of anything like 
tyranny. There is generally a more excellent way, and that 
way is not tyranny. 

IVIARRIAGE-Honorable in All. 

Q460:2:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-2-At this late date 
what do you think about marriage by those who claim to be 
fully consecrated? I think a timely piece in The Watch Tower 
treating the propriety of marriage would do much good. It 
seems that many do not understand their privilege in 
sacrificing their little all. 

I have certainly enjoyed The Watch Tower, especially of 
late. The expositions on the Great Company and what is 
meant by a full consecration have caused me to make some 
careful self-examinations and more earnest prayers, inquiring 
of the Lord whether or not I have made a full consecration of 
my little all, and am I being faithful in my stewardship. 

Yours in the Lord. 

ANSWER— We quite agree with your sentiments, dear 
brother, that the time is short, that all the consecrated need 
every talent and every moment for the service of the King, to 
demonstrate to him their love and loyalty. We quite agree 
that many marriages have proved disadvantageous spiritually. 
We do not know that all have done so. 

Anyway, we have no option in the matter. The Lord's Word 
clearly declares that marriage is honorable in all. It is not, 
therefore, the province of anybody to forbid marriage, directly 
or indirectly. The most we are privileged to do is 



{PageQ461} 

to call attention to the words of St. Paul, a Divinely inspired 
instructor for the Church, whose admonitions have brought 
blessing to us all many times. He says, "He that marrieth 
doeth well. He that marrieth not doeth better." 

For our part, therefore, we leave the matter in the hands of 
the dear friends, content to point out the Apostle's advice, not 
forgetting that there might be instances in which this general 
rule might not apply. It is for each of the Lord's people to 
decide this matter in harmony with his or her own judgment 
and convictions. "Let us not judge one another, but judge this 
rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother's 
way."--Rom. 14:13. 

MARRIAGE"ln the Resurrection. 

Q461:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11-Z)-1 -Do you gather from 
God's Plan that the present reciprocal love of man and 
woman is to be confirmed by the Lord so as to continue 
forever, both on earth and in heaven? 

ANSWER-We answer. No! Marriage is an 
arrangement that God instituted for a very special purpose, 
and with the human family only. The object of the separation 
of Mother Eve from Father Adam she was formed from one 
of his ribs' was, the Scriptures tell us, that a race might be 
produced. Marriage means merely the union of these two 
recognizing each other as one; and so the Apostle says, "I 
would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; 
and the head of the woman is the man; and the Head of 
Christ is God." 

There is no arrangement in God's Plan to have any of those 
on the spirit plane male and female. According to the 
productions of Art, there are no male angels; but according 
to the Scriptures, there are no female angels. Possibly the 
reason why so many artists have supposed that angels are 
females is that there are more women in the Church than men. 
But the entire idea is erroneous; for angels are an entirely 
separate order of beings from mankind. Man never was an 
angel and never was intended to be an angel. Man is of the 
earth, earthly. He fell from the position of king of the earth 
and became a degraded being; and the Divine intention and 
promise is that when Messiah shall reign humanity shall be 
lifted up from sin and degradation and brought back to human 
perfection.-Acts 3:19-21. 

The only ones who will become spirit-beings, as are the 



angels, are the Church class—those begotten of the Spirit, 
those who in the resurrection will be given a change of 
nature. As the Apostle states, "We shall all be changed," for 
"Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God." 
(1 Cor. 15:51,50.) Therefore the First Resurrection, in which 
the Bride only has part with her Lord, is different from the 
resurrection of the world. Of those who will have part in the 
First Resurrection we read that "they shall be priests unto God 
and shall reign with Christ a thousand years." (Rev. 20:6.) 
Flesh and blood cannot be a part of that Kingdom. Therefore 
they must all be changed. We do not expect that Jesus will be 
changed from spirit to human nature; but that the Church 
must be changed from human to spirit nature, for they "shall 
be like Him and see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2) and share 
His glory and be His Bride. When the Church shall thus be 
changed, all the peculiarities of male and female will be 
obliterated, for there 

{PageQ462} 

is neither male nor female amongst the angels; and the 
Scriptures tell us there will not be in the glorified Church. 
The perfection of spirit being will be one. All will be alike, 
sexless. 

As for mankind: We think the Scriptures clearly indicate 
that Divine provision for mankind will be that they will all be 
sexless when perfection shall have been reached. That is to 
say, at the close of the Millennial Age, all having been 
gradually perfected, each sex will, in their development, have 
taken on more of the qualities of the other; during that Age 
the woman will gradually add to her womanly graces the 
qualities that belong to man; and man will likewise gradually 
take on with his manly qualities the finer sentiments and 
qualities of mind and body that belong to the female. Thus 
man will receive again that which was taken from him 
originally, represented by the rib. So all will then be perfect; 
and they will neither marry nor give in marriage; for all will 
in this respect be "like unto the angels. "--Luke 20:34-36. 

MARRIAGE-ln the Millennium. 

Q462:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 Will there be 
marrying and giving in marriage during the Millennium? 
ANSWER—During the time of the Millennium, during 
that thousand years, the angels will not marry or be given in 
marriage. They never have been married, and they will not be 
then, and the church will not marry or be given in marriage. 



because they will be like unto the angels in that respect, being 
without the sex peculiarity. And as for mankind, the 
Scriptures do not clearly indicate that. They do tell us that 
whosoever shall attain to that age, or to the resurrection from 
the dead, will neither marry or be given in marriage. To 
attain to the resurrection seems to mean progressing until they 
reach the full resurrection. In other words, the resurrection 
does not take place the moment the person is awakened from 
the tomb, but his resurrection is only begun, and every step he 
would take in progress toward full perfection he would be 
having more of a resurrection, until he would be fully 
perfected, and then his resurrection would be complete; he 
would be raised clear up out of sin, imperfection and death. 
Now when they reach that full development, being fully 
raised up, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. 
And as to what will take place during the Millennium, I could 
only give you a guess, because there is no Scripture on the 
subject. My guess would be that this matter would be 
gradually getting less and less. That is only a guess, and I 
make a distinction between my guess and what the Scriptures 
say. 

MARRIAGE SUPPER-When and What is it? 

Q462:2:: QUESTION (1906)--2-What will constitute 
the marriage supper or nuptial feast of the Lamb, to which 
the virgins, the Bride's companions will be invited, and when 
will it take place? 

ANSWER~We answer, this is a picture. There is the 
invitation, the bridegroom coming and going into the 
marriage, the door shut, and the marriage taking place. The 
union between Christ and the Church is thus represented. 
When will it take place? When the last member of the body 
shall have finished his course and has been changed into the 

{PageQ463} 

glory of the Lord, then the marriage will be consummated; 
that is, the union will be consummated. Will they have a 
supper, and sit down with knives and forks and chairs and 
have something to eat? No, not that kind of a supper. We are 
having a feast here at this convention, dear friends, without 
knives or forks. We are having a feast on God's Word and 
truth. Our Lord represents it as a great feast, a great time of 
blessing; we don't know what it is. He gives us some 
pictures drawn from earthly things to give us a suggestion 
merely that there is something grand beyond power to 



describe. Who will be there? We answer the bride of Christ 
will be there, the bridegroom will be there, and the virgins, 
the bride's companions, that follow her, will be there. They 
are represented as a great company. They also, says the 
Prophet, shall be brought near to the presence of the King. 

Thank God the great company is going to be invited to 
share in the marriage supper of the Lamb, to share in the 
glorious blessings and favors of God, which will make their 
hearts rejoice, and compensate them for all their trials and 
difficulties in the present time. 

MARRYING-Forbidding to, and Abstaining from IVIeats 

Q463:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)--1-- "Forbidding to 
marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God 
hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which 
believe and know the truth." Please comment. 

ANSWER—I think it is very nice. Every word of God is 
good. No objection. I never forbid to marry, and if anyone 
thought I did, it is a mistake. I would merely say with the 
Apostle that he that marries does well, and he that marries 
not, does better. And as to the abstaining from meat-judge 
for yourself how much is good for you, and the kind that 
agrees with you best. 

lUJARY-Wliy lUlore Honor not Shown Her. 

Q463:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-Why in the meetings 
of your classes do not the members show more honor to the 
mother of our Lord? A woman whom God honored so highly? 

ANSWER— It would seem to me that none of God's 
people would wish to show any indignity toward Mary, the 
mother of Jesus. If they did, I would think they were making 
a very great mistake. It might be, however, that some 
unconsciously would seem to cast discredit-not that they 
mean to do so— but seeing that our Catholic friends make 
Mary out to be nearly as great as her Son, therefore the 
natural revulsion comes in, and the natural inclination to take 
the other side of the matter, and to say that she was not, and 
that she was not immaculate, etc. So that is the only way I 
could account for anything that would seem like a lack of 
proper honor to Mary, the mother of Jesus. I believe that all 
Christians should honor Mary very highly. I am sure I honor 
her very highly. I think that God honors her very highly, and 
everyone whom God honors I wish to honor, be it man or 
woman. So in the case of Mary, I am very glad to honor her. 
She must have been a very fine, noble woman, else the Lord 
never would have used her. But we would not subscribe to 



the Catholic theory that she was born immaculate, that she 
was born without sin. If so she would have been a perfect 
woman. I suppose the Catholics claim this in order to account 
for Jesus being born perfect; they think 

{PageQ464} 

his mother would need be perfect. In that they have 
overlooked a principle of nature. In the first place she could 
not be born perfect because she did not have the perfect life to 
begin with, for her father was not perfect. Secondly she 
could not be immaculate. In the case of Jesus, he could be 
born perfect, because his Father, the one from whom his life 
came, was pure. This Holy power of God that came upon her 
was the means by which the child was given life, personality, 
soul. Here we have sharply defined before our minds, then, 
the fact that the father is the life-giver, and the mother is the 
life-nourisher. All that Mary had to do with our Lord was to 
provide the necessary nutriment by which he would be 
sustained and brought to birth; that was her part, and God 
chose a good woman, no doubt. 

MATERIALIZATION-Evil Spirits Re Saints. 

Q464:1:: QUESTION (1909)--1--Devils being evil 
spirits, is it possible for them to appear in the Church in flesh 
as teachers and deceive the Saints? 

ANSWER~We answer that the tract on this subject will 
be better than we can give in a few minutes. However, we 
will say briefly that the evil spirits which were condemned at 
the time of the flood, of whom Peter refers when he speaks of 
the "spirits in prison," in the sense that they are restrained of 
the privileges they once enjoyed—they have not been 
permitted to materialize since the flood. The Scriptures say 
that they were restrained in chains of darkness UNTIL the 
judgment of the great day. That word "until" seems to imply 
that when we reach that time, then the restrictions are broken. 

Our thought is not that God will release them from their 
restraints, but that God will permit them to deceive 
themselves in that they have found a different way of 
materializing aside from Him, and this is what the spiritualists 
claim. I don't know anything about it, however, and I leave 
them alone~I would not go to one of their seances for any 
amount of money. 

Are you afraid? 

No, I am not afraid of them, but I am afraid of the Lord. 
My reverence for the Lord would say that I should have 



nothing to do with them. I believe that those who put 
themselves in the way of their seances, materializations and 
manifestations, are running a great risk. 

I want to say that I am not accusing the mediums of being in 
league with the spirits, because some, so far as I know, are 
genuine mediums, doing a genuine work and think they 
are communicating with the spirits of dead human beings. I 
mean that to them their work seems to be genuine. The 
evil spirits palm themselves off for the spirits of dead ones 
and thus deceive mankind, and so it is that the theory is kept 
alive that, when a man is dead he is more alive than ever. The 
whole heathen world is under their dominion. So Paul says 
that they that worship these worship demons and not God. 
Then he spoke of some of the doctrines of devils. All of these 
are pernicious to the Church, and they take pleasure in 
deceiving God's people. Our expectation is that they will 
think they have broken over the restraints that God put upon 
them in the days of the flood, and then with this thought that 
they have found a way of getting around God, they will 
materialize as they did in the days of the flood. Our 
spiritualistic friends, not that I am 

{PageQ465} 

friendly with them, but the people who are deluded by 
spiritualists are all my friends, and all who are under the 
delusion are my friends, and those that are not under the 
delusion are still more my friends—our spiritualistic friends 
expect this power to grow and that they will materialize and 
walk the streets, and it will not surprise me if they get that 
power. They are bound by the chains of darkness until that 
time, then God will wink at this, partly to test them to see 
whether all these centuries of experience, in which they have 
seen the origin of sin, and have had a glimpse of God and 
righteousness, have taught them the needed lesson. He 
will allow them to do this, to think that they are 
circumventing His plan, also that they may have a part in 
bringing the great time of trouble in with which this world or 
age will end. 

Will they appear in fleshly bodies in the Church as teachers 
to deceive the saints? The Lord said—and it is so much better 
to have what the Lord said than anything that Brother Russell 
might say— if it were possible, they would deceive the very 
elect, the Saints. That would imply that it will not be 
possible, but that it will be possible to deceive everybody 
else than the Saints; hence the importance of being Saints 



and of keeping very near to the Lord. 

MEDIATOR-For Sheep or Goats? 

Q465:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1--It has been said that 
the sheep class in the Millennial age will need no 
mediator—only the goats. 

ANSWER— I would not agree to that proposition. The 
Scriptures put the whole world under the Mediator. Every 
person except the Body of the Mediator himself is included in 
this. The Mediator comes to stand between these. During all 
the Millennial age they will all be under that Mediator. There 
will be no communication between God and the world until 
the end of the Millennial age. The world will be justified by 
their works— actually. The Church is in a different condition. 
When Christ's Millennial Kingdom is established He will deal 
with all the world and bring them up, up by resurrection and 
restitution-up to all that Adam had- to all that Adam lost, and 
in that perfect condition they will be prepared to be delivered 
over to the Father. During the Millennial age He will not 
deliver them over to the Father for the Father appointed Him 
to be their Judge, to be their King, to be their Mediator-and 
everything centers in this, for Christ and the Church are one. 
It will mean to the world justification. Justification means to 
make right— to make just. What was Adam at the beginning? 
He was a just man. When he sinned he became unjust, he 
became imperfect, he became fallen. Justification means to 
be lifted up to that place of perfection where all will be 
obedient. This is what Christ will do for all the world. They 
will be justified every man according to his works. So then 
the whole world at the end of the Millennial age will be in 
that condition where they may be delivered to the Father. If 
any man now would be delivered to the Father it would mean 
his destruction, but when the world shall be brought up by the 
Mediator and turned over to the Father perfect they will need 
no Mediator because they will be actually just-not merely 
reckonedly. So you see that during the Millennial age not 
only the goats will need a mediator, the sheep will need 

{PageQ466} 

a mediator also. It was because God saw that some of the 
world would be sheep that He made this arrangement. The 
goat class that will be destroyed will be the ones that will not 
profit by the arrangement. As we have been taught, the 
world, neither sheep nor goats, will have any dealings with 
the Father— only at the end of the age will they have any 



dealings with the Father. 

MEDIATOR-Vs. Advocate. 

Q466:1:: QUESTION ( 1909)--! --Mediator and Advocate--In 
what way are they alike~in what ways do they differ? 

ANSWER-The word "mediator" in our English 
language might be used and often is used in our common 
conversation in a different way from what it is used in the 
Bible. That is, you might sometimes say, "I occupy a position 
as a kind of mediator in our home. That is, all difficulties are 
settled through me." This is one way of using the word but it 
is not the scriptural way. In the Scriptures every use of the 
word "mediator", is in connection with a covenant. I have not 
always used it so in the past. I have used it in a loose way not 
noticing that the Bible always uses the word in connection 
with a covenant. Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant. 
So hereafter I will use it in that restricted sense. If you find I 
have written anything else you will know it is a slip and not 
intentional. A mediator stands between two parties to see that 
justice is done to both parties. Suppose you and I were to 
build a house. You agree to build it for $15,000, terms and 
conditions laid down. It is usual in such a case to have a 
"mediator," and the "mediator" in such a contract is usually 
termed an architect. Then we have an architect—a mediator— 
who draws up the plans and the terms and you agree to take 
these specifications. Again, in any business transaction, if 
you make a note for some reason, there is a contract given. 
You agree to bind yourself by that. Now that is a covenant or 
contract between us. Where is the mediator? The law. In 
every such case where two parties are concerned the mediator 
sees that everything is right. Christ has redeemed the world 
and He is to be a Mediator in the matter of dispensing certain 
blessings. Jehovah agrees to take and accept these people of 
the world through this Mediator. Christ agrees to bring the 
world up to perfection-He stands between God and them. He 
represents them to God. He can stand between them and 
Jehovah and give them all the assistance by virtue of the 
sacrifice He has already made. He carries out the provisions 
of the New Covenant to the world, assuring the world and 
giving God assurance, and in the end of the age will turn them 
over to the Father perfect-restored to the perfection lost in 
Adam. An advocate is your attorney— he is not the other 
man's attorney-he is never for any side but your side. He has 
the right to go into court because he is a member of the court. 
You cannot go in any time to court, but you must have an 
attorney to appear there for you. You are at liberty and in 



good standing— you are not condemned by the court, but you 
must get a lawyer thoroughly conversant with our laws—you 
must have an attorney. An attorney is not a mediator, but 
your representative before the court. So the Church has an 
advocate with the Father. "If any man sin we have an 
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 

{PageQ467} 

What will he say for us? He will represent to the Father that 
we have imperfections but He knows our hearts are right and 
this would be a proper case for leniency. We have 
forgiveness of sin through faith in His blood. 

MEDIATOR-Re Glorified Christ. 

Q467:1:: QUESTION (1909)-l-Upon what Scripture 
do you claim that the glorified Christ with all power in His 
hands will be the "man" the Mediator? 

ANSWER— We do not claim that ever a man was the 
mediator; we claim that the Mediator is the New Creature, 
the glorified Christ, that Jesus as a man could not be the 
Mediator, He had to lay down His manhood as a sacrifice for 
sin, before He would have a right to use His blood or merit, to 
seal the New Covenant, and there could not be a New 
Covenant without this sealing, neither could there be a 
Mediator, and so necessarily the Mediator must be the risen 
Lord. So the Church in the flesh is not the Mediator of the 
New Covenant. After both the Head and the Body shall have 
passed beyond the vail, then on the spirit plane, all the merit 
of course centralizing in the Head, they with him will be the 
Mediator. Just the same as when I am looking at your face, I 
am not addressing your hands, and I am not looking at your 
feet and I am not addressing them, neither your head without 
a body, but I address your head, and when I do, I include your 
body. So, the Lord Jesus is the Head and He will have a 
body, which He is now preparing during this gospel age, and 
that whole body will be with Him as Mediator during the 
Millennial Age, and then will be the mediatorial kingdom. 
There can be no mediatorial work between God and men until 
the Body of the Christ is complete and the mediatorial 
kingdom begins, and it will last through all of the thousand 
years, then the mediatorial kingdom will be at an end, 
because then Christ, not merely Jesus the Head, but also the 
Church His Body, will deliver up the Kingdom to the Father. 



MEDIATOR~Re the Man Christ Jesus. 

Q467:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-"One Mediator between God 
and man, the man Christ Jesus." Please explain further your 
thought expressed of Christ the New Creature in connection with 
this statement, the man Christ Jesus, mediator. 

ANSWER— The Apostle's words were. There is one 
mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who 
gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. 
Jesus is this mediator; not that He has yet done the mediating 
work; He is the one who purposes to do the work, just the 
same as if, for instance. President Wilson were here, but the 
time had not yet come for his inauguration, and if he were 
known to be elected, then we could speak of him and say, Mr. 
Wilson, who is the president. Some one might say he is not 
yet inaugurated, he is not president, but he is president-elect; 
he is the one already voted for; there is no question about it, 
he is the president-to-be. So in the case of Jesus, the Apostle 
points back to Jesus and says the man Christ Jesus gave 
Himself, He is the one who is to be the Mediator, He is the 
Mediator, He has begun His work as Mediator, because His 
first work as Mediator is to kill His sacrifices, and there He 
had already done this work as respects His own sacrifice, and 
for 1,800 years He has been killing the sacrifices of the goat 
which represented His 

{PageQ468} 

Church; and this work of killing the goat class, the members 
of His Body, he has been doing for all these 1,800 years, and 
He is all of this time a Mediator, the Mediator who is killing 
His sacrifices, and it is not until He shall have finished all of 
this work of killing the "better sacrifices" that He will have 
the blood of atonement which will be used as the sealing 
power for that New Covenant. It is the New Creature that is 
attending to all of these sacrifices, Jesus and the Body of 
Jesus in the flesh. When He shall have finished the work of 
sacrifice, then He will take off the robes of sacrifice and will 
put on His glorious garments as the priest did the garments of 
glory and beauty. Then He shall have accomplished the 
whole work and be ready to bless the whole people, and all 
the families of the earth will be blessed by that great Mediator 
standing between God and men. 

MEDIATOR-Who? 

Q468:1:: QUESTION (1916)-l-Please explain 1 Tim. 2:5-6, 
Who is the mediator? 



ANSWER—I presume, dear friends, it is not the thought 
that I should take this text up in detail, for that would take all 
the remainder of our time for this one text. It is very 
thoroughly treated in the 5th Vol. We must therefore be brief 
to give proper share to the other questions. "There is one 
mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who 
gave himself." This points out Jesus, the individual, and at 
the time he gave himself he was the only one. There were no 
members of his body. He gave himself a ransom for all. That 
ransom work is the foundation of everything. That first work 
Jesus did alone, and you and I have nothing whatever to do 
with giving this ransom price, because this was a perfect 
man's life given in exchange for a perfect man and you and I 
are all members of the first man and condemned because of 
him, and could not give a ransom for our brother in any sense 
of the word. Jesus has not yet become the mediator. He will 
not be the mediator till the time the New Covenant is ushered 
in. Yet in another sense he is the mediator, just as when he 
was born a child at Bethlehem, "For this purpose came I into 
the world" but he had not taken a kingdom as a child and had 
not a right to become a king till he came to maturity and gave 
himself in consecration, and not then till fulfilling his 
consecration at death. Yet prophetically he is spoken of as 
king as a child, and just so as the mediator. He is to be the 
mediator of the New Covenant. Before Jesus came God said 
He would make a new Covenant: Jer. 31:31. The Lord said 
to the Jews, "Behold the days come when I will make a New 
Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah--I 
will put in them a new heart and take away the stony heart. 
All that is to be the work of the New Covenant and it is to 
have the beginning with the house of Israel and the house of 
Judah and extending to all the families of the earth. The 
house of Israel and the house of Judah are out of favor with 
God at the present time. 

The special New Covenant referred to by the Lord, "Gather 
together my saints unto me saith the Lord, those who have 
made a covenant with me by sacrifice," this Covenant of 
sacrifice is what is counting now. Jesus was the first one of 
these saints to consecrate and deliver up His life in obedience 
to the Father's will. He opened up the way so you and I might 
offer our bodies sacrifices acceptable to 

{PageQ469} 

Him. This is the work of the present time, and all this 
company will be members of the great mediator—one 



mediator. The body is not complete yet. Only Jesus had 
passed beyond the veil. He was the head. God raised up 
Jesus first and He is raising up us also by Jesus; so the whole 
Church of Christ is being raised up. "A prophet shall the 
Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto 
me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say 
unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul which 
will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the 
people." That great prophet we see to be the great mediator 
of the Millennial Age. The New Covenant between God and 
man, the world of mankind. Jesus was the first raised up. At 
the time the Apostle wrote those words Jesus was the only 
one. Now the members of the body of Christ Jesus are being 
raised up to the head. We hope to be members of the Christ 
in glory; then the mediator will be complete and the work of 
the mediator will begin. 

MEEKNESS-Vs. Humility. 

Q469:1 :: QUESTION (1913)--l--What is the difference 
between meekness and humility? 

ANSWER-To be meek is to be teachable. To be 
humble is to be not proud. Now a man might be a great 
teacher, might be learned, might be very meek; so that any 
person might be able to come to him and say. Here is a matter 
I have, look at this, and if he is sufficiently meek he would 
say, I would be pleased to look at it, and if he was not he 
would say. The idea of you coming to me! I am Professor So- 
and-So. You have met such people sometimes, noble 
characters, that were very meek and teachable, ready to learn, 
always after the truth; they say, I don't know everything, and 
I may learn from a child. Any wise man may learn something 
from a child. But anyone who is not meek finds it difficult to 
learn anywhere. Therefore, Blessed are the meek; they will 
have more of God's blessings; they are not too proud to learn. 
Now to be humble is to take your honors, or your knowledge, 
or whatever it may be, and to wear these in a humble manner, 
not boastful, not parading in some way, not strutting about 
like a peacock, showing all your bright feathers. A turkey 
gobbler is not humble; he is proud. 

MEETINGS-Pilgrim Meetings, Advertising, etc. 

Q469:2:: QUESTION (1907)-2-What would you 
advise in regard to the Pilgrim meetings? Would it be 
advisable to spend much money for advertising and for hall 
rent at this period of the harvest? Or would it be better to 
give the service more especially to the interests of those 



already in the faith? To what extent should the Pilgrim direct 
in this matter? 

ANSWER—I would answer, dear friends, that my 
thought would be, answering the last question first, the 
Pilgrim should not attempt to direct in the matter at all. That 
is not the Pilgrim's business. We do most of the directing of 
the matter from the Watch Tower office. Pilgrims are 
supposed to be carrying out an outline of policy that is there 
laid down, and their acceptance on the Pilgrim staff implies 
that they are pleased to do so. It does not imply bondage, but 
implies the taking up the staff under those conditions, and 
implies they are pleased with and recognize the regulations 
there made as being under divine supervision. So I 

{PageQ470} 

would say that the Pilgrim would have nothing whatever to do 
with that matter. I am not aware that the Pilgrims do, but if 
any of them have done so, I suppose it was done 
inadvertently. 

Now, as to what extent it is advisable to advertise, I would 
say this: We prefer to leave that in the hands of the friends 
themselves. Do as much advertising, or as little advertising 
for these pilgrim visits as you choose. Consider that a part of 
your stewardship; that is what you are to attend to. The 
Society attends to another part, that of sending the Pilgrim, 
seeing to his expenses, etc., and the Pilgrim attends to another 
part. If each of these do their part, everything will be done 
right. So you see that leaves the responsibility with each 
party to do what he believes, according to his own judgment, 
will be the Lord's will. 

Our advice would be that there be not very many public 
meetings, because the special object of these visits of the 
Pilgrim is, to minister to the household of faith, and the public 
ministrations are not always the most beneficial thing for the 
household of faith itself. So we always urge that if there be 
both public and private meetings, the public meetings be not 
allowed to take all the time, but rather be at least half or more 
than half given to the matters that are of special interest to the 
household of faith. 

MEETINGS"Re Small Classes. 

Q470:1:: QUESTION (1909)--l--Would you advise that a class 
of three or four have Berean Studies or Dawn lessons? 
ANSWER--Well, I think it proper to have both. We 
have many opportunities and need not confine ourselves to 



one. The Berean lessons would, perhaps, be better for the 
more public meetings, and might be a little more orderly, and 
then you could have the Dawn Studies for the evenings. 

I would advise in this connection that none forget the prayer 
and testimony meetings, for they are amongst the most 
profitable meetings that the Church enjoys. In the proportion 
that they are prosperous, we can generally see that the spiritual 
condition of that class is good, and therefore as far as 
possible, don't forget the prayer and testimony meetings, but 
do not make the mistake of having the testimonies along the 
line of things which occurred years ago. We suggest that you 
have a subject for each week, and have the testimonies as far 
as possible along the line of the subject. In some places, they 
use the weekly sermons as a basis for the prayer and 
testimony meetings, and they try to see that their testimonies 
bear along the same line, and thus having it in mind during 
the week, they will look for some experience in harmony with 
that subject. In the New York church, they take for their 
weekly prayer and testimony subject, the Sunday afternoon 
discourse, and then they watch their experiences, Sunday, 
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday—four days—along that line. 
If it is on patience, for instance, then they will note to what 
extent they have cultivated patience, and they generally find 
that there has been some experience during that time. Then 
after Wednesday meeting, they have the same thought in 
mind until the next Sunday, thus always having it fresh in 
their minds. There is an advantage in that, which is to bring 
us all up to date, and I think you will all find this in your 
experience that you drifted and hardly knew that you were 
drifting, so far 

{PageQ471} 

as Christian experience is concerned, but now today, we want 
to have some Christian experience, it is practically a day lost. 
So, you see that, by looking for these experiences, we find 
that for which we look. If you do not have something of the 
kind before the mind, you will not have such an experience, 
and you will scarcely know how the Lord has cared for you, 
or what experiences you have had. We have found these very 
profitable. 

MEETINGS-Order of. 

Q471 :1 :: QUESTION (1910)-l-In what order would 
you suggest that a class which has two meetings on Sunday 
and two during the rest of the week, making four meetings in 



all in the seven days, hold the meetings, and what line of 
studies and in what quantity would you suggest to them? 
ANSWER--My advice would be that the middle of the 
week would be a good time to have the testimony meeting,-- 
meeting for praise. Christian fellowship, and getting near to 
each other. It is not merely testimony, but it is the 
sympathetic union of hearts that is obtained at such meetings, 
it should be remembered. Then I should think that such 
Berean studies as we have suggested would be all right. Then 
it would depend on the material in the class, and so forth, 
whether it would be best to have an attempt at a public 
discourse or not. In some cases that would be just the proper 
thing, and in other cases I think it would be very unwise. I 
think we should recognize there is such a thing as natural 
qualification for teaching, and that only those who are apt to 
teach should be put to teaching; that any one who has not an 
aptitude for it had best not attempt to teach, but to fall in 
line more with something like a Berean study. Even there it 
requires a great deal of teaching ability, and the leader needs 
to study how to bring out the class. I do not think it would be 
proper for me to enter into and give advice with any great 
particularity respecting the character of these meetings, more 
than I should think a testimony meeting is good for one 
meeting a week. Some of the Berean studies are also good in 
the way that the classes find to be most to their spiritual 
advantage, and the class should be invited to express 
themselves, and if necessary to test the different ways so as to 
find which is to them the most interesting and most profitable. 
And especially I advise the elders and deacons not to try to run 
the class and to rule over it, but to assist the class and to 
help it in the way in which the Spirit of the Lord seems to lead. 

MEETINGS-Re Testimony Meetings. 

Q471:2:: QUESTION ( 19 10)--2-In reference to that 
first meeting you recommend. In going from place to place, 
find that the brethren hardly understand it. They take a 
subject and discuss that subject for a testimony meeting. Is 
that the proper thought, or what is the thought? 

ANSWER—About a testimony meeting—what is a 
testimony meeting? Our suggestion to the friends at 
Allegheny, for instance, at that same meeting I referred to 
before, was, that they would have in mind the Sunday 
afternoon discourse as being kind of a seed thought for the 
week; that when they would come together on Wednesday 
evening for the testimony meeting, they might have as much 
experience as possible circulating round the text of Sunday 



afternoon, 

{PageQ472} 

so as to get all the benefit of what they heard on Sunday—all 
their own experiences interweaving with that subject, so it 
would be very thoroughly before their minds by Wednesday 
night. And when they would meet on Wednesday night, 
whatever incidents or experiences of life they had, whether 
with the grocer or butcher, or what not, in their business or 
in their private study, whatever would be interesting along the 
lines of the subject of the Sunday afternoon discourse, that 
would be the testimony they give as a part of their Christian 
experience; and if they had no experience that interlaced with 
the Sunday afternoon subject, then they could give whatever 
they did have; but preferably if it were related to the Sunday 
afternoon subject, so that subject might be impressed on the 
heart and stay there forever. Then after the Wednesday 
evening meeting the same thoughts could be continued in 
mind up to the next Sunday, thus getting the benefit of the 
whole week's concentration of thought, and getting it 
thoroughly masticated, and digested, as it were. And that is 
the way they found it profitable. Not merely taking up the 
subject and discussing it--that is not a testimony meeting at 
all. A testimony is telling of one's own experiences in 
connection with some subject. 

MEETINGS-Method of Conducting When Brothers Are Not Present. 

Q472:1:: QUESTION ( 19 10)- 1 -In case of a small class, 
where there is no brother to officiate, what is the method to 
pursue in teaching the Berean studies or Tabernacle studies— where 
there is no brother at the head of the class? 

ANSWER-What do you mean by that, no brother at the 
head of the class? 

The Brother.-That there is no brother in the class, just a 
class of sisters? 

ANSWER-I think they should do without a brother. I 
have already suggested in the sixth volume, brother, in 
answer to a question like this, that if they like they can 
consider the author of the volume as being present with them, 
as represented in that volume. 

QUESTION —2— Would it be proper for some sister to 
ask the question? 

ANSWER— Surely. The only point about the sisters is 
this: It does not say a sister might not instruct sisters, but 
Paul said, "I suffer not a woman to teach, or usurp authority 



over a man." It does not say she may not teach children and 
sisters, but the Apostle is saying that when men and women 
are in the Church of Christ, side by side, it is an impropriety 
and out of harmony with the type and picture that Christ is the 
head, represented in the men, and the Church is the body, 
represented in the women; and that it would be improper for 
the woman to teach, as implying the Church was teaching 
Christ. And so he has outlined this as being the divine will 
and we are following that. But for the sister to put the 
question and to open the meeting and engage in prayer, it 
certainly is entirely proper. 

MEETINGS"Re Visiting Brethren Addressing Them. 

Q472:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-Should a visiting 
brother be asked to address a class when he comes? 

ANSWER--My thought would be that it might not be 
best to invite a visiting brother other than those accredited by 
the society as pilgrims, or specially introduced to the class, 

{PageQ473} 

because it would establish a sort of a precedent. And, 
secondly, that the elder is not put in that position to determine 
who shall lead the class, but merely that he himself was 
appointed to lead the class, unless he feels very sure that the 
congregation would like to have such a brother; then he 
ought to sink all personality and he should ask the class 
whether or not they would like to hear from such a brother at 
such a time. I think that would put the responsibility for the 
matter in the hands of the class and relieve any strained 
relationship there might be, and save the class sometimes 
from getting into trouble. Because if it were the custom that 
any visiting brother should always have the preference, then it 
might be disadvantageous, for the class has not elected that 
visiting brother, but the one that was elected, therefore the 
class should be the one to say whether or not any one else 
should be the one to address it,--unless it has given some 
special liberty to the leader. 

IVJEETINGS-Re Others Than Elders Leading Meetings. 

Q473:1:: QUESTION (1910)--l--Would you advise that 
different brethren of the class do some leading, aside 
from the elders? 

ANSWER--It would be the class that should decide. 
That matter is to be left with the class. Now, if the class only 
selects one elder, then that is the class's responsibility; that 



means that the class did not find others whom they thought 
were qualified to be elders. For that elder in turn to say that 
he knew better than the class, and to appoint somebody else, 
would be discounting the judgment of the class, for the class 
said it did not find anybody else fit to be an elder. It said that 
when only electing the one elder. But if the class said we will 
only elect the one elder but we wish that elder to use his 
judgment and bring forward some of the other brethren of the 
congregation and to use them in different ways, or invite them 
to serve in a different capacity, then the congregation has 
turned that much responsibility over upon the elder and he 
may use just what the congregation gives him and no more. It 
would be the proper thing, however, for the congregation in 
that case to elect the others to be deacons and then say to the 
elder brother of the congregation, please consider that these 
deacons are to be brought forward as you are able, for in 
electing them as deacons we thought we saw qualifications 
that are calculated to bring them forward, perhaps by and by 
to some still more important service of the Church. And Saint 
Paul says they that use the office of a deacon faithfully 
purchase to themselves a good reward; that is to say, in being 
faithful as deacons or as servants in watching out and serving, 
whether it be the luncheon or something else, they are 
showing the proper spirit for service in the Church, and 
thereby they are showing that they might be trusted with some 
other service. But if any deacon is ashamed to serve the 
congregation in passing fruit, or milk, or something else at a 
luncheon, he is not suitable for a deacon, and he would be 
unsafe to be an elder. 

MEETINGS-Most Important for a Small Class. 

Q473:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-May I ask you which 
you consider the most important meeting for a little ecclesia 
that is just starting? 

ANSWER—What would we consider the most important 
meeting for a little class of Bible students just beginning? 

{PageQ474} 

I would think, brethren, one of the most important meetings 
would be a prayer and testimony meeting once a week. I 
know that will not strike all the dear friends, but I will tell 
you what our experience was at Pittsburgh, that you may have 
the benefit of that. Some thirty years ago, or twenty years 
ago at least, I saw the apparent need of the Church for more 
of spirituality and I saw that there was a greater disposition to 



eat strong meat than to take some of the nourishment of the 
other kind, and I suggested to them that I thought it would be 
very advisable if they would set apart one night in each week- 
-Wednesday evening I suggested--as being a proper night for 
a praise, prayer, and especially a testimony, meeting; I 
suggested that the testimony be not as we have been in the 
habit of having perhaps in previous times when we were in 
the various denominations, but that the testimony be fresh, up 
to date, the experiences of the week—not the experiences of 
the past. What experiences have we had during this week? 
What effect has the Sunday text had in our lives? To what 
extent have we been able to put it into practice? What 
experiences that stand related to it—either failures or 
successes— have we had? The dear friends, I could see, were 
not very anxious for it; they doubted that to be the best kind 
of a meeting; they were afraid it would be very stale and 
monotonous, and they would say everything one week and 
would have to repeat the same thing the next week. They did 
not see the point you see— keeping it a fresh, up-to-date, 
testimony meeting, but through appreciation of your servant, 
the speaker, they voted as I suggested, that we would have it 
for a while, or for three months at least, and we would have 
nothing else than the testimony meeting every Wednesday 
night, and at the end of that time we would have a vote as to 
whether we wished this continued. The result was this: 
When we came to take a vote, they had come to love the 
meeting considerably but still they were not any too 
enthusiastic, but when a year had gone by they were very 
anxious, and now I am sure that very many of the dear friends 
of the Pittsburgh class would tell you that if any meetings in 
the whole week had to be dropped out, they would rather hold 
on to the testimony meeting and lose all the others rather than 
that one, so helpful did they find it. I believe that is the 
experience of many others, and I know that it is contrary to 
what many of you would be inclined to think at first. But I 
believe you will find it so; that there is a kind of spiritual 
feast which we get through communications one with another 
in testimony meetings, if they are up-to-date, and the leader 
may make it interesting by bringing out the question and 
letting each one have his turn-beginning at one end, for 
instance, and giving each one present an opportunity to 
testify; that they all get to appreciate it and it brings a great 
blessing to all of their hearts. 

Now, secondly, my thought is that the next most important 
meeting would be something in the nature of a Berean study. 
Why? Because there we have questions brought out that if 



there is a good leader will be very interesting to the class. 
Now that is all a leader is for. The class might get along 
without a leader unless he has some aptitude in the matter of 
bringing out things, and a leader that does all the talking is 
not the successful leader, but it is the 

{PageQ475} 

leader that can get the others to talking; and there is the 
danger of his feeling he is not talking enough, and that he 
must do more talking. Well, that is a little ambition; a little 
pride perhaps is there; now he should sink all individuality, 
and all pride and ambition, in his desire to do good to the 
flock; and whoever succeeds in getting all of the Church 
enthused and interested in the questions and getting them all 
brought out, so they will get a thorough understanding of the 
questions and of the answers, and after he has had the 
expressions on the question from the class, then sum up the 
answers, or have them read from the book, or whatever way is 
found to be the better one--that is the successful leader, and 
that will be a successful class, because they will come to 
understand the subjects and to appreciate them. But it is 
another matter altogether if you do not have a proper leader. 
If he wants to talk all the time, or does not know how to draw 
out the class, he is not a proper leader for such a meeting. 
That is the part to be studied. If any of us have been 
unsuccessful in the past, let us study how to interest people, 
to put the question this way, and that way, and to get them 
interested, and not to brow-beat them. I know there are some 
who take the other way and say, "Well you do not understand 
your lesson at all, you have not studied this lesson." They are 
not there as children to be brow -beaten; they are there as 
brothers and sisters of the Lord; they come there and want to 
he helped maybe; some of them have not had a sufficiency of 
time to study. Let them feel that by the next meeting they 
want to know something about the answers to the questions, 
so they will be prepared, and not have to say "I don't know." 
You see there is a different way of getting at the matter. Now 
it is for the leader of a meeting to study as the Apostle says, 
"Study to show thyself approved" -as a leader. Paul was not 
writing to all the class, he was writing to a leader, Timothy. 
"Study to show thyself approved, a workman that needeth not 
to be ashamed"~bring the matter out properly, rightly 
divided, and not only rightly divide the word, but also in 
respect to the lesson, bringing everything out. All of that 
goes in, you see, as part of a leader's proper course. And it is 



for him to study this and see how best he can get at it, how he 
can enter sympathetically with all the class into the whole 
question, and not stand aloof from them and treat them as if 
they were lower but as brethren. You will find that those who 
go right in as one of the brethren have the most influence with 
the flock. That is what you are. Are we not all sheep? 
Certainly. We are not merely shepherds, doing a shepherding 
work, but we also belong to the sheep. The fact that the Lord 
has given us the privilege of speaking for him, as his 
representatives in the flock, does not alter the fact that we are 
still sheep. We are not lords over the flock, nor over the 
heritage. We are still sheep and want to still continue to have 
the sheep-like nature, and to manifest it. So then I would 
think that the second meeting in importance would be a 
Berean study. Now the Berean studies, you know, can be of 
different kinds. As, for instance, we are running a series of 
Berean studies in the Watch Tower, a number of questions 
each Sunday. I find that a good many of the classes are not 
keeping up with the lesson. I think they are making a 
mistake. Some of them have said to me, "Well, we are away 
back. Brother Russell, 

{PageQ476} 

in the fifth volume, we were back in some other volume. 
Then we caught on and we have been going along keeping 
about a mile behind." That is their business; I am not going 
to find fault; it is not within my province to do so; it is for the 
class; if that is what they want, God bless them, let them have 
it; but my advice would be that they keep up with the 
procession. There is some advantage in marching near the 
drum corps. You get the step better, and the whole thing 
moves better. The band is at the head and you are going on 
all together, and it is nice, you know, to think that all of the 
dear Lord's people, wherever they are, are right along in the 
same lesson. 

Now perhaps that is merely a matter of sentiment, perhaps it 
is of no real importance, and yet every little matter of 
sentiment has its weight and influence in the whole matter. 
My advice would be not to skip lessons that are in between 
where you are and where the published lesson is, but that on 
the contrary you have that for another evening and get caught 
up with the other. Start in on a lesson with the present subject 
and keep up with it, letting the other one come along in 
another meeting until you have finished the fifth volume. I 
believe you will find that good advice. But I say, it is not for 



Brother Russell to dictate, nor for anybody else to dictate. Do 
whatever you think is the Lord's will. If you think the Lord 
wants you to do the other thing, do it. And in any event let us 
remember that it is neither for Brother Russell to decide what 
the class shall do, nor for anybody else of any class to decide 
what they shall do, but it is for the class itself to decide. 

And I think there is an important point that some of the dear 
brethren overlook. They feel too much the importance of the 
eldership, in the sense of ruling. That is natural, you know; 
they cannot help it; but keep it down; it is the old man who is 
trying to get up; keep him down; we are all on a level as New 
Creatures; and we would say, "As New Creatures I want all 
the Lord's flock here, all of this class, to have their say, just as 
much say as I have; we all have a right." And you will find, 
again, that even if the class would not rebel against what you 
do, yet they will appreciate it if you watch out for their 
liberties and their rights, and if you consult them they will 
appreciate it. Now I do not suppose there is a class anywhere 
that will do more for any elder, or submit to more from any 
elder, than the Brooklyn congregation would submit to if he 
tried to over-ride them; but they have the first time to find, 
either at Pittsburgh or at Brooklyn, where Brother Russell 
ever tried to over-ride the congregation. He never did it, so 
far as he knows. He has given them his advice, just as I am 
now giving it, but not attempting in any manner to coerce, but 
simply to have the congregation, after being informed, to vote 
according to their judgment, and to accept the judgment of the 
congregation as being the Lord's judgment in the matter. 

MEETINGS-Number of in Extension Work. 

Q476:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 It was recently 
intimated in the Watch Tower in regard to the Bible Class 
extension work that not less than six meetings be held in any 
one town. Would it be well to have six meetings in one place 
when at 

{PageQ477} 

the second meeting only two or three interested ones come out 
to the meeting? 

ANSWER~No, I answer, if no people come out, I 
would not continue the meetings. Never hold a meeting if 
you are the only party there. You will have to judge as to 
how many would constitute a proper meeting. 



MEETINGS"Re Elders at Brooklyn Appointing Deacons 
to Lead Meetings. 

Q477:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--Do the elders of the 
Ecclesia at Brooklyn appoint deacons to lead the classes 
without a congregation election as set forth, etc? 

ANSWER—This is supposed to be a pastoral work and 
not a work for the elders. One of the elders of the 
congregation at Brooklyn is charged with the responsibility of 
looking over the meetings and being an assistant to the pastor 
in that respect, and, with the pastor's consent, now and then a 
deacon is selected for this work, and other work. That is 
supposed to be the very object in electing a pastor, that he 
may have that supervision of the needs of the congregation 
and fill in here and there according as the need might be. But 
it would not be the thought there, or elsewhere, that anyone 
would be appointed permanently to a service which is the 
same as if he were chosen by the congregation an elder. It 
would be merely a temporary matter to fill an emergency and 
to give the deacon an opportunity of being tried out. 

MEETING-Should Deacons Lead? 

Q477:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-Would it be proper 

to ask Deacons to lead meetings, instead of Elders, when they 

are much more competent? 

ANSWER--Our thought would be the contrary of that, 
that the Elders are the ones chosen especially to be the 
leaders, and that Deacons would be appointed to hold 
meetings only to fill needs. This is following the Scriptural 
precedent. The Apostle says that a Deacon who serves in the 
office of a Deacon, purchases to himself a good degree. That 
is to say, that if he is faithful in temporal things in the 
Church, loyal and faithful in looking after the welfare of the 
Church, manifesting himself as a suitable person in that way, 
he purchases a good degree of the confidence of the 
class, and they should consider him with a view of 
sometime appointing him Elder. Meantime, however, there 
are times when an Elder might not be available, and it 
furnishes a good opportunity to try the Deacons. I think this 
should always be cultivated in all of the classes. Elders are 
the elder brothers in the Church, not necessarily in age, 
but especially in spirituality. A spiritual eldership of 
character is their qualification, no matter how old or young 
they may be. One part of the mission of the Elders in looking 
after the welfare of the class would be to look out for the 
younger brethren, who might be qualified to serve as 
Deacons, to coach them, and if they have ability, to bring 



them forward in readiness for Eldership. In some instances I 
have found apparently a jealous feeling on the part of an 
Elder, lest someone else should have some ability and share 
the service. Such a spirit would surely be displeasing to the 
Master, and to the Elder's disadvantage; for he could not have 
a self-seeking spirit without doing an injury to himself. His 
solemn obligation is to look out for the welfare of the class 
and not 

{PageQ478} 

be self-seeking. Any brother having ability to serve should be 
elected. Don't be afraid that the work will run out. Everyone 
who has any ability to serve the Lord let him serve faithfully; 
let the Lord look out for the others. If we see anyone more 
competent to serve than ourselves, we ought to be glad of that 
better service for God. There is no danger that there will not 
be enough work. Class Extension and a hundred other ways 
of service are calling for laborers. God will use us in 
proportion as we have the humble Spirit. 

MEETINGS-Choice of Teacher. 

Q478:1:: QUESTION (1913) 1 Is it a wrong 
condition of heart for one to have a choice of a teacher for 
certain studies who would have ability for such studies, not 
from the standpoint of personality? 

ANSWER~I would not think that would be a wrong 
condition of heart. There are some who might have a special 
talent as teacher. A person might have a preference for that 
one who could impart the largest amount of instruction. I see 
no wrong condition of heart necessarily implied in that, but I 
do say this, that the class ought to seek in its elections to find 
amongst the brethren those who have the special 
qualifications, and are apt to teach, because that is one 
element of the qualifications for an elder, as the Apostle says, 
and any one who is not apt to teach should not be elected at 
all. However, there would still be the thought that there 
would be a difference; therefore, our suggestion has been to 
the friends, and our practice in Brooklyn is, that these 
different leaders be more or less changed about; as, for 
instance, one who would be leading a class for a certain 
length of time would be changed to another class, then to 
another class, changing all around, so as to give all the classes 
a chance to have the best and the worst. 



MEETINGS-Should Deacons Lead Meetings? 

Q478:2:: QUESTION (1914)-2-A majority of our 
class wishes some of our deacons to lead the prayer meeting 
occasionally but some of our elders say it is unscriptural to 
have deacons lead meetings and that no one but elders should 
lead. Are they correct? 

ANSWER-GO again to the Bible authority. In the 
Bible we find some of the deacons of the early Church doing 
a good Christian work, Deacon Stephen and Deacon Phillip 
and others. They were not Apostles. 

So we would say that the class on this occasion in our 
judgment, or rather the elders, erred in saying that none but 
an elder could lead a meeting. We think a very good plan 
would be that which the class suggested and the very fact that 
the class suggested it made it right and proper. The deacons 
are chosen for a service, and the Apostle said "those who use 
the office of deacon purchase to themselves a good degree" of 
what? Liberty in connection with the work. They are elected 
for a special kind of work but if they manifest that they have 
other talents they should be encouraged to use them, and 
the class should gradually come to know of them and might in 
time choose them as elders. If they never had any 
opportunity the class would never know. 

I think what the class suggested was the very thing 

{PageQ479} 

they should do, and they might go even further and say that 
approximately so often a deacon should be called upon to 
lead the meeting or arrange it as the class sees fit, and the 
elders should be glad to help these younger brethren to use all 
of their talents and powers, and if they found that they had 
talents fitting them for eldership it would be quite proper at 
the election to say, I will nominate Brother So and So. He 
has been a very faithful deacon, and now I will nominate him 
as an elder. This would be a very nice thing for an elder 
brother to say. He should be helping his younger brother 
forward. 

There is always plenty of work. Don't be afraid of getting 
too many elders. The "Harvest is great and the laborers are 
few." Go out yourself and do all you can and when God sees 
you are trying He will open up to you other doors. 

MEETINGS-Elders in Court of Inquiry. 

Q479:1:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-- 1 --Is it proper for the 
Elders to sit at a court of inquiry and cite any supposed to be 



walking in a disorderly manner to appear before then and 
explain their conduct? Or should the Lord's advice given in 
Mat. 18:15-18 be followed? 

ANSWER—I agree with the suggestion of the question 
that it should be handled in harmony with the Lord's direction 
in the passage cited. The Lord's word does not authorize any 
court of the Elders, or anyone else, to become busybodies. 
This would be going back to the practices of the Dark Ages 
during the inquisition; and we would be showing the same 
spirit as did the inquisitors. The Lord has put the matter in a 
simple way and we could not improve upon it. The Bible 
says, "If thy Brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his 
fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou 
hast gained thy brother." That should end the matter. 
However, should it not be successful, the Scriptures give the 
next step. We read: "But if he will not hear thee, then take 
with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three 
witnesses, every word may be established." If the wrong-doer 
will give heed to the admonition of the two or three and stop 
his wrong-doing, that would end the matter. It would not be 
within our province to make any demand upon him or to 
endeavor to administer any kind of punishment upon him. 
We should remember the Word of the Lord, which says, "The 
Lord will judge His people." If he should need any 
punishment, we may trust the Lord to give it to him and not 
take the matter into our own hands. We should have 
confidence in the Lord. If we stop the wrong that is as far as 
we can go. But if the wrong-doer should persist in his wrong- 
doing and not repent, and if the matter be of sufficient 
importance, then we are to bring the matter to the attention of 
the Church for correction.-Mat. 18:15-18. 

We should not bring any small or trifling matter before the 
Church. It is my judgment that three-fourths of the things that 
are brought to my attention-matters of this 
kind—had better be dropped; and nothing at all be done with 
them. However, there might be an exception in case the 
matter had gone beyond the individual, and had somehow 
involved the whole congregation. In such event, it might be 
impossible to deal with the matter in an individual way. Then 
the Elders might constitute themselves into a Board or 

{PageQ480} 

Committee, and get one of their number to look into the case 
and see if the wrong could not be stopped, or adjusted. When 
the matter gets beyond the individual, we have no advice 



beyond the Word of God. Let us be careful not to become 
like Babylon, and hold inquisition and mix ourselves up. The 
Word of God is our sufficiency, and we should follow it 
closely and thereby avoid confusion. 

MEETINGS-Duties of Elders and Deacons. 

Q480:1 :: QUESTION (1916)--l-In a large Class, in 
case the Elders are fully occupied with service and the 
Deacons are all serving to the fullest extent their 
circumstances will permit, and there still remains a Class 
without a leader, would it be proper for the Committee on 
Class leaders-consisting of three Elders--to appoint as 
assistant a brother from the Congregation, known to the 
members of the Committee to be clear in the Truth and 
otherwise well qualified to act as leader? 

ANSWER-I should think that would be the proper 
thing to do under the circumstances. It is proper for the 
Congregation to decide upon the number of Elders who are 
qualified to lead the meetings. However, should there not be 
enough provided, the Committee could hardly act otherwise 
than to select some one whom they thought qualified to meet 
the situation. However, they could not go outside of the 
appointed number by the congregation, except in the case of 
an emergency. Ordinarily, the appointed Elders should lead 
all the meetings; but in some cases a qualified Deacon might 
be appointed in an emergency, such as was indicated above. 
But it should be kept well in mind, that the number of 
qualified Elders should be designated to the Congregations, 
and their voice should regulate the meetings under ordinary 
circumstances. No departure therefrom should be made 
except in the case of an emergency. 

MEETINGS-Arrangements for. 

Q480:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-2- When a congregation 
is large in number and it is deemed advisable to delegate to 
others a certain portion of the detail work- such as arranging 
for meetings, fixing time and place of meeting, and 
appointing the leaders for the various meetings -should such 
work be delegated to and performed by the Elders alone, as 
the overseers of the Ecclesia, or should the Deacons perform 
such duties with the Elders? 

ANSWER-The Lord's Word gives us a great deal of 
latitude in such matters. It does not specify particularly what 
shall be the work of the Elders and what shall be the work of 
the Deacons. It leaves it largely to the convenience, we may 
suppose. The Elders should have in charge the spiritual work 



of the Church—the meetings and everything of that kind. 
They should be brethren suitable for public speaking; as the 
Apostle says, they should be "apt to teach." Now some are 
apt to teach in public, and therefore should be appointed for 
such work, whereas others are apt to teach in a private way, 
and should therefore be assigned to Berean Studies and 
meetings in the homes. Aptness to teach should be given a 
rather broad interpretation. It does not mean simply to give a 
declamation from the platform, but it means to be apt to teach 
in any way. Some think that if they are chosen to be Elders it 
means that they must speak in public. But this is not the case. 
Aptness to teach should include 

{PageQ481} 

both the public and private teaching; and some should be 
given the private work, and some the public work, whereas all 
should be apt to teach. 

The Elders should lead all the meetings; for all the meetings 
are spiritual. If a person is not suitable to be an Elder, then he 
is not suitable to be a leader of meetings. Where, then, would 
the Deacons come in? The word Deacon means servant, and 
signifies one who can do any kind of service. As, for 
instance, he might have charge of the house in the way of 
janitor work, or he might have charge of the book department, 
or have charge of the volunteer work. Very many things 
could properly be given to the Deacons, and in many cases 
they can attend to these things better than any others can 
attend to them. Give them, therefore, the specific work which 
they can handle well. Sometimes business men can be used 
as Deacons, although they are not apt to teach. Such a one 
might properly be put in charge of the Volunteer work, being 
appointed Captain of that work, although he might not be able 
to do it as well as the Elder. This work, however, should not 
be given to the Elders; for the Elders will have enough work 
of a spiritual kind to do to keep them busy. 

Now in regard to whether the Deacons and Elders should 
meet together. I would think it a very pleasant arrangement if 
the Deacons should always be made very welcome by the 
Elders at all their meetings; for a good Deacon is one who by 
his faithfulness to the various duties assigned him, may 
become approved and "purchase to himself a good degree." 
(1 Tim. 3:13); that is, a good degree of liberty. And he 
should be looking toward the possibility of being made an 
Elder, provided he should show growth and development for 
the work of an Elder. There is a work for the Deacons to do. 



Not merely should they serve the Elders but they should serve 
the congregation also. There are many branches of service in 
connection with the congregational work, just as there is 
plenty of work to do in connection with the Convention. 
There was much preparatory work incidental to this 
Convention; such as securing rooms, the making assignments 
of them, looking after interests of the Conventioneers, etc. 

No doubt there was a committee appointed in connection 
with the Convention, and on such committee it would be well 
to have both an Elder and a business man. The Elders might 
do this work themselves, or the Deacons might do it. It would 
rest upon those who had the ability to perform the work. 
Some Brethren have a great deal of ability and some have 
very little. Take for instance the newspaper work. A Deacon 
might very well do that, if he were qualified. 

The responsibility for spiritual things, however, properly 
rests in the hands of the Elders. Even as the inspired Apostle 
Paul, on the way to Jerusalem, stopped at Miletus and sent for 
the Elders of the Church at Ephesus. He said to them, "Take 
heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the Flock over 
which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the 
Church of God, which He hath purchased by the blood of His 
own (Son)." (Acts 20:28). Their work was that of feeding 
the Flock of God. The Deacons could do other kinds of 
work. In all the Elders' and Deacons' meetings, the Elders 
should take charge of all the spiritual matters; whereas the 
Deacons might well have charge of the 

{PageQ482} 

temporal matters. They should give advice one to another in 
temporal matters. They should give advice one to another in 
such a combined meeting. One could give advice on business 
matters, and another could give advice on spiritual matters. 
Although the responsibility would be in the final vote be upon 
the Elders, yet they should be glad to have any suggestions of 
the Deacons before them at the time of voting. But while the 
temporal affairs of the Class should be in the hands of 
qualified Deacons, the Elders should be those well capable of 
giving them advice. The vote could be a mutual one, 
although the Elders are responsible for the outcome. 

I understand you have separated your business meetings 
from all other meetings. This is well. Business meetings 
should ordinarily be separated from others. Do not leave the 
interests of the Church entirely in the hands of the Elders; for 
they might run away with the meeting. Keep certain matters 



in the hands of the congregation; for the responsibility of all 
the affairs of the Church rests finally in the hands of the 
congregation, though there are a great many things that may 
well be left the Elders and the Deacons. 

MEETINGS-Deacons Voting. 

Q482:1:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-- 1 --Is it proper for the 
Deacons to vote at such meetings on such questions, or 
should this be left to the Elders as overseers? If there should 
be a larger number of Deacons than of Elders and all should 
vote, then might not the Deacons, instead of the Elders, 
control the business affairs of the Church? 

ANSWER-The Elders should have to do with the 
spiritual things and should cast the vote; but the Class has to 
do with the number of meetings. Have as many meetings as 
can be properly led and attended. Some may not have been 
willing to give their consent to the addition of another 
meeting, but it would be well to consider the convenience and 
the prosperity of others. They might have need of another 
meeting, while you might have no need of it. Therefore it 
would be well to consent to have as many meetings as the 
congregation might think necessary for the development of 
the individuals of the Class. 

In Brooklyn, if another meeting is desired, a report is made 
of it, sometimes to me and sometimes to others. In 
considering the matter we try to find out how many would 
attend the meeting. Unless there were enough to attend we 
would not recommend the meeting. We would not think it 
well to recommend a new meeting unless there were some 
seven or eight who could attend, and we should hope that this 
number might increase to fifteen. But should the number 
reach to thirty, we should then think it well to divide the 
meeting into two, so that a better development of each 
individual might be obtained. There are some of the Lord's 
people who are naturally backward; and where too many are 
present these would be neglected; whereas if there be few 
present, they receive more attention, and this tends to their 
development. 

MEETINGS-Use of By-Laws. 

Q482:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-Would you advise the 
Class here at Los Angeles to formulate a set of by-laws to 
govern business meetings, etc.? 

{PageQ483} 



ANSWER—Some of the Brethren are very much given 
to by-laws, or rules. Now certain rules are, of course, 
necessary; for without them we would be anarchistic; and yet 
we must observe the law of love and justice. These two laws 
especially observed will regulate almost everything. Justice, 
however, must always come first. I am to be just toward you 
in everything; yet I am not to exact justice from you in return. 
However, you should not desire to do anything less than 
justice toward me, and surely I should do nothing less toward 
you. But while I hold myself to strict justice, yet I am not 
to require it of you. I may require less. With these two by- 
laws. Justice and Love, operating, we shall not need very 
many more laws. We could have too many by-laws; but 
these two kept steadily in mind will help out in a great many 
cases. 

MEETINGS-Kind of. 

Q483:1:: QUESTION (1916)-l-What kind of meetings 
would be most advantageous? 

ANSWER—That would depend very much upon 
circumstances. We have found one of the most useful 
meeting that we know anything about to be the Berean 
Studies; and yet there might be some exceptional cases where 
that might not be the most profitable. In some cases a 
preaching service on Sunday night might be the most 
profitable; in some cases two preaching services on Sunday. 
These, however, would be exceptional cases. As a general 
thing I think the most benefit is derived from the Berean 
Studies; for they require that each individual shall make his 
own preparation and give his own answers. I am not 
intending to give specific advice, but general, and would 
leave it to each class represented here to apply what I say in 
his own way. 

The Bible says nothing about how many or what kind of 
meetings we should have. That is left to be decided by the 
spirit of a sound mind. We should have in mind the profit 
and benefit of each member of the Class. We should 
"consider one another." Some might think they need more. If 
they should arrange for too many, they will gradually find it 
out by the attendance becoming too small to justify their 
continuance, being fewer than the number that had originally 
been arranged for. My thought would be that about three 
meetings on Sunday would be sufficient. But each must use 
his own thought, and then grant the same liberty and 
privileges to others to think and act for themselves. This is 
just and right. This idea of justice should enter into all the 



affairs of life; for justice is the foundation of God's Throne 
and should be the foundation of every Christian's deportment; 
in fact, justice should be the foundation of everything we do. 
If some in the Class want five meetings, then I would say, 
"All right; but I can't attend them all. However, I will vote 
for five meetings, if you want five, and think they will be 
fairly well attended." 

MEETINGS-Number of. 

Q483:2:: QUESTION (1916) 2 The Los Angeles 
Ecclesia holds Sunday meetings as follows: 10:30 A.M., 
Sunday School Lesson in THE WATCH TOWER: 1:30 P. M., 
THE WATCH TOWER Study Article; 3:00 P.M., Lecture; 
7:00 P.M., Berean Study Sixth Volume. Some say that we 
should have more meetings; some, that we have too many 
now; some say that we should have two discourses instead 

{PageQ484} 

of one. What is your thought as to the best interests of the 
Class in this respect? 

ANSWER~In every case each Class should decide for 
itself. As for me, I think there is such a thing as having too 
many meetings. In this instance, I should not be inclined to 
add to the number of meetings already being held. If I were 
here and voting on the subject, unless I knew more than I now 
know, I should be inclined to have three meetings rather than 
five. Four are about as many as you could manage. While it 
might be different, there are surely a goodly number of the 
Lord's people who have earthly obligations toward their 
husbands, wives or children, who are not in the Truth, and to 
whom they owe something on the one day set apart for rest 
and change of occupation. 

To a husband not in the Truth, and whose only day at home 
is Sunday, to find that his wife would be away too much on 
that day, it would appear as though she were neglecting him; 
and I am not sure but that you would take the same view 
under similar conditions; and a wife not in the Truth, seeing 
her husband very little even on Sunday, if he were to be away 
at meetings most of the day, would have almost nothing of his 
society. Surely this would not be right. We have sundry 
obligations of an earthly kind to our husbands or to our wives, 
as the case might be; and these ought not to be overlooked. 

Now if the Class should hold ever so many meetings on 
Sunday, in some instances it would be wise for an individual 
not to attend all of them. Even in the case of an individual 



who might be able to give his entire day to the Lord, it would 
rest with him as to how to spend his time. He might desire to 
give a portion of it to the volunteer service, and another 
portion to some other part of the work—some to the Berean 
study, some to preaching. He would have to use his own best 
judgment in the matter. If the Class should have more than 
four meetings it would hardly seem wise; and even if all 
could get out to all these meetings, we should remember the 
Apostle's words, "Let your moderation be known to all." 
Moderation in respect to religious meetings, as well as in 
respect to other matters. We should remember that our 
strength is limited; and we should therefore have 
consideration for those who are dependent upon us~our 
husbands, our wives, our children, our neighbors, our 
relatives. We may have some obligations to all of them, 
but chiefly to the Household of Faith, and to our families, of 
course, for they come first. 

MELCHISEDEK-Biography Of. 
Q484:1:: QUESTION (1908) 1 Who was 
Melchisedek? 

ANSWER--The Scriptures tell us that Melchisedek was 
a priest and king at the same time. He was a character that 
lived in the days of Abraham. You will remember the 
account of his being of a city called Salem, which, being 
interpreted, signifies "peace." It was the city of peace and he 
was king of that city. It is presumed that Salem was a city 
representative of the kingdom of peace, and that the king was 
a type of our Lord Jesus Christ in the glory of his kingdom, 
when he will be the Prince of Peace, or the King of Peace. 
As a priest Melchisedek did not offer sacrifices; he was a 
glorified priest, and therefore as Aaron, the Jewish priest, 
represented our Lord in his sacrificial work; Melchisedek, 

{PageQ485} 

as a type, represents our Lord as a glorified priest, a reigning 
priest. In other words, here are two types; one presenting the 
earthly ministry of Christ, the sufferings of Christ, the 
sacrificing of Christ, and presenting the merit of his sacrifice 
to the Father, all typified in Aaron; and then the Church 
typified by the sons of Aaron, the under-priests, and their 
share in the sacrificing, filling up that which is behind of the 
afflictions of Christ; whereas the Melchisedek priesthood 
represents Christ and the Church glorified in the kingdom of 
glory, able and willing to bless all the world and to establish 



the kingdom of peace, the millennial kingdom, in which all 
mankind will be blessed. There is very little told us about 
Melchisedek. The Apostle tells us that he was without 
beginning of days and without end of years. We do not 
understand him to mean that Melchisedek never was born or 
that he never died, but rather that as a priest he was typical, 
and that his priesthood did not come to him from his parents, 
as did the priesthood of Aaron which descended from one son 
to another, but that his priesthood was an original priesthood; 
he had no parents in this Melchisedek priesthood, and he had 
no children in this Melchisedek priesthood; his priesthood 
was without any beginning of time and without any ending of 
time; and thus he typified Christ whose priestly office as a 
priest of the new order of the Millennial kingdom is not a 
limited one, and does not come to him by heredity, nor pass 
from him to another. Thus Melchisedek was a type. 

Brother Harrison: May I ask one further question? The 
question was put to me very recently. I appreciate very much 
what you have said, but are we not safe also in recognizing 
the fact that the Jewish people were very strict and particular 
in their records, and that there was no record made of 
Melchisedek's birth, his parentage or his priesthood? Would 
not that come in there as somewhat explanatory of that 
Scripture which says that he was without beginning of days or 
end of years? You remember the Jews were very correct in 
their genealogical and chronological records? I just wanted 
information on that point if you please. 

Brother Russell: The Jews did not pretend to keep a record 
of every person's birth, so far as we know. Perhaps there 
were such records, but they formed no part of the Scripture 
records. They were obliged to keep a record of all their 
priests, and that is the reason our Hebrew friends today could 
have no priesthood, because not a Jew on earth could prove 
he was of the seed of Abraham through the line of Aaron. He 
might claim that he was of the line of Abraham, but he could 
not prove that he was of Aaron. No Jew knows who may be 
the sons of Aaron today; so if they got their land back, and 
everything back, they could not re-establish their priesthood, 
because it requires that every priest serving at the altar of the 
Lord must be able to show his genealogy as a descendant of 
Aaron. This would not apply, however, to Melchisedek, 
because he was a different order of priesthood altogether. 
The Apostle is merely showing this in his argument, in which 
he introduces Melchisedek, thus: "When I tell you Jews that 
Christ was of a new order, you are inclined to be incredulous 
(understand I am paraphrasing); you say. Where is his record? 



He could not be a priest unless he could show himself to be of 
the tribe of 

{PageQ486} 

Levi, a son of Aaron. But I answer you Hebrews, and tell you 
that God gave another type. Look back there at Melchisedek; 
have you any proof that he was of the tribe of Levi? No, 
Melchisedek lived before the tribe of Levi was inaugurated. 
Have you any proof that Melchisedek had any relationship to 
Levi? No. Then there was another priesthood, and I wish 
you to see that this other priesthood of Melchisedek was of a 
higher order than the priesthood of Aaron, because Abraham, 
who was the father of Aaron, according to the flesh, paid 
tithes to this Melchisedek priest, and Aaron was in the loins 
of Abraham when he paid tithes, and this shows from God's 
standpoint that the Melchisedek order is a higher order than 
the Aaronic priesthood. Here, then, I tell you that Christ is a 
priest after the order of Melchisedek. That is the Apostle's 
argument. It is a superior order. You Jews are asking that I 
shall prove to you that Jesus to be a priest must come of the 
tribe of Aaron. The tribe of Aaron has nothing to do with this 
high priesthood. Melchisedek was a type of this, Christ is 
this one." I would not think the fact that there was no record 
would have anything to do with it. 

MEMORIAL SUPPER-Why We Partake. 
Q486:1 :: QUESTION (1911)--l--Why do you Partake 
of the Lord's supper? 

ANSWER—Because it is a memorial of our Lord's 
death. And when the Apostle says, "This do until he come," 
we understand that the Lord's people are properly to 
remember the Lord's death as the very foundation of all their 
faith and obedience until the time when they shall be changed 
and shall participate with him in the better things beyond the 
vail, sharing with him in the first resurrection. We do it for 
another purpose. To our understanding, the Lord's supper not 
only symbolizes our dear Redeemer's body and blood, but it 
also symbolizes our participation; for the Apostle says, "The 
loaf we break, is it not a participation with the body of 
Christ? And the cup which we drink, is it not a communion 
in the blood of Christ?" In other words, the Apostle suggests 
that those who partake of the communion are showing that 
they are sharers with Jesus in his sufferings and in his death. 
We belong to the same body. So it is part of our present 
obligation, that we suffer with him now, in order that we may 



also reign with him. 

MEMORIAL SUPPER-Use of Wine at. 

Q486:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-Where can the word 
"wine" be found in connection with the Lord's Supper in the 
New Testament? 

ANSWER— I do not know that the word wine is used. 
The fruit of the vine is used, and if anybody prefers to think 
of the fruit of the vine as being grape juice, I have not a 
particle of objection; I think it will do for just the same 
purpose, and perhaps better than wine. 

MEMORY-Committing Scriptures Re Overcoming. 

Q486:3:: QUESTION (191 1)-3 -Is it necessary for all 
to be able to commit to memory the Scriptures that are 
needful to make us able to give to everyone a reason for our 
hope, and in order to be of the overcoming class? 

ANSWER-No, my dear brother. I am afraid that if that 
were the test, many of us would fail; we have no thought 

{PageQ487} 

of that kind. What the Lord does expect is, that if you are 
truly loyal to him and study his Word, whether by repeating it 
from memory, or by turning to it in some way and telling why 
you believe those things, you will be able to show the ground 
on which you believe it. Not merely to say, "I think it is in 
our catechism." That is not any proof; nor is it any proof to 
say you think it is in the Bible; but find it, mark it, and make 
sure what you believe. 

MERIT"Re Sacrificed Life or Obedience. 

Q487:1:: QUESTION (1910)-l-The merit which 

Christ applies on our behalf as our advocate, is it the merit of 

his sacrificed life, or is it the merit of his perfect obedience? 

ANSWER— Both the same, my dear friends. Perfect 
obedience led him to sacrifice his life, and therefore his 
sacrificed life was the evidence of his perfect obedience to the 
Father's will. And it is the merit of that sacrifice that is to his 
credit and is the thing which he eventually will give as the 
ransom-price for the whole world, that the whole world may 
have restitution; and it is the merit of that sacrifice which he 
now imputes to your sacrifice and to mine when he accepts 
yours and accepts mine as his own. 



MERIT-Use of All. 

Q487:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-Why is it essential 
that all of Christ's merit must first be used for the household 
of faith, and then all returned before any of it can be 
applicable for the world of mankind? In other words, why 
would not a part be used for each, the church and the world, 
at the same time? 

ANSWER— Well, I do not know whether I can make it 
any plainer than I have already tried to or not. If I have failed 
to make it plain in the past, I fear I will always fail to do so. I 
do not know how I could make it plainer. If the questioner is 
dissatisfied with having it this way, he would have to take it 
to the Lord to find out why. I suppose those things are fixed 
because God fixes them so, and if we want to know why God 
fixes things differently from what we would imagine and 
think, we ought to go to him in prayer and ask him to satisfy 
us. If we are too much dissatisfied with his way, he will 
probably tell us to stand aside until the Millennial Age and he 
will show us then all about it, actually. Just answering the 
question briefly, I would say that these are two distinct 
classes; the church is one class and the world is another class, 
and the application of the merit is shown in the atonement day 
as being separate and distinct in those two classes. Now if a 
part of Christ's merit is given to the church to use so that the 
church may be justified, so that the church may join with 
Christ in sacrificing, then we might say that the whole sum is 
depleted by that amount. It might be supposed there is a sum 
there of a million dollars, and suppose you take out one 
hundred thousand of it, and use it for something else. While 
that $100,000 is away, you could not call the remainder a 
million dollars because it lacks one hundred thousand of 
being a million dollars. Now what Christ is giving to the 
church is enough to make up for the deficiencies of each one, 
and that takes a portion of the merit; it does not require all of 
the merit; it takes a certain portion of the merit that we might 
have this privilege of having our weaknesses compensated 

{PageQ488} 

for; and until all of the church has finished this work of using 
this imputed merit, the whole sum of the merit will not be 
there. Now what is the difference? Why the Lord is going to 
give, during the thousand years, during the great day of 
mediation, all of these blessings of restitution; everything is 
to be given to the world; he is not going to give them a part of 
it, but all of it in a restitution sense. But he needs to have a 



full amount there to satisfy justice on behalf of the world, that 
the world may get the full benefit of restitution. It is just as 
though the church were a separate class altogether. He is 
going to deal with the world and give them restitution. He is 
not giving us restitution. We are not getting restitution. He is 
merely making up to the church, imputing to you and to me, 
enough to make us satisfactory in God's sight; but he will 
need the whole of it when he makes application on behalf of 
the world because he is to give all his life to the world, 
restitutionally--not hold any of it back. Now if that is not 
plain, I know not how to make it plainer. 

MERIT-How Much Required for Adam? 

Q488:1:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-Since Adam was a 
wilful and intelligent sinner, and was individually sentenced, 
and since the sentence has been executed upon him and he is 
now under that sentence, and now has nothing and is nothing, 
how much of the merit of Christ will be necessary for his 
release from his condemned condition? 

ANSWER~We understand that Adam, having been 
tried and found guilty and sentenced to death, and having 
gone down into death under that sentence, has done nothing 
to liquidate his obligations in any sense of the word; and that 
it will require the full satisfaction of a ransom-price to set 
him free and permit him to have another trial. In a general 
way, this is, of course, true of the entire human family. As 
Adam's children we are dealt with as a race, instead of as 
individuals except in the case of the Church and of the 
Jewish Nation under their law. 

During the Millennial Age there will be no imputation of 
Christ's merit to anybody, as it is now imputed to the Church. 
It is imputed to us for a special purpose—to enable us to offer 
acceptable sacrifices. In the Millennial Age no one will need 
the righteousness of another to make him acceptable. On the 
contrary, the whole world 

counted in as one, will be dealt with from that standpoint; 
and Christ, as the great Mediator, Prophet and King, will 
make satisfaction to Justice for Adam and all his children, 
dealing with them as one. After making satisfaction to 
Justice, and thus purchasing the whole world of mankind, the 
great Mediator of the New Covenant will put it into effect, 
and under that New Covenant the blessing will begin with 
Israel; but every member of the human race will have an 
opportunity of coming to perfection, as heretofore shown. 

To get at the real gist of the question, we will put the matter 
in another form and say: If Adam had been living during the 



Gospel Age, to our understanding, he would not have been 
eligible to the offer of this Gospel Age--that it would not have 
been consistent with the Divine arrangement to have dealt 
with Adam as the Lord is dealing with the Church, because he 
as personally condemned, would have had nothing that he 
could present as a sacrifice. We, 

{PageQ489} 

on the contrary, have something to present-- "Present your 
bodies living sacrifices." While our bodies are blemished, we 
have, nevertheless, some powers, and these we are invited to 
present. We have bodies which we are willing to coerce into 
submission. This is our hope-that we may be permitted to 
suffer with Christ, that we may be sharers in his glory. 

The Apostle says, "Ye are not your own; ye are bought with 
a price; therefore glorify God in your body." (1 Cor. 6:20.) 
This seems to imply that we had something. Having 
recognized Christ as the center of God's Plan and as our 
Redeemer, we are called upon to renounce sin—glorifying 
God by consecrating our lives, our bodies, to his service. But 
if we had been the original sinner, and had been originally 
sentenced, we see nothing that we should have had that we 
could call our own that we could have given. 

MERIT-Vs. Righteousness. 

Q489:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11-Z)-1- What distinction 
would you make between the righteousness of our Lord and 
His merit? 

ANSWER— The righteousness of our Lord was His 
right-doing. His right conduct. His perfect character while He 
was the man, while He was on trial. The merit is the Divine 
appreciation, the Divine estimation of that character, of that 
right-doing. Since He ceased to be a man, our Lord has, of 
course, no righteousness as a human being. That 
righteousness which was His before His consecration and 
which He maintained, constitutes a merit in the Divine sight, 
which is imputed to the Church now, and which is to be 
utilized by Him in the blotting out of the sins of the whole 
world, shortly. It is a sufficiency of merit; for one man was 
sentenced to death, and, later, another man was passed upon 
as worthy of life. This merit, therefore, this value of laying 
down a life not worthy of death, is at His disposal in the 
Divine arrangement. 



MERIT-Will Church Have All When Passing Under 
Veil? 

Q489:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2-Will not the Church 
when she shall have passed under the veil have all the merit 
of Christ in her hand to put on the mercy- seat? 

ANSWER-No; the Church has nothing whatever to do 
with atoning for sin, even as the under-priests had nothing 
whatever to do with the presentations of the Day of 
Atonement blood on the propitiatory. 

A correct view of the matter, we believe is this: The High 
Priest, Jesus, ascended on high and made imputation of His 
merit to the Church. Those who waited in the "upper room" 
for the Pentecostal blessing had presented themselves before 
God, desiring to be accepted of Him as sacrifices. They did 
not sacrifice themselves, they merely presented themselves 
for sacrifice. Thus we read: "I beseech you, brethren, that 
you present your bodies living sacrifices." The 
presentation matter is ours, not the Lord's; the acceptance of 
the offering as a sacrifice is wholly the Lord's—the High 
Priest's work. With the acceptance of our flesh as a sacrifice 
we cease to be as men and henceforth in the sight of God and 
of each other we are living members of the Anointed One—the 
High Priest. 

The High Priest accepted the Church as a whole through its 
presentation at Pentecost. And in harmony 

{PageQ490} 

with the Scriptures we come into this favor or grace, which 
remains open until the last member of the Body of Christ 
shall be perfected and pass beyond the veil. The work 
beyond the veil will not be ours as under-priests. It will be 
the work of the High Priest to sprinkle the blood of the Lord's 
goat as He sprinkled the blood of the bullock. The figure of 
the "Bride" is to be distinctly eliminated in any thought of 
sacrifice, and is to be merely associated with the Redeemer 
and Bridegroom, as joint-heir in His Kingdom. The figure of 
the under-priests is the one which applies to the Church in 
respect to all sacrificial matters. 

MERIT-Vs. Robe or Garment 

Q490:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-Would it be correct 
to say that the merit of Christ cannot be compared to a 
garment or robe until after consecration? 

ANSWER— A robe is a covering. The wedding robe of 
the parable represents our Lord's merit imputed to His people 



as a covering for their blemishes or imperfections of the flesh. 
This robe takes cognizance of the Church as the prospective 
Bride who acknowledges the Headship of Jesus her Lord. 
Another figure represents the members of the Church as 
wearing white robes and hoods or bonnets, the illustration of 
the under-priesthood. In this figure the priests represent the 
brethren or Body members and indicate that they are not 
independent, but under and subject to the Headship of Jesus. 

The robe of Christ's righteousness imputed to the Church as 
a covering for her blemishes and to make her acceptable gives 
place to or becomes transformed into a robe of her own 
righteousness, in the resurrection. As our Lord Jesus is 
represented as robed in white linen, so the Bride is pictured as 
arrayed in fine linen, "the righteousness of the saints." The 
imputed robe merely covers our fleshly blemishes and 
imperfections in the present time. 

The new body which God will give us in the resurrection 
will be perfect in itself and need no imputation of the merit of 
Jesus. The spirit body of those who will attain to the "first 
resurrection" will be absolute, complete, perfect, as was the 
resurrection body of Jesus. The robe of Christ's righteousness 
was imputed to cover our fleshly imperfections. 

The new robe is to be embroidered. And this figure carries 
with it our endeavors at the present time to develop the 
character-likeness of Jesus~to perfection, in the spirit. As we 
read, "It (the New Creature, the soul) is sown in weakness, it 
is raised in power; it is sown in dishonor, raised in glory; it is 
sown an animal body (needing the imputation of Jesus' merit); 
it is raised a spirit body" (in full possession of a merit of its 
own). 

merit-Is it subdivided? 

Q490:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2-You have pointed 
out that no less than the full merit of Christ would be 
sufficient for the sins of any individual of the human family. 
How, then, shall we think of subdividing this merit amongst 
these various individuals composing the Church of the 
First-borns and amongst the individuals who will compose the 
restitution class of the future? 

{PageQ491} 

ANSWER~The placing of the entire merit of Christ in 
the hands of Justice guarantees to Justice a full satisfaction 
for all the Adamic weaknesses of all mankind—even before 
that merit is specifically appropriated. And since the Church 



was a part of the world, for whom the sacrificial merit is a 
sufficient price, God could be just in imputing to each one 
coming in the name and merit of Jesus a sufficiency of His 
merit to make up for the imperfections and shortcomings; 
and so of this entire class~"the Church of the First-borns." 
The imputation of this merit to the Church as separate and 
apart from the world engages and obligates that merit for 
awhile in making good the imperfections of the flesh of the 
Church, so as to permit this class to offer to God a justified, 
and, therefore, an acceptable sacrifice. 

But this is merely imputed or loaned to the Church, because 
the Church does not wish to keep the earthly rights of Jesus. 
The Church wishes to sacrifice its all and thus to follow the 
example of Jesus. And the great High Priest imputes to them 
enough of His merit to make the Church's offering acceptable 
when offered by the High Priest. When all of the Church of 
the First-borns shall have attained to the rewards of the spirit 
nature, all of the merit of the High Priest, Jesus, will he 
released, so far as they are concerned—the whole amount will 
again be free in the hands of justice, as it was when Jesus 
ascended up on high. 

MILITARY DUTY-Our Position With Respect to. 

Q491:1:: QUESTION (1916)-1- What position 
should we take in respect to military duty, and so forth? 

ANSWER—Well, we have already answered that 
question that so far as we are followers of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, in my judgment, we are not to have any liberty at all 
for military duty. We are to be loyal to the principles of 
peace, and not fight for any earthly government if we can get 
out of it, and I think we can get out of it. We would rather 
suffer some and not go into it. But suppose someone would 
ask as I was asked the other day. What position should we 
take in respect to our neighbors and friends? And we say. Do 
you think it is wrong to have military organizations? Now 
some of our friends answered, "We think it is wrong. There 
should not be any army or soldiers." My answer would be 
different. I think this old world needs to have armies, needs 
to have trained men. The world needs it for its own 
protection. And if I was governor of a State I would think it 
my duty to protect that State, to protect the law and 
everything pertaining to order. If it should be necessary to 
call on the State or Nation to rise up and put down wrong, I 
think it would be my duty to see it was done. I am not 
faulting any governor if he should do that same thing. I am 
not faulting any man who takes up his gun to defend the 



interests of his State. If he doesn't think the Nation is worth 
fighting for he should go to some other nation. And if he 
thinks it is as good as any other nation he should stay right 
there. As for instance, you and I in these United States think 
we are in as noble a nation as there is, that the principles of 
this government are the very best and very wisest. And we 
might say pretty nearly the same of our friends across the 
border in Canada, that their principles are good and are well 
intentioned in a general way at 

{PageQ492} 

least. We are not therefore faulting people who wish to fight 
for their country. The difference between our position and 
theirs is this: We have ceased to be citizens of this country. 
We have joined another nation, and we are loyal to that new 
nation, and loyalty to the kingdom of God required that we 
take our stand upon this position in harmony with the 
commands of our King. We are aliens and strangers in this 
land and Canada, wherever we may be. But the world doesn't 
understand this. They say you were born right here. We say 
we have declared our intentions and joined a different 
country. So if a Canadian were in this country he would not 
be subject to draft as an American, and it should be sufficient 
to the courts of any country that if these individuals have 
given full allegiance to the heavenly country, that should be a 
sufficient answer to any government not to have them 
participate in war, and in some places this is being recognized. 

MILLENNIUM-No Infant There. 

Q492:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l-"There shall be no 
more thence an infant of days nor an old man that hath not 
filled his days; for the child shall die a hundred years old, 
but the shiner dying an hundred years old shall be accursed." 
What does this statement of Isa. 65:20 signify? 

ANSWER—I understand it is describing the time in the 
Millennium when the present brief span of life will be a thing 
of the past; there will no longer be infants dying a few days 
old. A sinner dying a hundred years old, accursed of God, 
dying the second death, would be but a child under that new 
order of things; just the same as would have been the case 
before the flood, when the average length of life was 
somewhere between 600 and 900 years; anyone dying there 
100 years old would have been dying practically in 
childhood, because as a rule they were not recognized as 
being fully developed men and women until they were about 



one hundred years old. Many of these patriarchs, you 
remember, had their first child when they were from sixty to 
ninety and a hundred years old. So that would be my thought 
as to the meaning of this passage. It does not say none will 
die sooner than a hundred years. It might be some would be 
so incorrigible, and so opposed to the divine order of things, 
that they would die sooner than 100 years. But in a general 
way it is my thought that it is intended to guarantee to us that 
God purposes a hundred years of trial for every member of 
the human race. However, some of those have perhaps had 
some degree of trial in the present life, and if so it might 
make a difference in how much trial time they may have 
there; we do not know; it will be time enough to see when we 
get there. Let us not worry about the bridges that are not 
completed until we get to the stream. 

MIRACLES-ln Name of Jesus. 

Q492:2:: QUESTION (1908)--2-I am asked to explain 
Mark 9:38,39,40: "And John answered him saying. 
Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he 
followeth not us; and we forbade him because he followeth 
not us, and Jesus said, forbid him not: for there is no man 
that shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil 
of me. For he that is not against us is on our side." 

ANSWER~I hardly know how to make it any plainer 
than it is. I think we have to believe it as it reads and not 

{PageQ493} 

explain it at all. If we explained it, we would have to explain 
it away, because it could not be made any plainer. 

If any person is doing a miracle in the name of Jesus, we 
are not to interfere with him nor to forbid him; we are not to 
say, "Because you do not come with us, we will speak evil of 
you, or forbid you, or stop you." We will leave that to the 
Lord. If the Lord wants to stop him. He can stop him. It is 
not your business or mine to stop him. It is our business to 
try to attend to ourselves and keep as near to the Master as we 
can, and keep our own hearts as clearly in the truth as we can, 
and avoid everything that would confuse us; and if a brother 
or sister have something to which we cannot agree, we let 
them alone; if they are doing something, either teaching or 
anything else, that is doing a good work, and doing it in the 
name of the Lord, then we had better keep our hands off and 
not say anything against them. Let others say and do as they 
please. Then somebody may say. Well, Brother Russell, how 



about Christian Scientists; they are doing miracles, are they 
not?" Some of them. "And spiritualists, they are doing 
miracles, are they not?" Some of them. "And Mormons do 
some miracles, don't they?" Yes. "Well, don't these all do 
their miracles in the name of Jesus?" No, we answer, they do 
not. "Why, they all claim to acknowledge Christ; the 
Christian Scientists even put Christ right foremost 
'Christian' Scientists.'" I know they do, my dear brother, 
but it is one thing to say Christian, and it is another thing to 
think Christian, and it is another thing to mean Christian. 
Now whether anyone is going to examine whether another is 
in harmony with the Lord or not, you and I want to have 
before our minds a very simple rule that will help us every 
time we use it, and every time we use it it will be clearer in 
our minds and make us stronger and quicker to use it again. 
We are not to have some little shibboleth that will say, 
because you do not sit down when you pray, I cannot worship 
with you, or because you want to sing hymns and I psalms, 
we cannot worship together. We are not to make distinctions 
of that kind. If some say. We like to meet in a church with a 
cross on it, and if others say. We like to meet in some other 
kind of a room, that is not a ground for separation amongst 
Christians either. We could not say they were not Christians 
because they wanted to meet in some other kind of a building 
than we think proper. If somebody wants to wear a different 
kind of clothing from what we think is most proper, we are 
not finding fault with them for that; they might be true 
Christians and have all these peculiarities. He even might go 
to some of the things that are not so apparently unimportant. 
I might say, here is a man for instance that uses tobacco, shall 
I say he is not a Christian because he uses tobacco? By no 
means, if he is otherwise giving evidence that he is a child of 
God. I shall expect that the Lord will show him ultimately 
how all the cleansing work is to go on, not only outwardly but 
inwardly and I will talk about the inward cleansing, and I will 
make no remarks about the outward cleansing, and I will do 
as little as I can to offend his sense and his ideas along the 
lines of his apparent weakness or blindness. I will leave that 
to himself and to the Lord's providence to teach him. You 
will notice in the Dawns for instance that there is no attempt 
to go after a person's dietary arrangements, as to what he shall 
eat and 

{PageQ494} 

drink, or what he shall wear, and yet we have had many 



evidences that a great many have gotten the truth, 
nevertheless, along these lines. I think of one brother who 
came to me once and said: "Brother Russell I would like to 
have you explain to me what there is in Millennial Dawn that 
has so affected my whole life. I used to be an Episcopalian, 
and before that a Congregationalist: but as an Episcopalian I 
had very rigid ideas on some points and not so on others. I 
was very rigid as to the Episcopal Church being the 
Church, and all others sects, and I could have no sympathy 
with them. And I was very rigid on the matter of church fairs 
and festivals and would not have anything to do with them, 
but when it came to my taking wine, cigars and tobacco, or 
playing a game of cards with a friend, if there was no amount 
of money up, I did not hesitate at that at all; I thought that that 
was very proper; it never occurred to me to question it at all. 
My friends used to tell me to read this about tobacco, and this 
about wine, and this about other things, and I told them to 
keep those things to themselves, that I knew what I was doing 
and to let me alone; but when I read Millennial Dawn a 
change came all over me. First of all I gave up the wine and 
the cards, and then by and by I found myself with a cigar in 
my hand, and as I was just lighting the cigar, as I had been in 
the habit of using at least ten a day~I traveled for an 
insurance company and they supplied all expenses and cigars 
were supposed to be part of the expenses and properly so 
understood--as I was just lighting a ten cent cigar, I thought, 
now, William, are you going to smoke that to the glory of 
God? And the match burned out before I had time to decide 
the question; and I struck another match and before that one 
had burned out I concluded that I could not smoke a cigar to 
the glory of God, and therefore I dropped it in the cuspidor. 
Then having a kind of hunger for a nerve stimulant, I was just 
about to put some of my fine-cut tobacco in my mouth, and I 
said, you can do that, of course, to the glory of God, it is 
different from a cigar! And I just thought, now, can I? And I 
dropped that into the cuspidor and I have not had either a 
cigar or tobacco in my mouth since. And so this work has 
gone on in my whole body, and now what does it mean? I 
went to Millennial Dawn afterwards and looked it over to see 
what I could find there that said anything about tobacco, 
cigars, and wine, and cards, and there was not a word in it. 
Now tell me how it came that that affected me and the other 
things that were right on the point had no impression at all." 
"Why," I said, "brother, the other things were like the 
gardener who cuts out the branches in the spring of the year; 
he is keeping an orchard, and he has these clippers to take off 



the dead branches, and he clips off a branch here and a branch 
there and trims up the tree. And that is what they were trying 
to do when they gave you a little tract on tobacco, cards, 
liquors, etc. Now, then. Millennial Dawn follows the 
Scriptural rule and it lays the axe to the root of the tree and 
the whole tree comes down at once." And he said, "That is it; 
I see it; it was consecration that made it." And so it is in 
harmony with this question. When we come to our Christian 
Scientist friend, he tells us that they do these miracles and do 
them in the name of Christ, we have to get right down to 

{PageQ495} 

the matter and say, is it really in the name of Christ? We say, 
no, it is not in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It may 
be some other Christ, for you know there are many false 
Christs. We stated to you in a Tower recently some words of 
Mrs. Eddy's respecting our Lord Jesus, that it would make 
very little difference to her theory whether the man Jesus ever 
lived or not—her own words taken from her own answer to an 
opposer. It makes all the difference in the world to us 
whether He ever lived or not. If He had not lived and died for 
our sins, according to the Scriptures, then we would never 
have a future life by a resurrection through His power and 
through His death. So it makes a great deal of difference 
which Christ it is, and the name of which Christ the miracles 
are done in, whether we shall accept the person as being a 
brother in the Lord. Those who claim things in the name of 
A Christ, but who deny that Jesus Christ, our Lord, 
tasted death for every man, and redeemed us by His own 
precious blood, are not of us, and the sooner we recognize 
that the better. They have not our Christ at all, but on the 
contrary all of those, whether they are with us or not on other 
questions, if they recognize Jesus and the value of His death 
for our sins and if they are trusting in Him for eternal life and 
seeking to walk in His steps, they are our brethren, whether 
they follow with us or whether they do not; if they follow 
with us, we think they are going in the right way and we are 
all the more pleased; they are going in the way we think is 
proper. Just as this man mentioned here in this illustration, if 
he had been glad and willing to follow the disciples, it would 
have been all the better evidence as respects his standing in 
the Lord, still they were not to oppose him if he was doing 
good work in the name of Jesus; they were not to hinder or 
put a straw in his way. If you get an opportunity of 
explaining to him and of helping into a still better way, all 



right, but do not oppose him. But mind you, the word "Jesus" 
in the text means "Saviour from our sins," and Mrs. Eddy 
does not believe there are any sins and says there is no 
penalty for sin. Death, the Scriptures declare, is the penalty 
for sin, but they say there is no sin and no death. So how then 
could our Jesus be their Saviour? They do not need any 
saviour; they have not lost anything, they say, and they are 
not going to get anything, they say--and we believe that is 
pretty nearly correct so far as those who may have a real 
knowledge of the matter. But we have this to say, that a great 
many of the Christian Scientists and Mormons and 
Spiritualists are blinded by the god of this world, just as the 
heathen are blinded, and we believe there is an opportunity 
for them just as much as an opportunity for the heathen in the 
future. This is our hope and belief according to the Word of 
the Lord. 

MIRACLES-Source of Christ's Power. 

Q495:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)--1 --Do you believe Christ 
performed the miracle of feeding the five thousand, by reason 
of having dominion over the elements of the earth, as a 
perfect human being? 

ANSWER-No, I do not. I do not think a perfect being 
could make one loaf feed five thousand. I do not consider 
that is a human power at all. I would consider that was a 
power Jesus had by reason of having received the Holy 

{PageQ496} 

Spirit, to do anything that might be necessary in God's 
service, and in the establishment of the church, and the 
instruction of the people at that time. It was not therefore an 
illustration of human power, but as Jesus said at another time, 
"If I by the finger of God do thus and so"~in other words, 
God's power in small portion. You see hand represents 
power, and so the little finger would represent a little bit of 
power. So Jesus said, if I by the finger of God do so and so, 
God is able to do more, these are little things in comparison to 
God's power. 

MISTAKES-Correcting Trivial Ones. 

Q496:1:: QUESTION (1913)-l-Are we morally bound 
to correct trivial mistakes and errors which are unimportant 
in themselves? 

ANSWER— It depends on the character of the mistake 
and error. There are some very trivial errors that ought to be 



corrected; there are some things that seem to be trivial, and 
yet might mean a great deal to some brother or sister if not 
corrected. Therefore I would rather incline in a general way 
to correct everything, and rather go to the extreme and say, 
"Did I offend you? Upon my word, brother, I hadn't any 
thought of offending you at all, not a bit." Make it positive. 
Be sure you make it plain. No matter how trivial the matter 
is, we want to keep all the stumbling blocks out of the way. 
On the other hand, there have been cases brought to me in 
which sometimes the matter has been a very grievous one—no 
slight thing at all. I think, for instance, of a sister who wrote 
me about a matter that was very grievous in her own 
conception, a very grievous thing in itself, and she said, 
"Now, Brother Russell, what shall I do? Shall I tell my 
husband about that?" And I told her no, do not tell your 
husband about that. It would be doing him a great deal of 
harm to know what you have written me; it would not do him 
good. If it were something it would be to his advantage to 
know, then I would advise you to tell him; but in this case my 
advice is that you do not tell your husband a thing about that 
matter, because it would be to his injury and might be to your 
own unhappiness the remainder of life. I said. Now, you may 
keep this letter and seal it up, and if ever the time comes 
when he should say. You didn't tell me about that matter, you 
can say you wrote me, and tell him I advised you, and let him 
read the letter. So I am just mentioning that. It does not 
mean that you should simply tell all you know. To give you 
an illustration: I think of a brother who came to the meeting 
one time; I knew he was coming: I knew he had been a 
prisoner in the penitentiary in Ohio; there have been quite a 
number who have been prisoners in the penitentiary who have 
come out and been grand characters for God; this was one of 
them. He got the Truth in the penitentiary. I knew to expect 
him but never thought for a minute he would tell anybody he 
had been a prisoner. By the time I got to the meeting there 
were half a dozen who had met him, and he told them, "I am 
just out of the penitentiary." I said to him at once, "Why, 
brother, that is wrong; do not say another word about that," 
and then sent someone else around to tell the others not to 
mention that about the brother. Why? So far as he was 
concerned, it was quite honorable in him to make a free 
statement about 

{PageQ497} 

himself, and to say, I was in error, I was a sinner; but 



knowing human nature as I do, I knew that more than half the 
people would never have confidence in that brother again; 
they couldn't help it. There is a streak of that kind that runs 
through people, but would not be true with me. I trust that 
brother just as much as any New Creature in Christ, 
notwithstanding his having been in the penitentiary. He is the 
elder of a class now, a very honorable, fine brother; there is 
nothing against him at all; but it would have been against him 
somehow, not for any real reason, but because of people's 
crooked heads which they cannot help. 

MONEY-Bank Security. 

Q497:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--How long do you 
think money will be safe in the bank? 

ANSWER—Until you draw it out, or until the bank 
"busts." I do not think I can answer any more definitely on 
that subject. And some banks are likely to break sooner than 
others—to that I guess all will agree; it is a pretty hard 
question; I think I will have to leave it. 

money-How invest It. 

Q497:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-Recognizingthatin 
the near future the banks must fail, also realizing our 
responsibility to provide decently for ourselves and those 
dependent on us, what would you consider a wise course 
regarding money invested, which could not be withdrawn, say 
within three months, and could you give any idea as to how 
this money might be used so that we might be good stewards 
of what we possess? 

ANSWER— Could I tell you how to use all the money 
that you possess? Is that the question. I could tell you what 
to do with more than all the money you possess or ever will 
possess, but I am not going to. There is a good point in this 
question, though. Suppose that the father of the family or the 
mother of the family were not in the Truth, what should be his 
obligations and his course in respect to these obligations to 
the family? I would advise anybody who has a little bit of 
money to see that he keeps the coal bunker full of coal now 
and onward. You may ask if that is not a display of weak 
faith, but I would maintain that it is not, for we have to do our 
part. Under the present conditions it would not be amiss to 
lay in a reasonable supply of certain kinds of food and such as 
is not of a corruptible nature. I would suggest a supply of 
tinned beef, tinned fruits, and others of that kind. We might 
also put away something in the nature of beans. Whatever 
you feel inclined to do, see that you have a surplus laid by. 



This laying aside of a reasonable provision does not in any 
way cast doubt or fear that God will forget us at any time. 
With regard to money and property, I would say that if I 
owned a little cottage in a favorable neighborhood, favorable 
to the keeping of it, for the wife and family who were not in 
the Truth, I would keep that cottage so that I might show to 
those who were left after my death that my intentions at any 
rate were good. Have a small house rather than a large house 
which might be sacked in the coming Time of Trouble. We 
merely throw out this as a hint to you for your guidance if 
you care. 

MOSES-Reason for Choosing Serpent Form. 

Q497:3:: QUESTION (1911)--3--Why did Moses choose the form of 

{PageQ498} 

a serpent in lifting up a serpent to the children of Israel in the 
wilderness? 

ANSWER~He chose it because he was obedient to God, and 
God said for him to do it. 

MOSES-Term of Office as IVIediator. 

Q498:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--Howlong was Moses a mediator? 

ANSWER— Moses is mediator of the law covenant as 
long as the law covenant is in effect. Moses is mediator of 
the law covenant today. It had no other mediator. That 
mediation which he accomplished has stood good all the way 
down. Just the same as if the Secretary of State should enter 
into a treaty between the United States and Great Britain, how 
long would he be the one who executed that treaty? Just as 
long as that treaty stood, he would be the one who executed 
that treaty. And so Moses is still the mediator, or the one 
who brought into effect that law covenant between God and 
Israel. The law covenant is still in force, and Moses is, 
therefore, still the mediator of that law covenant, even though 
he is dead. This is the same thought that our Lord gave, you 
remember, when he said, "Even to this day when Moses is 
dead," etc. Then again you remember he said that the Scribes 
and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Moses still had his seat as 
mediator of the law covenant, and he was represented by those 
who came afterwards and who stood for and represented that order 
of things. 



MOSES-Type of Jehovah. 

Q498:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-In what respect was 
Moses a type of God? 

ANSWER--God said that Moses should be His 
mouthpiece, or His representative, and that Aaron should be 
Moses' mouthpiece or representative. "I have made thee a 
God unto Aaron." That is, Moses was to be like God unto 
Aaron, that he would tell Aaron what he should say and do. 
In that sense of the word Moses is like God as he said he 
would be. 

MOURN-For Aaron's Two Sons. 

Q498:3:: QUESTION (1908)--3--Why were the priests 
of Israel instructed to mourn for Aaron's two sons, who 
offered strange fire before the Lord? 

ANSWER— I answer that the writer has evidently made 
a mistake. They were instructed NOT to mourn, and that, I 
think, signifies that we, as the Lord's people, are to be so fully 
in accord with God's arrangement that we will not be 
disturbed or distressed by the fact that some will go into the 
great company, and others go into the second death. We are 
to have that confidence in God that a fair judgment will be 
had from His standpoint, that He who knows the heart and 
tries the reins of the sons of men, will make no mistake in the 
matter. We are also to be so fully in accord with the Lord 
that we would feel that if we or any other person were not 
fully acceptable to the Lord and to His standard, we would 
not want them to have the blessings God has provided for 
them that love Him. I would feel that way for myself. If God 
would find in His wisdom and decide that I might not have a 
blessing either in the little flock, nor yet in the great 
company, but must go into the second death, I would feel like 
saying, "the Lord's will be done, the Lord knows best." I 
would make no complaint. I would not mourn 

{PageQ499} 

over the matter. I earnestly strive to be accounted worthy of a 
share in the Little Flock, and I think we should all strive to 
have that attitude of mind that would be fully submissive to 
the divine decree in the matter. It is very different you see, 
from Brother Jonathan Edward's statement when he said that 
in the future the Saints would be looking over the battlements 
of heaven and see parents and children and brothers and 
sisters, etc., in awful torture, eternal, and then turn around and 
praise God. We could not praise God for tormenting any 



creature; we would not appreciate that. But if God in His 
wisdom should see fit that someone whom we love very 
dearly according to the flesh should not get into the Little 
Flock, our appreciation of the divine will should be such that 
we would say, "Let the Lord do what seemeth to him good; 
we know his way is perfect." And that is the reason, I think, 
why, in the type, Aaron and his loyal sons were not allowed 
to mourn for those whom the Lord destroyed—separated from 
the priesthood. 

MOURN~Re Aaron and Eliezer. 

Q499:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-"Moses said unto 
Aaron and unto Eliezer and Zimri, his sons, 'Uncover not ye 
your heads, neither rend your clothes lest ye die, and lest 
wrath come upon all the people, but let your brethren, the 
whole house of Israel bewail the burning which the Lord hath 
kindled.'" Why were they to bewail the burning which the 
Lord had kindled? What would this represent? 

ANSWER--The burning which the Lord had kindled 
was the burning of the Lord's anger, as we might say, 
represented in the destruction of these priests who had been 
disobedient to the divine arrangement. The whole people of 
Israel might bewail this matter and might very properly say, 
"How sorry we are, how grieved we are, that it has been 
necessary for God to thus manifest his displeasure with any of 
the priestly family." But Aaron and his sons were not to 
bewail, because they were especially consecrated to the 
Lord's service, they were especially separated from the 
remainder of the people; they were to have such full harmony 
with God that they would not even in an outward manner 
signify anything that might be misunderstood to be a 
depreciation of God's decree in the matter that their brethren 
had been killed, and if Aaron and his sons were to make a 
wailing it would seem as though they were rebelling against 
God, and it was not the thought to be entertained; it would 
not have been proper. They were there as servants of 
righteousness, and if God had called upon them to kill their 
brethren, it would have been part of their duty to have done 
so; they were not to make any lamentation therefore over 
what the Lord had justly brought upon the evil doers. 

MURDERER-Law for Re Cain. 

Q499:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-Gen. 9:6 reads: 
"Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be 
shed, for in the image of God made He man." Why was not 
this general law executed against Cain, who slew his brother 



Abel? 

ANSWER—There were not many men to shed Cain's 
blood. It would have been very hard for his own father and 
mother to do it. They had sorrow enough in one death in the 
family. I do not understand this text to mean that it was 
obligatory to shed the blood of one who had committed 

{PageQ500} 

murder, but that such a course was justifiable. God would 
approve of the execution of the death sentence upon the 
murderer. 

MURMURING-Who in Parable? 

Q500:1:: QUESTION (1909)--l--(Matt. 20:11) "And 
when they had received it (the penny), they murmured against 
the good man of the house." Question: Who do those 
represent who murmured? What is the reward that every man 
received? 

ANSWER~It is a parable, dear friends, and no 
explanation is given, and neither you nor I can say that this or 
that is absolutely the way of it. The best we can do with any 
parable to which the Lord has not given an explanation is to 
make as close an application as our judgment will permit, and 
then tentatively hold that as our view of its meaning. That is 
as much as any have a right to do. 

In this parable, what does the "penny" signify? It is the 
reward of those laborers who labored throughout the whole 
day or only an hour; it was the promised reward. What 
reward has God promised all those who are His throughout 
this whole Gospel Age? I know He has promised us eternal 
life. I would be inclined to think that the penny would 
represent the reward the Lord would give those who are His, 
not only those who are of the Little Flock, but also of the 
Great Company. There are other things that will be given to 
His followers that are not the same, as the Apostle said, "Star 
differeth from star in glory, so will be the resurrection of the 
dead," implying that some of the Lord's followers will have 
more than others. 

Another of our Lord's parables represents where one had 
used his ten pounds faithfully, had increased them by gaining 
ten more pounds, and the Master said: "Give him to have 
dominion over ten cities," etc., and so with the five and the 
two, and yet He said to them all, "Good and faithful 
servants." But they got different rewards. So in putting these 
matters together, I think that the Lord in the future will make 



discriminations as to the reward you and I will have. We will 
be perfectly satisfied, however, for we will get more than we 
are worthy of or than we could have asked for. 

The "penny," you see, represents something common to all, 
and not glory, honor and immortality, but rather would seem 
to represent eternal life. 

As to why they murmured, I am unable to explain that 
satisfactorily. I have not murmured myself, but I have not 
gotten my penny yet. I cannot imagine why one who gets 
eternal life should murmur. I only suggest that perhaps it was 
not to be understood that all were to receive alike. When it is 
fulfilled we will then be able to see it. You know no 
prophecy is to be understood until it is fulfilled. Just so; it 
was stated of our Lord that He would be born in Bethlehem, 
but it was not understood then, but when it was accomplished, 
then we could look back and see clearly. Prophecy is not 
given merely to satisfy curiosity, but it shows that God 
foreknows the things that are to take place. Known unto God 
are all His works and they are all being done according to the 
counsel of His will. 

NATIONS-God's Supervision of. 

Q500:2:: ANSWER- (1914-Z)-2-Should we 
understand from the 

{PageQ501} 

following Scriptures that God guides the affairs of nations, 
and chooses their rulers? 

The Most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men, and giveth it 
to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of 
men."-Dan. 4:17. 

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For 
there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained 
of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth 
the ordinance of God. "--Rom. 13:1,2. 

ANSWER—These Scriptures are in harmony with other 
statements of Scripture. In the case of Nebuchadnezzar, for 
instance, after he had been seven years insane, lying amongst 
the beasts of the field, his reason returned to him and he 
extolled the God of Heaven, acknowledging that God setteth 
up those whom He will and putteth down those whom He 
will. We understand that God's dealing with King 
Nebuchadnezzar was prophetic. 

In the case of Israel God had very particular oversight of 
their affairs, and dealt with their rulers. David was anointed 



when he was a youth, to be king in due time instead of Saul. 
So with several others of their kings--the Lord had them 
anointed in advance. It might be said of Israel, that whoever 
sat upon the throne was there as the Lord's representative. 
We remember also that on one occasion the Prophet of God 
was sent to anoint one of the kings of Syria and to give him a 
prophecy respecting himself, that he should take the throne. 

Looking back, we see that in the case of Pharaoh, the 
perverse king of Egypt, God declared, "For this very purpose 
I raised thee up, that I might show forth My Power in thee." 
God did not approve of Pharaoh, but used him to show forth 
His own glory. God also used King Cyrus of Persia as a 
servant to perform His bidding. 

GOD'S SUPERVISION OF CURRENT EVENTS 

All of these recorded instances show a vital interest on 
God's part as to who shall come forward and who shall be 
retarded when these matters would affect His own Plan. We 
are not to understand that these different kings represented 
God's choice as respects their loyalty to Him, but that these 
were the ones through whom the Divine Plan in operation 
could be signally manifested and outworked. And so it is 
today. The Lord knows which of the men running for the 
office of President of the United States in the fall of 1912 
would be the most suitable--the one who would most fully co- 
operate in the carrying out of the very conditions which He is 
pleased to permit to come to pass at this time. 

The Lord guides in the affairs of nations now, only in so far 
as such oversight will promote the fulfillment of His own 
purposes. When the monarchs of various countries declare 
themselves "King by the grace of God," we do not agree to 
the thought they have in mind in making such claim. They 
are expressing the thought which has prevailed throughout 
Christendom for centuries—that they reign as representatives 
of the Kingdom of God, and by His special favor. And 
likewise the Catholic Church: When the Pope claims that he 
is the head of the Church of Christ, claims that he is Christ's 
Vice-regent, he thus claims that Christ has set up His 
Kingdom, and that the Pope reigns in His stead. 



{PageQ502} 
OVERRULE TO OUTWORKING GOD'S PLAN 

After the Papal power waned in Europe, and the Protestants 
came into power, the Protestant rulers claimed the same right 
that the Catholics had claimed—to rule as the Lord's special 
representatives. And it is from this standpoint that kings 
maintain that they reign "by the grace of God," that the 
Kingdom of God is set up, and that they are reigning in God's 
Kingdoms. We do not understand this to be the right thought, 
but that in God's providence He permits these to occupy the 
thrones of the world for the time being. We understand that 
God does exercise a supervisory oversight in respect to 
them—not that He has authorized them to represent Him, or 
that He is responsible for their deeds and acts, but that He 
is so controlling matters as to cause them to outwork His own 
arrangements. 

God will not convert a king in order to do this; He will not 
make him a saint. But He can allow or hinder events without 
interfering with the free will of any individual, and without 
becoming responsible for his government. 

We may assume that this supervision of Divine Power is for 
the ultimate interest of mankind. We remember that there is a 
Prince of Darkness, who is seeking to do violence to 
humanity. Our thought is that the Divine Power hinders or 
restrains, so that the worst things cannot come to pass until 
His due time, and He overrules to bring those into power who 
will have the disposition to do what He purposes to permit 
when His due time has arrived. However, since the Lord does 
not explain to us just how He does this, it would be wise 
for us not to be too emphatic in our statements. 

NATURE-Divine vs. Image of God. 

Q502:1:: QUESTION (1915)1 Does not the 
attainment of the Divine nature mean attainment to the image 
of God in which man in the beginning was created? Does not 
the word nature here have the significance of disposition, 
character? 

ANSWER-It does not! Man never had the divine 
nature. The Apostle Paul points out, in discussing this subject 
of natures, in connection with the resurrection, that there is 
one flesh of fish, another of beasts, another of birds, and 
another of men. The fish does not have the same kind of 
flesh the bird has. We all know the difference. The flesh of 
fish, and of birds, and of beasts, is all different. 



Then comes man, the highest of all the earthly beings. The 
Apostle calls our attention to the higher forms of existence; 
he calls attention to another plane of life. He shows that man, 
the highest of the earthly creatures, is lower than the lowest of 
the spiritual beings. He tells us about angels, principalities, 
powers, and the divine nature, the highest of all. The perfect 
human being is God manifest in the flesh. It is as close to the 
divine nature as the flesh could come. It represents the divine 
nature as nearly as is possible for a human being. The angels 
are also in God's image or likeness; the cherubim and seraphim 
as well, although on a higher scale than man. The highest of all 
is the divine nature. That nature only God had originally. 
And that kind of spirit nature which God has He gave to Jesus 
at His resurrection, as a reward for His faithfulness. Jesus 
did not have it before He became a man; but as the Father has 
inherent life. I.e., life in Himself, not a life 

{PageQ503} 

derived from food and water, "So hath He given to the Son to 
have life in Himself." We cannot understand that kind of life. 
I cannot imagine how God could give a life that has no need 
of anything to sustain it. You never had any experience along 
that line. I never had. We would have been as great as God 
is to fully comprehend Him. 

We see the difference between apprehending and 
comprehending. To comprehend is to take in fully. To 
apprehend is to touch, or lay hold upon. You and I can 
apprehend, or lay hold of God, but not very clearly, because 
we are so little and He is so great. We cannot comprehend 
God. We can simply touch Him, or apprehend Him. 

The Apostle dwelt upon this matter; he was apprehending, 
or touching God, as God had apprehended or touched him. 
God has laid hold of us, come in touch with us. We do not 
come in touch with God and say, "We will have Him for our 
God." He laid hold upon us and told us about His 
arrangement for us. We were responsive to it; we thought 
how wonderful that He would thus take notice of us. So we 
are seeking to apprehend that for which we are apprehended 
of God. Man was not created in God's image in the sense that 
he is of the divine nature, which is far above cherubim and 
seraphim, while man is a little lower than even angels. 



NEIGHBOR-Who? 

Q503:1 :: QUESTION (1905)--l--Who is our neighbor? 

ANSWER--Our Lord tells us in the parable of the 
"Good Samaritan." Luke 10:29-37. 

NERO-Present Condition. 

Q503:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-What is the present 
condition of Nero's soul? Where is he—in hell? 

ANSWER— I have no private information from Nero, 
my dear friends. I merely know what the Bible says. It says 
that Nero is in hell— the Bible hell, not in the hell of Dante, 
which is quite a different matter. Dante, you know, had a 
large imagination and he pictured purgatory and described 
how he went with an angel and looked into different places. 
He saw some with their heads down in the fire and their feet 
up being roasted; others had their feet down and the flames 
were coming up around their bodies; others were being 
rained upon with molten fire; others were being chased by 
devils with pitchforks, and still others were being frozen. 
People living in cold countries are supposed to like heat, and 
therefore Dante imagined that in purgatory they would be 
frozen. All this is imagination. As for hell, Dante did not 
dare to describe it. He went to the door and said, "He who 
enters here abandons hope," and did not enter. 

The soul of Nero is where other souls are-it is dead. There 
was no fake about it. The devil is wrong in saying he is more 
alive than when he lived. He will stay dead until the time 
when the great Life-Giver will call him forth, as the Master 
said, John 5:28,29: "Marvel not, the hour is coming in 
which all who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son 
of Man and come forth; they who have done good (the saintly 
class, having divine approval) unto the resurrection of life." 
They will have the perfect life, "changed in a moment, in the 
twinkling of an eye." As the Apostle says, "Every man will 
come forth in his own order," in his own band, or company. 
How many bands there will 

{PageQ504} 

be I do not know, as God has not revealed it. I know not in 
which of these bands Nero shall come forth. I know they 
shall come forth. Jesus says, "They shall come forth unto a 
resurrection of damnation." Yes, my brother, the word 
damnation is there, but it is a very unfortunate translation, 
which has confused a great many of God's people. This is an 
illustration of how the human mind works when it is twisted 



by false doctrine. The translators, having in mind the eternal 
torment of the wicked, when they came to this word 
translated it damnation, whereas, had their minds not been 
beclouded they would not have so translated it. It does not 
mean eternal torment any more than it means potatoes. It 
means crisis, it means decision. They will come forth to 
demonstrate fully whether they will come into harmony with 
God and prove worthy of life, or not. The test now is not 
such a test. We are having our crisis now. If we have heard 
his voice, accepted his terms and entered into a covenant of 
sacrifice, then, having bound ourselves by this covenant to be 
his disciples and walk in his footsteps, our crisis will begin 
there, and continue through the remainder of our lives to 
determine whether we will obtain the prize of the high 
calling. 

When the world will come forth from the tomb they will 
come forth to a crisis; not damnation at all. The same word 
occurs five times in the same chapter and in only one other 
place is it mistranslated damnation. We see the meaning of 
the word crisis. The sense of the Greek word has come into 
the English word also. We have incorporated words from 
various languages, and we use the word in the English in 
exactly the proper way. As for instance: If the doctor comes 
to a home and some one has a fever. We ask, "Is it a serious 
case?" He says, "I cannot tell until the crisis." What does he 
mean? The turning point, or point of decision, which will be 
the seventh, fourteenth, or twenty first day, as the case may 
be; it will always come on a seven, and when that is reached 
there will be a change for the better or worse. That is the 
meaning of the word crisis. If the doctor would come in and, 
after examining the patient you would ask him as to the 
outlook, and he would say, "I cannot tell until the damnation," 
what would you think of that? That would be the translation 
given in John 5:28,19, and it is equally absurd there. 

The dead shall come forth to a resurrection of judgment, of 
testing, a crisis will be reached in their affairs. From that 
time they will not be allowed to do as they please. They will 
be compelled to be obedient to the rules of the kingdom, or 
receive stripes. If they resist far enough they will die the 
second death. If they respond to the opportunities they will 
be raised up to perfection, and by obedience to God they may 
have everlasting life. 



NEW COVENANT--Re Gentiles? 

Q504:1 :: QUESTION (1906)--! --Would it be right to 

say that the Gentiles would come under the New Covenant 

when they never have been under any other covenant with 

God? 

ANSWER-Yes, it would be right, because the New 
Covenant does not mean another covenant. It will be another 
covenant for those who were under a previous one, but "new" 
and "another" have not the same significance. The Lord says, 
"After those days I will make a new covenant 

{PageQ505} 

with the house of Israel and the house of Judah," etc. In 
stating this matter respecting the new covenant, if we were to 
follow the connection it might seem at first as though it 
referred only to the Jews, but we are to remember that the 
Jewish people were a typical people. And just so if we read 
about the day of Atonement in the Law, you will find that the 
sin offering was made for the tribe of Levi, and then the 
second part of the sin offering for all the remainder of Israel. 
Now, where would you apply it? The Apostle applies it to 
every creature. In other words, all Israel means every 
creature in the outcome. In the type it was simply done with 
Israel, Israel as a nation being representative of the whole 
world in that atonement sacrifice. That is to say, all of God's 
provisions are for those who will ultimately become Israelites 
indeed. There will not be any provision for any who are 
aliens and strangers and foreigners. But now there is reason 
why people are aliens from God—the great adversary blinds 
their minds. All people who will come into harmony with 
God's plan through Christ, the great son of Abraham, will 
become thereby the children of Abraham, and thus will be a 
part of the "all Israel," who will have this new covenant 
confirmed with them and have the blessings and privileges 
included in it. 

NEW CREATURES-Are We Actually or Reckoned? 

Q505:1:: QUESTION (1906)-1-Are we actually new 
creatures at the moment of our consecration, or reckoned so? 

ANSWER— I presume the brother means in the moment 
of the acceptance of our consecration. It is one thing for us to 
consecrate, and another thing for the Lord to accept the 
consecration. I understand the point of this question to be on 
the word "actual." Are we actually new creatures, or are we 
merely reckoned new creatures, is the thought. I think 



persons might, with equal sincerity, state the matter both 

ways, and have different thoughts. Actually I am a man, 

physically I have a human body, a human brain, etc., but the 

Lord tells me to reckon myself dead. Now I reckon myself 

dead. He tells me to reckon that I have passed from death 

unto life, and that I am now alive. But my human being, and 

human life, and human rights have been sacrificed, and I am 

now a new creature; I am to reckon that so. He tells me that 

He reckons it so. That is to say. He is going to deal with me 

from the standpoint as though I were a new creature, with 

whom old things have passed away, and all things have become new. 

So you see it depends on how we are thinking of the matter, 
when stating these things. Words are only vehicles for 
conveying thoughts. It is the right thought we want to get, 
and use the most reasonable words we know how to express 
it. So I can see how some words say we are not actually new 
creatures, but only reckonedly new creatures, and that we will 
be actually new creatures when we enter into the full 
perfection of the new nature in the resurrection; and yet I can 
see how the other might be stated also, and say that actually 
we have something new, that we are new as compared with 
what we were before, in the sense that we have the new mind, 
and that God is dealing with the new mind, rather than with 
the body, and since He is dealing with the new mind, it is an 
actual new mind, a new will, a new purpose, a new intention. 
So you see the answer 

{PageQ506} 

to this question just depends on which way you are viewing it. 

NEW CREATURE-Responsibility for Past Sins. 

Q506:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--Does God hold you 
as a new creature responsible for the sins of the past? 

ANSWER-No, not at all. Sometimes people tell me 
secrets of their past life that are very profound, and this is 
one of the things that I have aimed to show them from the 
Scriptures, that from the time they have made their 
consecration God through Christ made up to them all their 
insufficiency, and then they were new creatures, and nothing 
of the past was held against them as new creatures on account 
of what they may have done as old creatures before they were 
accepted of the Lord. 

The new creature, let me say, has only the earthly body 
through which to act at the present time; therefore, as the 
Apostle says, we may will, it may be our intention to do so 



and so, yet we may find ourselves not able to perform. 
However, as a new creature, you must will to do perfectly. 
God knows that you have only the earthen vessel and is not 
expecting you to do more than you can, only all that you can 
do. Bring every power of the body into subjection. In the 
8th chapter of Romans he speaks of the spirit of Christ dwelling 
in you. Think what a power that is! Why, that power was 
able to raise Jesus from the dead. Is not that a wonderful 
power? Yes. Well, now, if you have received the holy Spirit 
of God and that was sufficient to raise Jesus from the dead, 
do you not think that will enable us to do considerable? Well, 
the Apostle says, let that spirit come more and more into the 
control of your mortal bodies. If you are new creatures, then 
as such you will bring your flesh as nearly as possible up to 
that standard every day. 

I have found some dear friends troubled in spirit, because 
they have tried and failed or because someone else has done 
better than they could do. So I think of one brother in the 
Truth who said. Brother Russell, I wish I could do that the 
way you do. Well, I said. My brother, if you could do that as 
well as I can I would be ashamed. I was a Christian before 
you were born, and if you could do as well without my 
practice it would be a great shame to me. He said. Well, now, 
I never thought of it in that way. 

NEW CREATURE-An Individual Matter. 

Q506:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2-'Tf any manbein 
Christ, he is a New Creature; old things are passed away; 
behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor. 5:17.) Are we 
to understand from this Scripture that The Christ, Head and 
Body, is the New Creature, or should we understand that this 
term. New Creature, applies to the individual members of the 
Church? 

ANSWER—Undoubtedly this is an individual matter. 
Individually we make consecration of our human nature in 
likeness to our Lord's consecration of His flesh. Individually 
we are begotten of the Holy Spirit. Individually we are on 
trial for everlasting life or everlasting death. Individually we 
must make our calling and election sure, or fail. Individually 
we must be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. 
Individually, as we have borne the 

{PageQ507} 

image of the earthly one, we shall bear the image of the 
heavenly. 



Moreover, this New Creation includes not only our Lord, its 
Head, and the Church, His Bride, but also the equally spirit- 
begotten. They, too, will belong to this New Creation 
because they will no longer be members of the human family. 
This New Creation embraces all who belong to "the Church 
of the First-borns, whose names are written in heaven." 
(Heb. 12:23.) The chiefest in this glorious Church will be 
the Royal Priesthood. The lesser brethren on the spirit plane 
will be the antitypical Levites, the Great Company class. 

NEW CREATURE--Re the Robe. 

Q507:1:: QUESTION (1912 Z) 1 Can the New 

Creature's body sin? 

ANSWER~The New Creature's proper body is the 
Spirit body of the First Resurrection. But before getting it he 
is placed on probation and given his old human body to 
practice with. The New Creature cannot make the old body 
obey him perfectly. But he can develop strength in his 
endeavors to bring words, actions and thoughts into perfect 
accord with the perfect Law of God-Love. 

Unable to conquer, he must show the Captain of his 
salvation his loyalty to the core by "fighting a good fight." 

The imperfections of the flesh to which the new mind does 
not consent are all of heredity— all from Adamic weakness- 
all, therefore, forgivable by the Redeemer, who merely 
needs to be appealed to as the great Advocate. But every 
transgression of the flesh is charged to the New Creature, 
who owns the flesh and is using it. This obligates repentance, 
prayer, etc., and means the greater blessing to the New 
Creature. To whatever extent the New Creature gives consent 
or sympathy to the sin of his flesh he is worthy of "stripes," 
which correctively will assist in his character development. 
"What son is he whom his Father chasteneth not?" 

The New Creature only is given the wedding robe, the 
robe of Christ's righteousness, as a covering for his imperfect 
flesh. It represents his justification as a New Creature. It 
shows him as in Divine sight, holy, harmless, undefiled, 
through the merit of Jesus his Advocate and Redeemer. 

NEW CREATURE-And Sin. 

Q507:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z) -2 -CantheNew 
Creature sin? 

ANSWER-Yes! and No! The Apostle says, "He cannot 
sin, for his seed remaineth in him." (1 John 3:9.) That is to 
say, so long as any New Creature continues to possess the 
Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, he cannot consent wilfully to 



do sin. If one Spirit-begotten does sin wilfully it implies 
that prior to that wilful sin' he parted with his spirit of 
holiness (lost the seed of his begetting) and got instead a 
spirit of sin, the spirit of the Adversary. In other words, a 
holy person, possessing God's Spirit of begetting, cannot 
wilfully and intentionally do that which he knows to be 
unholy and displeasing to God. He cannot take pleasure in 
sin. He once died to it, and to have it revive means a return to 
wallowing in the mire- "twice dead, plucked up by the roots"; 
ready to be taken and destroyed as a brute beast-- Jude 12; 
2 Pet. 2:12. 

{PageQ508} 

NEW creature-Is Body Part of? 

Q508:1:: QUESTION (1912) 1 Is the body of a 
consecrated person a part of the New Creature? 

ANSWER-Yes and no. It is not a part of the New 
Creature because the New Creature is spiritual, and the new 
body, which belongs to the New Creature he has not yet 
received, but he is hoping to receive it according to the Lord's 
promise, when he shall have demonstrated his loyalty—in his 
resurrection. We have this treasure (the New Creature, the 
new will, the new mind) in an earthen vessel. The earthen 
vessel is not the New Creature. But on the contrary we might 
properly say that the body belongs to the New Creature; in 
the same sense that your dog belongs to you. Your dog 
represents you or is you to such an extent that you would be 
held responsible for what he does. You would be liable for 
damage which he might do. So as a New Creature, he must 
keep the mortal body muzzled, and keep it from doing harm 
in the world. It is yours to use. But, you as a New Creature, 
will prosper and develop and become more and more 
established in the Lord in proportion as the Old Creature 
becomes more and more dead. The Apostle tells us, "Reckon 
ye yourselves dead to sin, but alive to righteousness." He tells 
us that the spirit of Christ operating in us should quicken or 
energize our mortal bodies in the service of the Lord, as the 
servants of the New Creature. Draft the mortal body into the 
service of the Great King as alive from the dead-that is the 
thought. 

NEW creature-Is it Divine? 

Q508:2:: QUESTION (1912) -2 -Is the New Creature 
divine? 
ANSWER— The New Creature is begotten to the divine 



nature. The intention of begetting was to bring these new 
creatures to the divine plane or nature. "We are all called in 
the one hope of our calling." St. Peter tells us that God gave 
"the great and precious promises, that we might become 
partakers of the divine nature. We were begotten of the Holy 
Spirit with this end in view. Then, properly, the question 
might come in. Will all who are begotten of the Holy Spirit 
attain to the divine nature? 

We answer. No. Some, according to the Scriptures, 
begotten of the Holy Spirit, will go into the Second Death, 
and not attain to any nature. Others begotten of the Holy 
Spirit will not attain to the divine nature, but attain to a spirit 
nature, lower than the divine. How this will be has been 
illustrated in the WATCH TOWER, but we will repeat some 
of the illustrations. For instance, among the bees: All bees 
are begotten in just the same way, whether they turn out to be 
a drone, queen bee or worker. There are three kinds, and the 
begetting is the same in every case. The after treatment 
causes the difference. One larvae becomes the queen simply 
because supplied a greater abundance of food and not because 
of any different begetting. So with the Church, begotten of 
the Holy Spirit. God provides the nourishment, and if you 
and I appropriate this and use it, it will build us up, and we 
will become the Queen, the Lord's Bride. Otherwise we may 
develop into the Great Company class or fail altogether in the 
Second Death. 

{PageQ509} 

NEW creature-Is it Real or Reckoned? 

Q509:1 :: QUESTION (1913) 1 Is the New Creature 
real or merely reckoned? 

ANSWER--The New Creature is real, so real that the 
New Creature can die the second death. If it were only a 
reckoned matter it would not be so serious, but the whole 
proposition is carried out, to my understanding, on a real 
basis; that we must really, not reckonedly, come and present 
ourselves a living sacrifice. Christ needed to have really died 
before He could impute His merit to us. If it were merely a 
reckoned matter, God could have dealt with the lackings we 
have, but Jesus really ascended up on high and presented the 
merit of His sacrifice on our behalf. Not until that moment 
could God grant the Holy Spirit to the waiting disciples, and 
that Holy Spirit came to them as a real begetting to the new 
nature, "old things have passed away and all things have 
become new;" very positively so, in my judgment. 



NEW creature-How Perish? 

Q509:2:: QUESTION (1914) 2 How can the New 
Creature perish, if, as the Bible declares, we are "begotten 
again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible?" 

ANSWER--The New Creature is begotten of 
incorruptible seed in the sense that this seed will not become 
unholy. It will not be corrupted. Therefore, the Apostle 
argues, if any of God's people, after receiving the holy Spirit, 
if they turn away from that holy Spirit, they are losing it 
entirely, that they are dying to it, that God's Spirit cannot be 
corrupted. You may give your will or consent to God's Spirit 
and then you may afterward take your will away from God's 
Spirit of begetting; but the Spirit of God always stays pure, 
holy, incorruptible, but that Spirit in you is the begettal or the 
energy of God working in you and to bring you to that 
incorruptible condition, if you allow that holy Spirit in you to 
do God's good pleasure, and then eventually, by the change of 
resurrection by God's favor you would be an incorruptible 
being beyond the veil. It is the holy Spirit that is 
incorruptible. It is the holy Spirit that cannot be perverted, 
and it will not stoop to corruption. As long, therefore, as we 
have this spirit energizing us and actuating us, we are 
incorruptible, but as soon as we renounce that, we do not 
change God's Spirit, but we become corrupted ourselves, and 
will die the second death, as St. Paul explains. 

NINETY-AND-NINE-Vs. The Sinner. 

Q509:3:: QUESTION (191 l)--3--Please comment on 
Luke 15:7; "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in 
heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety 
and nine just persons who need no repentance." Who are the 
ninety and nine, and who is the sinner? 

ANSWER--This being a parabolic statement, it is not 
proper that we or anyone else should speak dogmatically. 
Neither the Lord nor the apostles have given us the 
interpretation. We must merely give you our guess; and our 
broad guess would be that the Lord here means to teach that 
there is great sympathy in heaven for all of those who have 
fallen in sin and who will be recovered out of it. Any sinner 
recovered from his sin would be a source of joy and rejoicing 
amongst the holy ones among the angels—more 

{PageQ510} 

joy over the returning of a sinner from his way than from the 



fact that a great many angels never sinned at all, and never 
left the right way, and never did therefore, return to it. As 
for man, there are no just men that need no repentance. There 
never have been. Adam was the only just, perfect man who 
ever lived, and by the deeds of the law none were justified. 
And as the apostle says, "There is none righteous; no, not 
one." Then anybody repenting would be one who had been 
an unjust person, and all the world had been unjust. All 
mankind, therefore, in coming back to God must come back 
repentedly, and there is joy in heaven over all the human 
family as they come back in harmony with God and in 
harmony with righteousness. We are not to think that the 
angels would despise those who come back, nor that the 
heavenly Father would despise them, but rather, there would 
be great joy in the recovery of each one from his fallen and 
sinful state, whether he come back now under the condition of 
the Gospel call, or whether he shall come back in the under 
Messiah's kingdom—no matter, there will always be joy in 
heaven over everyone who comes back into harmony with 
God. And whoever these just persons are, who need no 
repentance, they are not on earth, as far as we know. The 
angels of heaven, alone, would seem to me to fit this 
description, as being just persons who need no repentance. 
They never fell from their obedience to God, and never 
needed to be redeemed, or repent. Christ never died for their 
sins, for they have no sins. These great things God has done 
and Christ has done for sinners. While we were yet sinners, 
Christ died for the ungodly. That was for you and for me, 
and we were not just persons, nor anybody of the human 
kind. 

NOMINAL CHURCHES--Re Visiting Them. 

Q510:1:: QUESTION (1910)-l-In view of the fact 
that several dear brethren are coming into the truth, would 
the suggestion in a recent Tower of visiting the nominal 
churches apply to congregations of "Holy Rollers," etc.? Do 
you approve of visiting such meetings, under any 
circumstances? 

ANSWER~Our suggestion in the Watch Tower was to 
the effect that it should not be considered as a sinful thing for 
us to visit some of the nominal churches. I have found some 
dear brethren and sisters who seem to feel that if they would 
even go into a nominal church they would commit a sin. I 
think they are making a mistake; and that mistake would 
quite likely crop out somewhere in their experiences with 
others and be injurious to the cause and to themselves. 



Therefore, this answer in the Watch Tower was to the effect 
that if there were no other meetings we could attend, and no 
other service would be neglected by our attending these, it 
might not be amiss sometimes to go to some nominal church 
meeting, and to take part, for instance, in a testimony 
meeting, using our opportunity with the others either to give a 
testimony or to offer a prayer and to join with them in 
singing. I could go into nearly any Methodist or Presbyterian 
congregation and feel sure I could have a good time with 
them. I believe many of them are well meaning. The fact that 
they are not as far advanced in Bible study as ourselves and 
do not see the divine plan as clearly as we do need not hinder 
us from having good fellowship with them to the extent they 
do see. If they love God, if they revere the name 

{PageQ511} 

of the Lord Jesus Christ, and if they are seeking to walk 
honestly, and soberly, and decently, let us be glad to give 
them recognition to that extent. Now, I do not wish to be 
understood as advising anybody to neglect meetings where 
they could go to still more spiritual advantage. As the 
Apostle says. Forget not the assembling of yourselves 
together. It is still better if you can meet with those who are 
advanced in the truth, and who could help you and to whom 
you in turn could be of special help. That certainly should be 
your course and certainly would be what you should do. 

Then in respect to the meetings with Seventh Day 
Adventists, and Holy Rollers, Christian Scientists, and 
Spiritualists-I do not know how many the brother included in 
his question, but I would advise you to stay just as far away 
from all such people as you can; not because they are out of 
the general run, but because they seem to be, to our judgment, 
seriously out of the way. I cannot imagine, for instance, that 
we could be of any good or get any good in a Christian 
Science meeting. I feel sure that, for my own part, I would be 
doing wrong, and that I would be giving my influence to 
something that would be really pernicious, injurious. I would 
feel different in going amongst Methodists, and Presbyterians, 
and Baptists, and Episcopalians; I would feel that I was not 
doing any serious injury, and perhaps might have an 
opportunity of doing some good. 

As for Spiritualists, I would not meet with them under any 
consideration, would not attend a seance if you would pay me 
a thousand dollars for it. Why? Because I thoroughly believe 
it is of the adversary, and I would think that I was putting 



myself in the way of evil, and that quite possibly some injury 
would come to me, I would not know how. If I did not know 
better the matter would be quite different, but since I do know 
better I am responsible for what I do know; and, similarly, 
with those who do not know better about Christian Science. 
No doubt honest people are amongst them, and honest people 
commingle with them. But, to my understanding, both 
Spiritualists and Christian Scientists deny the very 
fundamentals of Christianity. 

Now, about the Holy Rollers. I have no doubt that some of 
them mean very well, and are deluded of the adversary, and I 
am sorry for them. But that would not mean that I should in 
any manner encourage them, or take any part with them; my 
conscience would not permit it. I would feel that I was 
dishonoring the Lord and that I was doing injury to them by 
being with them and seeming to give any measure of consent. 
But now these matters are for each one's own conscience and 
if anybody thinks differently, God bless him, let him follow 
his own conscience. 

"OFFERING""Used in Two Different Senses. 

Q511:1:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-"For the bodies of 
those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by 
the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp." 
(Heb. 13:11.) Would this show that the Sin-Offering is made 
in the antitypical Most Holy? 

ANSWER~In general those who have translated 
anything in the Bible respecting the Tabernacle have 
seemingly been very careless in the use of the terms Holy, 
Most Holy, Holy place, etc. They did not discern that these 
terms were used 

{PageQ512} 

in different senses by the Jews, in connection with different 
portions of the Tabernacle. Correctly translated, our text 
reads: "The bodies of those beasts, whose blood is taken into 
the Most Holy as an offering for sin, are burned without 
the camp."' We must remember that the word "offering" is 
Scripturally used in two different senses. In one sense of the 
word, our Lord offered himself at baptism, when He gave 
Himself to do the Father's will. That was His offering of 
Himself, His gift, when He presented Himself at Jordan. He 
finished the offering of His gift when He laid down His life 
on Calvary; and that life, laid down on Calvary, is an 
appropriate Sin-Offering. But it remained for the High Priest 



to ascend up on high, there to appear in the presence of God 
for us, to make application' of the Sin-Offering. The 
sprinkling of the blood on the Mercy Seat was done in the 
Most Holy. But the presentation of that Sin-Offering was 
made at Jordan—or, in the type, when the bullock was slain. 

OFFSPRING"ln Him Live, IVIove and IHave Our Being. 

Q512:1:: QUESTION (1909)-l-(Acts 17:28), "For 
in him we live and move and have our being, as certain also 
of your own poets have said for we are also his offspring." 
What is meant by the words, "We are also his offspring?" 

ANSWER— The Apostle was addressing the heathen 
people at Athens who had erected an altar to the unknown 
God, and the Apostle wanted to address them along the line 
of their superstition. When talking with another it is a good 
point to get in harmony with them as much as possible. Don't 
get him down and make him mad. A great many of the Lord's 
dear people, with the best of intentions, arouse the 
antagonism of the one they are talking with, and thus do 
injury to both the truth and to themselves. The Lord did not 
send us to fight. If there is anybody that needs to be fought 
with it is ourselves. You remember the commission, "The 
spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has sent me to 
preach the Gospel to the meek." As soon as you find that the 
person you are talking with is not meek, you should draw 
off-don't antagonize him, don't take a chisel and hammer and 
try to give him a ear. Our commission goes on to say that we 
Tare not only to preach the gospel, but to "Bind up the 
broken-hearted." We are not to try to break their hearts. 
Many seem to think they have a commission to go out and see 
how many hearts they can break, but there is not a word of 
that in the Commission. Look for the hearts that are already 
broken, for there are plenty of them in the world. You and I 
want to be peace-makers, trying to do all the good that we 
can, to bind up the broken hearts and pour in the oil of the 
spirit of the Lord. Let the Lord use the devil and others to 
break people's hearts; He knows how. Anything that you and 
I do must be with the words of life. Sometimes some word 
will enter into the very heart, just as when Peter said that the 
Jews had killed the Prince of Life; but let it be the arrow of 
truth and not of your own words, and let that cause them to 
fall under Him. When they manifest some sorrow and 
contrition, remember what Peter said to them when they 
asked. Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved? Did 
Peter say, You ought to be sorry, get down there and be sorry 



for a while? No, he put on some oil right away, and started to 
bind up the broken 

{Page Q5 13} 

hearts. He said. Repent, dear friends, I wot that ye did it in 
ignorance, God knows that. And so he tried to heal them. 

Another part of the question is this: In talking with these 
men at Athens, Paul said, I noticed one of your altars as I 
passed by, and on it were inscribed the words: "To the 
Unknown God." Now, I declare unto you, etc. Paul went on 
to tell them that they ought not to think of these idols as being 
God, but that God is the great Creator who made all mankind, 
and he reminded them that some of their own prophets 
acknowledged this same thought. He was working in with 
them, you see. Paul is not here saying that they were sons of 
God and in harmony with God. The whole world lieth in the 
wicked one who keeps them under his power by telling them 
that God is a furious God and leading them to hate Him. No, 
the Apostle would encourage them to know God who made 
them, and who will welcome them back if they come in His 
appointed way. 

OPIATES-Should the Consecrated Use Them? 

Q513:1:: QUESTION (1912)-l-Would a person who 
is fully consecrated to God, and who suffers from an 
incurable disease, commit sin in taking a remedy containing 
an opiate, when suffering from severe pain, sometimes 
incapacitating him from work, because of suffering so 
severely? 

ANSWER--Such a person would not be committing a 
sin in taking an opiate. We are allowed to relieve such pain. 
We are allowed to relieve the pain of hunger by eating. And 
so, if we are diseased by thirst we relieve the distress by 
drinking. All foods in this sense are remedies. We remedy 
the case by taking that which relieves. If I were in such a 
condition, if I had such an incurable disease that brought great 
pain, and the opiate was the only right and proper thing to 
relieve the pain, I would feel justified in taking the opiate. I 
would try, however, to not deceive myself, but would get the 
advice of some medical man, a doctor, to tell me whether he 
thought it was necessary in my case. If he said. No, that I 
would injure myself, stupefy myself, then I would say, I 
cannot use it. No two cases would be exactly alike. As a rule 
all opiates are injurious and should be used only as a last 
resort under competent advice. 



OPPORTUNITY-When Cease to Help Truth Financially. 

Q513:2:: QUESTION (1911)--l--How soon will the 
opportunity to help the cause of the truth in a financial way 
cease? 

ANSWER— It depends on how soon you die. It might 
stop tonight with some of us. I don't know. I think the right 
way to do is to live according to our judgment, according to 
God's providence. If all we have belongs to him, use the best 
wisdom he gives you today, and when tomorrow comes, use 
the best wisdom you know then. Leave it to the Lord to 
determine how soon the opportunity will be shut off. If he 
has not given you any opportunities today, then do not use 
them; you do not need to worry about what you cannot do. I 
have known some Christian friends who were greatly worried 
because they could not do something. My thought would be 
that God does not expect us to do what we cannot do. What 
we should be anxious about is, what is possible for us to do. 
How can we order our steps according to his 

{PageQ514} 

Word? What can we do that will be pleasing to him, and will 
serve his cause? Let each decide this for himself. You know 
I never solicit money. 

ORDINATION-The True. 

Q514:1:: QUESTION (1915-Z)-l-When,by whom 
and how were you ordained a minister of the Gospel? 

ANSWER— Before answering this question, I would call 
attention to the Scriptural teaching on the subject of 
ordination. From what we believe to be the Bible standpoint, 
there are two ordinations proper. One is of God; one of men. 
The ordination of God is the begetting of the Holy Spirit. 
Without this no one is authorized to preach the Gospel. If 
any are preaching without this ordination they are, to our 
understanding, preaching without Divine ordination. They 
are doing something that they are not authorized to do. 

Our Lord told how He was ordained to be a preacher; and 
the Scriptures tell us that we are to walk in His steps and to 
have experiences similar to His own in many respects. As 
ministers of the Cross, we are to copy our Lord Jesus Christ 
as fully as we are able to do. But He was perfect, and we are 
imperfect. Consequently we are to have the forgiveness of 
our sins, while he had no sins. He, therefore, constitutes the 
basis of forgiveness of all who come unto the Father through 



faith in His blood. He mentions His own ordination, saying, 
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; because He had anointed 
Me to preach good tidings to the meek. " (Isa. 61:1.) As 
that ordination came upon Jesus, it later came upon the 
disciples at Pentecost; and all down the Gospel Age it has 
come upon the followers of Christ, anointing them to preach 
the Gospel.--Luke 4:17-21; 1 John 2:27. 

All who have received the ordination of God have the 
authority to preach according to their opportunities and 
abilities. Some of them may be deaf mutes and cannot preach 
audibly. Others may be limited by sex; sisters cannot preach 
as do the brethren; but they can preach, nevertheless, in 
"showing forth the praises of Him who hath called them out 
of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Pet. 2:9.) 
Moreover, they are fully ordained to make known the good 
tidings, but, according to the Apostle Paul's statement, not in 
a public way. There are some men who cannot preach 
publicly on account of lack of talent or opportunity, but all 
men, by their lives and conversation, can proclaim the glory 
and honor of the great and loving God who lifted them out of 
darkness into light, out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, 
and placed their feet upon a Rock and established their 
goings. ~Psa. 40:2. 

There comes, however, another special ordination of those 
who are called ministers of the Gospel, in which class I count 
myself. This is ordination by the Church, and is recognized 
by all denominations everywhere. By some it is considered a 
mere form, by some it is performed with great ceremony, by 
others with less ceremony. But to our understanding, each 
congregation should have those whom it has chosen ordained 
in a Scriptural way—by the stretching forth of hands—by a 
vote. 

The form of the statement in Acts 14:23, with other 
frequent references to elders in connection with all churches, 

{PageQ515} 

justifies the inference that ordination was the invariable 
custom in the early Church. The term "elders," as seen in this 
text, includes evangelists, pastors, teachers, and prophets- 
public exponents. Hence it is important that we learn what is 
meant by the word "ordained." 

At the present time the word ordination' is generally used 
in reference to a ceremony of installatioN'; but this is not 
the significance of the Greek word cheirotoneo, used in 
this text. It means "to elect by stretching out the hands," still 



the usual form of voting. This definition is given in Professor 
Young's "Analytical Concordance to the Bible." As this may 
be considered a Presbyterian authority, we give also the 
definition set forth in Strong's "Exhaustive Concordance of 
the Bible," which may be considered a Methodist authority. 
The latter defines the root of the word-- "A hand-reacher, or 
voter (by raising the hand)." 

The Scriptural method of ordaining elders in all the 
churches is by congregational election—by stretching forth the 
hand in a vote. To insist upon such an election before serving 
is to follow Scriptural order; it fortifies the elder, and, 
additionally, reminds the congregation of its duties and 
responsibilities as appointees of the elders in the Lord's name 
and Spirit-as expressing God's choice, God's will. 
Additionally, the Scriptural arrangement interests the 
members of the congregation in all the words and deeds of the 
elders, as their servants and representatives. It opposes the 
too prevalent idea that the elders own and rule the 
congregation, and puts an end to their thinking of them as 
"my people" -rather than as "the Lord's people, whom I 
serve." 

Whoever has not been ordained in these two ways is not an 
ordained minister of the Gospel in the Scriptural sense. First, 
the Divine ordination is necessary; second, the earthly 
ordination is necessary. By the grace of God I have both of 
these. 

In the case of those who are doing a public work in the 
name of the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT 
SOCIETY, they are ordained as a whole. They are sent forth 
by the officers of the Society; and as a majority of the classes 
everywhere are recognized by the Society, and as they in turn 
recognize the Society, they therefore recognize this ordination 
through the Society. 

ORDINATION-Authority For. 

Q515:1:: QUESTION (1915 Z)-l Where did the 

Society get the authority for sending out preachers? 

ANSWER-It gets its authority primarily from the 
Lord, who authorizes all His people, who receive the Holy 
Spirit to go forth. Secondly, the Society is a business 
organization for religious work in the service of the Lord, by 
printing books, pamphlets, charts, etc., and by sending out its 
representatives to preach— by word of mouth and by printed 
page. This is its only business. It is acting in the same way 
as did the Church at Antioch, who especially chose Paul and 
Barnabas to do a missionary work, and who voted these to be 



representatives of that Church. —Acts 13:2,3. 

When Paul and Barnabas went forth, they did not say, "We 
preach in our name." They would have had a right to go in 
the name of the Lord and preach; but, in addition, 

{PageQ516} 

they had the financial backing, we understand, of the Antioch 
congregation, just as today our representatives have the 
backing of the Society. When they go to a place, they can 
say, "Here is a letter which shows that we are acting for the 
Society." So they do not go simply in the name of Christ, but 
they go as representatives of this Society, which is known to 
be doing an evangelizing work. 

ORDINATION-Under What Name? 

Q516:1:: QUESTION (1915 Z) 1 Is the name of 

your Association: the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT 

SOCIETY? or the INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS' 

ASSOCIATION? 

ANSWER--It is both. They are virtually the same 
thing. The INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS 
ASSOCIATION, the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND 
TRACT SOCIETY and the PEOPLES PULPIT 
ASSOCIATION are in many respects identical. Why have 
three names? For the same reason that there are in the 
various churches different Societies—the Home Missionary 
Society, the Christian Endeavor Society and the Epworth 
League, etc., etc. Are they not all doing the same work and 
trying to help people to live a Christian life, etc.? Yes. Why 
have different Societies? For the reason that each has a 
different branch of the work to which to attend. 

So is it with us. The parent Association is the Watch Tower 
Bible and Tract Society, chartered under the laws of the State 
of Pennsylvania. Its purpose is to publish the Truth, to send 
forth missionaries, etc., etc. The property that was necessary 
to transact business, etc., was in its name; for no other was 
necessary in the State of Pennsylvania. 

When we moved here to New York, we were informed that 
the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society could not hold title 
to property here. We were told, "You can do business in a 
personal way, but not as a Society. So if you want to do 
any business here, you must be chartered as an 
Association." "Very well, then," we said, "we will 
organize the Peoples Pulpit Association." This is merely 
another name for the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 



for New York business. 

Later on, in Great Britain, we were informed, "Your 
American Charter does not count for anything here." 
Consequently we took out a Charter there for the International 
Bible Students' Association. This reads practically the same 
as the Charter of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. 

These three different Societies were made necessary by the 
law of different states and countries. For some things the 
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is the preferable name. 
It is the parent Society and the one to which contributions are 
made. Whoever makes a donation is expected, if he will, to 
make it in the name of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract 
Society. 

The Peoples' Pulpit Association is the only one of the three 
that can do business here in New York, and the Watch Tower 
Bible and Tract Society deals with the Peoples' Pulpit 
Association as though they were two independent 
organizations. Nevertheless they are the same--just as with 
the different Societies of the nominal churches, which would 
have, perhaps, the same treasurer. 

Thus the whole management is by the Watch Tower Bible 
and Tract Society, and these auxiliary organizations 

{Page Q5 17} 

merely help in carrying on its work. We sometimes use one 
name and sometimes another, just as any one would have the 
right to use any names appropriate to his work. It is equally 
appropriate to say that we are the International Bible Students' 
Association. We are Bible students, and are helping Bible 
students in all parts of the world, by the printed page, by 
financial assistance and in other ways. It is also appropriate 
to use the name Peoples' Pulpit Association in connection 
with persons who are engaged in preaching and are acting 
under guidance of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. 

In other words, the Peoples' Pulpit Association cannot 
transact business except through the Watch Tower Bible and 
Tract Society. The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society has 
the management, and the Peoples' Pulpit Association does the 
work—absolutely. 

The International Bible Students Association has no legal 
status except in Great Britain; the Peoples Pulpit Association 
has none except in New York State. 

We keep the "Watch Tower" prominent in letter heads, etc., 
so that the friends would not misunderstand us and think that 
the "Watch Tower" has gone out of the work. We use one 



name or another, as would seem to be most convenient in the 
work. For instance, we now have on the title page of the 
Studies in the Scriptures the name International Bible 
Students Association, instead of Watch Tower Bible and 
Tract Society, as formerly. Here we have a distinctive name, 
different from others. There are Bible Teachers Associations, 
Tract Societies, etc., etc.; but here we have a name especially 
appropriate to put on our publications, because it represents 
exactly the thought which we desire to express. 

ORDINATION-Re Laying On of Hands. 

Q517:1:: QUESTION (1915-Z)-l-How should we 
understand the Apostle's advice to Timothy to "Lay hands 
suddenly on no man?" Does not this imply a formal 
ordination? 

ANSWER--The Apostle Paul's words to Timothy might 
be variously understood. If we should read in tomorrow 
morning's paper that some one suddenly laid hands on a man 
we would understand that he had been assaulted. We are to 
remember that this is not the way the expression would be 
understood in the Greek, but that the translators gave us what 
they thought the proper meaning. The early Church had a 
ceremony of formally laying hands on the heads of their 
elders, deacons, etc. When the Apostles did this, it was the 
indication of the impartation of the Holy Spirit. None but the 
Apostles could bestow this. The Churches may have had 
some custom amongst themselves in the way of appointing 
ministers, however, that in thus doing they might indicate that 
they approved of such persons. 

There would be nothing improper in a similar ceremony, if 
a Pilgrim were sent forth by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract 
Society for a special service of some kind. The officers of the 
Society might step forward, lay their hands on the Pilgrim's 
head and say, "You are the representative of the Society." 
The priests in olden time laid their hands upon the head of the 
animal that was to be offered—to show that it represented 
them. So some one might be sent forth by the Society; but a 
ceremonial laying on of hands would be 

{Page Q5 18} 

merely an appeal to the eye, carrying with it no other 
authority than the words, "You are appointed for such and 
such service," etc. 

This leaves each little company of the Lord's people to use 
whatever ceremony they choose. Episcopalians and Catholics 



use a great deal of ceremony; other denominations use less. 
We believe that we also have the right to use as much or as 
little ceremony as we choose. The meaning of the word 
ordination is to authorize. True ordination is, first, of the 
Holy Spirit; second, of the association sending forth its 
servant with the Gospel Message. 

ORDINATION--Re School of Theology. 

Q518:1:: QUESTION (1915-Z)-l-From what School 
of Theology were you graduated? 

ANSWER--I am still in the School of Christ and have 
not yet been graduated. We get our theology from the Bible. 
Some of our friends have taken their theology otherwise, have 
taken it from human instructors, and have afterwards found 
that they had wasted their time. Some things which they were 
taught were Scriptural, and some things were sectarian. 
We are simply trying to find out what the Bible teaches. As 
the Apostle Paul said to Timothy, so we desire to do: Study 
to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth 
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." 
-2 Tim. 2:15. 

The Apostle did not tell Timothy to go to some Theological 
School, or, tell him which would be the proper one to attend 
if he wished to get confused. He merely told the young man 
to rightly divide the Word of Truth—to see which portions 
refer to Natural Israel and which refer to Spiritual Israel; 
which are earthly promises, belonging to the natural 
man, and which are spiritual promises, belonging to the 
Christian; which belong to the present time, and which 
to the future. 

Some of our number have been graduated from a 
theological seminary. At the time of their graduation they 
thought that their school was the best there was. But since 
they entered into the School of Christ, they find that really 
they would have been much better off if they had not gone to 
the seminary at all; for it took many months and years to get 
out of their heads the errors which were there drilled in. 

ORDINATION-Object of Society's List of Questions. 

Q518:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-2-What is the object 
of the Society in getting out a list of questions with the 
intimation that the person who could answer those questions 
in a manner satisfactory to the Society would be considered a 
Minister of the Divine Word? 

ANSWER— Those questions are designed to fill a 
long-felt want. The questions are quite unsectarian; they are 



all Scriptural. The Society desires to know from the Pilgrims 
who are now in the service, or from any others who may at 
any time represent the Society as Pilgrims, what are their 
thoughts, their sentiments and their understanding as respects 
these fundamental questions appertaining to the Gospel of 
Christ. Any Brother not willing to answer those questions 
would be considered to be confused in his mind, unstable, and 
hence not qualified to teach--not "apt to teach." This would 
not imply that he might not still be a Brother, but that he 
would not be considered a Brother suitable for 

{Page Q5 19} 

the Pilgrim service. Neither would it mean that the Brother 
must not preach, but merely that the Society would not 
recommend him as an exponent of the Divine Word. 

Any Brother willing to answer the questions, but showing 
considerable confusion in his replies, would to us indicate 
that he needed further instruction before he could properly 
represent the Society and what the Society believes to be the 
Truth respecting God's Word. Such a Brother would 
probably be brought to Brooklyn and have an opportunity to 
participate for a time in other features of the service, as well 
as in the Bible Study classes held at every meal time; and, by 
fullest liberty, have an opportunity of asking any kind of 
questions on subjects connected with the Truth, that thus the 
whole matter might be thoroughly regulated and clearly seen 
and understood. 

A FRIENDLY SUGGESTION. 

Many of the Sisters in the Bethel Family, learning about the 
questions, made a special request that they might have a list 
of these and give their answers, with a view to practice and 
instruction which they might thus derive. Elders and Deacons 
in various classes have similarly requested the questions. We 
believe that it would be profitable for all of the classes of 
Bible Students everywhere, if they would choose to Eldership 
such as could answer these questions so as to be worthy of the 
Society's V.D.M. degree. This might make a good many 
changes amongst the Elders, but we believe that they would 
be profitable changes. Furthermore, we believe that all Elders 
earnestly desiring to teach the Truth, and the Truth only, 
would be glad to have the very assistance which these 
questions would bring to them. 

We have been surprised, sometimes, how careless some of 



the dear friends seem to be in respect to those whom they 
elect or ordain as Elders--often novices, contrary to the 
direction of the Lord's Word, thus doing harm both to the 
novice and to the class. (1 Tim. 3:1-7.) Next to the 
importance of the election of only a consecrated, spirit 
begotten child of God to Eldership should be the question. 
To what extent has he availed himself of the privileges of 
study, information? It is our thought that it is unwise to 
choose as an Elder any Brother who has not read at least once 
the entire six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures, or who is 
not a regular Watch Tower reader. Let it be borne in mind 
that the Society exercises no authority, makes no criticism, 
but merely gives advice; and that in the interest of the Lord's 
cause and the Lord's people. 

ORDINATION--Re Present Ministers. 

Q519:1 :: QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-Are there any such 
Ministers of the Divine Word, now? 

ANSWER~Yes, assuredly! Every Pilgrim sent out by 
the Society is sent out as a Minister of the Divine Word, not a 
minister of creeds, nor of "isms"; but purely and simply a 
Minister of the Word of God. And in every case where a 
congregation of the Lord's people has elected a consecrated, 
spirit-begotten child of God to be an Elder, they have by their 
election ordained, or set apart, or indicated, that Elder as 
being a Minister of the Divine Word—one who serves, 
distributes, dispenses the Truth of God's Word. 

{PageQ520} 

ORDINATION--Re Title V.D.M. 

Q520:1:: QUESTION (1916-Z) -1 -Whatis the 
meaning of V.D.M. , and what would be signified by the 
conferring of the V.D.M. Degree? 

ANSWER-The title V.D.M. is a very old one. Indeed, 
it has been out of use so long that comparatively few know its 
meaning. The three letters represent the Latin words, Verbi 
Dei Minister. The English of this is, "Minister of the Divine 
Word." When, during the Dark Ages, the Divine Word fell 
into disuse and creeds were substituted, this title was 
generally lost and ignored. There were no ministers of the 
Divine Word; for the Divine Word was not preached, but, 
instead, the creeds of men. Instead of these simple words so 
expressive of the proper thought in connection with all the 
Lord's public servants, we today have high sounding titles, 
such as Reverend and Doctor of Divinity, which are quite 



unscriptural. To confer the degree of Minister of the Divine 
Word would not mean to ordain, but merely imply that the 
Society in giving this degree had looked into the reputation, 
and so far as possible into the character and especially into 
the doctrinal development of the person to whom the degree 
was given, and that he was in the estimation of the Examining 
Board found worthy of being called a Minister of the Divine Word. 

ORDINATION~Re Society Withdrawal of Ordination. 

Q520:2:: QUESTION (1916 Z) 2 Would the 
withdrawal of the Society's appointment or ordination mean 
that the Pilgrim thus suspended from its service would have 
no right to preach thereafter? 

ANSWER—Surely not! In withdrawing its appointment 
from a Pilgrim the Society would merely be indicating that 
for some reason it no longer was represented by that Pilgrim, 
and that it no longer was responsible for him or his teachings 
or his conduct or his maintenance. The Pilgrim brother thus 
dropped from the Pilgrim List might still be a Brother and be 
so esteemed by the Society, but might not be any longer 
considered a suitable person to represent the Society, either 
by reason of showing some weakness of character or some 
lack of the aptness to teach or some other reason which the 
Society would believe should not be encouraged, or for which 
it would not wish to be held responsible, or for various 
reasons, illness, etc. 

ORDINATION-Withdrawing Pilgrim Ordination. 

Q520:3:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-3 -Has the Watch 
Tower Bible and Tract Society the right to withdraw 
ordination from a Pilgrim brother? 

ANSWER— Yes, surely! If it has the power to appoint 
and direct, it has power also to withdraw its past appointment 
and direction. 

ORDINATION--W.T.B.&T.S. Workers. 

Q520:4:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-4-Does the Watch 
Tower Bible and Tract Society ever "ordain" ministers or 
representatives in connection with the Harvest Work? 

ANSWER~It does. All the Pilgrims are thus ordained, 
appointed, or set apart for the special work of the ministry. 
Keep in memory always that ceremony is not ordination, but 
that appointment and direction are ordination. The Society 
ordains, authorizes, directs the course of the Pilgrims who 

{PageQ521} 



are its representatives as well as the representatives of the 
Lord and His Word. 

ORDINATION-Not of Men. 
Q521:1:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-If it is proper that 
all Elders and Deacons should thus be ordained and should 
not attempt to serve regularly without ordination, what did St. 
Paul mean when he declared that he was an Apostle not of 
men nor by men, but by the Lord Jesus Christ?~Gal. 1:1. 

ANSWER— No man or congregation is competent to 
appoint or elect an Apostle. No congregational vote would 
make one of the brethren an Apostle. That is a special office 
or function which is of Divine appointment solely. Thus the 
Lord Jesus appointed only twelve Apostles--"Twelve Apostles 
of the Lamb "--St. Paul taking the place of Judas, who lost his 
apostleship. (Rev. 21:14; Psa. 109:8; Acts 1:20.) It is in 
this particular that the Church of Rome, the Church of 
England, and the Greek Church do violence to the principles 
of God's Word, in that they claim to make, but do not really 
make. Apostolic Bishops-bishops possessed of apostolic 
power and authority. 

St. Paul did not desire us to understand that he took no 
notice of earthly appointment, except in respect to his 
apostolic office. On the contrary, the Church at Antioch 
ordained Paul and Barnabas and afterwards Paul and Silas, 
to be their representatives and apparently at their expense to 
carry the Message to others. The Antioch Church did not 
ordain the Apostle Paul to be an Apostle, but ordained him to 
be their missionary; and he accepted their ordination and 
rendered reports to them, as the account in Acts shows 
-Acts 14:26-28. 

ORDINATION-Of Elders and Deacons. 

Q521:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16-Z) -2- Are all Elders and 
Deacons chosen by congregations of God's people to be 
considered Divinely ordained? 

ANSWER— No, no one can be considered Divinely 
ordained who has not received the begetting of the Holy 
Spirit. For a congregation to ordain any one who does not 
profess to be fully consecrated to God and to have received 
the begetting of the Holy Spirit is for them to do what they 
have not been authorized by the Lord to do. The person thus 
chosen would be merely the representative of the church thus 
ordaining him, but would not be a representative of the Lord. 

But for a congregation to recognize the Lord's authorization 



of a Brother, and to recognize further his aptness to teach and 
his possession of the qualities fitting him for service 
according to the Divine Word, means the giving to that 
Brother of a proper election or ordination to be the 
representative of the congregation in the name of the Lord. 
No Brother should attempt to serve a company of the Lord's 
people without their request, and their request or their vote 
constitutes their appointment of him to that service—in other 
words, their ordination of him, or appointment, for the 
service, whether for a day or a year. 

OVERCOMERS-Who Are More Than Overcomers? 

Q521:3:: QUESTION ( 19 12)-3 -Is there any place in 
your writings where you use this statement: "More than 
overcomers?" Is it proper to speak of the Little Flock as 
more than overcomers? 

{PageQ522} 

ANSWER— Yes, such a statement is proper because the 
Bible speaks of it that way. The Bible says, "He is able to 
bring us off conquerors and more than conquerors." The 
Great Company will be conquerors in the sense that they will 
finally get the victory. Otherwise they would not attain 
everlasting life at all. In Revelation, 7th chapter, (Rev. 7) 
they are pictured as coming up out of the great tribulation, 
etc. Will they not be victors? Yes. Will they not be 
conquerors? Yes. 

Those who get upon the Throne will be "more than 
conquerors." To be conquerors would mean that we would be 
faithful, not deny His name, not repudiate Christ. Whoever 
does that is a conqueror and I am glad this will be true of the 
Great Company Class. But, to be more than conquerors we 
must seek opportunities to serve, and present our bodies 
continually and wholly lay down our lives. A conqueror is a 
man who does not run away when attacked. But the man who 
leads in an attack is a Hero-more than a conqueror. 

OVERCOMING-How Long Before Reward? 

Q522:1 :: QUESTION (1909)-1-In Rev. 3:5, we 
read: "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in 
white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book 
of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and 
before his angels." How soon after the last member has 
passed beyond the vail, will this take place? 
ANSWER— I have no inside information, dear friends. I 



think the Lord is here referring to the present time, because 
unless you have in this present life, and before you pass the 
vail, the white raiment, and your name written in heaven, and 
unless it remains unblotted out, you will never pass into the 
Most Holy, as a member of the Christ. So this, to my 
understanding, refers to this side the vail. "I will confess your 
name before my Father, and before His angels." If your name 
and my name is there, I suppose the Father knows it, and I 
suppose the angels have some way of knowing it, but if we 
fail to overcome, then our names will not be confessed, but 
will be blotted out. 

PAPACY-Re Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Sunday 
Resurrection. 

Q522:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-If Papacy is the 
Anti-Christ, why should we hold to the old tradition of Palm 
Sunday, Good Friday and the Sunday morning resurrection? 

ANSWER--If Papacy should hold to Christ, should we 
deny Christ? I guess not. Papacy did not get only that which 
was wrong; Satan was too smart for that. There is a lot that 
is true in Papacy, but the trouble is that there is so much error 
that the truth is vitiated, and they are not able to use the truth 
because of the error. Thank God, if we get rid of the error 
and hold the truth. 

What about Palm Sunday? I do not think that the Catholics 
made that, but that Jesus gave it to us centuries before there 
was a Catholic church. When Jesus rode on the ass, it was in 
fulfillment of the prophecy of Zee. 9:9. Now, when the 
people began to put their garments in the way and to shout, 
Hosanna, who was it that forbade it? It was the Pharisees, not 
the Roman Catholic church. Who said. Let them alone? It 
was Jesus. Palm Sunday was 

{PageQ523} 

not established by the Roman Catholic church. The palm 
represented the victorious ride of the King through the city. 

Well, Brother Russell, you sometimes have a discourse 
upon that subject. Well, is that not right? At another time I 
have a discourse and call attention to the death of our 
Redeemer. Why not? Do the Catholics do me out of that? I 
guess not. 

Well, how about Good Friday? It is just as good as any 
other day to me. If any wish to keep Friday as a special 
remembrancer of Christ's death, I have no objection. If they 
find it profitable to do this, God bless them--let them do what 



they are trying to do to remember the day upon which our 
Redeemer died. 

What about Sunday morning? I do not know what that 
means. Why should we not celebrate it; we are all interested 
in it? The heathen are not interested in it. The Catholics 
celebrate Easter Sunday, but they do not know anything about 
the resurrection.. They think that when a man dies that he 
is more alive than before. They know that resurrection is in 
the Bible, but they do not know what it means. Of all the 
people upon the earth, we are the only ones that really want a 
resurrection, and if there are any people who should celebrate 
it, I want to celebrate it. If any one has objections to it 
because the Catholics do it, he has a right to his objections. I 
want to think that every Sunday represents the resurrection of 
our Lord, and about the time of the annual celebration, I like 
to see the cross brought forth in the various discourses, as it 
shows that the claims of justice will be satisfied through it, 
and that under the new arrangement there will be a 
resurrection of the dead. So, to me, the resurrection of the 
dead and Sunday become more precious every day. 

PARADISE-Promise to Thief on Cross. 

Q523:1:: QUESTION ( 1 909)-- 1 --Please explain 
Christ's promise to the repentant thief on the cross. Second, 
is the earth to be paradise? 

ANSWER~You remember the thief asked the Lord a 
special request, saying: Lord, remember me when thou 
comest into thy Kingdom. Our Lord has not come into His 
Kingdom yet, and hence the time when that thief wished to be 
remembered has not come. We are still praying, "Thy 
Kingdom come, etc." If Christ had His Kingdom, we would 
not be praying thus. The Lord answered the thief's request 
just as he requested. The word rendered "verily" means the 
same as "amen," so be it. I will remember you when' I 
come into my Kingdom. 

How, then, did it come that we got the wrong idea? It was 
because we were not fully posted in the Word of God. When 
our Lord died He did not go to paradise, but He went into the 
tomb. We read that God raised Christ from the dead; He was 
dead and rose from the dead on the third day, and He did not 
come back from paradise. You remember that when He did 
rise, one of the Marys clasped Him by the feet, but He said: 
Detain me not, for I have not yet ascended to my Father and to 
your Father, and to my God and to your God. The difficulty 
is because the "comma" is in the wrong place. As the Bible was 
originally written, there were no marks of punctuation; 



it is a modern convenience. What our Lord did say 

{Page Q5 24} 

in effect was this: I say unto you today, notwithstanding that 
I am hanging on the cross and it looks as though I was a 
deceiver, etc., yet I say unto you today, this dark day, thou 
shalt be with me in paradise. 

PAROUSIA-When Recognized. 

Q524:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 In the Harvest 
Siftings" it is stated that it was a few months after October, 
1874, when it was first realized that the Lord was Present, 
and in Volume Four, page 612, it is stated that it was nearly a 
year after October, 1874, before the fact of the Lord's 
presence was recognized. Is the month of 1875 known in 
which it was first realize that the Lord was present, and when 
was the first public announcement of this great fact made? 

ANSWER~I think those two statements are in full 
accord. I think a year is a few months. Whenever it is stated 
a few months in any writing, the Bible or any other, that is 
supposed to imply that it is not specific or a clearly defined 
number of months, but merely a general statement and not a 
particular one. I could not give the exact time; I do not 
know; no one else does; it simply was on or about or along 
there somewhere, that we began to have thoughts along that 
line. Now you see no thought comes up full-fledged at first; 
every fly begins a very small fly, and becomes a larger fly. 

PASSOVER-How Often Repeated? 

Q524:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-Was the blood of the 
Passover lamb sprinkled year by year continually, or was this 
done only the one time in Egypt? 

ANSWER— I do not know; it was to have been a 
symbol. That is the way it was commanded at the beginning, 
and quite likely it was followed all the way down. If there is 
anyone here who is a Jew, he could tell us perhaps whether it 
is customary now for the Jews to sprinkle the blood on the 
door post. I do not suppose that they do. I am not sure. 

PASSOVER-Who Typified by First-born? 

0524:3:: QUESTION (1912)-3-Did the "Firstborn" 
who were passed over on account of the shed blood of the 
Lamb typify the HEAD AND BODY of the Church, or the 
CHURCH ONLY? 
ANSWER-Why! the Church only; NOT our Lord 



Jesus. He was not passed over by anything. He died. In the 
full sense of the word He was the Lamb. His blood makes us 
"The Church of the First Born." Where would be the Lamb 
for His Own Justification if He were passed over? He did not 
need a Lamb. He passed over by Himself. He passed over by 
His obedience even unto Death. Now that enables Him to 
pass us over as the Church of the First Born through His 
blood applied to us. 

PASSOVER-Passover as Related to Atonement Day. 

Q524:4:: QUESTION (1913) 4 What is the 
relationship between the Passover type and the annual Day of 
Atonement? Does the Passover represent the Ransom being 
paid, and the day of Atonement, following, the cleansing of 
the people as result of the ransom work? 

ANSWER—I would say that these two are not related at 
all. God put them at opposite ends of the year, away from 
each other. The one is the type of one thing, the other is the 
type of another thing. 

{PageQ525} 

The word "ransom" is not shown in either: there is no 
picture of the ransom in either case. The word "ransom" or 
thought of ransom is given elsewhere. 

PASSOVER AND ATONEMENT-When And Why 
Observed 

Q525:1:: QUESTION (1916) -1 -Why was the 
Passover celebrated, on the evening of the 14th day of the 
first month, and the annual Atonement Day on the 10th day of 
the seventh month? 

ANSWER-Because God wanted them to be different. 
The two things have no direct relationship the one to the 
other. The one is a picture of the passing over of the Church 
of the First Born, whereas the other is a picture of the 
suffering of Christ and the Church during the gospel age as a 
basis and preparation for their dispensing of blessings to all 
the families of the earth during the Millennial Age. The 
passover Lamb merely represented the death of Jesus and the 
passing over of His people during this age and consequently 
another and different picture is given to represent the death of 
Jesus and the Church and the consequent blessing of the 
world in the age to come. He did not want them to run into 
each other. The one referred to the death of Jesus and the 
other was given to make a different picture. 



PASTOR-Electing You If Not Able to Visit Class. 

Q525:2:: QUESTION ( 19 12)-2- Would it be proper or 
well for one to nominate Pastor Russell to be a Pastor of a 
class for a year or any set period, the class may decide to 
vote? The thought is that you would likely be present only as 
represented by the printed page, or through correspondence. 

ANSWER--! do not quite catch the purport of the 
question, but would say, in some respects it might be 
considered rather a formal matter. As a matter of Providence, 
through the Watch Tower and through correspondence, I am 
practically Pastor in all the little Ecclesias represented in the 
Watch Tower lists. If the friends take a formal vote and elect 
me Pastor, I am pleased to have it that way, and if they prefer 
not to do so, they have their choice. And whether they make 
the election for a year or without limit is also for them to 
decide. 

PASTORAL WORK-Elders Not Directors. 

Q525:3:: QUESTION (1916)-3-Should the sisters 
start the Pastoral Work without consulting the Elders; and 
should they go ahead with it even though one Elder is not in 
favor? 

ANSWER-The Elders have nothing to do with the 
Pastoral Work. The Elders are Elders, and should therefore 
attend to the work of the Elders. The Pastoral Work is for the 
Pastor, and the Pastor should therefore attend to it. The 
letters of instruction pertaining to this work have not been 
sent to any except those who have indicated to me that they 
have chosen me to be their Pastor, and since they have invited 
me to be their Pastor, I am endeavoring to do that work for 
them. If the letters have been sent to any who have not this 
desire, please return them and I will have nothing to do with 
them. But in all cases where I am the Pastor, I will use and 
co-operate with the sisters as I think best. 

Evidently the objector does not understand this matter. 
There is nothing in it that I know of to antagonize the Elders, 
and should there be any Elders who have not enough 

{PageQ526} 

work to do to keep them occupied, it would be in order for 
them to be getting busy. There is an abundance of work for 
the Elders and Deacons to do and they should therefore be 
kept busy in doing the work which the Lord has committed to 
their care, but the case of the sisters is different, and we are 



now trying to find something for them to do, and are rejoiced 
that the way is now opening. If any of the Elders hinder and 
find fault with this work, our advice to the class would be that 
at the next election, they be dropped from the eldership. Each 
one should learn to attend to his own business, and not 
interfere with others, and in this way will the work prosper- 
-by each one attending to his own part of the work. Should 
anyone try to stop the work of the Lord, they had better be 
dropped, because the class will get along better without them. 
"Let all things be done decently and in order!" 

PASTORAL WORK--Co-operation of Elders and Sisters. 

Q526:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Will you please 
explain a little more about the co-operation of the elders and 
deacons of a class with the sisters in the pastoral work? 

ANSWER—I cannot explain any more than has already 
been explained in the letters sent out. To each class has been 
sent two letters bearing upon this work. The one is for the 
sister who will act as lieutenant and representative of the 
pastoral work, while the other is for the elders and class in 
general. These letters explain everything as fully as I know 
how to explain, and it would be useless for me to take time to 
explain what is not therein stated. I repeat that, these letters 
only went to such classes as had intimated that they had 
chosen me to be their pastor. These letters explain the matter 
fully. If you cannot understand the matter by a single 
reading, then read again, and if necessary, a second and third 
time, until it becomes clear to you. Take each part separately. 
One of them has nothing to do with the congregation in 
general, but simply contains instructions for those who will 
be carrying out this plan of work, while the other is to the 
elders et al to show how they can co-operate in it. 

I believe you will find that when this work is gotten well 
under way, it will not only afford the sisters an opportunity 
for service that will be very encouraging to them, but 
additionally, that, it will open the way for the elders to do 
more than they now do, and will also open the way for 
well-qualified deacons to enter the eldership. There is so 
much work to be done that the question arises as to whether 
or not we are doing the work of the Lord? Just so surely as 
we are in the Harvest time, so surely will we be called to do 
what the Lord is giving us to do. 

Should anyone inquire whether this would be a good chance 
to get other brethren into the work who had not previously 
had experience in this kind of service, we would answer. No; 
this is not the place for any inexperienced person. They 



should get their experience beforehand. We do not want to 
put mere novices in such a work. "Not a novice" either in 
doctrine or in speaking should be employed in any of this 
class extension work. Novices should indeed get experience, 
but, how? At one time in Pittsburgh (and some have tried it 
since in New York), (in Pittsburgh I had something to do with 
it), we started what we called a School of the Prophets, not 
that this name meant to us what it did when 

{PageQ527} 

originally used, but still a name that seemed to us quite 
appropriate for the work in hand when considered in the light 
of the New Testament. A prophet in the Bible sense was one 
who was a public speaker, not especially one who was a seer 
and had revelations, but a public speaker, and it was in this 
sense that the Apostle Paul used this word when he said, 
"Desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may 
prophesy," which would suggest the thought that we should 
choose rather to have ability as public speakers. Now, then, 
we perceived that some brethren had talents for public 
speaking and we suggested that they come together as a little 
class to hear and criticize each other in speaking. They did 
not speak to the public, or to the class, at all. They had no 
qualifications, especially, for speaking. Some had a 
disposition that might be drawn out and cultivated. But we 
did not wish to impose upon a class by having them listen to 
unqualified speakers. No one should wish to bore a class or 
anyone else. Only those who were qualified and have shown 
talent and ability should be chosen to speak for the class or 
the public. Our instructions and training to that end should be 
given and received privately. In this class we had one 
appointed as a special critic, and then all present had the 
opportunity of criticizing the speaker. Some of these young 
men criticized each other pretty sharply until there was 
danger of them all being discouraged. It became necessary, 
therefore, for me to caution them against criticizing too 
closely lest there should be nothing left but skin and bones. I 
think it would be well to have such a school under proper 
control for the training of class and public speakers, and not 
impose upon the class or the public by giving them 
unqualified, inexperienced novices for speakers. 

We believe this to be a very important matter in connection 
with the success of the Pastoral work, and would consider it 
to be one of the best and most efficient ways of cooperating 
with the sisters in this work. 



PASTORAL WORK-Not For Brothers. 

Q527:1 :: QUESTION (1916)--! --Would you advise a 
brother and sister to quit the Eureka Drama and colporteur 
work to take up pastoral and colporteur work? 

ANSWER-We would not advise the brother so to do 
for the reason that there is nothing in this line in connection 
with the pastoral work for the brother to do. The brother has 
evidently gotten the wrong view of the matter. This pastoral 
work is for the sisters. One reason is that the sisters have 
more time during the day than the brethren, who are generally 
employed otherwise during the day; and secondly, very many 
of the sisters have a great deal more tact in approaching 
people than the brethren have. Not that all the sisters are in 
possession of more tact than the brethren, but rather, it is a 
good opportunity for them to do their part of the work and 
thus increase the opportunities of the brethren for giving chart 
talks, and subsequently conducting first volume studies. We 
should not think of the start in this work as being the end by 
any means. The start will be the beginning indeed, but only 
the beginning. You will start in with the lists furnished you 
from Brooklyn of names that have come in from time to time 
through the Drama, public addresses and the colporteur 
service— that is the start—but my thought is, if the Lord is 
going to do the great work 

{PageQ528} 

which we expect will be done within the next few years that, 
in all probability this smiting of the Jordan is going to arouse 
a great deal of interest throughout the whole world, with the 
inevitable result that larger crowds will be in attendance, a 
large number of names will be handed in, and consequently 
this phase of the work will expand and continue, so that the 
opportunities for chart talks and first volume studies will 
multiply as the time goes on. This I apprehend to be a part of 
God's great plan. 

My advice to the sister would be that she remain in the 
regular colporteur service just as long as the Lord may be 
pleased to bless her in it, and this might mean that the brother 
continue also in the Eureka Drama work as heretofore. This 
would seem to be the best for the present, and then, in the 
future, should the Lord so provide, it may be their privilege 
either to enter the pastoral work or have their present field of 
service enlarged. 



PEACE-Enemies at Peace With a Man. 

Q528:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--"When a man's ways 
please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace 
with him."~Pro. 16:7. What does this signify? 

ANSWER— Well, we can say surely that when a man's 
ways please the Lord, if it so please the Lord, he can make his 
enemies to be at peace with him. So far as I know, the ways 
of our Lord Jesus please the Father, but he did not make his 
enemies to be at peace with him, for they put him to death. 
So far as St. Paul was concerned, we believe his ways pleased 
the Lord, but it did not please the Lord to make St. Paul's 
enemies to be at peace with him, but they put him to death. 
So the most I could see in this would be that at some proper 
time God will make man's foes to be at peace with him, if he 
is in harmony with God, but that proper time does not seem to 
be this Gospel age, for now a man's foes shall be they of his 
own household, and whosoever will live godly will suffer 
persecution. 

PEACE~Re Loving God's Law. 

Q528:2:: QUESTION (1910)-2-"Great peace have 
they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them." A 
sister says that nothing in the Word of God shall offend them. 

ANSWER— We will not discuss what this sister means 
or what the other sister thinks, or what somebody else says. 
When you have a question, give the question and do not mind 
about what you think. I am the one that is going to say on 
this occasion what I think. But what does this text mean? I 
answer that God's law is so reverenced by all of those who 
really love him that when they contemplate what God has 
said, it becomes a law to their lives and becomes a ruling 
power in their lives, and nothing shall stumble them. The 
word "offend" here is used in the sense of stumble, or trip. If 
they love God's law, if they are not merely obeying God's law 
because it is a form and ceremony and other people say they 
ought to, but because they really love that law, they 
appreciate the principles of God's justice and righteousness 
and various commands, and in his law they meditate; they 
like to think it over and see how just God's requirements are, 
how kind he is, and appreciate all the teachings of God's law— 
that is the attitude of mind that nothing will stumble. The 
people that get stumbled 

{PageQ529} 

are those that are not rightly in harmony with God's law— 



using the word Law of God here in the broad general sense of 
complying with all of God's requirements, not only through 
the words of Jesus, but also through the law of Moses, and 
the words of the Apostles, God's law in the general sense that 
God's law signifies justice, that they love the Lord, their God, 
with all their hearts, and their neighbor as themselves. It will 
be pretty hard to stumble those who really love that principle. 
It takes a little while to learn enough of God's law to 
appreciate it and to really love it. We sometimes begin by 
obeying the law before we really learn to love it; but as 
surely as we make progress and grow in grace, knowledge 
and character-likeness of the Lord, we will come to love the 
principles of his righteousness and desire to have them not 
merely because God says we ought to do so, and we must do 
so to be in his family, but because we will come to appreciate 
the principles of righteousness that are behind his 
requirements. 

PEACE-When Will They Cry "Peace?" 

Q529:1:: QUESTION (1915) 1 The Prophet 

Jeremiah says that they shall say, "Peace! Peace! when there 

is no peace." St. Paul, in speaking of the present time, says, 

"And when they shall say. Peace and safety, then sudden 

destruction cometh upon them" (Jer. 6:14; 1 Thess. 5:3). 

Do these Scriptures apply now, or do they refer to Armageddon? 

ANSWER--We think that this saying of "Peace! Peace!" 
has been going on for some years. The Church systems and 
everybody have been claiming, every since the first Peace 
Conference at The Hague, that war had come to an end, that 
we were living in the time of peace, that we were having the 
time of peace that the Bible tells us about. They thought this 
was true; but those of us who had a better knowledge of the 
Bible knew it was not true. A great Time of Trouble must 
first come. The Lord long ago pointed out this great Time of 
Trouble, which has already begun and which will culminate 
in an awful period of anarchy, the Armageddon of the 
Scriptures. So they have been saying. Peace. Peace! when 
there is no peace, and no ground for peace. There can be no 
true peace so long as there is sin; for sin is the great 
difficulty with the world. 

As long as men are imperfect and have the control of the 
world, there cannot be peace—the peace that God has 
purposed. That peace can come, as the Bible points out, only 
by Messiah's taking full control. He will bring in the peace. 
Now, in the meantime, the Lord is letting the nations go their 
way, that they may show what they can do for themselves. 



He is no longer holding back the winds of strife—let the winds 
blow; let the great passions of mankind manifest themselves, 
and grow from bad to worse, until they end in anarchy. When 
anarchy has accomplished the complete destruction of the 
present Order, it will be time for the setting up of the 
Kingdom of Christ, and He will bring the whole trouble to a 
sudden termination. But meantime all must learn that no 
human efforts of imperfect men and women can bring the 
peace that the world really desires and must have. 

PENNY-Why Do Some Mourn? 

Q529:2:: QUESTION (1908)-2-And when they had 
received it, the 

{PageQ530} 

penny, in Matt. 20:1 1, they murmured against the good man 
of the house. If the penny signifies the great prize of glory, 
honor and immortality, how or why does that class, who 
receive it, murmur? 

ANSWER—I answer that in these parables we do not 
expect that every little feature will find a correspondency. 
Some of the features would seem to be introduced merely to 
round out the story to make it a reasonable story, or to call 
attention to some particular feature. In this case to have 
passed by the fact that each one had received a penny and 
made no comment on it would have laid the matter open for 
some to say, "It is strange they did not make a complaint. 
Everybody now-days would have made a complaint. By 
introducing this feature, that there was a query as to why 
some had received only the sum the others had received, it 
draws attention prominently to the fact that it was the same 
price or same reward that was given to all of those who are 
faithful to a long period and to those who are faithful to a 
shorter period; if they all get exactly the same, it makes that 
point prominent in the parable. It is a finger that points to 
that feature, so to speak, and says, "this is the prominent 
feature of the parable." We are not to expect dear friends, 
that any who received of the Lord's blessing, which is 
represented here by the penny, would have a disposition to 
murmur against the Lord. Rather we are to understand that 
anyone who would be inclined to murmur would not be in the 
Kingdom at all. Our thought, then, is: this is introduced in 
the parable to show the general fact that there would be this 
one reward given to the whole company that would be 
rewarded at all. I am not sure, however, that the penny 



represents glory, honor and immortality. I think that the 
penny quite properly might be understood to refer to 
everlasting life merely, without representing the additional 
features of glory, honor and immortality. According to the 
Scriptures, we are not all to get the same thing. The Apostle 
tells us there will be those in the Kingdom who will differ the 
one from the other, as star differeth from star in glory; but one 
thing will be common to all of those, namely, they will all 
have eternal life; all who have honestly and persistently 
labored in the Lord's cause will be accounted worthy of 
eternal life; whatever other blessings may be given to them in 
addition to this are not shown in this parable. 

PENNY-Of Parable, Pastor Russell's Dying Statement. 

Q530:1 :: QUESTION (1916)--l--Who will give the penny? 
ANSWER-I don't know. 

PENNY-What It Represents. 

Q530:2:: QUESTION (1916)--2-In Matthew 20,(Mat.20:2) 
the Parable of the Penny, we read, verse 2, "And when 
he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent 
them into his vineyard." What does the penny represent? 
Again, in verse 6, (Mat. 20:6),we read, "And about the 
eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle." 
Do we understand the eleventh hour is past? Again, in the 
1 1th verse, (Mat. 20: 1 1) "And when they had received it 
they murmured against the good man of the house." What 
does the murmuring represent, or signify? 

ANSWER— We have dealt with this question several 
times in the Watch Tower, but I will briefly outline the matter 

{PageQ531} 

again. Perhaps others also may have forgotten what was 
written. The parable is one that is difficult to understand with 
all its peculiar features; as for instance, this giving of the 
penny seems to be on this side of the veil, because, when it 
was paid there were some there who murmured, and surely no 
one would murmur on the other side. If they had been 
disposed to murmur they would not have been on the other 
side. The giving of this penny seems surely to mean 
something that will occur in this present life, before our 
change, and at the end of this age. Then, it is to be given by 
the Steward, and given to those who have been laboring in the 
harvest. I do not know definitely how this will turn out. You 
are aware that most of the things of God's Word that are 



prophetical are difficult to understand in detail until they have 
been, or, are in the process of fulfilment; and I think this 
parable is about to be fulfilled. I can give only a suggestion. 
This great work of Smiting Jordan which, I think, is the thing 
before us, and is to be done within the next few years, is 
somehow to be connected with this matter. Just how, I do not 
know. I am looking, and so are you. We will see in due time. 
It is a parable and will be made clear and will then meet our 
expectations fully. So then, let us avoid any spirit of 
murmuring and let us be thankful for all our privileges given 
to us, and let us not think for a moment that, if the sisters be 
given an opportunity to serve we should murmur against them 
for having such opportunity! 

PERFECT MAN-Till We All Come to the. 

Q531:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l-Whatismeantby the 
perfect man in the text which says, "Till we all come to the 
unity of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God, and 
to a perfect man?" 

ANSWER—What perfect man? How could we all come 
to the full stature of a perfect man? This is the perfect man 
that the Apostle frequently refers to; as, for instance, in the 
third chapter of Acts we read, Moses truly said to your 
fathers, a prophet shall the Lord, your God raise up unto you, 
from amongst your brethren. That prophet, that great teacher, 
is the Messiah. That is the perfect man. Jesus is the head of 
the Messiah. God has been raising up that Messiah, raising 
up that great Prophet, that great Priest, that great King, that 
great Judge, that great Man in this larger sense, in which we 
sometimes use the word "Man"~the figurative sense, the head 
and the members. So this is the Apostle's thought when he 
says that the hand can not say to the foot, I have no need of 
you, nor the eye to the hand, I have no need of you, for every 
member of the body is necessary. What body? This great 
man. Why is God raising up a great man? We answer that 
this great man, or the figure of a man, refers to the 
church-Jesus the head and the church, his body. This is the 
great Messiah that God has been raising up for now eighteen 
hundred and more years-raising up from amongst your 
brethren. This is the Messiah of whom Moses spake, saying, 
"Moses truly said unto the fathers, a prophet shall the Lord 
your God raise up unto you." He did not say that it would 
take eighteen hundred years to raise him up, but it has taken 
the eighteen hundred years, and he is not completely raised up 
yet. So the Apostle in this text is telling that when our Lord 
ascended on high he gave gifts unto 



{PageQ532} 

men in fulfillment of what is written in the Old Testament 
Scriptures; to some he gave apostles and some prophets, an 
some evangelists, etc., for the work of the ministry. What is 
that? For the work of the service. What service? The service 
of the church, the service of the truth, the service of the body 
of Christ. For what purpose and for how long? Until we all 
come--until by the processes of the preaching of the Gospel 
and all of this work that these gifts were given to forward and 
to carry out- -until we all come, even the last member shall 
come, into relationship as members of that glorious body— that 
glorious man that is to have dominion of the world as God 
represented. 

And this is the same man Saint Paul refers to again when he 
says that God took some from the Jews and some from the 
Gentiles and of the twain making a new man; thus making 
peace or thus balancing as between Jew aud Gentile. The 
chief members were the Jews. The Lord Jesus himself, and 
the early members of this man were taken from the Jewish 
nation and then also some from the Gentiles. So this one great 
man of which Jesus is the head, is to be composed of Jews 
and Gentiles by nature, who, during the thousand years of 
Messiah's reign, will reign gloriously and carry out all the 
glorious projects which the heavenly Father caused to be 
written in the Old Testament Scriptures and of which also the 
Apostles and our Lord spoke. 

PERFECTION-ln Millennial Age. 

Q532:1:: QUESTION ( 19 11)-1- Will any reach 
perfection during the millennial age, before the end of that 
age? And, if so, will they come into actual relationship with 
God before the end of the age? 

ANSWER~We answer yes, some will come to 
perfection before the end of the age. We know, for instance, 
that the ancient worthies will come to perfection immediately 
upon their resurrection, because their trial has been passed; 
therefore the ancient worthies will be just such a class. We 
will suppose that the questioner has particular reference to the 
remainder of mankind, and our answer would be, that 
according as each one is prompt to obey the institutions and 
laws and regulations of Messiah's kingdom, in that same 
proportion he will make the more rapid progress toward 
perfection. Just the same as it is with us now: in proportion as 
we are whole-hearted, in that proportion will we sooner reach 



the mark of perfect love. Some are quite slow in getting to 
where they can love their enemies, and others get there 
comparatively quick, and so with those who will be on trial 
during the millennial reign; they will have the opportunity of 
coming to perfection; they must all come to perfection, or else 
they will die the second death; and they may come to that 
perfection as rapidly as they choose. We might say that in 
proportion as they are obedient to the laws of the kingdom, 
the blessing will come to them, raising them up, up to 
perfection. 

Now, the other part of the question, "Will they come into 
actual relationship with God before the end of the age?" We 
answer that this question might be viewed from two 
standpoints; in one sense, all who will come into harmony 
with God at all at that time will come under the provisions of 
the new covenant; they will be in relationship with God at 
once if they accept Messiah and attempt to order 

{PageQ533} 

their lives according to his kingdom. They will immediately 
be in covenant relationship with God. That is to say, God's 
covenant through Christ is, that eventually, if they are faithful 
and loyal, they will be in full harmony with him. God will 
treat them from the beginning through Messiah, through his 
kingdom, as though they were back in harmony with God. 
But not until the end of the millennial age will this covenant 
accomplish its full work of introducing these people actually, 
fully and completely, to God. At that time, the great 
Mediator of the new covenant will, so to speak, step from 
between and allow the world of mankind, brought to 
perfection, to have direct contact with the heavenly Father, 
and be in subjection directly to the laws of his kingdom, 
justice. All mediation will be out of the way then, all mercy, 
all covering of imperfection, will be taken away, and each 
one being perfect, will be responsible for his perfection to his 
Creator. They are in this blessed condition in the sense of his 
relationship all the way down, but at the end of the thousand 
years they are more directly in this covenant relationship, and 
obliged to stand each one for himself without the Mediator 
between. 

PERFECTION--Be as Jehovah. 

Q533:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 Be ye therefore 
perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect." What does 
this signify? 



ANSWER~It signifies this: that God's perfection is the 
standard. He cannot have one standard of perfection for you, 
and another for me, and another for somebody else. There is 
just one who is perfect and that is our heavenly Father. When 
you were children in school they gave you a copy book, and 
at the top of the book was a copy and it was perfect, it was 
copper plate; you could not improve on it, you could not 
make anything like it; and so God knows we are imperfect; he 
knows we are not able to be like the Father in perfection, but 
he sets his perfection as our copy, just as your teacher gave 
you the copy book. I do not know whether this is the custom 
now or not; it was when I went to school. And I remember 
well that in school the top line of our writing usually looked 
better than the last line. The top line was nearer to the copy 
and we looked more at the copy when we made it, and when 
we got down nearer to the bottom we got to copying our own 
until the last line was sure to be worse than the first. That is 
just the condition with us, dear friends. We are in danger 
ourselves day by day, of taking some other brother or sister, 
and saying, "I will be like him, or like her !" God says, 
through our Lord Jesus, "Be ye like unto your Father in 
heaven," that is the copy, that is the sample, follow that as 
near as you are able. And how is he going to judge us? Will 
he judge us according to the flesh? No, the church he is now 
selecting, he will not judge according to the flesh, but 
according to the spirit; that is, according to the intention, 
according to the will, according to the efforts; and so if you 
and I are pure in heart, and zealous to know and to do the 
Lord's will to the best of our ability, then the Master will pass 
upon our following his copy, and say, "Well done, good and 
faithful servant, enter into the joys of thy Lord; you have been 
faithful in a few things (trying to copy) you shall be ruler over 
many things," sharing the great honor with the Master of 
ruling the world. 

{PageQ534} 

PERSECUTION-Re Living Godly. 

Q534:1:: QUESTION (1909)--l--"They that live godly 
in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Who, the old man, 
or the new man? 

ANSWER--I think that they both suffer some. Their 
interests are so closely related that if one suffers they both do. 

PHOTO DRAIUJA-Re Exhibiting in Theaters. 

0534:2:: OUESTION ( 19 15)--2-Is it manifesting the 



spirit of Babylon to have the Photo Drama of Creation 
exhibited in a theater after the theater manager has just 
shown his regular production? 

ANSWER~It would not seem that way to me. If so it 
would be wrong to talk to a man about the Truth after he had 
been hearing some bad talk. This would seem like reasoning 
in a circle. Each one has a right, however, to use his own 
judgment. If any of you are in the photo drama work, do not 
do anything to hurt your conscience. As for me, I would be 
glad to show the drama to 5,000 after they had attended a 
regular theater, if I had the opportunity. 

PILGRIMS-Re Local Pilgrim Work. 

Q534:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3 --Where a brother 
starts out to do a similar work to the Pilgrim work on his own 
account and he reports to various classes, making dates, aud 
asking them to arrange meetings, etc., I would like to ask 
what the attitude of the class should be in that respect? 

ANSWER~The Society, wishing to be entirely free and 
to leave everybody else entirely free, has no means of doing 
other than it does, namely, to try to send forth as pilgrims 
only such as it believes would be especially qualified for the 
work. We do not doubt there are other brethren that have 
many of the qualifications for the work, and it is not for us to 
decide they have not, and that they could not do any good; 
therefore, we do not attempt to assert authority over any 
congregation, but leave the matter entirely to the 
congregation. The fact that the Society is not sending out the 
brother, implies that it has not seen him to be one that it 
believes to be especially favorable as a representative of the 
Society. Now that does not reflect against any one. I think of 
two cases. One is the case of a brother who is a very nice 
brother, as far as I have any knowledge of him, and believe he 
is very loyal to the truth, and a very good brother, but the 
brother has a deficiency of education; and while we do not 
claim at all that education should stand in the way of his 
serving, yet we believe it would not be wise, not be to the 
glory of the Lord, that we should send forth as a pilgrim a 
brother, even if he had other qualifications, who lacked ability 
to speak the English language with a fair degree of 
correctness. That is the only objection to that brother; 
nothing against his character at all. Another brother, who has 
opportunity of doing some service, and who is a very nice 
brother, and whom we would be very glad to have in the 
pilgrim work, if his family and home affairs permitted, but his 
home affairs are not in such shape that he can give his time to 



the service. We are very glad if he finds opportunity to run 
out on Sundays and serve the friends. All cases are not just 
like these two, but I am giving these two favorable 
illustrations so that you may have them before your minds. 
Our thought would be that each congregation 

{PageQ535} 

must judge respecting any such person, and use their own 
judgment as to whether it would be to their profit to have 
these serve them or not. If they think it is, then notify them; 
if they think it would not be to their profit, let them not invite 
them. The Society merely says, those whom we send out we 
hold ourselves responsible for, and if they do not conduct 
themselves morally, and intellectually, and religiously, 
according to reasonable lines, the Society wishes to be 
informed respecting the matter. We believe that those who are 
sent forth have special qualifications for this ministry and that 
is the reason they are sent; but that is not saying anything 
against others; it leaves the congregation free to do whatever 
seems to them best. 

PILGRIMS-Entertainment of. 

Q535:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--Should a Church 
which for various reasons cannot entertain Pilgrims in their 
homes, entertain them at a hotel, or withdraw their request 
for Pilgrim visits? 

ANSWER--I think that would be the proper thought, if it 
is impossible for the friends to entertain the visiting brethren, 
either at their homes or at a suitable place—not necessarily a 
hotel, a good boarding house; Pilgrim brethren are not 
fastidious; something comfortable and reasonable is all that is 
expected you know; anything you would give the Master if he 
had been here would certainly be good enough for any of his 
followers, and I suppose most of them get as good as the Lord 
had. But it would be the thought, my dear friends, that the 
invitation is for those who are willing to entertain the 
Pilgrims. If therefore you are not able to entertain the 
Pilgrims in either of these ways, that statement should go to 
the office so that the office would be rightly informed, and 
advise the Pilgrim brother in harmony therewith. 

PILGRIMS-Proper Course for Entertainment, Etc. 

Q535:2:: QUESTION (1913-Z)-2-Is it wise or proper 
for a Pilgrim en journey to be entertained by those who are 
out of sympathy with the Vow and with the work of the Society 



in general, even though he be an Elder of the Class? 

ANSWER--Most decidedly not. Furthermore, the 
Pilgrims should make clear to the Class that they had greatly 
erred in selecting such a one for an Elder, and should help 
them to rectify the matter as quickly as possible. 

If the Class likes that Elder who is out of accord with the 
Society's work, it should not make a request for Pilgrim 
service. Some of the Lord's dear sheep are very stupid. 
Meekness and gentleness are commendable; but there are 
times when they would mean disloyalty to God. 

POPE--Re Peter Being the First. 

Q535:3:: QUESTION (191 1)--3-- Was St. Peter the first 
Pope of Rome? If so, was his presence ever mentioned in the 
English Bible? Also please say if Roman Catholicism is 
Christianity? 

ANSWER--St. Peter was not the first Pope according to 
any history we have. Our Catholic friends may have some 
way of stretching their minds to imagine he was the first 
Pope, but I know of nothing on which they could base the 
claim. I do not think they can produce any evidence on which 
to base it. That St. Peter was in Rome and that St. Paul was 
in Rome, I think goes without saying, but they were there 
suffering, not as popes. They were not attempting to rule 
anybody. You know the Pope claims to be the Viceregent 

{PageQ536} 

of Christ, to be reigning instead of Christ. Now the Apostle 
Peter never claimed to be reigning instead of Christ. 

Is Roman Catholicism Christianity? Yes, it is Christianity; 
that is, it claims to acknowledge Christ, and to be a system of 
religion based on that knowledge of Christ. And the Catholic 
Church has some doctrines which are very good. And the 
Methodist Church has some that are very good, and the 
Presbyterians have some that are very good, also the Baptists. 
And the Catholics have some that are very bad, and the 
Methodists have some that are very bad—and so on through 
the list. What you and I want to do is to throw away all these 
creeds and get right back to what Jesus and the apostles and 
prophets said. 

POUND-IVIeaning Of in Parable. 

Q536:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-In the parable of the 
pounds what does the pound represent? If your answer be 
that justification is meant by the pounds, please explain what 



is meant by ten pounds at the end of the way, and the fact that 
the ten-pound servant was given the pound of the one-pound 
servant. 

ANSWER—There are two parables that are alike in 
many particulars; the one describes the giving to the servants 
of a pound apiece, and the other describes the giving of 
various talents, some more and some less, one talent, two 
talents, five talents. And they gained various pounds. The 
parable of the talents, we might remark, seems to fit very well 
to the different talents which God's people possess. For 
instance, some might have a talent for private conversation. 
Another might have a talent that would be in the same 
direction, and also another talent for public service. And 
another might have a talent for writing. So you see one might 
have a number of talents and another have only one talent, in 
any conspicuous degree. At least that is what we think the 
Lord had in mind when he gave that parable. This would 
represent you and me in our varied conditions of mind and 
body, and opportunity, and the reward of the talents would be 
that everyone who is faithful in using whatever he might 
have, whether it was one, two, or five talents, if they have 
been faithful over the few things, some more and some less, 
all equally faithful would get the same general reward. 

Now the parable of the pounds was different, in that each 
servant got a separate pound—one pound, no more, no less; 
the Lord did not explain what a pound meant, therefore you 
and I are left to try to understand from the facts and 
circumstances; etc., what they might refer to. I have 
suggested in the Watch Tower that these pounds represent 
justification, that each gets justification whether he has many 
talents, or a few talents, and that justification means the 
making of the individual right, or acceptable with God. Now 
after he is thus made right or acceptable with God through 
this one blessing that comes to him, justification, that justifies 
his entire being, and whether he have more abilities or less 
abilities, they are justified by that one blessing of the pounds 
in the parable. So then if you had many talents, there would 
not be any of them counted unless you are first justified. This 
gift of the Lord, justification, is a particular gift that he gives 
us, and it has really made you his servant. Justification 
covers all the natural talents you have, whether it be few or 
many, and at the end of your course you are to present all that 
you have to the Lord as his servant, and he 

{PageQ537} 



will call you to an account at the end of this age for all the 
talents you possess, all of which comes through justification, 
and would not be counted at all without justification. 

The question inquires further as to how the one talent would 
be taken from one person and given to the person who had 
made use of the matter. And this seems to apply to both 
parables. If one fails to use his opportunities and 
privileges, they will be given to another. St. Paul gives us 
an illustration along that line. In St. Paul's experience you 
remember he found some of the brethren who were not 
exceedingly or extremely careful to be used in the Lord's 
service, and he strove all the more to do what he could; if 
there was any brother that was short in any way here was 
another opportunity for St. Paul to come in and do that 
much more. He intimates in some places if they had been up 
to their responsibility they would have been looking out for 
his temporal welfare, and he mentions it after he had gone to 
another place. He did not tell them while he was there. Now 
if you had chosen to contribute to my expenses I could have 
served the cause much better while with you, but as it was I 
was obliged to labor in making tents, that I might not be 
chargeable to any of you. But they lost a great privilege. 
Now he intimates that if he found anybody who was losing an 
opportunity, and that if he could work overtime and get 
that opportunity he would be glad to do that much more. 
So you and I have so many talents of our own that naturally 
belong to us, and we are to be faithful in using those talents 
and pounds in the Lord's service, and if there is any failure on 
the part of any other one we are not to stop to quarrel with 
him and fail to use our own, but to go ahead and use our own, 
picking up this opportunity the brother is neglecting and 
carry on that much more, so that we will get a great blessing 
even if he is losing one. 

PRAYER-Moses Prayed to Be Blotted Out. 

Q537:1 :: QUESTION (1907)-l-Moses said, "And if 
not, blot me I pray thee out of thy book, which thou hast 
written." What book is it that Moses referred? Is it the one 
referred to in Rev. 3:5? 

ANSWER--I would say yes, the same book; evidently 
the book of God's remembrance, the book of life. God is 
represented as having one special book in which only the 
names of the Bride of Christ are written. We are not to 
understand that Heaven has a large bookkeeping department. 
That is not the thought. We are not told how He keeps the 



record. We do not suppose that it is kept with paper and ink, 
but God has His own way of keeping in knowledge. The 
Lord knows them that are His, and they are in His book of 
remembrance, and that is all we need to know. What did 
Moses mean then, when he said, "If not, blot me, I pray thee, 
out of thy book?" We understand Moses here as the mediator 
for Israel, and representative of Israel, was very patriotic. He 
had been appointed of God to represent that nation, and he 
was so fully imbued with patriotism that there was not a 
particle of selfishness on his own part. He did not want 
anything to interfere with the interests of Israel; and you 
remember God, in order to quiet him, said, "Now, Moses, you 
see this is a disobedient people and they are continually 
backsliding; let me alone that I may blot them out of 
existence, and I will take you and your family and make 

{PageQ538} 

of you this great nation who will inherit all of these 
promises." And you remember Moses' prayer. It shows a 
very noble, high standard of patriotic feeling, and brotherly 
kindness that very few could appreciate. Moses was 
evidently a very noble character, and in that respect very 
worthy to be compared to our Lord Jesus Christ who took 
practically the same point of view, and as our representative 
risked the blotting out of His own life on our behalf. 

PRAYER--Re Sisters Leading In. 

Q538:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--1--Is there any Scripture 
to show that the sisters should lead in prayer and take any 
active part in the public worship, or is there any Scripture to 
the contrary? 

ANSWER~The answer to this question would lead to 
quite a lengthy discussion of many Scriptures, and I think I 
will answer the question best by referring you to the 6th 
Volume of Scripture Studies. 

PRAYER-Making Personal Mention. 

Q538:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Do you think it 
advisable to mention Brother Russell frequently when offering 
prayer in public, or is it the thought conveyed in the vow that 
these supplications should be included with our more private 
petitions? 

ANSWER--My thought would be, dear friends, to leave 
each to the dictates of his own conscience. If it is proper to 
ask one to pray in public, let him pray according to his own 



heart's desires. If there is anything lacking, he will find it 

out, and then we will let the Lord direct the work, otherwise we 

may forget the Lord is attending to it. 

PRAYER-Re Testimony Meeting. 

Q538:3:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-3--What would you suggest 
as a topic for the Wednesday evening testimony meeting? 

ANSWER--We have had many suggestions relative to 
the advisability of unanimity of topic for these meetings. We 
take this opportunity of reiterating the counsel in Studies in 
the Scriptures, Volume VI, namely, that we know of no 
meetings more helpful than the testimony meetings, where 
they are properly conducted, and after the friends have had 
about a month's experience with them. Testimonies as to 
one's conversion years before, or as to how one first received 
the knowledge of the Truth, may be very good in General 
Conventions, etc., but such testimonies we certainly believe 
very tedious and tiresome in a weekly class. It would be 
tiresome also for the friends to tell you what they ought to do 
and what experiences they ought to have. What is desirable 
and refreshing is crisp, up-to-date testimonies touching the 
events and experiences of the preceding week. Such meetings 
tend to make all of the classes holding them more attentive to 
note the providences of God and the lessons of life daily and 
hourly. Thus more valuable experience is gained daily than 
when such things are passed by with little or no attention. 

We recommend this plan for Wednesday evening and that 
Thursday's Manna text becomes the topic for each new week 
ending with the Wednesday night meeting. 

There is nothing in the nature of a bondage in this 
suggestion. But those who approve might accept it, and those 
who do not approve may do otherwise. It is the affair of each 
class. It would be, however, very nice to know, not 

{PageQ539} 

only that the Vow and its prayer daily draw all of the Lord's 
people close to the Mercy Seat, but also it would be pleasant 
to know that all are thinking of God's providences along the 
same lines each week. 

PRAYER-Vain Repetition. 

Q539:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z) -1 -InMatt. 6:7, our 
Lord tells us, "when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the 
heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their 
much speaking." The Apostle Paul, writing to the Church 



(Col. 4:2), exhorts that they "continue in prayer;" again we 
read of the widow who was heard for her importunity. 
(Luke 18:2-5.) Is this a suggestion that we should 
importune? How could we importune without repetition? 

ANSWER~We are to recognize a distinct difference 
between the "vain repetitions" of the heathen, which our Lord 
condemned, and the "continuing instant in prayer," "in 
everything giving thanks," in "praying and not fainting," acts 
which our Lord and the Apostles enjoined. (Rom. 12:12; 
Luke 18:1, etc.) This difference the Lord illustrated in the 
case of the woman who came to a judge repeatedly, asking 
that he avenge her of her enemy. Although the judge was not 
a man who would act justly, yet he did her justice on account 
of her persistence. In commenting upon her course, our Lord 
said that if an unjust judge be moved on account of 
importunity to do justice, how much more a just judge! 

The thought illustrated in the parable is that of a person 
who cries to the Lord that injustice is being done--as with the 
Church at the present time. We all realize that we are 
suffering injustice. We cry, "O Lord, deliver us! deliver us 
from the Adversary!" Will God never deliver the Church? 
For eighteen hundred years the Church has been praying thus; 
and God has not answered this prayer. Will He never 
answer? Our Lord intimates that we should not lose faith. We 
are to have full confidence in His promises. Injustice will not 
forever obtain. The time will come, we are told, when Satan 
shall be bound and deceive the people no more. —Rev. 20:2,3 

Therefore we do right to pray, "Thy Kingdom come," week 
after week, year after year, century after century. To grow 
faint or grow weary in prayer would not be right. The proper 
course is to believe that God will fulfill what He has 
promised; and that all will come out in harmony with His will. 

On another occasion our Lord gave a parable wherein one 
asked his neighbor for food and was refused. (Luke 1 1 :5-8.) 
He asked again. Finally the neighbor gave it to him 
on account of his importunity, on account of his patiently 
persisting. This parable, also, emphasizes the thought of 
importunate prayer. God has the blessing, and not only is 
able to give it, but has promised to do so. The delay in 
granting the request is because His due time has not come. 
Hence we are not to give up nor to become weary, but to be 
constant in our prayers. 

This is all very different, however, from the "vain 
repetitions" which our Lord condemned. But we do not think 
that our Lord desires us to use repetition in our prayers. 
Some people use the words, "Our Father," or "Our God," or 



"Heavenly Father" more frequently than would seem to be 
good form—even using them in every fourth of fifth sentence. 

{PageQ540} 

Their prayer would sound better on earth if they did 
not use these repetitions; though, no doubt, the repetitions 
would be understood in Heaven; for these people seem to be 
as earnest as others. 

Sometimes, after we have had morning worship and prayer, 
the one called upon to ask the blessing at table practically 
repeats the morning prayer. This course would imply that the 
person had forgotten that the general blessing had been asked 
in that prayer, and that he should be asking a blessing on 
the morning meal. To ask a blessing on the meal is not to 
pray in the ordinary sense of the word. Whoever "asks the 
blessing" should ask something in connection with the food 
and not attempt to pray for neighbors, relatives, etc. 

But the repetitions which our Lord had in mind and which 
are specially reprehensible in the Lord's sight are formal 
prayers merely. To illustrate: the Chinese are said to have a 
praying wheel, which enables them to make many "vain 
repetitions" without the trouble of speaking a word. 

It would seem that our Catholic friends also are given to a 
great deal of repetition in prayer. They repeat, "Hail, Mary!" 
and believe that God will save them from suffering in 
purgatory for their repetitions. Some of the poor creatures 
say, "Hail, Mary!" as often and as fast as they can. 

So with the Mohammedans. They say, "Great is Allah! 
Mohammed is His Prophet! Great is Allah ! Mohammed is 
His Prophet!" again and again. We do not know what good 
they are doing, for they are surely wasting a great deal of 
valuable time to no purpose. We do not wish to make light of 
these people nor of their conduct. But we are bound to think 
that with those who are intelligent such prayers are only form. 
With those who are not intelligent it is different. We believe 
that they are sincere; and so our course is to think 
sympathetically of them, but not to do as they do, not to pray 
as they pray. Prayer in private, in our own room, may be as 
long as we please; but prayer in public should be short and 
to the point. 

PRAYER-Should We Pray to Jesus? 

Q540:1 :: QUESTION (1912) 1 Are there special 
instances in which we should appeal to the Lord Jesus? 
Answer.~I cannot think of any circumstance in which the 



Lord Jesus could do more than the Father. But in my own 
mind and prayer I think of the two being one because their 
wills are one, and therefore I never make any mistake. I find 
myself thinking sometimes of one and sometimes of the other, 
but it is Thy will and not My will, and so I try to blot out any 
distinction. 

PRAYER--ln Whose Name? 

Q540:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-How must we pray in 
the name of the Father? 
ANSWER--Upon the basis of His name. 

PRAYER-To Whom Do You Address Yours? 

Q540:3:: QUESTION (19 12)-3 --Are you addressing 
your prayers only to the Father in the name of the Son? 

ANSWER— Usually I follow that form of addressing the 
heavenly Father-only in the name of the Lord Jesus; but I 
have found myself in prayer addressing the Lord Jesus 
himself, for I find nothing in the Scriptures to contradict 
that, for they say to honor the Son even as we honor the 

{PageQ541} 

Father. Nearly all the Scriptures follow that course of 
addressing the Father and I think of only one that is different 
"Even so, come. Lord Jesus." 

PRAYER~Re No Blessings for Others Without Our Prayers. 

Q541:1:: QUESTION (1913)-l-Does the Bible teach 
there are blessings which we may not receive except through 
the prayers of others? 

ANSWER— The Lord has many blessings at His 
disposal, and from certain Scriptures we might infer that He is 
pleased to grant some blessings in response to prayer. 
Therefore the Apostle said to some in his day, "Brethren, pray 
for us." He did not mean he could not pray for himself; he 
did not mean that the other Apostles could not pray for 
themselves; he did not mean they could not pray for each 
other; he did not mean he had lost fellowship with the Father 
and the Father would not hear him. He said. Brethren, pray 
for us that a door may be opened unto us whereby we may 
have opportunity of spreading the Gospel of Christ. Do you 
suppose the Apostle meant that merely as a formality and he 
thought it did not make a particle of difference, but just said. 
Pray for us, pray for us, as meaning nothing but merely a 
form? No, we prefer not to suppose that the Apostle was 



merely using a form; we would rather prefer to suppose he is 
teaching a certain lesson, that a certain blessing would come 
through remembering the Apostles in prayer. I presume that 
God who is rich in mercy, and has plenty of blessings to give, 
is pleased to encourage His people to pray, is pleased to have 
us pray. Why would God be pleased to have you pray? Is He 
just sitting there watching to see whether little you or little I 
kneel down to pray or not? Oh, no, that is not the thought at 
all! But God sees it will do you a great deal of good if you 
will exercise faith in the matter of prayer, and it will do me a 
good deal of good if I will exercise faith in prayer. Therefore 
He arranges as part of the means by which He would bless 
you and me that He will be inquired of concerning these 
things that He desires to do for us. He would thus encourage 
us to pray. As, for instance, when St. Peter was in prison and 
the Angel of the Lord came to him and waked him up, he was 
not praying. The Angel smote off the shackles from his hands 
and led him out, the doors opening before them, and the 
keepers being asleep, then the Angel sent him on his way 
rejoicing, and Peter, hardly realizing whether it was a dream 
or what it might be, walked down the street; he knew the 
street very well, and presently he came to the door where 
there was a meeting being held; it was late at night, but the 
meeting was going on; they were praying for Peter, and 
saying. Oh, Lord, the Apostle James is slain and now the 
authorities are threatening our beloved brother Peter. What 
will we do if all the Apostles are taken from us? They were 
having an all-night prayer meeting. And when St. Peter got to 
the door and knocked and the little maid came and looked out 
and saw St. Peter there, she did not know whether she had 
seen a ghost or not. Of course she heard about ghosts and she 
ran back to say that St. Peter was at the door. Why, nonsense! 
Peter is in prison! Their prayers had been answered. Do you 
not think that God gave them a great blessing in 

{PageQ542} 

answer to their prayer? Do you think if they had not prayed 
they would have had as much blessing? The Lord might have 
set St. Peter free, but when in answer to prayer it meant such 
a blessing to those dear disciples, such a strengthening of 
their faith, and such joy and blessing. So whoever falls in 
line with the Lord's arrangements and prays and remembers 
the Lord's work in various places is getting a blessing in his 
own heart, and the Lord intimates indirectly that this will 
have some effect. I cannot understand the philosophy of it at 



all, I do not pretend to, but somehow we are given to 
understand that God will be pleased to not change His plan 
for your prayers and mine—no, no, God is not going to change 
the Universe around to suit us; we are not wise enough to tell 
Him in our prayers what He should do, but He is so wise He 
can hear our prayers and give us blessings. So He has 
arranged in proportion in which we have loyalty, faith, etc., 
we are to have prayer. The Lord's people who have not 
learned the power of prayer are weak Christians. So the 
Scriptures everywhere encourage the Lord's people to pray 
always; to be in the spirit, the attitude of prayer at all 
times, and full of thanksgiving to God. 

And I think while I am right at this point I must take the 
opportunity of saying that any home that has no prayer 
regularly offered in it is not a proper home—is not the one that 
should be your home or my home. Wherever you live, 
wherever I live, wherever any of the Lord's consecrated 
people live, there the family altar should be reared and should 
be regularly served— just as regularly as the breakfast is 
served. This does not mean that you shall force your grown 
children to participate in worship which they do not 
appreciate; or if your husband or wife is out of sympathy and 
unwilling to participate that you should insist on it, and raise 
a row in order to have the worship there, for God would not 
be pleased with such conditions. But the child of God should 
have that attitude of prayer that would be inclining his heart 
always to have the prayer anyway, and then at a proper time 
the wife might be quietly inquired of if she would like to join 
in the prayer service. It might be put in as nice a way as 
possible. Or, on the other hand, it might be the husband who 
was not in sympathy, and the wife might approach him and 
say, "Husband, wouldn't you think it would be very nice if we 
might have a prayer altar in our home and honor our Creator 
and our Savior?" And many a worldly man would say, "Why, 
yes, I guess it is all right." And if the Christian wife did 
not make some such suggestion the worldly husband would 
probably say, "Well I don't know, if I professed to be a 
Christian like my wife does, I think I would want to have 
prayer at home." Likewise, the wife, if her husband didn't say 
anything about it, would quite likely say, "If I were in my 
husband's place and claiming to be a Christian, I would like to 
have prayer at home." The wife would not like to say that. 
The husband would not like to say that. Therefore the one 
that does appreciate the matter should take the initiative, and 
in a quiet way and not at an inopportune time, but at a time 
when there is a good opportunity— not when there is 



something of haste going on and there is not time to consider 
it, just going away or something--but when there is time. Seek 

{PageQ543} 

wisdom as to how we shall present the matter to husband or 
wife or to children. Do it in the wisest way—be wise as 
serpents. On every occasion use wisdom, and pray to God as 
to how you shall take any important step in respect to your 
life or your home. Ask God if you may have the altar in your 
home before you ask husband or wife for co-operation. Then 
suppose she refuse and say, "No, I don't want any altar to the 
Lord in this house." Not many are disposed to put it that way. 
And in mentioning the matter there is a nice way to do it. 
You can say, "Wife, I know you do not look at matters 
exactly as I do, but for all of that you believe also as I do in 
the great Creator, and that it is proper for every creature to 
worship the Creator, and I would suggest that it would be 
very nice for us, especially when we have children, that we 
should set an example of reverencing God, and having our 
home a model home. What do you say, wife? Shall we make 
that start? Say we take three minutes at least of every 
morning to approach the Lord, or if possible have it five 
minutes or more, or without limitation, and perhaps have a 
hymn of praise before the prayer is offered." But if it is a 
case where any objection is made, say, "Would you object to 
our having just three minutes? Would you co-operate with 
that?" I would not say, "Would .you object?" I would infer 
he would not object. I would say, "Would you be willing to 
co-operate to the extent of joining in if we should establish 
such a little altar of prayer to the Lord in this home? I believe 
it would be a blessing to us both, and the children. I believe 
our hearts would thus be drawn to God better, and we would 
have more of His blessing on our home." I think that would 
work well. I know there are some who feel. Oh, there is no 
use asking my husband, or my wife, they are bitter against it. 
Perhaps the bitterness sometimes comes in our not being wise 
enough in the way of presenting it. There are very few 
people who are really bitter against God. As a rule, people 
usually respect the Creator, and especially in proportion as we 
seek to be ourselves kind, gentle and loving; and as they can 
see we are trying to be considerate of their interests and their 
rights, and to deal justly with the family, in that same 
proportion they will have respect to our religion, and respect 
to our God, and respect to our worship. But suppose they 
would object and say, "No, I would not have anything to do 



with it at all." "You won't, of course, object to my having 
such an arrangement and I will just ask the children. I 
thought I would mention it to you first. Maybe you will think 
differently of it, and perhaps you will join with us; it would 
be so much nicer." And then go ahead. Do not consider there 
is a prohibition, or do not put it in that form as though there 
would be. We have a right to take for granted that all 
reasonable people would be willing that we should exercise 
our consciences and our rights. That would not mean that 
your husband should get up and have to make his own 
breakfast while you stopped and prayed; that would not be the 
right attitude at all; that would bring disgrace on religion; but 
while careful to attend to all the duties and proprieties in your 
case, as husband and wife; if you pray, do it wisely. 
And then as to the children; if they are grown children, 

{PageQ544} 

they should be differently approached. Many parents, I think, 
make the great mistake of forgetting that their children do 
grow. They always think that it is "little Annie" and little 
Annie gets taller, and taller, and taller, but still she is "little 
Annie" until she gets up so big. And so it is "little Harry." 
And they always think back somehow to the time in which 
they talked as children. No child enjoys being treated as a 
child. Every child that is properly balanced in mind would 
rather be treated as a little man or a little lady, and the parent 
can do that, and not by flattery, but in a very proper way. 
They can say, "Now, Harry," or Mary, "I want you to be a 
very model little gentleman, or lady. No matter how rude the 
other boys and girls may be, I want you to be a regular little 
gentleman, or lady." The child will like that; they may affect 
that they don't like it, but way down deep they do. 

"I want to play with the other boys." 

"But, my dear son, how rudely some of these boys act; you 
would not like me to think of you in that way—you see how 
rudely they play. You see some girls romp like that— you 
won't enjoy that. You can cultivate good manners and grow 
up nice in a polished way and become a little gentleman or 
little lady, or you can grow up and always be rude. If you do 
not grow up in refinement you will not be fit for good society. 
Now I would like to see you the most polished boy or girl in 
this neighborhood, so that wherever you go they will say, 
'Notice that little boy! Notice that little girl!' Now, my child, 
I want you to pattern after this. I am not trying to fill you full 
of pride, so you would strut around. A proud boy and a proud 



girl will bring upon them the odium of their little playmates. 
You are not to be proud, but simply be kind, and gentle, and 
cleanly and tidy no matter how poor your clothes are they can 
always be kept tidy; and wherever you go see that you do not 
get them covered with mud and dirt. Be ashamed if anyone 
says you are proud, or look proud, but make sure you always 
look like a little lady or gentleman." The children will like 
that, and if the parents would only get next to their children 
and have them feel that the ones most interested in them is 
father and mother, they will remember that when they grow 
up. Train up a child in the way it should go, and when old it 
will not depart from that way. It will have more influence 
than most people seem to realize. What we see in the world in 
respect to children is nearly a shame. They seem so uncouth, 
it looks as though they had no parental training at all. 
Anybody in the truth should know better than to have their 
children that way. I think of a time when I was in 
Pennsylvania and took dinner with a brother there. He was a 
Pennsylvania German, as we say, and after dinner he said to 
me as we went in the parlor before going to meeting: "Brother 
Russell, you met my boys and girls at the table." 

"Yes, and they seemed to be very nice, respectful and quiet: 
nothing rude about them; I was pleased to know that." 

He said, "I am proud of my sons and my daughters. Brother 
Russell; I do feel they are above the average, but they are not 
what would have been if I had had the sixth volume when 
they were little. But, as you say, after the tree is grown you 
can twist it all out of shape and get kinks 

{PageQ545} 

out, and I have straightened them up all I can. But I 
cannot, without having trouble, do any more, and I know that 
would not be wise, and we are to act wisely. So they are 
pretty nice, but not as nice as they would have been if I had 
known how to train them as you say from the cradle, or 
before they were born." 

Do not forget the training that comes in before they are 
born, the most important of all training, but the next is to 
begin when they are babies and keep up the training. Never 
laugh at your children. Many parents injure their influence 
by laughing at a child. The child is sensitive. "If my father 
makes fun of me when I tell him something I won't tell him 
anything any more." You want to keep the confidence of 
your son and daughter so that when they come to the age 
when they are having beaux, etc., they will still want to come 



to father and mother and say, "I have a beau." They do not 
generally want to do that, but it ought to be that way. Your 
influence with them should be such they would love you and 
could not keep it back, and would say, "I have a beau, what 
do you think of him?" They would want your opinion of him. 
And they would not think of marrying anybody except one 
the father and mother would say is a suitable companion, for 
they would have such confidence in your judgment. But in 
order to have that influence you must be wise as a serpent and 
follow the directions of the Lord's Word. I tell you if we had 
our lives to live over again, or if we had lived all the way 
down, when we were 100 years old we would know 
something; but we must be thankful for the light and 
knowledge that comes and make the best use of it when it 
does come, and if you have made mistakes, do the best you 
can. If before you knew the Lord yourself and understood 
His Word you had children and they grew up like wild weeds, 
you have every reason to be sorry, but you cannot help it. Be 
kind and patient, be generous, be as helpful as possible, be a 
real father and mother, and remember they have their failings 
that you helped to give to them, and be that much more 
sympathetic with those failings in the sense of giving much 
more time and assistance to overcome their weaknesses. 

PHYSICAL PERFECTION--Re Medical and Surgical Discoveries. 

Q545:1:: QUESTION ( 191 3)-- 1 --Will restitution, 
physical perfection, any way be helped by medical and 
surgical discoveries, or will restitution be wholly brought 
about by the power of Jesus to the willing and obedient? 
ANSWER—I can tell you about that, I hope, in about 
two years. I could not more than guess now, and I would 
always want a difference between what is written and what is 
guess work. Some people put their guesses and Bible so 
much together you cannot tell when they are guessing and 
when they are telling about what the Bible says. Whenever it 
is a pure guess I want to say that it is. Now I guess that the 
Lord will allow certain things to come about partly by surgery 
and medicine at the beginning; I should not wonder at all if 
there would not be some wonderful discoveries. It would 
seem as though they are leading on to better things, and yet 
everything might in another way be viewed from a different 
standpoint. Jesus did not use any medicine when He healed 
the sick, and those things Jesus did were illustrations 

{PageQ546} 



of coming blessings of the Millennial day. So the result of it 
is, I don't know. 

PRAYER-Position In. 
Q546:1:: QUESTION (1908)--l--Shouldnot 
Christians, when they pray to God, do so on their knees 
whenever possible? Should not this form usually be adhered 
to? 

ANSWER— The Lord gives a great deal of liberty. There 
is not a word stated in the Scriptures as to how we shall come 
to God in prayer, and those who prefer and think they do 
better to stand when they pray have nothing in the Scriptures 
to tell them to the contrary; and those who prefer to kneel and 
feel that in that manner they can come nearer to the Lord, and 
pour out their hearts most reverently, have nothing in the 
Scriptures to hinder them; and those who prefer to bow the 
head have nothing in the Scriptures to hinder them. I agree 
that kneeling is a very reverential posture, but I am not sure 
that in every case it is the better one. Suppose we say now. 
Let us all kneel down in prayer. You would find that as you 
kneel down you would make a great deal of noise, for one 
thing, and it would inconvenience your neighbor for another, 
and you would all get your clothes soiled with the mire off 
your shoes, and there would be many disadvantages about 
kneeling. Now, if the Lord had said to kneel, you and I 
would want to kneel, no matter how much trouble we got 
into. But when the Lord has not said to kneel, but left it to 
our option, I think we should use our common sense. My 
common sense would say that God is no respecter of form in 
the matter; it is the heart; if the heart kneels down before 
God, He is pleased with it. If the heart does not kneel down, 
then it does not count for anything anyway, so what we want 
is to kneel in our hearts, or get into the most humble attitude 
we know so far as our hearts are concerned, and then let each 
one, and the circumstances of the matter, determine what 
shall be the form. So far as my own private prayers are 
concerned, I nearly always kneel in the morning and in the 
evening devotion, but I pray to the Lord a great many times 
when not kneeling. Usually the last thing in bed before I go 
to sleep, and the first thing in the morning before I get out, I 
pray. So I pray in bed, and after I get up, and before I go to 
bed. I presume you do the same. Now there is no hindrance. 
You see it gives us full liberty. And you see the Apostle says. 
"Praying, always and giving thanks." Well you could not be 
on your knees always that is evident; it must give us liberty at 
other times, and not restrict the matter to praying only on our 



knees. 

PREACHING-To all Nations. 

Q546:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--2-"Go ye therefore and 
preach to all nations, baptizing then in the name of the 
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." If the salvation of the 
world is future, what would there be gained by teaching the 
nations and baptizing them? 

ANSWER— Well, the questioner seems to get the 
impression that our Lord in using these words made a 
mistake, because if Jesus meant that his disciples should 
disciple all nations (that is a Greek word, disciple all, not 
teach), the questioner seems to get the thought that all nations 
should be disciples, and these disciples be baptized. What do 
we find? Only a mere handful are disciples, and only a mere 
handful 

{PageQ547} 

have been baptized, and so according to the questioner's 
account, the Lord made a great mistake. Well, now, that is 
not the way to look at it. The Lord Jesus did not make any 
mistake; let us read this question and scrutinize it from a 
different standpoint. Go ye, therefore, and disciple all 
nations; that is, make disciples of every nation. Not merely 
amongst the Jews. At first he said. Go not into the way of the 
Gentiles, and into any of the cities of the Samaritans enter ye 
not, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and 
find disciples. But now he is giving a broader, wider 
application for the Gospel Age and in due time, when led of 
the spirit, they did go to all nations, not making any 
discriminations—go ye therefore and make disciples of all 
nations, baptizing them. Who, the nations or the disciples? 
The disciples. Whoever you can make into a disciple, baptize 
him. Did he say they would be successful in making disciples 
of all nations? It is still true that he is not calling all. Many 
are called, but not all, only those who have the ear to hear. 
The Apostle said, "The god of this world hath blinded the 
minds of those who believe not, lest the light of the glorious 
gospel of Christ should shine into them and they should be 
converted." Who is the god of this world? Satan. He has 
blinded the minds of all. Some with Pantheism, some with 
fatalism, some with one error and some with another, and 
even amongst Christians he has brought in all kinds of 
blindness and error— along the lines of eternal torment, 
purgatory and other lines. He blinds them to the love of God, 



to the real character of God, and to the call of this Gospel 
Age. All those who have not believed. Why should he want 
to blind them? Lest the glorious light of the goodness of God 
should shine into their hearts. He does not want God's 
goodness to shine into their hearts. 

PRE-EXISTENCE-Could Jesus Remember His? 

Q547:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-When our Lord was a 
human being (previous to His begetting) could He remember 
His pre-existence? 

ANSWER— We do not know enough on this subject to 
permit us to give a very full, clear and satisfactory answer. So 
far as we could reason on the subject, our Lord could not 
know of His pre-existence, before He was begotten of the 
Holy Spirit, except by natural means. His mother, Mary, 
would tell Him about His miraculous birth, about the angel 
that appeared to her, etc. At all events, the Bible says. He 
grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. 
Thus He was developing until He was thirty years of age. 

Our supposition is that He knew that He was miraculously 
born, for a purpose. He knew as a child that He must be 
about His Father's business as soon as the divine arrangement 
would permit—that much we know. It is just as well that we 
do not speculate too much on features not Scripturally 
revealed. 

When thirty years of age we read that the Holy Spirit came 
upon Him and He was illuminated. "The heavens opened 
unto Him." His mind was made clear as to the Divine Plan 
and arrangement. We are justified in supposing, then, that it 
was not thus clear, illuminated before. He knew that He came 
into the world and was there for a special mission. He knew 
what that mission was, but did 

{PageQ548} 

not have the matter in clear form until the Holy Spirit came 
upon Him. He knew that He proceeded and came forth from 
God, and knew that He was to return to the Father. He spoke 
of the glory He had with the Father before the world was, and 
He would not refer to it without having a knowledge of it; but 
this was after His anointing by the Spirit. 

PRESENT TRUTH-Result If One Leaves it. 

Q548:1:: QUESTION (1909)-1-If a brother who is 
begotten of the Spirit and has been prominent in teaching 
Present Truth, as presented through the Watch Tower Bible 



and Tract Society, but afterwards teaches what he thinks is 
the Gospel, but contrary to Present Truth, and continues in 
that condition unto death, what would be the result, whether 
he would have a chance on any plane or not? 

ANSWER~Too deep for me, dear friends. I do not 
know; we are not appointed to judge one another. We will 
wish him very well if he is dead. If the Lord has anything 
good for him, we are willing that he should have it. We 
would have reason to fear, however, for if he was once in the 
Truth and lost it, that it was a bad sign, for we would think 
that one who has had Present Truth would appreciate it more 
and more. We are not to judge, but will leave the matter in 
the Lord's hands. 

PRESENT TRUTH-Definition. 

Q548:2:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)--2- What is "present 
truth" and what is it to be in the truth? 

ANSWER~We answer that present truth would be that 
truth which at any time would be the particular message or 
fact that God would have his people take notice of. For 
instance, if we were today to preach about a flood of water 
coming, it would not be present truth; but for Noah to preach 
about a flood of waters coming was present truth; it was 
present truth in his day. He preached that thing that was due 
at that time; so today present truth is that truth that pertains to 
our time, the harvest time of the Gospel Age, the glorious 
morning of the new dispensation—everything pertaining to 
this is in that sense present truth. There are other truths that 
are always proper, of course, such as the fact of our heavenly 
Father's greatness, and love, and wisdom, and justice, and 
power; and such as the fact that our Lord Jesus came into the 
world and died for sinners. These truths are always present; 
but what is meant by present truth particularly is those 
features of truth which apply to the present time, and more 
particularly than to any other time. So I understand, then, in 
answer to the question, that the present truth of this time is 
the harvest message; that we are living in the harvest time of 
this Gospel Age, when the Lord is about to make up his 
jewels, and that the Gospel Age is to close and the new 
dispensation of Messiah's Kingdom is about to be 
inaugurated. To be in the truth would mean, therefore, in that 
sense of the word, to have a knowledge of those things, and 
be a loyal one in supporting those things, and in promulgating 
the message that is now due. 



PRESENT TRUTH-Result to Those Failing to Believe. 

Q548:3:: QUESTION (191 l)--3--Is it possible for 
anyone to have the present truth at this time, and come into 
the great company 

{PageQ549} 

class, or will they be obliged to make their calling and 
election, or go into the second death.? 

ANSWER— I know of no limitation of the kind that is 
implied in this question. My understanding is that there are 
persons at the present time, who have a knowledge of present 
truth, who may fail to make good; they may come short of the 
standard and not be acceptable as members of the body of 
Christ. I would not think that they would necessarily go into 
the second death. No one will go into the second death, we 
may be sure, unless that person willfully, intentionally, 
repudiates the Lord and his grace. God is not anxious to put 
anyone into the second death, and there are doubtless many 
people who will come short of the high ideal that the Lord 
will require, but who are far too good for the second death. 
But our suggestion is that we should all strive to make our 
calling and election; and it will require that we strive. 

PRESENT TRUTH-Many Christians Not Yet 
Enlightened. 

Q549:1:: QUESTION ( 19 15-Z)-1 -Is there anyone at 
the present time outside of Present Truth who has the Holy 
Spirit? 

ANSWER— There are various degrees of the Spirit of 
holiness which may be possessed by the child of God at 
various times in his experience. We may ourselves have more 
of the Holy Spirit now than we have ever had before implying 
that there was a time when we did not have so much. Or 
there may be some who have less, implying that they have not 
been growing spiritually, and are grieving the Holy Spirit 
with which they were sealed. 

We are not to think that all who are begotten of the Holy 
Spirit are exactly on the same plane, in either their spiritual 
appetites, or their development, or their knowledge of God's 
Plan. We grow in grace as we grow in knowledge. If our 
measure of grace lessens, the knowledge begins to fade. As a 
matter of fact, the whole world has been laboring under such 
delusions that we are surprised, when we "wake up," to see 
how little we did know— to see how ignorant we were of some 
of the precious messages God has given us. 



And as we were children of God before we received full 
knowledge, so we believe it is possible for others to be 
children of God without having the full knowledge. We are 
living in the end of the Harvest time, when, we believe, the 
Lord is causing the knowledge of the Truth to encircle the 
world. And yet the Adversary is raising "dust," calumny, to 
hinder the people from appreciating it. 

It is in very rare cases that God does as He did with Saul of 
Tarsus—strike him down with a great light, brighter than the 
sun at noonday. And it is because we believe that there are 
still children of God attempting to live on husks and skimmed 
milk—that there are such brethren in Christ who need the 
assistance we are able to give them— that we are trying to help 
them. Otherwise we would abandon all special effort at 
propaganda, knowing that there will be favorable conditions 
for all as soon as the Kingdom shall be established. 

The Bible speaks of the Great Company class as the "great 
multitude," as though the foolish virgin class were larger than 
the wise virgin class. And the Scriptures indicate that the 
Great Company class will not all have fled from Babylon 
before its overthrow. "Come out of her. My 

{PageQ550} 

people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye 
receive not of her plagues." This call has been going out for 
now thirty-seven years. It is God's call. 

The Scriptures show us that some will come out, and others 
will not come out, will not be released from Babylonish 
fetters. These foolish virgins will see that their lack of love 
and zeal has lost them a place in the Bride class. But they are 
virgins, nevertheless, and will have a place, or portion, as the 
companions of the Bride. They will follow her into the 
King's Palace. They will be bridesmaids, if you please-a 
position of lesser honor; but they will attain everlasting life. 
So we have reason to believe that the numbers of God's 
people begotten of the Holy Spirit and still in Babylon are 
considerable. If we were in their place and they in our place, 
we feel sure that they would make heroic efforts to help us 
out of Babylon; so we are doing likewise. 

PRIDE-Remedy for. 

Q550:1:: QUESTION (1911)1 Have you any 
suggestions for a tendency toward too much head, and not 
enough heart? 
ANSWER— I would think it a very dangerous disease, 



and I think the Great Physician has put the proper medicine in 
the medicine chest that he has given us; that he has given us 
the proper remedies in his Word; he is instructing us to 
cuhivate meekness, and to cultivate love; the meekness will 
reduce the size of the head, and the love will increase the size 
of the heart. 

PRIESTHOOD-Beginning of Melchisedec Priesthood. 

Q550:2:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-2-When did our Lord 
become a Priest after the order of Melchisedec? 

ANSWER— Our Lord entered upon his Melchisedec 
priesthood individually, personally, at the time of his 
resurrection, when, as the Apostle declares, God announced, 
"Let all the angels of God worship him." In this individual 
sense he became the Melchisedec Priest, although only the 
"Head" was yet formed. Since the intelligence is in the head, 
we can see how the head might stand for the body, as could 
no other member of the body. A hand stretched forth might 
represent the body, but it could not have the intelligence of 
the head, and we could not say that the presence was there, 
but as soon as the Head was born from the dead, as soon as 
the Head was accepted as the Melchisedec Priest, that soon 
the whole matter would have a standing with God, the 
intelligence residing in the Head. We agree, however, that we 
shall not exercise our full office as a Melchisedec Priest until 
the whole Church shall be with their Head in glory, members 
of his Body. A Melchisedec Priest is a blessing Priest, a 
Priest who has the power to bless. Melchisedec was able to 
bless Abraham. Far superior, therefore, to the Aaronic 
priesthood is the Melchisedec priesthood. 

Our Lord could not have been this Melchisedec Priest until 
his resurrection, evidently, because he had nothing with 
which to bless. Before he could do any blessing he must 
himself lay down his life, and by laying down his human life 
in obedience to the Father, he would thus receive or have to 
his credit the merit which he could draw upon in the blessing 
of us, and ultimately all the families of the earth. 

PRIESTHOOD-Length of the Melichisedec. 

Q550:3:: QUESTION -3 -How long will this 
Priesthood of the order of Melchisedec last? 

{PageQ551} 

ANSWER-"Thou art a Priest for the age," or rather, a 
Priest ever, an ever-Priest, a lasting Priest; not one who would 



pass away by death; not one who would drop his office in 
some unsatisfactory manner, but one who would fully 
accomplish all the purposes for which he was appointed as a 
Priest. Our Lord was appointed a Priest because there was 
necessity for a Priest. It is not an office that would be 
necessary amongst the angels, who are perfect, but it is an 
office necessary amongst men, because of their imperfection. 
To be a Priest, therefore, to the end or completion, would 
mean that he would be a Priest, Mediator, Reconciler, 
Harmonizer in this matter of estrangement between God and 
man. Therefore, this office will end with the Millennial Age, 
when he shall have accomplished all this work and will 
deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father. Then he 
will be a Priest no more. There will be no need of a Priest of 
any kind, sacrificing or reigning. The very significance of the 
office is that of intercessor or mediator, or assister in some 
manner of those who are in some difficulty. 

PRIESTHOOD-Significance of the Under-Priests. 

Q551 :1 :: QUESTION (1910-Z)-l-In the appointment 
of the Aaronic priesthood, Aaron was the High Priest and his 
sons were associate priests. Is the fact that his sons were 
associated with him specially typical? 

ANSWER—Evidently the type was intended to teach that 
these under-priests were the members, or body, of the High 
Priest, because that was the form in which the matter was 
expressed. He was to "make atonement for himself and his 
house." Now, what is the thought in this word "himself?" 
How would we most clearly express it? What relationship 
except that of a wife would more nearly represent one's self? 
The sons of Aaron, then, would represent him in a special 
manner, as though they were his body. A father is 
represented in his son in a particular sense. The type of the 
High Priest in his office would thus be maintained through 
successive generations. The sons were not, as sons, typical, 
but sons were in type the best representation of the body of 
the priest that could be made, and hence were representative 
of us, who are the Body of Christ. 

PRIESTHOOD-Present Work of Antitypical Priest. 

Q551:2::QUESTION --2-- Are there any antitypical 
priests doing a priestly work at this time? 

ANSWER~To our understanding the picture of the 
"priest" is an individual picture. It is not a work which priests 
are in a collective sense to do, but here the one priest is to 
do the work. In other words, the under-priests are merely 



recognized as representatives of the priest, the same as we are 
representatives of Christ. In that sense of the word it might 
be said that there is only one priest, the officiating priest, the 
one who does the particular work; but in another sense there 
is an under-priesthood~in the sense that we have a separate 
personality, as individuals, yet acting in conjunction with our 
Lord as his members. 

While recognizing the Scripture, "ye are a royal 
priesthood," let us lay stress on the Apostle's words which 
declare of our Lord, "if he were on earth he could not be a 
priest, seeing that there are priests who offer according to the 
Law." The Apostle then proceeds to prove that our Lord was 
a Priest after the order of Melchisedec, and that this 

{PageQ552} 

Melchisedec priesthood was acknowledged of God with an oath, 
and that Aaron and his priesthood were never acknowledged 
thus. But respecting this man the Lord said, "I have sworn 
with an oath, thou art a Priest forever after the order of 
Melchisedec." 

Melchisedec was, of course, only the one priest, and that 
one priest, therefore, represented all our Lord's members, and 
since the great work of the antitypical Priest is in the future, 
and is not the present work, we see that this is the reason why 
Aaron is not so particularly referred to in the type of the Great 
Priest. The Great Priest will really do his great work during 
the Millennial Age, and what is done in the present time is 
merely a preparatory work, preparing himself for work. 

First, the Lord Jesus, in the three and one-half years of his 
ministry, proved himself worthy to be the Priest, and during 
the 1800 years since he is proving us worthy to be his 
members, and by the time he shall have completed his work 
of proving us all worthy, with himself, for this great and 
honorable position of Prophet, Priest, Mediator, King, Judge 
of the world, he will at the same time have to his credit 
certain merit which he can apply for the world and on account 
of which he can perform a priestly office for mankind. The 
priestly office, as before stated, is more that of the future than 
of the present. The present time is the sacrificing time, the 
time for making a covenant with the Lord by sacrifice. 

We agree, of course, that none of us is doing the sacrificing. 
The high priest smote the bullock and killed it, and the high 
priest, likewise, smote the goat and killed it. Then came the 
presentation; as, for instance, when the Apostle Says, "Present 
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God," 



etc., he is not here saying, Perform the work of a priest upon 
your body, but offer yourself as a sacrifice to the Lord; he 
may accept you; he may sacrifice you, and he may perform a 
service upon you which will prepare you for a share with 
himself, as a member of his Body, in the glorious work of the 
future, in the work of blessing all the families of the earth, in 
the work of ushering in the Times of Restoration which God 
has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the 
world began.--Acts 3 :19-21. 

PRIESTHOOD-Why Were Not Job and Others Priests? 
Q552:1:: QUESTION] (1 91 0-Z)--1 -Since it was tlie 
priests wlio were to offer tlie sacrifices and since no one could 
be a priest except he was called of God, how was it that some 
of the Ancient Worthies, Job and others, who were not priests, 
offered up sacrifices? 

ANSWER-The sacrifices which these offered were not 
sin offerings. They did not offer up sacrifices according to 
the types of the Law, as the Day of Atonement sacrifices, for 
instance. This whole arrangement of the Jewish Law, by 
which the sacrificing was taken out of the individual's hands 
and put into the hands of the priests, was a new departure in 
God's dealings. 

Abraham, we know, presented offerings before the 
establishment of the Priesthood. The exact time in which Job 
lived we do not know. We merely know that he was Job of 
Uz, and walked before God with a perfect heart; but we think 
we are justified in supposing that he did not live during 

{PageQ553} 

the Law dispensation, with its typical sacrifices. If this be 
true, his course was in full line with Abraham's course when 
he offered up sacrifices. When Abraham was stayed from 
offering his son, he offered up the ram caught in the thicket, 
as the Lord directed. 

What these patriarchs did in the matter of offering up 
sacrifices was evidently a token on their part of appreciation 
of God and of the fact that a sacrifice for sins was necessary, 
just as Abel brought the firstlings of his flock and offered 
them to God, though he was not called to be a priest; but none 
of these sacrifices was accepted in the same sense that the 
sacrifices were accepted under the Law. None of these 
sacrifices ever made the offerers themselves perfect, nor did 
they atone for anyone else; they were merely the same as a 
prayer would be, a manifestation of a good desire of heart and 



of appreciation of God and a desire to reverence him, and a 
recognition of the fact that sin required some atonement. So 
when the Lord showed how this sin-atonement was to be 
made he pictured the work of this Gospel Age. He appointed 
a priest to represent the Lord Jesus, and under-priests to 
represent the Church. A work of sacrifice was done on a 
particular day of the year—the Atonement Day—representing 
the work of this Gospel Age in which these "better sacrifices" 
for sin are offered; and under this larger arrangement no one 
is permitted to offer the sacrifice except a priest, God thus 
indicating that the work is entirely under his supervision and 
direction. 

PRIESTS-Under Priests in tlie Holy. 
Q553:1:: QUESTION] (1915)--1--ln the type, did the 
under priests have access to the Holy of the Tabernacle on 
the Day of Atonement? 

ANSWER-The account might be read in different ways, 
but my reading of it leads me to understand that the under 
priests did have access to the Holy on the Atonement Day. 
Some others might think differently. I think this is in full 
accord with what we know to be the experience of the 
Church-that we all have access to the holy from the time we 
are spirit-begotten. We are now in the antitypical Atonement 
Day. To say that the under priests in the antitypical 
Priesthood are in the Holy, and then to say that the type did 
not teach that we should be there, I think would be a 
contradiction between type and antitype. I think they did 
have access to the Holy during the entire Day of Atonement. 

PRIZE-IHow to Gain the Great. 

Q553:2:: QUESTION] (1910-Z)"2"ls it the spirit of 
obedience to the Lord's commands that will gain the great 
prize? 

ANSWER—What the Lord is looking for at the present 
time is the spirit of sacrifice or self-denial—not merely the 
spirit of obedience to commands. Few, of course, would 
resist a Divine command, if thundered from heaven. Our test 
is more crucial than that. It is a test of obedience to what we 
understand to be the will of God or the privilege of service in 
his cause. Those who delight to do his will, those who 
delight to serve his cause, even at the cost of sacrifice to 
earthly interests, are the very ones he is now seeking. "He 
seeketh such to worship him as worship him in spirit and in 
Truth!" "Now is the acceptable time;" now is the time for 
those to come forward who desire to offer themselves 



unreservedly, and who desire that the Lord shall accept 

{PageQ554} 

their offering, which they know is not of great value. The 
more the sacrifice costs you, the more we may be sure it will 
be appreciated of the Lord. For any to give the Lord a thing 
which has no value in their own estimation would be in the 
nature of an insult, instead of sacrifice. 

Our experiences in life should draw us closer to the Lord, 
not only in the form of prayer; but moment by moment, in 
every little emergency of life, we should learn to expect 
heavenly guidance. 

Every accepted sacrificer who fails to carry out his sacrifice 
will surely miss the "high calling," and, if our expectations 
are correct, will share with the "great company" in the 
"destruction of the flesh," which, after consecration, they 
were unwilling to devote day by day. 

PRIZE~Re Philosophy of Covenants and Ransom. 
Q554:1:: QUESTION] (1910-Z)--1--ls it possible to be 
both justified and sanctified without knowing the philosophy 
respecting the Covenants and the Ransom? 

ANSWER"lt is true that one might be both justified and 
sanctified through faith in the blood before learning anything 
about the Covenants or the philosophy of the Ransom. And 
one might retain equally justification and sanctification 
through faith in that blood, irrespective of philosophies 
respecting the Divine methods of the applications of Christ's 
merit. This was true in our own case. Subsequently, having 
obtained grace from the Lord and some knowledge of his 
Plan—the philosophies of the Atonement, etc. --we served it 
out to others in his name. He advised us through his Word 
that these things were "meat in due season," and that the path 
of the just would shine more and more. In harmony with 
these promises, we have clearer light, increasingly, which is 
ours to dispense to whomsoever has "an ear to hear." 

The Old Law Covenant was for the natural seed of 
Abraham, and similarly the New Law Covenant will be 
instituted with them, as taking the place of the old one and 
bringing them a blessing, which they failed to get under the 
one of which Moses was the mediator. Ours is the faith 
Covenant, the original Covenant, to which the old one was 
added, and to which the new one will be added in due time. 

PRODIGAL SON-Whom Did He Represent. 



Q554:2:: QUESTION] (1910)--2--What company or 

people are represented by the prodigal son of the parable? 

ANSWER-I answer that it was a class that was living in 
our Lord's day. The scribes and Pharisees were seeking to be 
at harmony with God, and outwardly at least were in harmony 
with him, whom he recognized as sitting in the seat of Moses, 
as being representatives of the Lord and of the Father also. 
The younger son represents those Jews who became 
profligate and who wasted their privileges as Jews, and 
became publicans and sinners, outlaws, and lived as Gentiles 
instead of living in harmony with God, as represented in the 
parable. Now the Pharisees were very bitter against these 
publicans and sinners, and because Jesus talked with them 
and sat with them, they said. This man receiveth sinners and 
eateth with them, we are the holy ones. Jesus was seeking to 
correct that error of Pharasaical pride. That is not God's way, 
as they were doing. If you have found these people 
hungering for my word, you should have been 

{PageQ555} 

glad to see them come out to me. They should have said. 
There is a man, and the publicans and sinners are attracted to 
him, praise God, that some of those brethren who have gone 
off into sin are coming back, we are glad of it. But now, said 
the Lord, that is not your attitude. When you see them 
coming back and being properly received and blessed, that 
God is feeding them, etc., putting a new robe on them, etc., 
you say, we will stay out if you are going to let them come in. 
Jesus said, if you stay out, then you will stay out, for God is 
receiving them. You are the elder brother, these privileges 
are yours, you did not go out, you should have been ready to 
receive them, you should have said, we are glad to have you 
back, there is plenty for us all--that should have been your 
attitude. This parable is given as a reproof to that Pharasaical 
class. 

PUNISHMENT--Re Everlasting. 

Q555:1:: QUESTION] (1909)"1"How can you say that 
the punishment of the wicked will not be everlasting? 

ANSWER-I did not say anything of the kind-it will be 
everlasting. 

PURCHASE-Whatthe Lord Bought? 

0555:2:: OUESTION] (1910)-2-We understand that 
the Lord has not yet bought the world. Has the Lord 



purchased the Church? If not, how shall we understand the 
Scripture which says, "Ye are not your own, ye are bought 
with a price?" 
ANSWER-I understand it to say, ye and not they. 

Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price." Our Lord 
Jesus is represented as having paid the price to justice as far 
as the Church is concerned, and the Church is bought, and all 
of this class who become part of the Church are therefore 
included and dealt with under this gracious promise in 
advance of the world. But the world is not yet bought. 

PURITY-Lifeof. 

Q555:3:: QUESTION] (1911)"3"Do you believe in 
physical regeneration, or the living of a continent, chaste 
life? 

ANSWER-I think this is a question upon which, as the 
apostle says, everyone should be fully pursuaded in his own 
mind; it is not a subject that is laid down as a law in the Word 
of God. It is, therefore, not a Scriptural question. The 
Scriptures in general exhort toward all purity, but the 
Scriptures also say that marriage is honorable in all, and the 
bed undefiled. It is not in the authority of anybody to 
supersede the words of Jesus and the apostles. The apostle, 
nevertheless, does give the exhortation that for those to whom 
it may be possible to live a life of chastity, it would be a very 
desirable one, saying, "He that marries does well, and he that 
marries not does better." 

PYRAMID--Date1910. 

0555:4:: QUESTION] (1910)"4"What importance do 
you attach to the date October, 1910, in view of the 
suggestion in the Pyramid? 

ANSWER"ln the chapter on the Pyramid, in the third 
volume of Scripture Studies, we made mention of the fact that 
a measurement might be taken up the front of that large step, 
you remember, that is at the top of the Grand Gallery; that it 
could be measured up that step and along that step to about 
the junction line. We did not have the 

{Page 0556} 

exact measurement of that, but we took what is termed a 
paper measurement. That is to say, if anything is drawn to a 
scale, you can, by measuring very carefully with a piece of 
paper, estimate pretty closely, and our estimate of that, as I 
remember it, and as recorded there in the third volume, was 



that the point of time in inches would seem to represent 
October, 1910; but we did not give that as anything positive, 
nor as anything we know. I do not know anything about 
October, 1910. It is merely a suggestion. When it comes to 
October, 1910, 1 think it will be very well for you to have 
both eyes open and look around and see if you see anything. 
But the dates that are given to us prophetically are the ones I 
think we ought to especially give heed to. Now these 
prophetic dates seem to be, 1874, October; 1878, in the 
spring; and then 1881, in October; and then October, 1914. 
Now these, as far as we can tell, are the dates marked in 
prophecy, and to these we do well that we take heed as unto a 
light shining in a dark place, as St. Peter says. That does not 
mean that we know now, or that we ever knew, nor that we 
say now, nor that we ever said, that the suggestions made 
respecting these dates which are based upon prophecies are 
indisputable; nor that we have ever claimed infallibility in the 
interpretation of the prophecies in connection with them. 
What do we say, in the Scripture Studies, you will remember, 
is this: That to our understanding, this teaches this, and that 
teaches that, and the other teaches the other. We do not see 
any other way they could be held together, or any other 
conclusion that could be reached; and for my own part, 
therefore, I believe that those dates signify such and such 
things. That is all we have ever said; we never said we were 
infallible in these things. We believe them. We have 
believed them from the first; we are acting upon that belief. 
But, my dear friends, if October, 1915, came, or October, 
1920, came, and no great time of trouble, and no change of all 
the Church came, it would not overthrow my faith in the 
divine plan of the ages for a moment. God is selecting a 
Church as the Seed of Abraham, and that Church as the Seed 
of Abraham is predestinated to do the work of blessing all the 
families of the earth; whether 1915 is the exact time for that 
to begin, or the trouble that will introduce that time of 
blessing, is another matter. I believe October, 1914, is the 
time when we may expect that great time of trouble, because 
it seems to our judgment, as far as we can understand the 
Scriptures, that is the time when the Gentile period of lease, 
or tenure, will expire, and when, therefore, we may expect 
that the time of trouble shall be ushered in; and that time of 
trouble we understand is the one the Scriptures tell about-a 
time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, a 
time of trouble which shall overwhelm all sorts of 
government, and every institution of the present time; and a 
time of trouble which thus will make ready and prepare 



mankind for the glorious reign of Christ and his Church, for 
the blessing and uplifting of all the families of the earth. 

QUICKENING-And the Mark. 

Q556:1 :: QUESTION] (1907)"l"ln a recent issue of a 
Tower, you say we are not quickened until we reach the mark, 
and that some are never quickened. Do you mean that only 
those of 

{PageQ557} 

the consecrated who do reach the mark are quickened to any 
degree or in any sense? 

ANSWER-I would not like to take the position that no 
quickening would commence until after the mark had been 
reached. The Apostle uses as an illustration the natural birth: 
"First, begetting, then quickening, then the birth." We are 
first begotten by the Word of Truth; then if we continue to be 
related to the Lord, the time of quickening, the energizing, 
will come; and then if this energizing continues, and we 
continue to grow in grace and knowledge, we eventually in 
the first resurrection will be born. But I would not like to say 
that no one would manifest any signs of energy or quickening 
in the Lord's service until first he iiad reaciied the mark of 
perfect love, but I would think it fair to say that nobody 
would reach the mark of perfect love, without being 
quickened. That just as surely as he would get to the place 
where he loved the Lord with all his heart, and where he 
would love his neighbor, and his enemies even, he would be 
at the place where he would be sure to be quickened or 
energized in the service of the Lord and in the service of his 
neighbor. That is what we wished to say in the Tower. 

RAM-Slain in Isaac's Stead-Its Antitype. 

Q557:1:: QUESTION] (1911)"l"lf Abraham is a type 

of Jehovah, and if Isaac is a type of Christ, what does the ram 

slain in Isaac's stead typify? 

ANSWER~I think the ram slain in Isaac's stead typified 
Isaac—in his stead, his representative, and in that sense, of 
course, it typified Christ. If Isaac typifies Christ, then the ram 
typifies Christ. 

RANSOM-Distinction Between it and Sin Offering. 

Q557:2:: QUESTION] (1908)"2"What is the distinction 
between the ransom and the sin offering of the Atonement Day? 
ANSWER"We might answer that by saying. What is the 



distinction between the parable of the ten virgins and the 
parable of the wheat and the tares? There is a great deal of 
distinction. They are viewed entirely from different 
standpoints, and each parable must be viewed from its own 
standpoint. And so with the various statements respecting our 
Lord and the work that he did. Some of them view Him from 
the one standpoint and some from the other. From the 
standpoint of the ransom, our Lord is viewed as being the one 
who corresponded to Father Adam. As by one man's 
disobedience, sin entered the world, even so by the 
righteousness of one, free grace has come. In other words, 
what Adam brought upon our race of sin, degradation, and 
death penalty, our Lord Jesus has set aside by reason of 
having paid the penalty on our behalf. This is the concrete 
view of the subject, you might say a condensed view of it. 

Now, the sin offering of the day of Atonement is a different 
view altogether—not contradictory but thoroughly in harmony, 
but a different view nevertheless. It pictures how our Lord 
accepts the atonement of Christ on our behalf. Now the fact 
that Christ meets the whole penalty is one thing, you see, and 
the fact that God accepted it in certain ways is another thing. 
The sin offering shows us how God appropriates this sacrifice 
of Christ. First of all, the sacrifice 

{PageQ558} 

Christ is appropriated on behalf of the household of faith 
including the members of the body of Christ. That is shown 
in the type; the first sin offering of the Day of Atonement, the 
bullock, representing our Lord Jesus, was appropriated to the 
household of faith and the members of His body, and was not 
appropriated to anything else. And this was done before any 
other work was done, and this in the type is shown as a 
separate and distinct sacrifice and a separate and distinct 
application of the sacrifice. Then came in the second sin 
offering of the Day of Atonement, namely, the Lord's goat, 
the Lord's goat representing, we understand, the Church, His 
Body--the members of His Body. It shows a separate and 
distinct work done by the Church—not by the Church as 
individuals, but by the Church as members of His Body, no 
value attaching to the individual, for the individual by that 
time is lost sight of. It is the member of Christ's Body that is 
sacrificed. 

You see the difference, dear friends. You and I present our 
bodies living sacrifices. That is as far as we can go. That 
sacrifice we present to the Lord is presented at the beginning 



of our consecration, and when he accepts it, our part is done. 
Now, when he accepted of our sacrifice, he counted us 
thenceforth as new creatures, and as members of the Body of 
Christ, and it is as members of the High Priest's Body that we 
have been putting to death the old nature ever since. So you 
see the difference between our standing in the matter as 
individuals and our standing as members of the Body of 
Christ. Our standing as individuals ceases entirely when we 
have presented our bodies; we are reckoned dead and, 
therefore, we who are dead are not suffering anything. It is 
the new creature that is doing the offering, and the new 
creature is a member of the Body of Christ, and therefore, it is 
the Great Priest whose members we are that is offering this 
secondary sin offering, represented in the type by the goat. 
And this offering of the sin offering, of the goat, continues 
throughout a period of time, and at its completion the work 
effected by it is shown to be that a propitiation is made for the 
sin of all the people. Now, all the people, you see, in the 
type, meant all the other tribes outside of the tribe of Levi, 
and all the other people in the world outside of the Levites. 
The believers represented by the tribe of Levi, and the priests 
of that tribe, represent the Royal Priesthood. All the other 
people are represented in the other eleven tribes—all the other 
people who will ever come into harmony with God, either in 
this age or in the next age. They are all represented by this 
other type, and atonement is made for them all with a view to 
bringing them all back into relationship with God. So that 
work will be finished by the end of the Gospel Age, and you 
and I as members of the Body of Christ are participating; He 
is putting us to death; He is putting our flesh to death; He it is 
who is offering the sacrifice; He does the whole thing, and all 
the merit is in Him, and none of the merit is in you and L 

So, then, you see that this type is in perfect accord with the 
doctrine of the ransom, because all of the merit you have in 
your sacrifice and that I have in my sacrifice, came to us 
through Christ and through our relationship to Him. 
Therefore it is the Christ that is doing the whole work, though 

{PageQ559} 

he does it in this piece-meal manner. We might just as well 
say that Jesus could not be the Redeemer and ransomer of 
Adam, unless He would die in an instant, unless He had given 
His life at the very moment, because, you remember. He 
consecrated His life to death at Jordan, when He offered 
Himself, as the Apostle tells us. That is where He gave up 



His life, that is where He surrendered His life; but now it took 
three and a half years before that life was fully given up. 
That is to say, the three and a half years from His baptism at 
Jordan until the time on the cross He said, "It is finished." 
Now likewise, we can just as well see a still larger 
fulfillment, for while it began at His baptism, and while one 
feature was completed at His cross, in another sense He has 
not yet completed it, because He is still offering, the Great 
High Priest is still carrying out this great work of sin 
atonement, and during all of this age He is working in you 
and me, and in all who are accepted as members of the body, 
that He may present us ultimately as members of His glorious 
bride. 

RANSOM~Re Sufferings of Jesus. 

Q559:1:: QUESTION] (1910-Z)--1--Were the physical 

sufferings of our Lord Jesus requisite to the ransoming of 

humanity? 

ANSWER-The Ransom, or corresponding price which 
our Lord Jesus gave, consisted in his being the Perfect Man 
with all the rights of Adam and in these being surrendered or 
given up to death regardless of whether his death would be an 
easy or a painful one. The Scriptures say that "it pleased the 
Father to bruise him," not indicating by this, however, that 
our Heavenly Father took pleasure in the sufferings of his 
Son, but that this was his pleasure so far as his Plan of 
Salvation, etc., was concerned. He put severe tests upon this 
One who would be the Redeemer of mankind, not only to 
develop him as the beginning of a new creation (Heb. 2:10) 
and to prove his character, but also to manifest to us and to 
angels and to all creatures the wonderful obedience of the 
Lord Jesus and his worthiness of the high exaltation to the 
divine nature and all the glorious offices to be accorded him. 
Hence the Father provided that he must be "led as a lamb to 
the slaughter," and he also provided, in the Jewish Law, that 
the extreme curse of that Law should be a death penalty on 
the tree. "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." 

These provisions, we understand, were not of Divine 
necessity, but of Divine wisdom and expediency. It was 
necessary that Christ should suffer that he might enter into his 
glory-before he could be the qualified High Priest, and 
ultimately accomplish the work of Mediator between God and 
the world of mankind; hence his sufferings were permitted for 
the testing, the proving of himself. And so with the sufferings 
that come to the Body of Christ, the Church. They are for our 
own development. The Father deals with us as with sons. He 



lovingly chastises and corrects us that he may thereby fit and 
prepare us and demonstrate our worthiness of the glorious 
reward which he has arranged for us with our Lord, and under 
him. 

We get the right view of the entire matter, we believe, when 
we see that the death of Jesus was not the ransom;that it 
did not accomplish the ransom-work, but simply furnished 
the ransom-price; and that the ransoming with that 

{PageQ560} 

price is a matter that is done in the "Most Holy""in heaven. 
To explain: He ascended up on high, having to his credit the 
price or value sufficient to ransom the whole world, but 

none of it yet applied for any one. He has appropriated the 
merit of that ransom-price to the Church, imputing this merit 
to them during this Gospel Age, to cover their Adamic sins 
and to make good, to compensate for, the imperfection of 
their mortal bodies, thus enabling them to present sacrifices 
which God can and will accept through the merit of their 
Advocate. 

But that ransom-price, so far as the world is concerned, is 
still in reservation and will be given on behalf of them, as 
represented by the "sprinkling of the blood" at the end of the 
Day of Atonement, shortly now, in the beginning of the 
Millennial Age, to seal the New Covenant and to put into 
operation all the glorious provisions which God has made for 
the world. 

We believe it to be a very important matter to keep 
distinctly separate the work which Jesus did and the value of 
that in God's sight as an asset, something to his credit on the 
heavenly account and something which he now applies to us, 
and by and by will give in perpetuity to mankind as their 
ransom-price. 

RANSOM-Man Christ Jesus. 

Q560:1:: QUESTION] (1911-Z)"1"Kindly explain the 
following text, especially the forepart of it: "The Man Christ 
Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.""1 Tim. 2:5,6. 

ANSWER"Our Lord gave himself a corresponding 
price for all-a ransom. The application of this price will be 
made in due time. It has been, at the present time, 
appropriated to the Church, imputatively, on account of their 
turning from sin and walking in the footsteps of Jesus. The 
next step in its application will be, not the imputation, but the 
actual giving of this to the world, bringing them up out of 



their imperfection, during the thousand years of the 
Mediatorial reign; bringing them bacl< into that condition in 
which they shall be in harmony with God, even as Adam was 
in harmony with him before the fall. 

Regarding the expression, "The Man Christ Jesus," we 
would say that the Man who gave himself seems to be the 
particular point. That Man who gave himself, the anointed 
Jesus, who finished the giving of himself at Calvary, is the 
"Mediator between God and men," between God and the 
world of mankind. In harmony with the Divine Plan, during 
this Age, before his work of uplifting mankind is due to 
begin, he is doing another work that the Father has ordained; 
namely, the selection of brethren over whom he is placed as 
the "Captain of their salvation." These are counted in as 
members of the Body of the Messiah, he being Head over 
them""the Church which is his Body." 

So, then, the Man Christ Jesus is the Redeemer of the 
world. But in the interim-as noted above-before the 
application of his merit shall be made for the world, the 
testimony is given to a few-as many as have ears to hear and 
are joint-sacrificers with him. These will be associated with 
him as Prophet, Priest, Mediator, King and Judge between 
God and men during the Millennial Kingdom. 

RANSOM-How Merit of is Applied. 

Q560:2:: QUESTION] (1911-Z)"2"ls there anything 
connected with 

{Page 0561} 

the Atonement Day sacrifices which corresponds to the 
Ransom? If so, what? 

ANSWER"The word Ransom would more properly 
be rendered Ransom-Price, corresponding price. On the 
Day of Atonement no type of the ransom-price is given us, 
but rather a type of the Sin-Offering, showing particularly 
how that ransom-price will be made applicable. If we 
scrutinize this Atonement Day type, however, we shall find 
that which points to the Ransom, in the killing of the bullock; 
for the whole matter depended upon the killing of the bullock. 
The goat could not be killed first. The bullock must first be 
killed and the blood applied in the Most Holy before anything 
could be done with the goat. Hence, all that was done, not 
only with the Lord's goat, but also with the scapegoat, was 
based on the death of the bullock. So if we look for anything 
that might correspond to the ransom-price in the Day of 



Atonement sacrifices, we shall see that the death of the goat 
was not necessary, but all depended on the bullock. 

RANSOM-Emphasized by I.B.S.A. 

Q561 :1 :: QUESTION] (1915)--1--"A Ransom for All." 

Why does the I.B.S.A. place such emphasis on this point? 

ANSWER-We understand, dear friends, that the 
Ransom is the very center, we might say the hub, of the 
Divine Plan; that everything in God's Plan circles around the 
Ransom. Every feature of His Plan is vitally connected with 
it. Just as every spoke of a wheel is connected with the hub, 
so all the various features of Divine Truth radiate from this 
doctrine. For this reason we make it very prominent. 

We believe that every one out of harmony with the Ransom 
is out of harmony with the Plan of God, and that any one truly 
in accord with the Ransom is necessarily in harmony with the 
whole Plan of God. The Bible gives this doctrine great 
prominence. The Bible declares that "by one man's 
disobedience sin entered into the world," and that by the 
obedience of another man, Jesus Christ, the ransoming of the 
race is achieved (Rom. 5:12-21). The satisfaction of Divine 
Justice is thus affected. Hence God can be just and yet be the 
Justifier of all who believe in Jesus (Rom. 3:26). This is 
our reason for placing such emphasis on the Ransom, for 
making it so prominent—because the Bible makes it 
prominent. Every doctrine must be in accord with the Bible 
or be wrong. If you square your views with the Bible, you 
can readily see that many doctrines accepted by people 
generally are entirely erroneous. 

RANSOM-Fuiiy Paid. 

Q561:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-2-About April 1st the 
Tower said the ransom is not fully paid till the Church is 
glorified. It is hard for me to understand this. 

ANSWER~The thought here seems to be—when it was 
finished— the ransom work finished— the corresponding price 
paid. We cannot help what we thought was wrong. We 
thought once that a great many things were not correct. We 
are finding out more clearly day by day what the Bible does 
teach. What difference whether we saw God's plan was 
finished 1,000 years ago, or 1,000 years future? It is going to 
be finished and His plan is all working out for good. If the 
ransom price had been paid then from that moment Jesus 
would have had charge of the whole world of mankind, but 

{PageQ562} 



he did not take charge; he has not yet taken charge, and God's 
time for him to take charge has not yet come. Jesus came 
before the time to take charge of the world, in order that the 
church might come in, and the great work of blessing the 
world itself will not begin till the church is completed. Now 
it is merely a difference in the form of expression. So far as 
the sacrifice of Jesus is concerned, the ransom price was laid 
down at Calvary, or more particularly, laid down at Jordan 
when Jesus gave himself to the Father. That is the particular 
time which corresponds to the killing of the bullock—the 
bullock representing the flesh of Jesus. The moment it was 
killed, that moment the High Priest began as the New 
Creature--went into the Holy; so Jesus, when be offered 
himself up at Jordan, immediately, as the antitypical High 
Priest, enters the Holy, burns incense at the golden altar and 
later enters beyond the second veil, appearing there for us. 
After that we were privileged to come in, but so far as the 
laying down of the price was concerned, it was laid down, put 
in the bands of the Father when Jesus consecrated himself to 
do the Father's will, put his life in the Father's hands. All his 
destiny was in the Father's hands, and this destiny as the 
Father marked out for him, was completed at Calvary. The 
work the Father gave him to do, he did. One work, the work 
of sacrificing, and another, making application of the 
sacrifice, first for the Church, when he ascended up on high. 
It had not yet been applied to the Church; they had not 
received the holy Spirit, not until Jesus appeared in the 
presence of God for us and made imputation in a special way. 
Not till then did the Church get any benefit. At the 
appropriate time the world will get its benefit. 

RANSOM-Not Shown in Old Testament. 

Q562:1 :: QUESTION (1916)-l-Was the ransom work 
shown as types or shadows in the O.T.? 

ANSWER—I do not think of any types or shadows 
representing the ransom, and for the very reason I do not 
think it would be shown. A bullock would not be found to 
represent the ransom price and there was no perfect man. The 
only illustration which we have is this one which God has 
given us- -Jesus the ransomer of father Adam. 

RANSOM-lllustrated in Work of Jesus. 

Q562:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-Please explain the 
meaning and illustration of the word ransom, as to the work 
of Jesus. 



ANSWER~We have already done this. The work of 
Jesus was the giving of himself, the corresponding price on 
behalf of Adam, and as all the race was included in Adam so 
all the race of Adam was included in the ransoming work; so 
we read "As by one man came death, by one man also comes 
the resurrection of the dead, for as all in Adam die, even so all 
in Christ shall be made alive, every man in his own order." 

RANSOM-Bible Illustration. 

Q562:3:: QUESTION (1916)--3--Please give agood 
illustration, of the meaning of the word "ransom." 

ANSWER— I do not think we could have a better 
illustration than the Bible gives. The perfect man Adam is the 
one who sinned and was sentenced to death and in order to be 
his redeemer it was necessary that one should be like him, a 
perfect man, and thus that he became man—not a 

{PageQ563} 

sinful man like the race, but holy, harmless, undefiled, 
separate from sinners as Adam was at the time that he sinned. 
This is the best illustration of the ransom that I know of; the 
Bible's own illustration. Something we do not carry out in 
our affairs of life— it was under the law; an eye for an eye, a 
tooth for a tooth. If some one knocked out two teeth, you had 
a right to knock out two teeth for him. That was Justice. No 
merit in it. 

RANSOM-Meaning of. 

0563:1:: OUESTION (1916)-l-Please define the 
meaning of the word "Ransom." 

ANSWER— The word ransom signifies a price that 
corresponds. The literal meaning of the word as you find 
given in Young's Concordance, "A price corresponding." 
Thus we see there was no price corresponding to Adam; there 
was no perfect man that could give himself as ransom. No 
angel could be a corresponding price. No perfect man 
anywhere in the Universe of God. A spirit being could not be 
a ransom for they were on a higher plane than Adam. Not a 
creature in all the universe of God could be a ransom for 
Adam. Therefore God arranged that the Logos might become 
the suitable one to be the ransom price for Adam and thus he 
became the ransom. 

RANSOM-Denying Re Second Death. 

0563:2:: OUESTION ( 19 16)-2- Will all the people 



who deny the ransom go into second death? 

ANSWER~We are not supposed to answer a question 
like that. The answer we have is "The Lord will judge His 
people" and it is not for you or me to decide whether that one 
will be of the little flock or the great company or second 
death class. We are not here to judge one another. If you see 
any one going blind, give them the eye salve. Do not tell 
them where you think they are going to be. We had better not 
tell what we do not know. 

RANSOM-Scriptures Teaching this Doctrine. 

Q563:3:: QUESTION (1916)--3--Please quote the 
Scriptures that clearly teach the doctrine of the ransom. 

ANSWER—There are a great many scriptures that might 
be seen to clearly teach the doctrine of the ransom. "The man 
Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified 
in due time." That is a very distinct statement. Another 
would be "As by a man came death by a man also comes the 
resurrection of the dead." "As all in Adam die even so all in 
Christ shall be made alive." Many of these texts show the 
correspondency. So we read "Even the precious blood of 
Christ." "The precious blood of Christ" would mean all that 
the word "ransom" means, and the word blood, giving of life 
in exchange for life and the only one person who had life in 
the full sense was father Adam, and the next person to have 
full life on the human plane was Jesus. He has a transferred 
life. 

RANSOIVi-Re Adversary and Fallen Angels. 

0563:4:: OUESTION (1916)--4-When the Logos left 
the heavenly glory and became flesh did he ransom the 
adversary and the fallen angels? 

ANSWER— The Scriptures tell that Jesus came to taste 
death for every man, not for devils at all. Not a word. 
Besides we have no record that the devils were ever 

{PageQ564} 

sentenced to death, and how could they be ransomed from 
death. They were separated, alienated from God and confined 
for a time in Tartarus in our earth's atmosphere. If this is their 
condition, I think they had a pretty bad time—a very severe 
punishment. Some one has told about infidels. He 
represented his thoughts by saying he had a dream. I suppose 
a waking dream. There he saw a town called Infidel and only 
infidels entered there and they locked it up so no one could 



get out. He walked past there a year later and heard the wails. 
"Let us out--let us out, we can't stand it here any longer." I 
was not sure he had the right thought about the infidels, but I 
thought the word picture represented the condition of the 
fallen angels pretty well. I think they would like to get away 
from each other— not very good company. From what we 
have illustrated in the Bible, they have a great deal of 
wickedness and if they have wickedness toward humanity, 
they may have evil tendencies toward each other and I think 
they have been having a terrible time for 4,000 years. The 
Bible does state that there will be something for those angels 
without telling distinctly what it will be. The Apostle says, 
"know ye not we shall judge angels?" Not the holy angels. It 
would only be those fallen angels. We may not see clearly 
enough to say how we could judge the angels, but that there is 
to be some kind of a judgment of angels is plainly stated by 
the Apostle. They are confined in chains of darkness until the 
judgment day, inferring there will be a judgment or trial come 
to them. Testified to by three Apostles. What would that 
mean? That there would be some opportunity for them to 
clear themselves. Whoever is put on trial, means they are 
going to have a trial, an opportunity, and the world's 
judgment day means the world will have an opportunity, and 
our opportunity comes through the merit of Christ's sacrifice 
releasing us from the sentence upon us as sinners, but the 
judgment and trial of angels could not come from that, for 
they were not sentenced to death but to this earth's 
atmosphere, this confinement, shutting them up as the apostle 
puts it, setting them aside from communication with the Lord. 
Angels shut up for a long time would see no hope whatever. 
They have insulted the Almighty. They were inexcusable 
knowing they were doing wrong, and they fell under the 
Divine hand. The mercy of God was not manifested to 
anybody. The Holy Angels will not need mercy—no one was 
needing mercy. They never had an illustration of God's 
mercy, but they had of God's justice, in their case of 
condemning in darkness. The first illustration they got was 
the same that came to mankind-what the Bible tells about 
Jesus "Herein was manifest (give the full weight to that word 
manifest) the love of God in that He gave His only begotten 
son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but 
have everlasting life." Do you suppose they were wondering 
what next He would do? I think they looked on in 
astonishment when they saw Jesus consecrating his life; his 
temptation in the wilderness; loyalty to the Father and full 
devotion in every way, noting the three and one-half years in 



ministry in which he was faithfully walking the narrow way, 
saw him crucified; then thought they had finally done him up 
and that would be the end of the matter? They thought he had 
come to an end. They had never known any one to be 
resurrected from the dead. 

{PageQ565} 

But when on the third day Jesus rose from the dead, a spirit 
being of the highest order, of the Divine nature, don't you 
think those fallen angels were looking then? I think so. God 
said He highly exalted him, that at the name of Jesus every 
knee should bow. Don't you think those angels saw how 
glorious he was and how grand his nature? Then those angels 
faithful to him learned a great lesson there. How do you 
know? Peter says so. In his resurrection Jesus preached to 
the spirits in prison—the imprisoned evil spirits—the fallen 
angels. How do you know? Because Peter went on to say, 
those evil spirits which were disobedient in the days of Noah, 
while the Ark was preparing— he limited the matter, points out 
just which he meant. They were the very ones. Did he go off 
alive and speak to them? No, he was dead. He died on 
Calvary. By this whole procedure, his death and resurrection, 
he preached the greatest sermon those fallen angels ever 
heard. Obedience on the part of the Savior and pleasing in 
the sight of the Father, and the great blessing coming on 
every one who would be faithful to him and loyal to God. I 
am going to speak and give my guess so you will not make 
any mistake and think I am inspired. I guess from that time 
some of those fallen angels had a new thought on the subject 
and said, now we see more than ever before how greatly we 
sinned and how wrong was our course and one after another 
said, I am determined to take a right stand hereafter, but I 
could not even give guess whether it would be many or a few 
that would take that stand, that henceforth they would be 
loyal to God and wait and hope God would give them some 
blessing. I am going to suppose that some did that, and what 
do you think would be the consequence? I think they have 
had a terrible time— a devilish time. I think the fallen angels 
that did not turn to God would give them plenty of 
persecution as they would try to be loyal to God and His 
principles of righteousness and they would have to suffer for 
righteousness sake. They perhaps have had to suffer a good 
deal in all this time if they took a proper stand. My thought is 
we are coming down to the close of the age, and that these 
that manifest their repentance toward God, and have taken 



their stand on the side of God, of righteousness and truth, and 
in opposition to the fallen ones and the wrong course—my 
thought is they are about to be vindicated and get a blessing 
and a release from their difficulties and they will be more or 
less under judgment by the experience of the Church during 
this Gospel Age, and in God's due time they are to have a 
release from the fallen ones, and the fallen ones eventually 
will be destroyed in second death with Satan. He has not 
repented. He is still the same adversary—He is our great 
adversary. "Your adversary the devil." No mistake about it, 
and if he has not had trial enough for 6,000 years to 
demonstrate what his real character is, I wonder how long it 
would take to find out? I wonder if God would want to test 
any one more than 6,000 years? 

RANSOM-Definition of. 

Q565:1:: QUESTION (1916 Z)-l Give a brief 
definition of the word Ransom. 

ANSWER-A Ransom is the amount of consideration 
paid for the release of a person or property, captured or 
detained. 

{PageQ566} 

RANSOM-Definition of IVIerit. 

Q566:1:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-Give brief definition 
of the word Merit. 

ANSWER-IUIerit is (1) that which deserves 
consideration, reward, or esteem; (2) value, reward or 
recompense deserved or received, as at school. 

RANSOIVi-Definition of Legal Tender. 

Q566:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-2-Give brief 
definition of Legal Tender. 

ANSWER- Legal Tender is that currency or money 
which the law authorizes a debtor to offer in payment of a 
debt and requires a creditor to receive. In other words, that 
which the government or law approves as a medium of 
exchange. 

RANSOM-Definition of Pay and Paid. 

Q566:3:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-3-Whatis the 
meaning of the words To Pay or Paid? 

ANSWER-To Pay means to discharge a debt, to give 
an equivalent for, to fulfil. The word Paid would signify 



that such a debt had been discharged; was fulfilled; that the 
proper equivalent had been turned over. 

RANSOM-Definition of Deposit. 

Q566:4:: QUESTION (1916 Z) 4 Give brief 
definition of the word Deposit? 

ANSWER-A Deposit is anything deposited; 
something committed to the care of another. 

RANSOIVi-Difference Between Paid, Applied and 
Deposit. 

Q566:5:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-5--Whatis the 
difference in the meaning of the terms Paid, Applied and 
Deposit. 

ANSWER—There is quite a difference in the meaning of 
these words. When the word paid is used, it signifies that 
the thing applied to an obligation is sufficient; when the word 
applied is used, it signifies that a financial obligation has 
been met, directly or indirectly; when the word DepOSit is 
used, it signifies that something has been left in the care of 
another which has not yet been appropriated, or applied. 

RANSOM-Definition Sin Offering. 

Q566:6:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-6--Define briefly the 
term Sin-Offering. 

ANSWER The term Sin-Offering signifies an 
offering made on account of sin, as an offset to sin, as a 
satisfaction for the sin. 

RANSOM-Re Merit of Christ. 

Q566:7:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-7-Whatismeantby 
the term Merit of Christ Jesus? 

ANSWER--We might speak of the Merit of Christ Jesus 
from various viewpoints; as, for instance, the merit of His 
having become the Man Jesus, in the sense of its indicating 
His loyalty to God and His obedience to the Divine Program; 
or we might speak of His merit as a man—that He made a 
meritorious delivery of that which He had, of that which was 
right, just and 

{PageQ567} 

lawful. But when we speak of the Merit of Christ Jesus with 
respect to His making atonement for the sin of the world, we 
have in view another matter entirely; namely, that a contract 



existed between the Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus 
Christ, by which the Lord was to become a human being and 
then to give up His human nature, permitting His life to be 
taken from Him as a man, thus signifying His loyalty and 
obedience to the Father's will, complete obedience unto death 
even the death of the cross. 

When we speak of the Merit of Jesus Christ, we understand 
that, on account of that Merit which He had, and which the 
Father recognized when He raised the Son from the dead, our 
Lord was rewarded, not merely by being taken back to the 
spirit plane, but by being "highly exalted" to the Divine 
nature. This Merit of Jesus, then, which God rewarded, left 
Him a certain amount of substance or blessing which He 
might bestow upon others; namely. His right to human life, 
which He has not forfeited by sin, nor by any other 
procedure. This right to human life, which we speak of as a 
merit to the credit of Jesus, the Bible informs us is ultimately 
to be appropriated by the Lord Jesus Christ, in full harmony 
with the Father's Plan, for the cancellation of the "sins of the 
whole world" (1 John 2:2)~the sin of Adam and all of his 
race, who died in him. That Merit is already our Lord's, and 
is subject to His disposal at the proper time, set by the Father. 

RANSOM-Definition of Atonement. 

Q567:1:: QUESTION (1916 Z) 1 Give a brief 
definition of the word Atonement. 

ANSWER~The word Atonement signifies the making 
at one, the bringing back into harmony persons or things 
not in full accord. As applied to the human family, it would 
signify that, Adam and his race having been disobedient to 
the Divine arrangement, and having come under Divine 
displeasure and condemnation, this condemnation, by Divine 
arrangement is to be done away with, and mankind are to be 
brought back into harmony with God~to be at-One with 
Him again—as many of them as are willing and will accept the 
Divine terms. The arrangements by which this is to be 
accomplished is what we term the work of the Atonement; 
and this work of Atonement was the work begun by our Lord 
Jesus Christ at His First Advent, continued since, and to be 
completed at and during His Second Advent. In a word, then, 
the Atonement in the fullest sense of the word begins with the 
Church and will not be completed until its provision shall 
have been extended to all the members of the human family, 
bringing all the willing and obedient back into full harmony 
with Jehovah. 



RANSOM"Re Any Perfect Human Being. 

Q567:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-2-Could a perfect 
human being pay the Ransom-price? 

ANSWER-No! A perfect man could not pay the 
Ransom-price, unless by some Divine arrangement, contract, 
agreement. If, for instance, there had been a perfect human 
being in the world, he could not have become the Redeemer 
of Father Adam, except as a privilege by Divine arrangement. 
It would be for the Divine Court to determine whether or not 
one could be accepted for another. In the case of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, by Divine arrangement He became suitable to be 
the Ransom-price~a perfect man—and then, in fulfilment of 
the Divine Program, He gave Himself; and because of this 
arrangement He was acceptable. 

{PageQ568} 

ransom-How Provided? 

Q568:1:: QUESTION (1916-Z) -1 -How was the 
Ransom-price provided? 

ANSWER-God Himself provided the Ransom; and it 
"taketh away the sin of the world." Only by Divine provision 
would the ransoming of man have been possible. 

RANSOIM-Wliere Provided? 

Q568:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z) -2 -Where was the 
Ransom-price provided? 

ANSWER~In the Divine Purpose, the Ransom-price 
was provided from the foundation of the world; for the 
Scriptures assure us that our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Divine 
Purpose, was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of 
the world. (Rev. 13:8.) In a secondary sense, the 
Ransom-price was provided when the contract was made 
between Jehovah God and His honored Logos. In another 
sense of the word, the Ransom-price was not provided until 
the Logos had been made flesh and had reached full human 
perfection at 30 years of age. 

It was then possible for our Lord to serve, in harmony with 
God's arrangement, as a Ransom-price, and to give Himself a 
Ransom-price. But He did not give Himself to be this 
Ransom-price until He entered into the Covenant with God, 
symbolizing by baptism the full consecration of His life even 
unto death. Yet it was not a completed thing then, for there 
were conditions associated with it. While His will was there 
given up, and was so recognized by the Father, nevertheless it 
remained for Him, day by day and hour by hour, to show His 



full surrender. His sacrifice was completed when He died on 
Calvary, crying, "It is finished!" He had finished the laying 
down of the Ransom-price; that is to say. He had fully 
provided the Ransom-price. We are to recognize a difference, 
however, between providing the Ransom-price, and 

giving, or appropriating, or delivering it. it was 

merely provided at the time when Jesus died; it was not yet 
given, in the sense of being applied for man's delivery from 
death. 

RANSOIVJ-Wlio Provided? 

Q568:3:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-3-Who provided the 

Ransom-price? 

ANSWER— Jehovah God, primarily, in that He was the 
One who made the arrangement; without His arrangement the 
Ransom would not have been possible. In a secondary sense, 
Jesus Himself provided it, in that He gave Hlmself ; He 
had full control of His own course at the time He made His 
consecration. His will was not coerced. 

RANSOM-Re Paid at Calvary. 

Q568:4:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-4-Was the Ransom 
paid at Calvary? 
ANSWER— We have already covered this point, 

showing that the Ransom was laid dowN' at Calvary, and 

later placed in the hands of Justice, but not paid OVer in 

the sense of completing the contract— that being reserved for a 

future time. The Ransom was laid dOWN' at the CrOSS, When 

Jesus cried, "Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit'-My 
life! Thus Jesus, so to speak, made a deposit of the 
Ransom-price without definitely applying it. 

RANSOM-Re Paying in Heaven. 

Q568:5:: QUESTION (1916-Z) -5 -Was the Ransom 
paid when Jesus ascended into Heaven? 

{PageQ569} 

ANSWER— No! The reasons for this already stated. 

RANSOM-Past-Present-Future. 

Q569:1:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-1 -Has the 
Ransom-price been paid yet? 
ANSWER— No! For reasons already given; and we will 



say additionally, that the Ransom-price is not to be fully paid 
until after the Church has been entirely glorified and with Her 

Lord. Then it will be paid on behalf of the whole world, 

securing the release of the whole world from death, and the 
cancellation of Adamic condemnation. 

RANSOM-Disposed of By Jesus. 

Q569:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-2-Whatdid Jesus do 
with the Ransom-price when He ascended into Heaven? 

ANSWER-He had already placed it in the hands of 
Justice as a deposit. The human life-right, the price, still was 
at His command. His next step was to embargo, or mortgage 
it, by imputing a share of it to His Church—yet undeveloped. 

RANSOM-vs. Sin Offering. 

Q569:3:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-3-Briefly define the 
difference between Ransom and Sin-offering. 

ANSWER— The term "sin-offering" specifically refers to 
the fact that the thing, or life (or lives) is presented to God as 
an offering, and On aCCOUnt Of Sln. A sin-offering 

implies a ransom, but not specifically, not positively. It is 
an offering for sin, but might not necessary mean a full, 
satisfactory offering; and yet the fact that a sin-offering is 
acceptable to God would imply that such offering was a full, 
complete offset, or satisfaction. The word Ransom as used in 
the New Testament, has in it not only the thought of an 
offering on account of something that was wrong, but 
additionally it specifies that the offering corresponds fully 
and exactly, for the meaning of the word Ransom as applied 

to Jesus, is a corresponding price. 
RANSOM-Church's Participation in. 

Q569:4:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-4-Does the Church 
participate in the Ransom and in the Sin-offering, and why? 

ANSWER— In considering this question we must view 
the Church from two sides. If we think of the Church in 
connection with the presentation of their bodies living 
sacrifices to God, we would say that they are nOt 
participators in the Ransom, for they have nothing that they 
could give as a share in the Ransom-they are Imperfect. If 
we view the question from the other standpoint— that the 
Church are spirit beings and as spirit beings are members of 
the Body of Christ, one with Him who is their Head— they 
would as members of The Christ share with Him in 
everything He does, just as the hand shares the head; 



for the human body is the figure that the Bible gives us, in 
speaking of The Christ. The merit by which the 
Ransom-price is effective with God was in JeSUS alone. It 
was that merit which we did not possess when we 
presented ourselves to God in consecration. But when we 

were accepted by Jesus as disciples, He imputed His own 

merit to us, and made us part of His own sacrifice. He was 
at the same time making us part of that which He is to give to 
God for the sins of the 

{PageQ570} 

whole world, at the close of this Age when the Church, His 
Body, is complete and glorified together with Him. 
We are to remember, however, that none of the humaN' 

remains; for at the time we were made members of the Body 
of Christ we had become dead as human beings, by the 
surrender of our wills. Because we are New Creatures, old 
things have passed away and all things have become new. 
(2 Cor. 5:17.) We are to remember, also, that it is not the 

spiritual body of Christ that is sacrificed, even as it was 
not the spiritual Head that was sacrificed. The 
Sin-offering was the f lesh. And it was JeSUS* f lesh that 
constituted the Ransom- nOt OUr f lesh. But now that this 
Ransom-price has been placed in the hands of Justice as a 
deposit, whose title is possessed by Jesus, we are 
joint-sharers with Him in this possession by reason of our 
relationship to Him and our interest in everything that He 
possesses. Thus the Church becomes a sharer in this 
Ransom-price, because as His bride we are His joint-heirs; 
and we are to be associated with Him in giving to the world 
the benefits of that Ransom-price. 
We do not make the Sln-Offerlng any more than we 

do the ransoming, we are merely accepted by the 

High Priest. This acceptance is shown in His sacrificing of us 
as human beings after He has imputed to us His merit. And in 
this presentation at the end we shall share as New Creatures. 
It is not the offering of anything the New Creature has in 
itself; but the New Creature having participated with Jesus in 
the crucifying of the flesh, each of these will be associated 
with Him also when the merit is presented to the Father. 

RANSOM-Basis for Advocate. 



Q570:1:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-If Jesus paid the 
Ransom-price when He ascended into Heaven, could He have 
become the Advocate of the Church? And if so, how? 

ANSWER--If Jesus had paid over and fully disposed of 
the Ransom-price when He ascended up on High, it would 
immediately, if accepted, have taken effect for Adam and his 
race; and such of the race as were living at that time or have 
lived since, would have been on trial again, individually, and 
would have been liable to death because of their imperfection, 
not being able to cope with the situation unless Jesus had 
established His Millennial Kingdom and had immediately 
begun to provide all the necessary assistance through the 
New Covenant arrangement. But as for the Church, there 
would have been no provision for the Church, and no 
opportunity for giving the Church anything special, since 
those who are of the Church were members of the human 
family. The Ransom having been paid over, this would have 
settled all the obligations against mankind, and would have 
left no room for the Church class to be dealt with in any 
different manner from the rest of the world. They would not 
have had any need of an Advocate, and, of course, would not 
have had one. 

RANSOM-Final Disposition of. 

Q570:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-2-When will the 
Ransom-price be fully paid and disposed of finally? 

ANSWER~The Ransom-price will be fully paid and 
fully disposed of after the Church shall have passed beyond 
the vail, and when the great High Priest, Head and Body (the 

{PageQ571} 

Church then being the glorified Body of the great High 
Priest), shall seal the New Covenant and put it into effective 
operation on behalf of Adam and all his race. The 
Ransoming win then be finished. The Atonement work 
will not be finished at that time, however; it will include the 
work of the Millennial Age, in bringing mankind (all who 
will) up out of sin and degradation into full at-one-ment and 
harmony with God. But the ransom-price must be fully paid 
over to Jehovah and accepted by Him before this New 
Covenant can go into effect, and before human Restitution 
can properly begin. Man's recovery from death is a part of 
the Ransom WOrk.-Hosea 13:14. 

RANSOIVJ-PRICE-Furnished at Calvary. 



Q571:1:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-What did our Lord 
accomplish at Calvary? 

ANSWER— The laying down of life on the part of our 
Lord did not ransom the race, as we have shown, but it 
furnished the ransom-price which is to effect the release of 
humanity, in God's due time and order; He gave Himself an 

antilutroN' (a corresponding price) "--1 Tim. 2:5,6. 
RANSOM-lnspiration of Merit During Millennium. 

Q571:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-Will the merit of 
Christ in any sense of the term be imputed to the world of 
mankind during the mediatorial reign? 

ANSWER—There will be no imputation of Christ's merit 
during the Millennial reign. Not a bit. Because there will not 
be anything to impute. Why not? Became it will all have 
been given at the beginning. When a thing is given up you 
can't do any more with it. Suppose you had a million dollars 
with which you intended to found or operate a great work and 
you made ready everything in time, and that million dollars 
was in the bank and all ready to apply for that purpose. And 
suppose then you delivered it over to the committee that had 
to do with this great enterprise. Now the moment you turned 
it over to the committee you have nothing more to do with it, 
have you? And so Jesus with the inauguration of the 
Millennium will turn over the full merit of His sacrifice. It 
will all be given over to Justice. Justice will have turned over 
mankind to Jesus. Jesus will have no more merit in the hands 
of Justice after that to apply to anybody, impute or give to 
anybody. It will all be given. It must be given at the very 
beginning of the Millennial Age. 

RANSOM-Depositing of Merit. 

Q571:3:: QUESTION (1916)--3--What constitutes the 
depositing of the merit of the ransom sacrifice of our Lord? 
When and where is the merit deposited? 

ANSWER--Our Lord deposited the merit of His 
sacrifice in the Father's hands on the cross when He said, 
"Into Thy hands I commit my spirit." And it all was—the 
spirit of life--He gave it all into the Father's hands. He 
committed it to Him. He didn't say He applied it for sins at 
all. He didn't say He applied it to the Church. But "into Thy 
hands I commit." He left it in God's hands in the same sense 
you did that million dollars I mentioned for the founding of a 
great work. You place the money in the bank and take out a 
bank book in which you get credit. It is still yours subject to 



your check. It would not belong to the bank at all. 

{PageQ572} 

It is merely committed to the bank to take over. So Jesus 
committed all at His dying moment. 

RANSOM-Was Deposit Made Once for All? 

Q572:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Was the deposit of the 
ransom price in the hands of Divine Justice made once for 
all? 

ANSWER— I do not know fully what the questioner 
means. But, of course, this deposit was made once for all. 
That is, when you put the million dollars in the bank, it was 
put there once for all, because you didn't intend to check it 
out until you checked it out for the right thing. So our Lord 
Jesus made deposit in the Father's hands with the intention 
that at the end of this age He would make an application of 
that merit on behalf of the sins of the whole world. 

RANSOM-Was Imputation Once for All? 

Q572:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-Was the imputation of 
Christ's merit to the Church made once for all? 

ANSWER— The imputation was made once for all when 
Jesus ascended up on high and appeared in the presence of 
God for us. He doesn't need to appear each day for us, my 
dear brethren, and He doesn't need to appear for you and then 
appear for me and then somebody else, because the Father 
treats the whole church as one, and it was all foreknown of 
God and was all transferred to Jesus at the one time. The 
Father gave Him the church, and so He imputed His merit on 
behalf of this church, all the members of this Church, all who 
come under the conditions of the call of this Church. It 
makes the door open for everybody to come in under these 
conditions until the full number is complete. The imputation, 
you see, attaches as much to us today as it could attach to 
them at that time when Jesus appeared. And the Holy Spirit 
given then was not a Holy Spirit given to us individually, but 
it was the Holy Spirit of God given to the whole Church. 
That had already been given to Jesus as the Head of the Body, 
but now He was authorized to communicate that spirit to the 
Church which is His Body. And so that came when He 
ascended up on high. And you remember Jesus said to them, 
"Unless I go to the Father the Holy Spirit will not come." 
Now, He already had received the Holy Spirit, but unless He 
ascended to the Father and appeared for us the Holy Spirit 



would not come. "The Holy Spirit was not yet given because 
Jesus was not yet glorified." But when He ascended in the 
Father's presence He there made an imputation of that merit. 
"Into Thy hands I commit my spirit." It was in the Father's 
hands as a deposit. "Now, Father, you have in your hands 
sufficient for the sins of the whole world. Now, I would 
impute, I would use the value of this in respect to this Church. 
Not that they will get any of it. They will not get any of it. 
This is to go to the world, but I wish to impute this to cover 
their blemishes, because otherwise they would have to be of 
the world and share in that. Now, I merely impute to them of 
this in your hands, and intended eventually for the world." So 
the imputation was all to come then and there for all of the 
Church. 

RANSOM-Application of Merit. 

Q572:3:: QUESTION (1916)--3--Will the application 
of the ransom price for the world be made once for all? 

ANSWER~The application of the ransom price is never 
to be made to the world. The world has nothing to do with 

{PageQ573} 

it. It is the Father that condemned. It was the Father's law 
against man, condemning man to death, that needed to be 
satisfied, and that will be done with the Father. Mankind will 
have nothing to do with the ransom price. It is between Jesus 
and the Father. And at the end of this age when the Church 
shall have been dealt with and glorified, the imputation at an 
end, and all that full amount of Christ's merit will be available 
for the world, then it will all be presented to God to Justice, 
not to man at all. The privileges of the ransom will 
immediately come to man, for the ransom is given to God as 
the offset to man, that man may be set free, that the sentence 
of death against the race may be set aside, and for all that 
thousand years there will be no sentence of death against 
man. It will all be wiped out. Christ will have wiped it out 
by the application of His merit. They will all be dealt with by 
the Great Mediator as they will be at that time, and they will 
all throughout the whole Millennial Age be getting the 
benefits of the ransom, but the ransom price won't be given to 
mankind at all, however. 

RANSOM-Church's Part in Satisfying Justice. 

Q573:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Has the Church a 
part in the satisfying of Justice? 



ANSWER~The Church has no part in the ransom 
sacrifice, because the ransom- sacrifice was the man Christ 
Jesus who gave himself as ransom for all. He didn't need any 
more. But the Church will have to do with it in the sense that 
before Jesus applies this for the world this Church will be 
gathered out of the world and be the members of His body, 
and when He appears at the end of this age to make 
application of that merit, we will be in Him and sharers with 
Him; therefore we will have to do with it in an indirect way. 

RANSOM-Why Was Jesus Crucified? 

Q573:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)--2- Was it necessary for 
Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world? If not, why 
was He crucified on the cross? Was it to meet the demands of 
the Mosaic law? 

ANSWER~It was not necessary for Jesus to die on the 
cross to meet the demands of the law of God against Father 
Adam. Adam was not sentenced to die on the cross. And 
therefore the redemption of Adam would not involve that at 
all. But when God gathered the Jewish people apart from the 
world and made a special covenant with them. He made a 
provision that the criminals of that people might be crucified, 
cursed with a special cursing. The extreme curse of the law 
was, "Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree." That will be 
the extreme curse. And so the Jews were not to do anything 
more. But the law specified that as an extreme curse so far as 
the Jewish nation was concerned. They needed something 
more than the rest of mankind, and for them it was necessary 
that Jesus should keep the whole law, because He was born 
under the law for that very purpose. So the Jews were under 
the law. Not only under the original law in which Father 
Adam was involved in the sentence of death, but in addition 
they were under the Mosaic arrangement or covenant. Now 
then, they will have to have a redemption that takes in the 
violation of the Mosaic law, and the law prescribed that the 
worst felons 

{PageQ574} 

should be hanged on a tree. Therefore, Jesus in order to meet 
the law's extreme limits must die on a tree. 

RANSOIVi-Life Through Keeping the Law. 

0574:1:: OUESTION ( 19 16)-- 1 --How could Jehovah 
offer life through keeping the law to a people already 
condemned under God's law? 



ANSWER--God's law is not merely acting along 
arbitrary lines. God's condition always has been that a perfect 
man who could and would keep God's law might have 
everlasting life. That has always been a condition of God's 
law. And the reason Adam was condemned to death was that 
Adam failed to keep God's law. And his race in him, sharing 
in his imperfection, being born in sin, inheriting these 
weaknesses, were unable to keep God's law. And now then, 
when God made the arrangement with the nation of Israel He 
was only making an arrangement such as we would 
understand He would make with any creature. Any creature 
who would keep God's law might have everlasting life. And 
so He told the Jews—and He knew at the same time they 
could not keep the law and how He would make provision for 
them, but at the same time there is a principle right at the 
bottom, that anyone who would do these things could live by 
them. God was not going to condemn them because they 
were Adam's children, but because they were sinners. As the 
Apostle says, "By one man sin entered into the world, and 
death" by or as a result of what? Not death as a result of 
being children of one man. No. Death as a result of being 
sinners. And we are sinners because we are children of one 
man. But if any of Adam's children could be born without sin 
and be without sin then they might have life under the law. 

RANSOM-Meaning of Life Rights. 

Q574:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-What is the meaning 
of the term "life rights?" i.e., will mankind ever possess "life 
rights?" 

ANSWER—Different minds might attach different value 
to these words "life rights." We will suggest a meaning, 
namely, Adam had life rights when he was obedient to God, 
because God had ordained if he were perfect and maintained 
his harmony with Him he might have everlasting life. 
Therefore he had a right to life under God's arrangement and 
promise. And Jesus had Adam's life rights because He was 
holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners and knew 
no sin. Therefore He had the same life rights Father Adam 
had. And when Jesus voluntarily consecrated His earthly life 
rights to do the Father's will at any cost even unto death, he 
was voluntarily, so to speak, not giving up, or giving over, but 
merely allowing His life rights to be trespassed upon. It was 
not necessary for Him to have those life rights trespassed 
upon. He says He could ask of the Father and have legions of 
angels to defend Him. But He didn't wish to do that. But He 
knew God's will indicated by the prophecies and types of the 



Old Testament, and delighted to do the will of God, and that 
included the voluntary giving up and permitting men to take 
His life. They could not take his life rights, and although 
they put Him to death in the flesh, the Father raised Him up to 
the spirit plane and He had life rights on that plane, and He 
still has the life rights of the flesh. How? Because He did not 
give them up. He had 

{PageQ575} 

merely permitted men unlawfully to take them from Him. He 
did not give them over to make an application of them for 
Adam and his race. They were merely His life rights still, 
and when He died He said, "I commit into Thy hands my 
spirit," my life rights. Those were the earthly life rights He 
was giving over, and those are in the hands of the Father yet, 
and they are to be the life rights to come eventually to Father 
Adam and all the race of Adam during the thousand years. 

RANSOM-Re Life Rights on IHuman Plane. 

Q575:1 :: QUESTION ( 19 16)-- 1 --Will anyone on the 
human plane ever have life rights? 

ANSWER~At the end of the thousand years the world 
of mankind according to the Bible will be brought to a test. 
During the thousand years they will be living under favorable 
and marvelous conditions, and at the end of the thousand 
years the whole world will be turned over to the Father by the 
Great King, by the Great Mediator. What will that mean? 
Why, the Father stands for justice, and the same rigid laws 
that applied in Adam's case and the same laws of God that 
applied to the angels, not too severe, not unjust laws, just 
laws, reasonable requirements—and the whole world will 
come under those conditions immediately as soon as the 
thousand years of Christ's reign shall have ended and He shall 
have delivered the kingdom over to God, even the Father. 
And the Bible tells us what will happen then. Justice will 
take charge of the world and all will be put under a special 
trial by Justice. And no mercy then. Why not? Because all 
will be perfect men. The imperfect, fallen men, fallen 
through weaknesses of Father Adam, will all under the 
mediatorial reign of Christ have been brought up to 
perfection. Then they ought to be able with all the experience 
behind them, they ought to be able to maintain it. Because 
God would not ask any unreasonable or unjust requirement of 
any creature. And so at the end of the thousand years they 
will be tested, and it is pictured, you remember, in the Book 



of Revelation, that the old Adversary, Satan, should be loosed 
at the end of the thousand years, and there perform some kind 
of temptation for mankind. Mankind will then be like Adam. 
When he was perfect God permitted him to be tested. And so 
the world of mankind will be permitted to be tempted by 
Satan. Now, if they are not able to stand the test after all the 
experiences of the fall and redemption and restitution 
processes, and with all that knowledge of God and the 
principles of justice and good and evil, if not fully established 
in character, then they are not fit for eternal life, and God's 
arrangement is that if in that testing time they shall take their 
stand for evil, they shall be considered as followers of Satan, 
and if in that time they take their stand for righteousness, they 
shall be considered children of God, and if children of God 
they will have everlasting life, life rights, and if they take 
their stand with Satan they will be destroyed from among the 
people, and have no life rights. 

RANSOM-Re Satan's Power. 

Q575:2:: QUESTION (1916) 2 Why was Satan 
allowed so much power over the human race? 

ANSWER—Because God saw wise to give it to him. I 
do not think anybody knows any more than that about it. 

{PageQ576} 

RANSOM--"Well Done," When Applicable? 

Q576:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--The Scriptures say, 
"Well done thou good and faithful servant, come up higher." 
Does that apply to our present imputed condition, or after the 
resurrection? 

ANSWER— I do not know what the questioner means 
about "our present imputed condition." We have no imputed 
condition at all. Ours is a real condition. We are really sons 
of God or not. This matter of imputation, my dear friends, 
does not extend to everything. The imputation is done 
between the Father and the Son. You and I have nothing to 
do with the imputation at all, and we are not imputed 
anything. It is because that imputation was made on our 
behalf that we are no longer treated as sinners, but treated as 
though we were perfect, and permitted to sacrifice our earthly 
life and become new creatures in Christ. There is nothing 
imputed to the new creature at all. The new creature is a new 
creature. The imputation was to the old creature to cover its 
imperfections, and before God could accept us, all that 
imputation was done, and between the Father and the Son. 



RANSOM-Re Sacrifice of Goat for the People. 

Q576:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)--2-Tabernacle Shadows, 
Page 67, Par. 2, 1st sentence: "When presented it (the Lord's 
goat) will be accepted 'for the people' as that of our glorious 
Leader was accepted for himself (his body) and his house (the 
household of faith)." Please explain. 

ANSWER— The picture as given in the 16th chapter of 
Leviticus shows us two different sacrifices here, and both of 
them treated as sin-offerings. The first sacrifice, the bullock, 
represented clearly enough and distinctly enough the sacrifice 
of Jesus, holy, harmless, undefiled. And the application that 
was made of that sacrifice, according to this picture given us, 
was to cover the sins of the Church, all those who desire to 
come now into harmony with God. They are all covered with 
the merit of this sacrifice of Christ. And then the goat 
represents the Church, all the class that are to be the Church, 
and is a secondary offering by the Priest. It is not our 
sacrifice. You do not sacrifice yourself. I do not sacrifice 
myself. When the Apostle says, "I beseech you, therefore, 
brethren, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice," he is 
not meaning we should sacrifice, because only the High Priest 
had the authority to sacrifice, you see, on this day of 
atonement, and you are not a High Priest and I am not a High 
Priest. What did the Apostle mean by saying present your 
bodies a living sacrifice? Why, this thought: that we should 
deliver up ourselves to the Lord, just as that goat was tied to 
the door of the Tabernacle, and thus presented to be 
sacrificed. And when the High Priest came out and found 
that goat there tied up and offered for sacrifice, then he 
accepted it as a part of his own sacrifice and he killed the 
goat. But the point to be remembered, dear friends, is that it 
is not your sacrifice of yourself or my sacrifice of myself, but 
you offer yourself to the Lord for sacrifice and I offer myself 
for sacrifice, and so with the offering of all God's people. We 
present our bodies to Him, and when the full numbers are 
received He accepts them as represented in the Lord's goat. It 
is not therefore the Church's sacrifice, but the Lord's sacrifice. 
We are accepted as His members and 

{PageQ577} 

He accepts us as a part of His own sacrifice. And the picture 
shows that the merit that came following His sacrifice was the 
door for you and me to come in. And the secondary offering 
will be followed by the Priest coming out and blessing all the 



world of mankind. 

RANSOM-Waiting for Spirit and Gentile Times. 

Q577:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Wouldit seem 
unreasonable to look upon the correspondency of the waiting 
time before the spirit was poured out, a period of ten days 
after the ransom price was presented, with the present waiting 
time for the manifestation of the sons of God, the ten days 
representing ten years after the close of Gentile times? * * * 

ANSWER— (Interpreting Chairman who read question.) 
Cut this out. When anybody makes a question involving the 
writing of a book, please do not receive it. In the first place, 
it would not be ten days after the offering of the ransom, 
because the offering or presenting or application of the 
ransom is yet to come. It was merely put into the hands of 
Justice when the Lord was upon the cross, and His imputation 
of the merit of it was what occurred on the fiftieth day 
afterward. But the question is too long, you see, and if I try 
to answer this, we would get different things mixed up in 
different people's minds. Better have the questions simple 
and clear cut and then we will not have to undo what 
otherwise had been done. 

RANSOM-lmputation Re Increase of Jesus' Merit. 

Q577:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-2-If 144,000 are made perfect 
by imputation, does this multiply or increase Jesus' merit? 

ANSWER-Not at all. Because the merit could not be 
increased. It is sufficient now. It was one man that sinned, 
and it was one man that died. It doesn't need to be increased, 
could not be increased. It was a corresponding price, a man's 
life for a man's life. And the imputation of it to us in the 
meantime does not impoverish it at all or increase it at all. He 
merely gives us a credit, a standing. He imputes it to us to 
enable us to perform our part. 

RANSOM-Sins Christ Takes Away. 

0577:3:: OUESTION (1916)--3--Which sins does Christ 
take away? Adam's damnation or the wilful, or both together? 

ANSWER~The only sins that Christ atones for are the 
sins that come to us by heredity as the result of Father Adam's 
disobedience. All those weaknesses that come through him 
and his fallen condition, those Jesus died for. Any sins or 
trespasses that you and I might commit of our own wilfulness 
after we become new creatures in Christ are not any part of 
Adam's sin and he was not responsible for them, and Christ 
did not die for those sins. But in the meantime the Bible does 



intimate that you and I as new creatures did not love sin, and 
in all probability if we entered into sin at all it would be at 
least partially if not entirely the result of these inherited 
weakness existing in the flesh. Therefore very few sins are to 
be considered as in any way separate or distinct from the 
Adamic sin. But to whatever extent we as new creatures 
might consent to sin, there would be in a measure a 
responsibility, and such a trespass as new creatures would be 
forgivable to such an extent that it would be 

{PageQ578} 

the result of Adamic weaknesses or from the temptation 
coming from others under this Adamic sin, and anything more 
than that would be punishable with stripes individually. And 
so the Lord's people sometimes have to be dealt with along 
this line. One might have to have a certain amount of 
chastisement which would be for their good and correction in 
righteousness. 

RACE COURSE-Beginning of. 

Q578:1 :: QUESTION (1913)--l--Do we start to run for 
the prize at consecration or at the mark of perfect love? 

ANSWER--Well, the thought might vary. I would 
understand that we start at the point of consecration. Our 
consecration point where we make our start in the matter is 
where we first give our hearts to the Lord. There we are 
reckoned as perfect in Christ, and that is the beginning of our 
race; though there is perhaps a step that might be recognized 
as a little further in advance of that, when, after having given 
ourselves to the Lord, we are quickened, or made active, and 
begin to run, begin to exercise ourselves. The picture is 
drawn, you see, from the natural birth. In the natural birth 
there is the period of begetting in which there is apparently no 
motion, no activity; then comes the period of activity and 
development. And so with the Christian. When first we 
receive the Truth and make our consecration, it takes the 
Truth a little while to soak in, as it were, and for us to really 
get our bearings and get our information before we could 
properly begin to be active and serve the Truth and make any 
progress in teaching or helping others. Then comes the time 
when we are said to be quickened, made active, made alive, 
and make progress. From that time on the progress would be 
a growing one—growing in grace, knowledge and love. 

READING-Convention Reports, Discourses of Elders, Etc. 



Q578:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Have appreciated 
very much the discourses of this Convention in which the 
speakers have shown the impropriety of looking for spiritual 
food from any other source except that which the Lord has 
been using during this harvest period, to set before us the 
meat in due season, but do not see just where to draw the line. 
Would it be wrong to read Convention Reports, and reports of 
discourses by Pilgrims and Elders? How would we treat 
those who hand us tracts misrepresenting the truth? Should 
we tear up the tracts in front of them, or should we accept 
them with thanks and destroy them privately? 

ANSWER--I am afraid you have given me too hard a 
question. I rather think I can't answer that question. 

RECONCILIATION-Class Referred to. 

Q578:3:: QUESTION (191 l)--3--"Now, then we are ambassadors 
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you, 
in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." To what class 
does the apostle refer, urging reconciliation to God? 

ANSWER~The difficulty in this question is found in the 
fact that translators have supplied certain words which they 
should not have supplied. The text would read, without the 
words that are in italics, thus: "Now, then, we are 
ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech by us; we 
pray in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." We urge this 

{PageQ579} 

upon all who have an ear to hear. We do not urge it upon 
each other, because each one who has come into Christ has 
already been reconciled to God through the death of His Son, 
and is a joint-heir with us, and a fellow- servant with us in this 
grace of God which we minister. All the church of Christ are 
God's ambassadors, and Christ's representatives in saying to 
all of those who have the hearing ear, "Be ye reconciled to 
God." And so, the Lord again says, "He that hath an ear to 
hear, let him bear." 

REFORMS-God is Making the Wrath of IVIan to Praise IHim. 

Q579:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-If the Kingdom of 
Christ is not yet set up on earth, how may we explain the 
various reforms, charities, etc., of our time? 

ANSWER—Apparently, the Adversary is trying to run 
things in his own direction, but the light itself which we are 
enjoying today is the promised light of Divine Providence. 
We read that "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall 



be increased," and that "there shall be a time of trouble such 
as never was. .."--Dan. 12:1,4. 

But God has supervised the matter of inventions, such as 
the printing press, the power of steam, and the effects and 
influences of these in the world. It seems, too, that the 
movements in the way of better government, etc., are 
influences based upon the general enlightenment and the 
efforts of mankind to do as well as they can by each 
other—especially in ways that selfishness does not hinder. 
But selfishness has, no doubt much to do with all manner of 
reform. 

In speaking of the present time, our Lord said that the 
secrets should be proclaimed on the housetops. Today we see 
that many real exhibitions of vice, immorality and 
wrong-doing are brought to light—proclaimed from the 
housetops. While we do not say that the Adversary brings 
these things to light, yet we can see how the Adversary may 
have had to do with the movement toward communism that 
once had sway, as well as the movement toward socialism and 
toward anarchism. These are the things which will tend to 
bring on the time of trouble. So the wrath of man is made to 
turn to the praise of God. He is able to make the wrath of 
man praise Him. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; 
the remainder of wrath shall Thou restrain."— Psa. 76:10. 

REJOICING-Basis for Always. 

Q579:2:: QUESTION (1913)-2-How does "Rejoice in 
the Lord alway" (Phil. 4:4) manifest itself? Are we to 
expect a condition where we will not have times of sadness 
and sorrow? 

ANSWER— When we think of any matters like this, we 
properly look back to the case of our Lord. We see that 
during three and a half years of His ministry He did indeed 
delight to do the Father's will, and yet we find that in the very 
close of His earthly career He had the dark Gethsemane hour. 
And if the Master might have such a dark hour of sorrow and 
uncertainty for a moment until He had some assurance from 
the Father, so you and I might surely have. Therefore it 
would not be safe to say our rejoicing in the Lord could be 
such a rejoicing as would never know a tear, or sigh, or 
sorrow, or a fear. But we are to rejoice more and more as we 
experience the evidences that God is for 

{PageQ580} 

us and all things are working for our good. "Rejoice in the 



Lord always, and again I say rejoice." If you have some hour 
of sorrow come in, and then have the victory over it, rejoice 
again. 

REMEMBRANCE--Re Former Things. 
Q580:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 Isa. 65:17. For 
behold I create a new heaven and new earth, and the former 
things shall not be remembered nor come into mind." Please 
give the meaning of this verse, especially the last part. 

ANSWER--The Scriptures frequently use such 
expressions as this. The Lord uses the words heavens and 
earth in a symbolical manner, as we have pointed out in the 
Scripture Studies; we have the symbolic heavens representing 
the ecclesiastical powers, and we have the symbolic earth 
representing earthly society, organization; we have the 
symbolical mountains representing kingdoms; we have the 
symbolical rivers representing the streams of truth; we have 
the symbolical seas, representing the restless masses of 
mankind and the Lord declares this present order of things is 
not in harmony with the divine law, that it is now under 
disorder through sin and disobedience. Another Scripture 
says that the whole course of nature is wrong at the present 
time everything is disorder under the prince of this age, this 
dispensation. The Lord Jesus is to be the new prince, the new 
king, the new one to take charge or rule over mankind, and he 
declares, "Behold, I create a new heavens and a new earth." 
This is in harmony exactly with the statement here of Isaiah. 
So we read in Revelation, He that sat on the throne said, 
"Behold, I make all things new" --a complete change from all 
this disorder, and sin, and present arrangement—a new order 
of things entirely. The symbolism will be carried out, and the 
heavens of the new order of things will not be the earthly 
nominal church systems of the present time, but the church of 
glory will be the new heavens—Christ and the church with 
him on the spirit plane, invisible to men, will be the new 
heavens, the new ruling power, and the new earth will be with 
righteousness controlling, the prince of this world will be cast 
out, and the Prince of Life, the Lord of Glory, will be the king 
over all the earth, and instead of the darkness will be light and 
blessing. 

But the brother's question especially relates to the meaning 
of this last part, that the former should not come into mind 
nor be remembered. Does this signify that we are to forget all 
of these things? No, the thought would be that whatever we 
might have thought worthy of recording, and worthy of 
remembering, wishing to treasure up as things that were 



worthy of note, we will not think of them as worthy of 
mention at all. We will try to forget all of those things of 
death and imperfection; they will be so overwhelmed by the 
new order of things in the new dispensation that they will not 
be worthy of being mentioned, or being especially recorded. 
We will still be able to remember them, in fact we may say 
that we will even remember the imperfections of this present 
time. Some of us will sometimes say, thinking of something 
unpleasant in the past, "I will try to forget that." A sister 
remarked to me the other day, when some question came up, 
"Oh, that is among the things I am trying to forget." Not that 
she did really forget them, but she was putting them away, 
they were not worthy to be 

{PageQ581} 

remembered in comparison with the better things. So all the 
most precious and grand things of earthly arrangements 
today—for instance we speak of the coronation of King 
George of Great Britain, or the inauguration of a president, 
and that we had been there on such an occasion, and 
remembered the honor of sitting on the platform with the 
President at the time, or something like that, or you were a 
member of congress or something—these things would seem 
so trivial and unworthy you would want to forget all about 
them, the things we will have in the future, being so far 
superior to these. 

RESURRECTION-Condition of Unbelievers in the Resurrection. 

Q581 :1 :: QUESTION (1906)-1-I understand the 
Scriptures to teach that those who fall into the grave in 
unbelief, under condemnation, come forth from the tomb 
without any change of condition, to be lifted up during the 
Millennial Age? Have I the correct view? 

ANSWER— We answer practically yes. All who go into 
the tomb in a state of death because of Adam's condemnation, 
without having had their trial in the present time, without 
having come to a knowledge of the truth to that degree which 
made them responsible for life or death eternally, go into the 
tomb as the great prison house, and there is no change while 
in the prison; no alteration takes place there. There is no 
wisdom, knowledge or device in sheol, hades, in the tomb, in 
the grave, whither the whole world of mankind goes. 
Consequently when they are awakened and brought forth 
from the tomb by the power of the great Redeemer in due 
time, it will be coming forth in practically the same condition 



they went into it— practically I say—because we have to 
consider there are certain limitations. It would be reasonable 
to suppose for instance, that Lazarus died of some kind of 
disease which meant a wasting of his organs. Suppose he 
died of consumption, and that both lungs were gone at the 
time he died: Of course he could not breathe again without 
lungs. In bringing him forth you can see that Lazarus might 
come forth in the same condition mentally and morally, and 
practically the same condition physically, but with the 
addition necessary that he would have lungs enough to 
breathe. And so if a man were blown up in an explosion, we 
would have to suppose he would be put together again. That 
is to say, he would come forth not in pieces but a whole man, 
though not necessarily a perfect man. I am merely offering 
these suggestions in a general way. The thought would be 
that God is dealing with us as moral creatures, but if you have 
a bad natural disposition it shows in your face, and those who 
are well versed in phrenology could tell it by the shape of 
your head and facial expression, or others might be able to 
tell a good deal about the natural disposition by looking at the 
palm of the hand and reading it there. God seems to have so 
built our system that mental and moral degradation makes its 
mark upon the face, upon the head, and upon the whole 
system, especially as it comes down from generation to 
generation. As the sins of the past come down they have 
made their marks more or less, and those not of our own 
doing we need not be especially ashamed of, as we are not to 
blame. 

{PageQ582} 

The Lord is not blaming us for them especially. If we were 
all perfect we would all be good-looking. 

RESURRECTION-Thy Dead Men and My Dead Body. 

Q582:1:: QUESTION (1907)-1-Isaiah 26:19: "Thy 
dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they 
arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew 
is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead." 
Does this imply that someone will be raised when the Lord's 
body was raised, or does it refer to the Lord at all? 

ANSWER-I understand it refers to the Lord, and the 
translation is nearly right, but there is just a little bit of 
difference, as you will notice in the Common Version, some 
of the words are supplied in italics. When it is properly 
translated, it would read: "Thy dead men shall live, my dead 



body shall come forth." We are the Lord's body, and as His 
body, we shall come forth; "The dead men shall live, my body 
shall come forth from the dead as the Body of Christ," as He 
did. 

RESURRECTION-Conscious Immediately. 

Q582:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Are those who deny 
everything for Christ's sake and thereby become one of the 
Church, to enter into eternal life in a conscious state 
immediately after death? 

ANSWER— We answer that it was necessary for the 
Apostles and Stephen to fall asleep. It was necessary for 
them and all others to wait until the second coming of Christ 
and the establishment of His Kingdom. So Paul says we shall 
not all sleep, but We shall be changed in the twinkling of an 
eye in the resurrection. 

RESURRECTION--Re Room for AIL 

Q582:3:: QUESTION (1909)-3-If raised a human 
body how are you going to put twenty billions of people on 
this earth? 

ANSWER-I heard one man say that if all the people of 
the world were brought back they would stand eight deep all 
over the face of the earth. If that wise man will take his 
pencil he will find that there is room enough for them all in 
the State of Texas and not stand them on end either. These 
wild statements are made because they do not think. I am not 
blaming the person who asked this question, for he evidently 
received the suggestion from some able man. Because some 
wise man says such wild things it is not necessary to believe 
it. You can tell by figuring it out yourself. 

Some people, when thinking of the Second Coming of 
Christ, put it a great way off, and mention as proof, the coal 
fields, and think they will last fifty thousand years. On the 
contrary, the people dealing in coal state that there is not 
enough coal to last one hundred and fifty years. In fifty 
thousand years you could not stand the people up on this 
earth. 

RESURRECTION-Human vs. Spiritual Bodies. 

Q582:4:: QUESTION (1909)-4-Whatkindof body in 
the resurrection? 

ANSWER— There is a natural and a spiritual body; the 
world will be raised on the natural plane, as human beings in 
fleshly bodies. They will awakened in that condition. But 
the Church, begotten of the Holy Spirit, will be born of the 



Spirit in the resurrection and be spirit beings. It is sown 

{PageQ583} 

a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body; it is a different 
resurrection than that which comes to the world. 

RESURRECTION--Re Pane L on Chart. 
Q583:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--l--To which plane was 
Jesus resurrected, spirit or divine, as illustrated on the Chart 
of the Ages? Please explain the statement in Vol. 1, page 
231, (A231) that He was resurrected to the spirit plane "L," 
and after forty days He ascended to the Majesty on High, to the 
plane of divine glory. 

ANSWER~It is difficult to fully explain such spiritual 
truths on any kind of a map or chart, and in my opinion, dear 
friends, the Chart of the Ages which appears in the First Vol. 
of Dawn, must have had the Lord's supervision in some 
respects, or else it could not have represented so clearly and 
fully as it does the various steps of justification, 
sanctification, etc., as it does, and yet it would seem to be 
next to impossible to do any more than was represented on 
that Chart. I would not know how to make a better one today 
to represent the thoughts. 

Since there is a Great Company to be raised to the spirit 
plane, and since it will not reach the plane of glory in the 
kingdom, therefore we represented on the Chart the spirit 
plane to be one thing and the glory plane to be another thing. 
And they are different, for the Great Company will reach the 
plane of spirit beings as well as the Little Flock, but the Little 
Flock will reach the plane of glory, and power, and dominion 
which the Great Company will not have, therefore the 
distinction between plane "L" and "K" on the Chart. We did 
not attempt to show on the Chart that Christ and the Little 
Flock will reach a different plane from that of the Great 
Company, but we left that to be stated in words elsewhere. 
The Great Company will reach the plane of the angels, so far 
as we know, while the Little Flock will reach the divine plane 
as spirit beings, but of a higher degree. 

RESURRECTION-Church First. 

Q583:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Please explain Isa. 26:19: 
"Together with my dead body shall they arise." 

ANSWER--That is the passage which speaks about the 
earth casting forth her dead. This Scripture, as I understand 
it, should read: "Thy dead men shall live, my dead body they 



shall arise." Leaving out the words in italics, and the word 
"together" which are not in the original. He is speaking of the 
Church of Christ, in the first resurrection, the specially dead. 

RESURRECTION-Re Children. 
Q583:3:: QUESTION (1909)--3--Will my little girl, 
who died in infancy, come forth to a resurrection of life or to 
a resurrection by judgment? 

ANSWER— According to law, the word "infant" means a 
person until he has come to age. 

In answer to this question, I would say that a child who had 
not come to years could not be a Saint; the Saints are all 
overcomers. All others will have the resurrection by 
judgment. God will take care of the children, and if you are 
on the spiritual plane, you will yourself be far better able to 
care for them. We are dealing with one who is full of love 
and has all power to deal with every phase of the question. 

{PageQ584} 

RESURRECTION-All Not Sleeping. 
Q584:1:: QUESTION (1909) 1 (2 Cor. 15:51,52), 
"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a 
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for 
the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised 
incorruptible, and we shall be changed." Some think this 
includes the world. 

ANSWER~It does not; it has nothing to do with the 
world at all. It is merely speaking about the resurrection of 
the Church. In the 22nd verse the Apostle speaks of all 
having lost life through Adam and getting it back through 
Christ, and then he proceeds to discuss the resurrection of the 
Church, and this is the part specially interesting to us. The 
world are to be dealt with in due time. 

RESURRECTION-MeanJng of Dry Bones. 

Q584:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-Does the vision of dry 
bones of Ezekiel 37 refer to the resurrection of the dead, or 
what? 

ANSWER--We answer that, to our understanding, this 
vision of dry bones does not refer to the resurrection of the 
dead in the ordinary sense of the word, but that it does refer 
to the resurrection of the dead Jewish nation, who say, mark 
you, "Our hopes are dried." Their hopes are all dead, and this 
awakening, this coming together of bone to bone, represents 
the gradual way in which the Jewish hopes will come together 



and gradually reanimate them as a people. 

RESURRECTION-Order of Re Great Company and Ancient Worthies. 

Q584:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3--Will you give us some 
proof that the Great Company will be awakened before the 
Ancient Worthies? 

ANSWER— Well, what would be considered proof 
would depend upon the mind. Now my thought is this: that 
the Great Company is identified with the Church in the work 
of this present Gospel Age, and is pictured in so many ways 
as associated with the Church-as, for instance, the priests 
connected with the Levites in the work of this Atonement Day 
and the sacrificing, etc. Then, secondly, as pictured by the 
Bride, representing the Little Flock, and the others her 
companions, which follow her and seem to be included with 
the Church. Then I remind you again of the picture of 
Rebekah. I was noticing the other day that when Abraham 
sent to call Rebekah to be the bride of Isaac, he did not call 
for any bridesmaids to come along, but some did come along 
with her. That would represent, you see, the Great Company 
class who come along and are the servants of the Bride class. 
Now it would seem to me proper to consider that when Isaac 
received the bride he also received the bridesmaids; that they 
went in with the bride, accompanying her, and associated 
with her. And so, with Christ and the Little Flock and the 
Great Company— I would understand that they would 
probably all go in together. Besides, remember there is a 
certain portion of the merit of Christ that is imputed to each 
one who offers himself as a sacrifice. We saw that last night, 
you remember, in considering the matter of baptism; that 
when you present your offering, our Lord Jesus, as our 
Advocate, our High Priest, appears and accepts the offering as 
his own, and imputes to the offering some of his own merit to 
make it sufficient for divine acceptance, and then counts it all. 
So then the Great Company class, you see, make their 
consecration, and receive 

{PageQ585} 

this imputation of Christ's merit, just the same as the Little 
flock-all of them receive this before they are begotten of the 
holy Spirit. Now my thought is, that all of this will be 
finished in the fullest sense of the word,— all of this 
imputation of the merit of Christ's sacrifice to all of the 
household of faith during this Gospel Age will be at an end, 
and all the merit of Christ will be back again in the full sense 



of the word in the hands of justice, before any one of the 
world will receive any of the blessings of the New Covenant 
arrangement, and that the Ancient Worthies will belong to the 
earthly class that get these restitution blessings, but they will 
not get their share of the restitution blessings until both the 
Little Flock and the Great Company are entirely through with 
the imputation of Jesus's merit for their covering. You see the 
one who stands as an advocate for every member of the Little 
Flock, stands as advocate also for every member of the Great 
Company. He undertook to be the guarantor for every one of 
us when we came to the Father. He made our sacrifices 
acceptable, every one, and every one needs him as our 
advocate down to the very close. As the Apostle says, "If any 
man sin, we have an advocate with the Father." So the Great 
Company class will need to have an interest in Jesus as their 
advocate down to the time when they shall have passed 
beyond the vail. To my understanding, he will have to cease 
to be the Advocate of the Church entirely before he becomes 
the Mediator between God and the world. 

RESURRECTION"Re Thread of Existence Broken During Change. 

Q585:1 :: QUESTION ( 19 10)-- 1 --When we pass our 
trials successfully and experience our change to the divine 
nature, will the thread of existence be broken, or will it be the 
same as the natural birth? 

ANSWER—That is too much for me. I do not see 
anything in a natural birth that is at all pictorial of the change 
of the Church. The only picture in connection with the matter 
I think of is this: That in the case of a natural birth, there is 
first a begetting, then a development and finally a birth of a 
new creature; and so with a spiritual: First, a begetting, then a 
development and quickening, and finally the birth of the New 
Creature. I do not see anything respecting the method by 
which a child is born to in any sense give any suggestion as to 
the change of the saints. The Scriptures give none that I 
know of. I see no parallelism at all. Our change will be in a 
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and that is not according 
to any natural birth I have any knowledge of. 

RESURRECTION-Some Types of the 

Q585:2:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-2-Since the Lord 
arranged very many types during the Jewish Age respecting 
the Gospel Age and the future, what would you consider the 
most important type of the resurrection? 

ANSWER— If we consider this question as relating 
especially to our Lord we see a number of types that very 



forcefully illustrate his resurrection. The one our Lord 
mentioned should be classed as amongst the most important, 
for two reasons: First, because he mentioned it and thus gave 
it prominence, and second, because it and it alone of all the 

{PageQ586} 

types gives the exact length of time of his entombment. Our 
Lord's words were, "As Jonah was three days and three nights 
in the belly of the fish, so shall the Son of man be three days 
and nights in the heart of the earth," thus indicating that his 
resurrection would be on the third day and that he would be 
brought forth from the grave as Jonah was brought forth from 
the belly of the fish, which he styled "the belly of hell," the 
grave, sheol, the hades condition. 

It would appear, too from the Apostle's words, that we 
should give prominence to the picture of our Lord's 
resurrection as shown by Abraham's receiving Isaac as from 
the dead, when he had already consecrated him to death and 
was about to slay him, the Lord staying his hand and giving 
him instead another sacrifice. 

We are justified also in supposing that the "wavesheaf " 
offering was a very prominent illustration or type of the 
resurrection of our Lord, particularly because it occurred just 
at the time which marked the day of his resurrection, the 
morrow after the Sabbath, the fiftieth day before Pentecost. 
This was apparently given to illustrate the raising up of our 
Lord Jesus as "the first-fruits unto God," "the first-fruits of 
them that slept," "the first that should rise from the dead." It, 
therefore, is a very beautiful picture. See 
Lev. 23:10,11,15,16. 

If we think of the types of the world's resurrection we see a 
variety. As has been suggested, the crossing of Jordan might 
be considered a type of the passing out of death condition into 
Canaan beyond. The Jubilee, the restoration of every man to 
his former estate, is certainly a wonderful picture of the 
"times of restitution of all things," of the lifting of humanity 
up out of sin, degradation and death, out of their lost 
condition, and bringing them back to the former estate, full 
perfection of the human nature. 

We would be fully justified, we think, in considering as 
types the miracles of our Lord in awakening some of the 
sleepers—Lazarus, Jairus' daughter and the son of the widow 
of Nain. These were given to us as foreshadowing, and 
therefore in a sense as typifying or illustrating the 
resurrection. 



Another picture of the resurrection, not only the awakening, 
but also the raising up of mankind, is shown in the end of the 
Day of Atonement. When Moses had received the blessing 
for the people as a result of the second sprinkling of the 
blood, he came forth, and, lifting up his hands, blessed the 
people. The people were waiting in dust and sackcloth and 
sorrow because of sin, and now the blessing of Moses and 
Aaron, the Lord's blessing through them, signified the 
removal of that curse and the uplifting of the people—their 
raising up from sorrow to rejoicing in the Lord. 

RESURRECTION--"Thy Dead Men--My Dead Body." 

Q586:1 :: QUESTION (1910-Z)-l-What is meant by 
"Thy dead men shall live; together with my dead body shall 
they arise."--Isa. 26:19. 

ANSWER—Seemingly the addition of a few words by 
the translators has caused difficulty in connection with this 
text. They inserted the words to make the passage clear, as 
they thought, but instead they obscured it, through failure to 

{PageQ587} 

see that God s dead meN' are those who are members of the 
Body of Christ. 
Omitting the words together with and "men," the 

passage reads properly enough. "Thy dead shall live; my 
dead Body, they shall arise," thus referring, we believe, to 
the resurrection of the Church, the Body of Christ, the Lord's 
peculiar people. And this is a general signal, as it were, for 
the blessing of all mankind. In due time all the dead shall be 
awakened. Moreover, they awaken not to suffering and to 
torment, but to sing. They shall come forth to learn of the 
goodness of God, his merciful provisions, and shall avail 
themselves of these provisions, in the "Times of Restitution of 
all things." "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust" of the 
earth. 

RESURRECTION-Application of. 

Q587:1:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-l-Will the Ancient 
Worthies or Great Company class be resurrected first? 

ANSWER— In the light of what we have been discussing 
of late in the Watch Tower, it is evident that the merit of 
Christ is imputed, on behalf of the Church during this Gospel 
Age--on behalf of all who essay to be of the Church; it is used 
to impute to those who desire to become sacrificers and who 
consecrate themselves to God that they may present an 



acceptable sacrifice and thus become members of the spiritual 
class and joint-heirs with Christ. This applies to the "great 
company" as well as to the "little flock." It applies to all who 
are begotten of the holy Spirit because they could not be 
begotten of the Spirit except by the imputation of Christ's 
merit to their earthly sacrifice. 

It follows, then, as a matter of necessity that before the 
merit of Christ's death could be applied on behalf of the 
Ancient Worthies or Israel, under the New Covenant 
arrangement for Israel and the world, it must be released as 
respects all those to whom it is now imputed for the purpose 
of giving them the opportunity of attaining the spiritual 
station. This would prove conclusively, we think, that the 
"great company" class will be resurrected before the Ancient 
Worthies will be brought forth. 

RESURRECTION-Does Character Determine the Kind of Resurrection? 

Q587:2:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-2-From the Scriptural 
standpoint, does the character of the individual's death 
indicate the kind of his resurrection? 

ANSWER--The Apostle's argument (1 Cor. 15) 
respecting the resurrection is that God will give to every seed 
its own kind of body. "There is a natural body and there is a 
spiritual body." Mankind in general, therefore, in the 
resurrection, will come forth with natural bodies— "that which 
is born of the flesh is flesh" and that which is born of the 
flesh dies or "sleeps" for a time, and will be awakened 
"flesh." That which is born of the flesh and subsequently 
begotten of the holy Spirit is reckoned as a New Creature, and 
when the New Creature falls asleep it is asleep as a spirit 
being— is asleep waiting for the resurrection change. In this 
case the resurrection change is thus expressed by the Apostle: 
"Sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised 
in power; sown an animal body, raised a spirit body"; but 
anyone not begotten of the holy Spirit will, of course, not 

{PageQ588} 

change his nature in the grave. There is no change in the 
grave either for good or evil. "As the tree falleth so shall it 
lie"; the awakening will be according to the character of the 
individual. If he has become a New Creature in Christ he will 
be raised or perfected as a New Creature, in the resurrection. 
If he is a good natural man he will be awakened a good 
natural man; if he is a bad natural man he will be awakened a 
bad natural man; if he is one of the Ancient Worthies, we 



understand he will be awakened a perfect man. 

RESURRECTION-Trying to Trap Jesus. 

Q588:1 :: QUESTION ( 19 10-Z)-1 -Whose wife shall she be? 

ANSWER— The Sadducees, the agnostics, tried to entrap 
the Great Teacher by asking one of their stock questions. 
Seven different brothers in turn married the same woman and 
all died before she did. To which of them will she be wife in 
the resurrection? They did not ask, To which will she be wife 
in heaven or purgatory or eternal torture, for neither Jesus nor 
the Jews held any such teaching. The Pharisees and Jesus 
taught the resurrection of the dead, and it was against this 
teaching that the Sadducees aimed their sarcastic question. 

Note the majesty of the Master's answer: "Ye do err, not 
knowing the Scriptures, neither the power of God!" You do 
not understand the Scripture teaching respecting such 
questions, and you are ignoring in your question the great 
Divine power which, at that resurrection time, will be 
exercised and will straighten out all the difficulties of the 
situation. Then the Great Teacher proceeded to inform them 
that such as would (gradually) attain to the resurrection, such 
as would get a complete raising up out of sin and death 
conditions, would "neither marry nor be given in marriage," 
but would be sexless, as are the angels. Thus the supposed 
great and unanswerable question of the Sadducees fell flat 
and their ignorance was exposed. 

RESURRECTION-ls Our Reckoned a Gradual One? 

Q588:2:: QUESTION (191 l)-2-Is our reckoned 
resurrection from consecration until death a gradual or an 
instantaneous one? 

ANSWER— It is both. The apostle says, "Ye are risen with 
him," "If then ye be risen with him," etc. We are counted as 
new creatures the moment of our consecration and the new 
creature arises from the old dead creature, so that the 
resurrection or raising up of that new creature begins; and it 
progresses in proportion as the new creature grows. There 
are different figures used. One would be a gradual raising up 
-an attainment of the stature-and the other would be 
represented by the begetting of the spirit, the embryonic 
condition, getting ready for the birth. These are figures of 
speech, and we must try and not confuse the different figures, 
but get the benefit of each one. So we are risen with him. 
That is instantaneous. The new creature began the moment of 
your consecration and begetting of the Holy Spirit. There it 
began to rise out of the old nature and it will continue as you 



get more and more victory over the old nature; the old nature 
is dying, and the new nature is being renewed, revived, 
strengthened, or upbuilt, whatever word you use—it is rising 
up more and more, obtaining more and more 
character-likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus you are 
risen with him, and risen in him, and rising as a member of 
his body. And if you reach a sufficient 

{PageQ589} 

development in this resurrection process, you will be one of 
the little flock. 

RESURRECTION--Re Perfect Body Coming Forth. 

Q589:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-Do the Scriptures 
teach that in the resurrection, a lost eye, or the hearing will 
be restored at the awakening? 

ANSWER—There is nothing in the Scriptures to indicate 
on this particular point, but we think it reasonable to suppose 
that those who come forth from the tomb during the reign of 
Messiah would not come forth maimed in any particular 
sense; as, for instance, lacking an eye, or lacking a hand; but 
they would come forth with their hands, though their hands 
might not be in the same condition they were originally; as, 
for instance, when our Lord healed the man who had the 
withered hand. If there was a wart on that hand before it was 
withered, it might be there afterwards; it was merely 
recovered to its normal condition. So, I understand it is not 
the teaching of the Scriptures that man will come forth in the 
resurrection perfect, because then all traces of their 
imperfection would be gone; none would be able to recognize 
them either by their faces or by their minds. Every trace, and 
every line upon your face, and upon my face, and upon your 
hands and upon my hands, indicate certain qualities of mind, 
and if you make all of these qualities of hand and face 
perfect, you would of necessity also be making the mind 
perfect, and by the time you did that no man would know 
himself, because all are imperfect now, and we know 
ourselves and each other by our imperfections. My thought, 
then, would be that when the world is awakened, they will 
come forth with practically perfect bodies but not actually 
perfect bodies—with bodies such, for instance, as yours and 
mine would be in their normal condition, in average health 
and under average conditions; not in the condition they would 
be if they had met with an accident and lost their limbs, and 
then come back without those limbs, but rather that they 



would come back with a reasonable degree of human 
perfection. But this also is conjectured, because the 
Scriptures do not enter into the matter and give us the 
particulars. 

RESURRECTION--Re Jews and Gentiles. 
Q589:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-Do the Scriptures 
teach that in the world's resurrection, the Jews will come 
forth first, before the Gentiles? 

ANSWER— They do teach that some Jews will come 
forth first. Those Jews will be Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the 
prophets. We do not understand that any other Jews would 
have any preference or precedence, but that the whole work 
of resurrection would probably be a gradual one, beginning 
with the last even to the first; but here again it is largely a 
matter of conjecture. Where the Scriptures do not clearly 
state the matter, we do well to hold it very tentatively. 

resurrection-How Long After Gentlle Times? 

Q589:3:: QUESTION (1911)-3-How long after the 

end of the time of the Gentiles will it be before the first of the 

dead are awakened from the tomb.? 

ANSWER—I don't know. I might do a little guessing. 
Guessing would not be very satisfactory, but our guess would 
be that after the times of the Gentiles come to a conclusion 
there will be a great time of trouble as the Scriptures 

{PageQ590} 

clearly point out—trouble as never was since there was a 
nation. Then, following that trouble would come the reign of 
righteousness, blessings, increase of knowledge, God's favor 
among men, and the living nations would all be more or less 
brought to a knowledge of the Lord. How long that would 
require I do not know. I should think that taking in all of the 
hundreds of millions of the heathen, there would be a good 
deal of work to do for fifty or a hundred years, at least. As 
soon as the living nations are all brought to a degree of 
development and uplifting, I would expect then to come a 
time when the earth would yield her increase, would be able 
to sustain the larger population, and that awakening of every 
man in his own order would proceed until all mankind would 
be recovered from the tomb. 

RESURRECTION-Vs. Second Chance. 

Q590:1 :: QUESTION (1911) -1-Are the dead to be 



raised to judgment, or are they to be given another chance? 

ANSWER~As we showed last evening, the whole race 
got one chance in Adam, and when Adam sinned he was 
condemned, and all the race, who were in his loins, shared his 
condemnation and death. And God provides through Jesus 
one redemption for all—for Adam and his children. To what 
end? That they may all have a second chance; every one of 
them. They had one chance in Adam and lost it through 
Adam's disobedience, and God provides another chance for 
every man to obtain eternal life through his Son Jesus. Some 
of us are having our chance now. To those who have 
received the message of God, those who have heard the voice, 
Jesus says, "Blessed are your ears for they hear, blessed are 
your eyes for they see." The intimation is that many of those 
that surrounded him did not have a hearing ear, and did not 
have the seeing eye, but those who did see and those who did 
hear were blessed. God has promised that you and I have an 
opportunity now, because we hear, and if we respond we are 
on trial, and the word trial has the thought in it of judgment; 
you are on judgment, or on trial, the two words having the 
same thought. 

There will be a decision rendered at the end of this age. 
Some of those who have the pounds and the talents Jesus 
describes, saying that at his second coming he will reckon 
with his own servants—not with the world, but with his own 
servants to whom be gave the pounds and talents, and he will 
inquire of them how they used the pounds and the talents, and 
the one who will come forward and say that he had a pound 
or a talent and had not used it but had buried it in the earth— in 
business or in some other way— will be counted an unfaithful 
servant, and will not get the blessings that will come at that 
time, and the other servants, whoever they may be, who have 
received the pounds and talents of opportunity and privileges 
in connection with the high calling of this age, if they have 
used these faithfully will be granted a blessing as the Lord 
there represents. Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I 
will make thee ruler over many things. All the church are to 
be rulers over the world of mankind. When? When mankind 
will be on trial, when mankind's judgment day will have 
come. Has the world a different judgment day from the 
church? Oh, yes, entirely different. This is now the judgment 
day of the church; it has lasted ever since the day of 
Pentecost, and will end when 

{PageQ591} 



the last member of the church, the elect shall be completed. 
Then the world's judgment day will begin and the world's 
judgment day is to last for a thousand years. All through the 
thousand years of Messiah's reign the world will be on trial, 
judgment, to see whether or not they shall be worthy of 
everlasting life as human beings, or whether they shall not be 
worthy. This judgment day of the world is spoken of you 
remember by the apostle. He says, "God hath appointed a 
day (future) in the which he will (future) judge the world in 
righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. Who is 
that man? The same great man he also speaks of—the 
Messiah, Jesus the head and the church his body. 

RESURRECTION-ls First Spiritual 
Q591:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-Is notthefirst 
resurrection spiritual? Gal. 3:1, "If ye then be risen with 
Christ, seek those things which are above." Eph. 2:8, "And 
you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins." 
Eph. 5:4, "Awake, thou that steepest, and arise from the 
dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Rom. 6:4, "But like 
as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the 
Father, we also should walk in newness of life." 

ANSWER~We described last night how the world of 
mankind would have a resurrection by judgment, and that the 
resurrection for the world would be a gradual one all through 
the thousand years—not merely the moment in which they are 
awakened and come from the tomb— that would only be the 
start. They will come forth unto a resurrection, in order that 
they may have a resurrection, is the thought. Now, as the 
world will be rising gradually out of sin and death conditions 
for a thousand years, and gradually attain to full human 
perfection, and attain that in the end as a result, so to some 
extent God gives the same picture in respect to the church. 
That is to say, from the time of your full consecration to the 
Lord, from the time of your begetting of the Holy Spirit, you 
are represented as a new creature, as rising from the old dead 
nature, as becoming alive unto God as a new creature, and the 
new creature is said to grow, first a babe, afterwards a young 
man, and then a fully developed man. And this thought of 
character development is otherwise represented as part of our 
resurrection— "Ye are risen with Christ, walk in him." And so 
these various texts quoted all apply to this part of the 
resurrection which we are now to experience in the present 
life. And let me suggest that unless a man has this part of the 
resurrection, in the sense of rising up out of his weaknesses, 
and attaining more and more to a character development, he 



will not be fit for the glorious instantaneous resurrection, 
which God has for the church at the end of this age at the 
second coming of our Lord. 

RESURRECTION-Belief of Dead. 

Q591:2:: QUESTION (191 l)--2-Please explain John 11:25, 

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the 

life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall 

he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never 

die." 

ANSWER— All mankind, through Jesus, will be made 
alive. No one will come up to full perfection of life without 
faith and obedience. But this provision has been made broad 
enough in our heavenly Father's plan that every member of 
Adam's race may return to everlasting life by faith and 

{PageQ592} 

obedience. Now then, when they have once come back to 
perfection of life, if they continue to be obedient they will 
never die. For instance, the world all through the thousand 
years will, by belief and obedience, be returning to full 
perfection, full harmony with the Lord, and if by the end of 
the thousand years they are in full obedience in heart and 
mind there is no reason why they should ever die. God wills 
that all the obedient have life eternal through Christ. 

RESURRECTION-Knowing Each Other. 

Q592:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-Shall we know each 
other at the day of resurrection? In what form will we appear? 

ANSWER— The apostle, speaking of the church, said, 
"Now we know in part, then we shall know as we are 
known." He was speaking of the church only, which will be 
perfected on the spiritual plane, and of course all spirit beings 
will see each other. We do not see the Lord now, and we do 
not see the angels now, because we are on the human plane, 
and they are on the spirit plane; but the apostle says that all of 
those who will constitute the church will experience a change 
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at or during the last 
trumpet— symbolic trumpet. When that change shall come, 
we shall be like him. Our Lord is a spirit being; he is not a 
man. Those who think of Jesus as being a man in heaven, 
entirely out of harmony with all the surroundings of heaven, 
have a very wrong conception of the matter. Jesus was 
quickened in the spirit, says the apostle, "Now the Lord is that 
spirit." "Him hath God highly exalted, far above angels. 



principalities, and powers, and every name that is named." 
As a man he was not higher than the angels, but a little lower, 
because man is a being on a lower plane than an angel; at his 
resurrection he was raised to a higher plane. So we, in the 
resurrection, shall see him as he is, and know as we are 
known— thoroughly. As for the world, they will know each 
other because they will come back practically in the condition 
in which they will go down. Let me ask, "How would anyone 
know another when they come back?" We answer, that to our 
understanding the Bible teaches the resurrection will take 
place in the reverse order to that in which men died. That is 
to say, the first to be awakened from the tomb will not be 
Adam and his children, but those who have died most 
recently, so that the resurrection work will proceed backward, 
and possibly Adam, and those of his day, will be the very last 
to be awakened; and each generation, as it will be awakened, 
will be acquainted with all the others all the way back, and 
the identity will be fully established when they get back to 
Adam. Seth will know Adam; Adam will know Seth. 

RESURRECTION-Benefits to All. 

Q592:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-Are the resurrection 
class to be resurrected as Abraham's seed, or shall blessings 
come to the then mortal nations? 

ANSWER—Both. The blessing is for those redeemed. 
How many did Jesus redeem? "Jesus Christ by the grace of 
God tasted death for every man." It does not leave out any, 
not one. "As by man came death, by man also came the 
resurrection of the dead." "As all in Adam die, even so all in 
Christ shall be made alive." But, "Every man his own order." 
This blessing is to come through Messiah. 

{PageQ593} 

Now take another Scripture which differentiates, and shows 
the church separate from the world. We read of Christ that he 
is the propitiation-that is, satisfaction-for our sins 
—for the church's sins— and not for ours only, but also for the 
sins of the whole world. He is the Redeemer of both the 
church and the world. God grants one blessing to those who 
now have the hearing ear and respond to this high invitation, 
and who walk in the narrow way, but to the world of mankind 
who will be brought to know then, he has another blessing, if 
they have good and honest hearts and make use of the 
opportunity. 



resurrection-Is it universal. 

Q593:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--If the resurrection is 
to be universal, wiiat do tiie Scriptures mean when they say, 
"He that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall 
remain in the congregation of the dead?" 

ANSWER--I would understand it means that those who 
wandered out of the way of understanding had the 
understanding first. How could he wander out of the way of 
understanding if he had been a heathen man? Can you tell me 
how a heathen can wander out of the way of understanding? 
The one that can wander out of understanding is the one that 
has been in the way of understanding, and they are 
comparatively few. Only the church at the present time has 
the right understanding. This is life eternal, that they might 
know thee, the only true God. That is the real understanding. 
How few people there are today who know the living and true 
God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent! There are very few 
in Winnipeg, and very few in my own city of Brooklyn, and 
in London, and the heathen have no knowledge of him at all. 
The only ones who have any understanding are those like you 
and myself, who have made a consecration to the Lord, and 
whose eyes of understanding have been opened, and who 
have started to walk in the narrow way, to walk in his 
footsteps. Now, God says, "If any man draw back, my soul 
shall have no pleasure in him." What will happen to him? 
The second death. That is exactly what is meant here. He 
that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain 
in the congregation of the dead. His will be the second death 
from which there will be no recovery of any kind. God does 
not want people that wilfully reject him; he does not want 
them to have any everlasting life on any plane, either spiritual 
or human. 

RESURRECTION-Power Now at Work. 

Q593:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2-Does the 
resurrection power now work in the lives of the saints? 

ANSWER— The resurrection power is now working in 
the lives of the saints. In Rom. 8:11 the Apostle says, "If 
the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in 
you. He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken 
your mortal bodies by His Spirit indwelling." This does not 
refer to future resurrections. It refers to the energizing of 
your mortal body. The Apostle argues that we were alive 
unto sin once, but that when we made our full surrender to the 
Lord we became dead to sin that when we were begotten of 
the Holy Spirit we became New Creatures, in this earthen 



vessel; and that the body is reckoned dead to sin and the New 
Creature alive to God. Now, the Apostle says, the Spirit of 
God is able to so quicken 

{PageQ594} 

our mortal body that instead of being a servant of sin as, it 
once was, it will be a servant of righteousness. 

There is a great difference between the immortal body 
which we shall have by and by, and the quickening of the 
mortal body. The new body will not be a flesh body at all. "It 
is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in 
dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is 
raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spirit 
body." (1 Cor. 15:42-44.) This animal body is to be 
quickened by the Spirit of God that dwells in us; and by 
degrees this resurrection process in which the New Creature 
is engaged becomes stronger and stronger. If this continues, 
our resurrection progresses; and the time will come, at the end 
of our course, when the Lord will count us worthy of the 
glorious change, to be like Him and share His glory on the 
high, spirit plane. 

RESURRECTION-The Great Teacher Exposed Sadducees' Ignorance. 

Q594:1 :: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-"Whose wife shall 
she be in the resurrection," who had several husbands? 

ANSWER--The Sadducees, the agnostics who did not 
believe in the resurrection, tried to entrap the great Teacher 
by asking one of their stock questions. Seven different 
brothers in turn married the same woman and all died before 
she did. "To which of them shall she be wife in the 
resurrection?" They did not ask, "To which of these will she 
be wife in heaven or purgatory or eternal torture?" for neither 
Jesus nor the Jews held any such teachings. The Pharisees 
and Jesus taught the resurrection of the dead; and it was 
against this teaching that the Sadducees aimed their sarcastic 
question. 

Note the majesty of the Master's answer: "Ye do err, not 
knowing the Scriptures, neither the power of God!" 
(Matt. 22:23-33.) You do not understand the Scripture teaching 
respecting such suggestions, and you ignore in your question 
the great Divine power which, at the resurrection time, will be 
exercised to straighten out all the difficulties of the situation. 
Then the great Teacher proceeds to inform them that such as 
would (gradually) attain to the resurrection--such as would 
get a complete raising up out of sin and death, would "neither 



marry nor be given in marriage," but would be sexless, as are 
the angels. Thus the supposedly unanswerable question of 
the Sadducees fell flat, and their ignorance was exposed. 

RESURRECTION-An Interpolated Text. 

Q594:2:: QUESTION ( 19 12-Z)-2-Kindly explain 
Rev. 20:5: "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the 
thousand years were finished." 

ANSWER— Scholars are agreed that this text is an 
interpolation. We must remember, however, that it is One 

thing to be legally, or officially dead, and another 

thing to be actually dead. But as Jesus said to some. He 
recognized as alive only those who accepted Him. Those 
who had not the Son had not life in any sense or degree; those 
who have the Son, have the beginning of life reckoned to 
them. The world, however, during the thousand years will 
have the opportunity, not only of being awakened, but of 
having fulness of life. If, therefore, after they are awakened, 
they will go on and render obedience to the laws of the 
Kingdom, they will 

{PageQ595} 

be lifted up, up, up out of death to perfection and life. 

RESURRECTION-Knowledge of Former Life. 

Q595:1:: QUESTION ( 191 3)- 1 -When a man is 
resurrected will he have knowledge of his former life? 

ANSWER— We would make a distinction, first of all, 
between being resurrected and being awakened. To be 
awakened is one thing, and to be resurrected is quite another. 
Mankind in general will be awakened in order to have a 
resurrection, but the raising up, or resurrecting, will be after 
the awakening. They will not be raised up while asleep in 
death, but after the awakening. 

In answer to the question, then I would say, yes. Those 
who are awakened will have the same qualities of mind as in 
their former life. They will remember their experiences in the 
former body because their brains will have the same 
convolutions and impressions which they had in it. The same 
thoughts will be produced, as is illustrated by a talking 
machine record. You have the record and can make 
duplicates, and when you put them on the machine they 
produce the same sounds as the original record. The new 
body will have the same thoughts as the former body had, and 
in that sense their identity will be preserved. I suppose the 



physical form will be preserved, that people may know 
themselves by personal blemishes and peculiarities. I think 
they may get rid of their imperfections. The time for getting 
rid of these is the whole thousand years of Christ's reign. 
During that thousand years they will be raised up out of their 
imperfections, and not until the close will they be wholly free. 

In the case of the church it is different. Their trial takes 
place at the present time, and these trials are for the purpose 
of testing the saints of God to find out whether they are loyal 
to the core. To such as are proven loyal will be granted the 
glorious change in the first resurrection. They will be given 
spirit bodies; a perfect organism with the spiritual mind which 
they now have, and that will be their resurrection. Theirs will 
be different from the world's resurrection, and they will know 
each other, not by knowing the spirit bodies, because these 
bodies will be entirely new. I cannot tell how they will know 
each other, for as the Lord says, now we know in part, but 
then we shall see face to face. 

RESURRECTION--Re Spirit, Flesh and Bone. 

Q595:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-What did Jesus mean, 
when after His resurrection He said, "A spirit hath not flesh 
and bone as ye see Me have?" 

ANSWER~He meant that a spirit being did not have 
flesh and bone. The disciples were frightened. They had 
certain indefinite ideas respecting spirit as people have today. 
I do not know to what extent the spirits of that time might 
make certain commotion, as they do today, but the disciples 
did not know whether the object before them had tangible 
flesh and bone like their own. You know the doors were 
closed and they could not believe one could come in and have 
a flesh and bone body. They thought they saw a phantom, 
and Jesus, to inspire their confidence, said, "Do not be afraid. 
A spirit hath not flesh and bone as ye see Me have. Come 
and handle Me. I will eat some fish." He said to Thomas on 
another occasion, "Thrust your hand in My side; put your 

{PageQ596} 

finger in the print of the nails. It is not spirit you are seeing." 
He had materialized. He was made alive as a spirit being. He 
had the power of a spirit being, to materialize and 
dematerialize. He did not have these powers when a man, 
during the 33 years of His earthly life. It was after His 
change, and becoming a spirit being again, that He had the 
same power as other spirit beings. 



RESURRECTION--Re Order of the. 

Q596:1:: QUESTION (1915)--l--Will the Ancient 
Worthies have their resurrection before the Great Company? 

ANSWER— We do not surely know, but we are inclined 
to think they will not. We think that the Great Company class 
will pass beyond the veil before the Ancient Worthies will 
receive their awakening. The matter could be reasoned one 
way or another; but the way we are most inclined to reason on 
it now is this—to say that the Great Company comes in as a 
secondary part of the Church, a part of the general class 
represented in the Church of the First-born. You remember 
that this was shown in the type; for all the Levites— not merely 
the priests— belonged to the class who were accepted by the 
Lord in exchange for the first-born of Israel. 

So we understand in a general way the Great Company 
belong to the same class as the Church the Body of Christ. 
They are the ones for whom there has been a special 
application of the merit of Christ during this Gospel Age, 
made at the beginning; and Christ's merit, thus obligated, 
might be said not to be fully released until all these shall 
have been completely dealt with. This would imply, we 
understand, that the merit of Jesus could not be applicable to 
any outside, not even the Ancient Worthies, until after all the 
Church class have died and the merit is thus set free. We 
think, therefore, that the Ancient Worthies will not be 
resurrected until the Great Company shall have passed within 
the veil. 

RESURRECTION-Why Jews Embalm Bodies? 

Q596:2:: QUESTION (1916) -2 -Since the Jews 
believed in a resurrection of the dead, why did they embalm 
the bodies of their dead, as in the case of Joseph? Did they 
believe they would come forth in the same bodies? 

ANSWER— We may not say what they believed. But 
when today we embalm our dead it does not signify that we 
believe they will come forth in those bodies. They did not 
know the simple way of embalming that we practice today. 
They were expressing some faith in respect to the dead, but 
not necessarily a Jewish hope; for the Egyptians, not the 
Jews, practiced embalming. The Bible gives us to understand 
that Joseph requested to be embalmed as an expression of his 
faith in God's promise to Abraham that Palestine would be 
given to the Israelites. He wished to be buried with his 
people, just as we today ship a corpse a long distance at times 
that it may be buried in the family burying place. 



RESURRECTION--Re Still-born. 
Q596:3:: QUESTION (1916) 3 Will there be a 
resurrection of dead-born children? 

ANSWER— No child is a soul previous to birth. The 
Scriptures speak of "Every soul of man in whom is the breath 
of life," and it is all these souls of Adam that are redeemed 

{PageQ597} 

by the soul of Jesus, and therefore these are the only souls to 
be brought forth from the tomb. Whoever has not been born 
has not been redeemed. If not born, then not redeemed; and if 
not redeemed, then not raised. Such children as those 
referred to in the question have not been born, have not been 
redeemed, and will therefore have no part in the resurrection. 

REVELATION-Answering Questions on. 

Q597:1:: QUESTION ( 1 906)- 1 -Please explain Rev. 14:9-11. 

ANSWER— We prefer, dear friends, not to answer 
questions on Revelation yet, because it is a book of symbols 
so interwoven one with the other that we would have to here 
begin and prove what was the "beast" and what was its 
"image," and what was the "mark," etc., and it would really 
take us all evening to give a full explanation of that verse. So 
our thought is until in the Lord's providence the book of 
Revelation shall be treated as a whole, and connectedly, it 
will serve your interests and the Lord's interests best for me 
not to answer questions on it. 

RICH MAN AND LAZARUS-Parable of. 

Q597:2:: QUESTION (191 l)-2-Explain the parable 
of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 

ANSWER-First of all we must prove that it is a parable, 
because so many dear friends believe that it is not a parable, 
but the statement of a literal occurrence. They say, "It reads 
that there was a certain rich man, and it does not say, 'this is a 
parable.' " We agree to all of that; we must therefore prove it 
is a parable. And in order to prove it is a parable, it is 
necessary to show that if interpreted as a literal statement, it 
would be an absurdity and anything that would be an 
absurdity to interpret literally, we would be bound to look 
upon as a parable and seek to find some parabolical 
interpretation. That this would be an absurdity if taken 
literally, note this. It is not said that the rich man was a bad 
man; it is not said that the poor man was a good man; there 



was a certain rich man. To be rich is not necessarily an evil. 
There have been good rich men. Abraham was very rich. 
Our heavenly Father is very rich. It is not poverty, merely 
that makes goodness, is it? And our Lord is rich and for our 
sakes became poor. So we are not to think that riches merely, 
mean wickedness. We do not read that this rich man was a 
bad man, or profane, or anything of the kind, but merely he 
was rich and fared sumptuously every day—ate three or four 
good square meals each day, and wore purple and fine linen; 
that was his crime; whatever it was, it was connected with 
that matter somehow. Now to say that any man would have 
to be roasted to all eternity because he wore purple or because 
he wore fine linen, and had plenty to eat, and because he was 
very rich, would not be rational. 

Then take the poor man. There is nothing said about his 
being a particularly good poor man, nor that he prayed a great 
deal—not a suggestion about his ever praying; he was simply a 
poor man and he lay at the rich man's gate, and he was full of 
sores, and the dogs came along and licked his sores, and he 
ate of the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, and he 
was carried by the messengers to Abraham's bosom. Now to 
take that literally would be also absurd. It would mean, in the 
first place, that the only persons that would go to Abraham's 
bosom would be some who had laid 

{PageQ598} 

at some rich man's gate. That would not take you and me in-at 
least would not take me in, for I never had any dogs lick 
my sores, and I never ate crumbs, etc. So you see it would be 
an absurdity. Besides, if Abraham's bosom only had two or 
three lusty looking Lazaruses, he would have his arms out 
like that, trying to get them into his bosom. If it is literal at 
all, the whole thing is literal, and if it is symbolic at all, the 
whole thing is symbolic. Therefore we say without any 
question, this is a parable, because to take it literally would be 
to involve ourselves in statements of absurdity. 

When we take it as a parable it is a very beautiful one, very 
consistent with all the Word of God, from first to last. 

That rich man who fared sumptuously was the Jewish 
nation; he fared sumptuously upon the gracious promises of 
God's Word. All of those precious promises of God's Word, 
for the time being, belonged to the Jews— not one of them 
extended beyond his boundary to the Gentiles, except all the 
families of the earth were to be blessed through the Jews. All 
the precious promises belonged to Israel. Then he had a 



purple robe. Purple has always been a symbol of royalty. In 
what way did they have royalty? Why they had the divine 
kingdom or Theocracy established in their nation, and 
although the crown had been taken off in Zedekiah's day, God 
had promised that he would give it in due time to him whose 
right it is, and that Messiah should be of the stock of David. 
So they still had the purple. They still claimed to be God's 
kingdom. And they had fine linen. What does fine linen 
symbolize? It symbolizes righteousness, purity. Fine linen in 
the Scriptures represents righteousness. Where did they get 
righteousness? Where did they get more righteousness than 
the Gentiles had? We answer that in God's covenant with 
them, the covenant of the law, he made a special arrangement 
by which upon the offering of certain sacrifices year by year, 
each year, the nation was clothed with righteousness for a 
year. At the end of the year they had a new Atonement day, 
and made fresh sacrifices for sin, and then their righteousness 
was renewed for another year, in this national manner. So 
that this rich man, this Jewish nation, at the time our Lord 
uttered these words, had all of these conditions fulfilled. He 
had more than he could appropriate of God's promises in the 
Scripture, and all the holy prophets and the types and 
shadows of the law—all of those things. A change came—he 
died; he died to all those blessings. Did he? Does everybody 
agree to that? Yes. Do the Jews also agree? They do. They 
know they are not enjoying the blessings they formerly had. 
They know that since the year 70 when their nation perished 
they have not been in the condition of divine favor in which 
they were previously. Where are they now? As a nation they 
are still dead. As a nation they are still in hadeS— oblivion. 
You cannot find any Jewish nation, in the proper sense of that 
term. The Jewish nation, or government, has gone to 
hades, to the tomb. Will it be resurrected? Oh, yes, the 
Jewish nation will be resurrected, as we tried to show last 
night. Zionism is the forerunner of the resurrection of this 
Jewish nation. Whatever goes into hadeS must come out. 
That is the very thought of hadeS. It means a temporary 
stopping place from which the person or thing will come out. 
So when the Jewish nation is said to have gone to hadeS, it 

{PageQ599} 

implies that that nation will have a resurrection, or come out 

as a nation from that hades, or hadeaN' Condition. But 

while the nation is unconscious, the people of that nation have 



been very much alive all of these hundreds of years. They are 
very much alive people today. There is no more alive people 
in the whole world than the Jews are, and they have some of 
that very suffering that is pictured there in that parable at the 
hands of the Christians-or those said to be Christians. Those 
who were deluded into thinking they were Christians have 
persecuted the Jews, and they have had the tribulation that is 
there symbolically pictured. And they have desired that the 
Gentiles might cool their tongues. Was that fulfilled? Yes. 
When and how? Many times. I will give you one illustration 
in your day and mine. Not long ago when President 
Roosevelt was in office, the Jews of the United States got up 
a monster petition asking President Roosevelt, after he had 
had some good interchange with the Russian nation, if he 
would not use the kind offices of the United States and his 
own personal influence with the government of Russia to 
bring about some cessation of the severe persecutions against 
the Jews in Russia~"Do something to cool our parched 
tongues" is the very thought. "Give us at least a drop of cold 
water." President Roosevelt could not do it. Just so in the 
parable. We read that the drop of water was denied. 
President Roosevelt said that he would like very much to do 
something in response to this invitation. He was in individual 
sympathy with the Jewish race, but he said it would be out of 
the way entirely for the United States government to attempt 
to criticise a foreign nation with which we are at peace, and to 
dictate to them any policy they must pursue in their own 
government. So the poor Jew could not even get that little bit 
of help. That is exactly true of the parable. The parable does 
not go on to show that the time will come when the Jews will 
come out of that time of trouble. It merely leaves it there in 
the trouble. 

The parable speaks about five brethren. Who would they 
be? We answer that while all twelve of the tribes were 
represented in Palestine at that time, yet the major portion 
belonged to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. These two 
mainly constituted the rich man. The other tribes were 
mainly scattered around in Greece, Rome, Asia Minor, etc., 
and the question here is raised to show that God's dealing 
with the Jews that were scattered abroad amongst the Gentiles 



would be exactly the same as his dealing with the people in 
Palestine. For the answer is, "They have Moses and the 
prophets, let them hear them. If they do not hear them, then 
they must take the consequences." Who have Moses and the 
prophets? The heathen? No, the heathen never had Moses 
and the prophets. Whoever did have Moses and the prophets 
that they could hear them? Only this Jewish nation, only this 
rich man and, his brethren-two tribes, and the other ten 
tribes. Two tribes represented in the one rich man and the 
other ten tribes represented in the five brethren. You see two 
make the one, so the ten would make the five proportionately. 

We have seen the rich man, now how about Lazarus? Let 
us see where he comes in. Lazarus was that poor man in the 
parable who lay at the rich man's gate, desiring to be fed with 
some of the crumbs that fell from the rich man's 

{Page Q600} 

table. What class was that? That was some outsiders? Yes. 
Who were they? They were some godly Gentiles. I remind 
you of some of them in the Scriptures. You remember in the 
New Testament there is mentioned a centurion, and they 
besought Jesus that he would heal the centurion's servant; 
they said, "He is a godly man, and he has built us a 
synagogue and has done much good to our people;" and so 
Jesus healed the servant. He desired to have some of God's 
favors. Yet he knew they belonged to the Jewish nation, they 
were not his; he was an outsider. I remind you of Cornelius, 
of whom we read that he served God daily, prayed always, 
gave much alms to the people, and reverenced God. A pretty 
good man, wasn't he? Yes. Yet none of his praying and none 
of his alms-giving came up to God. God did not accept any 
of that. It is, so to speak, like the incense that rose so high 
and could not go any higher. Why not? Because he was a 
Gentile. What difference did that make? Because all of 
God's blessings belonged to the one nation of Israel. When 
God said, "Ye only have I known (recognized) of all the 
families of the earth," he was speaking there of Israel and the 
special privileges and blessings belonging to Israel, but just as 
soon as the middle wall of partition, or separation, between 



the Jew and the Gentile was blotted out, just three and 
one-half years after the cross, just as soon as that particular 
period of speciall favor to the Jew was over, the Gentile came 
in to have just the same favor as the Jews-no more, no less. 
And at that time God blessed Cornelius, and he sent a 
messenger to Cornelius and said, "Now Cornelius, your 
prayers and your alms are come up before me." Why not 
before? They could not raise any higher, but now the special 
favor for Israel having passed, your alms and your prayers are 
come up before me as a memorial. Send now therefore to 
Joppa to one called Peter and when he comes he will tell you 
words which shall be to the saving of thyself and thy house; 
and you will come into fellowship with me then; when Peter 
came he preached Christ to Cornelius. And Cornelius 
received the message and was blessed with the Holy Spirit 
and had all the privileges and favors thenceforth that any of 
the Jews who had heard and had accepted the Gospel 
received-the Penticostal blessings came on him also. 

Now go back to the poor man lying at the rich man's gate. 
This is, before the change; this is before the house of Israel 
was left desolate, before the Gentiles were blessed. The 
Gentiles were in that poor condition represented by that poor 
individual, with the sores on his body, representing sin and 
sickness. I presume, as Bible students, all here grasp the 
thought that sores would represent sin, and the dogs licking 
the sores would represent the Gentiles, because this was a 
prominent expression among the Jews, that all others than 
Jews were mere Gentile dogs. They did not count them on a 
parity with the Jews at all. But he desired to be fed with the 
crumbs falling from the rich man's table. That is to say, I 
would like to have some of the blessings God gave. You 
remember the Syro-Phoenician woman of whom we read that 
she came to Jesus saying. Lord, my daughter is sick of a 
fever; I entreat you to heal her. Jesus for the time paid no 
attention, and she entreated and entreated; 

{PageQ601} 

finally Jesus said to her, "Never mind, go away; it is not 
proper to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs." 



Don't you know you are a Gentile dog? Have you not had 
that idea right along? She answered, "Yea, Lord, yet the dogs 
eat of the crumbs that fall from the children's table." She was 
willing to confess herself one of the Gentile dogs, she was 
willing to confess she had no right to claim any of those 
blessings of healing for her daughter, because she was not of 
the Jewish nation-but Lord, do not the dogs get a crumb 
occasionally from the table? "Let me have this crumb, heal 
my daughter." Jesus admired her faith, and said, "Go thy 
way, your daughter is healed." So she went her way. The 
daughter was healed. She was a type of this Lazarus, you see, 
getting a crumb from the rich man's table. 

Now then, Lazarus died, that is to say, this Lazarus class 
died to their unfavorable conditions, and the angels carried 
them to Abraham's bosom. What does that mean? They were 
not buried. When the Gentiles died to their unfavorable 
condition, the angels that carried them to Abraham's bosom 
were the Apostles. See how Saint Peter carried Cornelius 
right off to Abraham's bosom. Why, he explained to him he 
should be one of the children of Abraham, didn't he? And 
that is what is meant by the figure of getting into Abraham's 
bosom. If you are a father and have any love for your family, 
and have some children come to you, you take them into your 
bosom; they are your children; you are their father. And that 
is the picture. That is the whole thing-Abraham and his 
children. Now the Jews were the natural children of 
Abraham, but they failed to get into Abraham's bosom, and 
the Gentiles who were outcasts, who in their humble 
condition were more ready to receive God's grace in the way 
God was pleased to give it, became children of Abraham 
through faith. And that is exactly what the Apostle says, "If 
ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, Abraham's 
children." You are in Abraham's bosom now. I am glad to be 
in Abraham's bosom, glad to have some blessings there also. 
I am glad that God's favor to natural Israel is soon to come. 
They will all be coming into Abraham's bosom, not on the 
spiritual plane, but the natural seed will be coming back into 
the obedience and faith of Abraham, and I rejoice in that 
glorious prospect. 



RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW-Paul Blameless. 

Q601 :1 :: QUESTION (1916)--! --What did Paul mean 
when he said, "Concerning the righteousness of the law, I 
am blameless?" Had he not had part in Israel's national sin 
of crucifying the Lord would it have been necessary for him to 
have been immersed for the remission of sins? Were there 
any of the Jews who were so in harmony with their covenant 
that they needed no immersion? 

ANSWER-I think that the Apostle meant, personally 
he was blameless. As a member of the nation he was not 
blameless because the whole nation was involved in the sin 
their leaders had committed. The nation was responsible for 
the blood of Jesus, but the Apostle as a Jew had not been 
living as a sinner. He had been trying to keep the law, and in 
that sense was not a sinner. He would not therefore need to 
be baptized. This baptism was not common with the Jew. 
What John the Baptist did was something new to them. They 
were all baptized in the Red Sea and in the cloud when 

{PageQ602} 

God brought them out of the land of Egypt. In leading them 
out of that land into the land of Canaan He brought them 
through this baptism of water—water on either side of them 
and the cloud above them. They were baptized unto Moses 
and were all represented in Moses as the mediator of the law 
covenant. Whoever was faithful to that covenant was doing 
all that he could do. Anyone so doing was not willingly 
doing wrong. Some of them were indeed publicans and 
sinners, were not leading righteous lives, and some were 
exacting taxes from their brethren in serving the Gentiles. 
Some were sinners in that they lived in open sin. Any one of 
these sinners who would come to make a reformation of his 
life, turn over a new leaf, get into harmony with God, could 
symbolize the washing away of his sins by water baptism. 
That would mean that they had come back into harmony with 
Moses and the law-covenant, and would to the best of their 
ability keep the law. So John, when he saw Jesus coming- 
-John knew that Jesus was not a sinner and therefore did not 
need to be baptized by him, but rather that he needed to be 
baptized by Jesus. Jesus was living in harmony with Moses' 
law, John was trying to live in harmony with it, and Paul 
reckoned himself in with this class. He would not need to be 
baptized because baptism was the needful thing for an 
outward sinner who wanted to come back into harmony with 
God. John said, Messiah is about ready to set up the 



Kingdom, and if you do not get right you will not be 
transferred from Moses to Christ and become members of the 
new nation. 

RIGHTEOUSNESS"Of Law Fulfilled In Us. 
Q602:1 :: QUESTION (1916) 1 How is the 
righteousness of the law fulfilled in us?~Rom. 8:4. 

ANSWER— The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in 
us as New Creatures. It is not fulfilled in our flesh because in 
our flesh dwelleth no perfection. You cannot bring perfection 
out of an imperfect body. The New Creature desires to do 
perfectly. We desire that every act and thought might be 
pleasing and acceptable to God, but we cannot do all that we 
would. We can do a great deal towards it and we can gain 
many victories along this line, and although we may continue 
to make progress in this direction, yet we cannot hope to 
reach the point where we shall be able to do perfectly. We 
can only do with the imperfect body which we have. We 
cannot do with the body which we have not yet got. We can 
only use the old body with the new mind. It is the New 
Creature in whom the righteousness of the law will be 
fulfilled. First of all, God counted our flesh as dead before 
He received us. It would not be the flesh, therefore, that 
would keep God's law. It is the New Creature in us, the new 
creature in which the righteousness of the law is fulfilled, and 
if we are doing this to the extent of our ability the spirit of the 
law is fulfilled in us as new creatures—in our hearts, our 
minds, our intentions, our endeavors— and that is what God is 
judging who knows us not after the flesh, but after the spirit- 
-according to this spirit He judges us. In the mind we keep 
this law, loving God with all our minds and strength, and our 
neighbors as ourselves. But more than this, we seek to follow 
in the foot-steps of Jesus and to lay down our earthly 
privileges as He did in order that we might exercise the spirit 
that was in Him in the service 

{PageQ603} 

of the Father and become more and more like Him, and 
ultimately share His glory. 

ROBE-Vs. Garments of Salvation. 

Q603:1:: QUESTION (1911)-1-'T will greatly rejoice 
in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath 
clothed me with garments of salvation, he has covered me 
with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh 



himself with raiment and as a bride adorneth herself with her 
jewels." Is there any essential difference between the 
garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness? 
ANSWER. ~I think it would be quite reasonable to 
suppose here that these two expressions were used 
interchangeably. Our robe of Christ's righteousness granted 
to us when we become his betrothed, our wedding garment, is 
a covering of our blemishes. Therefore, it is a robe of 
righteousness, a robe of imputation, under which we are 
counted to be right with God. And we properly enough speak 
of ourselves as in the same condition. As the apostle again 
says, "Ye are saved by hope." Our salvation is not complete, 
of course, but our salvation is begun in the sense that we are 
already counted as on the Lord's side, and we are already 
assured that if we maintain this standing, if we keep our 
garments unspotted from the world, we shall be of that same 
class whose salvation may be accomplished fully at the 
second coming of our Lord. 

ROBE-The New Creature Given the Robe. 

Q603:2:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-2-CantheNew 
Creature's body sin? 

ANSWER~The New Creature's proper body is the 
Spirit body of the First Resurrection. But before getting it he 
is placed on probation and given his old human body to 
practice with. The New Creature cannot make the old body 
obey him perfectly. But he can develop strength in his 
endeavors to bring words, actions and thoughts into perfect 
accord with the perfect Law of God-Love. 

Unable to conquer, he must show the Captain of his 
salvation his loyalty to the core by "fighting a gOOd fight." 

The imperfections of the flesh to which the new mind does 
not consent are all of heredity— all from Adamic weakness- 
-all, therefore, forgjvable by the Redeemer who merely 
needs to be appealed to as the great Advocate. But every 
transgression of the flesh is charged to the New Creature, 
who owns the flesh and is using it. This obligates repentance, 
prayer, etc., and means the greater blessing to the New 
Creature. To whatever extent the New Creature gives consent 
or sympathy to the sin of his flesh he is worthy of "stripes," 
which correctively will assist in his character development. 
"What son is he whom his Father chasteneth not?" 

The New Creature Only is given the wedding robe, the 
robe of Christ's righteousness, as a covering for his imperfect 
flesh. It represents his justification as a New Creature. It 
shows him as in Divine sight, holy, harmless, undefiled, 



through the merit of Jesus his Advocate and Redeemer. 

ROBE-Does All of Bride Class Wear It. 

Q603:3:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-3--Will any of those 
found worthy of a place in the Bride company wear Christ's 
robe of righteousness? 
ANSWER--We understand that all who make the 

{PageQ604} 

consecration do so and are accepted, in one hope of their 
calling, and that that one hope is the hope of being a member 
of the Bride class and joint-heir with Christ. The fact that 
there will be a "great company" is a special favor ordained of 
the Lord in the interest of those who do not prove sufficiently 
zealous to be counted in with Jesus as "more than 
conquerors." 

The "great company" of Rev. 7:9 is composed of such as 
fail to come up to the highest standard of sacrifice required of 
the Lord, but who, nevertheless, will prove not unfaithful in 
their final test. These are said to have not kept their garments 
unspotted from the world; hence the requirement that they 
shall wash them in the blood of the Lamb—prove their loyalty 
under discipline and stress, having failed to prove it by 
voluntary obedience unto sacrifice. Thus both the Bride and 
her virgins who follow her all wear the Bridegroom's robe 
(justification) in the present life. And all in the future life 
will attain perfection on their own account. 

This imputed robe will not be needed by the "great 
company" after they shall have experienced their "change" to 
the spirit condition: for they, too, will be changed, in a 
moment and thereafter possess an individual perfection of 
their own. 

ROBE-What Have We Since Our Begetting? 

Q604:1:: QUESTION (1913)-l-Are we covered bythe 
Robe of Christ's Righteousness, or since our begetting has 
God given us a robe of our own? 

ANSWER-This Robe of Christ's Righteousness does 
not appertain to us at all until we become New Creatures. It 
was not intended to cover the flesh of those who have not 
become consecrated people of God. The world are not 
identified in the sense of being New Creatures with old 
bodies; they are all old creatures, both mind and body. It is 
only the Church who have had a change and whose minds or 
hearts God accepts as being in relationship to Him in Christ 



and whose bodies are imperfect, and, therefore, need a 
covering, that the Lord regards in this figure of speech, 
"Robe," and shows how He provides the covering of Christ to 
cover our mortal bodies. It is His Robe and not ours, and it is 
a very precious use of His Robe. We need His Robe, His 
Righteousness, to cover our blemishes. Our own 
righteousness, as the Apostle expresses it, would be only 
filthy rags, and so it is a beautiful picture of how God uses 
His righteousness for us, the wedding garment of all His 
people, and we are to continue to wear it without spot or 
wrinkle, and if any comes on it we have to get it off again, 
and thus keep ourselves in the love of God and in readiness 
for the marriage supper when we are beyond the vail. We are 
to be made perfect in our resurrection. We will not then need 
the imputed Robe to give us access to the wedding. By the 
time the wedding will be over we will have that robe of our 
own through the merit of Christ. 

ROBE-For Old or New Creature? 

Q604:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-Is the Robe of Christ's 
righteousness for the covering of the old man or the new 
creature? 

ANSWER--The old man we are to put off. Put off, 
therefore, the old man with his works, the Apostle says. The 

{PageQ605} 

old man was the old will, and he is not to be covered at all; he 
is to be dead; do not even need to bury him, let him go. And 
the new man does not need any covering, for the new man is 
perfect, the new creature never had any sin, has no sympathy 
with sin. What is it, then, that needs covering with the robe 
of Christ's righteousness? It is the flesh that once belonged to 
the old man, the old will, this flesh that has now been turned 
over as the body or flesh of the new creature and that the new 
creature must act through. This flesh is imperfect and needs 
the covering of Christ's imputed righteousness to keep all the 
blemishes out of sight, so they will not appear to the brethren 
any more than necessary, and will not appear to the Father 
any more than necessary. 

ROBES~Re Our Lord's Glory Robes. 

Q605:1:: QUESTION (191 1)--1 --Has our Lord his 
robes of glory and beauty on at the present time? 

ANSWER— The thought in the questioner's mind, I 
presume, is drawn from the type of the High Priest. You will 



remember that the High Priest when he made atonement on 
the Day of Atonement had on white linen garments, and in 
those white linen garments he did the sacrificing and the 
offering of the blood, and then having offered the blood and 
having made atonement for sin, he came and washed his flesh 
and put on his glorious garments-garments of glory and 
beauty. In other words, all through the year the High Priest 
wore his garments of glory and beauty, but on the Day of 
Atonement he took off these and wore the plain linen 
garments. Our answer to the question, then, is, that the High 
Priest has not yet put on the garments of glory and beauty. Of 
course it is all a figure of speech, but the thought is, these 
garments of beauty represent our Lord's manifestations—the 
High Priest manifested as the one who is qualified and 
authorized of God to bless the people. This has not yet taken 
place. Why not? Because the antitypical Day of Atonement 
is not yet finished. How do we know it is not finished? 
Because some of the church, the body of Christ, are still to fill 
up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ. And this 
filling up of the afflictions of Christ is still going on. Some of 
the work of the High Priest, therefore, as sacrificer is still in 
progress, and he does not put on the glory and beauty of his 
high office until he shall have fully finished the sacrificing 
work; and until the last member of the body of Christ has 
suffered with him, the sacrificing will not be at an end. Just 
as soon as the sacrificing is finished, the glory will begin; as 
the Scriptures say, "If we suffer with him, we shall reign with 
him." And then, you remember, we read also that the 
prophets of old and the angels desired to look into these 
things and to know respecting the times and the seasons, 
respecting the sufferings of Messiah and the glory that would 
follow. While the suffering of this Messiah class is not yet at 
an end, the offering of the Day of Atonement is not yet 
finished, therefore the High Priest has not put on his garments 
of glory and beauty, representing the dignity of his office 
when he shall rule and bless and begin the Messianic reign. 

RULERS-Number of Earthly in Millennial Age. 

Q605:2:: QUESTION (1908)-2- While speaking with a 
brother, the thought was expressed that the House of Servants 
will be the earthly rulers in the next age, and they number a 
hundred 

{PageQ606} 

and forty-four thousand, the same number as the Church, the 



heavenly rulers, but being a new thought to me, and not 
wishing to accept same without more light on it, I ask. Is it 
correct? Are the ones to be made princes in all the earth to 
number one hundred and forty-four thousand? Or, is it only 
the Church, "Israelites indeed," number thus? I think the 
chapter used is Rev. 7:4-8, which I have always thought 
referred to Spiritual Israel. 

ANSWER~I do not know anything about that. I have 
never seen any Scripture to that effect, but if anybody knows 
of such I will be very glad to hear it. I do not know any 
Scripture which says that the Ancient Worthies will number 
one hundred and forty- four thousand. We are not competent 
to judge, but if the Apostle's statement in the book of 
Hebrews be a correct one, I have serious doubt if we could 
find anything like one hundred and forty-four thousand such 
in all the history of Israel, so far as the Scriptures inform us. 
You know the Apostle only gives us a dozen or so by name, 
and says that time would fail us to mention the number of 
others. He certainly would not think of mentioning one 
hundred and forty-four thousand. It would have taken a great 
deal of time to mention all of their names. I doubt if there 
were that many Israelites of this high order. Amongst those 
he names it takes in Rahab, and Samson also. I am not 
inclined to think that there would be that many, but if 
anybody finds any Scripture which says there are one hundred 
and forty-four thousand I would like to have it. 

A Brother.~I have heard this same thing talked about. Some 
take the seventh chapter of Revelation because it states there 
will be one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed, twelve 
thousand out of each tribe. 

ANSWER— I understand that chapter refers to Spiritual 
Israel and not Natural Israel. It speaks of those being twelve 
tribes in this way just as, for instance, we would speak of the 
soldiers in the Philippine Islands and say. There was the 
Ninth Tennessee Regiment, and there was the Eleventh Ohio 
Regiment, and the Fourteenth Pennsylvania, etc. We could 
speak of those different regiments from the different states as 
being in the Philippine Islands doing duty there; and suppose 
now something occurred which decimated their ranks by 
reason of death, or whatever might be the thing which would 
sever their relationship to the regiment, and that would leave 
a vacancy. Now, suppose the vacancy in the Ohio Regiment 
was 400, a deficiency in the Tennessee Regiment of 600, and 
a deficiency in the Pennsylvania Regiment of 200. Now 
suppose there were men being enlisted by the Government for 
the places that would be assigned to fill up these regiments; 



whether they came from New York, New Jersey, Michigan or 
where, they would fill up the Eleventh Ohio, or the 
Fourteenth Pennsylvania, and they would come in under that 
head. So God arranged different tribes of Israel, and in His 
arrangement be determined upon one hundred and forty-four 
thousand, which would be as if were twelve thousand from 
each tribe. Now when he came to Israel to select there were 
not enough, and they were mostly out of one tribe. They 
nearly all came out of Judah. Our Lord sprang from Judah, 
and most of the others also, so far as we know. Paul was of 
the tribe of Benjamin, and we do not know what the others 
were of; there were a certain number there received, 

{PageQ607} 

but not enough to fill up the one hundred and forty-four 
thousand. We might suppose there were not more than ten or 
twelve thousand of those Israelites who ever became members 
of the Body of Christ. Would the Lord break up that 
arrangement? No; the Lord says. These are the spiritual 
Israelites I had in mind; these natural tribes were merely the 
outward shell, as it were, and the real kernel of the matter 
from my standpoint was spiritual Israel. I will still preserve 
this method of speaking of them as the twelve tribes. Now 
we have some from each of these tribes, and I will fill them 
up from all nations, kindreds, and peoples, and tongues; and it 
has taken all of this Gospel Age to do this. I do not know to 
which tribe I am assigned, and I do not care; it is merely an 
outward figure, and what difference does it make? It is all 
one company. The same thought is also called to our 
attention in Romans 1 1 where the Apostle speaks of the 
covenant made with Abraham, and how many branches were 
broken off because of unbelief, and then he says we were 
grafted in and took the places of those branches. Those 
branches represented the one hundred and forty-four 
thousand, but they were broken off and their places made 
vacant, and you and I were grafted in. In this sense you and I 
belong to the original olive tree, and those that were natural 
branches are not in it at all. The only way they can come in is 
by being grafted in again. 

RUSSELL, PASTOR~Re Membership in Nominal Churches. 

Q607:1:: QUESTION (191 1)-1-Did you ever belong 
to the Adventist church? Some say you did, and some say 
you left for a reason. If so, please say what. 
ANSWER~I never belonged to any church except the 



Lord's and the Congregationalists. I was a Congregationalist, 
and in my endeavor to be faithful I was trying to convert an 
infidel, and I did not convert him, but while trying to do so, I 
got enough new thoughts into my head to give me a lot of 
trouble; and finally, I became an infidel, and was about a year 
in that condition. I still worshiped God, but not recognizing 
the Bible, and not knowing if Christ were my redeemer. I 
still, nevertheless, continually went to God in prayer and 
asked for guidance and finally, in God's providence I came to 
see clearer light on the divine Word. I never was an 
Adventist—excepting that I believe in the advent of our Lord- 
-very glad to believe our Lord is to come again to receive the 
church to himself. But I never believed that about the world 
being burned up, nor any other things of that kind that 
constitute special features of the Adventist belief. 

SABBATH-Which Day? 

Q607:2::QUESTION (1909) 2 Please give a few 
moments to explain why we keep the first day of the week 
instead of the seventh. I had always been taught to keep the 
first day. Within a short time I have been told that I was 
not right. 

ANSWER~The best answer I could give would be to 
refer this dear sister to what I have written. God gave to 
Israel a command that one- seventh of their time belonged to 
Him. The seventh day of the week was set apart as holy to 
the Lord--a day of rest from all labor--they were not allowed 
to do any work on this day. You remember 

{PageQ608} 

the account of the man who was stoned to death for picking 
up sticks on the Sabbath. It required work in those days to 
build a fire. In our day we turn on the gas and rub a stick 
with a little sulphur on the end of it and we have a light. The 
Lord didn't make this arrangement of keeping the Sabbath 
with us. You will remember also that in our Lord's day they 
made objections because the disciples passed through a wheat 
field and gathered some of the wheat and blew away the chaff 
and ate the wheat. In that day it was lawful for any person in 
passing through anybody's vineyard or field to eat all they 
wished of the product. On what ground then did they find 
fault with the Apostles? On the ground of working on the 
Sabbath~of threshing the wheat—rubbing it in their hands. 
They said, "You have broken the Sabbath day." That was the 
absurd degree to which they went. That seventh day was 



given to the Jew in an appropriate sense because it was 
intended as a type of the great seventh day of a thousand 
years' duration in which the whole world will have rest from 
sin. The human family will be greatly blessed on that seventh 
day. The Jewish Sabbath prefigured this day. But you say, 
"What day did He give to the Church?" He gave us all the 
time. We rest according to the antitypical meaning. We are 
resting today— we rested yesterday and we will rest tomorrow. 
How? We rest with God through the finished work of Christ. 
We are resting from our own works and our attempts to 
justify ourselves. This is the antitypical rest—the rest of 
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. I am resting the most 
when I am working the hardest. This is the rest God has 
given to us, the Church-not the typical rest, but the 
antitypical. The peace of God that passeth all understanding 
has come to us. There is still another rest- a rest that remains 
for the people of God. But, you say, "What about keeping the 
first day of the week? There is no Scriptural command to 
keep any day." We can keep Wednesday or Monday or 
Thursday, but I think we will do better to keep all the days. 
We want to rest every day, and He will give us the desire of 
our hearts,-our good intentions. But how about the first day 
of the week? It is kept by some because they imagine God 
said they must keep the first day. You remember after our 
Lord's crucifixion that He appeared to the disciples on the 
first day of the week— while they were in the room with 
closed doors He suddenly appeared in their midst. "Oh," they 
said, "this is very wonderful." On the first day of the next 
week they were again together and He appeared again to 
them. So they got to coming together every first day in the 
week, and called it the Lord's day. They had breaking of 
bread together on that day-but this was not the Lord's supper. 
You remember how He appeared to two of them on the way 
to Emmaus— this was on the first day of the week. The first 
day of the week represents something now. In the Scriptures 
seven represents completion. During this Gospel Age it is 
very appropriate that we should celebrate the neW 
beginning of neW things. I shouldn't wonder if during the 
Millennial Age there would be some days set apart for the 
world to observe and it wouldn't surprise me if they kept the 
seventh day. He has suggested to us the specially appropriate 
day of the first. 

{PageQ609} 

SACRIFICE-Of Cain and Abel. 



Q609:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--! --What led Cain and 
Abel to bring offerings to the Lord, and what was done with 
them? 

ANSWER-I do not know whether the Lord told them 
that they should bring such offerings to the Lord or not. If 
God had not told them in so many words, we may reason that 
he told them in some other way. God's law was originally 
written in their hearts. They had at the top of their heads the 
organ of veneration which may have said to them. You ought 
to worship the great God who made the universe, you ought 
to bring something which would represent your desire to be in 
harmony with Him. This may have been the only thing, or He 
may have told them directly and definitely. But when they 
came with their offerings, and when they found that one was 
accepted and the other was not, Cain, finding that his was not 
acceptable, should have promptly withdrawn and gone and 
gotten one that was acceptable. He should have said, "Abel, I 
see that God has accepted your sacrifice and not mine, I will 
trade with you. Give me the finest animal you have and I will 
exchange for it all the fruit of the ground that I have." Then 
the Lord would have had respect for his offering. God 
wanted to teach that the only way in which divine justice 
would be propitiated would be by the sacrifice of life. God 
thus early began to give experimentally an observation lesson 
that a Savior would be at the cost of the life forfeited~the 
"Lamb of God that would take away the sin of the world." 
Cain's manner shows that he did not have the proper respect 
for God. 

SACRIFICE-Gifts and Sacrifices for Sin. 

Q609:: QUESTION (191 l-Z)-2-What is signified by 
the words of the Apostle that our Lord was ordained to offer 
both gifts and sacrifices for sin? 

ANSWER—From the Scriptures it is evident that during 
the Millennial Age the world of mankind will be privileged to 
offer themselves to God as giftS, but not as Sacrifices. 
Hence, during the Millennial Age part of the work of the 
great High Priest will be to accept these gifts and to make 
them acceptable to God through His own merit and rights as 
the Melchizedek Priest. We can, however, apply this text 
very properly to the present time. The Apostle puts the word 
gifts first. We may, therefore, look to see whether there is 
not some way in which the High Priest offers gifts now. 
Surely our Lord's consecration of His own life was a gift on 
His part. The Father accepted that gift and ultimately 
permitted our Lord's gift to constitute a Sin-Offering for 



others. Likewise, throughout this Gospel Age, the "brethren" 
are invited to present their bodies living sacrifices—to give 
themselves to God Rom. 12:1,2. 

When we thus make a present of ourselves to God, we are 
not making a Sin-Offering to God; for this we could not 
do. But the Divine arrangement for accepting our gift is that 
each gift will be acceptable through the merit of Christ; and 
that then, later on, these gifts will, according to the same 
Divine arrangement, constitute the great Sin-Offering which 
the High Priest gives for the world. Thus the High Priest is 
ordained to make the ultimate Offering of that gift as the 
Sin-Offering for the world. 

Amongst those who served in the office of typical high 

{PageQ610} 

priest, says the Apostle, the uniform custom was that they 
should offer both gifts and sacrifices to God. Hence, he 
proceeds to point out that Jesus, as the Antitype of those 
priests, must have something to offer. He also must offer 
both gifts and sacrifices, in order to fulfil His priesthood. He 
presented Himself without spot unto God; and, by virtue of 
that presentation. He is a Sin-Offering unto God; and, through 
His merit. He makes the same true of His Church, who 
voluntarily give themselves to God. 

SACRIFICE-Why Must the Church Sacrifice? 

Q610:1 :: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-What is the object 
of having any sacrifices on the altar? Why is the Church on 
the altar with her Lord, as expressed by the Apostle Paul 
(Rom. 12:1), "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the 
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, 
holy, acceptable unto God, your reasonable service." Why 
does God invite us to be living sacrifices with Christ, since 
Christ is sufficient as a ransom-price for the sins of the whole 
world"? 

ANSWER~It is that the Father invites us to come in 
and be partakers of the Sufferings of Christ in order that we 
may also be sharers of His glory; for it is only "if we 

suffer with Him that we may relgN' wlth Hlm-lf we be 
dead with Him, we shall live with Him." 

As our Lord was called to sacrifice, so the Church is also 
called. If He would be found worthy, if He would have the 
Father's highest approval. He must leave the glory which He 
had with the Father and must do all the Father might require 



of Him. And only by so doing would He gain the reward 
offered. During the Gospel Age the Church is invited to enter 
into that covenant with Him. We who are by nature sinners, 
"children of wrath, even as others," are justified through His 
merit in order to permit us to have a share in His suffering, in 
His sacrifice. 

What is the USe of all this? Why should this be done? 
That is the only way that we could be with Him on the spirit 
plane. If we retain the human nature we can never get to 
heaven. None can ever go to heaven except those of the 
sacrificial class. Those not begotten from above will never 
get a share in the heavenly blessing, but will get an earthly 
blessing, if they get any. They will keep their earthly nature 
and will in due time be made perfect. But those who are now 
invited to become the Bride of Christ are invited to join with 
Him in sacrifice. Our Lord sacrificed the earthly nature and 
its rights. All those who wish to belong to this Bride class 
must sacrifice the flesh, the earthly nature and its rights, etc., 
that they may be sharers with Him in the Heavenly, the divine 
nature. 

SACRIFICE-Did Sacrifice of Church Cost Jesus? 

Q610:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-Does the sacrifice of 
the Church cost Jesus anything? Is it in the sense of 
GIVING UP something that He is said to sacrifice it, or is 
it the WORK of sacrifice merely, as the High Priest 
OFFERED the sacrifices brought to Him? 

ANSW ER--It is not costing Jesus anything to receive 
us. His cost is all paid and the price fully laid down. There is 
no additional cost whatever. His one sacrifice is the basis for 
everything, and that is past long ago. As He receives us He 
takes us in the capacity of High Priest and we are the 
sacrifices. It costs Him something sympathetically, we might 

{PageQ611} 

say, but we are not able to appreciate the meaning of that. We 
cannot think of our Redeemer being grieved in any way. We 
have a merciful High Priest, able to be touched with a feeling 
of our infirmities. He is able to appreciate our infirmities and 
so to be long suffering towards us. We know that He knows 
what is the matter with us, because of His full sympathy. We 
have His full sympathy and thus we know that it is all right. 

SACRIFICE-What We Sacrifice. 



Q61 1:1" QUESTION (1912)-l-Do we sacrifice our 
restitution rights, or just forego them, or lay them aside? 

ANSWER— "Language is a medium for the 
communication of thought," and one person might use certain 
language to give expression to a thought, and another use 
different language to express the same thought. To say that 
we forego our restitution rights, is proper. To say that we 
sacrifice our restitution rights is equally proper. I would just 
as soon use one today and the other tomorrow. 

SACRIFICE-Not Desired by Jehovah. 

Q611:2:: QUESTION (1914)-2-"Sacrifice and 
offering thou didst not desire" (Psa. 40:6). Please explain. 

ANSWER-In any translation from one language to 
another there is always danger of failing to express the 
original thought in its simplicity, and so in this case. 
"Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire." What is the 
thought there? Why, it is this: that although God desired and 
intended the establishment of the law covenant, the law 
arrangement with the people of Israel, that was not the full 
completeness of God's intention or desire. What He meant 
was that that should be the typical sacrifice, foreshadowing 
the antitypical sacrifice. These that He ordained or 
authorized for the time being were not what He meant 
eventually, were not the end or completion of God's purpose 
or desire in respect to sacrifice for sin. They were merely 
typical of that great desire which would be fulfilled in Christ. 
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, that is to say, was 
not all that God meant. He did accept this sacrifice and He 
did grant the Jews year by year a national forgiveness, and an 
opportunity to try again if they could meet the law; but these 
things were not the end of God's desire or intention. He had 
in mind the better sacrifices, the sacrifice of Christ, the great 
Redeemer, and then the better sacrifices of the church, the 
body of Christ, joined to His sacrifice. This is what God had 
as His great purpose, and that other was merely the typical, 
the foreshadowing of it. 

SACRIFICE-How Far Shall We Sacrifice Legitimate Pleasures? 

061 1 :3::0U ESTION (1915-Z) 3--What are the rights 
and privileges of the flesh—not sinful—which are to be 
sacrificed by the New Creature in Christ Jesus? 

ANSWER— There are certain rights and privileges 
which belong to all human beings. There are tastes and 
desires that are not sinful. It is not sinful to eat and enjoy 
that which is wholesome and nutritious; not sinful to have 



preferences as to what one shall eat. It is not sinful for one 
to have strawberries in the winter when that fruit is expensive, 
if one has the money to buy them and if he obtained the 
money rightfully. It would not be sinful to pay fifty 

{PageQ612} 

cents or a dollar for a box of them. It is no crime to have 
a fine house, servants, a pleasure yacht, an automobile, etc. If 
there are entertainments, concerts, operas, and these are of 
good moral tone, one has a perfect right to engage a seat for 
the same at five dollars, and to employ a taxicab in going. 
One as a natural man has a perfect right, if he is able, to any 
of these things, which are not sinful in themselves. Things 
that are sinful should, of course, always be avoided. 

But when one undertakes to become a follower of Christ he 
accepts instead of his own will the will of God. And as Christ 
pleased not Himself, but used His time. His influence. His 
life, for the good of others, so those who become His 
disciples will forego their rights and privileges, whenever 
these would conflict with their service to God. The Christian 
could not reason the same as he did before he made his 
consecration. He could not say, I will spend five dollars to go 
to the opera; but he will be obliged to say. My means are 
consecrated to the Lord. The same principle will control his 
judgment as to whether he shall have an automobile or not; 
whether he shall have a fine house or shall own any house; 
whether he shall have the finest food; whether he shall wear 
fine clothing, or plainer clothing, etc. It will control his 
judgment as to his use of consecrated time. 

But no one is to judge another in regard to the use of money 
or time in his possession as the Lord's steward. It is for the 
individual himself to decide how he will use these. And it is 
the Lord who will decide whether he has been a faithful 
steward or an unfaithful one. The Lord will decide that those 
who, like Jesus, shall sacrifice the enjoyable earthly things, 
that thereby they may the better glorify God, shall have the 
more than compensating spiritual blessings, and shall receive 
the reward of the Kingdom and its positions of honor. 

SACRIFICE-ln the New Creature. 

Q612:1 :: QUESTION (1916)--l-Kindly explain what is 
meant by the term sacrifice, and what constitutes sacrifice in 
the New Creature. 

ANSWER--The last part of this question has an 
important bearing upon the whole question~"in a New 



Creature." We are not to suppose that the New Creature does 
the sacrificing; for this is done before any of us become New 
Creatures. After we, as old creatures, reach the point where 
we desire to become God's people, we devote our lives to the 
Lord and ask that He accept us. Thus we bring ourselves to 
the great High Priest whom God has appointed, and offer 
ourselves to Him. 

The Bible makes a limitation as to what constitutes 
sacrifice, and shows that only a priest can offer sacrifices 
lawfully. Since we come as sinners, not priests, we can only 
offer ourselves to the great High Priest, Jesus. He accepts us, 
justifies us through His own merit, and thus makes us 
acceptable to the Father. It is our earthly nature, our 
human nature, and all that pertains to it that is sacrificed. 
We simply offer it to the Lord; and He as our great High 
Priest imputes to it of His own merit and presents it to the 
Father, who accepts it and begets us by His Holy Spirit as 
New Creatures. This sacrifice of our human nature with all 
its rights and privileges is made once and forever. 
Thenceforth we are counted dead as human beings, but alive 
as New 

{PageQ613} 

Creatures. This New Creature is to grow in grace, in 
knowledge, in love. It is not to be sacrificed. 

What, then, is to be sacrificed after we become New 
Creatures? We reply: The old creature is counted dead, both 
by God and by ourselves; but although reckoned dead, it is 
actually allve. Therefore it is the New Creature's business 
to keep the old nature on the altar, upon which the great High 
Priest has put it. In other words, the New Creature must keep 
the old nature dead, hold it in subjection. When our flesh is 
brought into contact with the fires of experience for its 
consumption, it is the old creature that weeps, not the New 
Creature. Let the goat weep if it will. The New Creature will 
rejoice in the Lord and in His providential care, as daily it 
grows in grace and in knowledge. When the old creature is 
knocked out, or brow-beaten, as the Apostle says 
(1 Cor. 9:27), it will groan; but the New Creature will be 
glad and rejoice in the Lord. 

We recall with comfort and encouragement the case of St. 
Paul and Silas in prison at Philippi. While their flesh was 
lacerated with the whipping they had received, yet they rejoiced 
in spirit and were able to sing praises to God. (Acts 16:26.) 
Thus should it be with us as New Creatures. While 



the flesh suffers, the spirit should rejoice always, as saith the 
Word of God. (Philippians 4:4.) We rejoice because God's 
favor and blessing are with us as New Creatures. 

We should endeavor to forget earthly things. To enable us 
to do this, we should not dwell too much upon them; for it is 
only the flesh that suffers, and the Apostle intimates that it 
must suffer until it dies. Therefore do not make too much of 
the sufferings of the flesh. Do not talk too much about your 
painful experiences and about the things of the present. 
"Forget the things that are behind." Think mostly about the 
blessings of the Heavenly Father and of the glorious hope 
which is held out for us in the future; and let the old nature 
with all its interests, die daily. 

Of course, there are times in the Testimony Meetings when 
it would be proper to tell how the Lord has brought us out of 
our difficulties, trials and sufferings; but our effort should be 
to forget these sufferings of the flesh. If we dwell upon them 
and talk too much about them, we are in danger of developing 
spiritual pride. Speaking about his own sufferings on one 
occasion, the Apostle Paul said, "I speak as a fool." 
(2 Cor. 1 1 :23.) But if he had not told us something about 
his sufferings, we would not know that he had the trials and 
difficulties which he enumerates. There is a right way to 
relate such things, and there is a wrong way. The Apostle 
was narrating his experiences for our benefit, not as a matter 
of boasting. We are to do likewise. We might be excusable 
in raking up some past experience and relating it, if thereby 
we might do good to someone. Otherwise we had better bury 
it, let it remain hidden from sight forever. "Ye are dead, and 
your lives are hid with Christ in God. "--Col. 3:3. 

SACRIFICE-What Is Sacrifice? 

Q613:1 "QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-Whatis sacrificed 
by one who is begotten of the Spirit to membership in the 
Body of Christ? 

ANSWER~In one sense of the word, no one does any 
sacrificing except the great High Priest. What we do is 

{PageQ614} 

to consecrate our wills, and present our bodies that they may 
be living sacrifices, that the great High Priest may make 
sacrifices of them. It should be easily discerned that merely 
killing an animal is not sacrificing it. The Jews killed 
thousands of animals for food, just as we do today; but these 
animals were not sacrificed by merely being killed. No 



sacrifice can be offered except by an arrangement with God; 
and He has arranged that sacrificing must be done by a priest. 
The priest that sacrificed under the Jewish Law was the high 
priest, the others being his assistants, and taking his place in 
case of death. The high priest was the one who typified 
Jesus; and Jesus alone is the One who is able to offer up the 
antitypical sacrifices. All that the followers of Jesus do, 
therefore, is to present themselves. 

This presentation in the type was pictured by the goat's 
being tied at the door of the Tabernacle. In other words, this 
class devote, set apart, consecrate themselves as human 
beings. It is after Jesus lays hold of this individual, accepts 
his consecration, imputes His own merit, and offers him to the 
Father, that the Father's acceptance is manifested through the 
Son, the great High Priest, by the begetting of the Holy Spirit. 
Thenceforth such an one is a member of the Body of Christ, 
and his name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, from 
which it will not be blotted out if he maintains his 
faithfulness. 

SAINTS-Their Sacrifices. 

Q614:1 :: QUESTION ( 19 10)-- 1 --What is the sacrifice 
his saints have to offer in harmony with this afternoon's 
discourse? 

ANSWER~The sacrifice we have to offer is as the 
Apostle expresses it in Rom. 12:1. Your sacrifice would not 
be holy and acceptable, but it is made holy and acceptable as 
such by the Advocate imputing of his merit to cover your 
sacrifice. Present your bodies. What does that include? It 
includes all you have, your thoughts, your words and your 
doings. Present the whole thing to God and henceforth you 
are to do the best of your ability, whether making shoes, 
washing dishes or clothes, sawing wood 
—whatever you may be doing, seek to do all things to the 
glory of God, that you may glorify him in spirit and mind 
which are his. In your mind you ought to be glorifying him 
by singing and making melody. In your body, serving him in 
some way, by doing whatever you do as unto the Lord. If 
your business is not glorifying the Lord, ask the Lord to help 
you, and look about to see what you can do to serve him. If 
your business is taking all of your time, you can look about 
and see what you can cut off, or burn up a lot of your 
bric-a-brac. I can see those nice things any day by walking 
down the street. I can see all I want in the show windows. 
As I go along the street I look at them, and enjoy them. They 
are kept all ready in the windows so I can see them, and it 



leaves me free to do something else. With the pen, write 
letters to your friends, sending them tracts, or engaging in 
volunteer work, or colporteur work, whatever it may be. Ask 
the Lord to permit you to be used in the service, telling him 
that you have made your consecration to that end; that it was 
not formality, and you want to carry it out. Then keep yOUr 
eyes open, if you sit in a street car, have a tract with you, 
and judge to whom and which one you should give it. "A 
word in season, fitly spoken, how good it is." Put in the right 

{PageQ615} 

word at the right time. You can do ten times as much with a 
good word at the right time as you can with the right word at 
the wrong time. This is glorifying the Lord in your body; it is 
the least you can do. When we think of the fact that our great 
Lord and Redeemer, as well as our heavenly Father, has made 
this wonderful proposition, that he proposes to give us a share 
in the heavenly kingdom, and that he is now waiting to see if 
we have the right spirit in the matter, it is conditioned upon 
our manifesting his spirit, which is something that we did not 
have by nature. This is one of the things that belong to the 
fallen nature~me, my, ours, the somebody class. God bless 
me and my wife, and my son John and his wife; us four and 
no more. Not many pray that way. When we give ourselves 
we give our lives, our time, talent, money—everything goes. 
Now the Lord said, when you gave it to me you surrendered 
it. All Lord? Yes. I would not think of deceiving you. 
David said. Try and prove me and see if there is anything 
wicked in me, and if there is, take it away, etc. So, then, that 
is properly our attitude of mind. Let us see. We say. Now, 
Lord, you are going to demand the things I gave you? No. 
How is that? I am going to make you steward. What do you 
mean? I am going to leave all my things in your care, all your 
time, influence, money, everything, I am going to prove you 
by leaving them in your hands. I am not going to take them 
from you, for I do not need them. Why, all the gold and 
silver, and the cattle upon a thousand hills, belong to me. I 
will see what you will do—that is what the parable represents. 
He spoke of a nobleman who went into a far country and the 
Lord used this nobleman to represent himself. Before going 
he called his servants and distributed his goods to everybody 
and gave them the pounds and talents. He said, now, look 
here, trade with these until I return. When he returned he did 
not call the whole world, but his servants, all to whom he 
gave anything. Well, you say, he did not give me anything. 



Yes he did. When you consecrated you gave whatever you 
had, one, two or five talents, and he put it into your hands and 
made you a steward. Now a steward is one who has full 
control, without any restrictions. Now, what have you done, 
are you one of my servants? Yes. Have you anything of 
mine? Yes, all that I have is yours. Render up an account. 
Here are the facts—he is looking for returns, he will see what 
you have done, and your reward will be according to your 
faithfulness, and according to your work, and now if you have 
been careful and tried to do your best, he will say, "Well 
done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a 
few things, I will make you ruler over many, have dominion 
over two, five cities, etc." 

You and I are now living in the very time he is about to 
establish the kingdom over the world, and he is present, 
investigating, examining, calling you and me to render up an 
account. I am glad there are a few days left; we want to trade 
with our capital a little more here, until our talent increases, 
etc. Only a little time, and we want to hear what the Master 
has to say. 

SAINTS-Under Evil Influences. 

Q615:1 :: QUESTION (1910)-l-Could a consecrated 
member of the Little Flock have an evil influence cast over 
him by someone 

::PageQ616:: 

else, so he would not be responsible for his acts or his 
misunderstanding of doctrinal points? 

ANSWER--I think so. I think of the case of Judas. He 
had an evil influence cast over him; as we read, "Satan 
entered into him and he went and sold the Master." But the 
question is. How could Satan enter into one who was 
consecrated? Because that consecrated one did not live his 
consecrated life. If Judas had maintained an attitude of 
consecration to the Master, Satan would never have had the 
opportunity; it was because he was at heart disloyal. In John's 
Gospel it reads as though he were a deliberate thief. He 
seems not to have had an interest in the Lord's work from the 
right standpoint. Six days before Jesus was crucified, when 
the Lord had been telling them that he would be crucified, 
Judas was thinking at the time about the money, so that when 
Mary poured out the ointment upon the Lord and anointed 
him, as the Scriptures say, for his burial, Judas thought to 
himself, Wrong, wrong, that money should have been put in 



my bag. There are the poor; I am the poor one. He was the 
one who wanted the money. He lost the spirit of discipleship, 
and he was ready to sell his Master for money. I believe it is 
possible for any consecrated one to let himself go on and 
allow wrong suggestions and motives to rule in his heart, and 
get further and further from the Lord, until he is ready for the 
Adversary to take possession. I do not think this is possible 
for anyone who is loyal to the Lord. 

SAINTS--Re Sealed by October, 1911. 

Q616:1 :: QUESTION ( 19 10)-- 1 --Will all the saints be 
sealed and waiting their change, and how long will it be 
after? 

ANSWER-I could not say. I wish I knew. I don't 
know about that, but if it is God's will I would like to know, 
but if not I don't care to know. 

Part 2: -Or will they be perfected as their Master, only 
waiting their change, and how long will it be after? 

ANSWER-We will have to ask God, and if he has 
given any answer in his Word I wish you would tell me, for I 
have not found it. 

I might remark that there are a great many others who can 
tell you more about 1910, 1911, 1912,1913 and 1914 than I 
can. I am not to judge them for what they know. I merely tell 
you that I do not know, except what is already presented in 
the Watch Tower and Scripture Studies, viz.: that our 
understanding is that the harvest began in the autumn of 1874, 
that there an important point was marked; also by the spring 
of 1878; and another in the fall of 1881, and that there is no 
time mentioned that I know of in the Bible, from 1881 to 
October, 1914. 

In the 3rd Volume of Scripture Studies, in connection with 
the Pyramid, we suggested a certain measurement into the 
upper step of the Grand Gallery, but we did not know that it 
meant anything, and do not today. It will not hurt you to be 
watching every day and every year, but I would advise you 
not to place any confidence in what anybody tells you is 
going to take place in between now and 1914. They may feel 
sure they know. I do not feel sure that they know. I do feel 
sure that I do not know. 

{PageQ617} 

SAINTS-Re Addressing Resurrected Saints. 

Q617:1:: QUESTION (1911)-l-Why not address the 
saints whom you believe to have been resurrected for some 



time? 

ANSWER~We would not address the saints because 
there is no necessity for addressing them. To address the 
saints would be to cast indignity upon our Lord. God has 
provided that we shall have an Advocate, and to go aside 
from that Advocate and address somebody else would be to 
do dishonor to the Advocate, and to the one who appointed 
him as Advocate. Therefore I would not think of addressing 
them. They do not in any sense stand between my soul and 
the Lord Jesus; I do not need them at all. I want to go 
directly, as God said I may, to him in the name of Jesus, by 
using Jesus as my Advocate-- "We have an Advocate with the 
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." We have no other 
advocate, and anyone who goes in any other way is taking a 
sidetrack, and will never reach the destination, but is led off 
in another direction. We think our Catholic friends make a 
great mistake in addressing any others than the Advocate 
whom God appointed. 

SAINTS-More Along the Same Line. 

Q617:2:: QUESTION ( 19 15)-2- Will all of the saints 

be taken beyond the vail before the Time of Trouble is over? 

ANSWER--! am not wise enough to answer. I think no 
one is. We had thought so. We had supposed that all the 
saints would be beyond the vail before the Times of the 
Gentiles ended. God did not say they would be, but we 
inferred so, and you know our inferences may prove wrong, 
and in this case did prove wrong. We were not taken. The 
Times of the Gentiles have ended and we are still here. So 
we do not know just when our time will come. To say that 
we will all be taken before the Time of Trouble is ended, 
would be to say what I believe. There is one thing I think we 
will all agree upon— that we believe we will all be taken 
before the "Armageddon" feature. You know the Bible gives 
us the symbols of the loosing of the "winds," which is this 
great war. Then comes the "earthquake," which is the great 
Revolution to follow. Then comes the "fire," the Anarchy- 
- Armageddon experiences. I think the Church, the Bride 
class, will be gone before that Armageddon experience, but 
cannot be sure. We will leave the subject there. 

SALOON KEEPER~Re Business After Conversion. 

Q617:3:: QUESTION (1909)-3-A saloonkeeper 
coming into the Truth in a state where liquor selling is a legal 
business, would you consider his license, lease and stock, 
property that he might sell, or should he simply abandon the 



business? 

ANSWER--I think he should follow his own 
conscience, but I think my conscience would not permit me to 
sell liquor for intoxicating purposes. As for the license, I do 
not suppose he could sell it for anything. I think I would 
destroy it. As for the place of business, I would not risk 
setting it on fire, but I think I would try to dispose of the 
house and throw away or destroy the liquor. I would not be a 
party in the liquor business or anything else that would injure 
my neighbor, but the party must use his own conscience and 
judgment. 

SALT-Uses for. 

Q617:4:: QUESTION ( 19 10)--4-Please explain 

{PageQ618} 

Mark 9:49,50, "For every one shall be salted with fire, and 
every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if 
the salt have lost its saltiness wherewith shall ye season it? 
Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another." 

ANSWER~We have offered some suggestions as to 
what these verses mean, what the salt signifies, that it 
signifies a purifying quality, it gives flavor to whatever it is 
attached to, and seems to signify a preservative quality that is 
a detriment to corruption, and the Lord expresses it, saying, 
the Church is the salt of the earth, implying that if the earth 
were to lose the Church it would lose that which gives it 
flavor and puts zest into life and helps to keep things in a 
right condition. So if we should lose our saltness, it would 
seem to mean that if we lost the quality of being separate 
from the world and have the spirit of pride, we would lose our 
Christianity, and cease to be the Lord's representatives. If the 
saltness were once lost by us there would not be any way it 
could be restored by us. There is no way to restore saltness to 
salt when once it has gone. So if we lose the holy Spirit there 
is no way by which we could be renewed again. 

SALUTATIONS-Re Special Instructions. 

0618:1:: OUESTION (1916)--l-"And salute no man by 
the way." (Luke 10:4.) Why was this instruction given to the 
seventy sent out? 

ANSWER— The saluting of people by the way is a very 
common custom in Palestine, even yet. People seldom pass 
one another without saluting and discussing the news of the 
day; a function now supplied by the telephones, telegraph and 



newspapers. Jesus was sending out his disciples with a 
special message, and he did not wish them to spend time on 
the way discussing ordinary matters. They were bearers of 
the divine message. We are not to suppose that they could 
not salute by a wave of the hand or a word of greeting; but 
they were not to stop to enter into the ordinary salutations and 
conversations. Their business was to go to the various cities 
and towns, and there tell the people that the kingdom of 
Heaven was at hand; that he of whom Moses wrote had come. 
The seventy went out with a special message and were to 
appreciate it. "This one thing I do "--preach the Gospel—wrote 
St. Paul in the same spirit. Oh, that we all as followers of 
Jesus could realize such a devotion to the interests of the 
kingdom! Less time would be spent in news reading and 
gossip. 

SALUTATIONS-Greeting With Holy Kiss. 

Q618:2:: QUESTION (1916)-2-Please explain how to 
apply the words "Salute one another with a holy kiss" found 
in Romans 16:16, and also "Greet one another with a holy 
kiss" found in 1 Cor. 16:20, 2 Cor. 13:12, and also "Greet 
the brethren with a kiss of charity," 1 Pet. 5:14? 

ANSWER~In European countries, especially in the 
east, it is frequently the custom for men to kiss one another. I 
have seen men over there frequently hug and kiss each other- 
Jews, Greeks, Syrians, Arabians, etc.— they would hug and 
kiss each other when they met, in a way that you would never 
see here or in most parts of Europe. I suppose this was the 
custom in the Apostles' day. There was no intimation that the 
brethren should kiss the sisters or the sisters kiss the brethren. 
The sex dividing line was very strict in 

{PageQ619} 

olden times so that there was no indiscriminate kissing among 
them, neither should there be among the friends now. There 
would be nothing wrong in a kiss of love. My father once 
kissed me that way, so did a brother in the truth, and so also 
did one of the Pilgrim brethren one time. So, you see, I have 
had experience. 

SALVATION-Common and Great. 

Q619:1:: QUESTION ( 1 905)- 1 -Is notour "common 
salvation" the salvation of all from the Adamic death? Am I 
right in understanding that while it relates to both the 
heavenly and earthly phases it will also continue the common 



and only salvation of the world, while the church is to share 
the "great salvation"? 

ANSWER—Well, I know that the apostle uses the words 
"our common salvation" and he also speaks of the "great 
salvation" when he says, "How shall we escape, if we neglect 
so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by 
our Lord?" We can realize in our minds that there is a 
salvation by justification through faith, which is the common 
salvation, which will apply to all the world in due time. Then 
again, there is this wonderful blessing the privilege of being 
joint-heirs with God's Son. These statements can be taken in 
either way. 

SALVATION-Work Out Your 

Q619:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Please explain the 
words of the Apostle, "Work out your own salvation, for it is 
God that worketh in you, both to will and to do his good 
pleasure." What is the force of the argument "for" in the 
passage? 

ANSWER--I would understand it to be this: Work out 
your own salvation. That is to say, God has placed you in the 
school of Christ, and gives you certain knowledge and helps 
that are for the Church, and all these are for the edifying of 
the Saints and for building up in the most holy faith, until we 
all come to the full stature of Christ Jesus, the Head, and the 
Church the Body. Now, you have to do with this work of 
becoming a member of the Body of Christ. It depends upon 
how you receive of His spirit, and how you receive the truth 
into good and honest hearts, how you allow it to permeate and 
work in your character. 

What has the "for" to do with it? "For it is God that 
worketh." If you thought of doing it from the standpoint of 
working it yourself, you would say. How helpless I am I have 
tried it and gone under at the same point over and over again. 
I get so discouraged and don't know what to do. Remember 
that it is God that is working with you. Is God working for 
you or against you? He is working for you, dear brother, with 
you, for you. What does He wish to do for you? He wishes 
to bring you off more than conqueror, a member of the Body 
of Christ, and therefore gives us His exceeding great and 
precious promises whereby we might become partakers of the 
Divine nature. 

SALVATION-From What? 

0619:3:: OUESTION (1911)--3--Did Christ die to save 
us from death, or from the power of death? 



ANSWER—Whichever way you choose to express it. 
He does not save you from dying. The power of death is on 
us all now, and that power is gradually crushing us as the 
days go by, until it will have us down altogether. And 

{PageQ620} 

then the Lord will not only rescue those who are under the 
power or dominion of death, and who are going down 
towards the pit, down towards the grave, but will also rescue 
those who have gone down completely into death. They will 
all come forth. "All that are in their graves shall hear the 
voice of the Son of Man and come forth." 

SALVATION-Saved by Grace vs. Being Lost. 

Q620:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--If amanis savedby 
grace, can he be lost by anything that he can do? 

ANSWER~We have funny kinds of brains, dear 
friends, and we have to have sympathy with each other, too. I 
am not laughing at our dear brother's question, and you are 
not, but it made me think how unsatisfactory our reasoning 
faculties are. The way in which God saves us by grace is not 
against our wills. He makes the provision for our salvation. 
He is making provision for the salvation of every member of 
our race. Is not that grace? Is not that favor? Favor means 
grace and grace means favor. Is it not a great favor then that 
God has provided a way by which you and I may escape, and 
everybody else may escape the death penalty, and may come 
back to eternal life and divine favor? Is not that a great 
blessing? Yes, indeed. Now then, whoever will be saved at 
any time will be saved by grace; but will God ever save any 
person against that person's will, and co-operation? Never. 
Not one will ever be saved except as he accepts God's favor 
and co-operates with the divine favor and blessing. So that 
God's grace or favor provides a whole salvation, everything 
connected with it is provided, and then it is for you and me 
and each other person as he hears and comes to an 
understanding and opportunity, to avail himself of this, and if 
he does not avail himself of it, then he receives the grace of 
God in vain and will not profit by it whatever. 

SANCTIFIED-But Once Sinners. 

Q620:2:: QUESTION (1910) -2 -Please explain 
1 Cor. 6:1 1, "And such were some of you: but ye are 
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name 
of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." 



ANSWER—Well, we answer, that is very plain. You 
were sinners, but you have turned from your sins. If you have 
not, then Jesus would not have received you and acted as your 
Advocate. If the whole world would turn from sin and desire 
to walk in his steps, don't you suppose he would be willing to 
act as their Advocate also? Surely. But the whole world has 
not turned from their sin. They love sin. When you loved 
sin, if that ever was your experience, you were aliens from 
God and he had nothing to do with you. It was after you 
turned from sin that God could deal with you. You drew nigh 
to him and he drew nigh to you, and you were brought into 
the position of a son. 

SATAN-Binding of. 

Q620:3:: QUESTION (1905)--3--Will Satan's binding 
be gradual and extend the full thousand years after 1914? 

ANSWER--That is more than I know. I take it for 
granted, dear friends, that the word Satan, here in Rev. 20, 
is the one referred to and that the chain is a symbolic one, a 
power, a restraining power. "And he laid hold on the dragon, 
that old serpent which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him 
(with a chain Rev 20:1) for a thousand years." 

{PageQ621} 

We might conjecture what influences are represented by the 
chain, etc. To my understanding these terms-devil, serpent, 
satan, etc.,— not only include Satan himself, but all the evil 
institutions as well. It means restraining the evil in general, 
probably by the institution of laws of righteousness. I would 
think it would be after 1914. "When the judgments of the 
Lord are abroad in the earth the inhabitants thereof will learn 
righteousness." As an illustration of how it may be, suppose 
a man tried to pick somebody's pocket; his hand might 
become paralyzed. After a while he might recover the use of 
his hand and then try it again, but with the same result. He 
would soon realize that he had better get into a different 
business. Also if a man were to try to burglarize a store and 
just as he was about to use the key he would go blind. He 
would soon find that the business did not pay as well as it 
used to before 1914. In that time they shall not judge by the 
hearing of the ear, or seeing of the eye; it will be known by 
the mind. 

SATAN-Does He Understand the Plan of God? 

Q621:1:: QUESTION (1908)-l-Does Satan understand the 



Plan of God? If spiritual things are not discerned except 
by the spiritual minded, it looks as if Satan is not 
privileged to understand as much as is the begotten Church. 

ANSWER~We answer, that is so. We have brought 
that to notice in the Dawns and Towers both, that Satan is not 
acquainted with the Divine Plan, except as he can find it out 
from the people of God. And I should not wonder if some of 
his messengers were present now to see what we have on this 
subject. He is very well acquainted with certain features of 
the Plan, but he knows that he does not know the secret of the 
Lord, for "The secret of the Lord is with them that reverence 
him, and he will show them his covenant." We think that 
Satan is shrewd enough to have some general idea as to who 
those are that are in the secret of the Lord, and quite likely 
draws information sometimes from them; but we may be sure 
that he will not be able to get any information that will 
interfere with our great heavenly Father's plan. If the good 
man of the house—or bad man—had known of the hour the 
thief should come, he would have watched and not have 
suffered his house to be broken into, is our Lord's statement; 
and he is here evidently representing Satan as the good man, 
or master of the present institutions, of the present evil world, 
the prince of this world, and had he understood the divine 
plan, he would have tried to make it very difficult for the 
thing to come about in the divine way. But the Lord has such 
a mastery of the whole situation that all the wisdom of the 
worldly wise is foolishness, and also the wisdom of the great 
adversary is foolishness as respects His divine plan or any 
attempt to overthrow the same. 

SATAN-Binding of Re Death. 

Q621:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-If Satan is bound by 
1914, will death end there, and will those that live then 
commence changing physically for the better ? 

ANSWER— I answer, no. The binding of Satan is not 
the giving of health. Satan here merely means that adverse 
influence, putting darkness for light and vice versa. That 
influence will be completely bound as the light of truth 
displaces the darkness. 

{PageQ622} 

But, as for giving health and stopping disease and death, my 
understanding is that it will all be done under God's 
arrangement under the New Covenant, and that that New 
Covenant will be made with the nation of Israel, and that only 



those of a right heart amongst Israel will get blessings from it. 
As Israel will more and more get the blessings, the other 
nations will see their blessings and prosperity and they will 
say: "Let us go up to the mountain of the house of the Lord 
and we will walk in His paths." He is going to make all of 
His blessings go through this New Covenant and through 
Israel, so that all the nations may come in. The prophet said 
of those nations that would not come up to Jerusalem, that 
upon them should come no rain. Whether you use "rain" as 
literal rain or as blessings, we know that He is going to let it 
rain until all the earth is filled ocean deep. These blessings 
are to be with only those who are in harmony with Him, and 
with the New Covenant. Whoever ignores God's arrangement 
suffers for it, and he will not have God's blessing. When they 
see the prosperity of Israel they will all want to join with 
them, and every individual who wants God's blessings will 
come into this New Covenant with Israel, as we read: "I have 
constituted thee a father of many nations." Here the many 
nations will be the children of Abraham. All will have to join 
the natural stock of Israel, just as foreigners who come to this 
country become naturalized when they take out their papers 
of citizenship they are then known as Americans, or citizens 
of the United States. So it will be then, for it will be under 
Israel's New Covenant that all the world will be blessed. I 
remind you of the 16th chapter of Ezekiel, (Eze. 16:20) 
"When I bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom 
and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her 
daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of the captives 
in the midst of them . . . and I will give them unto thee for 
daughters, but not by thy covenant." Not by the Old 
Covenant, "I will make a New Covenant," and they will come 
in under this arrangement. Our Lord is there pointing out the 
restitution blessings. 

SATAN-lmitating Holiness. 

Q622:1 :: QUESTION (1910) 1 Does Satan s 
degradation in sin in any degree hinder him from affecting or 
imitating holiness? 

ANSWER--I would understand that Satan has not 
deteriorated in any physical sense, but has the same power, 
and that all the fallen angels have the same power they always 
had; that there was no death sentence upon them; that they 
have not degenerated as men have. Whatever change has 
come to them has been merely in their own attitude— at least 
they have developed a devilish spirit among them, and we 
suppose to suit their purposes they could simulate 



righteousness. As, for instance, there was a woman came to 
me here at the theater this afternoon and told me that perhaps 
I did not know it, but Christ had come the second time in her 
person, and she had the evidences and proofs of it in her own 
person; that she was possessed by Christ and he was acting 
through her. I tried to tell her she was probably under the 
deception of the Adversary, that he was misrepresenting it to 
be the power of Christ moving in her, but she would not hear 
that at all, she knew what she had. So I would think it quite 
possible for Satan to transform himself into a minister of 
righteousness. The Apostle used these words, they are not 
original with me. I do not have anything original. Mine is all 
copied, and is what I find the Apostles and Jesus said, I hope I 
never shall be original. 

{PageQ623} 

SATAN-Re Impersonating Former Self. 

Q623:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l-To what extent can 
Satan imitate the purity he once possessed as a holy angel? 
ANSWER—When it best suits his purposes. 

SATAN-Re Binding. 

Q623:2:: QUESTION ( 19 ll)--2-Is Satan now bound? 

ANSWER— I do not know. There is a good deal of 
Satanic power still exercised. If he is bound I am sure the 
others are loose. My thought is that there will be a still 
further letting loose of the powers of the air in the near future 
and that probably is what is signified in the Scriptures in the 
statement in Revelation that the four angels upon the four 
points of the compass will be commanded to let loose the 
winds just as soon as the number of elect have been sealed in 
their foreheads. And this will probably signify not merely a 
letting loose of many false doctrines, symbolically 
represented by winds, but also much of this satanic power, 
power of the demons represented by the power of the air of 
which Satan is the prince. 

SATAN-Destruction of. 

0623:3:: QUESTION (191 l)-3-Will Satan be 
destroyed under that Adamic death as an enemy ? 

ANSWER-These that die the second death are not 
counted as enemies at all, Satan or anybody else; that is to 
say, their death. They are enemies but their death is not an 
enemy. Death reigning over them is not an enemy to 
righteousness, it is a friend to righteousness in that case. 



The first death is against us; it is an enemy. 

SATAN-Binding of. 

Q623:4:: QUESTION (1911)--4-Should we understand 
that Satan was bound at the beginning of the seventh 
thousand-year period, namely, in 1874? or should we expect 
that he will be bound in 1915, the end of the Times of the 
Gentiles? 

ANSWER— Well, if Satan personally is bound, there are 
a good many that have his spirit who are still loose—in 
Winnipeg, Brooklyn and other places. I think I would not lay 
too much stress on Satan's having been bound in 1874. If I 
should find out afterwards that he was bound then, I would 
say, "Well, I did not notice it very much." I think 
1 would not worry myself any on that subject. We have 
plenty of evidence of the reign of sin going on, whether Satan 
has suffered any personal defeat or not; I doubt if anybody 
else knows. 

SATAN-Can He Read Our Thoughts? 

Q623:5:: QUESTION (1913)-5-Canyou giveus any 
Scripture confirming or denying that Satan can read the 
thoughts of the heart, or is that a power belonging only to 
God? 

ANSWER— I can think of no Scriptures either 
confirming or denying that proposition. In my own judgment 
the indications of everything in the Scriptures I can think of 
would lead me to conclude that Satan is able to read our 
thoughts, but if he be able to read our thoughts we think there 
is a limitation, and he is not able to inject hiS thoughts. 

{PageQ624} 

We thank God for that. But we do think he is very ready to 
take advantage of any little slip that we may make, or 
opportunity we might give to intrude upon our minds. We do 
know some who have been God's people, who are God's 
people now, who are being intruded upon by evil spirits. 
They, at one time, had something to do with spiritism, and 
every now and again they are approached with further 
suggestions. One sister told me that she used to be a writing 
medium; the power would grip her hand, and if she would 
just yield it would guide her hand and thus write off the 
messages. Any time it indicated it had a message to write she 
would say, "I wonder what the spirits have to say." After she 
found what the spirits really are, that they are not the dead 



wishing to speak to the human beings, but evil spirits, fallen 
angels, she would not have anything to do with them. She 
has come into the Truth, and this is not an exceptional case. 
Another sister had been at one time misled into having a 
planchette and used it with her family, thinking that the 
writing was caused by some electrical power; she never 
thought evil spirits' power had any connection with the 
matter, but merely some electrical energy. She thus got more 
or less acquainted with these things and of late has had a 
second attack of these spirits, coming to her house. They will 
come in—she can hear them come in—and hear footsteps in the 
hall. This happens at a certain hour every day. 

The only effective relief I know is to command them in the 
name of the Lord Jesus to depart. I know of certain cases 
where that has been successful and the friends have been 
relieved. In every case, however, the attack of the spirits was 
directed upon those who had been indiscreet enough to have 
something to do with them before. It seems that once having 
yielded to their power gives them liberty to intrude on future 
occasions. Some people are subject to hearing things which 
others cannot hear. The things they hear are sometimes 
terrible and profane, and at other times the voices will talk to 
them about very nice things. One man told me about how 
God spoke to him; he said I know it is God; He tells me thus 
and so, and how I should pray more. I said, God is not 
speaking to us now in these last days, but has spoken to us 
through His Son and the Apostles, and we have the words of 
Jesus and the Apostles; this is God's Word. Therefore, we 
should not give heed to these voices which are the voices of 
evil spirits. By and by he said. These things do look that 
way; I seem to hear two or three voices all speaking at the 
same time as on a telephone. I told him he should be careful, 
or he would become insane. 

It will not at all surprise me if these evil spirits have much 
more power in the near future, but we need have no fear, for 
"greater is he that is for us than all that be against us." 

In the case of the sister who mentioned hearing spirits come 
every night, she said, "My little boy will say, 'has the ghost 
come in yet?'" Are they not afraid, we asked? "No," she said, 
"they see I am not afraid. The Lord is able to take care of us, 
and the children see I am not afraid of it." 

The world is in ignorance on the matter, and the whole 

{PageQ625} 

world is therefore in a condition to be led captive by Satan at 



his will. 

SATAN-ls Satan a Mind-Reader? 

Q625:1 :: QUESTION (1915)--l-Is there any Scripture 
telling us that Satan can read our thoughts? 

ANSWER— We do not know of any Scripture which 
tells us this. We do not know that any such Scripture should 
be in the Bible. The Bible does not tell us everything of that 
kind, dear brethren. But we have good reason for thinking 
that Satan can read our thoughts. Your own experiences lead 
you to think that he has often read your thoughts (laughter), 
and we think it is just as well to imagine that he can, and then 
see that they are the kind of thoughts he wouldn't like 
(laughter). 

SATAN-Re Binding. 

Q625:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-2-Is Satan being bound 
now? If so, by what agencies? How is he to be loosed at the 
close of the Millennial Age ? 

ANSWER-I think that Satan is being bound. It would 
not look well to be too dogmatic on such a figurative 
expression; but as I look over the world, I see that those 
things mentioned in the Bible as emanating from Satan, the 
Adversary of God and Truth, are being bound every day. For 
instance, Satan's influence in the liquor traffic is being bound. 
I am glad to see this. Some take a different view, but I think 
that they are taking the wrong view. Some think that we are 
opposed to the temperance movement because we do not go 
into it; but we are in sympathy with everything that is good. 
The reason why I am not going into it is that I think the Lord 
has something more important for me to do. But this does not 
mean that I am opposed to that movement. We ought to have 
sympathy with everything in the way of reform in earth. 
Everything that will help others in any way we ought to be in 
sympathy with. 

For myself, I feel like going right out and having a share in 
all these good works; but the Lord has given me plenty to do 
without them~so much so that I have no time for anything 
beyond the commission which He has given me for the 
Household of Faith, and not for the world. My commission 
keeps me busy. This present Age is the time which He has 
devoted to the Church. We ought to be in sympathy with 
every good work of men, and to forbid no good work, but to 
be glad that people are doing good. I may be sorry that they 
are not doing it in the right way; but still I am in sympathy 
with the motive, with the intention. We should not hinder any 



good work; but as the Scriptures say, "We ought to do good 
unto all men as we have opportunity, especially unto the 
Household of Faith." 

Satan's influence, as I understand it, is being bound through 
this prohibition movement, through other similar movements 
and through everything which tends to enlighten the minds of 
men and give them a better understanding of conditions. I 
think that certain things will shortly be revealed in Europe 
concerning those governments which claim to be the 
Kingdoms of Christ, and, as the people's eyes become opened 
to the Truth on this and kindred subjects, the chains of 
ignorance and error will be broken. Satan's influence comes 
largely through error, and is maintained through vari- 

{PageQ626} 

various instrumentalities. He is being bound in proportion as 
the Truth becomes known; for thus his liberties are restrained. 

This binding process must go on to a considerable extent 
before the great Time of Trouble shall come. The Strong 
Man of the House must be bound before his goods can be 
spoiled. All the present institutions of the world are Satan's 
goods and arrangements. These will be spoiled in the great 
time of anarchy which will make ready for the establishment 
of the Kingdom of Messiah. Before anarchy comes Satan 
must be bound. How will it come then, if he be bound? The 
collapse of Babylon will indicate that Satan has been quite 
fully bound. He is working very hard with ecclesiastical 
systems and false doctrines. Their collapse will mean his 
binding. 

When will this be? Not right away. It is identified with 
the smiting of the river Jordan; but before the river will be 
smitten the war will come to an end. After the war, the 
church systems will have a great deal of prosperity for a 
while. The depleted kingdoms of the earth will feel the need 
of these denominational supports, and they will get it. The 
preachers are now working to get men to go to the front. In 
Great Britain and Australia, ministers of the Gospel of Christ, 
go out and do recruiting. They are doing what they can to 
encourage and aid the war. Sometimes they even preach in 
their pulpits with their uniforms on. The governments like 
this. 

The church and the state are getting pretty well welded 
together. They depend upon each other, and will get pretty 
closely united in the time of need. Then these nominal 
churches will become quite prominent, and churchianity will 



be given great power. At that time one who does not go in 
with them will be considered an anarchist. They will inquire, 
"Why do you not get into the ranks as others do?" and their 
conclusion will be, "Oh, you are an anarchist!" Then they 
will be disposed to look with disfavor upon every one who 
will not go in with the general run, and will be inclined to 
regard him as an enemy. As the education of the people 
along the lines of Truth increases, the people will see the 
Truth more and more. Consequently, and eventually, there 
will come a division of the people and the fall of great 
Babylon. The people will come to see that it represents mere 
morality, not real Christianity. One can see this going on 
now in the world, to some extent. 

Real Christianity is not being rightly appreciated except by 
a few. But through the spread of the Truth and the 
consequent division of the waters, churchianity will collapse. 
A little later on we may expect a separation of the two classes 
in the church. This will mean persecution. Then the Great 
Company, not willing to share the persecution, will, because 
of it, fall away; but the Little Flock Class will not be ashamed 
of persecution. After the Church has thus been separated by 
persecution, then the Little Flock will, by and by, be taken 
away entirely by the whirlwind. They will thus be taken into 
Heaven. It might be through anarchy about the time when 
Great Babylon will collapse. The division of the people will 
come first, followed by the persecution of the Church. Then 
comes the fall of Babylon, after which the great anarchy and 
trouble will come on the world. Babylon will fall before the 
kingdoms will fall; for in the Book of 

{PageQ627} 

Revelation we read that the kings of the earth will stand afar 
off when they behold Babylon fall, and see the smoke of her 
burning. That means that they will not come in to help her. 
They will perceive that the masses of the people have turned 
against churchianity. At that time, no doubt, the people will 
be in such a humor they will be glad to get rid of us also. 
Shortly after Babylon goes down, the great conflagration will 
reach the whole world.~Rev. 18:1-20. 

SATAN.-Binding Of. 

Q627:1 :: QUESTION (1916)--l--How will Satan be 

bound a thousand years? 

ANSWER~Not with handcuffs. Just how, we do not 
know. The great and important thought is that he shall be 



bound. Whether this shall be accomplished by the Word or 
by some other power, let us not worry about that! The Word 
says that he will be bound for a thousand years. That is 
enough. If the Lord had cared to give us more information on 
this point He would have done so, and we are therefore 
content with what we have. I suppose as the light increases 
the prince of darkness will thus be restrained of his liberties. 
I do not give this out as an interpretation. The Bible does not 
tell us how this will be accomplished and therefore it is 
enough for us to know that it is written "Satan shall be bound 
for a thousand years." 

SATAN'S EMPIRE AND VIALS OF WRATH-Re Now in Operation. 

Q627:2:: QUESTION (1916)--2-Are the vials of wrath 
of Rev. 16 now being poured out? And is Satan's Empire 
now in process of destruction ? 

ANSWER—There are two questions. We will take the 
last one first. I think Satan's Empire is in process of 
destruction. I think that every ray of light that shines out on 
any subject to that extent is Satan's empire every moment, 
being broken. I see in the great wave of prohibition a certain 
breaking of the power of Satan that I rejoice in. I see this also 
in the light of truth going forth from the Divine Plan that we 
are all engaged in, shining forth to all who have hearing ears. 
I believe that this is not only affecting God's people, but I 
think worldly people are beginning to see things, as well. 
Worldly people frequently meet me on the street and tell me 
that they understand a great deal. We do not expect them to 
understand the deep things because the natural mind receiveth 
not the things of the spirit of God, neither can he know them 
because they are spiritually discerned. But they can 
understand a great deal. They can see where they were in 
darkness and error before. In Duluth at the close of the public 
meeting one man came to me and said, "I have enjoyed this 
night very much," and that is a great deal for a Roman 
Catholic to say. He was beginning to see some light upon 
things which had been dark heretofore; and so also the 
Presbyterians or Methodists will sometimes say to me, "I am 
with you so far as the shackles of ignorance and superstition 
are concerned." So Satan's empire is being shaken, but it has 
not gone yet. Satan is not by any means dead or bound, 
though. 

About the vials of wrath: I have not yet read the seventh 
volume of Studies in the Scriptures, and therefore have 
nothing to say about that. 



{PageQ628} 

SAVED--Re 144,000. 

Q628:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--"AndIheardthe 
number of them which were sealed, and there were sealed 
144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel." Does this 
mean that that is all there will be saved? 

ANSWER-No, there are some to be saved that are not 
sealed. To our understanding, that 144,000 exactly 
corresponds to this man we have just had in a previous 
question.* God is raising up the great man, this anti-type of 
Moses, or has been in the process of raising him up—or, in 
other words, this 144,000, the spiritual seed of Abraham, of 
whom the Apostle Paul says, "If ye be Christ's, then are ye 
Abraham's seed and heirs, according to the promise" -- these 
are the seed of Abraham that will be as the stars of heaven in 
contrast with the earthly seed of Abraham which will be as 
the sand of the sea shore, and which eventually will include 
all nations, peoples, kindred's and tongues; as it is written of 
Abraham, "I have constituted thee a father of many nations"-- 
not merely father of the Jewish nation, but father of many 
nations. So all the nations eventually to be saved will come 
in under Israel's New Covenant, and all become children of 
Abraham through faith and through obedience. But now in 
the mean time, and before that blessing comes to Israel in the 
flesh, and before it comes through Israel in the flesh to all the 
other nations, God is first gathering out this spiritual class, 
this 144,000. And so you will find in the book of Revelation, 
this 144,000 is said to have been gathered or sealed, out of the 
twelve tribes of Israel— 12,000 out of each tribe sealed. That 
is to say, God planned the entire matter as though he would 
get the whole number of Abraham's spiritual seed out of the 
twelve tribes of Israel-he planned it on that basis. Then he 
proceed to get just as many of the children of Israel according 
to the flesh as were worthy of a place in that spiritual class, to 
bring to that sealed class, sealed of the Holy Spirit. We 
know, for instance, this much about the matter, that Jesus 
during his ministry, gathered some 500 brethren, as Saint Paul 
calls them. We know also on the day of Pentecost there were 
several thousand more that were indicated as being worthy, 
and that were sealed, and then later on several thousand more 
of Jews. And then we know that the work of the ministry was 
consigned to the Jewish nation exclusively for three and a 
half years after the death of Jesus. And then after that again 
they had the same opportunity with the Gentiles exactly, and 
a better opportunity than the Gentiles, as far as the conditions 



were concerned, for the remainder of the Jewish age, and up 
to the time that the city of Jerusalem was destroyed in the 
year 70. Now in all of that time then, God was finding literal 
Jews belonging to the twelve tribes, some of them belonging 
to Asher—those that were in Palestine represented the twelve 
tribes, though mostly they were of the tribe of Judah, and the 
tribe of Benjamin, and the tribe of Levi—those were the 
principal ones, but there were others of different tribes, as the 
Scriptures remark, and all the twelve tribes were represented 
there and some in the outlying districts in Asia Minor, and 
also in Greece and Rome, and to all of these, wherever 
*Question 1, page 531. 

{PageQ629} 

the apostles went, as, for instance, when they went first to 

Rome, Saint Paul first called for the Jews of the synagogue 

and explained to them the situation, and gave them still the 

first opportunity and said it was necessary, it was appropriate, 

that the Gospel should be first preached to you. That was 

God's program; He was going to get from amongst the Jews 

as many belonging to those various tribes as could be 

found—and then what? Suppose now we had twelve bushel measures 

here which would each hold twelve thousand peas; and here 

is one measure representing the tribe of Judah, another 

measure representing the tribe of Benjamin, and another the 

tribe of Issachar, Asher, Zebulon, etc., and some of them have 

more and some of them have less peas in them, but all of 

them have peas in them in varying amounts. Now when all of 

the Jews who were fit for this place of being the spiritual seed 

of Abraham were gathered and sealed, then the Gospel 

message went to the Gentiles. What for? To fill up the 

measure of these twelve tribes. What tribe do I belong to? I 

suppose, I hope, I belong to one of those measures, and I hope 

you belong to another, or to the same; but whatever one it will 

be, it will be one needing more to fill it up. As, for instance, 

just the same as the United States government has certain 

troops in the Philippine Islands, and suppose there was the 

97th Regiment of New York there, and certain other 

regiments from Missouri were there, and another regiment 

from Pennsylvania, and another from Maryland, and those 

different regiments had their regular names; but suppose for 

some reason, either by sickness or discharge or what not, 

these regiments were depleted in number, so they were not up 

to the normal standard of a thousand men, or whatever 

constitutes a regiment, and the government would say, "Fill 



up all those regiments." They might start a recruiting office 
here in St. Louis, and the men that would be recruited in St. 
Louis might go to fill up a New York regiment, or a 
Pennsylvania regiment, as the case might be. Now just so 
God is filling up this number. He started the whole thing on 
the basis of Israel first, and these various tribes of Israel 
were counted as having so many apportioned to each, and when 
they got as many as were fit and ready to be sealed in this 
way, then they were filled up from amongst Gentiles. So the 
Apostle Paul, in Rom. 1 1 says, you remember, that when the 
fullness of the Gentiles be come in, then the blindness shall 
be turned away from Israel. As soon as God shall have a 
sufficient number to fill up this 144,000 all the work of this 
Gospel age will terminate quickly. It will all be at an end, 
because the spiritual seed of Abraham will be complete and 
there will never be another one added to it; there will neither 
be one short nor one too many; and just as soon as that is 
accomplished, then would come, you see, the glorification of 
this 144,000 as the spiritual kingdom and then would come 
the blessing of natural Israel! as Saint Paul says, "All Israel 
shall be blessed, all Israel shall be saved, all Israel shall be 
brought back into divine favor, and harmony, and through 
Israel, then, the blessing shall extend to all the nations, for the 
due time for scattering the blessings of God amongst mankind 
will have come; the time will have come for the blessing of 
all the families of the earth through natural Israel," under this 
superior and spiritual Israel, the 144,000. 

{PageQ630} 

And that 144,000 are composed of those who have been Jews, 
English, Irish, Welsh, and all others. So then instead of this 
144,000 being the end, or completion of the matter, dear 
friends, it is only the beginning of God's salvation. This is the 
special salvation, this is the elect class, this is the Messianic 
class of which Jesus is the head--and it merely means a 
beginning. Following that will go out a general salvation for 
mankind at large. But these are saved to the heavenly 
conditions while mankind at large are to have the offer and 
opportunity of salvation in the flesh, coming to human 
perfection and to everlasting life as human beings and to a 
full restored earthly dominion-all that was lost in Eden to be 
restored through that great Messiah. 

SAVIOR-Jesus a Complete Savior. 

Q630:1:: QUESTION (191 l)-l-Could Christ be a full 



and complete Savior if anything was required of man in either 
the heavenly or the earthly salvation ? 

ANSWER~Why certainly he could be a complete 
Savior. Suppose now there were ten men here drowning in the 
water, and suppose I had life buoys with ropes on them, and 
threw them in and said, "See that? Catch hold of that and I 
will pull you up ! Catch hold! Catch hold!" They were all 
there invited to catch hold and they would be pulled up. Now 
then if one rejects this means of salvation after he knows what 
it is, and has heard what was said, knows he is able to grasp 
the rope, and has hands to catch it with, has all the power to 
get hold of it and come up out of the water, if he rejects it, the 
person that has done this work has nevertheless been the 
Savior of all those persons. He has recovered them all, 
because if after they were thus saved in the sense of salvation 
or recovery being cast to them, they then willfully rejected it, 
it is just as though they had jumped in the water after they 
were on top again. 

SCAPEGOAT-Representing a Spirit-Begotten Class. 

Q630:2:: QUESTION (1907)-2-Since the scapegoat 
was not accepted for sacrifice, and did not enter the Holy, 
could it represent a spirit-begotten class? 

ANSWER--The bullock did not go into the Holy or the 
Most Holy, nor did the Lord's goat; and similarly the 
scapegoat did not go into the Holy or the Most Holy. If the 
fact that the scapegoat did not go into the Holy and the Most 
Holy were to be considered a proof that the class represented 
by the scapegoat was not to be spirit-begotten, the same 
argument would hold against those who are of the Lord's goat 
class, and the same argument would hold against our Lord 
Himself, represented by the bullock. It was the blood that 
was to be taken in, and that was all. Those who are 
represented by the scapegoat are represented for the time 
being in the body of the High Priest, as for instance, Jesus the 
High Priest first of all, in His first offering of the blood of the 
bullock, as the High Priest represented himself in taking the 
blood in himself individually. You and I were not in that at 
all. He went into the Most Holy on our behalf, and made 
reconciliation for our sins. Then he came out and offered the 
goat of the sin-offering, the Lord's goat, and took of the blood 
of it. Now then, he was representing in that goat, you see, the 
members of his body, and he went in with the blood of that 
goat. But the goat itself was represented in the priest. The 
bullock was represented in the 



{PageQ631} 

priest and now similarly the goat is represented in the priest, 
and he makes the offering there. The scapegoat class are for 
the time being represented in the body of the High Priest. 
That is to say, when they made their consecration, they were 
counted as members of the Body of Christ, for the time being, 
and it was only after they failed to continue in His way, failed 
to go on and complete their sacrifice, that they were 
eliminated and no longer counted as members of the Body of 
Christ, but thereby becoming a secondary company, or a 
company not found worthy of places in the Body of Christ. 

scapegoat-How Represent the Spirit-Begotten? 

Q631 :1 :: QUESTION (1912) 1 How can the 
Scapegoat, not having the light of the Golden Candlestick 
represent the Great Company, which is spirit-begotten? 

ANSWER~The Scapegoat did not get the light, because 
it did not get into the Holy. Neither did the Lord's goat, nor 
the bullock. 

It is not everybody, apparently, that can understand these 
types. If you are one of these, don't worry about it, for you 
have plenty that you can understand, and thank God for. The 
Lord's goat outside represented one class, and the Scapegoat 
represented another class, and the Bullock represented the 
Lord Jesus. In the Court condition, the Bullock represented 
Jesus, when He was in that condition; the Lord's Goat 
represented one class of His followers when they were in this 
Court condition, and the Scapegoat represented another class 
of the consecrated when they were in the Court condition— 

not after they passed into the Holy. No goat or buiiock 

ever went into the Holy. All who enter the antitypical Holy 
become members of the High Priest. When the bullock was 
slain the change took place. Outside the curtain the High 
Priest was symbolized by the bullock; inside he was the High 
Priest. 

Also with the Lord's goat—outside it represented the human 
nature of those accepted as members of Christ; but inside it 
represented the Body of Christ, spiritual, the Church. So it is 
the Priest inside the vail that sees the light from the golden 
candlestick, eats the shew bread—not the bullock nor the goat. 

The question before the mind of the questioner, I presume, 
is this: Could those who have ever gone into the Holy get out 
again? And the answer is this: That so far as you and I are 
concerned, all that you and I know about the matter, is that 
every person who makes a consecration enters into the Holy 



and becomes a member of the Body of Christ, which, is the 
Church. 

Suppose twelve hundred persons were here. Suppose all, 
had consecrated themselves to the Lord, and had been 
begotten by the Holy Spirit. Where would they be 
represented in this Tabernacle type? I answer. They would be 
represented inside, not outside the Holy. They went inside, 
for they were begotten in the one hope of their calling. Those 
in the Holy become two classes. They all see more or less of 
the light, eat more or less of the shew-bread, and more or less 
approach and appreciate the Golden Altar. But one class 
approaches and eats in a way that the other class does not. 
One class appreciates the light and uses it more 

{PageQ632} 

thoroughly than the other. One class goes more particularly 
to the Altar of Incense. 

Those who fail to avail themselves of these privileges will 
not go on into the Most Holy. Only the Christ Head and 
Body will constitute the Great Priest in glory beyond the 
Second Vail. 

What will happen to those failing to make their calling and 
election sure? In the end of this age their portion will be 
assigned in the Court condition—but they are not in the Court 
condition now. The holy represents all those who have made 
acceptable consecration. All the worthy will eventually pass 
beyond, into the Most Holy. Those who fail to make their 
calling and election sure, though still spiritual, will be 
remanded to the Court condition, justified fully with God, but 
on a different plane from those fulfilling their covenant of 
sacrifice-followers in the footsteps of Jesus. 

The Great Company, antitypically Levites will be the 
servants of the Royal Priesthood. Although on the Spirit 
plane and having no inheritance in the land— no part or lot 
with humanity— nevertheless, they will have to do with the 
earth in their spiritual service. 

Whilst the work of restitution will be in progress for a 
thousand years and mankind will be gradually nearing 
perfection, these antitypical Levites will have an important 
service to render to men. In order that nothing may hurt, 
injure or destroy in all that holy Kingdom a great Company of 
spiritual guardians will be required. Their work will no doubt 
correspond to the service now rendered by the angels to the 
Elect Church. "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth 
to minister unto them that shall be heirs of salvation?" 



scapegoat-No Part of Sin offering. 

Q632:1 :: QUESTION (1915)--l--Does the scapegoat 
have any part in the Sin-offering? 

ANSWER— The scapegoat has no part. The scapegoat 
was not offered at all. It failed to be offered. Two goats were 
presented as offerings, but the lot fell only on the Lord's goat, 
and that one was the sin-offering. So we have the bullock and 
the one goat for the sin-offering, and the other goat was not 
sacrificed at all. Hence it could not be a sin-offering 
(Lev. 16:7-10). But in God's economy this scapegoat class will 
have a secondary part in the expiation of sin by having their 
sufferings applied as atonement, or expiation, for certain 
willful sins of the world—not Adamic sin. 

SCIENCE-Re Wild Statements. 

Q632:1:: QUESTION (191 l)-2-Do you know that the 
science of geology and archaeology, prove absolutely and 
conclusively that this earth is not only six thousand years old, 
but millions of years old; that man's remains have been 
traced back even beyond the glacial period, which is not less 
than one hundred and fifty thousand years, and that animal 
life can be traced back through all periods of time? 

ANSWER— I do not know anything of the kind, and I do 
not believe anything of the kind. I know that some gentlemen 
are in the habit of taking a little hammer, and knocking a 
corner off of a rock, and then spitting on the ground two or 
three times without saying anything, but looking wise, and 
guessing several large guesses. The one who guesses the 

{PageQ633} 

largest is the biggest professor. That is the science some 
people are following, and the apostle Paul speaks of such as 
"Science falsely so called." That is just what I think it is, 
too. Science has some basis, not mere guess work. One man 
might have better opportunities of guessing on a subject than 
another, yet at the same time a guess is not to be set down as 
scientific truth. We know, for instance, that we are able to 
make stone in a very few hours; we are making it every day in 
concrete work, it is being done all over the world. It was 
supposed at one time that stone could not be made except in a 
long period of time; that it would require millions of years. 
Now we can make it ourselves in a few hours. And those 
various theories respecting man and his period of time on the 
earth, I think are not well gauged. 



We have set forth in the chapter I refer to in the sixth 
volume of Scrjpture Studies, our thought, which we believe 
to be the Scriptural one, that each of these ages of creation are 
periods of seven thousand years, and that the whole period of 
creation up to the time of man was six periods, or days, of 
seven thousand years each, or 42,000 years; and we have had 
six thousand years more of the seventh day period. Man was 
created in the beginning of the seventh day, and we have been 
in this period for six thousand years, and another thousand 
years remains to complete the seventh, and then we will have 
a complete cycle of seven times seven thousand years, 
forty-nine thousand years from the beginning of the creative 
work, and bringing us to the grand jubilee of fifty thousand 
years in the period of the world's history. In speaking of 
these creative days, let us remember that the Bible does not 
pretend to tell what condition the world was in when this 
creative period began. In Genesis we are not told when God 
began to make the earth; we are simply told that "the earth 
was," but we are not told how long it was, and we have no 
guess on the subject; but we are told that the earth was, and 
that it was without form, void, and darkness was on the face 
of the earth, and God began to order the earth or bring it into 
condition for man. Now, we are not to know any more than 
that. There was no man on the earth before that, and no beast 
before that, but there was a planet here; but how long it had 
been a planet we do not know. 

SCIENCE-Re Moses and Pentateuch. 

Q633:1:: QUESTION (1911)1 Do younotknowas 
a historical fact that Moses lived in an age at least five 
hundred years before the Pentateuch was compiled, or that 
writing, except in Egyptian hieroglyphics, was unknown, and 
that it would have been a physical impossibility for him to 
have written it? Is it not a fact that Ezra, and perhaps 
Nehemiah, are responsible for all the writings attributed to 
Moses? 

ANSWER~I think not. I do not know the writer of the 
question, but I prefer to take some better authority. Jesus 
said, "Moses wrote of me." I prefer to take Jesus. I have not 
had anything to disprove it to my mind yet. I am not ready to 
throw away my Bible; it is getting better to me every day. 

SCRIPTURE STUDIES-Laws Prohibiting Sale of. 

Q633:1:: QUESTION (1909)--2-If laws are passed to 
prohibit the sale of Scripture Studies, shall we continue to sell 
them? 



{PageQ634} 

ANSWER~It is time to cross the bridge and worry 
when we get to it. Our Lord said, "Be careful for nothing, but 
in everything give thanks." Give thanks that you have an 
opportunity now and do not worry about tomorrow or next 
year. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Sufficient 
also is the guidance of the Lord, and we are to wait and watch 
for it. 

SCRIPTURE STUDIES-Why Is Author's Name Omitted? 

Q634:1:: QUESTION (1913) 1 --We are sometimes 
asked why the author's name is not given in the Studies of the 
Scriptures. We are assured in our own mind that your reason 
is a good one, but we would like to have a definite personal 
answer from yourself to give to all enquirers. 

ANSWER—Well, a number of reasons could be 
assigned and any one of them be true enough. I do not know 
of any particular reason why the name might not appear there; 
I do not know whether it would be to advantage or not. The 
"Studies in the Scriptures" are given forth not merely as 
representing something of a personal kind, but something as 
representing teaching, and the teaching is supposed to stand 
on its own basis by the reference to the Bible, rather than 
upon the authority, or word, or name of any individual. The 
book is really less sectarian, if we wish to use that expression, 
by reason of not having the name, but I could not have any 
particular objection, and if anyone would like the name, 
kindly write it in for them. 

SEALING-With Holy Spirit. 

0634:2:: OUESTION (1909)-2- When are we sealed 
with the Holy Spirit? 

ANSWER— My thought is this, as expressed in the 
Dawn Scripture Studies, that at the time of our consecration, 
if that consecration be accepted of the Lord, we are begotten 
of the Holy Spirit, and this begetting work may progress more 
or less slowly, and that the sealing condition would come at 
the time when we would say we were quickened, and that the 
quickening condition would be at the time when we have 
come into harmony with the arrangements of the Lord, so as 
to see that the law of this new life is the law of love, and have 
come to the place where we have nothing in our hearts against 
God, the brethren, our neighbors, our enemies if we have had 
any, or against any one in the world, and we have come to 



love God with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves. 
From that time we are quickened and our life begins to 
manifest itself in what we say and do. To my understanding 
the sealing very considerably corresponds to the quickening, 
and is not an instantaneous work, but is a gradual or 
progressive work. When your heart has become tender 
toward the Lord, the Holy Spirit begins to impress upon you 
the character likeness of God, and that is the sealing of the 
Holy Spirit. It has fire, of course, and pressure, and becomes 
more and more effective, and continues all through your 
lifetime, and you are not to get rid of it, but obtain the full 
character likeness. 

SECOND advent-How our Lord Knew About Raising the Churcli 
on Tliird Day? 

Q634:3:: QUESTION (1908)--3--If our Lord knew not of the time 

{PageQ635} 

of his second advent, how could he refer to raising the 
Church on the third day? 

ANSWER~If the Apostles sometimes spoke by the 
spirit of prophecy, as well as the prophets of the Old 
Testament, I know of no reason why our Lord Jesus might not 
similarly have spoken by the spirit of prophecy. We have to 
take His own word for it. He says He will raise it up on the 
third day. We know that He did not raise up the Church, the 
Temple of His Body, on the third literal day, nor did He raise 
it upon any third day we know of, except the third day of this 
great dispensational period, in which the world's history is 
divided, six of which have already passed and in the seventh 
of which we are now living ~ the fifth in which He was 
speaking, and the seventh would be the third therefore from 
his standpoint of time--on the third day He would raise it up. 
That is the only interpretation we know how to apply to His 
word. How much of His words were prophetical I do not 
know, or to what extent He was speaking prophetically I do 
not know, but we do know He Himself said respecting the 
day and hour of His second coming that no man knoweth, 
neither the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father 
only. We would be obliged to suppose that our Lord either 
spoke prophetically about the third day, or else he would 
know of it as the third day, the three thousand year period, 
but did not know what day and hour in that three thousand 
year period He would be present and the work begin. 



SECOND advent-How Related to Wedding Feast? 

Q635:1 :: QUESTION (1908)--l--"And ye yourselves 
like unto men that wait for their Lord, when He will return 
from the wedding; that when He cometh and knocketh they 
may open unto Him immiediately." (Luke 12:36.) It seems 
evident from the text that our Lord is to return to the "little 
flock" from the wedding feast; so our Lord emphasizes that 
attitude on the part of the "little flock" when He returns from 
preparing the feast. "I go to prepare a place." So would 
this text indicate a return from an actual wedding to those 
who follow after,~the foolish virgins? 

ANSWER— I answer, neither. To my understanding, the 
Lord merely meant this: My disciples, you are aware that in 
any well regulated household the servants are always 
expected to do their duty, but you well know that there is one 
time, one particular season, in which more is expected of 
them than at any other time, and such an occasion is when the 
master of the house has wedded, and is about to bring in the 
bride. You know that is the time when the servants, above all 
other times, are expected to be faithful and obedient, and be 
awake, ready, and attentive. Now, let that illustrate to you the 
attitude all of my disciples should be in ~ just like men who 
wait for their master with a bride returning from the nuptial 
feast, that they may open to him immediately. Now it does 
not mean that he will come to us from the nuptial feast, or 
that He will come to the great company from the nuptial feast, 
but we are to be in that prompt attitude that the very first 
indication of the Lord's presence will be heard by us; that we 
will be on the alert, as it were. And so, you remember, the 
next verse of the parable says—proving that it belongs to us at 
the present time,— "Blessed are those servants whom the Lord 
when He 

{PageQ636} 

cometh shall find watching; verily I say unto you that He 
shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and 
will come forth and serve them." We have had this fulfilled 
with us, dear friends. To such as were on the alert to hear the 
knock of the divine word, the testimony of God as to the 
presence of our Lord, and opened their hearts immediately, 
and were in the right attitude to receive the Lord, He did 
come, and He has been feeding us, and bringing forth things 
new and old, and causing us to rejoice greatly. 

SECOND COMING-Re Wedding and Watchers. 



Q636:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--"And ye yourselves, 
be ye like unto men who wait for their Lord when he returns 
from the wedding." Does not this seem to teach that when our 
Lord would return the wedding would already have taken 
place? 

ANSWER— It might seem to teach that from some view 
point, but not from the proper viewpoint, which is this: 
A man who is an householder and has servants, would expect 
from them very special attention on the night of his marriage, 
when he was bringing home his wife. This night above all, 
then, they should be very much alert. This is, I think, the 
thought the Lord wanted to present. You know how alert 
they should be on such a night? Yes. Well, be ye so alert, so 
attentive, that when the knock is heard, there will be no delay, 
don't wait to wake up then, but be awake. That, I think, 
applies to us as the Church living in this particular time. We 
are expecting the Bridegroom to come and he is about to 
receive his Bride, and we are to be like those servants, to hear 
the first intimation that the Master has arrived. 

SECOND COMING-Present or Future? 

Q636:1:: QUESTION (1911)-2-In the twenty-fourth 
chapter of Matthew, Christ tells his disciples of many signs 
of his second coming, and in the thirty-fourth verse, says, 
"This generation shall not pass till all these things be 
fulfilled." How is this statement reconciled with the belief 
that his second coming has not yet occurred? 

ANSWER-A full answer of this will be found in the 
fourth volume of Scripture Studies. If my memory serves me 
right, there are about eighty pages on that one subject, and 
anyone interested would do well to read it very carefully. 
Briefly answering the question as it is here, we would say that 
Jesus in the narative carries the mind of his hearers down 
from the day in which they were to the time when these 
things will happen, and when these will happen, and these, 
and so on, pointing clear down to the end of the age, and then 
indicating that the generation that would see these signs down 
in the end of the age would not have fully passed away before 
the consumation of this age. Not the generation he was 
talking to, surely, but the generation respecting which he was 
talking, the generation that would see these signs when they 
would be fulfilled—that generation would not pass away, it 
would not be a long enough time to be more than a generation 
from the time certain things would be seen until the full 
consumation of the age. 



SECOND COMING OF CHRIST-"He Shall Come Forth and Bless the 
People." 

Q636:3:: QUESTION (1915-Z)-3--Unto them that look 

{PageQ637} 

for Him shall He appear the second time." Who are these 
who will look for our Lord? 

ANSWER--The Apostle is here (Heb. 9:28) tracing 
the work of Christ as the great High Priest. He represents our 
Lord as having offered the Sin-offering, on the Day of 
Atonement, in its two parts—the bullock and the goat ~ and as 
being now in the Most Holy. When He has accomplished His 
work. He will appear the second time -- not to repeat any of 
the offerings of the Gospel Age, not as a Sin-offering—but He 
shall appear UntO SalvatJOn, to all those who look for Him. 
We can see that His words might apply to the Church. 
They win know of His second appearance. They will have 
an appreciation of that fact before He will be revealed to the 
world. He will appear to them that lOOkfor HIlTI. 

But we are to remember that our Lord's going into the Most 
Holy at the close of the antitypical Day of Atonement with 
the blood of the Lord's goat class, would indicate the death of 
that goat. The under priests will be with Him, as members of 
Himself. Then He shall come forth the second time, after this 
second presentation of the blood, not to offer a sacrifice-for 
the sacrificing will all be finished -but to bleSS the people. 

Who then are these who look for Him and to whom He will 
appear the second time, unto salvation? We answer that in 
the Time of Trouble, and subsequently, the whole world will 
begin to look for the Deliverer. All nations will be desiring 
Him - not as a Sin-offering again, but for their salvation. As 
mankind will get their eyes open to their need of salvation, 
they will be looking for this deliverance by The Christ in 
glory. They will never see Him with their natural eyes. But 
they will look for Him in the same sense that we now see 
Jesus — they will see Him with the eye of faith. 

THEY SHALL "FALL UPON THEIR FACES." 

At that time many nations shall say, "Come, let us go up to 
the Mountain of the Lord's House. He will show us of His 
ways, and we will walk in His paths." (Isa. 2:3.) Another 
Scripture assures us that, when He shall appear, we also, the 
Bride class, shall appear with Him in glory. It is after the 
sacrificing is all finished and the Church glorified that He 
comes forth the second time unto salvation, saving and 



blessing all the people. The high priest in the type did not 
return into the Most Holy again, but lifted up his hands and 
blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared 
unto all the people, and the people gave a great shout and fell 
upon their faces. (Lev. 9:23,24.) So the people of the 
world will prostrate themselves before the great Messiah. 
And this will be the work of Christ during the thousand 
years— uplifting mankind and giving them the benefit of the 
Atonement Sacrifice. 

SECOND COMING-Bank of Fog. 

Q637:1:: QUESTION (1916)-l-If Christ came, where 
is He, and who is He? 

ANSWER—That questioner had a bank of fog in his 
mind. It will take him about a month's reading to get even a 
glimpse of this subject. I could hardly hope to make an 
indenture now, and so will not try. 

SECOND DEATH-Jesus' Failure to Sacrifice and the Second Death. 

Q637:2:: QUESTION (1905)--2-If Jesus had not presented his 
human life would he have gone into second death? 

{PageQ638} 

ANSWER— It would depend upon what time this 
question would apply. If Jesus at thirty years of age had said 
to Himself, I will not sacrifice my life, I will live strictly in 
accordance with the divine law, I understand that he could 
have maintained his life. Nothing in God's law would have 
demanded his life. But at thirty years of age, he made a 
consecration and gave up everything earthly. After he made 
that covenant with God, for him then to have drawn back 
would have been sin and would have meant second death. 

SECOND DEATH-What Constitutes Sin Unto? 

Q638:1:: QUESTION (1908)-1-What constitutes the 
sin unto death? Prior to the Millennial Kingdom is it possible 
for any except the spirit-begotten to commit the sin unto 
death? 

ANSWER— We answer that sin unto death is a sin 
against light and knowledge. No man can sin the sin unto 
death unless he has knowledge. It is not a sin of ignorance; it 
is a wilful, intentional sin against light, and therefore is called 
sin against the Holy Spirit, sin against the Spirit of Truth. 
Now then, is it possible for any except the spirit-begotten to 
commit the sin unto death? I answer that only those who 



have been begotten of the Holy Spirit have a knowledge of 
the deep things of God, and therefore only these have the 
responsibility of that great knowledge; that the world in 
general, not having been begotten of the Holy Spirit, and not 
having a knowledge of the deep things of God, and not 
grasping the truth of God, clearly are not responsible to that 
extent. The responsibilities are with you and me because we 
have tasted and know, therefore we are responsible and we 
could sin the sin unto death, whereas the world could not so 
sin. Well now, a question: How much knowledge is 
necessary before we could commit this sin unto death? I 
answer, to my understanding it would not require a great deal 
of knowledge. The Apostle says that if we sin wilfully after 
we have received a knowledge of the truth. What kind of truth 
did he mean? Did he mean knowledge that we had come to 
as to the end of chronology? Oh no, for then all of those who 
went before us would not have had knowledge enough to go 
into the second death, because they did not know much about 
chronology. Does it mean those who understand about the 
parallel dispensations? No, because plenty of people never 
knew anything about the parallel dispensations. Does it mean 
only those who know about the Jubilee? No, for plenty of 
Christians lived and died without knowing about the Jubilee,- 
-as in our Apostles' day, for instance. What does it mean 
then, what kind of truth and how much truth must we have? I 
answer, dear friends, the truth is that even grander truth, 
which Christians have had all during the Gospel age; for 
instance, the great truth that, "God so loved the world that He 
gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him 
should not perish but have everlasting life." That is the great 
truth, and people who have believed that great truth, and in 
whom it has exercised the proper power, have been turned 
from sin to righteousness, and from darkness to light. There 
is the truth that would sanctify. Now, then, if any has come 
to a clear knowledge of the truth of God's love, and of God's 
requirement of righteousness, and of our Lord Jesus Christ as 
his Savior, he has come to a responsible position. Has 

{PageQ639} 

not the world a knowledge of that? No. The world has heard 
hymns such as "The Ninety and Nine," etc., and they have 
heard about theology, but I do not think the world is 
responsible to this degree. They have not comprehended the 
Word of God; they have not comprehended the provision God 
has made for our sins, for our reconciliation with Him, 



therefore the world could not commit this sin unto death. But 
those who have been once enlightened, and tasted the good 
Word of God, and the powers of the age to come—the 
restitution powers ;~we are partakers of these in that we are 
justified by faith, and justification by faith is the power of the 
world to come, and as we now enjoy it in advance of the 
world~and been made partaker of the Holy Spirit, these are 
the ones that might sin the sin unto death. 

Then the second question here, "Please explain the case of 
Judas." I answer, Judas was one of those who accompanied 
with our Lord, who was a witness of His mighty works and 
was made partaker of the power of the age to come; he had 
justification through faith; he had accepted the Lord as the 
Messiah; he called him his Master, and he received the Holy 
Spirit in this special sense, that he was one of those 
commissioned, and on whom our Lord breathed and said, 
"Receive ye the Holy Spirit," and he was one of those whom 
the Lord sent out to exercise this holy power. He was one of 
those who cast out devils; he healed the sick and did many 
mighty and wonderful works in the name of our Lord. And 
he knew these were not frauds; he knew they were genuine; 
he had a share in the matter himself; he had so much light and 
so much knowledge, more than other people at that time, that 
our Lord could say of him, and did say of him, "It were better 
for that man that he had never been born." And that would 
not be true of any man who could pass through even a 
threshing machine experience in the present life if he had the 
glorious opportunities of the Millennial age. It would not be 
better for him if he had not been born. 

SECOND DEATH-Will Many Go Into? 

Q639:1 "QUESTION (1908)--l--Do you infer from the 
parable of the sheep and goats that the number of those going 
into the second death will be as great as those saved? 

ANSWER~I do not know what to think of that parable, 
my friends, if it was intended to bear at all on the question of 
numbers. I used to take a great deal of satisfaction with this 
thought, that where it speaks of the sheep and the goats, I 
would say to myself. Well the number of sheep is much 
greater than the number of the goats, and I am very glad this 
is so. But when I was in Palestine, to my surprise I found the 
flocks over there were about half and half. Now I do not 
know what to think; I am going to try to keep amongst the 
sheep, and so will you, I trust. 

SECOND DEATH--Re Fire and Brimstone. 



Q639:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-"But the fearful, and 
unbelieving and abominable and the murderers * * * shall 
have their part in the lake witch burneth with fire and 
brimstone; which is the second death." Please explain. 

ANSWER— The question answers itself. It says, 
"Which is the second death." That is the way it reads. All of 
these things symbolize the second death. 

{PageQ640} 

SECOND DEATH-Prepared for the Devil and His Messengers. 

Q640:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-l-"ForTophetis 
ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared. He hath 
made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much 
wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth 
kindle it." (Isa. 30:33.) Who is the king for whom Tophet is 
prepared? 

ANSWER—Tophet was a name given to the Valley of 
Hinnom, which is symbolically a representation of the 
Second Death, and the Lord is intimating that He has plenty 
of fire and fuel to accomplish all this destruction and that the 
Spirit of the Lord will set it afire and cause it to burn to the 
complete destruction. The king for whom it is prepared is the 
Devil, with his messengers. He is the instigator of evil, 
whose destruction is already ordained. First, however, in the 
Divine providence, before he shall be destroyed, the glorious 
reign of Messiah is arranged for, during which all of mankind 
shall be brought to a full knowledge of the Truth, and to a full 
opportunity of coming into harmony with God, and of 
demonstrating whether they have the disposition of God or 
the disposition of the Adversary, Satan. When the choice of 
each shall have been fully determined, the Second Death shall 
swallow up all for whom it has been prepared. Such as 
demonstrate their sympathy with evil will be counted as the 
messengers of Satan, and will have a share with him in the 
Second Death. 

SECOND DEATH-Applies to tlie Begotten One. 

Q640:2:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-2-To whomdo the 
words in Heb. 6:4-6 apply— "It is impossible for those who 
were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, 
and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted 
the good Word of God, and the powers of the world (Age) to 
come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto 
repentance?" 

ANSWER~The conditions mentioned in the passage 



above quoted are all more or less intertwined. That is to say, 
the one who has been made partaker of the heavenly gift of 
justification is sanctified, begotten of the Holy Spirit; for only 
in that way can he get God*S evidence respecting his 
justification. No one is justified by merely believing that 
Jesus lived or that Jesus died. In order to come to the point of 

justification and have the merit of Christ imputed, he must 

previously have presented his body a living sacrifice; and 
faith in the Lord Jesus must accompany this presentation. 

Anyone having done all in his power—having turned from 
sin, having believed in Jesus as the Redeemer, and having 
presented his body a living sacrifice—must next receive the 
imputation of Jesus' merit to make up his shortcomings, to 
cover his blemishes, in order that the Heavenly Father may be 

able to accept the sacrifice: for no imperfect thing Can come 

upon the altar of the Lord, it requires the merit of Christ to 
make good what is lacking in the one who presents himself in 
sacrifice; and only those who thus believe and present their 
bodies in sacrifice are the recipients of Christ's merit by 
imputation; and only such are begotten of the Holy Spirit. 
God's arrangement is that no one can be justified unless he 
has made a full consecration, after having already turned from 
sin. Christ would not impute 

{PageQ641} 

His merit to any except such as make this full consecration; 
and the Father would not accept by begetting with the Holy 
Spirit any others than those who have done so. 

Those who have received justification have at the same time 
received the begetting of the Holy Spirit, which is "the power 
of the Age to come." The falling away of such, the Apostle 
says, would mean that they could never be renewed again. 
Why? Because they have had their share of the blessing of 
Christ. Christ's death was to bring a blessing-and only one- 
-to every member of Adam's race-One full bleSSing, a 
complete blessing, such a blessing as will enable every 
member of the race— if he Wlll, when he understands it-to 
come fully and completely into harmony with God and thus to 
have eternal life. But after he has received his full blessing 
and then has rejected it, there is nO hope in his case. He 

can never justify himself. He has had the merit of Christ 

and has repudiated it. There is no hope of renewing such 

a one, says the Apostle. The fate of such would not, of 

course, be eternal torment, but deStrUCtloN'—the SeCOnd 



Death. 

SECOND DEATH-Not for Irresponsibles. 

Q641 :1 "QUESTION (1915)--l--Do you know with 
certainty whetlier there are any in this Age or will be in the 
next Age who will go into the Second Death because they do 
not help themselves, no matter how hard they tried, and God 
could do nothing for them? (Laughter). 

ANSWER— God has provided every individual with a 
will. If there is anybody who has no will, he is not an 
individual, he is an idiot. (Laughter). We do not know much 
about idiots, but we know they are all redeemed as well as the 
remainder of the world, even though they may not now have 
any will. A part of the future work of the Church will be to 
bring such persons out of the idiotic condition. But as soon 
as such a one gets an intelligent will he will be required to 
exercise it. During Messiah's Kingdom Reign anybody who 
wills to will shall have the opportunity of raising up to 
absolute perfection, and will be given all necessary 
assistance. So then, to sum up, there is no individual of 
Adam's race but has or will have the fullest opportunity of 
attaining everlasting life; and whoever dies the Second Death, 
it will be because of his own will, because of intelligently 
refusing to accept God's wonderful and generous terms of 
salvation in Christ. 

SECOND PRESENCE-Failure to Discern Re Second Death. 

Q641:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-Those who discern 
the presence of the Lord, will they be eligible for the great 
company class, if they fall short of making their calling and 
election sure? 

ANSWER~Our thought would be that discerning the 
presence of the Lord would not necessarily have anything to 
do with the matter. That is merely one element of knowledge, 
and it would be an evidence that that person had made a 
certain degree of progress in knowledge and therefore had 
progressed a considerable degree in the Lord's instruction. 
But whether it was there, or wherever he might fail to develop 
the spirit of obedience in laying down his life, zeal for the 
Lord, for the truth and for the brethren, it would mean that he 
would fail to get into the little flock class, and that 

{PageQ642} 

would mean that he would get a share in the great company 
class--unless he should deny the Lord, turning his back upon 



the whole proposition. 

SEED-Which Is of the Law. 

Q642:1:: QUESTION (1911)--2-"Thereforeitisby 
faith that it might be of grace, to the end that the promise 
might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the 
law, but that also which is of the faith of Abraham." What is 
meant by the expression, "all the seed," and what law is 
referred to? 

ANSWER.-This text is from Rom. 4:16. We 
understand the apostle here refers to the fact that Abraham 
has two seeds, as God said to him, "Thy seed shall be as the 
stars of heaven, and as the sand of the seashore." Here, first 
of all, is the heavenly seed of Abraham, and subsequently the 
spiritual or natural seed of Abraham. God is first selecting 
the spiritual seed, and the apostle tells us that we are now 
privileged to be part of that spiritual seed. I will remind you 
of where he says, "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's 
seed, and heirs of the promise." Then in the eleventh chapter 
of Romans, after telling about the development of this 
spiritual seed, the apostle uses these words, "I would not, 
brethren, that ye should be ignorant concerning this mystery, 
lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; how that 
blindness in part has happened unto Israel until the fullness of 
the Gentiles be come in." He means that blindness has 
happened to the natural seed of Abraham until the full number 
of the spiritual seed shall be gathered in to complete the 
number from amongst the Gentiles, and then all Israel will 
be saved--all natural Israel will have its blindness turned 
away, the light of knowledge of God's glory will fill the 
whole earth, and all blind eyes be opened-Israel first. The 
apostle then says, "Thus it is written, there shall come out of 
Zion a deliverer who shall turn away ungodliness from 
Jacob." This deliverer that comes from Zion is the Messiah, 
the Christ, Jesus, the head, and the church, his body. This is 
the great deliverer. It has taken over eighteen hundred years 
for Zion to travail and bring forth these First-born, but the 
spiritual seed of Abraham is about to be delivered, and just as 
soon as that is accomplished, then this great deliverer, Christ 
the head, and the church his body, shall turn away 
ungodliness from Jacob; for this is my covenant, says God, 
when I shall take away their sin. These, then, are the two 
seeds of Abraham, first spiritual, and afterwards the natural. 

SEED--Of Abraham Vs. Of Woman. 

Q642:2:: QUESTION (1913) -1 -What is the 



difference, if any, between the seed of the woman and the seed 
of Abraham? 

ANSWER~The difference is that in the case of the 
Lord speaking to Father Adam and Mother Eve, and the 
serpent, when pronouncing the sentence upon them for sin. 
He said the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's 
head. This represents a class of persons or personages who 
would become superior to the serpent, and therefore have 
power to crush out evil. I do not know whether this refers to 
a number of individuals. Presumably it refers to a number, 
because in the epistle to the Romans, I believe in the 
sixteenth chapter, we read, "The God of peace shall bruise 
Satan under your feet shortly." That shows who the seed of 
the 

{PageQ643} 

woman is. Of course it is not the church without the head. 
When we look at other statements about the seed of Abraham 
we find it to be the same class, because his seed is Christ. If 
you and I are Christ's we are members of His body. So the 
seed of the woman and the seed of Abraham are different 
ways of referring to Christ and the church. 

SEEK--We Find What We Seek. 

Q643:1:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-1 -Please give the 
meaning of the text, "Seek and ye shall find."--Mark 7:7. 

ANSWER~The above text illustrates a principle to 
which we have frequently called attention. We find what we 
seek! Those who approach the Bible with earnest desire to 
find in it God's Message, will be guided of the Lord. As it is 
written, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after 
righteousness (Truth), for they shall be filled. "--Matt. 5:6. 

On the other hand, those who approach the Bible from the 
standpoint of cavil, unbelief, antagonism, are equally sure to 
find what they seek—flaws, contradictions, etc. Note how 
Thomas Paine and Robert Ingersoll illustrated this principle; 
and compare their experiences and findings with the 
blessedness of those who feast upon the Bible as the Lord's 
bountifully spread table of good things— "Meat in due season" 
for "the household of faith. "-Luke 12:42. 

The same principle holds true with the Scripture Studies. 
As those who so desire can pick flaws with the Bible and turn 
and twist its statements into unreason, so the same class 
would surely be successful in similarly picking to pieces "The 
Divine Plan of the Ages." 



SELF-CONTROL-Method of Gaining. 
Q643:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-2-What is the proper 
course for us to take in getting control of ourselves, our 
thoughts, our words and our conduct? 

ANSWER--Every thought should be challenged; for if 
an evil thought or a selfish thought or a mean thought, a 
depraved thought, be admitted, it will germinate and bring 
forth a great defilement, which will affect our words and our 
conduct, and will extend to others. We may learn to do the 
challenging readily, even along the comprehensive lines 
which the Apostle lays down in this lesson. What at first may 
require considerable time for decision will bye and bye be 
decided almost instantly: 

(1) Is the thought which is seeking consideration in our 
mind an honorable one? If so, it may pass in and be 
entertained. If not, it should be immediately resented and 
driven out from the mind as an evil influence. 

(2) Is the thought suggested a pure one--not sensual, not 
selfish? If so, if it pass these examinations, it may pass on for 
further consideration. If by these it fails to prove its purity it 
should be immediately resented as a thought likely to do great 
harm— as would the entrance into our home of things infected 
with a plague. 

(3) Is tile thought lovely Does it appertain to things that 
are lovable? Does it excite lovable influences, or is it 
identified more or less with hate, resentment, anger, malice? 
If lovely? it may pass on. If not, it must be immediately 
expelled, not permitted to go further, to do harm to ourselves 
and to others. 

(4) Is it reputable? This cannot mean: Is the thing 

{PageQ644} 

well spoken of by the world? For the Apostle himself and our 
Lord Jesus were reviled by the world, who said all manner of 
evil against them falsely. The word reputable here must be 
taken to mean that which would be thought well of by all 
reputable people, if they knew and understood everything 
connected with the thought. 

(5) Has the thought any virtue, or is it in any sense of the 
word praiseworthy? If so, it may be admitted. If not, it 
should be repelled; for even if it be blameless otherwise, the 
fact that it is not of any value is a reason for its rejection. We 
have no time and no place for things that are merely not bad. 
We desire to have in our hearts and our minds things that are 



positively good, helpful, beneficial in some way. Otherwise, 
the thought should be repelled as a mere cumberer of the 
ground of our hearts, of our minds, needed for profitable 
things. Much novel reading is of this character--not evil, but 
not advantageous, not upbuilding. 

Whatever we may be naturally, the people of God who 
follow the instructions of the Divine Word surely become 
noble people, helpful people, possessed of the spirit of a 
sound mind; and these things will be only a part of their 
preparation for the Kingdom and for the great work then to be 
entrusted to them as the servants of God under their 
Redeemer and Head. 

SERVANT-Who That Servant? 

Q644:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--l--Who is that servant? 

Do you believe and acknowledge the statement as put forth by 

representatives of the "Watch Tower?" 

ANSWER-As far as I know nearly all the talk about 
"that servant" has been by my enemies. I have nothing to say 
about this subject. What I would say would not change 
matters anyway. You have your right to your opinion and 
they have their right to theirs. In the fourth chapter of the 
sixth volume of "Millennial Dawn," this Scripture is brought 
to your attention. That is all that I have ever written on the 
subject. 

SERVICE-Doing Good Unto All Men as Opportunity Permits. 

Q644:2:: QUESTION ( 19 15)--2-What should be our 
attitude toward nominal church people? Must we 
differentiate between them and their doctrines? 

ANSWER--The Bible says that we should "do good 
unto all men as we have opportunity, especially to the 
Household of Faith." (Gal. 6:10). Therefore we should do 
good to our Roman Catholic neighbors, our Methodist 
neighbors, and all other neighbors. We should be glad to do 
good to every one. But if we have the choice of doing 
something for the saints or for a neighbor, then we should 
give the preference to the Lord's saints, whether they be 
Presbyterian saints or what not. That would include whoever 
is a son of God. We are the children of God, and we are glad 
to serve any other child of God, though we would be glad to 
see them all enjoying the liberty wherewith Christ makes free, 
not being entangled in any yoke of sectarian bondage. If the 
Son makes us free, then are we free indeed—Gal. 5:1. 

SEVENTH DAY-Typical of Future Time. 



Q644:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3--Please explain why 
you are not 

{PageQ645} 

keeping the seventh day as the day of rest, but the first day, 
when the Scriptures say. Six days shalt thou labor and do all 
thy work, but the seventh day is the day of rest.? Is it typical? 

ANSWER— Yes, my dear friends, it is typical, and in 
order to answer this question properly, it would take at least 
an hour of good hard talking, because the subject is so 
misunderstood. We will not therefore tax those who do 
understand the question, and will refer the questioner to a 
chapter of this subject which takes it up in full and deals with 
it in a very elaborate manner in the sixth volume of the 
Scripture Studies, to which we kindly refer the questioner as 
being for his own good as well as for the advantage of all. 
The answer there we feel sure will be satisfactory. 

SEVENTH VOLUME-Re Number of Beast. 

Q645:1:: QUESTION (1909)-1-Rev. 13:18 "Here is 
wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number 
of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is 
six thousand three score and six." What does this mean? 
ANSWER-See the seventh volume. 

SEVENTH volume-Is it the Photo Drama? 

Q645:2:: QUESTION ( 19 14)-2-Is the Photo Drama 
of Creation any part of the Seventh Volume? 

ANSWER— You will have to ask me something easier. 
I do not know, my dear friends, and I am not nearly as good a 
guesser as some of the rest of you. You can write that to 
some of the other friends and get an answer right off. I do not 
know. I do not think it is the Seventh Volume. The Photo 
Drama Scenario is a nice volume and tells the plan of the 
ages. I am waiting for the Seventh Volume also. Waiting 
until it gets off the press—but I will tell you privately, it is not 
on the press yet. 

SEVENTH VOLUME-Re Time to Understand. 

Q645:3:: QUESTION (1916)-3-Since Revelation was 
discussed according to the program yesterday, are we to 
understand that the time has come for Revelation to be 
understood? If so, please explain Rev. 20:10: "And the 
Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and 
brimstone, where are the beast and the false prophet, and 



shall be tormented day and night forever and ever." Of what 
does the torment consist? Who does the tormenting? 

ANSWER--The fact that we discussed certain features 
of Revelation yesterday does not imply that all the speakers 
understood everything written in the Book of Revelation. So 
far as these seven Churches are concerned, we have written 
about them in The Watch Tower in 1880 and 1882. The 
seven Churches were then mentioned, and those features were 
discussed from time to time. But there are certain things in 
Revelation which I do not understand, and for this reason I do 
not write the Seventh Volume. Therein I do not wish to give 
any guesses. Whenever I write the Seventh Volume on the 
Book of Revelation, I will have a satisfactory understanding 
of the teachings of that Book. Until then, I will not write it. 
With respect to my understanding of Rev. 20:10, 1 think you 
will find a satisfactory dissertion upon this text in the "Hell 
Tower." You all have the Hell Tower; and if you have not 
you can use the Fifth Volume, in which this text is treated 
quite fully. In this 

{PageQ646} 

way you will find a much better treatment of this text than I 
could give you at this time. 

SEVENTH VOLUME-Re Smiting Jordan. 

Q646:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Will the Seventh 
Volume be written before or after the smiting of the waters of 
Jordan by the anti-typical Elijah? 

ANSWER—There are certain things that we ought not 
to tell anyone; and amongst these are those things which we 
do not know. 

SEVENTH VOLUIVIE-Pastor Russell's Last Statement. 

0646:2:: OUESTION (1916-Z) -2 -(By Bro. Sturgeon 
a few days before Pastor Russell's death). 

What about the Seventh Volume? 

ANSWER— Someone else can write that. 

SEVENTH VOLUME-Statement At Milwaukee Convention. 

0646:3:: OUESTION (1916)-3-ExplainRev. 12:12 
about the Devil coming down to earth and having a short time. 

ANSWER-We have no time to go into that. The 
seventh volume is not off the press yet, and I will just say, 
while it is not on the press yet-all that I will say, is, that this 
is all past now. This revelation is past. That part is past and 



gone. We had something to say in this connection in the June 
Watch Tower, and the comments have a Uttle on it also. We 
will leave that until God shall give us some further light on 
the book of Revelation, and we will try then to explain the 
book as a whole. We think that the book of Revelation is 
important, and we would therefore love very much to write on 
it, but, because it is not yet clear as a whole, and I do not wish 
to put any speculation or guessing into it, therefore do not 
wish to write anything until the Lord shall make it all plain so 
far as the Bible is concerned and its interpretation. Therefore 
we are waiting—waiting on the Lord. In due time I believe He 
will give up the Key that will unlock the book. Until then we 
will rest. You will get it just as soon as He gives the 
explanation. If the Lord shall give it through somebody else 
alright but I will not give anything until I am sure. 

SEXES-What Is Meant by "Neither Male Nor Female in Christ Jesus"? 

Q646:4:: QUESTION (1914) 4 Does not the 
scriptural statement that there is neither male nor female but 
that we are all one in Christ Jesus, indicate that those who 
have come into Christ, especially after they have developed to 
a considerable degree the mind of Christ, will be FREE to 
exercise more LIBERTY in their relations with those of the 
opposite sex than formerly would have ordinarily been 
considered expedient? 

ANSWER~It is wonderful how much we can twist 
language. Now language should not be considered as cast 
iron of course. That would not be best at all. Nor should it be 
rubber that you can pull out of shape. And the language as 
used here is very plain so far as God is concerned and so far 
as our relationship to the Lord is concerned, there is neither 
black nor white, rich or poor, male or female or any 
differences among God's people. However, there are still rich 
and poor, black and white, male and female, but these 
qualities are not to be considered as making them inferior in 
God's sight. God, nevertheless, through the same Apostle, 

{PageQ647} 

has pointed out certain things that would not be proper for a 
sister to do, but would be more proper for the brethren. Jesus 
indicated this same thing in His teaching and by His actions. 
He did not choose His own mother, a disciple or any of the 
Mary's relatives whom He loved so much. God did make the 
difference between the male and female. This did not mean 
that the sisters were inferior, or ignorant, but so far as the 



preaching was concerned, it was given into the hands of 
the men, representing the Christ portion, and the women, the 
Church. 

As to familiarity between the sexes, I believe my dear 
friends, that the Vow is one of the very best safeguards that 
you can set up, and that makes quite a diStinCtJON' between 

male and female. Your spiritual interests and everybody's 
will be the better conserved by watching carefully, and those 
who know there are weaknesses of the flesh strive to live 
purely one with another and with the Lord. 

SICKNESS-Re Ceasing After 1914. 

Q647:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--l-How long after 1914 

do you think the present conditions of sickness, suffering, and 

the Adamic death will continue? 

ANSWER--I have just answered this. I suppose the 
brother means 1915. Some things in the Scriptures imply that 
it might last for seven years, and others one year, but there is 
nothing definite. Adamic death, sickness, pain and suffering 
will last until the individual accepts Christ—there is no life 
outside of Christ. It shall be made known to every creature, 
and this knowledge and blessing and outpouring of the Holy 
Spirit shall go to Israel and gradually to the whole world, to 
all families, and they will recognize the Mediator and the 
Covenant and the channel of God's providences to Israel in 
the flesh, and see the earthly kingdom established, and as they 
come into harmony with this, sin and death will gradually 
fade away, and they will live. He that hath the Son hath life, 
but he that hath not the Son shall not see life, he shall still 
continue in death. 

SIGNATURE-Method for Widows. 

Q647:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-What wouldbethe 
proper form for a widow to sign her name? 

ANSWER—A widow, if she uses her own name, for 
instance, if she wants to say, "Mrs. Grace Smith," had better 
put the "Mrs." in parenthesis, but if she wished to write 
"Grace Smith," she has a perfect right to do so, her husband 
being dead; "Mrs. John Smith;" but I should think that all the 
sisters ought to determine what way they are going to write 
their names when they write to the Watch Tower. When they 
write one time as Mrs. Joseph Gordon, and another time as 
Jane Gordon, we do not know whether it is another Sister 
Gordon, or who it may be. You should use uniformity, so 
that we can always know who it is. 



SINNERS-lmitating Holiness. 

Q647:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3--To what extent can 
fallen men, once sanctified, imitate holiness? Does their 
departure from God limit their power to imitate holiness of 
character? 

ANSWER— I am not sure. It seems to me it is a little 
different with men from what it is with these fallen spirits. I 
should suppose they could, especially if they were used by 
the Adversary, simulate holiness and talk from that 

{PageQ648} 

standpoint to some extent. But my experience with people is 
that when once they leave the truth, the difference of 
character is so manifest you can very generally see what spirit 
they are of, that it is not the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of 
meekness, gentleness, patience, brotherly kindness, love, but 
is the spirit of anger, malice, hatred, strife, and envy. And 
that is generally the sign. I rather think they cannot help it 
that they do not really know to what extent they have 
changed. I think the Lord gives us ground for supposing that 
is so when he tells us, you remember, that we are not capable 
of reading the heart, but we may read the outward life. "By 
their fruits ye shall know them. " If they have a wicked spirit, 
a malicious tongue, and take pleasure in doing 
unrighteousness, contrary to the Word of God, then it 
betokens a change of heart, a change of spirit ; that they have 
not the holy Spirit governing them as they once had. 

SINS-Presumptuous Sin. 

Q648:1:: QUESTION (1906)-1-What is meant by that 
passage which says, "Keep back thy servant from 
presumptuous sin?" 

ANSWER— I would say that there might be various 
forms of presumptuous sin. It signifies the sin of presuming. 
Some presume to make themselves very great, and do not 
appreciate the necessity for the precious blood of Christ. It is 
presumptuous to think that we could appear in the presence of 
God in the filthy rags of our own unrighteousness. Then we 
might see a beginning of this presumptuous condition. It 
begins with some, perhaps, in a small way; then they presume 
a little more, and presume over the brethren and lord it over 
them; it is a growing thing, and they finally get so 
presumptuous that they are in a condition where the Lord 
cannot deal with them or use them in any sense. 



SIN-Wilful-Corrected, Forgiven, Set Aside. 

Q648:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Please explain what 
is meant by wilful sins, and how they can be corrected, or 
forgiven, or set aside? 

ANSWER--We have suggested through the Watch 
Tower publications and Dawn Studies that sins that are 
common to the Lord's people are of two general kinds. There 
are certain sins that are committed through weakness or 
ignorance. You and I commit trespasses many times against 
the divine will that we are not aware of, and the Lord does not 
count those against us. But suppose you subsequently 
ascertain that those sins were wrong? Then go to the Lord, 
make your apologies, ask His forgiveness and realize His 
forgiveness. 

Then there are other things along the line of the weaknesses 
of the flesh, when we know they are not satisfactory to 
ourselves, and not in harmony with the divine will, and yet 
they are things that we cannot help. Your will was not 
sufficiently strong. Because it had in it a measure of 
wilfulness and weakness, for that reason, and in that 
proportion, that sin is forgivable. Christ died for our sins, not 
only for the sins that are past, original sins, those that were 
yours before you knew the Lord, not only those, but 
additionally, the Lord provided for all those weaknesses and 
imperfections which would be yours, that you could not help 
or avoid, because of your nature, heredity or whatever it 
might be. He made provision for those, but He never made 
provision 

{PageQ649} 

for wilful sin, and there is nothing in the redemption of Christ 
that covers a fully wilful sin for anyone as a New Creature. 
When we speak of a mixed sin, we are speaking of what must 
represent the most serious sin that the New Creature could 
commit, for the Apostle explains that we cannot sin, because 
His seed remains in us. What does he mean by that? He 
means this, that, being begotten of the Heavenly Father by the 
Holy Spirit, we are New Creatures, and the flesh from this 
standpoint is counted out of the way, and the New Creature is 
the only one that God is dealing with. You are not in the 
flesh, but in the spirit, if so be the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in 
you. What do you mean by the New Creature sinning? 

He cannot wilfully and deliberately sin; it would be a sign 
that the seed did not remain in him; it would be a sign that the 



seed, the holy Spirit had perished, and that you were not a 
New Creature, if you sinned wilfully, intelligently, with 
premeditatin. The Holy Spirit would not be there, and you 
would not be a New Creature at all. The Apostle says that 
from this standpoint that wicked one toucheth us not. If it 
could sin wilfully, it would work death to the New Creature 
instantly. However, the New Creature has this mortal body as 
its agent, and it is not always able to control it, so the Apostle 
says that, "We (the New Creature) cannot do the things that 
we would do." It is because we have this treasure in earthen 
vessels, and sometimes it will influence our best endeavors 
and hinder us from doing that which we would like as New 
Creatures to do. Does the Lord count it as a sin of the New 
Creature? No. The New Creature is the one that is anxious 
and desires to serve the Lord with all its being, might and 
power, loving our neighbors, laying down life for the 
brethren, and loving our enemies. The New Creature finds 
that the old nature balks, and gives a lot of trouble, so that the 
Apostle said, "Keep your bodies under." It could not be a 
New Creature and not be alright. It is the old creature which 
is wrong, and it is the New Creature who restrains or holds 
control of the old, just as a driver would hold or control a 
horse which was running or plunging. If the driver drives 
over a precipice, then we know that the driver has gone 
insane. So if you drive the old creature over the precipice, it 
shows that the New Creature is dead. If the New Creature, as 
represented by the driver, should at any time manifest 
weakness in dealing with the horses, and should allow them 
to run away, he might be culpable because he failed to show 
good judgment, and he may receive discipline because of his 
carelessness. That is the way you have found yourself 
sometimes, you have let the lines down, and before you could 
get them again, you find that the old creature nearly got away 
from you. 

How can these sins be corrected? The proper course is to 
go to the One whose blood cleanses from all sin. It could not 
refer to the sins that are past, because they have been cleansed 
away. It is referring to sins that have been committed after 
we became Christians. In other words, they are the sins 
referred to in our Lord's prayer, where we are told to pray, 
"Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass 
against us, etc." The only way that original sin can be 
cleansed is through faith in the work 

{PageQ650} 



that Christ did for us. What are these trespasses? They are 
the imperfections of which we have just spoken— they are the 
spots and wrinkles. When you get any of these, you should 
go immediately to the great Redeemer, whose precious blood 
is able to cleanse us from all sin. The proper course is to go 
every day, the middle of the day or any time, not wait until 
night, don't allow yourself to rest a moment. Otherwise you 
will get used to them, and when your attention is called to 
them, you will say. Oh, I know it, and I don't like them, but, 
you know, everybody has them, and as a result a great many 
accumulate, and it would take a lifetime to get rid of them. 
This represents an unfavorable condition of heart from the 
Lord's standpoint, a lack of zeal, and such will be obliged to 
go through the great time of trouble as the Great Company, 
and wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the 
Lamb, just as they should have done all the way down. 

Another thought: To what extent are these sins forgivable 
when we do take them to the Lord in prayer; how does He 
forgive them, and if so, how does it cause so much 
chastisement to follow? I answer, the two things are quite in 
harmony. We might illustrate it this way: You might say to 
your child. You have done wrong and I must punish you, and 
the punishment will be that you shall have no dessert for 
dinner. If the child be of the right attitude of mind and be 
properly trained, as he should have been trained, the child 
will feel the disapproval of the parent more than the denial of 
the dessert. While the denial of the dessert is the real 
stipulation, the properly trained child will realize the frown of 
the parent more than the lack of the dessert. Therefore the 
child will say. Forgive me. The parent might answer. If I 
forgive you, you cannot have the dessert. Well, he might 
reply, I am not thinking of that, but I am thinking of how I 
have hurt you. In restoring the favor of your countenance you 
might say. Well, my dear, you are entirely forgiven, and you 
might give him the kiss of approval, but you can't have the 
dessert. Alright, he would reply. That is an illustration of 
how the Lord's people should be in their relation with the 
Heavenly Father. 

SIN-Recognize, Forgiveness, Expect Chastisements. 

Q650:1:: QUESTION (1909)-1-If you did wrong and 
recognized it later, and asked forgiveness, should we expect 
chastisements? 

ANSWER~I suppose the brother means that, if I did 
wrong, if I recognized it, and asked forgiveness, should I 
expect chastisements? Yes and no, according to 



circumstances. The degree of intelligence would determine. 
If there was knowledge of it, the Lord would exact certain 
penalties, even though you asked for forgiveness. Just as in 
the case of a child. You might say to it, "You shall have no 
dinner today if you do that." He may do it and then ask your 
forgiveness, saying that he is sorry. You would forgive him, 
but would say, "While I forgive you, I will have to do as I 
said and punish you; you must go without your dinner." So 
our Lord may bring us back into fellowship and we may have 
forgiveness, and at the same time. He may allow some 
chastisement to follow. 

SIN-Body Of in Rom. 6:6. 

Q650:2:: QUESTION (1916)--2-In Rom. 6:6, "Our 

old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might 

{PageQ651} 

be destroyed." What is meant by the "Body of sin?" 

ANSWER~The Apostle, of course, is using figurative 
language just as we do sometimes when we speak of the man 
of sin. It does not mean a single man, but a great institution, 
that which is contrary to the divine law; and so here, a 
different figure is used: he speaks of the body of sin in 
contrast with the body of righteousness. How large is the 
body of sin? Satan was the first sinner and he deceived and 
led astray our first parents who were sold under sin, as we 
read, and they became enslaved to Satan and became his 
followers--not intentionally, but by reason of delusion, 
ignorance and weakness—they came under the slavery of sin 
and death. The body of sin represents all the sin in the 
world—all in whom sin is in the whole world. The body of 
sin represents all the sin in the race, all that came from Satan, 
all under condemnation. We who have heard of God's plan, 
we who have turned our hearts away from sin have heard that 
there is a way of enlisting under the banner of Jesus, that we 
might be soldiers of the cross and followers of the Lamb, we 
have enlisted under the banner of Jesus as the Captain of our 
salvation for a certain purpose, and that purpose is the same 
as His, viz., the destruction of the body of sin. This means 
the destruction of everything that is sinful. Is it so sweeping 
as that? you inquire. Yes; no sin is going to be allowed to 
remain. All must be destroyed. Every sinner is going to have 
an opportunity to make a change, but if he will not change 
and be begotten again, then he will lose the favor, miss life, 
because the determination of God is that all sin and all sinners 



will be wiped out. The body of sin will be destroyed root and 
branch— every part of it. It is not our business to seek to do 
this now. God's time has not yet come. We will judge the 
world in due time. "Know ye not that the saints shall judge 
the world?" This will continue for one thousand years to 
come, so as to give every member of the Adamic race an 
opportunity to decide whether he will be on the side of Satan, 
on the side of sin and wrong and error, or else on the other 
side, and if he decides for Satan, this will determine his 
future. If he decides for God, then all these Judges will be 
helping him back to the image of God, and if, on the other 
hand, he decides to take his stand with the Adversary and 
oppose that which is right, then the wrath of God will abide 
upon him, and his punishment will mean his destruction in the 
second death. But this is not the case now. "God has 
appointed a day" --a thousand-year day; that will be the time 
that we will have to do with them; not now, for we are 
admonished to "Judge nothing before the time." We are not 
at the present time to try to straighten out everything by force. 
This force will be operating during the time of crisis or 
decision in the Millennial Age. The special message of the 
gospel is now going out to the effect that every one who has a 
hearing ear may turn himself about and become a follower of 
Jesus and a soldier of the cross. But what will these soldiers 
of the cross fight against? The time for the destruction of all 
evil will be in the future, as we read in the 1 1th chapter of 
Revelation, "We give Thee thanks, Lord God, the 
Almighty, which art and which wast; because Thou has taken 
Thy great power, and didst reign. And the nations 

{PageQ652} 

were wroth, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead 
to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy servants 
the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear Thy 
name, the small and the great (all the sheep class during the 
Millennium), and to destroy them which destroy the earth"-- 
(everything that pertains to the body of sin). But now, many 
in this body of sin do not fully appreciate what righteousness 
is, and consequently the provision of the Millennial Age has 
been made that the knowledge of God and of His gracious 
arrangements shall become known to all, with which 
knowledge will come the responsibility that will determine 
which of our race belong to the body of sin to be destroyed, 
and which of them, under a favorable opportunity will join 
the body of righteousness and be granted everlasting life. 



What then, can we do now? Our chief work now is in 
ourselves. What are we doing there? We are fighting to 
overcome our weaknesses and to keep down the elements of 
sin and of unrighteousness intrenched in our mortal bodies. 
But are we not to rebuke, and rule, and harass the class? No! 
Harass and rule yourself. Fight yourself all you please, but 
do not fight the class. Mind your own business! There is 
more trouble awakened by busy-bodying in other people's 
affairs than in any other way. It takes some time to know just 
where your business comes in, where the class's business 
comes in, and where everybody's business comes in. So, we 
are to fight against the body of sin in ourselves. The only 
body of righteousness is the true church of Christ. All the 
rest of the world are a part of the body of sin. These saints 
have engaged to fight against the world, the flesh and the 
devil, and this great battle is waged in themselves. The more 
successful one may be in this combat, the more that one may 
be able to assist others needing his assistance. The more one 
cultivates the spirit of gentleness, kindness, patience, 
long-suffering, brotherly kindness and love in oneself, the 
more will that one be able to help others out of their wrong 
condition. These saints, then, are the only present members 
of the body of righteousness, and by and by they are to be 
associated with Jesus in the coming Kingdom in destroying 
this entire body of sin. 

SINS-Unpardonable. 

Q652:1 :: QUESTION (1911)-l-Is there an unpardonable sin? 

ANSWER~Yes, there are many unpardonable sins. 
The word "unpardonable" is used in more than one way in the 
Bible. I presume the questioner refers to the sin unto death. 
There is only one sin unto death, but there are many 
unpardonable sins. For instance, you may do something after 
you have become a Christian that is partly wilful, and partly 
through failure to exercise the proper self-control that you 
might have exercised. To that extent it was your will that 
sinned; to that degree it was a wilful sin; to that degree it was 
an unpardonable sin. And what would that mean? That 
would mean that you would need to receive some 
chastisement, or stripes, for that sin. It will not be pardoned. 
You cannot say, "Lord, take it all away, please." It is all very 
proper to go to the Lord and ask him to forgive the sin. That 
is, to take away the feature of it that would come between you 
and the Lord and hinder you from enjoying his favor, but you 
must still expect that even if he restores you to the light of his 
countenance that there would be some 



{PageQ653} 

stripes in proportion as there was any measure of wilfulness 
connected with the sin. In that degree, you see, it is 
unpardonable, but is one that might be expiated in that 
degree. Now when we speak of expiation of sin we do not 
mean the original sin ; the original is entirely expiated, and 
you can do nothing to get rid of it, but after you have gotten 
rid of original sin, and after you have become God's child, 
after you become a new creature, then you are on trial, and 
then in proportion as you my have wilfulness, in that 
proportion you will have stripes; and so the Lord said, some 
will be beaten with many stripes, and some with fewer 
stripes, in proportion to their knowledge, etc. 

But there is a sin that is unto death. No amount of stripes 
will come in. No amount of stripes will be satisfactory. The 
individual committing that sin will die the second death. As 
the apostle says, "There is a sin unto death; I do not say that 
you shall pray for it." There would be no use to pray for it. 
The sin that is unto death is a wilful sin, deliberate sin, 
intentional sin. The apostle describes this sin unto death in 
the sixth and tenth chapters of Hebrews, and describes those 
who fall away, who renounce the Lord. Saint Peter says, 
speaking of some of those, that they turned like the sow to 
wallowing in the mire, and like a dog to his vomit. Such a 
person, sinning wilfully against light and knowledge, there is 
no more sacrifice for his sins; he has had his share of Christ's 
sacrifice and has misused it, and there is none remaining for 
him. There is a share in the sacrifice for Adam and all his 
children, every one of them, and they must all get their share; 
but whoever gets his share and then misuses it, there is 
nothing remaining, and his wilfully turning away and 
counting the blood of the covenant wherewith he was 
sanctified a common thing, will mean his utter rejection by 
the Lord. 

SIN-Positive or Negative. 

Q653:1 :: QUESTION (1911)--l--Is sin positive and negative. 

ANSWER~We asked for Bible questions. You see we 
have to judge as to what is meant by positive and negative. I 
do not believe half of this audience would know, even if I did. 

SIN-Living Without Sin. 

Q653:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-When the Apostle 
wrote (1 John 2:1), "These things I write unto you that ye 



sin not," was it his thought that it is possible for us to live 
without sin? 

ANSWER~In reading this text and many other Scriptures 
we need continually to keep in mind the fact that those who 
are accepted of God as His children, as members of the Body 
of Christ, begotten of the Holy Spirit, are all classed as New 
Creatures and not as men. The New Creature, therefore, in 
this text, would be the ye--"that ye sin not," as though 
the Apostle said, "The object of my writing is that you might 
realize the responsibility of abstaining from sin and 
continuing in God's love." Then he informs us how this is to 
be accomplished. In this as in other respects he shows that 
the New Creature is responsible for the body. Anyone who 
would say that he was perfect and without flaw, would he 
deceiving himself. Nevertheless, these flaws are not of the 
New Creature, but chargeable to the flesh. If the New 
Creature should sin WJ If Lilly it would cease to be the New 
Creature because the New Creature is begotten of the Spirit, 

{PageQ654} 

has joined in the warfare against sin, and is facing in the very 
opposite direction from sin. 

But if any man sin, let him not, cast away his confidence in 
God, but let him remember that the Father, foreknowing that 
the New Creature could not control every thought and word 
and act of the flesh, has made provision for these, and has 
provided for us an Advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He 
has appeared on our behalf—appeared before the Father and 
made satisfaction for US.--Heb. 9:24. 

Remembering this, if we find that through lack of faith, or 
weakness of the flesh, a step has been taken which is contrary 
to the Lord's will and our best spiritual interests, no time 
should be lost in retracing the step and in calling upon the 
Lord. We have an altar consecrated with the precious blood 
of Christ, far superior in every way to that altar which 
Abraham consecrated with the blood of typical animals, and 
the Apostle exhorts us, "Let us, therefore, come boldly 
courageously-full of faith' onto the throne of grace, that 
we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in every time of 
need. "-Heb. 4:16. 

SIN-Can New Creature? 

Q654:1:: QUESTION ( 191 3)- 1 -Is it permissible to say, 
from any standpoint whatever, that the New Creature can sin? 
ANSWER— The New Creature certainly can sin, for if it 



could not it could not die the second death, but if the New 
Creature sins, it means the second death, the penalty is death. 
The New Creature represents the mind of the Lord that has 
been received after the consecration has been made and the 
Lord grants us His Spirit. That person, thus receiving the 
Spirit of the Lord, is counted a New Creature in Christ Jesus. 
That New Creature, as long as it remains a New Creature, 
will not sin. There may be imperfections, but these 
imperfections will not be disloyalty of the New Creature. 
How could we be holy, representing God's Spirit, and be 
imperfect willingly, intentionally? Impossible. But the New 
Creature is a treasure in an earthen vessel, as the Apostle 
expresses it, and the earthen vessel has its weakness and is 
liable to temptation; the earthly body may make slips and 
mistakes, it may be even entrapped into serious sin, but it is 
not necessarily the New Creature which has sinned; the New 
Creature may possibly very much bemoan the sin; it should 
not be the New Creature. Whatever the nature of sin in you 
or me, it should be the unintentional weakness of the flesh 
which comes upon us in an unguarded moment. But the Lord 
assures us that even with these His grace will be sufficient for 
us and in His strength we will be made perfect, and 
manifestly so, in our weakness. But if the New Creature sins 
it ceases to be a New Creature. We cannot say the New 
Creature is a sinner. As soon as you receive the mind of the 
Lord you became a New Creature and as soon as you 
willingly do something which would be unholy and contrary 
to that, that moment you cease to be a New Creature, and so 
the New Creature could not sin wilfully, for this is contrary to 
the new nature, and if we sin under these circumstances it 
would be under penalty of the second death. The New 
Creature sometimes becomes, as it were entrapped and, in a 
measure, co-operate with the flesh, the flesh perhaps 
entrapping the New Creature so that it cannot really escape. 
The New Creature is in a measure guilty of willingness, and if 

{PageQ655} 

that be so we may surely expect that the New Creature will 
receive some chastisement from the Lord for any measure of 
willfulness in the matter, and, indeed, we are held responsible 
for the weakness of the flesh even where the New Creature 
does not agree at all. We have undertaken the matter of 
controlling these mortal bodies, and the Lord has provided the 
necessary assistance. If we fail to manage these bodies it 
must be because of more or less carelessness. He holds us 



responsible but "He knoweth our frame, He knoweth we are 
dust," and has provided a way of escape; He has provided that 
if any man be overtaken in a fault He will reprove him and 
help him out of the difficulty, help him to see as a New 
Creature where he was wrong. Where it has been wholly or 
nearly wholly a weakness of the flesh it will be forgiven, but 
we must go to the throne of Heavenly grace that we may 
obtain mercy and grace for every time of need. The Lord 
desires His people to come to the throne of grace for 
forgiveness of their sins; it keeps us humble and helps to 
show us how weak and little we are and how much we are 
dependent upon the great High Priest for the assistance 
necessary to become final overcomers. 

SINS" Forgiveness vs. Expiation. 

Q655:1 :: QUESTION (1914-Z)-l-In relation to sins 
partly wilful, are stripes given for the portion of wilfulness? 
And when the sin is expiated, is it then canceled? 

ANSWER~Our Lord died for the sin of Adam—for just 
the one Original sin, and all sins which grew out of that 
original sin. This sin of Adam affected the body, mind and 
morals of all the race. Therefore we each have not only our 
own inherited imperfections to contend with, but also the 
imperfections of all those around us 

From the time that any one is begotten of the Holy Spirit all 
things become new. The members of the Little Flock class 
have no record whatever of condemnation against them; all 
that condemnation is completely eliminated. The imputation 
of Christ's merit to their flesh made them perfect in God's 
sight, and they were brought forth as New Creatures. 

These New Creatures have entered into a Covenant with 
God to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. In the present time, as 
the Apostle says, we have this treasure of the new nature in an 
earthen vessel; that is, we have it under unfavorable 
conditions. We have also basements from those around us 
and from the Adversary to oppose us. All sins, then, that are 
the result of these adverse conditions, and to which our will 
does not consent, are coverable by the merit of Christ. If any 
of these New Creatures Unwittingly do that which is 
contrary to the Divine will, they need not remain in a 
condemned condition. The Word instructs us that we should 
go immediately to the Throne of Heavenly Grace and obtain 
mercy and forgiveness, and help for every time of need. 

But suppose that the sin is not merely one of temptation- 
suppose there is a measure of wilfulness or a measure of 
slackness, so that the child of God is thus far responsible. 



what then? We answer that he may still go to the Throne of 
Heavenly Grace, and the portion of his sin which was 
unwilling will be covered by the merit of Christ. Whatever 
portion of the sin is WJIful is deserving of punishment, 
stripes; and these stripes he Will SUrely get. The Father will 
not allow His children to wander away without help. The 
stripes 

{PageQ656} 

complete the expiation of that sin; and it will be canceled 
from the record. Justice has no longer any charge against 
him. 

But the Scriptures clearly tell us that if any consecrated 
child of God should sin with f Ull WJIf UlneSS there would be 
no forgiveness whatever for that sin, and it could not be 
expiated by stripes. The penalty would be death--the Second 
Death. If he sins with no wilfulness, in full ignorance, 
entirely without intention, the sin is entirely forgivable, by 
application for the merit of the precious blood. If he sins with 
partial ignorance and partial wilfulness, there is a portion that 
would be forgiven and a portion that must be expiated. 

The Apostle Paul declares that if we would judge ourselves 
we should not be judged of the Lord; but that when we are 
judged of the Lord we are chastened, that we may not be 
condemned with the world. (1 Cor. 11:31,32.) And this 
chastening that comes upon us is the proper penalty for our 
degree of wilfulness. The object of the Lord in meting out 
this chastisement is that we shall learn the needed lesson, 
and be more watchful. 

SINS-Forgiving vs. Cleansing. 

Q656:1:: QUESTION ( 19 16-- 1- We read: "If we confess 
our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Is there a 
difference between forgiving our sins and cleansing us from 
all unrighteousness? 

ANSWER-Notice, first of all, that this text does not 
refer to original sin, Adamic sin, because it says, "us," and 
"our sins," referring to the Church. The Church's Adamic sin 
has already been put out of the way before we were accepted 
into the Body of Christ, by our great advocate. This text 
refers to trespasses, as mentioned in the Lord's prayer. A 
trespass is not necessarily a sin. You may trespass upon some 
person's rights unintentionally. For instance, you might step 
in the way of some person unintentionally, or hump into some 



one, and say, "Excuse me." This implies that there has been a 
trespass, and that there was occasion for asking to be 
excused; something was done not quite right. This matter of 
asking to be forgiven for a trespass means, to those who have 
come into God's family, that one has not done as well as he 
might have done. He is to go to the Lord and seek 
forgiveness, and to assure God of his intention to do better in 
the future. We must acknowledge the right and get the lesson 
that the failure would teach. The Lord desires us to notice 
every little thing we do that is wrong. He wishes us to 
acknowledge the wrong. It will do us good. If it has not been 
intentional He will freely forgive it. If we have been careless, 
chastisement as well as forgiveness may be necessary. 

The matter of cleansing from all unrighteousness is not 
merely the setting aside of our sins and trespasses in a legal 
way. To cleanse us from unrighteousness means to purify us. 
The cleansing is a gradual process, accomplished often 
through tears and tribulations. Water out of the faucet does 
not cleanse us the moment it touches. We use soap and do 
special rubbing on the places most soiled. Being cleansed 
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit is also a gradual 
work, going on through all of our lives, and it will doubtless 
continue to the end. The old creature is more or less unclean 
from the beginning, and we will never get the old creature 
clean. But we are not old creatures, we are 

{PageQ657} 

new creatures, "holy and acceptable to God." But so long as 
we tabernacle in the flesh the cleansing of the flesh will be in 
order. Our minds must be cleansed, because our wills are 
clean : "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 

SIN-OFFERING-Does Church Add Thereto? 

Q657:1:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-1- "What does the 

Church add to the Sin-Offering if the Lord gave the necessary 

per cent of His merit to each to make his or her sacrifice 

possible?" 

ANSWER We answer that it depends upon what thought 

is behind the expression "add to the Sin Offering." The 

Sin- Offering needed no addition. The SJnner was a 

maN "Adam. Our Lord left His glory and became a maN' 
in order that He might redeem man. when a perfect man s 

life was given for the other perfect man who sinned, it 
constituted a sufficiency, or as the Scriptures express it, a 



Ransom-Price. 

This word "RanSOm" (1 Tim. 2:6) , in the Greek 
(antilutron) signifies a price, as an equivalent; a 
satisfactory price. Consequently there is nO additioN' 
needed to the Ransom which our Lord gave and notlling 

could be added to it, for we cannot add to that which is 

already complete, if the price of an article is $1 and you 
add $25 to it, you are not really adding anything to the 
price, for the price is Only $1 , and the other dollars 

added on neither affect the prlce nor are necessary, in any 
sense of the word. 

There is another sense, however, in which the Church has a 
share with her Lord; namely. Not only was our Lord Himself 
the Ransom-Price for the world, but in order that He might be 
highly exalted and receive the reward of the divine nature, it 
was necessary that He should die. So, then, the death of 
Christ effected tWO things; first, it was the Ransom-Price 
for mankind; second, it was the condition upon which He 
would obtain his glorious reward—the divine nature. If He 
had not been obedient even UntO death, then He would not 
have been highly exalted. 

As the Apostle says, "And being found in fashion aS a 
man. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto 
death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore On Whlch 
account* God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a 
Name which is above every name." (Phil. 2:8,9.) He 

could not, therefore, have been exalted to that high 
position except by obedience unto death obedience to his 

covenant. Had He failed to carry out His covenant of 

sacrifice. He WOUld have failed to gain his glorious reward, 

and also failed to be Satisfactory price for mankind. But 

He did not fail. He attained the prize of the "high calling" 
to the divine nature. 

There is, however, an arrangement in God's Plan that takes 
in the Church as well as Jesus; the Head of the Body, the 
head of the Church ; and so the Apostle says that God 
foreknew us also by Jesus. (Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:4,9-12.) 
Not that he foreknew you and me as Individuals, 
necessarily, but that He foreknew a Church, a class; He had 
fore-intended the gathering of such a class, or Church, from 
the beginning. It is just as much a part of the Divine Plan that 
the Church, the Body of Christ, should be called to walk in 



His steps, to be dead With Him, to present their bodies 
living sacrifices, as it was a part of the Divine Plan from the 
beginning that Jesus should do these things. The difference 
between Jesus and the Church is that He WaS perfect, holy, 
harmless, undefiled, 

{PageQ658} 

separate from sinners; and therefore. His death could be in the 
nature of a ranSOm-price~all that was necessary. We have 
no such perfection of our own; and therefore, in order to be 
permitted to sacrifice at all, we must first have His merit 
imputed to us, that we might be acceptable sacrifices on the 
Lord's altar. 

SIN OFFERING--Re tlie Cliurch. 

Q658:1 :: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-Does the church 

share in the Sin-Offering? 

ANSWER--The Merit of Christ consisted in His 
keeping of the Law and in His obedience to the Father in the 
laying down of His life. That life which He laid down was 
the price. It was placed in the hands of Justice when He 
died-- "Father, into Thy hands I commit My Spirit." All 
passed into the hands of the Father and it remains in the hands 
of the Father—a Ransom-price. When God raised our Lord 
from the dead He did not raise Him a human being, but a 
being of the highest order. 

As the Scriptures declare of the Church, so it is true of the 
Head of the Church, for we follow in His footsteps. Of the 
Church it is written, "It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in 
glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power ; it is 
sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." 
(1 Cor. 15:42-45.) Our Lord was raised a quIckenlng, 3 
life-giving spirit, (l Cor. 15:45; 1 Pet. 3:18.) It was a 

maN' who forfeited his life; it was a maN' also who gave 
Himself a price in offset. (1 Cor. 15:21,22.) The sacrifice 
of our Lord's human nature remained a sacrifice on behalf of 

the world. Has He given it to the world yet? No. What has 
He done with it? Merely committed it to the Father. To 
whose credit is it now? To our Lord's credit. Where? In the 
hands of Divine Justice. For what object? That it may be 
applied. How applied? 

First of all, in an imputative sense, in this Gospel Age, it is 
applied to all those who come unto the Father through Him. 
He imputes it to these after they have turned to the Father in 



faith and have come to the point where they can say, "I 
present my body a living sacrifice;" "Here, Lord, I give 
myself away." There the great Advocate, the future Mediator 
for the world, imputes to them enough of His merit to make 
their sacrifice good. They, of themselves, have nothing to 
offer that God could accept; for, "There is none righteous; 
no, not One."--Rom. 3:10. 

Here the great Advocate applies, or imputes, a sufficiency 
of His merit, already in the hands of Justice, to make these 
perfect in the sight of Justice. Divine Justice can then accept 
the sacrifice; and the acceptance of the sacrifice is manifested 
by the impartation of the Holy Spirit, the begetting of the 
Spirit; and that which is begotten of the Spirit will, in the 
resurrection, be born of the Spirit, unless in the meantime 
there be something to paralyze, or vitiate, the condition. If 
one thus begotten of the Spirit lose the spirit, become dead to 
spiritual things, then he is indeed "twice dead," as the Apostle 
says.--Jude 12. 

But now, in the case of those who are thus accepted of 
Christ, what have they to do with the Sin-Offering? We 
answer that we should not know what they have to do if God 
did not show us; but God first makes a picture of the matter in 
the Old Testament. He made, with the Jews, a 

{PageQ659} 

typical Day of Atonement, which prefigured what will be 
done during this Gospel Age and during the period of 
Messiah's reign. What is this? It is the work of reconciliation 
between God and men. How did the type show this? The Day 
of Atonement had various features. It began with the offering 
of a bullock; and that bullock represented the offering of the 
Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of the Church. The blood of the 
bullock was sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat for the household 
of faith. 

These goats represented you and me and all of God's people 
who have offered their bodies living sacrifices, holy and 
acceptable. (Rom. 12:1,2; Heb. 13:11-13.) Only one of 
these goats became a follower of the bullock and had 
experiences exactly the same as the experiences of the 
bullock. This goat represents that class of believers who daily 
follow in the footsteps of Jesus and who are partakers with 
Him of His sufferings at the present time and will have a 
share with him in the glory to follow. 

The other goat represents the class which does not go 
voluntarily to sacrifice, but which, without turning to sin, fails 



to make a willing sacrifice. Therefore this class is treated as 
the "scapegoat" and dealt with accordingly, being driven into 
the wilderness condition for tribulation. The Apostle seems 
to refer to this class when he says that some are thus dealt 
with "that their spirits may be saved in the day of the Lord 
Jesus." (1 Cor. 5:5.) These are not the Bride class, but a 
servant class. 

In the 45th Psalm we have the picture of the Heavenly 
Bridegroom and can see how He introduces His Bride to the 
Heavenly Father, the great King. Next follows the picture of 
the Bride, who is described as "all glorious within," and who 
is to be brought unto the Heavenly King in fine needlework 
and wrought gold. Then we have a third picture, "The 
virgins, her companions that follow her," and who also shall 
be brought unto the King. These represent the other class, the 
"scapegoat" class, who do not voluntarily go into death, into 
sacrifice, and who, consequently, cannot be counted in as 
members of the Bride. 

Because the Scriptures show this Sin-Offering, therefore, 
we believe in the Sin-Offering: and because the Scriptures tell 
us that we are to be sharers in this matter, therefore we 
believe it. Where does the Apostle so state? We answer that 
he says to us, addressing us as the "Lord's goat" class, "Let us 
go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing the reproach 
with Him." He also says that the bodies of those beasts whose 
blood was brought into the Most Holy to make atonement for 
sin, were all burned outside the camp. (Heb. 13:11-13.) 
What beasts were those? Only the tWO. The bullock and 
the Lord's goat were the only ones. The Apostle urges that 
we were represented by this goat. "Let us, therefore, go forth 
unto Him without the camp." All that was done with the 
bullock was done with the goat. Let us, then, if we would 
walk in His steps, share with Him in His sacrifice~"Go to 
Him without the camp, bearing His reproach with Him;" for 
"If we suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him;" we 
shall be glorified together.-2 Tim. 2:11,12. 

SIN-OFFERING-Beginning and End in Type. 

Q659:1 :: QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-In the type, where 
did the sin-offering begin, and where did it end? 

{PageQ660} 

ANSWER— The animal to be the sin-offering was 
selected and brought to the door of the Tabernacle for this 
purpose; but it became the sin-offering the moment when the 



high priest laid his hands upon it and slew it. The 
sin-offering, according to the type, was composed of two 
parts—a bullock and a goat. The slaying of the bullock did 
not finish the sin-offering; for in the Divine Purpose and 
arrangement, the great High Priest, Jesus, was to offer two 
sacrifices~the Lord's goat class as well as the antitypical 
bullock. The goat in the type, we understand, represented the 
followers of Jesus, as the bullock represented Jesus Himself. 
In the type, therefore, the killing of the sin-offering was not 
ended until the QOat of the sin-offering was slain. There it 
was that the sin-offering in the sense of sacrifice was 
finished. There was to be no more sacrificing. But the word 
sin-offering has a still broader meaning than this. It included 
in the type also the presentation of the blood of these animals 
to Jehovah God, as shown by the high priest's taking first the 
blood of the bullock, and afterwards the blood of the Lord's 
goat, into the Most Holy, and sprinkling the blood upon the 
Mercy Seat and before the Mercy Seat eastward. When this 
had been accomplished, the sin-offering was ended. 

SIN-OFFERING-Beginning in Antitype. 

Q660:1 :: QUESTION (1916-Z)-l-In the antitype, 
where did the Offering for sin begin? 

ANSWER~In the antitype, the Offering for sin began 
when Jesus presented Himself at Jordan in compliance with 
the arrangement already entered into with the Father. There, 
according to the statement of the Apostle, our Lord gave 
Himself, surrendered Himself, made Himself an Offering for 
sin. He has continued the work during this Gospel Age, 
offering up those who accept His merit and who voluntarily 
become His footstep followers, surrendering their wills to 
him. He offers these as a part of HiS OWn Sacrifice. 

After Jesus had finished offering His own personal 
sacrifice. He ascended up on high, and there made a 
presentation of His sacrificial merit to the Heavenly Father on 
behalf of the Church class, as symbolized by the sprinkling of 
the blood of the bullock in the Most Holy of the Tabernacle, 
for the high priest and his house. He will ultimately finish the 
work of sacrifice when the last member of the Body of Christ 
shall have tasted death and shall have passed beyond the veil. 
Then it will remain for the High Priest to complete this matter 
by offering the Sin-offering "for all the people," by presenting 
the merit of the "better sacrifices" to Jehovah God, the actual 
merit being in Jesus alone. 

SISTERS-Taking Part in Prayer lUleetings. 



Q660:2:: QUESTION (1905)--2-Do you advise that 
the sisters take part in prayer in our meetings? 
ANSWER--What do the Scriptures say? The Apostle 
says that the sisters took part in prayer. "If the sisters pray 
with uncovered heads they dishonor the head." You will not 
find me taking away any power from the sisters that the 
Scriptures recognize. 

SISTERS-Restrictions in Sixth Volume. 

Q660:1:: QUESTION (1910)--3--We shouldbegladto 
know if the restriction put upon the sisters in Volume Six has 
reference to 

{PageQ661} 

Bible studies, where brethren are present. Kindly tell us to 
which meetings these restrictions are applicable. 
ANSWER--It is, of course, dear friends, rather 
conjectural just what the Apostle had in mind when he 
referred to these. What we believe to be a reasonable 
interpretation of the word, is that he refers to meetings of a 
public nature, not those of the character of the Scripture 
studies. Our thought is that he has reference particularly to 
public, rather than to private or semi-private meetings. At the 
same time, if I were a sister in a Bible class, if it were a small 
one, I should feel free to ask any question as any opportunity 
came, and if any question before the class was not thoroughly 
stated in my judgment, I would feel free to express myself 
upon the subject in an indirect manner by saying something 
like this: How would this answer, how would this thought 
agree with such and such a question? Thus I should think I 
would be doing just as much as if I made a whole discourse 
upon it, and thus throw it open to others by asking a question. 
I do not understand that the apostolic restrictions were to 
asking questions. If I were a sister I should feel free to ask 
questions and I should conserve my influence, and feel that I 
were using it to good advantage in putting it in such a form 
rather than in saying, I do not agree, I think it is so and so. I 
would ask the question. How does it agree with this and that? 
If not fairly stated, I would say. How does it agree with such 
and such? If people would allow me to ask questions, I could 
go into all the churches and soon have them upside down. To 
my understanding it is no special restriction, but it is really in 
some respects to the advantage of the sisters, in putting them 
into this ladylike position. 



SISTERS-Teaching Without Usurping Autliority. 

Q661 :1 :: QUESTION (1910)--1--I suffer not a woman 
to teach, nor to usurp authority over a man. Can this be 
meant to understand that a woman may teach if she does not 
usurp authority over a man? 

ANSWER— Well, suppose I were a sister and moved 
into a neighborhood and desired to exercise my influence in 
scattering pamphlets, etc., and suppose some of my neighbors 
got together and said, I wish you would tell us more of this, I 
would understand that it would be the Lord's will for me to 
tell all I knew, but as modestly as possible, which is 
appropriate for a brother also. I would try to bring out all the 
truth and facts that I was familiar with, and the fact that some 
of those in the neighborhood who had no knowledge of the 
truth were males, would not hinder me if they requested me to 
explain the matter. I would think it entirely proper. 

SISTERS~Re Asl<ing Blessing at Table. 

Q661 :1 :: QUESTION (1910)-2-Similarly, what shall 
we do at the home table in asking blessing upon the food? 
Perhaps the father would never think of asking a blessing. I, 
the wife, have been in the habit of asking the blessing. Should 
I continue to ask the blessing? 

ANSWER— You should continue if he is in sympathy, if 
he is agreeable to it. So I would say to the husband, shall I 
ask the blessing, is it agreeable to you? If the husband is not 
a Christian I would still recognize him as the head of the 
family, and as such I believe that instead of saying, I will ask 
a blessing and you can't say anything about that, 

{PageQ662} 

I would think the other way would be better-Husband, have 
you any objection to it? Or if he said, I approve of it, then 
you have authority and you are not assuming authority in any 
sense of the word. 

SISTERS~Re Taking Part in Bible Study. 

0662:1:: QUESTION ( 19 10)- 1 -Should sisters take 
part in Bible study in chapter and verse, as you advocate? 

ANSWER-If you find anything in the Sixth Volume 
that covers this point, I know of no change in my mind as 
written there. I would suppose that the general sentiment 
behind the Apostle's instructions seems to be this, that in the 
Church the male represents the Head and therefore is a type 
of Christ, who is the Head of the Church. Now the Church is 



not to teach Christ, but Christ is to teach the Church, so in 
connection with the picture of the male and female, it would 
not be for the woman to teach the man. That seems to be 
what the Apostle suggests. It would be a mistake to go to the 
extreme, as some of the friends, who say this refers to 
teaching in schools, or what not. The Apostle is speaking of 
the Church and not of the family. It is right that the mother 
should instruct the family, and it should be maintained and 
nothing that the Apostle says, to my mind, bears any 
contradiction, but in the Church "let your women keep silent," 
the Apostle says. I am not saying it. Some of the friends 
think that I am saying it. I want you to know I am not. I 
think I would rather have been inclined to have gone to the 
extreme, to have given them too much liberty. I am not left to 
choose in the matter, neither are you, my brother or sister. If 
I were in the place of a sister, I would like to do his will and 
he would be pleased if I did his will. Therefore I think that in 
the more public meetings in the Church, that the sisters would 
do well to take a secondary place and be comparatively quiet. 
I would understand that in a small meeting where questions 
were being passed around it would not be wrong for a sister 
to ask a question. I think that if I were a sister and were 
allowed to ask a question, if I had any truth to bring out, I 
would not have much trouble in asking such questions as 
would bring it out. If our friends of the various 
denominations would allow you and me to go to some of their 
meetings and we were allowed to ask them some questions, 
we would get a lot of theology in very quickly. 

SISTERS-Leading in Prayer. 

Q662:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-Is it unscriptural that 
a sister should lead in prayer in a Prayer meeting? 

ANSWER~The Scriptures do not give sisters the same 
prominence in public worship that they do the brethren. The 
woman represents the church, while the man represents 
Christ; as the Apostle says, "The head of the woman is man, 
the head of the man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God." 
In this order, therefore, the Scriptures teach that woman as 
representing the church should hear the Lord. In other words, 
the least prominent place should be taken by the sisters in 
public service. This does not, to my understanding, mean that 
a sister should not engage in prayer. I would think that in a 
public meeting like this, it would be very improper for a sister 
to lead in prayer. If it were a cottage meeting, or a small 
meeting, a little circle, or 



{PageQ663} 

a family circle, and she were asked to lead in prayer, I would 
understand that it would be entirely proper; and if I were 
asked any question then as to whether she should have her 
head covered, I would say that the apostle says "yes"--that if 
she engages in prayer, she should wear a covering on her 
head--"not merely her hair," as the apostle says, but if she 
wears a covering of hair that she also wear an additional 
covering. This, he says, is to indicate that she recognizes she 
is not the head, and in this sense of the word she is 
representing the church, which does not pretend to speak, but 
rather to hear, the Lord. 

SISTERS-Answering Questions Without Being Called Upon. 

Q663:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-Is it scriptural for 
sisters to answer questions or give scriptural references 
unless specially called upon by an Elder? 

ANSWER--My thought would be that this is not 
teaching. To answer a question in a Berean Study is not 
teaching. If any of the class in a school were to give an 
answer to the teacher, that scholar does not become the 
teacher, does he? It shows how very clearly he has 
understood his lessons. In this matter of the Berean Studies it 
would be entirely proper for every one of the friends present 
to take part. Some of the answers of the sisters are indeed 
very good. If we do some thinking on the lesson we will have 
an answer, and why keep it whether the one having the 
answer be a brother or a sister? 

SIXTH VOLUME--Re Omitting First Chapter. 

Q663:1:: QUESTION (1910)--2-Whatdo youthinkof 
the suggestion to omit the study of the first chapter in the 
sixth volume as not being so spiritualizing as the other part? 

ANSWER--Well, I would think that each one in the 
class has a right to his judgment, and if the whole class by 
majority vote decided that way then I would have nothing to 
say; but before they took their vote on the matter I would say 
that I think the first chapter of the sixth volume is one of the 
best in the book. But I always submit to what the class says. 
I think that is a good spirit for every elder and deacon to have 
in mind—the class by its vote represents the Lord. The elder 
is the representative of the Lord through the class. 

SLEEPING AND DRUNKEN-Classes Represented. 

Q663:1:: QUESTION (1911)-3-"Thereforeletus not 



sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober; for they that 
sleep, sleep in the night; and they that are drunk are drunken 
in the night." What class would represent those who sleep, 
and those who would be drunken? 

ANSWER--The apostle is here using an illustration, and 
he informs us that much of the drunkenness of that time was 
in the night. We know that much of the sleeping is done at 
night, and he tells us that drunkenness was common in the 
night. And he tells us that we are children of the day, and 
that while this is night time, and we are obliged to walk in 
this night time, we are not to be asleep with the world; we are 
to be awake; we are the children of the morning, children of 
light—not children of darkness. Therefore, let us not be 
stupefied, let us not be intoxicated with the spirit of this 
world. You remember, in Revelation we read that the harlot 
woman who sat on the beast had in her hand a 

{PageQ664} 

cup, with which she had made drunk all the nations of the 
earth. Thus cup, we understand to be a cup of false doctrines, 
misrepresentations and misunderstandings of the divine 
teaching, and that the whole world has been intoxicated by 
these false doctrines. 

SMITING JORDAN-Pastor Russell's Dying 
Statement. 

Q664:1:: QUESTION (1916)-l-What about Smiting Jordon? 
ANSWER—Someone else will have to do that. 

SON OF GOD-When Our Lord Became Such. 

0664:2:: QUESTION (191 l)--2-When did our Lord 
become the only begotten Son of God? 

ANSWER~We answer that he was always the only 
begotten Son of God. And all things were made by him- 
-God's power operating through him. He, therefore, is the 
one whom the Father begat, and the only one whom the 
Father begat; all the others were created by and through his 
power, he being the agent of divine power in all creation. 

SONS-Adopted or Actual? 

0664:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3--Are the consecrated 
adopted sons of God or real sons of God? 

ANSWER--Well, I think we speak from both 
standpoints, dear friends. We speak of having been adopted 
into God's family. We can already speak in that way. Even 



our flesh is adopted by Him, because it belongs to us. Even 
our children are adopted in the sense of being brought under 
the supervision of His divine care. When God accepts us, he 
begets us of the Holy Spirit as New Creatures, and calls us 
sons of God, and we are thus really sons of God—real sons of 
God begotten of the Holy Spirit-under present conditions, 
when it has not yet been determined whether we shall make a 
failure of it; and he now speaks of us as being adopted into 
His family. We are adopted under certain conditions, with 
certain promises. So the thing is not settled with you whether 
you are going to be a son of God or whether you may die the 
second death; that depends on how you are going to do. But 
from the one standpoint it would be especially proper to 
speak of ourselves that we are adopted and that might include 
our flesh and all our earthly interests. God has adopted us, he 
has taken us just as we are— not for worthiness of our own, 
but because we have come in His appointed way, with a 
heart's desire of being in harmony with Him; but the New 
Creature which would be the real son of God is not yet fully 
developed. A child that is merely begotten is not a son in one 
sense of the word, you see, and so we will not be sons of God 
in the full sense of the word until our resurrection birth, as 
Jesus was the first that was born from the dead. So we also 
are to be born from the dead and have our resurrection birth, 
or change, or completion of our New Nature, as sons of God. 
In substance, then, condensing the matter, we are now said to 
be adopted into God's family, and conditionally treated as His 
sons just as though the whole matter were finished; but the 
reality of our sonship and the finishing of the matter will be 
when we shall have passed beyond the vail, having heard his 
"Well done." 

SONS-Actually or Reckonedly. 

Q664:4:: QUESTION (191 l-Z)-4-Are consecrated 
believers actually or reckonedly sons of God.? 

{PageQ665} 

ANSWER-Consecrated believers are actually sons 

of God. The Scriptures so state the matter. "NoW are We 

the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; 

but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, 

for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2.) Old things 

have passed away and all things have become new. (2 Cor. 5:17.) 

Either you are a son of God or you are not a son of God. 

If you have made the proper consecration and God has begotten 



you of the Holy Spirit, you are a son of God. It is just as well, 
dear friends, that we have this matter clearly before our minds. 

In England a business man said to us after one of the great 
Albert Hall Meetings, "I was out to hear you at Albert hall, 
and you discouraged me very much." At first we did not 
know what he meant. As he proceeded we found out. He 
said, "I had been thinking that I was a good Episcopalian, and 
that if God had anything good to give away I should be sure 
to get it if any one would. From the way you talk I see you 
think there is only a little flock' which gets these good things 
which the Father has. You have quite upset my faith." 

When we came to understand what the gentleman meant we 
told him that we were very glad, for we wanted to Wake him Up 
before he should die with such a misunderstanding of 
God's terms. God is not calling people who say, "I would 
rather serve You than go to hell, but that is all the interest I 
have in you." God is calling those people who lOVe rJghteOUSneSS 
and hate iniquity, of that kind He is getting the number He 
wants for his special place—to be joint-heirs with His Son. He 
is not calling the remainder of mankind. After thiS Gospel Age 
will be the time for those on the earthly plane to receive their 
blessing, to reach human perfection. 

But the only ones which will ever get the spiritual or high 
calling are those who are saints. How can we suppose that 
God will exalt to association with Jesus, as members of His 
Body, any who are not saints at heart, pure in their intentions, 

especially pure loyai to God to the very core? Would 

you expect Him to take any others? You would not even 
respect the Government of God if you knew He would have 
all sorts of people in highly exalted places and give them the 
divine nature. If you believed such to be the case you must 
lose all respect for the Almighty's Government. But when He 
tells you that all those who will be highly exalted to 
association with Jesus will be copies of His Son, you will say, 
"That sounds right." It I S right. The Lord's ways are just 
and righteous altogether. If we should never make our calling 
and election sure we would say, "True and righteous are Thy 
ways. Lord God Almighty." 

But we could never count it right if anyone should be 
roasted through all eternity in Purgatory for a time. We could 
never agree to the righteousness of that. Such ways would be 
most unjust. There is no one who for his shortcomings 
could ever warrant the sentence of eternal torment, or even 
one hundred years of torment, or even One year of torment. 
It could not be right for poor, imperfect human beings to be 



held responsible for perfection and to be tormented because 
of coming short of it. But you know, and everybody knows, 
that to whatever extent you co-operate with 

{PageQ666} 

evil, to that extent you will bring upon yourself degradation 
mental, moral and physical; and every step you go downward 
must be retraced, if you attain to anything good in this life or 
in the life to come. There is a righteous recompense of 
reward as the Scriptures say, to the righteous as well as to the 
evildoers. 

SONS OF PROPHETS-Their Antitypes. 

Q666:1 :: QUESTION (1911)--l-We read in Second Kings, 
respecting the sons of the prophets. Whom do they typify? 

ANSWER--I am not sure they typify anybody. It is 
unnecessary to think that everything is a type, you know. But 
if they are types at all, they would seem to he types of 
religious people who were living at that time, who would not 
be identified either with the Elijah class, the little flock 
class, or with the Elisha class, but others who would he outside, 
who would be more or less interested in everything that 
would be going on. There are today many people in the 
world who are very nice people, very much interested in 
religious things, but who do not belong to either the Elijah 
class or the Elisha class. As we understand it, these people 
will get a blessing, will have the favor of God in a certain 
sense, and yet not have either of these special favors 
represented in these two classes. 

SONS OF PROPHETS-Who Are They? 

Q666:2:: QUESTION (1916)--2-Who are the sons of 
the prophets spoken of in the of the recent Towers? 

ANSWER— I do not recall the connection. We have 
spoken of the sons of the prophets many times in the Watch 
Tower. I presume that the reference might be to that passage 
in second Kings in which we have described to us how Elijah 
and Elisha went from one place to another until they came to 
Jordan, and these sons of the prophets at different places said 
to Elisha, "Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy 
master from thy head today?" and after the two prophets had 
crossed over Jordan, Elijah had been translated and Elisha 
returned and recrossed the Jordan, these sons of the prophets 
recognized Elisha as having his master's mantle, but 
wondered where the Lord had taken Elijah and afterwards 



sent messengers to hunt for him. Elijah represented the Little 
Flock and Elisha the great company who are also the Lord's 
people, and to some extent associated with them but are not 
so zealous for the Truth as the Little Flock, and these sons of 
the prophets have more or less interest in both the others. 
This picture seems to indicate that, after the separation has 
taken place between the little flock and great company, there 
will be still another class of righteous people more or less 
connected with the Lord's people who are included neither in 
the one class or the other—neither the Elijah nor the Elisha 
class—but who are posted somewhat, and who will be saying 
thus and so. 

SOUL-Bible Definition. 

Q666:3:: QUESTION (1913)-3-What is the soul, from 
the standpoint of the Bible? Is it immortal? 

ANSWER-This is a large question for a question meeting. 
It would take an hour to discuss the soul properly. I will 
tell you what a Methodist bishop said, and perhaps that will 
be of great value to some. He was asked to give a definition 
and said, "A soul is without body, shape or parts; it has 

{PageQ667} 

neither interior nor exterior, and you could put a million of 
them in a nut-shell." He might equally as well have said a 
billion, or a thousand million, because the bishop merely 
described nothing. Without interior nor exterior— that is 
nothing. Without body, shape or parts-that is nothing. How 
can you fill a nut- shell full of all kinds of nothing? 

According to the Bible the soul is a very different matter. 
We find that people, in discussing these matters, use soul and 
spirit interchangeably, sometimes one and sometimes another. 
But the Bible distinguishes, and we are not to mix these 
terms. You know what the body is, and what the spirit of life 
it is'. The body of Adam was formed out of the dust of the 
ground. That was his form, his shape. God breathed into his 
nostrils the breath of lives (plural), the breath common to 
every living creature. The difference between Adam and the 
other creatures was not in the breath, or spirit of lives. Man 
had the same kind of spirit of life. The difference was that 
man had a finer organism. How do we know? Stand a man 
alongside of a dog. Look at their heads. The one slopes back; 
there is no place for the intellectual qualities at all, or at 
least a very small place for the thinking apparatus man has. 
He has more brain than the dog. If we could make a dog with 



the same head as a man, he would think the same as a man. 
But God did not endow the dog, or any other brute, with the 
same capacity as man. He was in God's likeness, because he 
gave him the superior mental powers. When the breath of life 
entered the organism man began to move his arms and hands, 
his brain began to work, he began to think. The Bible calls 
that the being, the individual; not the body, not the life, but 
the thing that results from these, the soul. The Bible always 
addresses the soul, not the body. You would never think of 
talking to my hand. You would think, "What does the hand 
know about it?" You do not address my brain, but my 
intellect. The brain is the centre of the intellectual power. It 
is that power you are addressing, not the matter of the brain. 
You are addressing me, a thinking personality. 

As soon as the breath of life leaves, the body would be as 
before. The spark of life having gone there would be no soul. 
Where does the soul go? It would not go anywhere. We have 
a candle. You blow out the light (not out of the window), I 
mean you extinguish it. It does not go to some other place, 
but is simply extinguished. So with man. When the spark of 
life is extinguished the soul is dead. The Bible says the soul 
is asleep, using a very beautiful figure of speech. God has 
provided for a future life. We say in one breath that the man 
is dead and in another we say he is merely asleep, because 
God has promised that he shall be awakened. It is not the 
body that shall be awakened; it shall return to the dust, and 
the spirit shall return to the God who gave it. But how could 
the spirit return to God unless it wiggles off in some way? 
The spirit of life is the privilege or power of life. This 
privilege was granted to Father Adam under certain 
conditions. As soon as he violated the conditions he forfeited 
the privilege. He did not die that minute. God allowed him 
to hold on to the spark of life as long as he could and fight the 
thorns and thistles, but when he died it was his no longer. It 
was in God's hands, as you might give a man an option on 
something. Suppose I give you an option 

{PageQ668} 

on my coat until to-morrow morning. Then I would say, the 
option is out; the privilege is broken. So man was given the 
privilege of living if he would continue in harmony with the 
Creator. That right which was given him passed to God when 
he died; it was no longer his right. When Adam's children 
were born they had only the spark of life which he had given 
them. When they died their right to life returned to the giver 



of life. 

How can they ever get life? Another way has been 
provided, through the great love of God; and it is only by 
appreciating the very great love of God that anyone will ever 
have life again. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that 
hath not the Son shall not see life. The whole arrangement is 
bound up in Christ. When Christ shall come to establish His 
kingdom, and the time for the awakening of the dead shall 
come, all shall come forth from death. Not that the body will 
be awakened; its elements may be scattered over the earth. 
What the Bible says is that God shall restore that soul. "Thou 
wilt not leave my soul in sheol." God raised Jesus from the 
dead; He did not leave His soul in death. So every human 
soul shall be raised, but not the body. 

An infidel propounded the question. A man died and was 
buried at the foot of a large tree. Years afterward they had 
occasion to dig down at the base of that tree, and they found 
that the roots had absorbed the body, and had taken the shape 
of the man's body. The tree had been used for various 
purposes ; some had been shipped to different parts of the 
country, and how could that man get his body back? How 
could God resurrect that body? He was stumbling over 
thoughts which God never put in the Bible. The Scriptures 
inform us that God will give that man a body as it pleaseth 
Him. Those who are of the church will have spirit bodies, 
and the world will have human bodies. What the Lord 
guarantees is that the soul, the being, shall come back. God 
will see to it that the body produced will be a perfect 
counterpart of the one that went into the tomb. 

SPIRIT--Re His Word. 

Q668:1 :: QUESTION (1905)--l--How is God's word spirit? 

ANSWER—God's word is spirit in the sense of its being 
a power or influence. You can have the power of the spirit. 
Spirit and influence are powers that are not visible, like wind. 
The thoughts in the Bible are God's word, not simply the ink 
marks. What goes into a man from God's word is nothing that 
can be seen. God's word is the spirit of truth—a power. 

SPIRIT-Composition of Spirit Body. 

Q668:2:: QUESTION (1905)-2-Whatdo you 
understand a spirit body to be? 

ANSWER— The kind that our Heavenly Father has and 
the kind that our Lord Jesus now has, since he is a life-giving 
or quickening spirit. It does not yet appear what we shall be. 
We have a general knowledge that it is not a fleshly body, but 



we cannot say that it is thus and so. There are two kinds of 
bodies, and if we are faithful we will get the heavenly or 
spiritual one. 

SPIRIT~Re Flesh and Bones. 

Q668:3:: QUESTION (1905) 3 Why did Jesus say, 
"A spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have?" 

{PageQ669} 

ANSWER— When our Lord used these words he was 
appearing in the flesh, otherwise, to have appeared as a spirit 
being would not have served his purpose as well. Paul fell 
down as dead when given a glimpse of our Lord's spiritual 
body. Suppose all the apostles had fallen down as dead? 
What proof would that have been that it was Jesus? 
Appearing as he did proved two things: first, that he was no 
longer dead, and second, that he was changed from what he 
was when they knew him before. They were not yet begotten 
of the Holy Spirit, and he needed to bring the matter down to 
their comprehension; also to show them that their ministry 
must be a different ministry. 

SPIRIT-Body Not In Us. 

Q669:1:: QUESTION ( 1 905)- 1 -How can a spiritual 
body dwell in us? 

ANSWER— It does not dwell in us. What can dwell in 
us is the spirit of God. This is treated at length in the fifth 
volume of Millennial Dawn, which please read. The spirit of 
God may dwell in us richly in the sense of the mind of God 
dwelling in us. 

SPIRIT-Receiving Holy Spirit After Quickening. 

Q669:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-Does the child of God 
have after quickening any other means of receiving the Holy 
Spirit than through the Word? 

ANSWER-Yes, I think so. We are quickened by the 
spirit and receive the spirit of the Truth through the Word. 
We see the Lord's directing influence in our affairs in his 
providential care over us and in our experiences of life in 
those things which others would say were accidental. We can 
receive the Holy Spirit through intercourse with the brethren, 
whether through the printed page of Bible or "Watch Tower," 
or hymn book. It is the Holy Spirit and influence of God and 
he has provided these various instruments. "When He 
ascended up on high He led captivity captive and gave gifts 



unto men." These the Apostle specifies: "And He gave some 
apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some 
pastors and teachers "--the holy spirit comes through these 
several ways to the building up of the Church in His most 
Holy faith, "till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of 
the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the 
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." 

SPIRIT-Begetting-Where Does It Take Place? 

Q669:3:: QUESTION (1912) 3 Where does 
spirit-begetting take place? 

ANSWER— It takes place wherever you happen to be 
when you give yourself to the Lord and He accepts your 
consecration. If He accepts your consecration He will give 
His spirit, which marks the acceptance. 

The questioner may have had some other question in mind; 
he may have meant. Where in the Tabernacle system does 
spirit-begetting take place? 

If that be the thought, my answer would be that it is shown 
by his passing under the First Vail. The person who is 
spirit-begotten is the one living by faith whose human will 
died. Only such are accepted at all of God, and such are 
immediately inside the First Vail. 

{PageQ670} 

SPIRITS IN PRISON-Re Dead Knowing Nothing. 

Q670:1 :: QUESTION (1911)-l-If, as you say, the 
Bible teaches that the dead know nothing, who are the spirits 
in prison? And how could the Lord preach to them? 

ANSWER— There might be worse questions than that. 
That is a Scriptural question anyway. It is a very good 
question, and I am glad that it comes up. The spirits in prison 
St. Peter mentions, and he does not tell us that they are human 
spirits in prison; he does not say a word about their being 
human spirits; he says they were spirits that suffered in the 
days of Noah when the ark was preparing— these were the 
spirits to whom Jesus preached when he died and rose. What 
spirits are they? Those are some of the same spirits that the 
apostle Peter and the apostle Jude both mention. Those 
spirits who kept not their first estate. God cast down to 
Tartarus and restrained them in chains of darkness until 
the judgment day. They are mentioned in the fifth and sixth 
verses of Genesis, where we read, "God saw that the whole 
earth had become corrupt, and the sons of God saw that the 
daughters of men were fair, and took to themselves wives of 



such as they would. They were the angels before the flood. 
At that time the angels had the power of materialization as 
more recently the holy angels have been privliged to manifest 
themselves. For instance, the angel of the Lord appeared to 
the mother of Samson. They thought they were talking to a 
man, but it was an angel, because he ascended in the flame of 
the altar, and disappeared. So again, we read, when Abraham 
was dwelling in the plains of Mamre he lifted up his eyes and 
beheld three men coming unto him, and he received them, he 
made them welcome, and prepared a dinner, and they ate and 
talked with Abraham. Paul mentioning them, said, "Be not 
forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have 
entertained angels unawares." He is referring exactly to what 
Abraham did when he entertained those angels unawares. 
They appeared as men, and they were men to all intents and 
purposes until they had performed their work, and then they 
dissolved and became spirit beings again. Of those who came 
to Abraham, we read that one was the Lord before he became 
a man at all. He was a spirit being at that time, and had 
power to appear as a man, or in any other way, just the same 
as an angel could, and the other two were angels who went 
down to Sodom, and delivered Lot and his family before the 
city was destroyed by fire. So, as the holy angels thus 
appeared to Abraham, and ate with him, and talked with him, 
and had all the functions of a man, just so with the angels 
prior to the flood. All the angels had this power, and not 
merely the good angels, for they were all originally good, but 
at that time, they had that privilege when they had the work 
before them of trying to help man out of his trouble and 
degradation. Instead of helping mankind back to perfection 
the sin amongst mankind drew some of these angels from 
their former estate, from their original love for the spiritual 
plane, and they preferred not only to take the human form to 
appear to man, but preferred to live as human beings; and 
they left their habitation, the heavenly or spiritual condition, 
and lived as men in the world, and they had wives, and raised 
families, and their children were men of renown; they were 
gigantic in size. God beheld that the whole earth 

{PageQ671} 

had become corrupt; the influence of those demons among 
men had a corrupting influence in the whole world, and the 
imagination of the human mind was evil, and only evil, and 
that continually; and God said: "I will destroy man from the 
face of the earth." And he brought the flood of water on the 



earth and destroyed these giants as well as mankind that were 
imperfect. Now, how long that was going on we are not told, 
but we have reason to believe that it was going on for at least 
one or two centuries. Why? Because at that time no one was 
counted a man until he was a hundred years of age. Adam's 
children were nearly always a hundred or more before they 
had any posterity of their own. They did not reach manhood's 
estate until they were about one hundred. And their posterity 
were men of renown, they were giants. That signifies to my 
mind that this condition of things had prevailed at least one 
hundred years previously. Now Noah was perfect in his 
generation; there was nothing impure, there was no corruption 
from the angels in Noah's stock, as indicated, nor in his 
family, and these were the only ones in the whole world. At 
least we do not know of any others. All the rest were 
drowned in the flood, and these only were carried over; and 
they were declared to be perfect in their generation- 
-generated perfectly. Now these angels that fell at that time, 
the apostle Peter says, and also the apostle Jude, that God 
sentenced them, restrained them in chains--not literal chains, 
but chains of darkness, so that they could not materialize, so 
that they could not come out into the light. They were 
restrained until the judgment of the great day. There is rather 
an intimation there as we get nearer to the judgment of the 
great day. The Lord may permit these angels to break over 
those chains of darkness, and I believe that is the teaching of 
the Word, and we may expect these demons to give us a 
terrible time in the world, and that will be a part of the great 
time of trouble that is coming. That is my firm belief. There 
is more or less of speculation about that, but I wish to 
differentiate it from other things on which I do not speculate. 
You remember in our Lord's time he cast out these demons. 
They could not materialize, so the next best thing was to try 
to get possession of human bodies, and they would possess a 
human being. They would get into him, and so anxious were 
they to do so, that we read on one occasion there was a legion 
of them in one man. They said, "Our name is legion." God 
has given us a will whereby we can resist this intrusion, and I 
would warn everybody against these evil demons. They are 
still working at the present time. They represent themselves 
as being the dead, and all spirit mediums are really mediums 
of these spirit demons. The demons know about your dead 
friends, and they can answer all the questions about them. 

So during all this time, some of these angels may long to be 
back in the fellowship with God. I always find, my dear 
friends, that if you put bad people together, they are unhappy. 



and I imagine that when all of these demons were cut off from 
the fellowship with God they wanted to get mixed up with 
humanity to get a little comfort and variety. They did not 
know what God was going to do with them; they believed 
they were to be destroyed, and they understood that to be the 
end of everything out of harmony with God; but they were 
waiting in this uncertain way. Then came 

{PageQ672} 

the time when they beheld Jesus when he left the glory he had 
with the Father, that he had humbled himself and become a 
man, that he had died, the just for the unjust, then they saw 
that, in obedience to the Father he had died, and then that the 
Father had raised him from the dead, and it spoke a great 
sermon to these fallen angels; it was a wonderful sermon he 
was preaching, not by words, but by actions; he preached by 
obedience to the Father's will. Then again, when he was 
exalted above angels and principalities and powers, it was 
another lesson to them, for they saw that God had rewarded 
him for obedience, and realized that God had punished them 
for their disobedience— Now if God is doing all this for the 
redemption of mankind, it may be our great God will have 
some compassion upon us and perhaps he will do something 
for us. So, it became a sermon for them, and there is an 
intimation in the Bible that God may do something for them. 
That intimation is given by the apostle when he says that not 
only will the church judge mankind, but also, "Know ye not 
that the saints shall judge angels?" We are not going to judge 
the holy angels; they will not need any judging; the angels 
that will need judging will be the fallen angels. Just how we 
will do it I do not know, but the apostle's words are there, and 
I take it for granted they mean something; and I believe 
something in their lives demonstrates whether or not they 
might be granted some future opportunity to show that they 
had learned a great lesson from their sins. But we have no 
reason to think that many of them are in this condition of 
repentance; no reason to think that many of them received or 
accepted any message of grace, because all through this 
Gospel age these demons have been fighting hard, and the 
apostle charges up against them those doctrines of devils, 
doctrines of demons, that have so troubled you and me and 
the whole Christian world. You will find they have given all 
these devilish doctrines to the heathen. Go to any heathen 
nation and you will find that they all believe practically the 
same thing, that the devil told us, only he made it worse with 



us, and he got us more fooled than even the heathen have 
been with respect to the future. No heathen man believes as 
badly of his creator, of the great God, as we Protestant 
nations have believed. 

SPOTS-Spotting Our Garments. 

Q672:1 :: QUESTION ( 1 906)-- 1 --What sin, or sins, 
spot the robe? 

ANSWER— I suppose the reference here is to the 
statement of the Scripture that we are to keep our garments 
unspotted from the world. We answer that the garment itself 
we must first see to be the robe of Christ's righteousness, our 
justification, granted to us or imputed to us as a covering for 
the blemishes of our flesh. What would be implied, then, in 
keeping the robe unspotted. What kind of spots might get on 
it? Well, it is a figure of speech, you see. Suppose a lady had 
on a white dress, and she was very careful of that dress. She 
would know that an ink spot, or a grease spot, or anything of 
that kind, would spoil it, and make it unsuitable for general 
wear. So she would be very careful. And that is the way the 
Lord would have us to do. He says, "There is your robe, 
clean linen, pure and white, representing the righteousness of 
the saints, the imputed righteousness 

{PageQ673} 

of Christ covering all your blemishes," Now, in what way 
could we blemish it? By saying or doing something that 
would be wrong. A sin would be a spot, or a sin would be a 
wrinkle is the thought. And the person that would be without 
spot, without blemish, and without wrinkle in his robe, would 
be one who was in full accord with the Lord and pleasing to 
him. Nobody can go into the wedding with a spotted robe, 
but the Lord has made a gracious provision that if a spot gets 
on your robe, you may apply the precious blood of Christ, by 
asking the Lord to remove the spot, that the robe may be in 
His sight spotless. 

STEPHEN-Authority for Stoning. 

Q673:1:: QUESTION (1905)-1-Why could the Jews 
stone Stephen when they could not put our Lord to death? 

ANSWER— I do not know. I have often wondered about 
that myself. If you find out let me know. 

STEWARD-Duty Re Property. 

Q673:2:: QUESTION (1910)-2-SupposethatIown 



the equity in property amounting to $5,000. Does the Lord 
expect me, as as wise steward, to turn this amount into the 
harvest work, when, in order to continue in my business, it 
would necessitate selling the property and paying rent? 

ANSWER~Now the dear brother writing this question is 
the only person that has the right to decide it. It is not for me 
to decide what he should do, for I do not know all the 
circumstances; and even if I did know them all, it would not 
be for me to tell him what he must do. It must be his own 
voluntary act, whatever it is, and his own judgment must be 
used. I have already expressed what would be my judgment, 
that a man should look out for his wife and children and any 
others who are closely related to him and properly dependent 
on him for support, and he should not denude himself of 
property so that he would bring either himself or any of those 
dependent upon him into reasonable danger of requiring 
private charity. I do not know how to state the matter more 
clearly than that. You see you might imagine a case in 
answer to this question in which the brother would have 
nothing probably in the way of an encumbrance at all, and it 
might perhaps be a wise thing for him to sell his property, 
clear it off and rent a store. It does not always follow that it 
is to the best advantage to own property. Sometimes it is just 
as well to have rented property. He must decide the case. 

STEWARD-Things Expected of. 

Q673:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3--In ordertobe a 
faithful steward and complete one's consecration, do you 
think the Lord expects one to sell the roof from over his head, 
or will the Lord show the faithful steward just how and when 
to proceed? 

ANSWER--Well, it is pretty hard to answer this 
question just the way it is written, so I will not attempt to do 
that; but I will tell you what my thought is, in a general way, 
along this line. The Lord has given you certain talents and 
powers, and among these is so much money, and he expects 
you to use the money. You consecrated to him all of it when 
you gave yourself and all you had. It included every penny 
that you have, and now when he hands it back to you he says, 
I will make you a steward and I will see how you use this, and 
I will judge how much more I can entrust to you 

{PageQ674} 

for the future by the way in which you show your faithfulness 
in the using of this little amount which is now at your 



disposal. It would seem to me, then, that if I had only five 
dollars to my name—roof over my head or no roof over my 
head~I would consider the five dollars a stewardship; and if it 
were five thousand dollars I would still consider it a 
stewardship; and if it were five millions, I would still consider 
it a stewardship; and according to the amount of opportunity 
that I had, and the responsibilities that were upon me, I would 
want to use whatever I had in the way that I thought would be 
pleasing to the Lord. For instance, if I had a family and they 
were dependent upon me and there were young children, I 
would think that it would be God's will, and that I would be 
acting as a proper steward, if I would make a reasonable 
provision for these children—not that if I had five million 
dollars I would think that they must all he rich and have a 
million apiece. I would not understand anything of the kind, 
but would understand that they would probably do a great 
deal better for themselves and for the Lord's glory if they did 
not have very much. And yet, if I had $5,000,000 I would 
feel that I ought to give more to my sons and daughters than if 
I had only fifty dollars or if I had only $5,000. I would think 
it would be a reasonable consideration to be held in mind, and 
I think probably if I had five million, I would give them 
$50,000 apiece, I don't know. I think I should be about that 
generous. I don't think I would be any more generous than 
that. And if there were any of them I thought would be 
specially injured by giving them that much, I would cut it 
down. But in ever5^hing, your responsibility is the thing that 
is before you-how does God wish you to do? Do according 
to what you think would be pleasing to the Lord. It is your 
stewardship, not mine. But remember, that if you are 
thinking more of your children in respect to your stewardship 
than you are thinking respecting the Lord's children and the 
Lord's work, it shows that you have not the proper respect for 
him and his work. You are, therefore, to take all of these 
things into consideration when you decide how you shall use 
whatever is in your hands. If I had a wife and family; I 
certainly would not think of selling the roof from over our 
heads, unless it would be a very fine roof to get a cheaper 
one, the fine one not being so necessary. But I would 
certainly think of keeping a roof for my family I would think 
it part of my duty as a father and husband to provide for 
necessities in that manner. I wish that all of God's people had 
roofs over their heads— not extravagant roofs, not very 
elaborate houses, necessarily, but that they all had some little 
place they could call home. It is true, Jesus did not have a 
home of his own, but it is also true that John, his disciple, did 



have a home, as we read of Jesus when dying commending 
Mary, his mother, to that disciple whom he loved. That 
disciple whom Jesus loved took Mary to his own house. He 
had a house. 

STRENGTH-HOW Can We Tell When We Are Going in the Lord's 
Strength and Not Our Own? 

Q674:1 :: QUESTION (1914)--l--How can we know when we 
are going in the Lord's strength and not in or our own? 
Does failure signify going in our own strength? Please answer. 
ANSWER~It is pretty hard to know just what the 

{PageQ675} 

questioner had in his mind about going in his own strength- 
physical strength to work for the Lord, or what you mean I do 
not know surely. I will be obliged to answer at 
random-make a guess. I should say, however, that to go in 
one's own strength would be known to him by his discernment as he 
would criticize himself as to whether or not he is inclined to 
go about some matter and be doing it very busily and had 
forgotten perhaps to make it a subject of prayer and to think 
and study out whether it was the Lord's will or not. That 
would be a sign that you were neglecting to look to the Lord 
for strength and guidance. That would be a sign that you are 
in danger on that line and you should be more careful. 
Afterwards if you see it is the Lord's way according to His 
Word, make a prayer on the subject and act according to your 
best judgment, then you will be sure that you are walking in 
the strength of the Lord. 

STRIKES-Belonging to Unions and Participating in Strikes. 

Q675:1:: QUESTION (1916)-1-I belong to the railroad 
union B. of R.T. and am also a consecrated child of God. 
In case of railroad strike what would you advise me to do? 
ANSWER— I do not think I could say anything on such a 
subject different from what I have already said in regard to 
the matter in the 6th Volume of Studies in the Scriptures. I 
think a good many of the friends have not read the six 
volumes for quite a while, and I think they had better read 
them over again. I remind you of how it is possible to read 
the entire six volumes through in one year by reading twelve 
pages a day. And I believe those following that plan are 
getting a blessing, and have answers to questions they would 
not have if not following that plan, or that they could have in 
any other way. Because all our minds are leaky. I receive 



letters almost every day, I might say, and very frequently 
while giving a kind of answer by letter we will try to refer the 
friends to the volumes, because there these subjects are 
treated much more satisfactory than in a letter. We would not 
like to be discourteous and say, "See such a page." Therefore, 
we put in a partial answer, but the volume would be better. 

Now, in this question we have suggested in the sixth 
volume that the Lord's people are in our judgment at liberty to 
join such an arrangement as a business matter. If it is a 
carpenters' union, a bricklayers' union, locomotive engineers' 
union, if it is necessary for the maintenance of their job or 
occupation, to join, we see nothing in the Word of God to 
contradict that thought. "But would you prefer that?" No. I 
would prefer to stand fast in full liberty. "But would you 
sacrifice liberty in Christ?" No. It would not have to be 
sacrificing liberty in Christ because I would still be at liberty, 
if they do anything criminal or illegal, I would say, "Brethren 
of the Bricklayers' Union, or Brethren of the Locomotive 
Engineers' Union, I am sorry to tell you I cannot agree with 
this course you are taking, and while trying to be loyal in 
every way, yet I am drawing the line because of this principle 
I think is involved." But I do not see why there might be very 
many things to find fault with. It seems to me if it were not 
for just such arrangements as these unions have made that 
wages and conditions of labor would not be so good as they 
are. And if God has been pleased to allow these men 

{PageQ676} 

to make such arrangements as a power for their own uplift out 
of degradation, I say I am well pleased with what God has 
permitted. To whatever extent any of these unions may 
extend to anything illegal or do harm to some non-union man, 
to that extent you and I as followers of Jesus could not be in 
harmony with them, and if any union plotted to blow up 
buildings or destroy life or produce riots, you and I would be 
bound to say, "Brethren, we cannot stand with you. We stand 
for righteousness and truth. We must withdraw." And there 
is no need so far as I can see unless they do something of that 
kind. Merely for them to order all the locomotive engineers 
to go on strike would not mean they are going to do violence 
to the life of any man. Not at all. So far as I can see, 
however, this railroad strike is likely to be settled in an 
amicable way. I think it will be. I am not a prophet. It looks 
to me as though it would be. 



SUFFERING-Church for World. 
Q676:1:: QUESTION (1909) 1 Col. 1:24: Who 
now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is 
behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's 
sake." Did Paul and does the Church now suffer for the sins 
of the world? 

ANSWER— A good deal depends upon the way a 
thought enters and proceeds through the mind. What does the 
questioner mean? What had the questioner in mind? Words 
are poor vehicles to express thoughts. This is what I 
understand to be the question, or at least I will answer it in 
this broad way, which I trust will cover it. 

Paul recognized that he had been invited to become a joint 
sacrificer with Jesus and to fill up that which was behind of 
Christ's afflictions. What did Christ suffer for? Whatever 
Christ suffered for was what Paul wanted to share in; he was 
going to fill up that which remained behind. Now, what did 
Christ suffer for? "He suffered the just for the unjust." He 
died for our sins; He died as a sin offering. Did Paul, and do 
we die that way also? I answer, certainly. Is this shown in 
the Scriptures? It is most clearly shown-it could not be more 
clearly shown. Then why did the Apostle state, "for his 
body's sake, which is the Church?" I answer, that is the way 
Jesus laid down His life. Jesus did not suffer for the Gentiles 
and wicked people; He gave it all to the service of the 
Church. The way you spend your life, and the value of your 
sacrifice are two different things. 

He was to lay down His life sacrificially, no matter how; He 
was laying down His right to life. His earthly life rights; these 
became an asset, a valuable thing in His hands, to be applied 
for somebody else's benefit, and when He ascended up on High, 
He applied it for the Church. We see that it will pass through 
the Church to Israel, and through them to the world-all 
the families of the earth. But, mark yOU, while that was 
the way He was offering Himself in the Most Holy, the Value 
of His offering was another thing. The thing to do while 
on earth was to lay down His life. Well, He could have 
laid it down in sawing wood or in a hundred ways. What did 
He choose to do? He chose to use it as wisely and profitably 
as He could. He laid it down for the poor and needy, the sick, 
the lame and the blind, giving them vitality from Himself, as 

He found opportunity. But the way He used His strength has 
nothing to do with the value of the blood offered, keep 

THE TWO THOUGHTS IN MIND. 

{PageQ677} 



The one is the sacrifice of earthly rights, which are to be 
applied for us; and the other the way in which He would die, 
use up His strength, etc. He might have spent all His time in 
antagonizing the Pharisees and they might have crucified Him 
just the same. But if so. He would not have done it in the 
wisest way. He laid down His life for the Church, the 500 He 
met after His resurrection were the ones He specially served. 

So then with you and with me, so far as you and I are 
concerned, it is not enough for us to say, I consecrate my life 
to the temperance work, or to serving my family, or to serving 
one of the nominal churches—it is not for you to decide your 
course, how you will spend this day, tomorrow, etc. Give all 
to the Lord, and then He tells us here, through the Apostle, 
that it would be best to lay down our life for Jesus' sake, and 
He gives us an example of how He spent His life. You 
understand that His life was consecrated to the Lord and that 
He should serve the Church, and so with us. But the value of 
the sacrifice is one part, and the way it will be applied is 
another matter altogether. 

SIN-OFFERING: You remember the day of atonement 
which came to the Jewish nation once a year, about the 10th 
day of the seventh month, they were told to afflict their souls, 
etc. So all the Jews to this day, although they have no priest 
now, and cannot properly observe this atonement day, yet on 
the 10th day of the seventh month they afflict their souls in 
the sense that they fast and deny themselves. What they did 
originally was this: When this atonement day came, the High 
Priest first went out, took a young bullock which was for 
himself. He did not take it from the congregation; it was the 
High Priest's bullock, which represented himself, and after 
offering it, he took the blood into the Holy and Most Holy 
and sprinkled it upon the Mercy Seat to make an atonement, 
to make satisfaction for sin. You remember the Mercy Seat 
was the propitiatory, which signifies the place of propitiation, 
or place of satisfaction. Now whose sins was atonement 
made for by the blood of the bullock? For the sins of himself, 
his body and his household, the house of Levi—they were his 
house. He was the head of that tribe. What do they 
represent? The Body of Christ, which is the Church. When 
He, Jesus, made an atonement for Himself, He made 
atonement for us. His Body, who are His house, the house of 
Levi, the household of faith—all who believe in the Lord Jesus 
Christ and have turned from sin and are seeking to serve the 
Lord. Was that sufficient, or did they need any more? That 
was sufficient for them. Did it go out beyond them? No. 



Then what next? He went out and laid hold upon one of the 
goats at the door of the Tabernacle, and slew it, and offered it, 

as He slew the bullock, for a sin offering. (By the way. He 

did not provide the goat, but it was taken from the 
congregation of the people, representing the Church taken out 
of the world.) He slew the goat, and the goat represents those 
who are the members of His Body, and when He had slain it, 
the body was burned without the camp, and the blood was 
sprinkled just as he sprinkled the blood of the bullock, but not 
for the same people, but to make atonement for all the other 
tribes outside the tribe of Levi. Paul and you and I can have 
part in this secondary part, as the antitypical goat. 

{PageQ678} 

We offer ourselves at the door of the Tabernacle, then He 
makes us representatives of Himself, then our sufferings are 
the sufferings of Christ after that. Because God has accepted 
you through Christ, your sufferings are counted as a part of 
His sufferings; you are suffering with Him and for the same 
thing as He suffered, and thereafter you are no longer a goat. 
Did the goat go into the Most Holy? No, neither did the 
bullock; both perished outside the camp, representing the 
earthly or fleshly conditions. Neither of these went into the 
Most Holy. What goes into the Most Holy? Why our Lord 
Jesus Himself individually as a New Creature, begotten of the 
Holy Spirit, goes into the Holy, and you and I also when we 
are begotten of the Holy Spirit. 

So, then, you see, Paul was a member of the Body of His 
sacrifice, but as a Royal Priest, he was a member of the Body 
of Christ. In one sense of the word you are earthly and are 
dying, and in another sense you are a New Creature, a 
Member of the Body of Christ, seated in the Holy, eating of 
the shew-bread, having the light of the golden candlestick, 
and offering incense upon the golden altar. 

The Apostle speaks of this goat or Church class when he 
says: "Let us go to him without the camp, bearing his 
reproach." Remember, as the Apostle said, "For the bodies of 
those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the 
high priest for sin, are burned without the camp." No other 
sacrifices were burned without the camp, only the 
sin-offering. "Let us go to him," or be a part of the 
sin-offering. THAT IS OUR PRIVILEGE, IF WE CAN SEE IT. 

SUFFERING-Re New or Old Creature. 

Q678:1 :: QUESTION (1909)-1-In connection with our 



sacrifice, who is it that suffers, the new creature or the old? 

ANSWER—This is another of those questions which 
depend upon which standpoint you take when asking or answering 
the question. So far as the body of the new creature is 
concerned, it never suffers anything, for the reason that you 
have no body. So far as the mind of the old creature is 
concerned, it does not suffer, because if you are a new 
creature, you have no old mind. What have you? You have a 
new mind in an earthen vessel, and both in the same service. 
The new mind has its own tribulations, and the old flesh has 
its tribulations, don't it? 

SUFFERING-Can Jehovah? 

Q678:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Did Jehovah suffer 
because of the sacrifice made for the sins of the world? Is it 
possible for God to suffer? 

ANSWER~Our different casts of mind, (for no two are 
alike), cause us to make use of different language and to give 
it different weight. Just what do we mean by suffering? The 
Scriptures certainly do speak of God as though He did suffer 
and as though He was sorry, yet you and I do find a difficulty 
in imaging how God could suffer in the ordinary way, to have 
pain. To have pain means to have something wrong with the 
organism. For instance, if you have your proper functions, 
and some one should pinch you, you have pain because there 
would be a certain amount of destruction because of the 
pinching. If you have sorrow of heart you have pain. For 
instance, you say: Oh, I am so sorry, I was so pained in the 
matter. From that standpoint we cannot understand 

{PageQ679} 

how God can suffer since God is immortal, unchangeable, 
and therefore cannot suffer in any degree. If He could have 
some derangement of His system then He could suffer. Why, 
then, does the Bible speak of His having sorrow? We answer, 
for two reasons. (1) He wishes us to know what is to His 
pleasing and what is not to His pleasing. (2) He is coming 
down to our comprehension so that we may understand, so 
that we may form some reasonable conception of what would 
be displeasing to Him. 

The question seems to imply something respecting our Lord 
Jesus. Did the Father suffer a great deal when He gave His 
Son, as some say that the Father suffered more than the Son 
did? I do not think so, dear friends. Knowing the end from 
the beginning, I think the Father was pleased to do what He 



did, and He knew how every feature would result; I think the 
Father was pleased and happy over the sacrifice of His Son, 
and was willing, and had the full consent of His own will and 
judgment, otherwise He never would have done anything of 
the kind—He was not caught in a trap and had to do 
something, but known unto Him was the end from the 
beginning. Therefore, in our sense of suffering, of pain, 
disintegration of nerve and vital powers, our Heavenly Father 
has no such suffering, neither could He but in the sense of 
having sympathy for His Son and for us, for He wishes us to 
know that He is not cold like a stone, having no sympathy, 
but that He is sympathetic and in His heart of sympathy and 
love He sympathized with our Lord Jesus. We do not want to 
lose sight of the sympathy of the Father. "Like as a father 
pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him." 

SUFFERING-How the New Creature Suffers. 

Q679:1:: QUESTION (1915) 1 (Rom. 8:18:) I 
reckon that sufferings of this present time are not worthy to 
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 
"How do we suffer with Christ? And who suffers, the old 
creature or the new? 

ANSWER—From the Bible viewpoint the old creature is 
dead from the time we come into God's family. That is the 
only condition upon which we are received into God's family. 
If any offer to God one-half, nine-tenths, or 
ninety-nine-one-hundredths, he would not be accepted. The 
only condition upon which we are accepted of the Lord is a 
full surrender of our wills. And this surrender of the will is 
reckoned as the death of the will—the old will. Since the will 
carries your pocketbook, etc. everything— then your own 
will is dead. And when you accept the Lord's will instead, the 
Bible very properly says, "Ye are dead, and your life is hid 
with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). 

Now it is this New Creature, this new being, that is to suffer 
with Jesus, to share in the sufferings of Christ. These New 
Creatures are members of the Body of Christ, which is the 
Church. And as members of the Body of Christ all are to 
suffer with the Head. When your finger suffers, it is a part of 
your body that suffers. So when you suffer, it is a part of the 
Body of Christ that suffers. Any sufferings that we have 
because of our membership in His Body are a part of the 
Sufferings of Christ. Whatever it has cost you, therefore, to 
give up your own will, to keep your will submissive 

{PageQ680} 



to God, to be faithful to the principles for which Christ 
stands, all that is part of the sufferings of Christ. 

It is the New Creature that does this suffering, because the 
New Creature has the personality. There is no longer a 
personality to the old creature. Yet the New Creature does 
not suffer as a New Creature, but through the flesh. 

You ask, "Has the New Creature flesh?" Yes, the Apostle 
answers. While we were reckoned dead according to the 
flesh, yet our reckonedly dead flesh has been quickened 
through the power of God to serve Him; for we are risen with 
Christ to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:11). But our flesh 
is now counted as the body of the New Creature, and the Lord 
deals with us only as New Creatures. 

Why do we have this fleshly body? Because if we didn't 
have it we would not have any at all. The time for getting the 
new body is the time of our resurrection. We shall then have 
our "change" and receive spiritual bodies; but the only body 
we can have now is the present fleshly body. So then, this 
body is reckoned dead, and then reckoned as risen with 
Christ; and this flesh of ours that is suffering now belongs to 
the New Creature. The New Creature suffers through its 
earthly tabernacle, the flesh. So it was with Jesus. He gave up 
His earthly life; He was reckoned dead the moment He made 
the consecration at Jordan. Then for three and one-half years 
His flesh was suffering the actual death which was reckoned 
to Him at the beginning. The sufferings of Jesus, therefore, 
were sufferings in the flesh, for He had not yet received His 
new body. 

The new body will not suffer, but so long as we are in the 
flesh we will have this suffering, because it is through the 
sufferings of the flesh that the new mind is tried and tested as 
to our loyalty to God; and at the cost of the flesh we are 
proving ourselves worthy of the High Calling with which we 
have been called. If any draw back from the sufferings, then 
he will also be drawing back from the crown of glory, and he 
shall not reign with Christ (Heb. 10:38). 

SUFFERING-Christian's Sufferings Divinely Supervised. 

Q680:1 :: QUESTION (1915)--l--Do the sufferings that 
we experienced before coming into Present Truth benefit us 
as Christians? 

ANSWER~I do not know what the questioner has in 
mind. The question seems to imply that he refers to a class 
already Christians. If that is his thought, and he refers to the 
sufferings we have as Christians before we receive the light of 



Present Truth, I would say, "Yes." All the sufferings of a 
Christian are under Divine supervision, and many of us, I 
believe, before coming into Present Truth, had certain 
experiences of trials and difficulties that worked out for us a 
great blessing, and prepared us to receive the Truth. I have 
known many who have given me their experiences along this 
line. They were so engrossed in business that they would not 
have taken the time to study the Truth. 

I knew a gentleman in the grocery business, for instance. 
He was a Christian, and had purchased the six volumes of the 
Studies in the Scriptures. But he could not take time to study 
them. He did not realize that the greatest business in the 
world is the Lord's business. The grocery business was his 
greatest business for the time being. The Lord very 
graciously let him break his leg. He had to remain quiet 

{PageQ681} 

until the bones were knit. He told me afterwards that his 
enforced vacation was the best time in his life; for he read the 
six volumes. Before that he never had time; after that he 
always had time. 

It is the same with a certain sister. This sister said to me 
one day, "I wondered at one time very much why the Lord let 
my hands get all crippled up with rheumatism. I had always 
been very active up to that time, knitting or sewing or doing 
something else. Then my hands became all knotted up with 
rheumatism, as you see them. I could not sew or knit or do 
anything else; my hands were useless. Finally, I found that 
by trying, I could manage to turn over the leaves of a book; 
and I began to read. After reading awhile, the thought came 
to me, God let your hands twist up like that so you could 
read." 

These are some of the ways in which various ones of the 
Lord's people were blessed and helped to come into Present 
Truth. God has a way of dealing with His children. If we are 
His, then the next thing is to be fully submissive to His will 
and to be glad to follow His providences. 

SUFFERINGS-Christ's Re Sins of Mankind. 
Q681:1:: QUESTION (1916) 1 Did Christ s 
sufferings atone for the sins of mankind? 

ANSWER-No, the death of Jesus was for the original 
sin. The original sin was the thing that came upon us through 
Father Adam, and all of their latter sins, many of them come 
from imperfections of the flesh which are inherited because 



of the original sin, and to whatever extent your weakness and 
mine are results of the original sin to that extent all such sins 
are included because they are a part of the original sin and not 
part of the sin on your own account. The sin of the world,~of 
that John the Baptist says "Behold the Lamb of God that 
taketh away the sin of the world." This sin of the world is the 
sin which came through Adam and which has been distributed 
among his children. All those sins which are from Adam's 
weakness, inherited through Adam, can be forgiven, but those 
willful on our part will have to receive stripes. 

SUICIDES-Are Morally Responsible? 

Q681 :2:: QUESTION (1913 Z) 2 Please give the 
correct idea as to the end of one who commits suicide. Will 
he be punished for it? Or is death his punishment? 

ANSWER~The theory that suicides are hopelessly lost 
was formulated during the Dark Ages. The thought was that 
self-murder, being a sin committed as a laSt aCt, indicated 
a mind and heart out of accord with God's arrangement to the 
last moment of life. The thought that death ends all hope 
clinched the theory that eternal torment is the wages of 
suicide. This, we believe, is thoroughly wrong in every way. 
The proper view according to the Bible is this; 

(1) Adam was disobedient, was sentenced to death. Thus 
his race was born under unfavorable conditions, mental, 
moral, and physical; in degeneracy, some more, some less; 
some in very poor physical health, some of very low moral 
status, some with very weak mental powers. A suicide often 
has all three of these inducing causes as provocations to such 
an act. Surely he was either mentally weak or uninformed, 

{PageQ682} 

ignorant; else he would not take his own life. His trouble, 
then, was weakness of mind and judgment caused by Adam's 
transgression. He was a sharer of Adam's penalty--the death 
penalty; and when he died—no matter how~he came fully 
under the effect of that penalty-- nothing more. Eternal 
torment is not in any way intimated in the death penalty. 
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die." 

(2) God had mercy upon Adam, not in the way of 
abrogating the decision of the Divine Court and clearing the 
guilty one, but in another way—by providing redemption 
through the death of Christ. Jesus' death, by Divine 
appointment, is to cover the sin of Adam— not only his 
original transgression and its penalty, but all the 



transgressions of his children, the world, which have resulted 
from his mental, moral and physical impairment. 

(3) This provision of God includes not only mental 
sickness, but moral sickness and physical sickness. All 
mankind are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. 

(4) The redemption of the world implies its eventual 
release from the condemnation of death. The time Divinely 
appointed for the release of all is the thousand years of 
Christ's Reign—the Millennium. All mankind will then be 
liberated from the original condemnation, and will be granted 
a full opportunity for the recovery of all that was lost. The 
mentally sick, the morally sick, and the physically decrepit--all 
will have opportunity for a full return to human perfection. 

(5) The only exceptions to this rule of restoration to 
Adam's original perfection will be those who during this 
Gospel Age--from the death of Christ to His Second 
Coming—are called out of the world, invited to become New 
Creatures in Christ, and made associates with Jesus, sharers 
in His exaltation to the Divine nature and in His office. 
These are justified (reckoned perfect) by faith in Christ's 
redemptive sacrifice, and then given the opportunity to 
present themselves as living sacrifices.— Rom. 12:1. 

(6) As Christians, during this Gospel Age, might sin 
wilfully and thus forfeit all relationship to God and die the 
Second Death, so in the coming Age, during the Millennium, 
the world in general, after having been brought to an accurate 
knowledge of the Truth, may by willful sin forfeit all 
relationship to God, and die the Second Death. 

(7) In thus declaring that not only the sins of the Church 
class, but the sins of the whole world, are covered by God's 
arrangement through the sacrifice of Christ, we are not to be 
understood as meaning that the sinner is exempted from all 
punishment. On the contrary, each one has a responsibility 
for his own actions, even if he has but imperfect knowledge. 
His responsibility, as Jesus pointed out, is in proportion to his 
knowledge. 

The Master declared that he that knows his Master's will, 
and does it not, shall be punished with many stripes- severe 
punishment; and he who knows less of his Master's will, and 
does it not, shall be punished with fewer stripes— less 
punishment. Sometimes those stripes, or punishments, come 
in the present life. With the Church class it is uniformly so. 
But often the punishments are not meted out in the present 
life; however, they will be administered justly in the life to 
come. So the Apostle declares, "Some men's 



{PageQ683} 

sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some 
they follow after. "--Tim. 5:24. 

(8) Along the above lines, we would not be inclined to 
hope that any suicide could be a member of the glorified 
Church of Christ, but, at most, a part of the world—to have 
trial with the remainder of the world for life or death 
everlasting under the favorable conditions of Messiah's 
Kingdom. However, even upon this point we may not 
dogmatize, remembering that some, apparently saintly, have 
been permitted of the Lord to lose their reason to a greater 
extent than some of the world who have committed suicide. 

SUNDAY SCHOOLS-Teaching in Nominal Church. 

Q683:1 :: QUESTION (1 909)- 1 -Volume 5, page 238, 
paragraph 1 (E238:l). Are we the consecrated to teach a 
Sunday School class in the nominal church, and if so, under 
what conditions? 

ANSWER— I cannot remember what is written on the 
page mentioned, but I think it is all right there, and I think I 
will say the same now. I think we would be perfectly 
justified in presenting the truth to anybody anywhere, if the 
Lord gives us the opportunity, if we do it understandingly and 
above board. As, for instance, when the Apostle Paul was 
permitted to go into the synagogues and preach Christ; he 
preached fully and did not put his light under a bushel, but 
wherever he let his light shine, they put him out, and so it is 
now. If that is the best form of service you know how to 
render, and if the dear friends of that congregation are pleased 
to have you serve as a teacher, then by all means use the 
opportunity, but do not put your light under a measure, but 
let your light shine, that they may see your good work. If, 
bye and bye, they say, "We are tired of having you teach this 
class," you should say, "All right, I have no desire to remain 
if I cannot teach what the Lord has to say." But if the class 
should be of children of tender years and if I thought they 
could not receive any portion of the glad tidings, I would 
imagine that you could find better use for your time. God is 
not calling the children specially. We are glad, indeed, 
however, that some of tender years do hear the message. 
Aside from special things, I would not think it wise to spend 
the time teaching a Sunday School class when others could 
teach them and tell them that there is going to be a picnic, 
etc., etc. You have something better to spend your time on 
than to amuse a lot of children. You might think of Mrs. 



Smith, or Mrs. Brown, who seem to be grand characters, and 
you might make a call upon them and leave them a tract, etc. 
I believe you would be using your time to better advantage. 

SUNDAY SCHOOLS-Re Debt of Gratitude. 

Q683:2:: QUESTION (1910)--2-I am a Sunday School 
superintendent of a class of children; they love me and I 
greatly love them, and although I am greatly interested in the 
truth, I do not feel called upon to give the work up. I owe a 
debt of gratitude to the Methodist church in shepherding me 
while young, and I wish to feed the lambs, as Christ did. Do 
the Scriptures teach otherwise? 

ANSWER--Well, I would say that if I were in your 
place I would not so much feel a debt of gratitude to the 
Methodist church as I would feel a debt of gratitude to the 
Lord, from whom every good and perfect gift comes. Therefore 
if you 

{PageQ684} 

are a member of the Wesleyan Methodist church, or any other 
which gives you a measure of light and truth, be thankful for 
it, but let the chief gratitude go out to God. If you are 
thoroughly the Lord's you will belong to him, as we sing, "I 
Belong to Christ, My Lord." So I would give up any thought 
of special indebtedness, or of belonging to anybody. I do not 
think we want to belong to anybody except the Lord. We 
belong to him and we cannot have two masters, and we had 
better make up our mind which we are going to serve and 
settle that part first. Who is the master? I know a great many 
people who belong to the Presbyterian church, others to the 
Episcopal church, others that belong to the Methodist church, 
and they would of course not deny that they belong to the 
Lord, yet here is an acknowledgment of belonging to two 
masters. There is something wrong. The Methodist friends 
may have given you a great deal of light and truth, for many 
of them have not much left. 

Now, as to the obligations of the Sunday School class. If 
your consecration was of the proper kind, it would mean the 
giving up of yourself to the Lord in the words of Jesus when 
he made his consecration, "Lo, I come, in the volume of the 
book it is written, to do thy will. I delight to do THY will." 
Not the Methodist, Presbyterian, or the will of any other 
church or system, but what you understand to be God's will. 
Now in the matter of this class, is it God's will that you 
should continue to teach this class of 125? Well, of course, I 



do not know who the person is; if it is a lady, I would think 
that there would be difference then. As a teacher of children I 
would think she had an opportunity of teaching the children 
some truth. But if she is bound so that she cannot teach the 
children the Truth, then I would think that she was doing 
them an injury instead of setting them at liberty. But if the 
church is not one that is very careful in such matters and they 
say. We wish to give the children some instruction and 
training; we know that you do not believe according to the 
Wesleyan Methodist church doctrines, but try to follow the 
Bible and you are living according to the light of your 
conscience, we are glad to have you stay and teach those 
children and tell them what you think is the Truth. Then I 
would think I would keep that class, unless it interfered with 
some of my home duties. If I were neglecting my own 
children or husband I would think there was something 
wrong. I would not neglect those in my own home to teach 
other people's children. 

I think of one very fine Christian lady and she had quite a 
fine Bible class, but her own son was neglected and grew up 
to be an infidel. I thought many times afterward that she 
would have done a great deal better if she had looked after the 
care the Lord put in her own charge—her own children. 

Then, on the other hand, if this were a man, I would think 
he could find a better opportunity. Since there are 125 in the 
class, there are probably some in the infant class. If it were a 
brother he might find some older children to teach the 
younger ones, to tell them stories and keep them interested 
and out of mischief. 

{PageQ685} 

SUNDAY SCHOOLS-Should Sisters Teach? 

Q685:1:: QUESTION (191 1-Z)-1 -Should sisters teach 
Sunday School classes? 

ANSWER— Usually sisters are better teachers of the 
young than are brethren. Nothing in the Scriptures forbids 
their teaching such classes. The Apostle's words are: "I 
suffer not a woman to teach or to usurp authority over a man." 
His words apply specially to the Church. 

As for the advisability of having Sunday Schools! We have 
not changed our judgment from what we have written in 
Scripture Studies, Vol. VI. 

We still believe that God holds the Christian parents 
responsible for the spiritual education of their children, and 
that they get a special blessing in fulfilling his requirement. 



If Sunday Schools are ever advisable, we believe they 
would be only for orphans or worldlings, or for children 
already taught at home. 

SUNDAY SCHOOLS-Are They Approved by God? 

Q685:2:: QUESTION (1912)--2--Do you consider the principle 
of the Sunday School can be justified under any pretext? 
ANSWER--My thought is this, brethren: The Lord has 
not told me to fight against Sunday Schools. I was to preach 
the Gospel. However, I may state that Sunday Schools were 
not organized by the Lord Jesus or the Apostles. The first 
Sunday School was organized in London for ragged children 
and poor street waifs. These schools were for the teaching of 
sewing and knitting and writing and such like subjects as that. 
We have better schools now established for these subjects. 
The first of these schools were held on Sunday because the 
teachers had no other time free, but we have the same kind of 
schools every day now, and we have put them upon a better 
basis under the state and government. We have pointed out in 
the Scripture Studies that God has laid the responsibility on 
the parents to teach their children. I do not intend to give the 
Lord any pointer in the matter. I say again that there were no 
Sunday Schools organized by the Lord or by His Apostles. 
There may be reasons for having them which you may think 
good, but that is not my business. If you think that there are 
good reasons for having them, well then, all I would say is: 
Brother Russell is not to find any objections. God has a 
liberal way of dealing with us and we are free to choose— 
guided by God's word. There are principles in the Scriptures. 
Follow these loosely or closely, as you care. The Lord leaves 
that liberty, and who has a right to put bonds where they are 
not? 

SUNDAY SCHOOL-Circumstances Vary. 

Q685:3:: QUESTION (1914)-3--Having our own eyes 
opened to the truth, is it right of us to let our children 
continue to attend Sunday School where they are in 
opposition to the truth? 

ANSWER—Circumstances vary. Sometimes the 
husband will be in the truth and the wife may be equally in 
earnest and not have seen the truth, and the husband in such a 
case would like the children to be instructed in respect to the 
Divine Plan of the Ages and the wife would like them 
instructed along another line. In such a case I think the best 
way would be to compromise and do to your partner in the 
matter as you would have her do to you. For the 



{PageQ686} 

husband to assert his authority as the head of the family and 
to demand that the children might not go to Sunday School 
would be to ignore his wife entirely. Some might say it 
would be right. I am inclined to think it would not be wise. I 
think the wiser course would be to say, "My dear, since you 
think that is best I will agree to it that they go to Sunday 
School, but in order to fulfill my obligations to the children, I 
will have every Sunday a Sunday School class also and so the 
children will get a double chance at Sunday School, and we 
hope a double blessing. They will get all you would have 
them get and the best I can give them too." The wife would 
see that the husband was considerate, and that always has a 
good influence. There is a great difference, but in most cases 
the children would get no harm even if they got no good. 

SYMBOLIC FIGURES"Re Christ's Reign. 

Q686:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--We understand in 
symbolical language that a day means a year, a month thirty 
years, and a year 360 years. Since this same manner of 
figuring time is used in the book of Revelation, why is the 
period of Christ's reign for blessing all the families of the 
earth called one thousand years when by the same process of 
figuring it would be 360,000 years? 

ANSWER--Well, any who prefer to count it 360,000 
have my full consent. I think I cannot be more liberal than 
that. I would say, however, dear friends, to my understanding 
some of the numbers in Revelation are symbolical and some 
are not; and I am inclined to think, for instance, that the 
144,000 sealed ones is a literal number, and so I understand 
this 1,000 of the book of Revelation repeated over and over, 
refers to a thousand years literally. I understand it is the same 
day of Christ that the Apostle speaks of. What kind of a day? 
Not a day for a year—a year day, but a thousand-year day, the 
seventh great day, the six days of evil of a thousand years 
each, six thousand years reign of sin and death, then comes 
the seventh, or Sabbath day. And so some of our Jewish 
friends are in the habit of counting this very same way. I 
found one recently inquired something along the subject of 
the time in which he expected the Messiah and the party said 
to him, "Do think it is soon?" He hesitated a little while, then 
looked cautiously around and whispered, "We are in Friday 
night." Friday night to the Jews would mean the end of the 
six days, because Saturday with them is the seventh day. So 



he meant that we are near the beginning of the thousand years 
in which the Messiah is to reign. This thousand years of 
Christ's reign agrees with the day of Adam, or Adam's day, a 
thousand year day, 930 years of which was accomplished in 
his own dying processes, and Christ's day, being a thousand 
years in which the world will be raised out of sin, and this to 
my mind seems a very reasonable, rational period of time to 
consider. It would seem very strange to my reasoning 
faculties if it were necessary for Christ to take 360,000 years 
to get mankind out of the sin and death that they got into 
during 6,000 years; and none of them ever lived out 1,000 
years, except Enoch. The majority of us have only lived less 
than a century and how we could get an amount of sin loaded 
onto us in a century such that it would take 360,000 years for 

{PageQ687} 

the Lord to get wiped out, or eradicated, would not fit with 
anything in my head. 

SYMPATHIZERS--At End of Age. 

Q687:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l-Will there be a class 
in sympathy with the saints at the last, a class not of the Great 
Company? If not, why are so many becoming interested in 
the truth now? 

ANSWER--Well, I do not know, dear friends, that we 
need to go into any great particularity in a question like 
that—to decide it, I mean, or have any difference with anybody. 
In my judgment there were a great many who were really in 
sympathy with Jesus at the time of his offering himself to the 
Jews at the end of their age. You remember how, on various 
occasions, the multitude wished to take him by force, and 
make him a king, showing that his teachings were very 
popular amongst a certain class at that time. And so it might 
be here that some might become very deeply interested in the 
truth after that superficial manner, some interested in it in an 
outward way from the worldly standpoint. They would say, 
"I think that is reasonable, that is the most logical thing I ever 
heard," etc., and yet it would be with them, probably, just the 
same as with some of the similar class in our Lord's day. 
Those very ones who rejoiced and took palm branches and 
said, "Hail Jesus, son of David," kept very quiet when the 
Pharisees and Doctors of the Law put up some others to cry 
out "Crucify him, crucify him"~these kept very quiet; they 
said nothing about "Hail Jesus, son of David," etc. So I 
should not wonder that a great many worldly people, when 



everything is favorable, say "That looks very nice," and if 
somebody said "boo" they would say nothing, but get very 
quiet. They have not enough stamina in them, or they would 
want to make a full consecration of themselves; and that lack 
of stamina would likely manifest itself if any opposition 
would arise; it is only what we might expect. 

TABERNACLE--Re Outside Camp. 

Q687:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2--The camp represents the 
world. Our sufferings are caused by our actions while among 
those of the world. What is represented by the expression, 
"Outside the camp," if the camp represents the world? 

"And the flesh and hide he burned with fire outside the 
camp." (Lev. 9:11.) 

"Wherefore, Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people 
with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth 
therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach." 
(Heb. 13:12,13.) 

ANSWER--We understand it signifies that Aaron and 
his sons, and the Levites who served with them in the 
Tabernacle service had a two-fold life; one while serving the 
Tabernacle, and the other living outside the Tabernacle, for 
they went home to their own families, etc., and only served in 
the Tabernacle at times, and they had their life in the camp 
with the rest of the world. So, you and I, according to the 
flesh, are still in the world, but we are not of the world. As 
new creatures we have our service toward God in connection 
with holy things, the spiritual things. So far as our flesh and 
earthly lives are concerned, we have our relations still. You 
live in the same time, and live next 

{PageQ688} 

door to a worldly neighbor, and you must bear the reproach of 
those living as a consecrated priest of the Lord. These things 
separate you from the world and lead you to do things in a 
sacrificial way, and sacrificing worldly interests cause you to 
suffer, and that is so much of the burning of the carcass 
outside the camp. You count yourself as dead, so that which 
happens to you happens to your dead body; as the Apostle 
said, "Let us go to him outside the camp." 

Who is the High Priest of our profession? Christ Jesus our 
Lord. What did He suffer? He suffered all manner of 
contention and opposition from the world and from the 
nominal people of God against himself. He said. If they call 
the Master of the house Beelzebub, what shall they call the 



servants. If they crucified him, do you expect that they would 
receive you very favorably? He tells us that the servant shall 
not be above His Lord, but that he should be as His Lord. 
They cast out His name as evil, and called Him the prince of 
devils; said He had a devil, was mad, that He was a deceiver 
and was deceiving the people. If they say such things of you 
today you need not be surprised. 

Outside the camp means rejected of the people. Why 
outside the camp, why not inside? Because there is a great 
stench of the burning flesh. Get a lot of flesh, hair and hones 
and burn it in your back yard and notice how much stench 
there is from it. Thus your sacrifice and mine are not 
appreciated by those who are in the camp and not of the 
Church; they do not appreciate the laying down of your lives 
in sacrifice, and if you should spend your time and gain in the 
service of the truth, they would speak evil of you and 
consider you foolish, and for the same reason that they did 
Him. It is the reproaches that fell upon Him that fall upon us, 

in like manner and for similar reasons. 
TABERNACLE~Re Beginners for Study. 

Q688:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--l--Do you think 
Tabernacle Shadows study would be too deep for a class just 
coming in? And do you count the first volume study as being 
a Berean study? 

ANSWER--I would not think a Tabernacle Shadow 
study would be too deep for a beginner. That is to say, my 
thought is that anybody coming to a Scripture study and likely 
to be interested at all would be a person who had some 
knowledge of God and some knowledge of his Word 
generally; and in taking up Tabernacle Shadows as a study I 
would think they were getting into a good place for anybody 
that was spiritually minded. And if they be not begotten of 
the spirit, then I suppose they would not be profited and 
would not understand; but neither would they understand very 
far in some of the other studies. 

And so far as the first volume is concerned, I would 
certainly understand that to be a Berean study. They are all 
Berean studies. The term Berean studies comes from the fact 
that in olden times we read that Paul went down to Berea and 
preached to the people there, and that the Bereans were more 
noble than those of Thessalonica in that they searched the 
Scriptures daily to see whether or not these things were true. 
So then a Berean study is a study by those who have the 
Berean spirit to search to know the truth of the matter that is 
before them, those who want to investigate with an honest 



heart ; and I think that will apply 

{PageQ689} 

to all we have to present, because these are the only terms on 
which we present anything. Come and try, come and see, 
come and investigate to see whether or not it agrees with 
God's word or not. If you find it in disagreement, do not 
believe it. If you find it in agreement, receive it and be 
blessed with us. 

I wished to say a moment ago, but forgot that feature, that 
there is another slight bit of Berean study, you remember, in 
the back part of our new Watch Tower Bible; there are certain 
Berean helps, and in those there are certain topics taken up. 
Some of the Lord's people, in some of their studies, would 
like to study a topic, and there are a number there, if you feel 
disposed to take up a variety of topics. If you will take up 
any one of them it will make a fine Berean study. The 
reference to the Towers and to the Studies is good, and also 
the Scripture reference, so that you have the whole matter 
there concisely stated, and might have a splendid Berean 
study, topically. All of these are Berean studies. We have 
nothing special to urge, except we think they are all good, and 
perhaps where there are a variety of meetings it might be well 
to take one style of Berean study for one meeting, and another 
style for another meeting; as, for instance, for one meeting we 
might take up the studies as they are appearing in the Watch 
Tower, and then for another meeting we might take up the 
studies as outlined in the back part of the new Bible, and 
perhaps for another one we might take up the first volume of 
Scripture Studies, or the fifth volume, or Tabernacle 
Shadows. You know we now have the questions on the fifth 
volume in pamphlet form. Also the questions on Tabernacle 
Shadows in pamphlet form. And it is our thought, by and by, 
to get questions out on all the volumes, because that seems to 
be so helpful a manner of study, and so many of the dear 
friends are being blessed by it. 

TABERNACLE~Re Anointing Underpriests. 

Q689:1 :: QUESTION (1905)--1--What about the 
statement on page 37 of Tabernacle Shadows that the 
underpriests were not anointed when it states in Ex. 40:16 
that they were? 

ANSWER--Well, it seems to be stated that way. The 
thought is this : there was only one high priest at a time. 
Christ is now the high priest and we are the underpriests, yet 



we have no standing with God, except as we are in Christ. In 
Ex. 40:16 it speaks of anointing them as they anointed 
Aaron; it means that when the time comes for another to take 
Aaron's place they shall deal with him as they did with Aaron. 

TABERNACLE-Reconciling Tabernacle, Altar, Etc. 

Q689:2:: QUESTION (1910) 2 Lev. 15:20. After 
speaking of the sacrifice of the bullock and the goat, we read 
"And when he had made an end of reconciling the holy place, 
and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, shall he 
bring the live goat." What does this typify? 

ANSWER— The holy place here represents the Court, 
and the tabernacle of the congregation represents the 
tabernacle proper, the Holy and Most Holy. After the priest 
with the blood of the bullock and of the goat had made 
reconciliation, atonement, satisfaction, for the Court and for 
the Tabernacle ; it does not mean for those places, but for 
those 

{PageQ690} 

people who are in those conditions. As, for instance, all 
whom we call the household of faith belong in the court 
condition, the holy place; and all who belong to the Royal 
Priesthood are in the Tabernacle condition, the Holy or in the 
Most Holy. Our Lord himself, and some of his brethren have 
already passed into the Most Holy, and some others are in the 
Holy, or first of these apartments. It would seem to be after 
the satisfaction of justice, in respect to all of these, the full 
offering of the Lord's merit, and the full acceptance of the 
whole matter, that then the sealing would take place with the 
live goat. The teaching of the type would seem to be that the 
tribulation that will come upon the Great Company will not 
come upon them in this official manner until after this dealing 
with the Little Flock has been completed. While the Great 
Company may be sharing in the tribulation of the past, yet 
this special dealing at the end of this age would seem to be 
after the Church had gone beyond the vail. Yet we must say 
this, dear friends, that every feature of type and prophecy 
belong to the future and is more or less uncertain until it is 
fulfilled. In other words, God did not give prophecy and type 
in advance for us to speculate upon, but so that when due we 
might know it. Just as our Lord said of himself at the first 
advent, that when they would see certain things fulfilled then 
they would know they were the fulfillment of the things 
written. So as we come down to the beginning of the time of 



trouble those who would then be living and witness the 
dealings of the Lord with the Great Company class would see 
something in that which would be helpful to them—perhaps 
more than you and I see now. The sacrificing of the Lord's 
goat has not yet been finished, and this dealing with the Great 
Company is something that takes place after the killing of the 
Lord's goat and the sprinkling of its blood. 

TABERNACLE-Re Blood of Bullock Sprinkled on Goat. 

Q690:1:: QUESTION (1910)-l-If the Lord's goat of 
Leviticus 16 represents the church being sacrificed for the 
world, why was not the blood of the bullock sprinkled on the 
goat? 

ANSWER-I will have to ask the Lord why he did not 
do it your way. 

Paul the Apostle says, "Who hath known the mind of the 
Lord and who hath been his counsellor?" Well, he did not 
ask counsel of you or me, dear friends. That is the reason. 

Q690:2:: QUESTION (1910)-2-This would have 
shown a little better the typical significance. 

ANSWER—Well, perhaps the next time the Lord will 
ask you. 

TABERNACLE-lnterpretation Regarding Animals Sacrificed. 

Q690:3:: QUESTION (1910)--3--In regard to the 
16th chapter of Leviticus, please say what is your basis of 
interpretation regarding animals sacrificed on this day as 
sin-offerings and burnt-offerings? 

For instance, why do you say the bullock is a type of Christ 
Jesus? 

ANSWER— Because I see it to be so. Why do I say that 
this is a gas lamp? Because I see that it is a gas lamp. 

{PageQ691} 

There are plenty of people who do not know that this is a gas 
lamp. 

Why do you say the Lord's goat is a type of the Church? 
Because I see it is. 

Why that the scape-goat is a type of the Great Company? 

The same reason. 

Can you give me the Scriptural usage for your 
interpretation? 

Well, then, if all these things were explained in the 
Scriptures you would not need the pamphlet "Tabernacle 



Shadows," and God would not have given it to you. They are 
not all explained in the Bible. There came a due time for God 
to make clear the meaning of these types and he has made 
them clear to those who have an eye to see and an ear to hear. 
By this, we do not mean any unkindness to those who do not 
see. They have the majority on their side, all the Methodists, 
Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Lutherans, etc., etc.; all these 
friends are on the side which do not see these things~we are 
quite in the minority. 

TABERNACLE"Re The Ram Representing a Class. 

Q691 :1 :: QUESTION (1910) --1 --According to your 
interpretation of the bullock representing a class, and the 
Lord's goat a class, should we not expect that the ram would 
also represent a class? 

ANSWER~We have explained what we think the ram 
typifies, in Tabernacle Shadows. I might say that the Lord in 
his providence guided us to see that the bullock represented 
Christ; the goat meant the Church; we saw this from the 
Scriptures, not through any special voice or any other 
marvelous thing that happened. We have already explained 
it. The Apostle, you remember, speaking of this day of 
atonement, tells us about the bulls and goats which 
constituted the sin-offering, and whose blood was brought 
into the Most Holy to make an atonement for sin. Now there 
is only the one offering whose blood was brought into the 
Holy to make atonement. That offering was on the day of 
atonement and was in two parts; first, the bullock to make 
atonement for the high-priest's house; second, the Lord's goat 
to make atonement for the sins of all the remainder of the 
people. They were the only ones that could be meant. In that 
same condition, after telling about the matter, the Apostle 
says that the bodies of those beasts whose blood was taken 
into the Most Holy to make atonement for sin were burned 
outside the camp, and they were the only two who had this 
experience, whose blood was sprinkled to make atonement 
and whose bodies were burned outside the camp. When I saw 
this, I was sure I had the right thought. Then the Apostle 
said. Let us go to him outside the camp, and I saw that that 
represented the Lord's goat that went to the bullock outside 
the camp. Let us not have any quarrel with any who cannot 
see; that is to their disadvantage. 

TABERNACLE~Re Begetting and Quickening. 

Q691:2:: QUESTION (1911)-2-At what point is the 
begetting and quickening typified in the tabernacle? 



ANSWER~The same difficulty again. We must not 
mix these different thoughts, any more than you would mix 
different parables. Take any two of the parables and if you 
mix them together you have confusion. And so here. To 
think 

{PageQ692} 

about the quickening and begetting, etc., in the tabernacle is 
not the correct thought. There was no quickening done in the 
tabernacle, there was no begetting done in the tabernacle. It 
is altogether a different thought. In harmony with the 
previous question the answer would be, then, that at the 
moment of passing into the Holy the person must be a 
Spirit-begotten one. There is nothing in the tabernacle to 
indicate anything about the quickening. 

TABERNACLE--Re Levites Looking Into Holy. 

Q692:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--In the tabernacle 
services, the Priest only entered the Holy; there was a penalty 
of death against the Levite, typical of justified believers, 
looking into the Holy. What was typified by this death 
penalty? 

ANSWER~I do not know that anything was typified by 
it, merely that no one was permitted to look in. All I see 
indicated there is, the death penalty was put there as 
indicating that nobody should look in. 

TABERNACLE--Re "Basketful." 

Q692:2:: QUESTION (1911) -2 -What is the 
significance of the word "basketful" in the text which speaks 
of the three cakes taken from the basketful which were laid on 
the hands of the priest by Moses? 

ANSWER-I presume that basketful means basketful; I 
do not know of any other meaning. 

tabernacle-Two Altars contrasted. 

Q692:3:: QUESTION (191 l-Z)-3-"We have an altar 
whereof they have no right to eat which serve the 
Tabernacle." (Heb.l3:10.) What is meant by this passage? 
ANSWERin this passage the Apostle is contrasting the 
Levitical priesthood, their services in the Tabernacle, and the 
table in the Holy at which they ate the shew bread, with the 
antitypical Tabernacle and its better table. In this connection 
he points out that, so far as the priesthood of Aaron was 
concerned, not only could the Church not be priests, but our 



Lord Jesus could not be; for this priesthood sprang from Levi, 
and Jesus was from another tribe, Judah. Therefore, if Jesus 
was on earth he could not be a priest. But now God had 
intended another order of Priests, namely, the Melchizedek 
Order, saying to David, "The Lord hath sworn and will not 
repent: Thou art a priest forever after the Order of 
Melchizedek." (Psa. 110:4; Heb. 5:6:) It is evident, then, 
that if Christ was to be a priest after the Order of 
Melchizedek, He would not be a priest after the order of Aaron. 

When the Apostle has proved that we, as priests, have no 
right to intrude into the typical Holy or Most Holy, he then 
shows that they, of the house of Aaron, have no right to our 
place. They have no right to come into this antitypical Holy, 
which we enter. If they become members of the Royal 
Priesthood, they may enter; but their standing as members of 
the Aaronic priesthood does not give them the privilege. 
Thus he shows a discrimination between these two 
priesthoods, the Aaronic and the Melchizedek. We have the 
"better sacrifices"; we have the better services. We have, on 
the higher plane, everything that they had, typically, on the 
lower plane. 

TABERNACLE-lncense in the Most Holy. 

Q692:4:: QUESTION (1911 Z) 4 Was it necessary 
that the incense should precede the high priest into the Most 
Holy when he went in to offer the blood of the goat? 

{PageQ693} 

ANSWER~The offering of the incense originally on the 
Day of Atonement by the high priest gained for him 
recognition by the Almighty, and manifested his worthiness to 
appear in the presence of God. Therefore, there was no need 
of his offering any other sacrifice than this. All the work of 
Atonement was divided into two parts. If the type had shown 
the under-priests as going into the Most Holy, then it would 
seem to have been necessary for each to stop and offer 
incense before entering. 

We are represented, not individually, but as members of the 
Body of Christ. So it would not be necessary for the incense 
to be offered more than the one time. It would seem, 
however, that the incense abode in the Holy and Most 
Holy. The sacrifice is still appreciated by the Heavenly 
Father, and always will be. 

TABERNACLE-Blood and Incense-Both Had to Do with Justice. 



Q693:1:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-In the type, was the 
incense that which satisfied Divine Justice? If not, how is the 
satisfaction of Justice accomplished, and why was incense 
burned? 

ANSWER--Both the incense and the blood had to do 
with the satisfaction of Justice. We read that the incense must 
cover the Mercy-Seat. (Lev. 16:13.) In other words, unless 
the incense had gone forth the high priest would not have 
lived. This shows that unless our Lord had rendered up His 
human life satisfactorily He would have forfeited His right to 
life. In consecration He had agreed to this and had 
surrendered His earthly life-rights. If He proved faithful to 
His engagement. He would receive a higher life beyond the 
vail. So the satisfaction of Justice, represented in type by the 
incense preceding the high priest beyond the vail, would be a 
satisfaction for Him Self and would testify that He had 
faithfully fulfilled the required conditions. 

But as for the satisfaction of the sins of the Church and of 
the world, this is accomplished subsequently, not by the 
incense, but by the blood. 

TABERNACLE-Levites Typical. 

Q693:2:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-2-Who were typified 
by the Levites? 

ANSWER-The Levites typified the "Church of the 
First-born, whose names are written in heaven." This 
statement—their "names are written in heaven"~implies that 
they are recognized as a spiritual class—have come into 
Divine favor. 

We are given the history of the Levites as a typical tribe 
specially representing the first-born; and this history of the 
first-born refers us back to the time when the first-born of the 
tribe of Israel were spared on the night of the passover. That 
night symbolizes this Gospel Age, the time of darkness on the 
earth, when the Lord is taking out His Jewel class. This 
"Church of the First-born" have passed from death unto life- 
all of these first-born, representing the entire "Church of the 
First-born," are represented in the tribe of Levi. Out from 
amongst these Levites were selected the priestly few, 
typifying our Lord and those who are faithfully walking in 
His steps. So the entire "Church of the First-born" will 
include a great multitude— more than the Body of Christ. The 
virgins who follow her (Psa. 45:14), all belong to this 
"Church of the First-born, whose names are written in 
heaven." The work of the Levites in 



{PageQ694} 

connection with the Tabernacle service is, undoubtedly, a 
symbolical one. 

The high priest "went alone once every year" on the Day of 
Atonement—into the Most Holy. Apparently the under-priests 
did not go into the Most Holy on this day (Heb. 9:6,7), but 
into the first Holy, where were the candlestick and the table 
of shewbread and the golden altar of incense. They, 
doubtless, typified those who are seated with Christ in the 
heavenly (Eph. 2:6), and are thus much in advance of the 
general household of faith. The under-priests were the sons 
of Aaron, and, being of the priestly family, or household, 
occupied a higher position and had greater rights and 
privileges than were enjoyed by the remainder of the Levites. 
The picture of the under-priests going into the Holy seems to 
correspond to our experiences of the present time and not to 
our experiences of the future, when we expect to enter into 
the Most Holy through the rent vail. 

The experiences of the antitypical Levites at the present 
time are different from what they will be in the future. At the 
present time they are in the Court condition, because only the 
members of the Body are privileged to go into the Holy and to 
know "the deep things of God." But when the articles of the 
Holy had been wrapped up, the typical Levites bore the 
precious things—were allowed to carry them. They could feel 
that they had a right to touch them in a general way, but not 
in the same way as the priests. This would seem to imply that 
none except those who are walking in the footsteps of Jesus 
could have a deep, full appreciation of the Divine Plan. 
Others might understand these things in a comparative degree, 
but not in their fulness. 

We are to consider, then, that as the Levites performed a 
service in connection with the Atonement Day sacrifices, so 
they will have a special service after the Day of Atonement. 
On the Day of Atonement, when the people were waiting for 
the priest to come out and bless them, was not the particular 
time for the Levites in general to teach the people or for them 
to learn their important lesson; but, after this Day of 
Atonement, the Levites were the general teachers of all the 
people, explaining the Law to them. And so we see that this 
will be a part of the work of the antitypical Levites in the 
future. They will have no inheritance in the land and its 
blessings. They will be associated in the Kingdom work and 
in the instruction of the people. But just how this will be done 
we may not now definitely know. 



We might also understand that the Levites in the Court very 
fittingly represent all those who desire to turn from sin and 
approach God and who are making progress toward complete 
justification. They are in a justified attitude from the moment 
they turn from sin and come into the Court. This implies faith 
and obedience. And so all who are in harmony with God in 
any sense of the word are, tentatively, Levites; but as to 
whether they will become actual Levites depends on whether 
they make entire consecration. If they do not make this 
consecration they will not receive the special blessings which 
would entitle them to the spirit plane. We all Were in this 
sense of the word Levites--in the sense of approaching 
justification, desiring justification, desiring harmony with 
God and seeking it, putting away the filth of the flesh, 
etc. —but we did not reach that justification until 

{PageQ695} 

we presented our bodies living sacrifices and were begotten 
of the Holy Spirit and the new life was begun by which we 
passed from death unto life, by which we became the 
"Church of the First-born" and had our names written in 
heaven. Any who turn back before presenting their bodies living 
sacrifices fail to reach the fulness of justification, fail to 
have the justification to life—they fail in degree of faithfulness 
to right principle and in degree of harmony with God. 

While the Court condition seems to represent at the present 
time all those who are approaching God and loving 
righteousness and desiring harmony with Him, it appears as 
though, with the closing of this Age, there will be an 
adjustment of matters by which all those who have not come 
to the point of full consecration and to the point of 
Spirit-begetting, who would not belong to the household of 
faith and to the "Church of the First-born," in the absolute 
sense, will go out and cease to be recognized as in the Court. 
Meantime, the class who have already made consecration, 
"presented their bodies living sacrifices," and received the 
begetting of the Spirit and enjoyed for a time the privileges of 
being members of the Body of Christ—these, failing to 
maintain their standing, are represented as separate from the 
"little flock" class, at the end of this Age. Their condition 
apparently is represented by the Court condition thereafter. 

TABERNACLE-Significance of the Bullock's Blood. 

Q695:1:: QUESTION (191 1-Z)-1-What did the blood 
of the bullock represent? 



ANSWER--The blood presented in the Most Holy 
represented the life, or Ufe-rights of the one sacrificed; but 
the blood JtSelf was a symbol of death. When blood is in 
the veins it is a symbol of life. The blood of the bullock, and, 
subsequently, the blood of the goat, in the hands of the priest, 
symbolically said. This animal is dead, and here is a proof of 
it. So the presentation of the blood meant the presentation of 
this sacrificed life with all the rights appertaining thereto. 

Our Lord had certain life-rights when He died. The 
expression Mfe-rightS may properly be used also in 
connection with an individual who does not have life in the 
full sense, but who has made a full consecration and has been 
accepted by the Lord. Such a one is reckoned as having 
passed from death unto life. In the moment of his having 
righteousness imputed to him, he passes from death unto life. 
The Advocate has imputed to that one a sufficiency of His 
merit to compensate for any deficiency: He is thus rendered 
acceptable and is then in a reckonedly complete condition. 
He then has life-rights; and it is those life-rights that are said 
to be sacrificed, or presented to God. In this manner the 
person may be said to become a member of the great High 
Priest's Body. Christ imputes to him a sufficiency of merit 
to compensate for his demerit; and having been made 
acceptable to the Father by this imputation, he becomes a 
member of the Body of the great High Priest. 

There is a difference between Offering our sacrifice and 
presenting ourselves. Not we, but the High Priest, does 
the sacrificing. Before the High Priest accepts one as a 
member of His Body, He imputes to that one a sufficiency of 

{PageQ696} 

His merit to give him life-rights. By virtue of being reckoned 
perfect one has life-rights, a condition which permits him to 
be a sacrifice. 

All those life-rights which our Lord possessed when He 
died were symbolically represented in the blood of the 
bullock; and with that blood the sprinkling was done in the 
Most Holy. 

There was just one moment when the knife in the hand of 
the high priest smote and slew the bullock. That moment 
represented the moment when our Lord, at Jordan, became 
dead as a man and alive as a New Creature, when "He, 
through the eternal Spirit, offered up Himself without spot to 
God." But it was not as a New Creature that He offered up 



Himself, but as the iTiaN' Christ Jesus. His spotless 
humanity was what He there offered. This IHe did through the 
eternal Spirit of Sonship and loyalty to God; and this was the 
opportune moment, the moment foretold in prophecy. TheN' 
He was acknowledged a Priest. If Christ were on earth, on 
the earthly plane. He could not be a priest according to the 
flesh, not being of the family of Aaron. The only Order of 
Priesthood, therefore, to which He belonged was a spiritual 
Order, the one mentioned in the Scripture which says: "Thou 
art a Priest forever after the Order of Melchizedek." 
(Psa. 110:4.) He was not a Priest according to the flesh, 
but as a New Creature. 

The High Priest came into his office by virtue of his work 
of sacrifice. The bringing of the bullock into the Court meant 
its presentation for sacrificial purposes. So with Jesus. When 
He came to John at Jordan, He made a surrender of Himself. 
This the Father acknowledged. The disciples of the Lord 
presented themselves, but they were neither accepted as 
sacrifices nor begotten of the Spirit, until Pentecost. On that 
day, while they were waiting, God accepted the sacrifice, and 
made them priests at that moment. 

TABERNACLE-AM in the Court in Favor with God. 

Q696:1:: QUESTION (1911-Z)-l-Couldany onebe 
in the Court condition without being in God's favor? 

ANSWER~The Court of the Tabernacle represented a 
condition of Divine favor. But the Tabernacle represented 
Divine favor in a still higher sense and degree. 

In the present time the Court represents the condition of all 
those who, exercising faith in God, are approaching nearer 
and nearer to Him and His service. Such are in favor with 
God because of their spirit of loyalty to Him, which leads 
them to go on step by step to know and to do His perfect will. 
God's perfect will respecting all those called in this Age is 
that they shall present their bodies living sacrifices, holy and 
acceptable to Him through the imputed merit of their 
Advocate—their Redeemer. But if, after full opportunity to 
know and to do His will, these hold back and refuse to make a 
consecration, from that time onward theirs will be a backward 
course in which there will be less and less Divine favor, until 
they will be back again in the world. But even then God's 
purposes for them are generous, for they may share with 
mankind in general the gracious provisions of the New 



Covenant for the thousand years of Messiah's reign. 
Those who make the covenant of sacrifice and thereby 

{PageQ697} 

pass from the Court into the Holy enter into the highest favor 
with God, as children of God and joint-heirs with Jesus. But 
if, later, they fearfully hold back and neglect to complete their 
sacrifice, they may not remain in so close a fellowship, but 
will eventually be expelled into, the Court. There they will, 
indeed, be in God's favor as the Great Company class, unless 
they entirely draw back, in which event their portion will be 
the Second Death. 

TABERNACLE-Nothing Specific About Urim and Thummin. 

Q697:1 :: QUESTION (1912 Z) 1 Is there any 
revealtion as to what the Urim and Thummim consisted of, or 
how the priests were answered? 

ANSWER—There is nothing specific known on this 
subject. In some manner or other, it is supposed, the 
breastplate that was worn by the High Priest was used as the 
Urim and Thummim—that is, to give definite answer. Yes or 
No, to the questions that were propounded. For instance, if 
the question were asked. Shall Israel go out to war with this 
nation? or. Shall Israel enter into alliance with that nation? the 
Lord's answer was indicated by the breastplate. How these 
questions were answered, we are not informed. Nothing in 
the Scripture tells us, and we have no tradition even that gives 
any very clear answer. We know that they had the Urim and 
Thummim and that the answer was indicated in some way 
with the precious stones of the breastplate, but just how, 
nobody knows. 

TABERNACLE-Great, Company and Second Death. 

Q697:2:: QUESTION (1912)-2-Does the Tabernacle 
show that there is a place in the Holy, beyond which one 
cannot pass as priest, and fall back into the Great Company, 
but if such fail as priests, is there nothing for them but Second 
Death? 

ANSWER— Only those who pass the Second Vail into 
the Most Holy, by the power of the First Resurrection, will be 
secured to the Royal Priesthood beyond the danger of failure. 
The Lord will decide whether we will be priests or Levites. I 
have seen some who apparently took great interest, and then 
for a time became inert, did not become great sacrificers, and 
then years afterwards became very fervent and sacrificed their 



very lives. One such was St. Paul. He was not only a 
persecutor of the Church at first, but after that he was three 
years in Arabia, then went to see St. Peter. Thirteen years 
later Barnabas hunted him up, found him at home in Tarsus 
Cilicia and got him started in preaching at Antioch, where 
they chose him one of the Elders. (Gal. 1:17; Gal.2:l and 
Acts 1 1 :25-30.) If Paul had stayed in Arabia all the rest of 
his life merely studying and nursing his sore eyes, doubtless 
he would have been of the Second Company class. Barnabas 
said. Brother Paul, don't you want to be actively engaged in 
the Lord's service? Barnabas did much to encourage St. Paul 
and to start his activities, and once started there was no 
keeping him back. He was the greatest of all the Apostles in 
sacrifice—next to His Lord. 

Suppose St. Paul had died during those years of inertia, 
what evidence have we that he would have made his calling 
and election sure? None. Was he meantime thrust out into 
the Court? No, he was still enjoying priestly privileges in the 
Holy. We do not know how much studying he did in 

{PageQ698} 

Arabia, nor do we see that he did much sacrificing during 
those years. 

Now, if God could give him those years to determine what 
he would do, then He might do the same with anybody else, 
so far as we may know. The fact that one might be in an inert 
condition for a while does not mean that God had rejected 
him from the Holy condition. The decision of the Lord is at 
the end of our course. But now, perhaps, in the end of this 
age, conditions may be different. The Lord could not give us 
fourteen years, because all the sacrificing, so far as we know, 
will be accomplished in a very short time. And not only so, if 
we have not the spirit and disposition of sacrificing, He may 
set us aside sooner than that, because He wishes to complete 
the whole elect class before that time. Therefore it is a little 
different now. 

TABERNACLE-Are Spirit Begotten in Court? 

Q698:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-Is everyone who enters 
the Court condition during this Gospel Age spirit begotten? 

ANSWER~No. Nobody is spirit begotten when he 
enters the Court condition, as it is not a condition of spirit 
begetting. We have no quarrel with those who have a 
different opinion. Our opinion is given in Tabernacle 
Shadows, to the effect that the Court represents the condition 



of justification, and that those who are in that are in a 
so-called justified condition. 

Justification means to be actually or tentatively justified 
What is the difference? Actual justification would be the 
bonifide or real thing; as, for instance, Jesus was actually 
perfect, approved of God, as being perfect. Not because of 
anything done to Him, nor because of anything reckoned to 
Him. He was actually perfect, just, or right in God's sight, 
because in Him was no sin. But none of us. His followers, 
are in that condition, because we are all "children of wrath, 
even as others" therefore, we cannot speak of ourselves as 
being in this condition. 

We look back to Abraham and read that Abraham was 
justified through faith. Was this an actual justification of 
Abraham? Could he become actually right with God, by 
exercising faith? Then we remember the other Scriptures 
that. No one could be justified by works of the law, and that 
the only justification that could come to any would be by faith 
in Christ. Therefore, Abraham was not actually justified. 

What way, then, was Abraham justified, and to what? 

He was justified to receive God's favor, and justified to be 
treated as God's friend, and to be told secrets that God would 
tell to a friend and not to an enemy. Abraham believed God 
and he was counted as being a friend and as nearly right as 
possible, considering the fact that Christ had not died for the 
sins of the world. 

Now, coming down to ourselves: Take somebody who has 
been a sinner, worldly, living after sin, and that person says, I 
would draw near to God, I have a hungering after God. I 
learn that eternal life is possible and that God is willing to 
give it to some. I am weary and heavy-laden with sin, and 
imperfect; I want to get to God. Such a desire would be the 
first step toward justification. 

I remember a German sister who said. Brother Russell, 
when I went to school in Germany I was thrown with people 

{PageQ699} 

who were not at all religious, and I lost my God, and I 
would like very much to find Him. I am not happy and I see 
other people who are happy, and feel themselves as children 
of God. I would like to feel myself a child of God and that 
God so considered me. What steps shall I take? 

(Have in mind the Tabernacle construction, with its Holy 
and Most Holy, the Court, curtains, etc. In the front of the 
Tabernacle was a brazen laver, filled with water. Still in front 



of that the brazen altar, upon which the fat was burning, near 
the front, by the gate). 

Now suppose this young German woman in the Camp of 
Israel, saying, God is represented in that Tabernacle and I 
would like to draw near to God; He is represented there by 
the Shekinah glory, and I am living here. Will He allow me 
to draw near? 

I said to her, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to 
you." From the time she began to take her first step toward 
God she began to COme intO 3 justified condition, she took 
her first step. Jesus spoke of the two men who went up to the 
Temple to pray--one a Publican and one a Pharisee. He said 
that the Publican went down to his house justified rather 
than the Pharisee, what does that mean? Why, he was 
more nearly in a justified condition than the Pharisee. They 
were both in a condition of partial justification, like all the 
Jews--they were in a relationship to God, through the 
Atonement Day sacrifices. They were using their privilege 
and coming to God in prayer, and one was more nearly 
justified and acceptable to God. That is what is meant by 
justification-approved of God. Abraham was approved of 
God because of doing the best he could. Both of those men 
were in a condition of tentative justification. 

So, with this young woman, she was coming into a 
condition of tentative justification; she was turning to God. I 
pointed her to the gate and said, Go right in there by faith in 
to the Court. 

The only way to draw near to God is to recognize that you 
are a sinner, and that God Himself has provided a sin- 
offering, represented by that Brazen Altar, right at the Gate of 
the Court. So, to draw near to God means to exercise faith in 
the sacrifice of Christ. I pointed to the antitypical Gate to the 
Court. 

I asked her if she believed, and she said. Yes, I believe in 
Jesus, that He died and rose again from the dead for my sins 
and the sins of the whole world. Thus she passed through the 
Gate Antitypically. 

When next I asked. Are you seeking to live separate from 
Sin? I was asking if she were going to the Laver, which was 
for the washing away of the filth of the flesh. She replied, I 
am seeking so to do. Her answer showed that she was 
washing at the Laver and getting the benefit of it, and putting 
away those outward things displeasing to God. She was not 
justifying herself thereby, but trying to cooperate with God- 
she was in a condition of tentative justification. According to 
God's arrangement, justification cannot be complete until we 



take a further step. Upon noting the sacrifice, noting the laver 
and washing there at, we must do something more. 

{PageQTOO} 

I said the best thing for you to do is to give your heart 
entirely to God in consecration, keeping nothing back. That 
was represented in the Tabernacle picture by the tying of the 
goat at the Tabernacle door. No one could do more ! The 
next thing in order would be for the High Priest to accept her 
as a member of His and as such to be her Advocate before the 
Father. The Divine acceptance was next in order. She had 
done all that she could do. The Lord must do the rest. But I 
believe that yet there is room, and that the Lord is pleased to 
receive you. Accept that as a fact, and look for the evidences 
that God has received you. The evidences will be a clearer 
spiritual perception, a desire to lay down your life in His 
service, and some opportunity to suffer for righteousness 
sake. 

The picture in the Tabernacle Shadows is that the Priest 
slays the goat, takes its life, making it a part of His own 
sacrifice. The moment that sacrifice was made it represented 
Jesus' acceptance of her consecration. At that same moment 
she was begotten of the Holy Spirit and reckoned as a New 
Creature by the Father. Thus she passed beyond the First 
Vail into the Holy. This passing under the First Vail 
represents the death of the will, just as the passing the Second 
Vail represents the complete death of our bodies. We go 
down under the First Vail when our wills are baptized into 
His death; we are buried with Him by baptism into His death, 
and rise the other side as New Creatures. So the First Vail of 
the Tabernacle represents our death, so far as our wills are 
concerned, and represents God having accepted us as New 
Creatures, through faith, that we may have access to the 
spiritual things as New Creatures. Everyone who takes that 
step is represented as a member of the Body of the great High 
Priest, the Church, of which He is Head, and so, says the 
Apostle, we are seated in the heavenlies--that is in the Holy. 
But be it noted that our justification did not reach completion 
until the High Priest accepted our offering and imputed to it 
of His merit, making it Holy and acceptable to God. 

Everyone who passes beyond this First Vail, so far as you 
and I know, is a royal priest—that is, it is not for you and me 
to say as to who shall be counted unworthy. In going under 
this vail you take the step that should make you a priest, it is 
the only step you are invited to take. There is no way for you 



to take any other step. So the Apostle Peter says, "Ye are a 
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people." St. Peter 
did not attempt to discriminate and say, that is what you 
started out to be, but you are of the Great Company. That is 
to be decided by the Lord in His own time, when He will 
show that some who have not been sufficiently faithful will 
not be of the little flock of priests, but will be of the Levite 
class. That will be determined at the end of this age, and it is 
not for you or me to decide. 

A brother might be very energetic, so far as our observation 
may go, but God might see that it was for some unworthy 
motive or, he might, seemingly, not be very energetic, but 
God would see that he was doing the best he could. Hence, 
we are not to judge, but leave the whole matter with the Lord, 
and strive to do the best we can ourselves, and to help each 
other win, and in the end of the age the Master 

{PageQTOl} 

will show which is worthy to be seated with Him in the 
Throne as priests, and which will be of the Levite class before 
the throne. 

TABERNACLE-Sacrifices Before and After Atonement Day. 

Q701 :1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-In the Tabernacle 
Shadows we read, "we must distinguish between the sacrifices 
of the Day of Atonement and the sacrifices which were 
following the Day of Atonement, and that the first were 
presented for the sin of Adam, while the following were for 
the private or individual faults committed by ignorance or 
wilfulness." But it has caused me a great anxiety. In Heb. 9:7 
the Apostle teaches that the sacrifices of the Day of 
Atonement were for all the sins which were committed, for the 
sins of the whole people. 

ANSWER--In the English Bible it reads, "But into the 
second went the High Priest alone once every year, not 
without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the 
errors of the people." 

There is no conflict between this statement and the other. 
The Apostle is here speaking about the Day of Atonement 
sacrifices, and not about any of those sacrifices following the 
Day of Atonement. He explains in harmony with the account 
in the Old Testament that the arrangement was in two parts. 
In one sense of the word the Day of Atonement sacrifices 
were all one sacrifice and one work on behalf of all the 
people, but in another sense of the word it was divided into 



two sacrifices, the first one for the priests and Levites, and the 
second for all the remainder of the people, and the Apostle is 
speaking of this phase of it in this verse. He is here speaking 
of the second, which he is offering for himself and for the 
errors of the people. The first, the blood of the bullock, was 
for himself and his house, and the second was for the errors 
or sins of all the people. These errors of the people for which 
the High Priest offers atonement are not wilful sins, but those 
which are committed through ignorance, superstition, 
blindness, etc.--through heredity. In other words, God 
proposes to forgive and to cancel all sins for humanity that 
has come to us directly or indirectly as a result of Adam's 
disobedience. But if after getting that blessing and 
knowledge then we sin with any measure of wilfulness that 
measure which is wilful is not covered by the atonement. 

TABERNACLE-What Were Day of Atonement Sacrifices for? 

Q701 :2:: QUESTION (1912) 2 Were the sacrifices 
on the Day of Atonement offered for the sins of the people 
committed through ignorance? 

ANSWER—This was a complete cancellation of all sin 
up to that date. It is merely a representation of the first 
Atonement Day, showing that when we once come and get 
our blessings from the sacrifice of the day of atonement it 
cancels all so far as we ever had recognition and ability. 

TABERNACLE-Wliat Sacrifices Are For Sins of Ignorance? 

Q701:3:: QUESTION (1912)-3--What is the difference 
between the sacrifices afterwards, following the Day of 
Atonement, and 

{PageQ702} 

the sacrifices during the Day of Atonement, both being for the 
sins of ignorance? 

ANSWER— We must consider what the Apostle is 
speaking about, and he evidently here is not talking about the 
sacrifices after the Day of Atonement. So he says in the sixth 
verse. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests 
went always into the first Tabernacle, accomplishing the 
service of God. But into the second went the High Priest 
alone once every year (the Day of Atonement). (Heb. 9:6-7) 

TABERNACLE-Where Was tlie Golden-Altar? 

Q702:1:: QUESTION ( 19 12)- 1 -How explain the 
verse in Heb. 9:4 in which the Apostle Paul writes that the 



golden altar was in the Holy of Holies? Some present the 
solution for this difficulty, saying that we must acknowledge 
or accept that the Apostle in saying golden censor meant one 
of the little golden censors by which the priests would carry 
the fire from the brazen altar. 

ANSWER—There is unquestionably a difference 
between the statement of the order of things in the Tabernacle 
as given by the Apostle here, and the statement as given in the 
Old Testament. But we must hold steadfastly to the account 
given in the Old Testament, because the Apostle's own 
argument supports the Old Testament. He says that it was 
necessary for the High Priest to offer the incense upon the 
golden altar before he would enter the Most holy. This 
means, too, the golden altar could not have been in the Most 
Holy, according to the Apostle's own account, and according 
also to the Old Testament account. The only explanation we 
could think of would be this, therefore: Either that the 
Apostle had a lapSUS Mnguae, a slip of the tongue, or that 
his amanuenses to whom he dictated this put in the wrong 
word, saying behind the vail instead of before the vail. It is 
not a matter of any importance, anyway. Nothing serious 
depends upon it. We see what was the real intention at all 
events. The golden altar was in the Holy and not in the Most 
Holy, and, therefore, whatever slip was made in this record 
has no bearing or special importance. 

TABERNACLE-Altar At Which Not Privileged To Eat. 

Q702:2:: QUESTION (1908)--2-Please explain Heb. 13:10: 
"We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat 
which serve the Tabernacle." What altar does it refer to in 
type or antitype? 

ANSWER—I answer that the Apostle here is introducing 
a contrast between the Jewish priesthood, the Aaronic 
priesthood, and the antitypical priesthood, Christ the high 
priest, and the church the royal priesthood, the members of 
his body. Now the Jews, you see, and those who had had this 
Jewish idea in their minds, had difficulty to understand how 
we could be spoken of as priests: how all believers, all who 
come to the Father through Christ, and make a consecration, 
presenting their bodies a living sacrifice, are as the Apostle 
Peter says, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar 
people. Now they had difficulty. How can we be a 
priesthood? We do not belong to the priestly tribe. You see 
Paul is carrying this same line of thought. We belong to the 
Melchisedek priesthood; that is our order, not the Aaronic 
priesthood. The Aaronic priesthood is a type of certain 



features, but this priest is of a higher order of priesthood 

{PageQ703} 

than Aaron. They have the literal sacrifices; we have the 
better sacrifices. They had the killing of the literal bullock, 
and the literal lamb, and we have the killing of Christ, the 
antitypical bullock, and we have the sacrifice of the Church, 
the antitypical goat, upon an altar that is superior to theirs. 
Their altar of incense was only typical. The offering of the 
prayers of saints, and the merit of Christ ascending before 
God is the real incense that is acceptable to him. There is 
type and antitype all the way through. Now we have an altar 
of which they may not eat. What is our altar? Why, dear 
friends, our altar is Christ, and his consecrated sacrifice. The 
priest of the typical system ate the meat that was offered to 
God on the altar. Let me remind you that when a sacrifice 
was brought to the priest, not on the atonement day, but 
others, he took the fat and put it on the altar and burned it, but 
he took the flesh and the priests all ate it. Now, then, they 
were all partakers of the altar. The altar consumed the fat, 
etc., but the priests all ate the flesh. Now, says the Apostle, 
they can eat of that flesh, and can offer on that altar, but we 
have a superior offering, and we have a superior altar. We eat 
of this flesh of our altar. "Except a man eat of my flesh and 
drink of my blood he shall have no life in him." He was 
speaking to the Church. As a matter of fact, all of us are to be 
partakers of his flesh. Of course that opens up a still larger 
question. What does he mean? You remember at that time 
many people said. This is a hard saying, who can hear it? 
Why it seems foolishness. Can this man give us his flesh to 
eat? And many went away and walked no longer with him. 
They said. These dark sayings are getting too abstruse, we 
cannot have any more of them; we drop the matter here; he is 
talking in riddles to us. What does he mean by talking about 
eating his flesh? When we come to understand the real 
meaning, as we may now during this Gospel Age, it is that his 
flesh represented his sacrifice which he gave for us, and 
which he finished at Calvary, and you partake of it, you eat it, 
you feed upon that which Christ sacrificed, you feed upon the 
merit of Christ's sacrifice, and you appropriate it to yourself; 
you have justification through faith in him, you have eaten of 
that flesh; you have partaken of that which he sacrificed for 
us. So have I. And in this way we have justification to life. 
This is the picture and the meaning of it as you and I come to 
see it through God's Word. 



TABERNACLE-Aaron Re Head and Body. 

Q703:1:: QUESTION (1916)--l--Does Aaron represent 
both the head and body members of The Christ during the 
sacrifices of the bullock and the goat on the day of 
Atonement? 

ANSWER— Aaron did not represent the body of Christ 
when he sacrificed the bullock because the bullock 
represented Jesus only, and you and I were not represented in 
the body at all until Jesus had first finished His sacrifice and 
had appeared in the presence of God for us, covering our 
blemishes, that we might be acceptable to God as members of 
His body. There was not a single member of the body at the 
time He offered Himself, even as the prophet Isaiah declared, 
"I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there 
was no man with me." 

tabernacle-Two Tables of The Law. 

Q703:2:: QUESTION ( 19 16)-2- Why, and for what purpose, were 

{PageQ704} 

there two tables of the law? Tabernacle Shadows Question 
Book, page 37, question 48. 

ANSWER— We are not told why there were two tables 
of the law, and so we can only have our opinion or surmise. 
My guess is that, these two tables probably represent the two 
parts of God's law: one pertaining to us, and the other 
pertaining to our fellow men. Jesus stated the two parts of the 
law. The first that which was on the first table: "Thou shall 
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
and with all thy mind," "This is the great and first 
commandment." "And a second like unto it (in sympathy with 
it, in harmony with the same principle), is this. Thou shall 
love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments 
hangeth the whole law, and the prophets." The one tells us of 
our duty towards God, and the other of our duty towards our 
fellow men, and these were written, the one on one table, and 
the other on another table. Thus there were two tables 

TEACHING-Women Keep Silence. 

Q704:1:: QUESTION (1909)-l-"Let your women 
keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them; 
to speak, but they are commanded to be under obedience, as 
also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them 
ask their husbands at home, for it is a shame for women to 



speak in the church." (1 Cor. 14:34,35.) 

Please explain and harmonize these Scripture statements 
with the statement of 1 Cor. 11:5, which reads: 

"But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her 
head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all 
one as if she were shaven." 

ANSWER~You will find those Scriptures treated very 
elaborately, very perfectly, and a lot more on the subject in 
the Sixth Volume. I do not think you have been studying the 
Sixth Volume enough. Some want to know when the Seventh 
Volume is coming out, but I do not think the Lord will allow 
it until the Sixth Volume is more thoroughly digested. 

TEACHING-Enduring Unsound Teaching. 

Q704:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-To what extent should 
the brethren endure unsound teaching on the part of Elders 
or others, and how remedy such conditions? 

ANSWER—Well, dear friends, there are some things to 
be endured, but the Apostle intimates that to endure unsound 
teaching is to participate in the wrongdoing, that we should 
not endure unsound teaching at all. If there are any enduring 
such, we feel that it is their duty to protest. Now, that does 
not mean that his view is right and everybody else's view is 
wrong. But, suppose I was here in a class in Denver, a 
member of the class, and suppose somebody, either in public 
or private, was teaching certain things which I believed were 
wrong and injurious to the household of faith, it would not be 
proper for me to sit by and simply say, "I am not teaching the 
error." My silence would be giving consent to it. It would be 
proper for me to see an opportunity to kindly, and patiently, 
and clearly, and positively to set forth what I believed to be 
the error and the Bible teaching on the subject, etc. After I 
have done my duty in that matter, it would not mean that I 
must insist 

{PageQ705} 

that everyone must come to my view of the matter. I have 
had my say and if somebody else wishes to have his say, he 
should have his say also. The Church of Christ is not to be 
hidebound, but all should have the privilege to have the truth, 
but all things should be done decently and in order. My duty 
should end at the time of expressing my convictions and 
reasons for them, so that I should not need to get up half a 
dozen times. I should give Scripture reasons and they should 
give theirs. All the Lord's people should recognize those as 



the highest teachings. Suppose, then, that the majority of the 
class decided against my view of the matter, what then? 
Should I say: Here is a teacher that is not Biblical; shall I 
absent myself from the class and not meet with them? No. I 
would say, "I have done my duty thus far to the class, I will 
continue and perhaps another opportunity will come in which 
to present my views. If another opportunity came, I would 
hold to my position as long as I thought it was right, but I 
would not make myself obnoxious. 

What about others not in the class? I would say, "Friend, 
neighbor, I thank you for your words, we have given them 
consideration and we have dismissed the matter, and you will 
please not trouble us again. 

How remedy it? If the unsoundness was on the part of the 
Elder, if near the time of election, wait and see that you did 
not elect anybody that was not sound. If you knew it at the 
time you elected him, then you are at fault. YoU have nO 
right to vote for anyone you do not know to be clear in the 
truth. You will find everything on that subject in the sixth 
volume. 

I have found that sometimes the Lord's people feel a 
hesitancy, and say, "Now, I don't like to vote for so and so, 
yet I do not think so and so is fit for the position of Elder." 
You are doing wrong in keeping quiet and voting for him. 
God wants to have in His Church those who have character, 
recognizing principle, and who will act in accordance with 
that principle. It takes some overcoming on your part to 
overcome your timidity, and that is all the more reason why 
you should do your duty; because, none but overcomers are to 
be of the elect class. I admire that character that does not like 
to be quarreling and disputing and hurting others' feelings; we 
ought to have that disposition, and there is a kind and gentle 
way of saying things that are pretty plain, and you should let 
all know that you have nothing but the kindest intentions 
when doing your whole duty. The Church should take time 
and deliberate as to who should be your Elders. You are 
representing the Lord and you are representing Him in your 
vote. We want to feel the responsibility of our vote in the 
Church of Christ more and more. 

TEMPTATION-Method Used by Serpent. 

Q705:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l-Eve was tempted by a 
snake. Could this snake talk, or did it merely walk on its 
tail? What language did they use? 

ANSWER— I was not there, and I am not, therefore, in 
some respects, a competent witness but I will tell you how I 



think it was done. You need not think the way I do; I am 
liberal enough to allow you to believe it any way you like. 
But to my understanding, the temptation by the serpent was a 
very simple one. I do not know whether it 

{PageQ706} 

walked on its tail or how, but the Scriptural proposition is that 
Satan operated through that serpent for the beguiling of 
mother Eve. Mother Eve, with father Adam, saw all the trees 
of the garden, and they were all beautiful, and their fruit was 
good for food; they all looked good, and one kind was 
forbidden. Now, the serpent talked by signs, I am going to 
suppose. Satan, acting through the serpent, led it to go into 
the garden and take off that very kind of fruit that God had 
forbidden father Adam and mother Eve to eat, and the serpent 
ate that and did not die, and thus the serpent said to our first 
parents, "You would not die, either." And they observed that 
it was one of the most crafty and most subtle of all the 
animals, and they said, "It must be the eating of that fruit 
there that makes him wise. Oh, if we would eat that fruit, we 
with our superior talents and powers, how much we might 
know!" And the more mother Eve thought on it—for we read 
that father Adam was not deceived--the more she said, "I wish 
I could get some of that; I would like to be wise." Then the 
thought came, all through the serpent, "God is trying to keep 
you in ignorance, he does not want you to know too much, 
you would be a kind of competitor. God does not want you to 
eat of that fruit for that very reason, and he would like to keep 
you in ignorance and superstition. Go take and eat of the 
fruit." So she took of the fruit and ate, and she was a 
transgressor. The Apostle says that the woman was beguiled; 
she was tempted and deceived-deceived by the actions of the 
serpent; as we often say, actions speak louder than words. I 
do not suppose the serpent talked any, but in his actions he 
gave the suggestions, and the woman obeyed them. Saint 
Paul says that Adam was not deceived; he knew that God had 
put a penalty of death on the eating of that food, and knew 
that God's Word would come true, and therefore he surmised 
that his much beloved wife would die, and this was his 
thought: he had lived for some time without her; there was no 
companionship for him in all the animals of all the creation of 
God, no companion that was meet for him; he was a lonely 
man without a companion and now the thought came to him 
that the companion God gave him, the bone of his bone, must 
die, and he would be left alone. Poor Adam's heart sank as he 



thought of it, and he said, "I will eat with my wife." And he 
deliberately committed suicide in the eating of the forbidden 
fruit. 

TEMPT ATIONS-Jesus' Temptations. 

Q706:1:: QUESTION ( 19 16-Z)-1 -How could Jesus 
have had the same kind of difficulties that a mother would 
have? How could He be tried in all points as a mother? He 
never was a mother. How could He be tempted as a father? 
He never was a father. How could He be tempted as a 
drunkard, or in many ways as fallen humanity are tempted, 
when He was perfect? 
ANSWER— The Apostle was not referring to the 

temptations of falleN' humanity. He says, "He was tempted 

in all points like as we are. He was speaking of New 
Creatures. We know of no temptation that came to our Lord 
except those which came to Him as a New Creature. He was 
tempted as We are tempted as New Creatures in Christ. He 
was not subject to every temptation which assails us from the 
fallen tastes, appetites and tendencies, which come to us 

{PageQ707} 

as members of the degenerate race of Adam. These are not 
temptations to the New Creature. Those who have enlisted 
under the banner of Jehovah should love righteousness and 
hate iniquity. This was our Lord's mind. 

Whoever in his mind loves the wrong and approves the 
wrong gives evidence of not having the mind of Christ, and 
would not properly be one of the "we" class referred to here, 
since his temptations would not be like those which 
spirit-begotten New Creatures have, like those which Jesus 
had. Those who have formerly lived in sin should sufficiently 
know of its undesirability. Those who have practiced sin 
should have had satisfactory evidence of its unholy nature, of 
its pernicious and destructive effects. So we who have fled 
from sin and come into God's family do not wish to return to 
its bondage, like a dog to his vomit or a sow to her wallowing 
in the mire. Those are not our temptations at all. Our 
temptations are much more subtle. 

Looking back at our Lord's life after his baptism in Jordan, 
we see how He was tempted. One of His temptations was in 
respect to the use of His God-given power. He was very 
hungry, and was in a place where no food could be secured. 
The Adversary suggested that He use His miraculous power 
to produce food for Himself by commanding the stones to 



become bread. This He could have done; for we remember 
that on more than one occasion He miraculously created food 
to feed the multitudes, and at another time He turned water 
into the choicest wine. But on this occasion He refused to use 
this power to satisfy His own appetite. The spirit of devotion 
to the Father led Him into the wilderness for prayer, 
meditation and study of God's Word, preparatory to beginning 
his sacrificial service. 

We have not the power to turn stones into bread or water 
into wine. But we have certain privileges and opportunities; 
for instance, the opportunity of speaking in the name of the 
Lord and of telling of His goodness and of his wonderful Plan 
for human salvation. All these things are privileges to us who 
are following in the footsteps of Jesus. In these the 
temptation is to do these things for our own special 
advantage. For example, we might undertake to proclaim the 
Truth with the thought of obtaining great honor or a large 
salary. This temptation frequently comes to those who are 
God's ministers—to use this power of God and the Truth of 
God for personal aggrandizement. To whatever extent any 
would do these things to that extent be would be falling into 
temptation. 

Another way in which Jesus was tempted was in the 
suggestion to cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the 
Temple, and thus call the attention of all the people to 
Himself. This act would prove Him to be possessed of 
superhuman power and would seem to imply that He was 
under the special protection of God. He could thus make a 
marvelous demonstration of himself and He would be 
considered some great one. The Adversary, true to his usual 
methods, misapplied a Scripture, endeavoring to convince the 
Master that God had promised to protect Him in just such an 
instance, to uphold Him lest He should dash His foot against 
a stone. But Jesus resented this misinterpretation of 
Scripture, and answered, "It is written. Thou shall not tempt 
the Lord thy God." He refused to tempt God, 

{PageQ708} 

to try Him through a misapplication of His promise. The 
written Word was His refuge and strength in each temptation. 

So some of Christ's disciples are tempted to do things in a 
spirit of foolhardiness, hoping that God will shield them from 
evil results of a course which would be contrary to the laws of 
nature or save them from consequences which would be the 
natural result of certain actions. This would be presumption 



on the part of a child of God. Such a course is saying by 
impUcation, "God will protect me, He will not allow me 
to come to harm." To presume to do what God has never 
authorized in His Word, and then expect a miracle to prevent 
evil from resulting is entirely wrong and unjustifiable. If we 
should presume to go out in cold or stormy weather 
improperly clad, when it is not necessary to do so, and thus 
risk contracting illness thereby, we would be doing a wrong 
and unwarranted thing. Our bodies belong to the Lord and 
we have no right to do anything unnecessarily which would 
be a risk of injury or death. Only dUty or neceSSJty 
would excuse such a course. 

TEMPTATIONS TO COMPROMISE. 

Another temptation which was presented to our Lord was 
that He looked out over the Kingdoms of the world, and then 
be assured that all these should be given over to His control, 
without His having to submit to suffering, without taking the 
painful course marked out by God, if He would just fall down 
and worship Satan, acknowledge his authority instead of that 
of Jehovah. Satan's words implied that he would not require 
such suffering and sacrifice as God required; that if Jesus 
would only cooperate with him, all would work smoothly and 
prosperously. Our dear Lord replied, "Get thee hence, 
Satan!" 

So temptations may come to US. We might have 
suggestions that if we would only not be too straight-laced, 
but would co-operate to some extent with the world and its 
spirit, we might get along better and have a greater influence 
over people. This was the Adversary's argument with the 
Master: "Co-operate with me, and we will bring the whole 
world where you can give them great blessings." But Jesus 
would not swerve from the Father's way. Temptations and 
suggestions of this kind often come to the Lord's people. We 
fear that many of His professed followers have compromised 
with the world and the Adversary. The church systems have 
fallen into this very trap of the Devil. This has surely been a 
grave and costly mistake. Temptations and suggestions of this 
kind come often to the Lord's people. 

We also have temptations to return evil for evil and railing 
for railing. Our Lord was so tempted just before His 
crucifixion. When He was delivered to the chief priests and 
taken before the Jewish Sanhedrin, He did not show them up, 
as He might have done. Jesus might have delivered a very 
scathing criticism of the high priest at that time; He might 
truthfully have made caustic remarks about the high priest's 



character. With the power of eloquence which He possessed, 
He might have made a great stir. Perhaps He felt an impulse 
in this direction, but He held His peace, and allowed Himself 
to be led as a lamb to the slaughter. And so we have 
temptations of a similar kind 

{PageQ709} 

—temptations to render evil for evil, to keep square with 
people, to give them what they deserve. 

When we realize that we are not always successful in 
resisting these temptations, we are to remember that we have 
a Throne of Grace, to which we may come and find mercy 
and grace to help in time of need. We may come to our great 
High Priest. The high priest of old held a very high and 
honorable position. Our High Priest is far more highly 
exalted. In considering this, we might at first be inclined to 
think of Him as very austere, not easily approached. But the 
Apostle says that we are to remember that this is the One who 
is our Saviour, the One who died for us; and that although He 
is so greatly exalted and seated upon the Throne of Glory, yet 
His Throne is also a Throne of Mercy. 

Coming to the Savior's Throne is not the same as coming 
directly to the Father's Throne. Jehovah's Throne is a Throne 
of Justice, but Jesus' Throne is a Throne of Mercy. 
Here we may obtain mercy if we fail to come up to the 
highest standard. We are to remember that our merciful High 
Priest knows just what kind of trials we have. If we have 
tried to do our best, and have been overtaken in a fault. 
He knows how to make allowance for us and to be very 
sympathetic. We are to remember that this Mercy Seat is for 
this very purpose—to show mercy to us. 

Thus as we realize that in our temptations and trials the 
Lord is for us as He sees our earnest struggles and endeavors, 
it makes us the stronger in resistance another time. "He 
knows, and loves, and cares." Therefore we should never 
grow discouraged, but come to Him again and again, 
remembering that He is never weary of our coming and that 
He will not turn us away empty. 

TERAH--Re His Age. 

Q709:1:: QUESTION (191 1)-1-Terah, Abraham's 
father, was 205 years old when he died. How could Abraham 
be only seventy-five years old when he left his father's house, 
when his father was only seventy years old when he was 
born? Was not Terah 130 years old when Abraham was 



born? 

ANSWER~We answer that the way in which it was 
written, it puts Abraham's name first when giving the list of 
Terah's sons, and the inference might be not unreasonably 
drawn that Abraham would be the eldest son of Terah. But 
on the contrary he was Terah's youngest son. The account 
says, Terah was so many years old and he had three sons. The 
first of them was born at that time and the other two were 
subsequently born; but Abraham was the third of those sons. 
I cannot take time to go into the matter here in detail, but you 
have it all in Watch Tower publications with full particulars. 

TESTIMONIES-Should Weak-Voiced Brethren Testify? 

Q709:2:: QUESTION (1915)--2-Would it be selfish for 
a brother or sister to take up time in testifying at a meeting 
when he or she cannot be heard, and when there are others 
desiring to speak who can be heard? (Laughter.) 

ANSWER—That is quite a little rap on those who do not 
speak loudly enough. I think this would be a proper way of 
putting it. We should consider it to a certain extent selfish 

{PageQTlO} 

ness to arise and merely whisper a testimony, especially of 
any length, and which can be heard by only a few and 
perhaps by none. When the dear friends have gathered 
together at considerable expense from all parts of the country 
for the purpose of getting a blessing, it seems too bad to have 
any time wasted. This same principle holds good also in the 
home meetings. We might sympathize with those who do not 
make themselves heard, but they might just as well whisper to 
the Lord in private; the friends would be just as much 
benefitted as when they don't talk loud enough to be heard. 
You know the Apostle Paul said that he would rather speak 
five words and be understood than to speak ten thousand 
words that no one could understand (1 Cor. 14:19). That is 
a good lesson. We should speak language that can be 
understood; and we suggest that all try to learn to lift up their 
voice like a trumpet. Some need to put on three or four 
trumpets. 

But, dear brethren, nothing that we are saying is with the 
thought of discouraging any of you; for we believe that a 
great blessing comes to the Lord's people from giving a 
testimony. Therefore it is our hope that every one will find 
some opportunity of giving a testimony. But if you cannot 
speak so as to be heard, speak about six words and sit down. 



would be our advice. Then you will have the opportunity of 
standing up for Christ and thus receiving a blessing, and also 
will know that you did not hinder someone else. Give your 
testimony, but make it brief. 

TESTIMONY-Not Exhortation. 

Q710:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--Should the brethren 
exhort one another to good works at a testimony meeting, or 
confine themselves to their own experiences, blessings, etc.? 

ANSWER— Well, I think exhortation is one thing, and 
testimony is another thing. A testimony meeting is not to be 
strictly intended as a meeting for exhortation; a testimony is 
more given with the supposition that when you have told your 
testimony that the testimony itself would constitute, without 
saying so, an exhortation to others to strive in the right way. 
And this is one of the most forceful testimonies that can be 
given. The man who lives his religion, and whose experience 
testifies to that religious life, is giving one of the best 
exhortations possible to others to live a good life. At the 
same time I do not think that any could properly find fault 
with one who, after giving his testimony, should just add a 
word or two of exhortation. But I think it is true, as the 
question seems to imply, that a great many err, supposing that 
exhortation is testimony when it is not, and err in giving too 
much exhortation. Testimonies, I think, are better. 

THANKS~Re Asking Blessing in Restaurants. 

Q710:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2- When several Truth 
people are taking a meal at a restaurant and all seat 
themselves together, would it be a duty or privilege to return 
thanks as in our own home? 

ANSWER-There is nothing in the Bible that tells us 
specifically. We can only use our judgment. It would be 
very nice if you were around a table with others, to give 
thanks if circumstances made it appropriate, if otherwise, to 
do so in silence. If it would in any sense of the word be 

{PageQTll} 

seemingly hypocritical to those about us it would not be 
appropriate. You remember the Pharisees who said their 
prayers on street corners. 

THIEF ON CROSS-This Day 

0711:1:: OUESTION (191 1)-1 -Our Savior's 
assurance to the thief, "This day shall thou be with me in 



Paradise," what is the meaning of this? 

ANSWER~We answer that that statement is generally 
misunderstood. Take the whole circumstance and get it clear 
before your mind. Two thieves were there, one on either side 
of our Lord. He was being crucified, they also. One was 
reviling him saying, "Why don't you save yourself and save 
us? If you are as you claim, something more than a human 
being, why don't you demonstrate it and save yourself, come 
down from the cross and save us also; show your power." 
And he was saying this in a derisive, scoffing manner. The 
other thief answered him saying, "How strange that you 
should act and speak in this way! You know that we are here 
justly. We are suffering the appropriate punishment for our 
sins; this is the penalty against us; but here is a poor man 
between us who has done nothing amiss and he is suffering 
unjustly, and instead of deriding him, we should be speaking 
words of comfort to him. And I will speak a word to him 
now." 

Then turning to Jesus, he said (I am paraphrasing it), "I 
know you; you are a great personage; I have come in contact 
with you before and heard a good deal last night and this 
morning, as I was near by when your trial took place, and I 
heard those falsifiers bearing false witness against you and I 
sympathized with you all the time. I knew there was no evil 
character in you, and I have just answered this other thief and 
you have heard what I have said to him. Now I do not know 
what there is in your claim of being a King, but you are a 
great enough person to be a King. If you are a King, and 
after you have come into your office of King, and have your 
kingdom, then remember this poor thief, and do something for 
me, will you?" Jesus said, "I will do something for you when 
I come into my kingdom; you will get a blessing. Did Jesus 
come into his kingdom this day? Why no; he has not come 
into his kingdom yet; it is more than eighteen hundred years, 
and we are still praying, "Thy kingdom come." Is not that 
true? Sure. Did he deceive the thief? Did he say, I am going 
into my kingdom today? No, he did not. What did the thief 
ask, anyway? He said, "Lord, remember me when thou 
comest into thy kingdom." And what did Jesus say? Jesus 
said, in the Greek, "Amen"--so be it. Be it as you have asked 
it, namely: to be remembered when I come into my kingdom. 
I will be there; and I will remember you when I come into my 
kingdom. And I am sure that he will. But what about "this 
day?" That was put in this way: "Verily, verily, I say unto 
thee today" —this day that looks as though I had no kingdom, 
this day that looks as though I was a blasphemer against the 



great Creator, this day that looks as though I had neither 
friend on earth nor in heaven, this day in which I seem to be 
the most pitiful object in the world—nevertheless, I say unto 
thee this day, "Thou shall be with me in Paradise." 

{PageQ712} 

THIEVES-What Classes Represented by The Two? 

Q712:1:: QUESTION (1908)-1-What two classes 
were represented by the two thieves an the cross? 
ANSWER-I do not know. 

THIRD PART-Through the Fire-Who? 

Q712:2:: QUESTION (1908)-2-"And I will bring the 
third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is 
refined, and try them as gold is tried." Who is this third part? 

ANSWER— We cannot know certainly that the Lord was 
speaking this prophetically of our time. He might have had in 
mind a certain dealing with Natural Israel. We incline to 
think that He refers to our time, but we are not certain of that. 
Some of the prophetic statements seem to apply merely to the 
time in which they were given, and others seem to have a 
double application-part application there and part application 
down here. Now supposing this has application down here to 
the time of trouble into which we are coming: to which class 
would it refer there? The prophecy speaks of three different 
parts; it does not say three equal parts; one of them might he a 
very numerous class, and the other a very insignificant 
number, but they are merely divided into three classes. There 
are different ways in which we might understand that, and all 
of them in harmony with the Scriptures. For instance, we 
might say that the first class are those who will be of the very 
elect; secondly, those who will go into the second death; and, 
thirdly, the Great Company and all mankind who will go into 
the time of trouble. We can make three classes of them. Or, 
we might make three classes another way: You might say the 
little flock, and the Great Company, and the world, and leave 
out the second death class altogether. Both of these 
applications would be correct, and in harmony with other 
Scriptures. Therefore we need not quarrel at all with anyone 
who takes one or the other view of it. Whatever is in 
harmony with the Scriptures we agree has a right to be 
applied. So this may refer to the world of mankind who will 
go through the great time of trouble, and to whom the Lord 
will give a refining influence in that time; that time will wake 
them up in a wonderful degree and have a very refining 



influence on them, teaching them a great many lessons which 
they are unwilling to learn at the present time--just as the 
Church is being taught many lessons which the world does 
not receive now. For instance, the Lord represents that those 
who are His now have certain fiery trials; He represents that 
He is refining us as gold and silver is refined. That is true of 
us, and so that great time of trouble will have a refining 
influence on the world and on the Great Company also. 

TORMENT-Trying to Get Away From. 

Q712:3:: QUESTION (1913)--3--Why do you make so 
much of the torment question. Pastor Russell? Have not we 
ministers thrown it away long ago? 

ANSWER—I am not making much of the torment 
question; I am trying to do away with it. Now it is true, dear 
friends, that some ministers still hold to the doctrine of 
torment, and others do not. The number who preach eternal 
torment after the old style is small. If they would preach it 
their congregations would be still smaller. People can no 
longer believe such things. They are getting more intelligent 

{PageQ713} 

every day, and the ministers know it; besides, not many 
ministers believe in eternal torment. They may not say 
anything about it in the pulpit, and many teach it in this 
manner; they preach about "second death," bringing it down 
in a solemn voice, and let the audience imagine flames, 
devils, etc., out of second death. But you know second death 
does not mean eternal torment. Those set free from the first 
death may be in danger of second death. Some are 
contentious and some are not. It is not for us to judge. It is 
for us to present the truth. Many ministers would like to be 
free from their denominational restraints, but lack the courage 
to face the issue. Some say, we believe, the wages of sin is 
death. The Church of England decided its membership could 
believe in either fiery hell or death. 

TRANSFIGURATION-Vs. Unconsciousness If Dead. 

Q713:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--If thedeadarein a 
state of unconsciousness, how do you account for the 
presence of Moses and Elias at the mount of transfiguration.? 

ANSWER— Very simply, my dear friends. In the book 
of Revelation you have a number of symbols. John, the 
revelator, says, "I saw this, and I saw that, and I saw the 
other," and he heard a trumpet, and he heard one angel saying 



to another angel, etc. That was all a vision, wasn't it? Yes. 
He saw visions; he saw beasts, and saw the woman sitting on 
the beast, and all of those things. Now just so with this 
transfiguration scene. Jesus said it was a vision. We read 
that he took Peter, James and John and went up into this 
mountain, and was transfigured before them. His garments 
put on a shining appearance, and became part of the vision, 
and there appeared unto them Moses and Elias, in a vision. 
They saw Jesus, Moses and Elias, and the garments of Jesus 
were seen to shine, and they did not know very much about it; 
they were on their faces asleep part of the time. And then 
Peter, as he discovered that the vision was lasting for some 
time, said, "Lord, it is good to be here; let us build here three 
tabernacles," etc., not knowing what he said. He was not very 
clear on the matter, but as they came down from the mountain 
we read, Jesus charged them straightly, particularly, saying, 
"See that ye tell the vision to no man until after the Son of 
Man be risen from the dead." And Saint Peter afterwards, in 
writing his epistle, said, "We have not followed cunningly 
devised fables when we declared unto you the power and 
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we were eye witnesses 
of his majesty when we were with him in the holy mountain." 
Saint Peter tells us, therefore, that that vision in the mount of 
transfiguration was a picture of Jesus' kingdom, Elias 
typifying one class in the kingdom, and Moses symbolizing or 
typifying another class in the kingdom. 

TRANSLATION-Enoch and Elijah. 

Q713:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-Were Enoch and 
Elijah quickened and glorified to the spiritual plane in their 
translation, preparatory to the restitution work? 

ANSWER--Of Enoch, we are told that he was not 
because God took him, and that he did not see death. That is 
all we know about it. I am not at liberty to use my bump of 
imagination and tell you of things that are not written. Did 
not God take him to heaven? No. How do I know? Because 
Christ said (John 3:13): "No man has ascended 

{PageQ714} 

into heaven." The Lord will take care of Enoch and he will 
not get the restitution blessings until the full Christ is 
complete, as you will notice from the 1 1th chapter of Heb. 
(Heb. 11), which includes all of these and states that they all 
died in faith, not having received the promised things, that 
they apart from us should not be made perfect. Then the 



blessings will come from the spiritual to the earthly. Through 
your mercy they shall obtain mercy. Enoch was counted as 
one of the fathers before, but now Christ has become the 
father as we read in one of the Psalms, which states that the 
fathers will be the children, because they will all get their life 
through Christ. Whoever is a life-giver is a father, and 
whoever receives life is a son. When He is the great life-giver 
in the Millennial Age, he shall be the father to the 



TRANS-SUBSTANTIATION-Re Participants Being Cannibals. 

Q714:1:: QUESTION ( 1911)-l-Do you consider 
Roman Catholics who take the wafer, after it has been blessed 
by the priest, and eat it, are cannibals? 

ANSWER—I do not think, dear friends, there is any 
change in the bread and wine. I do not believe it is any flesh 
at all. I think our Catholic friends are just as sincere as we 
Protestants, and I do not know that they have been any more 
hindered by superstition than the rest of us, and I do not see 
that I have any stones to throw at Catholics. I think they are 
ahead of us on some points. They at least have the merit of 
believing and acting up to their belief. We Protestants cannot 
claim that. I hope you and I are determined by the grace of 
God that we will be thoroughly honest with ourselves and 
with the Bible hereafter. The Catholics will get up at five 
o'clock in the morning and go to mass, but you and I, because 
we do not believe in the same, do not go to mass. And so, in 
various ways, I see much to admire in them. I will admit that 
they are in superstition, and I will admit that I have been in 
superstition, and we have all been. But the pot need not call 
the kettle black, either. 

TRAVELING-Motive Power Of in Millennial Age. 

Q714:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-What will be the motive 
power for traveling during and after the Millennial Age? 
ANSWER-I'll tell you better in a few years. I would 
not be surprised if it would be electricity or something like 
that. 

TREASURE-ln Earthen Vessels. 

0714:3:: OUESTION (1911)-3-Wehave this treasure in 
earthen vessels—what is the treasure? Is it the Gospel message? 

ANSWER~No. The treasure that we have is our own 
spirit-begetting— the start of the new nature. That is the 
treasure that you have. That is the treasure that you must care 
for. You have this treasure in your earthen vessel. The body 



is imperfect. The new creature can only exercise itself 
through the earthen vessel, and our Lord's merit stands ready 
to assist each one of us in our imperfections, that the new 
creature may be kept perfect and developed, and that the old 
nature may be mortified, or deadened. But we have this 
treasure of the new nature in our earthen vessel. 

{PageQ715} 

TREES-Literal and Figurative. 

Q715:1:: QUESTION (1913)--l--Was the tree of life 
literal or figurative? If literal, please explain. 

ANSWER— I see no reason for thinking that the serpent 
was not a real serpent; or that there was not a real garden; or 
that our parents were not real man and woman; or that the 
trees were not real, and bearing literal fruits. It was not 
anything about the tree that constituted the sin, but an act of 
disobedience. If obedient to God they would have learned 
righteousness first, and then have been brought to a 
knowledge of what sin would be afterward. But they were 
permitted to take their course and learn about sin first by 
plunging into it. After 6,000 years of sin and evil they are to 
be permitted to learn righteousness. They learned sin first 
and will learn good afterward, whereas, by obedience they 
would have learned good first and then had a secondary, or 
indirect knowledge of evil. That is to say, after coming to a 
knowledge of righteousness. He would have explained to 
them the tendencies of sin, without participation on their part, 
as you might learn about drunkenness without becoming drunk. 

TRIBULATIONS-IViust All Have Them? 

Q715:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-If we must enter the 
Kingdom through much tribulation, what is the matter where 
one that is fully established in the doctrine, not considered a 
babe in understanding, striving to do the Lord's will, has no 
trials, or at least of no consequence? Please do not say. Just 
wait for they will come, for everyone answers me thusly. 

ANSWER-Well, I would say. Don't wait, if you would 
be better pleased with that; go out and get some right away. I 
would think, dear friends, our wisest plan is that which the 
Scriptures set before us that the Lord shall choose our 
inheritance for us. He knows the way I take. It is mine to 
offer myself, and the Lord's protection to accept and make use 
of that offering. It is not my business to attend to His work. 
He has given me my part to attend to and I am going to see to 
it that by His grace I shall so appreciate it that I will keep the 



sacrifice on the altar, and have more love for Him and the 
brethren, and be seeking fresh opportunities for service and 
laying down my life, it is my part to do, and I could not do 
more if I tried. If the Lord is pleased to accept this sacrifice 
at once and give me opportunities for service and laying down 
my life, it is my part to accept and go promptly on. If no such 
opportunity comes, it is my opportunity to learn patience in 
waiting for trials. That is a peculiar kind of patience. The 
Lord knows better than we do, for He is our teacher, so let us 
learn whatever lesson He sends us and not try to tell Him 
what to teach us. I think of one dear sister who asked me this 
very question with a great deal of concern. I replied. Perhaps 
you have had trials already and you do not appreciate them 
because your joy is so great. Perhaps they would be very 
painful if you did not have the joy, just as the Apostle Paul, 
when in prison, sang and rejoiced in tribulation. She replied: 
Brother Russell, I would like to believe that that was true, but 
I am afraid it is not true in my case. If that is not true, all I 
can encourage you to hope for is that later on He may give 
you the privilege of suffering with Him, for if we do not, we 
will not reign with Him. He may be testing you 

{PageQ716} 

and giving an opportunity for the roots of faith to strike down 
deeply, so that when the trouble comes you will not be swept 
away. Leave all in the Lord's hands, but make the best use of 
every moment you have. Learn whatever lesson the Lord has 
for you, patience, gentleness, kindness, etc. Well, she thanked 
me and said she would look and wait. I saw the lady about a 
year afterwards. "Well, Sister, do you remember the last 
conversation we had; have you had any trials?" 

"Yes, I have had some heavy trials and I never thought I 
would be able to stand such tests, and I believe He was giving 
me time to get strength. I want you to know that I am 
rejoicing in trials as one of His children, being fitted and 
prepared as a member of the Body of Christ." 

TRINITY-Pastor Russell's View. 

Q716:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 Please give your 
views of the Trinity? 

ANSWER--I wish the brother had quoted the text of 
Scripture. But I will say that I have never found any text of 
Scripture from Genesis to Revelation that mentions the 
Trinity, and if anybody has found one, it would be worth 
something to me to know where it is. I would give ten dollars 



for it right away. I cannot find any reference to the Trinity in 
the Bible. You will find it in the hymn books, and in all 
kinds of theological books, but you will never find it in the 
Bible. There is just one text of Scripture which implies it—it 
does not say it—in 1 John 5:7, where we read that there are 
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the 
Spirit, and there are three that bear record on earth, the water, 
the spirit, and the blood, and these three agree in one, and the 
other three agree in one. What does it mean? Well, it would 
be very foolish the way it reads. That is one of those things 
where they tried to make a trinity in olden times, and not 
having any text of Scripture for it, they tried to manufacture 
one, and, as usual, they made a botch of it. Now, what does it 
say? "There are three bearing record in heaven." What are 
they bearing record to? That Jesus is the Son of God? Who 
is bearing record in heaven that Jesus is the Son of God? The 
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit bearing record in heaven 
that Jesus is the Son of God? What do they need to bear 
record of that kind for? Are the angels in need of it? The 
idea of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit going 
through heaven testifying to the angels that Jesus is the Son of 
God! It is ridiculous! These words are interpolated. It reads 
without these words, "There are three that bear record, the 
water, the Spirit and the blood, and these three agree in one 
testimony." That is the way it reads without the interpolated 
words. These words were interpolated, so far as we know, 
about seven hundred years after the words were supposed to 
be used. Do not misunderstand me. I fully believe in the 
Bible kind of a trinity. The Bible tells about the Father, and I 
believe that; the Bible tells about the Son, and I believe that; 
and the Bible tells about the Holy Spirit, and I believe that, 
too. I believe whatever the Bible says. And if anyone finds 
any text that tells about the Trinity, I will believe that too. 

{PageQ717} 

trouble-How Long win the Great Last? 

Q717:1 :: QUESTION (1908)-l-Do you concur with the thought 
that the severity of the trouble will last from 1914 
to 1915-one year? 

ANSWER-I concur with this thought, that according to 
our understanding of the matter, the severity of the trouble, 
the anarchistic part of the trouble, should be expected about 
October, 1914. I concur with the thought that while there is 
nothing in the Bible to say it will last one year, I do not 
understand how it could last much more than one year; it 



seems that one year would be almost the limit of human 
endurance, but I do not know of any Scripture that says it will 
be just one year. 

TROUBLE-Will Any Live Through? 

Q717:2:: QUESTION ( 1909)--2-"As it was appointed 
unto men once to die" —in view of this text how can it be 
possible there will be some go through the time of trouble and 
live? 

ANSWER--The questioner has not understood this text 
of Scripture. It has no reference to mankind dying. It was 
appointed unto the high Priest to die, representatively in the 
bullock- -after this he could go into the holy and most holy 
and come out again and bless the people. (Brother Russell 
referred then to the types in Tabernacle Shadows.) Taking the 
question from another standpoint, we read another text: "As 
by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; and 
so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. For as 
by one man's disobedience many were made righteous." If 
this sentence of death passed upon the whole world because 
all are sinners and imperfect, how could it be some would not 
need to pass into the tomb? From the divine standpoint the 
world is spoken of as dead. As Jesus said to the young man 
who wished to become His follower and he asked, "Lord, 
may I wait until my father dies?" "Let the dead bury their 
dead." Who were the dead? The dead world. You have 
become alive through having justified life. The others who 
have not passed from death unto life are already dead. At the 
second coming of the Lord they will still be dead. As they 
come into harmony with Him they will rise out of death. It 
will take all of the Millennial Age to get out of death. All 
will not get fully out until the end of the Millennial Age. 

TROUBLE-Hiding in the Great Trouble. 

Q717:3:: QUESTION (1911)-3-Woulditbe wise to 

try to hide during the great time of trouble, and wouldn't it be 

safer in the country than in the city? 

ANSWER— I advise you to hide before the time of 
trouble. We want to he hidden in the Lord, my dear friends. 
If Noah and those who were with him had waited until the 
time of trouble came before they got into the ark, they might 
not have gotten a chance to get in. And so here the Lord 
likens the time of trouble to the flood and our getting into 
Christ is likened unto Noah getting into the ark; and we want 
to get into Christ without any loss of time and to abide in him, 
and then we will have nothing to do with hiding from any 



trouble, because the Lord will overrule matters for those who 
are his and cause all things to work together for their good. 
Do not forget you engaged to go into a time of trouble. Did 
not Jesus have a time of trouble? Did not 

{PageQ718} 

all the apostles have a time of trouble? Did you not 
consecrate with the very understanding that you would be 
ready to lay down your life any time and in any manner? 
Then do not think it will be any different from what the Lord 
says, "Through much tribulation shall ye enter into the 
kingdom." But our tribulation will be of one kind, and this 
trouble coming on the world will be of another kind. So we 
are to expect our kind of tribulation for faithfulness to the 
Lord, and righteousness, and his Word, and we are to count 
then that the Lord will let us escape the other kind of 
tribulation which will come upon the world. 

TROUBLE-Number of Slain in Time of. 

Q718:1:: QUESTION (1911) 1 Is there any 
information in the Scriptures as to what proportion of the 
earth's inhabitants will be slain during the great time of 
trouble? 

ANSWER—I know of nothing. We merely assume from 
different Scriptures that a great many people will die in that 
time of trouble, and yet we know of nothing that intimates 
that half, or anything like half, of the world's population will 
be destroyed. It would not seem to me to be necessary to 
expect very large numbers to die. We can have a great time 
of trouble without so many people dying. We look at the 
French revolution, and we have there an illustration of a good 
many people who died, and of others of whom it is said their 
names were slain; that is to say, their titles, their offices, 
their honorable stations, were destroyed; they were destroyed in 
the sense of their dignity, their office, their position. But if 
we look to the type of the Jewish time of trouble we find the 
record that a great many lives were lost in the siege of 
Jerusalem. So we will have to wait and see; and we hope we 
will be of those who see from the other side the vail. "Watch, 
that ye may be accounted worthy to escape those things coming 
on the earth, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man." 

TROUBLE-Length After Establishment of Kingdom. 

Q718:2:: QUESTION (1911)--2-How long will the 
trouble last after Christ sets up his kingdom? Or, will the 



bulk of the trouble be over when his kingdom is set up? 

ANSWER~It all depends on what you have in mind 
when you use the words, "sets up his kingdom." In one sense 
of the word, the kingdom of Messiah will be set up when it 
begins to exercise power; that will be before the trouble; but 
in another sense of the word, Messiah's kingdom will not be 
set up, in the sense of having the dominion, and having things 
in the right and proper way in the earth until after the time of 
trouble. 

TROUBLE-Applies to Those Not Spirit-Begotten. 

Q718:3:: QUESTION (1912-Z)-3--"Therefore the inhabitants 
of the earth are burned and few men left." (Isa. 24:6.) 
Who are these few men? And how were the others burned? 

ANSWER~In the great burning day the "heavens" will 
be on fire, and "the earth and the works therein shall be 
burned up." This time of trouble will involve the whole 
world, practically everybody. The Lord speaks of some who 
will be preserved in the midst of this trouble. Just as the 
three Hebrews were preserved in the fiery furnace, so we expect 
that some will be spared in the time of trouble. 

{PageQ719} 

"Seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be 
hid in the day of the Lord's anger." (Zeph. 2 :3.) This 
invitation seems to be to others than the spirit-begotten. It 
would not apply to the Church, for her deliverance will be 
over before the culmination of the trouble. It would not apply 
to the "great company" class, for it is incidental to their 
deliverance that they shall suffer in this time of trouble the 
destruction of the flesh, and come up to honor out of "great 
tribulation." This, therefore, would seem to apply to a class 
of the world who are not spirit-begotten. 

TROUBLE-Length of Great. 

Q719:1:: QUESTION (1913)-l-How long will the 
time of trouble last? 

ANSWER-My dear friends, it will last with some 
people a good while. The time of trouble lasts according to 
the degree of the disposition of God in the heart of man. The 
Scriptures speak of the fire of that day, which shall burn up 
the wicked and leave them neither root nor branch. What 
does it mean? I presume that the fire of God's indignation 
will burn against unrighteousness during the day of Christ, 
until every root and branch of sin is thoroughly consumed. If 



anyone holds on he himself will be destroyed in the second 
death. But as to the time of national trouble, such as has not 
been before, no one knows how long it will last. I may guess, 
and you may also. You may take in more things than I. My 
thought would he that the severest period could not last more 
than a year. How suddenly it may come upon the world, or 
how gradually it may pass away, I do not know, and I think 
no one can. 

TRUTH-The Church the Pillar and Ground of Truth. 

Q719:2:: QUESTION (1908)--2-How is the Church the pillar 
and the ground of the truth as stated in 1 Tim. 3:15? 

ANSWER~The word "ground" is used in a general way. 
This is not an improper translation, but we could have a 
superior one as given in the Emphatic Diaglott. The thought 
is, pillar and support of the truth, the ground-work of the 
truth, is that on which the truth is based, and by which it is 
supported. The mission of the Church here in the present 
time where error prevails, and sin prevails, is to be a 
supporter of the truth, to be those who will uphold the truth. 
We are, therefore, in this sense of the word acting as pillars 
and as the ground-work or foundation on which the truth of 
God is now resting in the world, and we shall ultimately be 
the foundation and agencies of God's truth throughout the 
whole world in the Millennial Age, because we shall be 
associated with the Lord Jesus Christ. 

TRUTH-Held in Unrighteousness. 

Q719:3:: QUESTION (1911)-3-Whatis ittoholdthe 
truth in unrighteousness? 

ANSWER-I presume that to hold the truth in 
unrighteousness could be done in a variety of ways. The 
Lord does not propose that the truth shall belong to any 
except those who are consecrated people. As we read, "Light 
is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in 
heart." So the truth is only intended for God's consecrated 
people. "The secret of the Lord is with them that reverence 
him, and he will show them his covenant." But it might be 
that some might get a measure of truth—not the full truth, but 
a measure of 

{PageQ720} 

truth-and might use that measure of truth in an improper 
manner. As, for instance, Satan had certain knowledge 



respecting the Lord, and misused that knowledge. He knew 
about Messiah's kingdom, and made use of his knowledge 
respecting that kingdom by trying to tempt our Lord to take 
some other course. He was thereby using his knowledge of 
the truth in an unrighteous, or an improper, manner. It might 
be that some having received a partial knowledge of the truth 
might become enemies of the truth, and servants of sin, and 
opposers of the truth. We remember some who are mentioned 
in the Acts of the Apostles. There was Simon Magnus, who held 
the truth in unrighteousness and misused what knowledge he 
had of the truth. So, it might be possible for any of us to 
depart from the spirit of the truth, and still hold something 
of the letter of the truth, and to use this letter of the 
truth injuriously to ourselves and to others. This would be 
holding the truth in an unrighteous, or an improper manner. 

TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS-Meaning of. 

Q720:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-What is the meaning of 
the twenty- four elders which we read about in the book of 
Revelations? 
ANSWER—I think it is in the seventh volume. 

TYPES-What Euphrates Typified. 

Q720:2:: QUESTION (1908)--2-Thecity of Babylon 
being a type, what did the river Euphrates represent? 

ANSWER--We have already suggested in print that 
Babylon represented in type the great system, mother and 
daughters, and that the Euphrates river represented in type the 
people supporting the system. Babylon is said to have been 
built over the river Euphrates; the river flowed through the 
center of it, and it was through the drying up of the river, by 
turning aside of the channel, you remember, that Cyrus 
entered in under the gate. That is the record of history. So 
the Scriptures tell us that the water shall be dried up from 
symbolical Babylon. Now just what that means we will find 
out better when it is fully accomplished, but it would seem as 
though the Lord puts water as representing two things: in one 
place water represents the truth, the river of water 
representing the river of truth; and in another place, especially 
in Revelation, right in this same connection, it says, "The 
waters that thou sawest are people." Now whichever way you 
may apply that, whether it means that the truth will be turned 
aside and no longer flow through Babylon, or whether the people 
shall be turned aside and no longer support Babylon, both 
seem to be true. It is true that the truth is already turning 
aside, and our Lord has already declared that the voice of the 



Bride and of the Bridegroom shall be no more heard in her at 
all. We are not to expect truth in Babylon. There may be 
certain elements of truth still held by the dear friends there, 
because some of the Lord's dear people are still in Babylon, 
and wherever they are they must speak for the Lord and for 
the truth; but the time is rapidly approaching when the voice 
of the Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, and the voice of the Bride, 
the Church prospective, to be the Bride of Christ, will not 
longer be heard there. "Come out of her, my people, that ye 
be not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her plagues." 
This is the turning aside, then, of the truth, and of all these 
people who represent the truth, and the consequence is the 
fall of Babylon. 

{PageQ721} 

TYPES-Antitypes Follow Types at Once. 

Q721 :1 :: QUESTION (I916-Z)-1-Is the type always 
followed by the antitype at once or not? 

ANSWER~Our thought is that we should expect a type 
to be followed by its antitype; and we would rather look for it 
to follow immediately. For instance, after the type of the 
eating of the Passover lamb was recognized for the last time 
by Jehovah, it was followed immediately by the Antitype, 
Jesus, the Lamb of God, who was crucified on the very same 
date as the annual Passover Supper. The type of the bullock 
and the Lord's goat, offered as sin-offerings on the Jewish 
Day of Atonement, was followed at once by its antitype, as 
soon as the typical sacrifices were repudiated by the Father, 
when the Jewish House was left "desolate," just before Jesus' 
death.-Mat. 23:37,38; Luke 13:34,35. 

Again, in thinking of Isaac as a type of Christ, we think of 
him as the typical heir to the Promise God made to his father 
Abraham. God declared to Abraham, "In thy Seed shall all 
the families of the earth be blessed." Isaac was the natural 
seed of Abraham according to this Promise; and Isaac 
continued down the Jewish Age in that he was represented in 
the children of Israel, his natural posterity. Thus he was the 
recognized seed of Abraham down to the time when Jesus 
became the Spiritual Seed. There the natural seed was cast 
off. The real Seed of Abraham, in whom the Promise 
centered, was not the natural seed, but the Spiritual Seed. 

Jesus was not the antitypical Seed of Abraham when He 
was born into the world—not until He had been begotten of 
the Holy Spirit. Jesus began to be the antitype of Isaac at that 
time. Ever since Christ's spiritual birth on the Divine plane of 



being, the members of His Body have been in process of 
development. So this Spiritual Isaac began to fulfil the type 
as an antitype in the person of Jesus when He became the 
Spiritual Seed, and is continuing in the persons of His Body 
members, to take the place of the type. Thus the type is 
merged into the antitype. 

TYPES. 

Q721 :2:: QUESTION (1916 Z) 2 How does the 
principle of antitype following type apply in the cases of 
Adam and of Melchizedek? 

ANSWER— The Apostle Paul explains in the case of 
Melchizedek that his priesthood had no beginning and no 
ending, the order of his priesthood was to be perpetuated; 
consequently his priesthood did not pass away until the 
antitypical Priesthood came. The Apostle particularly points 
out that he was without father or mother in the priesthood— 
"he abideth a priest continually," he continued a priest to the 
conclusion of the type in its antitype. He was a type of the 
greater Melchizedek, which is The Christ, Head and Body. 
Jesus was "made a High Priest forever (literally for the 
Age), after the order of Melchisedek." -Hebrews 6:20. 

As for Adam, we are not sure that the Lord's Word speaks 
of him as a type. The Apostle does not contrast Adam and 
Jesus, but speaks of the first Adam and the Second Adam. 
Christ is very unlike Adam. Adam disobeyed God, while 
Christ was wholly obedient. Adam failed while Jesus 
succeeded. St. Paul says (1 Cor. 15:47) that the Second 
Man is the Lord from Heaven. The first 

{PageQ722} 

Adam continues to be the head of the human family. We still 
speak of him as Father Adam. The Second Adam will not 
begin His work until the Millennial Age, when He will 
become the second Father to the race, taking the place of the 
first Adam. He is not the Second Adam as yet. He is to be 
the Second Adam. 

The various titles that belong to our Lord Jesus include that 
of The Everlasting Father. And the Everlasting Father will be 
the successor of Adam, who was only the temporary father of 
the race and who failed to give his posterity life. In due time 
the Second Adam will be the regenerator of the human family. 

TYPES-For Examples. 

Q722:1:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-1-1 Cor. 10:11 



reads, "Now all these things happened unto them (the 
Israelites) for types." (See marginal reading.) Please explain. 

ANSWER--We understand the Apostle's thought to be 
that all these things happened to this people as typical Israel. 
They were the types, and Spiritual Israel are the antitypes. 
They, the type, had these experiences; we have experiences to 
correspond. They, the type, did not pass away—that is, cease 
to be the type—until we, the spiritual antitype, began our 
career. When our career began, our antitypical experiences 
began. The whole nation of Israel was this type, with their 
experiences, testings, etc. 

TYPES--A Stronger Word Than Figure or Picture. 

Q722:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-2-Whatis the 
difference between the words "type," "figure," and "picture"? 

ANSWER— There is a very strong relationship between 
these words. To some people they would all mean the same; 
to others there would be a slight difference of meaning. A 
type is a figure, and is also a picture, designed to bring out 
certain important matters and details as Divinely appointed. 
A figure is a much less exact representation or statement of 
matters than a type. Abraham received Isaac from the dead in 
a figure (Heb. 11:17-19); that is, there is a pictorial 
illustration connected with the matter, but it is not so sharp as 
in a type. 

A picture, a figure or a parable would have weight and 
value according to the character of the person who made the 
picture or the parable, and in proportion as it had intrinsic 
merit. A type would be beyond all this, in that it is very 
clearly defined and implies Divine foreknowledge and 
arrangement. God gives typeS. Men may give pictures, 
figures or parables. 

A parable is a figure; it is a word-picture, but not a type. It 
has not the exactness of a type. We would use the words 
parable and picture in the same way; for we see no difference. 
A type is an exact pattern of its antitype, just as a printer's 
type corresponds to the matter printed therefrom. Isaac was a 
type of Christ; Rebecca, his wife, a type of the Bride of 
Christ; Ishmael, Abraham's son by Sarah's bondmaid, was a 
type of the nation of Israel, developed under the Law 
Covenant, which was typified by Hagar, the bondwoman. 

UNBELIEF-Vs. Sin. 

Q722:3:: QUESTION (1913)-3-It is claimed that unbelief 
and lack of faith is sin, and is the sin spoken of by the 
Apostle Paul 



{PageQ723} 

in Heb. 12:1, the sin which doth so easily beset us. 
Is this the proper view? 

ANSWER--! think that is not the proper view of the 
Apostle's language. I think the Apostle has in mind that there 
may be one sin or weakness that would especially beset you; 
there might be another one which would especially beset your 
brother or sister. There might be still another one that would 
beset me. Whatever sin it is that would easily beset you, and 
is, therefore, close to you, ever present with you, and always 
seeking to trammel you, cast it aside; it is your special danger. 
Be sure to lay it aside and run with patience the race set 
before us. 

UNITY-Speaking the Same Things. 

Q723:1:: QUESTION ( 1 908)- 1 -Please harmonize 1 Cor. 1:10: 
"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing." 
Please harmonize this with this other Scripture: "For there 
must also be heresies, sects, divisions, among you, that they 
which are approved may be made manifest among you." 
ANSWER-I think in the first Scripture the Apostle is 
speaking of the ideal condition for which we should strive; 
namely, that all who are truly the Lord's people ought to try to 
get the mind of Christ, and we ought to know that it will not 
be contradictory; that if you and I have different theories, 
there is something wrong, and we should not be satisfied to 
have anything wrong. There is only one way that is right, and 
we ought to be anxious to have that one way. If we all have 
the mind of Christ, we would all have the same mind; and if 
God has given us His Word, He has given it with that in view, 
that you might lay aside your personal views, and various 
peculiarities and tendencies of reasoning, and I might lay 
aside mine, and that all others might do the same, and take 
His Word. As I look over this congregation, and see how 
many different shaped heads there are, and the many different 
peculiarities of character there are, I might say. You people 
could not agree on anything; you have different kinds of 
heads altogether. But you see we can be all of one heart and 
of one mind, because whatever the processes of your natural 
brain organs are, you have agreed that you do not know 
anything about it, and that He knows all about it, and you will 
take His Word for it. And the other one agrees to the same, 
and I have agreed to the same; so now we all come together. 



and we have one common basis from which to work, and we 
ought to be able, by the grace of God, to do right. Our heads 
ought to be able to be in reasonable harmony on the Word of 
God. Let this be so, and let us strive to this end. Now it is 
possible, in fact it is probable, that amongst the Lord's people, 
as Apostle says. Grievous wolves will come in amongst you, 
and even among your own selves will some arise to draw 
away disciples after them, having a certain amount of pride 
and ambition. If this is so, what can you expect? Can you 
have one mind, one heart, one thought, under those 
conditions? No. Then it will be necessary for something to 
come in order that there may be a division, or that the wrong 
may be manifested. And there may be such a separation, 
because it will be better if there are any of that class in, that 
they should be out. So there are two Scriptures: the 

{PageQ724} 

one shows the ideal condition, and the other shows the actual 
working out of it. Sometimes these wrong conditions will 
come in, and it is God's will that there shall be an outworking, 
so that there will be a gradual separation, that that which is 
true and loyal to the Lord, and approved by Him, may be 
made manifest among you, that you may be able to see which 
is the wrong. 

UNIVERSALISM-Pastor Russell's Belief. 

Q724:1 :: QUESTION (1909)--l-Do you believe in 
universal salvation? 

ANSWER—I believe that the world was universally lost 
through Adam. I believe in a universal redemption, that 
Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man. 

I believe in a universal opportunity, for this is the very 
reason that God gave His son to die for the world, and all, 
whoever will have it on God's terms of a perfect heart and 
love for God and man, may have it. Whoever will not have it 
on God's terms cannot have it at all, but will be destroyed 
from the presence of the people. 

UNIVERSALISM-Re Salvation for Wilfully Wicked. 

Q724:2:: QUESTION (1909)--2-I understand there 
are three classes, first the Church; second, those who have 
tried but failed; and third, the wilfully wicked. Will the third 
class finally be saved? 

ANSWER— A question like this shows that the one 
asking it has not thoroughly grasped the situation. We have 



been told if a person heard a church bell ring, or saw a Bible, 
it meant that he was in danger of going to heaven. Many 
people sell and handle Bibles who never knew what they 
teach. You see that the wilful sinners are not only those who 
have a will, but those who have it enlightened. Those who 
get the true light are those who have their eyes of 
understanding open. God is going to bless all the eyes soon 
so that they shall all see, for "All the blind eyes shall he 
opened and the deaf ears unstopped." Wilful wrongdoing will 
mean second death. 

UNIVERSALISM-Re God Author of Sin. 
Q724:3:: QUESTION (1911)--3--Does the doctrine of 
Universalism by logical inference make God the author of sin? 

ANSWER—I presume it would depend upon the kind of 
logic that was used. I think that one way of reasoning on the 
subject, this might be true, but I presume that our Universalist 
friends would not so think, and would have a different logic. 

UNJUST STEWARD-lnterpretation of The Parable. 

Q724:4:: QUESTION (191 l)--4-Please give your 
interpretation of the parable of the unjust steward, referred to 
in the sixteenth chapter of St. Luke's Gospel? (Luke 16) 

ANSWER— The Lord gave this parable in the hearing of 
his disciples, and also in the hearing of the Pharisees. He 
tells about a certain man who had been a steward and to 
whose care goods had been intrusted with all the 
responsibility and privilege that belonged to a steward of 
olden times. A steward in olden times was fully authorized to 
do with the goods just the same as the master himself would 
have done; he represented the master, fully and completely. 
This unjust steward had been reported to his master as having 
been unjust and not satisfactory. And he understood that 

{PageQ725} 

he was to be called to an account for the injustices of the past, 
and he said, "In view of this matter that I am about to be put 
out of this stewardship, I will make good use of the time I 
have left and the opportunity that is left to me." So he called 
his master's debtors, and said, "How much do you owe?" 

"Well, I owe so much." 

"Very well, I will discount that, make it less. I have the 
authority to do this; I am still steward." 

If he had waited until he was put out of the stewardship he 
could not have reduced the bill; but he reduced the bill. 



And then he called another, "what do you owe?" 

"Well, I owe so and so." 

"Very well, cut it down." 

And so he did with several of those who were debtors to his 
master, and his master said, "That is a cunning, wise steward 
that I have. He saw that I was about to put him out of office, 
and he made good use of his time to 'feather his nest' and 
make things right, so that when he would be put out of the 
stewardship, he would have some friends amongst those 
people; because he did them kindness and reduced their 
accounts, they would think very kindly toward him." His 
master commended him. And then our Lord said that there 
was something of this kind that was due to be understood and 
appreciated in his time. So likewise those to whom he was 
speaking should have this same thought in mind. How is 
that? The Pharisees were the representatives of Moses, and as 
Jesus had said, the Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 
They therefore were the exponents of Moses, the exponents 
of the law, and when any of the people came to them, it was 
with them to say whether this thing should be a very severe 
application of the law, or a very slack application of the law; 
and Jesus said they went to the extreme of exacting the very 
last item and exaggerating the law to the people. 

How did they do this? Well, Jesus said they would bind 
heavy burdens on the poor people without sympathy for 
them--burdens that they themselves were unable to carry, that 
they would not pretend to carry for themselves; but they 
would bind these burdens on the poor Jewish people. And the 
intimation of Jesus in this parable is, that those Scribes and 
Pharisees who have taken a different course and instead of 
trying to make out that the law was so very severe, they 
should have been making some sympathetic allowances for 
the people and should have been saying to the people, "Now 
you cannot keep that perfect law: I know that you cannot 
keep that perfect law, but now how nearly can you keep that 
law?" 

"Well, we could not keep more than one half of it." 

"Very well, keep one half of it then." 

And to another one, "How much can you keep of the law?" 

"Oh, maybe three-fourths." 

"Very well, go and keep the three-fourths." 

But instead of doing that, these Scribes and Pharisees were 
inclined to say, "If you do not live up to the very scratch you 
are no good. We Pharisees and Scribes live up to the 
scratch." Jesus made fun of them, saying, "You are 
hypocrites; you know that you do not keep that law any 



{PageQ726} 

more than those people do; you know you are just as bad as 
they are, and in the sense of being hypocritical, you are worse 
off than they are." 

Now Jesus was telling them that the end of their age was at 
hand, and whatever they had been doing in the past, the time 
was here when they ought to be making friends 
instead of turning the people against them; they should be 
coming into the sympathy of the people instead of casting off 
the masses of the people saying, "You are sinners, we would 
not eat with you, or have anything to do with you." They 
should have been sympathetic, and trying to help the people, 
and saying, "Do the best you can; this law of God is a perfect 
law, and no man can keep it absolutely, but come in and try to 
do the best you can and God's blessing will be with you 
proportionately. You see, there was one lesson to the Scribes 
and Pharisees of what they should do in view of the fact that 
they were about to be put out of the stewardship. The law 
dispensation was about to come to an end, that is one reason 
why they should have been coming down and doing the very 
best that they could to be sympathetic with the people. But 
turning to his disciples, he gave a lesson to them, and to you 
and to me, saying, "make to yourselves friends with the 
mammon of unrighteousness." You have some of what may 
be termed the mammon of unrighteousness in your 
possession-that is, some of the things that are prized by the 
world in this present time, and where ever you can use earthly 
blessings, money, influence or anything else, to make friends, 
do so; do not try to make enemies out of the people in 
general. The very one lesson that you as my disciples should 
have in your minds, is, that you want to do good to the people 
and you want to bring, as my disciples, my message to all the 
people possible. Therefore, use every other thing as 
subordinate to this that you may have more power and 
influence and accomplish more good along this line. Count 
your earthly interests as secondary in every way and if by 
sacrificing a dollar, or a hundred dollars, or a thousand 
dollars, you can thus increase your influence and ability to 
serve the Lord and righteousness, be very glad of the 
opportunity. You are to seek, in the first place, chiefly, the 
kingdom of God and his righteousness, and leave all those 
other things, all your earthly interests, to God to take care of, 
and do not worship mammon, do not worship money, do not 
worship earthly interests, but worship God and his 



righteousness, and these things will take care of themselves. 



UNRIGHTEOUSNESS-Holding The Truth in Unrighteousness. 

Q726:1 :: QUESTION (1905) --1-- What is it to hold the 
truth in unrighteousness? 

ANSWER— I would take that expression to be a very 
broad one, and that it would mean to have a knowledge of the 
truth that we did not live up to. Everyone is responsible for 
whatever degree he possesses. There is a degree of 
knowledge, such as we had in the Nominal church, to the 
extent that Christ died for our sins, even though we did not 
understand the philosophy of it. Now, not to live according 
to that truth would be to hold it in unrighteousness. Then we 
see, the sacrifice and therefore have an increase of 

{PageQ727} 

responsibility, and so every additional feature the truth brings 
will increase our responsibilities. From my point of view, all 
of us here who have been favored with the light of present 
truth have the greatest responsibility of any people in the 
world and therefore our lives should be according to the best 
standard of righteousness. That does NOT mean that we, 
by reason of truth, have a body made perfect, so that it would 
be possible for us to live more nearly perfect than the people 
of the world. There are some very fine people naturally that 
do not have the same degree of light, and they might be 
naturally more nearly righteous than those who have been 
blessed by the light. Often men like Robert Ingersoll are 
naturally very fine men. I did not know him personally, but I 
have heard that he was well born and naturally had the 
advantage over others. Sometimes among the Lord's people 
there are those who are naturally very mean. Some time ago 
(1898, page 179), we published an article in the Tower on the 
subject of "Mean Christians and Noble Unbelievers." How 
does the Lord view it? According to the thoughts and intent 
of the heart. Men are prone to judge by the outward 
appearance, but God by the heart. God's scale is 100 points 
of character--a perfect man. None have 100 points. See 
Rom. 3:10,23. Some may have as high as 50 points, others 
40, 38, 35, 30, 25, 20, or even only 10 points of character. To 
judge them according to the flesh they would all fall short. 
How does God judge them? He does not judge them as 
coming under His notice at all until they come under Christ. 
The world has no standing at the present time. God has 



provided a redemption price and is going to let the world 
know about it in "due time." Until then they have neither part 
nor lot in the matter and are not counted at all. If Ingersoll 
was the finest man on earth God is having nothing to do with 
him at all. Reason would say that all the fine people would 
become the Lord's people, but the Scriptures say, "Not many 
wise, not many noble, chiefly the mean things of the world," 
mainly the mean things. God has made a plan and 
arrangements, and he is judging those who come into 
harmony with those arrangements, and it is chiefly the mean 
ones that come into harmony with him. Why is it? Because 
those naturally well born and having high ideals, etc., see 
others mean and contemptible, they say they are on a lower 
plane. They begin to say he is a mean fellow and needs a 
Savior, but God needs me, he needs a few such persons as I 
am to grace his place. But the Father will not let any come 
except by Jesus, which means coming by the cross, realizing 
that he is a sinner and needs the cross to pay the price of the 
sin. Stuck up people do not like to take something for 
nothing. The best man in the world is not worthy of 
everlasting life; there is only one way, and the best man in the 
world needs to come by that way as well as does the worst 
man. Referring to the 100-point scale. What is our hope if 
100 points are needed? The 10-point brother might think that 
the 50-point brother had a better chance than he had, but the 
50-point man, if he looked at the matter right, would realize 
that he cannot of himself reach the 100-point mark, and that 
he will need to apply the merit of Christ. God's plan is elastic 
enough to suit each one of these. Well, the 50-point man 
might ask. Is God going to give the 10-point 

{PageQ728} 

man more than he does me? Yes, the meaner the man the 
more the Lord will make up to him. He has arranged for the 
meanest one as well as for the others. "Where sin abounds 
there grace abounds the more." How does the Lord 
accomplish this? Does he just turn the matter over to us? Not 
exactly. One hundred points—the righteousness of the law is 
fulfilled in us who are walking not after the flesh but after the 
spirit. They cannot walk up to the mark, but they can walk 
after it, walk in the direction of it, to the best of their ability. 
That does not take in the world because they are walking after 
the flesh. God counts us according to the intention of our 
minds on the 100 points, and Christ's death makes good to us 
the difference. 



URIM AND THUMMIM-God's Answer. 

Q728:1 :: QUESTION (191 l)--l--How did God answer by the 
Urim and Thummim? 

ANSWER— Nobody knows exactly how this was done. 
The breastplate of the high-priest, which bore twelve precious 
stones, the name of each tribe on a stone, it is supposed, was 
taken by the High Priest into the Most Holy when some 
question was to be asked. For instance: Shall we go out to 
war, or refrain from war? Shall we do this, or the other? It is 
supposed that something in the Most Holy indicated the 
answer on this breastplate, either by making certain of the 
stone to shine with special brilliancy, or something of that 
kind; but it is all guesswork, nobody knows anything about it. 
It was supposed to be a yes or no. If it would be dark it 
would be no; if it would be light it would be yes, to whatever 
question was asked. If it was with reference to one particular 
tribe, the stone which represented such a tribe would either be 
light or dark in connection with that particular tribe. But it is 
all guesswork. 

US-Went Out Because Not of Us. 

Q728:2:: QUESTION (1909)-2-Please explain 1 John 2:19. 
"They went out from us, but they were not of us, etc." 
Were they not of us at one time? 

ANSWER— I think this question might he viewed from 
two standpoints. If we were speaking of the Great Company 
and those who during this age go into the second death, we 
might say they went out from us before they had known of us. 
They certainly were of us or otherwise they could not have 
gone into the second death, but they were not of the very elect 
class that God foreknew. 

Again, we would say of the Great Company. They are not 
of us. Well, they were of us, because we were all called in 
the one hope of our calling, and they failed to make good 
their High Calling, and therefore got into the Great Company, 
but they are not of us in the sense that they are not of the class 
that will attain unto the kingdom that God foreknew and 
foreordained as the elect, for He foreordained, as the Apostle 
said, only those who shall become copies of His Son. 
Therefore, the others are not of us if we are of those who are 
of the "us" class. It is merely according to the way you use 
the word. 

VAJL-The Same Vail Untaken Away. 

0728:3:: QUESTION (1910-Z)-3-Please explain this 



text "And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face that 
the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of 
that which 

{PageQ729} 

is abolished; but their minds were blinded, for until this day 
remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the 
Old Testament, which vail is done away in Christ." 
--2 Cor. 3:13,14. 

ANSWER~It was the intention that the Law Covenant 
should not be perpetual, because of the imperfections 
connected therewith. It has not yet been abolished, however, 
in the sense of being totally set aside. It is still operating 
and is still a condemnation upon those who are under it. But " 
to those who are in Christ Jesus," there is now no further 
condemnation; it is abolished so far as they are concerned. 

The thought, then, would be that the Apostle is here 
speaking of the Law Covenant being abolished in the sense 
that it is condemned or that its passing away is arranged for. 
"Christ has become the end of the Law for righteousness to 
every one that believeth," not to every one who has given 
merely an intellectual assent, but to all who believe in the 
Scriptural sense--to all those who become his followers, all 
those who so thoroughly believe his message as to accept the 
wonderful provisions he has offered; for it; may properly be 
said that no one is fully a believer who does not accept God's 
offer of glory, honor and immortality- -a proposition so 
wonderful that any one whose faith truly grasps it would 
sacrifice every other thing imaginable that he might avail 
himself of its offer. 

If, therefore, some obey partially, the inference is that they 
believe only partially; but if they believe fully, then all the 
arrangements are made for them whereby they may make 
their "calling and election sure"; hence the frequent 
statements that "all things" are for believerS--those who 
believe in the proper, full, thorough sense. So "Christ is the 
end of the Law," to all these, and the arrangement is that all 
the world shall yet have the opportunity of coming to a full 
knowledge and full belief, during the Millennial Age. The 
whole Jewish nation will be granted an opportunity of 
transfer from the Law' Covenant, under Moses to the New 
Law Covenant, under the glorified Christ, in his Mediatorial 
Kingdom. 

VISIONS-"lt Will Surely Come-lt Will Not Tarry." 



Q729:1 :: QUESTION (1915)--l--What does Hab. 2:3 
mean? "For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at tiie 
end it shall speak and not lie. Though it tarry, wait for it: 
for it will surely come; it will not tarry." 

ANSWER— This is explained on the first page of every 
issue of The Watch Tower. God has provided in His Word a 
great vision, a great revelation. It is a picture, so to speak. 
He has given this picture of His plan more or less clearly 
through the prophets and through the Law. The jubilees 
prefigured restitution to all the world. Other features of the 
Law, such as the Atonement Day sacrifices, etc., pictured 
other features of God's plan. The passover represented still 
other parts. These pictures were all harmonized into one 
great picture, or view—God's great plan to bless the world. "In 
thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed," God 
declared to Abraham. All this went to make up the great 
vision, or picture, that God purposed to give His people. 

{PageQ730} 

In proportion as we come to have the mind of God, we can 
understand more and more clearly what these things mean. 
The most important part of the picture was that Messiah 
would come, and that He would set up His kingdom. All of 
these promises would be parts of that great view, or vision. 
Its fulfillment would seem to tarry long. Does it seem as 
though God had forgotten that promise to Abraham? the 
prophet seems to query. It has sometime seemed as though 
God had forgotten it. "But," declares the prophet, "it will 
surely come; it will not tarry." It does not really tarry. 
There might be various times when we would expect to see more 
than we do see. We may have expected to see more of the 
trouble upon the world before this. The year 1915 is now 
more than half gone, and I think it very doubtful whether we 
shall see all we had expected in this year. It looks as though 
we were trying to hasten the fulfillment of the vision. 

But the vision is still for an appointed time; and we are not 
to give it up. We trust ourselves to God's arrangement. It was 
not the Lord's way to have everything go off in October, 
1914. I do not know how much may yet happen between now 
and October, 1915. If I were to give a guess, I would not be 
able to see how our expectations could all be realized 
between now and October, 1915. I hope they will. I shall 
wait longer than October, if necessary. The vision is SUre. 
All these blessed things are positively certain to come; it is 
simply a matter of His time and of our understanding of His 



time. When you and I have fully grasped the main feature of 
all this matter, we are surely close to it. It was a very close 
hit that this great time of trouble began near October, 1914; 
and it is going on now at high speed. None of the prayers that 
it may stop are being answered. If the time of the world war 
had been merely a guess, it would certainly have been a great 
hit. It would have been a miracle. We have come very close 
to it, if not exactly. 

VOLUME SEVEN-Re Issued in Time for Little Flock This Side. 

::Q730:1 :: QUESTION (1910)--1--Have we reason to 
expect Volume 7 in the popular published form in time to be 
of service to any of the Little Flock this side of the vail? 

ANSWER-I do not know whether you have or not. I 
believe that it will be published in time to do some good this 
side of the vail to the Little Flock, for I understand it will be 
specially for the Little Flock and not for any others except the 
Little Flock and the Great Company. It is not for the world. 

VOLUME SEVEN-Re 1913. 
Q730:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-Volume 7 of Scripture 
Studies be published before 1913 A.D.? 
ANSWER~Now that is more than I know. 

VOLUNTEERING-Answering An Objection. 

Q730:3:: QUESTION (1906)--3--I have had people 
object to delivering tracts on Sundays, and I answer their 
objections "that this is Sunday reading." 
ANSWER-Very good brother. 

VOLUNTEERING-Objections to Sunday Morning Work. 

Q730:4:: QUESTION (1906)--4-There has been some 
objection 

{PageQ731} 

offered to distributing tracts early on Sunday morning. What 
would you advise? 

ANSWER— I should say that was not a well founded 
objection. 

WAR-Should Saints Go to? 

Q731:1:: QUESTION (1915)-l-Would it be committing suicide 
to refuse military service, if by so doing one knew he would be 



court-martialed and shot? 

ANSWER—Each person has the right to think about this 
matter according to his own judgment. In my judgment, it 
would not be. I would consider it an opportunity for giving a 
very forceful witness for the Truth. We stand for 
righteousness, we stand for justice, and for everything that 
makes for peace. Hence for us to say, "Our King whom we 
serve has instructed us not to take life, and we cannot, 
therefore, engage in warfare, and if you think on that account 
we should be put to death, we are willing to die," would be a 
noble witness. We are willing to be such witnesses. 

The word "witness" is in the Greek martUrOS, from 
which our word "martyr" comes. This Greek word means 
witness, many of God's children witnessing by their death; 
and our word "martyr" has this thought— one who witnesses 
by his death. Therefore to die as the result of refusing to 
engage in military service, to give our influence to war in any 
way, is one way by which God's people can become martyrs. 
The world's people will say, "If you do what you are told, you 
would not have any reason for losing your life." But we 
remember that the three loyal Hebrews who were cast into the 
furnace of fire said, "Be it known unto you, O King 
Nebuchadnezzar, that we will not bow down to the image 
which thou hast set up." (Dan. 3:18.) So it is well that 
God's children today should refuse to bow down to the image 
of war. 

WAR-Re Compulsory Enlistment. 

Q731:2:: QUESTION (1916-Z)-2-I find myself 
confronted with a problem in which I feel sure you will help 
me. As you know, we shall have compulsory military service: 
I am seventeen years of age, and if the trouble be not over by 
the time I reach my nineteenth year, I feel that I would rather 
be shot as a "traitor" than to disobey God's command. Is 
there any way in which we could defend our loved ones 
without murder? I am greatly perplexed and anxious to do 
what is right. I shall follow your advice, so great is my belief 
that God is using you to enlighten those who are willing to 
learn. Hoping I have not interrupted too long, I am. 

ANSWER-We rejoice to know that the Truth is thus 
being spread in every direction, and that the Lord is using the 
consecrated talents of His servants everywhere for the sealing 
of His saints in their foreheads—intellectually— Rev. 7:1-3. 

We are glad to note that you are in full agreement with what 
we said recently in The Watch Tower to the effect that God's 
consecrated people can have no interest in the war. If there 



be any excuse for violence and bloodshed anywhere, it would 
he in the actual defense of the home. The Bible, however, 
does not lay down laws for the world, but merely for God's 
consecrated people. To these the 

{PageQ732} 

Master's own example and words would seem to teach that 
although they may invoke every legal protection, barricade 
their homes, etc., against the enemy, such saints would not be 
disposed to take the lives of others—even in self-defense. 
And yet we confess that this would he a very serious test 
upon nearly all of them. 

WEEPING--WAILING--GNASHING--ToWhom 
Applies? 

Q732:1 :: QUESTION (1916)-l-What is meant by 
"weeping and gnashing of teeth", "wailing and gnashing of 
teeth," and could this apply to the great company class? 
ANSWER—There is certainly a great deal of weeping 
and wailing and gnashing of teeth—much of this going on 
now in the countries where there is war. There has been 
plenty of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth all the 
way down. We are all familiar with the weeping and wailing, 
but we are not accustomed to the gnashing of the teeth. This 
means chagrin, disappointment. "O God! I don't see why I 
should have done it." "I have failed." It signifies 
disappointment- sharp disappointment. It adds to the figure 
of weeping and wailing. We have seen much of this. Jesus in 
describing matters at the close of this age indicates that 
various classes will have sharp disappointment in connection 
with them. One would be a class of people who would be 
hypocritical, and the nominal church systems will have this 
experience also. The Scribes and Pharisees in the first advent 
who saw His works and heard His words, and yet treated Him 
as they did, when He shall come in power and great glory and 
they who pierced Him shall see Him, will be very sorry and 
disappointed, and will be found weeping and wailing. So 
with the nominal church of the present time who think they 
are heirs of everything that God has that is good, when they 
shall ultimately see what the Lord really is and does, I am 
sure that, at that time many people who have been so 
prominent in religious circles, when they see what the Lord 
will do, they will have keen disappointment and gnashing of 
teeth. This does not mean in any wise hell-fire or eternal 
torment. In regard to the man who had not on the wedding 



garment when the King came in to see the guests, unto whom 
he said, "Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a 
wedding garment?" the inference is that he did not come in 
without a wedding-garment, because every one had to have 
one in order to get in, but the inference is that he had taken it 
off. The question was, why have you taken it off? The 
wedding garment represents Christ's merit, the imputation of 
His righteousness, the covering which He provides for His 
own. This man could say nothing, because he had taken it 
off. Everything had depended upon this covering at the first, 
and now, those who take this off, have nothing from the Lord. 
"Bind him hand and foot and cast him out into outer darkness; 
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" is the Word for 
all such. Not into hell with fiery torments—it would not be 
very dark there. The outer darkness is the darkness the world 
is in now; the same darkness that we were in and which we 
left when we came into the light of the present truth, and we 
consecrated ourselves and received the holy spirit. If we go 
out of this light we will then go into that outer darkness in 
which we were before, and will share in 

{PageQ733} 

the weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth which the whole 
world is to have. After this war comes the symbolical 
earthquake, then the fire and there will be plenty of weeping, 
wailing and gnashing of teeth during that time—that great time 
of trouble. The whole world will have a share in this. They 
will have so many disappointments. Anyone who has been in 
the light of the truth and then repudiated it will have his share 
with the outsiders in that great time of trouble. Won't some of 
the saints be there? If any shall be there they won't have any 
of this weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, because the 
plan of God will be so clearly before them that they will lift 
up their heads and rejoice for the reason that the things 
occurring will presage their deliverance which is now so near 
at hand. It will be in the midst of these troubles that the great 
company will have their flesh destroyed. 

WEDDING GARMENT--By Whom Worn? 
Q733:1 :: QUESTION (I910-Z)-1-Is it your thought 
that only those who consecrate are ever really justified— have 
the robe of Christ's righteousness imputed to them, covering 
their sins and reckoning them perfect; that other believers 
have only the blessing of the knowledge of provision of 
justification which will be freely given then only on condition 



that they sacrifice in the footsteps of our Redeemer? 

ANSWER--We understand the Scriptures to teach that 
there is a difference between a faith -justification and an 
actual-justification. The world during the Millennial Age 
under the processes of restitution will have full, grand 
opportunities for advancing from sin and death conditions to 
actual justification, righteousness-Covenant relationship with 
God. In the past the Ancient Worthies, because of faith in 
God, were esteemed by him and treated as in harmony with 
him, in Covenant relationship by faith, as though they were 
perfect. But more than that faith-justification they could not 
attain until after the merit of Christ's sacrifice would be 
appropriated for them. Christian believers of this Gospel Age 
are in a still different position. They are justified by faith in 
the same manner as were the Ancient Worthies, but 
additionally, Christ, having now made a special application of 
the merit of his sacrifice on their behalf under agreement that 
they will not keep it in a restitutionary sense, but that they 
will sacrifice it—after the manner shown us in our Lord's 
example. 

So, then, at the beginning of our Christian experience we 
are granted fellowship with God through a faith- 
justification, which continues available for a reasonable time 
to permit us to come to a knowledge of the grace of God. It 
permits our coming to a knowledge of our privileges of 
sacrificing with our Redeemer; in becoming dead with him to 
all earthly interests, as well as dead to sin. The taking of this 
stand of consecration- self sacrifice-brought to us Divine 
acceptance, manifested by the begetting of the holy Spirit, 
and from that position as New Creatures we must progress 
and make our calling and our election sure. Those who, after 
coming to a knowledge of the Truth and to an opportunity of 
consecration to sacrifice unto death, and then fail to respond 
obediently, lose their justification, in the sense that it fails to 
become Vital— divinely approved. Such receive the grace 
of God in vain— they receive a knowledge 

{PageQ734} 

of God's mercy and of their own privileges without 
profiting thereby- without accepting the only "call" of this 
age.— Eph. 4:4. 

Our conclusion or summary, then, is this: There is a 
justification by faith, which for a time gives a reckoned 
standing with God in his favor, during this age; but in order 
for this to become vital justification, it must be followed 



sooner or later by a full consecration. It is to those who 
consecrate to sacrifice, "those who have made a covenant 
with me by sacrifice" (Psa. 50:5), and who thus by faith 
become betrothed to Christ as members of his Body through 
fellowship in his sufferings—it is to these that the wedding 
garment is given. At a Jewish wedding, we cannot imagine 
the offering of robes to passers-by, who merely have 
knowledge that a wedding is in prospect. The parabolic 
picture applies to such persons as have heard of the wedding 
and believed in it and have turned from other works and 
pleasure with a desire to enter and participate in the matter. 
Their desires would extend to the taking of the first steps, of 
entering the door, before they would be handed the wedding 
garment. So with us. We had a reckoned justification from 
the time we first believed in Christ, trusted in his merit and 
heard something of the conditions upon which we could 
become his joint-heirs. It was not until we had counted the 
cost and fully decided to enter in, that we were reckoned as 
members of the Church of the First-born—members of Christ's 
Betrothed. 

It follows, then, that the taking off of the wedding garment 
would properly enough symbolize either of two acts: 

(1) Repudiation of the sacrificial work of Christ; or, 

(2) Repudiation of our nuptial contract-to suffer with him; 
to be dead with him; to drink of his cup; to be baptized into 
his death; to go to him without the camp, bearing his 
reproach. 

WILFUL SIN-To Whom Is Application for Forgiveness Made? 

Q734:1 :: QUESTION (1912)-l-When we commit a 
partially wilful sin, do we apply to God through Christ for 
forgiveness, or to Christ our Advocate alone. "If any man 
sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the 
Righteous." 

ANSWER— If we commit a partially wilful sin do we 
apply to the Father, do you ask? "If any man sin, we have an 
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous." Jesus 
directed His followers to pray to His Father, for He Himself 
directed His prayers to the Father in Heaven. Our sins are 
against God, the Heavenly Father, and His Law is thus 
ignored and broken, but we have an Advocate through whose 
merits we can come to the Father, but this Advocate does not 
stand in the place of the Father. "No man cometh unto the 
Father but by Me." If we merely come to the Advocate and 
do not proceed further we are not going to the Father. We 
must come to the Father in the Name and through the merit of 



the ONE who redeemed us. At the same time, I cannot 
imagine how there can be any objection of the Father or 
anybody else to our offering a petition or thanksgiving to our 
Savior for all that He was so willing to do for us. The 
Scriptures clearly tell us: "All men should honor the Son as 
they honor the Father." To come to the Son and to respect 
Him and to offer him a petition 

{PageQ735} 

and to give Him our praise and thanksgiving would not be to 
come to Him and seek His forgiveness for sins we had 
committed. He Himself gives us this injunction : "OUR 
Father, forgive us our trespasses." 

WILL-Death of As Illustrated in Tabernacle Shadows. 

Q735:1 :: QUESTION (1910) --1-- Please give some 
illustrations of the yielding of self-will to death only by 
subjection as mentioned in Tabernacle Shadows page 71. 
ANSWER— I don't remember the matter in Tabernacle 
Shadows. I do not understand the question exactly. Self-will 
is what we had at first when we came to God, and what we 
gave up when we presented our bodies living sacrifices. If we 
do not give up our wills then God does not accept us at all. 
Whoever did not give his will did not give anything, because 
the will carries all with it and God would not accept anything 
else. Now suppose we gave up our wills when we made our 
consecration to the Lord and suppose we proceed along the 
pathway of life, and trials and difficulties come to us, and we 
fail to maintain this submission of our wills; and suppose the 
will of the flesh is strong, and the will of the New Creature 
does not conquer the will of the flesh—what then? Then we 
are not walking after the spirit properly. That means we are 
yielding something to the flesh, and the Apostle says, if ye 
walk after the flesh ye shall die, but if through the spirit ye do 
mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live. So every one of 
the overcomers will have to mortify the will and the deeds of 
his flesh and bring it into subjection. Is it possible, for us to 
conquer the flesh? In our minds it is possible and that is what 
God is speaking about. He is speaking to your mind and to 
your heart. You must not consent to sin, you must not be 
servants of sin. The New Creature cannot take its orders from 
the Old Creature. The New Creature must be an overcomer. 
It may be sometimes a hard struggle between the two, but if 
you have been faithful in putting up a strong fight against the 
flesh, even if you failed in it, God might count you 



nevertheless as having been faithful to the extent you were 
able and give you a blessing, and really make that a strength 
for you in the future, if you remember that weak point the 
next time. You would say. There is the place I slipped before. 
Do you remember ever passing along a street where there was 
a slippery place and you fell? As you went past that place 
again you would say. There is the place I fell once. You 
would remember the spot where you slipped before, where 
the snow was over it, and how you fell down. I have had that 
experience several times. Now in spiritual matters it is the 
same way. Perhaps some place you slipped and fell down 
and that slip in God's providence may make you very strong 
on that particular point, because every time you go near there, 
you say, "Here, beware!" And it will strengthen your 
character on that very point. So by various experiences our 
Lord is teaching us in the School of Christ. And what he is 
looking at, let us never forget is the heart; and if your heart 
came off a victor, even if you failed in the particular trial at 
the particular moment, and if when you got up out of the 
difficulty you went to the Lord, in the name of the great 
Advocate, and apologized to him, and told him how sorry you 
were, and how you would endeavor in the 

{PageQ736} 

future to do better, then you know that you were forgiven, 
and a victory was thus gained. You did not count it all when 
you slipped and fell, but you counted it afterwards when your 
character was made stronger by following the directions of 
the Lord's Word and came with courage to the throne of 
heavenly grace that you might obtain mercy and find help in 
every time of need. 

will-How to Determine the Lord's Will. 

Q736:1 :: QUESTION (1910-Z)-l-Suppose some one 
has in mind an undertaking which he believes is of the Lord's 
leading, and yet others who are as consecrated to the Lord as 
himself, seem to think it may not be of the Lord's leading, is 
there any way whereby he can assure himself that he is right? 

ANSWER~We think that it is a good rule, when one is 
uncertain as to what is the right course, to simply stand still 
and wait, if the matter can be dealt with in that way. But if it 
is a matter that cannot be delayed but must be determined at 
once, it would not do to stand still; but it would be well in 
many instances to merely stand and wait. 

For instance, a gentleman asked us as to whether he should 



build a house or not. We were not hasty in giving him advice, 
and he urged us to tell him our thought. After he had told us 
all the conditions, we advised him not to build, and gave our 
reasons. We did not attempt to urge our views upon him at 
all, but left them there. It is well for us to remember not to 
give too much concern about things that are not in our hands 
to decide; we would thus save ourselves a deal of trouble. In 
everything, however, that is in our hands to decide, we should 
use a great deal of care and judgment and try to find out the 
Lord's will in the matter. 

In the case of people having different opinions about things, 
we think it well for one, if the responsibility rests with him, to 
hear what others may have to say and then consider the matter 
with as much wisdom and judgment as possible, and proceed 
to act according to his best judgment, taking into 
consideration the reasons advanced by his friends, bearing in 
mind, however, that the responsibility of decision is with 
himself. 

WILL-Human Will vs. Nature. 

Q736:2:: QUESTION (1913)--2-Do you understand 
that there is any difference in the depraved will and the 
human nature? 

ANSWER~The human nature has not a depraved will. 
The human nature is that which Adam had. The depraved 
will in us now is because we have merely the depraved human 
nature. Adam's will as a perfect man was a perfect human 
will, and the will of the natural man today, because depraved, 
is a depraved will. 

WILL-New Will Antedates Spirit-Begetting. 

Q736:3:: QUESTION (1915)--3--Will you please 

explain the meaning of the new human will, or the difference 

between this and the New Creature? 

ANSWER— The new human will~I am not sure whether 
we would best call it the human will. Call it the new will! 
The new will comes in before we become New Creatures. 
You must have a will to do the will of God before you seek to 
do it. And when you seek to do the will of God you will 
remember that He has directed that you should go to the 

{PageQ737} 

Lord Jesus Christ for instructions. Then as you go to Him for 
instructions. He becomes your Wisdom and shows you the 
way. But you willed to do this before you came at all. That 



was a new will, but altogether your own. No matter what 
gave you the impulse to have a change of attitude toward God 
and righteousness, it was first your will that willed to do 
God's will. It was not the New Creature; for no New Creature 
begins until the spirit-begetting takes place, and that does 
not take place until after you have your new will. 

This will accepts the terms of justification, i.e., it makes a 
full consecration. When the earthly will—the new earthly 
mind—accepts the terms of justification, by submitting itself 
in entire consecration to the Lord, the individual is begotten 
by the Holy Spirit. Then he becomes a New Creature. We 
may then still speak of this will as the new will, because the 
new will does not die in our sacrifice, but it becomes now the 
will of the New Creature, and is even more conformed to God 
by reason of its possessor's being begotten of God's Spirit. 
This new will now begins to dominate everything. It has full 
control, and only then is it recognized of God. The individual 
has a new standing from the time when he receives the 
begetting of the Spirit. 

WINDS-Re The Four of Heaven. 

Q737:1 :: QUESTION (1911)-1- In Revelation we read 
about the four winds of heaven being holden by four angels 
that they should not blow upon the earth nor hurt the trees 
and grass, etc. What do we understand these winds to signify 
and how soon may we expect them to be let loose? 

ANSWER-It is a symbolic expression, of course, dear 
friends. All the book of Revelation is symbolic. The four 
winds we understand to represent the completeness, as we 
speak of a square as being complete, and as the four corners 
of the earth; and again we speak of north, south, east and 
west, thus giving the four corners of the earth, figuratively. 
And it is represented that the angels are holding the winds. 
What winds? Well, certain winds are represented in symbolic 
language as being false doctrines 

—as, for instance, "be not carried about by every wind of 
doctrine." Here false doctrines are symbolically spoken of, 
winds that carry about some that are unstable, that do not 
understand the divine plan; they never get settled as to what 
anything means, because they have never had a right 
understanding of the matter. They have never had the 
solidifying influence of the truth upon them. Then again 
winds are used to represent strife. And winds again are used 
to represent war and trouble and confusion. And four winds 
let loose would represent a whirlwind, you see, as the four 
would come together; and so the Scriptures represent that in 



the end of this age, the time of trouble that will come on the 
earth will be as a whirlwind from the four corners of the 
earth. Now what will cause this whirlwind of trouble? I will 
remind you that Satan is said to be the prince of the power of 
the air, and otherwise he is said to be the prince of demons. 
These powers of the air, we believe, are the demoniacal 
powers, the powers of the evil spirits, and our thought 
respecting the letting loose of those four winds is that it will 
mean a time of the breaking loose of the fallen angels from 
the restraint which has been upon them for now about four 
thousand three hundred years, since the time these fallen 

{PageQ738} 

angels sinned, as Saint Peter says, when the ark was 
preparing--going back a long ways to the days of Noah; they 
were then shut up on account of their disobedience to God; 
they were restrained in chains of darkness. Saint Peter says, 
and Saint Jude also, and this restraint of chains of darkness 
was to be until a certain time, namely, until the judgment of 
the Great Day. Our thought is that this text of Scripture has 
reference to this same power of the air. The same fallen 
angels; and the breaking loose or letting loose of these from 
restraint means that the time will come when God will no 
longer restrain these evil spirits, and that there will be a great 
time of trouble come upon mankind as a consequence of their 
being permitted to interfere with the human race. We cannot 
doubt that certain spirits that worked havoc back in the days 
of our Lord would have done still worse if they had had an 
opportunity. We cannot doubt they would do the same today 
if they were permitted. Evidently, to my mind, the fallen 
angels have been restrained for all these centuries. The wind 
has not yet been allowed to blow, the great storm which they 
willingly would brew has not yet been allowed to come to 
pass, and will not be allowed to come to pass until the 
144,000 shall have been sealed in their foreheads; that is, 
until the elect shall all have been recognized of God and 
identified and completed. Then suddenly these evil 
influences will be allowed to come upon the earth, and a time 
of trouble will ensue such as never was since there was a 
nation. Jesus says, "Neither will there ever be again such a 
time." 

WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS-Re Great Company and Serving at 
Marriage. 

Q738:1:: QUESTION (1911)--l--If the wise and foolish 



virgins represented the Little Flock and the Great Company, 
how is it that the Great Company get in to serve at the 
marriage of the Lamb after the door is shut and the 
bridegroom says, "I never knew you?" 

ANSWER--I would advise the questioner to read that 
chapter of studies in the Scriptures which deals with this 
particular parable in an extended manner. You will get it 
much more satisfactorily than I can hope to answer it here in 
the time at our disposal. I could merely say that this parable 
of the wise and foolish virgins is applied to the end of this 
age—not to the entire age, but to the end of the age; at about 
the time that Messiah is to be expected to gather his Bride 
Class, the wise virgins will go in to the wedding with the 
Lord. They had the light, they had the blessing, and after all 
of them have gone in the door to the wedding, the door to the 
Bride Class, will be closed; and then we read that the other 
class, the foolish virgins—just as much virgins, you see, both 
classes were virgins, and "virgins" stand here for pure, or that 
which is in harmony with God. We are not to suppose these 
foolish virgins went to eternal torment because they did not 
have the oil, and we are not to suppose they go to some 
terrible end because they do not get into the marriage. It is a 
great privilege to get into the marriage, it is a wonderful 
privilege to become members of the Bride, the Lamb's wife, 
only the more than conquerers will get that blessing; then this 
other class that were over- charged with the cares of this life, 
and did not take the proper time to examine and get the light, 
to get the oil-what happens to them? 

{PageQ739} 

Here we read that after the wise virgins had gone in, these 
foolish virgins having gone to buy oil, and finally getting the 
oil, getting the light, getting the information, become wise 
then, but by the time they got wise, and had the light the door 
was shut, the full number, the complete number of the elect 
had gone in, and there could not be any more come in as the 
elect. Whatever would come to those would be outside of 
that special privilege of joint heirship with Christ. Other 
Scriptures show us that blessings will go to that class, but 
they will be obliged to prove their loyalty by passing through 
the great time of trouble and symbolically washing their robes 
and making them white. When the Lord says, "I never knew 
you," the translation should properly be rendered, I do not 
recognize you. That is to say he recognizes only the one class 
as his Bride Class, he cannot recognize these others as his 



Bride Class, because they were not found worthy. The 
pictures in the Scriptures show us that they are to come in and 
be associated with the Bride Class, in the sense of being 
bridesmaids or attendants, or servants of the Bride Class, 
colaboring and co-operating with them; as, for instance, we 
read in, I believe,~the forty-sixth Psalm, (Psa. 46) where we 
have a picture given us of the Bride Class, that the Bride is all 
glorious within; she shall be brought before the King in 
raiment of fine needlework of gold. Then the virgins, her 
companions that follow her, shall also be brought in before 
the King. 

WOMAN-What Does She Symbolize? 

Q739:1 :: QUESTION (1908) 1 In Luke 15:8, we 
read: "Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she 
lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, 
and seek diligently till she find it?" In an article in the 
Tower, this woman is shown to represent "divine energy." Is 
there any other place that woman symbolizes anything but the 
Church? 

ANSWER~I doubt that a little. I do not remember 
writing that a woman represents divine energy; if I did I have 
forgotten it. We would have to have the quotation from the 
Tower before we would ever believe that women represented 
divine energy. I have great regard for the sisters, but I did not 
know that woman was ever used to symbolize divine energy. 
I don't think I ever said so; if I did, I was thinking of 
something else. The reference is not given and the quotation 
is not given. The fact that something in the Tower might be 
misunderstood would not surprise us any. Why, we find a 
whole lot in the Bible that has been misunderstood. 

WOMAN-Woman the Glory of Man-The Church the Glory of Christ. 

Q739:2:: QUESTION ( 19 10-Z)-2-In the Scripture 
which says that woman is the glory of man, is the intimation 
conveyed that the Church is the glory of Christ? 

ANSWER-We understand it is. We are not to 
understand by this, however, that woman is the glory of the 
man in the sense of being more glorious than the man; nor 
that the Church is the glory of Christ in the sense of being 
more glorious than Christ; nor that the Son is the glory of the 
Father in the sense of being more glorious than the Father; but 
we do understand that the Father is especially glorified in the 
Son because of the closeness of the relationship existing 
between them and because of the honor that the 



{PageQ740} 

Father has shown the Son. Similarly Christ will be glorified 
in the Church because the wonderful glory that will be 
manifested through the Church will be a reflection of the 
glory of Jesus--all as a result of the Father's grace through 
him. 

WOUNDS-Wounded in House of Friends. 

Q740:1 :: QUESTION (1910) 1 In Zee. 13:6, we 
read, "And one shall say unto him, what are these wounds in 
thy hands? Then shall he answer. Those with which I was 
wounded in the house of my friends." The above text has 
been offered as proof that our Lord, at his second advent, will 
have a body of flesh. Kindly throw a little light upon it. 
ANSWER--Well, I do not know that I can throw any 
particular light upon it, except that we know that flesh and 
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. He is to be the 
King and therefore he cannot be flesh and blood. Therefore, 
to my mind that settles the matter. I would suppose that this 
was the way God was pleased to state the matter through the 
prophet, so as to call attention to the fact that our Lord would 
be wounded in the hands in the house of his friends. As we 
read, "He came unto his own and his own received him not," 
but wounded him, crucifying him. 

ZEAL-Re Reproach. 

Q740:2:: QUESTI0N--2--In order for the saints to do 
their duty, is it necessary for them to be so zealous for the 
Lord and His work as to bring bitter reproach upon themselves? 

ANSWER— Well, it would depend. There is a mild way 
of doing things that will avoid much of the bitterness and 
much of the reproach, and that is the better way. You will 
notice the Apostle Paul's method, when addressing some of 
the notable men before whom he was called, Felix, Festus, 
Agrippa, etc. He might have said something in a very 
braggadocio style that would have aroused the opposition of 
everybody present. He might have said. What are you? What 
is the Roman Empire? The Lord Jesus is greater than you all. 
All that would have been true, but he did not say it. He said, 
I am glad, most noble King Agrippa, that I am privileged to 
make my defense in your presence, because I know you are 
familiar with the things in the Law and in Jewry. You see, he 
was very complimentary. He did not bring opposition 
because of foolishness, and that is the lesson that you and I 
want to learn. The Lord is not going to bless you much for 



doing foolish things. Be as "wise as serpents and as harmless 
as doves." Whenever you have done the best you can, don't 
be surprised if the world, even after you have done them a 
kindness, should hate you. Our Lord said, "Marvel not if the 
world hate you and say all manner of evil against you falsely, 
for my sake." You will get plenty of it then. You are to be 
prepared then, dear friends, for plenty of opposition, and this 
will be a time for your faithfulness. The Scriptures tell us that 
whosoever will live godly in this present age shall suffer 
persecution. If you do not have any persecution, it is a sign 
that you are not living godly, and you had better hurry up and 
live godly, so as to have a chance of getting into the 
Kingdom—only do not make the mistake of acting foolishly. I 
do not mean to say that I myself have not done things that 
were not done in the wisest manner, but I hope we are all 
learning to be as wise as we can. 

{PageQ741} 

ADAM-Created-Not Born as His Posterity Was. 

Q741 :1 :: QUESTION-Was Adam "born in sin and shapen 
iniquity" as is stated in the Scriptures of all of Adam's 
posterity? --Psa. 11:5. (A.N.D.) 

ANSWER—Strictly speaking, Adam was not born; he 
was created of the dust of the ground. Science confirms this 
statement of the Bible, for all of the elements contained in the 
human body are found in the earth. Man was a distinct 
creation; and not a product of evolution as some deluded 
scientists maintain. When God formed man of the earthly 
elements He pronounced him "very good," and the Scriptures 
elsewhere declare that all of God's works are perfect. 
(Deut. 32:4.) As a perfect man it was optional with Adam as 
to whether he would obey the Lord or not. The very fact that 
Adam had the power of choosing between the good and the 
evil proves that he had not created a mere machine but that he 
was a free moral agent and hence in the image of God as the 
Scriptures affirm. If Adam had been imperfect, of a sinful 
nature, degraded and evil as the race is today, the Lord would 
never have placed him on trial. As a result of Adam's 
disobedience, he passed under the sentence of death and 
involved all of his posterity in the same awful sentence and 
from that time to the present the race has journeyed over the 
downward way leading to destruction. Death reigns as all 
will admit. The race is to be delivered from death at the 
second coming of Christ as the Apostle says "For He must 
reign until He has placed all enemies under His feet; even 



death the last enemy shall be destroyed." "And there shall be 
no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there 
be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." 
ICor. 15:26; Rev. 21:4. 

ADAM--lf Perfect, How Sinned? 

Q741 :1 :: QUESTION-If Adam was perfect; how could 
he have sinned? It seems to me that a perfect man would 
have acted in a perfect manner. It is the imperfect individual 
that sins or acts imperfectly. Kindly explain this matter as I 
am frequently brought face to face with this proposition. (Eve) 

ANSWER— From the Scriptural narrative of the creation 
of man, it is evident that God, the Creator, designed to have 
an intelligent creature made in His own likeness, with an 
individual will capable of deciding for good or evil. Man has 
the power of willing to do as he, himself desires. Had he 
been created otherwise he would not have been in the likeness 
of God, but a mere machine controlled and directed by the 
Divine will. We may reasonably suppose that Adam chose to 
disobey the Lord because of his love for Eve. She had been 
deceived by the Adversary, Satan, and had partaken of the 
forbidden fruit, the penalty for which was death. Adam, 
realizing that she must die, deliberately chose to share her 
fate, as life without her would not be worth living. We are 
distinctly told that Adam was not deceived (1 Tim. 2:14) 
and we could conceive of no other motive on the part of a 
perfect man in disobeying the Divine mandate, than that of 
love for his bride. 

{PageQ742} 

ADAM-Living Soul vs Lifegiving Spirit. 

Q742:1:: QUESTION-Thefirstman Adam became a 
living soul (1 Cor. 15:45; Gen. 2:7), the last Adam (the 
Lord from heaven, 1 Cor. 15:47) at His resurrection 
became a life giving spirit also? 

ANSWER— The Scriptures in outlining the Divine 
Program as it relates to the salvation of mankind plainly teach 
that the present Christian Era, from the time of our Lord's first 
advent to the time of His second coming, has been set apart 
for the purpose of selecting and developing a special class, 
the members of which in the resurrection will be changed 
from fleshly to spiritual conditions. In this present life these 
are said to be begotten of the spirit, then quickened of the 
spirit and finally born of the spirit in the resurrection 
morning. These are to be like their Lord and see Him as He 



is, changed from mortal to immortal conditions. All others, 
Adam included, are to be awakened unto a resurrection by 
judgment (John 5:28,29~not damnation. See Revised 
Version), a raising up to perfection as human beings, and 
these are to inhabit the earthly plane of existence. Only the 
Lord Jesus and His joint heirs, the Church of Christ, will 
inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, the heavenly or spiritual 
honors and blessings, while the world of mankind in general 
will obtain blessings and life eternal as natural or fleshly 
beings. See 1 Cor. 15th chapter. 

ADAM-Where Did He Go at Death? 

Q742:2:: QUESTION-What became of Adam when he 
died; did he go to heaven or hell? 

ANSWER--We may be sure Adam did not go to heaven 
at death, because three thousand years later Jesus said, "No 
man hath ascended up to heaven" (John 3:13). The 
judgment, or sentence, of death was passed upon Adam by the 
Lord, who said, "For dust thou art and unto dust shall thou 
return" (Gen. 3:19). This judgment, of death was gradually 
enforced during a period of 930 years, by Adam being denied 
access to the life giving food in Eden (See Gen. 3:23,24), at 
the end of which time Adam was completely dead. He 
therefore went into the death condition. He went to hell—not 
the hell of the Dark Ages, which has been represented as a 
lake of fire and brimstone, but to the hell of the Bible, which 
word is translated from the Hebrew word sheol and the Greek 
word hades, and properly translated into the English word 
grave, tomb, or state of death. Likewise all of Adam's 
children, inheriting this death sentence, have followed him, at 
death, to the tomb. The entire race would have been 
exterminated had it not been that God provided for the 
redemption and resurrection of the race through Christ, Jesus. 
"Who gave His life that we might have life." 

ALTAR-ln the Midst of Egypt. 

Q742:3:: QU ESTION-"In that day shall there be an 
altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a 
pillar at the border thereof to the Lord. And it shall be for a 
sign and for a witness unto the Lord of Hosts in the land of 
Egypt." (Isa. 19:19,20.) What may we understand by this 
Scripture? 

{PageQ743} 

ANSWER-There is but one structure in all the earth that 



could by any possibility fulfill the requirements of the text, 
and that is the Great Pyramid in Egypt. The whole of northern 
Egypt forms a sector shaped country the center of which is 
marked by the Pyramid. To mathematicians and scientists the 
center of a sector is also at the border thereof, and thus, as to 
location, the Pyramid is clearly indicated. It has always stood 
as the greatest wonder in the world because of its enormous 
dimensions, great antiquity and marvelous exhibition of 
engineering skill. With its original casting-stones in position, 
all highly polished like white marble, and so accurately joined 
together that it was almost impossible to distinguish the 
joints, this immense structure of solid masonry, covering over 
thirteen acres of ground and nearly five hundred feet in 
height, was truly a magnificent spectacle as it glittered in the 
rays of the dazzling Egyptian sunlight. To the ancients it was 
known as "The Terrible Crystal." Recent investigation of the 
interior passage ways and chambers has revealed the fact that 
these form a wonderful system of symbols in which the entire 
plan of salvation as presented in the Scripture is outlined. 
Because it is such a great "witness," in that it so clearly 
corroborates the teachings of the Lord's Word, it is now 
becoming generally known as "The Stone Bible," 
Melchizedek, "a Priest of the Most High God," is reputed to 
have been the builder, and the date of its construction has 
been well established as being the year 2170 B.C. It is, 
therefore, the oldest building on earth. 

ANGELS-Re Hell (Tartarus) 

Q743:1 :: QUESTION In 2 Pet. 2:4, Revised Version, 
we read, "For if God spared not the angels when they sinned, 
but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of 
darkness to be reserved unto judgment." What is the meaning 
of the word, "Hell" or as the marginal reading gives it 
"TARTARUS," which is the Greek word translated "hell?"(C.V.B.) 

ANSW ER~The translators of the Revised Version of the 
Scriptures erred when they planned in the marginal readings 
the word "Tartarus" for that is not the word contained in the 
original Greek manuscripts. The word tartaroo, used by Peter, 
very closely resembles tartarus, a word used in Grecian 
mythology as the name for a dark abyss or prison. But the 
word tartaroo seems to refer us more to an act than to a place. 
The fall of the angels who sinned was from honor and 
dignity, into dishonor and condemnation, and the thought 
seems to be--"God spared not the angels who sinned, but 
degraded them, and delivered them into the chains of 
darkness." This is the only place in the Scriptures where this 



word tartaroo occurs, and refers to the condition of the fallen 
angels or evil spirits, and not to the members of the human 
race in any sense or particular. See Jude 6, where it also 
reads, "the angels which kept not their first estate, but left 
their own habitation. He hath reserved in age-lasting chains, 
under darkness, unto the judgment day." 

ANGELS-How Apostles Were Made Spectacle 

Q743:2:: QUESTION-"For we are made a spectacle 
unto the world, and to angels, and to men."~l Cor. 4:9. 
How were 

{PageQ744} 

the Apostles made a "spectacle" to the angels? (Curious) 

ANSWER—Evidently the angels and all other spirit 
beings, of which there are myriads upon myriads (Rev.5:l 1) 
are interested observers of the events transpiring upon 
this little globe of ours. What the race of mankind is learning 
by actual experience the spirit beings are learning by 
observation. As the poet has expressed the thought-- "All the 
world's a stage and men and women merely players." The 
word "spectacle," in the marginal rendering of the Authorized 
Version, is theater. The Apostles were being made "a show 
of" before the world, and angels, and men, because of their 
loyalty to the cause of Christ. Enduring all manner of 
hardships, bitter persecutions, and regarded as religious 
fanatics~"fools"~because of their prominence in advocating 
the teachings of Christ, they were specially observed. Thus it 
was with the Master Himself; by His sufferings. His death, 
and His resurrection, He preached a powerful sermon in 
pantomime to the "spirits in prison" (The fallen angels who 
disobeyed in the time of Noah. 2 Pet. 2:4; 1 Pet. 3:18-20). 

ANGELS~Re Marriage to Daughters of Men. 

Q744:1:: QUESTION-If the "Sons of God" (Gen. 6:4) 
were the angels who left their former habitation, or first 
estate- the spiritual realm (Jude 3)~how is it that they 
could marry the "daughters of men" and have children since 
it is understood from the Master's words (Mat. 22:30) that 
the angels are sexless? (L.T.H.) 

ANSWER— From many Scriptures it is apparent that the 
angels, or spirit beings, have the power of materializing as 
human beings. This materialization is complete, as the 
following Scriptural citations indicate, showing that these 
materialized beings could eat and drink and perform all of the 



functions of the natural being of the earthly plane of existence. 
(Gen. 18:8; Gen. 32:24; Zee. 1:9,5; Luke 1:30; 
Acts 12:7-10.) It is evident that the angels in their 
proper habitation, the spiritual realm, do not possess the 
powers of reproduction. It would, therefore, be impossible 
for them to have angelic progeny. It is only as they 
materialize as human beings that they could exercise the 
powers belonging to the race of mankind, and thus bring 
children into the world of the fleshly nature. Because some 
of the angels did this without the Divine sanction, they were 
punished by being restrained in chains of darkness unto the 
Judgment day. 

ANGELS-What Are They Like? 

Q744:2:: QUESTION-What is an angel? We are told 
by our ministers that if we go to church and pay our pew rent 
and never do anything real bad that some day we will be an 
angel and go to heaven when we die. Now, I want to know 
what angels are like. Did they all live as men and women 
upon the earth before they became angels, and how did they 
become angels before there were any churches and regular 
collections? Was there ever a cheaper way of getting to be a 
angel than now? (J.U.D.) 

ANSWER~The popular conception of angels is that 
they are radiant beings dressed in white with wings attached 

{PageQ745} 

to their shoulder blades. They are invariably represented as 
women, and are supposed to spend the larger part of their 
time seated upon clouds and fingering harps. In the Bible, 
angels are referred to as spirit beings, who act as the 
messengers of the Lord. We know of no Scriptures in which 
it is stated that human beings will ever become angels. On 
the contrary, the Lord has promised earthly blessings to all of 
the world of mankind, who will be obedient to His righteous 
laws of justice and love, when His Kingdom is established in 
the earth. Salvation will be free to all who will accept it upon 
the terms and conditions of full obedience to the Divine will. 
Mat. 6:10. 

APOSTLES creed-Is it scriptural? 

Q 745:1:: QUESTION--Most church denominations 
throughout the world have adopted the Apostles' Creed. Why 
is it called the "Apostles Creed"? Was it written by the 
Apostles, and where do we find it in the Bible? 



ANSWER—What is known among the Christians as the 
"Apostles Creed," was not written by the Apostles of our 
Lord, hence it is nowhere found in the Bible. As to its origin, 
we quote from Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, a recognized 
authority by scholars, as follows: "There is indeed extent, a 
brief summary of Christian doctrines, which is called the 
Apostles' Creed; and which, from the fourth century onward 
was attributed to Christ's ambassadors themselves. But at this 
day, all who have any knowledge of antiquity, confess 
unanimously that this opinion is a mistake, and has no 
foundation. Those judge far more wisely and rationally who 
think that this creed arose from small beginnings, and was 
gradually enlarged as occasions required in order to exclude 
new errors from the church." It was probably given its name 
by those who prepared it, as signifying that in their judgment, 
it contained only truths taught by the Apostles. It contains 
many truths, but it is not wholly Scriptural. For instance: "I 
believe in the resurrection of the body," whereas nothing in 
the Bible teaches that our bodies are to be resurrected. The 
Bible teaches that the soul will be resurrected. Of the 
resurrection the Apostle says, "Thou sowest not that body that 
shall be. But God giveth it (the soul-being) a body as it hath 
pleased Him and to each seed its own body." Surely the 
Apostle was not speaking of the body when he uses the word 
"it," otherwise the body would have a body, therefore two 
bodies, which is absurd. Further he states, "It (the soul-being) 
is sown a natural body; it (the soul or being) is raised a 
spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual 
body." (1 Cor. 15:35,37,44). 

ARK-Difference Between Noah's and Children of Israel. 

Q745:2:: QU ESTION-What is the difference between 
Noah's ark and the ark which the children of Israel had in the 
wilderness of sin? 

ANSWER~You have probably heard of the preacher 
who said to his congregation: "I can bring myself to believe 
that Noah built an ark, in which he and the wild animals were 
sheltered during the flood, but when it comes to making 

{PageQ746} 

me believe that the children of Israel toted that ark around on 
their shoulders in the wilderness for forty years, that's too 
much for me to swallow." Evidently he thought there was no 
difference in the two arks. 
Noah's ark was a large boat or vessel, larger than any now 



made. The ark which the children of Israel had in the 

wilderness was a rectangular box made of wood overlaid with 

gold, the lid or cover of which was made of pure gold. The 

approximate size of this ark was 4 feet long, 3 feet broad and 

3 feet high, a detailed description of it being given in Exo. 25:10-22. 

Inside the ark was kept the golden bowl of manna, 

Aaron's rod that budded, and the two tables of the Law (See 

Heb. 9:4). The ark, together with all other furnishings of 

the Tabernacle in the wilderness, was a shadow or picture of 

good things to come. (SeeHeb. 8:5; Heb. 10:1; Col. 2:17.) 

BEGOTTEN-When Was Jesus Begotten? 

Q746:1 :: QUESTION--When did our Lord become the 
"only begotten Son of God?" 

ANSWER~The pre-human existence of the Lord Jesus 
is clearly established in the Scriptures. His own testimony of 
Himself was that He is "The faithful and true witness, the 
beginning of the creation of God." Rev. 3:14. We find then 
that our Lord became the "only begotten Son of God" at the 
time of his creation, which was before the foundation of the 
earth, and before the existence of any other thing in creation 
with the exception, of course, of God Himself, who created or 
begot Him. In agreement with this thought of our Lord's 
pre-existence from the very beginning we read, "He is the 
image of the invisible God- first born of all creation; because 
by Him were all things created, those in the heavens and 
those on the earth, visible and invisible—whether thrones, or 
lordships, or governments, or authorities: all things were 
created by Him and for Him, and He precedes all things, and in 
Him all things have been permanently placed." (Col. 1:15-18.) 
The thought conveyed by the title, "The Only Begotten Son of God," 
is that the Lord Jesus was Himself the only direct creation 
or begetting of the Heavenly Father. 

BIBLE-Contradictions 

Q 746:2:: QUEST ION —Are there not a number of contradictions 
in the Bible? And if the Bible is not in harmony with itself; 
how can we say that it is inspired? (Pater.) 

ANSWER— There are seemingly many contradictory 
statements contained in the Bible, and these are due to several 
causes. One of which are the errors of translation from the 
original languages in which the Scriptures were written, into 
the various modern tongues. It is claimed that the Authorized 
and Douay Versions of the Bible are amenable to twenty 
thousand amendations! The Revised Versions, both English 
and American have corrected many of these errors but not all. 



No one would claim that the translators were inspired. 
Another fruitful cause for seeming contradictions is, that 
many Scriptures texts have been taken from their proper 
connections by Bible expositors and interpreted to mean just 
opposite to what they do signify. In 

{PageQ747} 

this way the Bible can be made to support any theory. For 
instance: in one place it says Judas "went out and hanged 
himself," and then in another place "go thou and do likewise!" 
To those who "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15) 
there is not a single contradiction in all the sacred 
writings. 

BIBLE-Contradictions Re "Traditions" 

Q747:1 :: QUESTION--How shall we harmonize the 
apparently contradictory expressions found in the following 
Scriptural quotations~"Thus have ye made the 
commandments of God of none effect through your 
TRADITIONS"? (Mat. 15;6; Mark 7:13.) "And 
profited in the Jew's religion above many my equals in my 
own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the 
TRADITIONS of my fathers"? (Gal. 1:14.) "There fore, 
brethren, stand fast and hold the TRADITIONS which ye have 
been taught, whether by word, or our epistle" (2 Thess. 2:15)? 

ANSWER— The Savior's words addressed to the Scribes 
and Pharisees, the religious leaders of His day, have reference 
to the theories and opinions that had been formed and handed 
down from the past that were not based upon the inspired 
testimony of the Prophets and the faithful servants of the 
Lord. Many of these teachings were in direct opposition to 
the instructions contained in the Holy Scriptures, and because 
they were being set forth by those who had been appointed to 
teach the people the true understanding of the message of the 
Lord, they were received as being true. In this way the 
commandment of the Lord had been made void. The 
Apostle's words had reference to the teachings of the 
Scriptures and also to his own instructions, which he had 
presented to those that he was addressing. In other words, 
there are true traditions and false traditions. All of those 
which are in harmony with the teachings of the Divine Word 
are true, and all those which are not in harmony are false and 
not to be accepted. We cannot be particular in our efforts to 
get the truth. 



BIBLE-Explanation of Mark 16:18. 
Q747:2:: QUESTION-Is it possible for Ciiristians to 
handle deadly serpents and to drink poisons without suffering 
injury in any form as stated in Mark 16:18? (R.F.D.) 
ANSWER— Since God invites man to reason on His 
Word (Isa. 1:18), we must know that His Word is 
reasonable. The quotation in the question is unreasonable. 
But is it a part of God's Word? We answer, No. St. Mark's 
Gospel originally ended with verse nine, chapter sixteen; the 
additional verses (10-20 inclusive), which includes the above 
quotation, are not found in the old manuscripts of the Bible. 
All scholars are agreed that the addition was made about six 
hundred years after St. Mark's Gospel was written, and hence 
the quoted words are no part of the Gospel, and we know 
them to be untrue. To sanction them, now that we know 
about them, would be to join with those who wrote them in 
adding to the Word of God (Rev. 22:18,19). Human 
experience shows that not even the best of Christians can, 
with impunity, "Take up serpents and drink deadly poison." 

{PageQ748} 

BIBLE-Why so Difficult to Understand? 

Q748:1 :: QU ESTION-Why did God give us a Bible so 
difficult to understand? Why wasn't the Bible written in such 
a way that it could be as easily understood as the daily 
paper? (Scribe.) 

ANSWER— The Bible is generally conceded to be one of 
the most difficult books in all the earth to understand. The 
brightest minds of the world for centuries have differed as to 
its teachings. Whole libraries of books have been written by 
authors whose views have conflicted woefully with one 
another. The entire Christian world today is divided up into 
more than six hundred factions whose ideas as to the 
teachings of the Bible are at variance with each other. Yes; 
the Bible is hard to understand, and few there are who do 
understand it. It is plainly evident that its Great Author did 
not wish it to be understood by all, and the Bible itself 
testifies in harmony with this thought. The disciples came to 
the Master on one occasion and asked Him, practically the 
same question that we are now considering. They said "Why 
speakest thou unto them (the people) in parables (dark 
sayings?)" In other words: Why Lord, do you not teach the 
people in clear, plain, and simple language, so that all can 
understand? "He answered and said unto them. Because it is 
given unto you (my followers) to know the mysteries of the 



Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given." 
(Mat. 13:10,11). The "mysteries of the Kingdom," the Divine 
plan of the Ages revealed in the Scriptures, the knowledge of 
which, is only for those who come into harmony with the 
Divine will of the Almighty God, the Sovereign Lord of all 
creation. The Bible is a sealed book to all others, no matter 
how intellectual they may be. See 1 Cor. 2:7-14. 

BIBLE-Why so Hard to Understand? 

Q748:2:: QUESTION-Why is the Bible so hard to 
understand? Why cannot EVERY ONE capable of reading 
the printed page comprehend God's Word? 

ANSW ER--The Bible was not written for the 
unbelieving, nor was it written in such a manner that the 
world could understand its teachings. In order to understand 
the Bible we must come into the attitude of pupils of Christ 
and must be taught of him. The Bible is like a telescope; it is 
not sufficient that you see the outside of it, its pedestal and 
joints. It is not even sufficient that we even look through the 
telescope. Many have looked down a telescope merely along 
its shining barrel without seeing out at the other end at all. 
Even when we look through the telescope properly and out at 
the other end, still we must have it properly adjusted so that 
we may obtain the best results and discern objects accurately. 
So it is with the Bible; as we draw nigh to God, he draws nigh 
to us; and thus we are enabled to appreciate more and more 
the deep things of his Word. But only the saintly Bible 
student is able to understand and appreciate the "breadth and 
length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ" 
(Eph. 3:18) which passeth knowledge, but which is revealed 
in the Holy Scriptures. St. Paul gives us the key to the proper 
understanding, saying, "The natural man receiveth not the 
things of the 

{PageQ749} 

spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can 
he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." But 
God hath revealed them unto us (the Church, the consecrated) 
by his spirit. (1 Cor. 2:14,10.) Even the deep things of God 
are made known by our acquiring more of the spirit of God, 
the spirit of Truth, the spirit of the Word. 

BORN"Of the Spirit 

Q749:1 :: QU ESTION-What does it mean to be born of 
the spirit? What happens when that takes place? Some have 



said that I am not saved unless I have been born of the spirit, 
and received some miraculous evidence of this. This has 
made me a trifle anxious, as I earnestly desire to be saved, 
and thus far haven't experienced anything remarkable in the 
way of supernatural demonstrations, although I am 
endeavoring to live a Christian life. 

ANSWER~The Scriptures abound with illustrations 
which were intended to portray the varying conditions of the 
Christian's experience, and, unless we give careful attention 
to the details of these word pictures, we are liable to become 
confused as to their true significance. In the conversation 
which Nicodemus had with our Lord Jesus (John 3:1-8), the 
Master, in explaining the matter of spiritual regeneration, 
used the natural order or arrangement to represent the 
spiritual~"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that 
which is born of the spirit is spirit." Just as there is the 
begetting of the fleshly being, then the quickening and finally 
the birth, so also with the spiritual ones. The Christian is first 
begotten of the spirit (Begotten again— 1 Pet. 5:3), then 
quickened by the spirit (Rom. 8:11) and then having 
attained to full development as an embryotic "New Creature" 
he will be "born of the spirit" in the resurrection— "changed" 
from a fleshly, human being to a heavenly spiritual one— See 
1 Cor. 15:50-53. All who experience the new birth will be 
invisible, powerful, even as are the angels and all spirit 
beings. Observe the force of the Master's words— "Marvel not 
that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind 
bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, 
but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so 
is every one that is born of the spirit." 

BRIDE-One of Many References to Church. 

Q749:2:: QUESTION -How can we prove to the 
extremely critical that the people taken for the Lord's name 
(Acts 15:14) are the ones referred to, in the Scriptures, as 
the "Bride," "the Lamb's Wife," "The New Jerusalem," etc.? 
(H.J.K.) 

ANSWER— The "extremely critical" are the very ones to 
recognize the reasonableness of the doctrine of election so 
positively outlined in this passage. It is the thinking, critical 
minds that are rejecting the antiquated, obsolete theories of 
the past, and now are coming to see the truth concerning the 
Divine purpose. How reasonable, then, to those who view the 
facts and reason critically, are the Bible teachings relating to 
the selection of "a people for His name," and that this election 
has been in process of development throughout the entire 



Christian Era! Naturally, 

{PageQ750} 

the mind would seek further enlightenment as to the identity 
of this special people, or class. The various passages of 
Scripture relating to this class would logically fit into place, 
and it would be recognized that it is the Church of Christ the 
Bride, the Lamb's Wife, the "New Jerusalem," etc. And then 
how reasonable and consistent the teaching that following this 
election the Heavenly Father, who is all love and compassion, 
and goodness, will through this glorified Class-Christ and 
His Church—rebuild the ruins of David, which are fallen 
down, restore the Jews to their own land- and "after this," 
invite all the Gentiles upon whom His name is called"— the 
world of mankind— to come back into harmony with Himself 
and receive eternal life and joy and peace. See the verses 
following the one cited in the question. 

BRIDE-When Will Spirit and Bride Say, Come? 

Q750:1:: QUESTION Rev. 22:17 says: "The Spirit 

and the Bride say. Come." Has this Scripture been fulfilled, 

and if not, when will it be"? 

ANSWER-This will he fulfilled in the future for the 
following reasons: There is no "Bride" now. Jesus during the 
Gospel Age has been preparing a place for the Bride as he 
declared (John 14:2-4). The union of the Bride and the 
Bridegroom takes place at the second coming of our Lord 
(Rev. 19:6-8). During the Gospel Age the prospective 
members of the Bride class have the Lord's spirit in them. 
Each true follower of Jesus is "a well of water springing up 
unto everlasting life." (John 4:14.) Bye and bye when these 
well-springs are all brought together and united with our 
Lord, then the Bride and the Bridegroom will constitute the 
great "river of life," or "water of life" which shall flow out 
from the throne of God and which shall bless and heal all the 
nations of the earth, in harmony with the promise which God 
made to Abraham saying, "In thy seed shall all the families of 
the earth be blessed." Then all who will, may come, and take 
of this "water of life" freely. The water of life means the 
message of truth setting forth the means of blessing. All who 
will accept may have its blessings, but those who do not 
accept and render obedience to the Lord shall not receive a 
blessing. 

CHILDREN-lnstead of Thy fathers. 



Q750:2:: QUESTION--Will you please explain the 16th 
verse of the 45th Psalm, "Instead of thy fathers shall be thy 
children, whom thou, mayest make princes in all the earth." 
(J.W.A.XPsa. 45:16) 

ANSWER— Considering the connecting verses, it 
becomes evident that this is one of the Messianic Psalms and 
is, in the main, a prophecy relating to the Church of Christ-- 
the Bride class. The King's Daughter, the Bride of the King's 
Son, was to be formed of an elect class made up of Israelites, 
both those who were so by birth, and those (Gentiles) who by 
faith and adoption, should become the Seed of Abraham- 
Israelites indeed. (Rom. 9:6). The "fathers" of this class 
(Rom. 11:28) were the patriarchs of old- Abraham, Isaac, 
Jacob, Moses, etc. These are referred to by the Apostle Paul 
in Heb. ll:39,50-"These all having obtained a good report 
through faith received not the promise, God having provided 
some better thing for 

{PageQ751} 

us, that these without us should not be made perfect." The 
"better things" for the "us" class are the Heavenly honors and 
the Kingly powers and authority, to be conferred upon the 
Bride, the "joint-heir" of the Son of God. These, who now 
are "children," in the day of resurrection, will "make perfect" 
and give life to the "fathers." The relationship will then be 
reversed; the Father (Life-giver) will be the Christ, the 
Messiah, Jesus the Head and the Church, His Body; and the 
patriarchs, the fathers of Israel, will be the children. 

CHRIST-Paurs Desire to be With Him. 

Q751 :1 :: QUESTION-Will you kindly explain 
Philippians 1:23, "For I am in a strait betwixt two having a 
desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better?" 
(Dorfia) 

ANSWER— The context shows that the two things in the 
Apostle's mind (and which to choose he "wot not") were life 
and death. A third thing, however, enters in, which he has no 
difficulty in deciding is far better than either living in the 
flesh or dying in the Lord. This he earnestly desired, viz., the 
coming again of Christ, at whose return he hoped to be 
changed, made like Him, and be with Him. The Greek word 
translated "depart" in the above quotation is the same as that 
translated "return" in Luke 12:36, and has the same 
meaning. Jesus said to his disciples: "If I go ... I will come 
again." In coming again (the Father sending Him —see Acts 3:20), 



He would "depart" from the Father and at the same 
time "return" to His disciples. Had the Apostle's words "to 
depart" been translated "for the returning" they would be 
equally correct, and would harmonize with the other 
Scripture. 

CHRIST--"Prince of Peace'-When? 

Q751 :2:: QUESTION-Since Christ is referred to as the 
"Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6) and the angels announced at 
His birth~"Peace on earth, good will to men" (Luke 2:14), 
how is it that we find the Lord Jesus Himself saying, "Suppose 
ye that I am come to give peace on the earth? I tell you Nay; 
but rather division?" (F.W.) 

ANSWER~The whole history of the Christian Era has 
been one of bloodshed, wars and strife. And these for the 
most part have been brought about by differences of religious 
opinions. In Matthew 24th chapter, our Lord set forth a 
wonderful prophecy relating to the conditions that would 
develop in the world down to the time when He would return 
to establish His own Kingdom or government in the earth. 
There would be wars and rumors of war, earthquakes, 
famines, pestilences; and then, in the very end of the Age "a 
time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation." He 
foretold that His followers would suffer violence; that they 
would be persecuted and misrepresented; and that even in 
their own households there would be divisions. The Master's 
words are being strikingly fulfilled. They are just as true 
today as at any time in the past. The Lord never taught that 
conditions of peace and prosperity would be established in the 
earth prior to His second coming; but just to the contrary. 
The object of His coming again is to thoroughly demolish the 
present evil of things, and then to 

{PageQ752} 

inaugurate the Creator's Government which will bring about 
universal peace and joy and happiness to all the families of 
the earth. Then Christ the Lord will be the "Prince of Peace;" 
and then, and not till then, will the angel's song be realized- 
-"Peace on earth; good will towards men." 

CHRIST-Treatment Today vs. First Advent. 

Q752:1:: QUESTION-In the present day 
enlightenment, if Christ were here in person as at the time of 
His first advent, do you believe the people would treat Him 
the same as they did then? 



ANSWER—There are representatives of Christ in the 
world today—not those who are merely professing Christians, 
in name only, but the true, heart-devoted, sincere followers of 
the Master, and by considering the world's treatment of these 
we can safely approximate as to what would be the Lord's 
experiences were He to appear in the flesh as at His first 
advent. The saintly few who humbly walk in the footsteps of 
Christ, devoting their all in assisting the poor and in 
preaching the Gospel, are not held in the very high esteem by 
the people, as a rule. And is not this in harmony with the 
words of our Lord and the Apostles? (Mat. 5:10-12; Rom. 8:17,18; 
2 Tim. 2:12; 1 Cor. 1:26,27.) After all, the 
common people heard our Lord gladly and marveled at the 
gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. They wished 
to make Him their king on one occasion, and accorded a 
triumph to Him at the time of His entry into the city of 
Jerusalem. It was the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious 
leaders of that time, that opposed and persecuted the Lord, 
and finally induced the multitude to cry out against Him. It is 
even so now. Worldly people admire an upright Christian 
man, his sincerity and honesty, even though they might 
consider him foolish for striving to live up to his faith. But it 
is the modern Scribes and Pharisees who hate those that are 
setting forth the true teachings of the Scriptures. Therefore, 
in view of the foregoing, we have reason to believe that the 
Master would fare no better in the world today than at His 
first advent, were He to appear as then. 

CHRIST-Why Good People not Believers. 

Q752:2:: QUESTION—Iknow a great many good and 
honest people who do not even claim to be Christians; why 
don't they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? 

ANSWER-The Apostle Paul declares that "By faith ye 
are saved." Some people cannot exercise the quality of faith. 
The Apostle also declares that faith cometh by hearing, and 
hearing by the Word of God, which means in order to have 
faith one must study the Word of God and believe it. The 
Apostle Paul answers this question when he declares that the 
God of this world (Satan), manifested in this present evil 
order of things, has blinded the minds of those who do not 
believe (2 Cor. 4:4). The great Adversary, Satan, is the 
author of so many false doctrines that many good, honest 
people have become greatly confused by them. One system 
has taught one doctrine, another class, equally honest, another 
doctrine, until we have in the world 



{PageQ753} 

more than three hundred different denominations, all having 
some truth mixed with much error. Many honest people have 
been unable to separate the truth from the error, and accept 
only the truth and reject the error, hence the confusion and 
refusal to have anything to do with either. If all were to 
follow the admonition of the Apostle, "Study to show yourself 
approved unto God," and not follow man-made theories, there 
would be less confusion and more who would readily accept 
the Scriptural teachings. 

CHRIST'S COMING-Will All Be Converted? 

Q753:1 :: QUESTION-If all people are to be converted 

to Christ before he comes to set his Kingdom, why is it written 

in Rev. 18, that "the nations were angry" at his coming? 

ANSWER~It is a mistake to suppose that the earth will 
be converted at the time of the second coming of Christ. His 
coming and the establishment of His Kingdom are for the 
very purpose of converting the world and uplifting mankind 
in general out of sin and death conditions which now prevail. 
In describing the work of Christ, the Apostle mentions this 
Kingdom, saying, "He must reign till He hath put all enemies 
under His feet (all insubordination, etc.). The last enemy to 
be destroyed is death" (1 Cor. 15:26). The anger of the 
nations at the time of the Second Advent will not necessarily 
be against the Lord; but rather the spirit of selfishness, which 
is already prevalent in the world, will break forth as a 
consuming fire, destroying the social fabric and bringing utter 
ruin. At that time Messiah's Kingdom will interpose for the 
preservation of mankind and for the establishment of a new 
order of things. This new order of things will result in 
converting the world to righteousness (Isa. 1 1 :2-5). And the 
peoples of earth "shall beat their swords into plow shares, and 
their spears into pruning hooks and nation shall not lift up 
sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" 
(Isa. 2:4). 

CHRONOLOGY-Reckoning Time Now vs. Moses' 
Time 

Q753:2:: QUEST ION --How does the manner of 
reckoning time in the age in which Moses lived compare with 
the chronological methods now in use, and if there is any 
difference would it not account for the great age of 
Methuselah as given in the Scriptures? 
ANSWER~The Jewish method of reckoning time which 



was in use in the days of Moses, was a combination of solar 
and lunar time. It was a simple, automatic self-adjusting 
system, which, so far as the final results were concerned, was 
as accurate as the present methods in use. The Jewish months 
were thirty days in length corresponding to the lunations of 
the moon. Ordinarily twelve of these made up the year of 
three hundred and sixty days. The discrepancies resulting 
from this method were rectified by the unique arrangement of 
starting the new year with the new moon nearest the vernal 
equinox. Some years by this method contained thirteen 
months instead of twelve. The length of years, therefore, in 
Moses' time was in the aggregate the same as today. The 
extreme old age of the antediluvians 

{PageQ754} 

can reasonably be accounted for by considering the Bible 
narrative to the effect that originally the human race was 
perfect, and because of death entering into the world as the 
result of sin, the race began to deteriorate. In its more perfect 
state, the average length of life of the race would be far more 
than it is today after the past six thousand years of 
degeneration. This of course is in opposition to the theory of 
evolution, which maintains that the condition of the human 
race is gradually improving. However, no one has ever been 
able to advance a single proof in evidence of the truth of this 
theory, and those most advanced in scientific knowledge are 
now rejecting it. 

CHURCH-Last of Seven Stages-Laodicea 

Q754:1 :: QUESTION--What may we understand the 
Lord's words to signify where He says~"I know thy works, 
that thou art neither cold or hot. So then because thou art 
neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. So then 
because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will 
spue thee out of my mouth."--Rev. 3:15,16. (J.E.D.) 

ANSWER~The seven churches in Asia represent the 
seven stages of development, or epochs in the history of the 
one true Church of Christ. The message to the church in 
Laodicea relates, therefore, to the last or present period of the 
Church's existence. It is during this final stage of the history 
of the Christian Church that we may expect the repudiation or 
spewing out of relationship with the Lord as his mouthpiece, 
and of recognition as members of His true Church, of all 
those who are "lukewarm" and indifferent in the service of the 
Lord—Christians in name only and not heart-devoted 



followers of the Lord. It is daily becoming more manifest to 
all careful observers that there is a wide distinction between 
real Christianity, and the great mass of professing 
Churchianity. Perhaps the most reprehensible class of people 
on the earth is that which is formed of those who are 
half-hearted and indifferent to the great and important affairs 
of life. 

CHURCH-Message to World at This Time. 

Q754:2:: QUESTION-What is the Church's message to 
the world at this time? This is a day of transition; new lines 
of thought and new conditions are rapidly superseding the 
old, and does not this apply to ecclesiastical affairs as well? 
(Reverend) 

ANSWER—This is one of the fundamental questions of 
the times. Ministers everywhere are asking themselves and 
each other as to the proper course to pursue in their efforts to 
keep abreast of the times. Many are making the mistake of 
ignoring the foundation teachings of the Scriptures, and are 
devoting themselves to setting forth the theories of 
"Evolution" and "Higher Criticism," which are nothing more 
or less than insidious forms of skepticism and infidelity. Any 
clergyman who proclaims these theories from the pulpit, has 
no right to the title of "Minister of the Gospel." He is either a 
knave or a hypocrite if he continues to pose as a Christian 
minister, while undermining the faith of his hearers, in 
proclaiming that which is in direct opposition to the teachings 
of the Bible. It is no cause for surprise 

{PageQ755} 

that so few people attend church services now-a-days, when 
we reflect that many clergymen are preaching anything but 
the Gospel. The duty of all true Christians is to make known 
the wonderful tidings of salvation through Christ and His 
coming Kingdom which, when established in the earth, will 
result in the blessing of all the race of mankind. The message 
of the Church to the world now is-- "THE KINGDOM OF 
HEAVEN IS AT HAND"; that kingdom for which all earnest 
Christians have prayed. "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be 
done on earth even as it is done in heaven." 

CIHURCIH-Nominal-re Raising Funds 

Q755:1 :: QUESTION— I am the financial secretary of a 
church and, as such, I have the responsibility of raising funds 
for the various expenses of our regular church work. I must 



confess that I am strained past the compass of my wits to 
know how to get any more money out of our members than we 
are doing at the present time. The difficulty with us is that 
our expenses are increasing every month. We have some 
high-priced singers in or choir and must continue to raise 
their salaries, or else they will leave us. We must have a new 
organ and keep up with the other churches all around us or 
lose our membership. Kindly suggest some up-to-date 
methods of getting money. We have tried suppers, and 
sociables, and fairs, and grab-bags, etc., and our 
congregation seems to be a little tired of these methods; so 
please give us some new ideas? (PERPLEXED.) 

ANSWER—There are two methods by which the modern 
church may be made a success. One of these is to popularize 
the church membership by transforming the church into a 
"social club." Have elaborate musical programs with very 
brief sermons for the regular services, and at other times, 
theatricals, smokers, balls, and entertainments. The other 
method is to adopt the one used by the Lord Jesus and His 
Apostles. 

CHURCH-The Oldest 

Q755:2:: QUESTION-Which is the oldest church? 
(C.D.A.) 

ANSWER—There is but one Church, from the Scriptural 
standpoint. In the language of the Apostle, it is "The Church 
of the First-Born which are written in heaven;" or the "Church 
of the living God;" or again, "The Church of Christ."-Heb. 12:23; 
1 Tim. 3:15; Rom. 16:16. It was this Church 
which our Lord established and He gave it no party name. It 
was merely the Church of Christ. Since then good people, 
more or less confused by the errors of the Dark Ages, have 
separated themselves into various bands and churches of 
human organization and bound themselves together by human 
creeds. These are known by various names. None of these 
Churches of men are authorized by the Bible nor mentioned 
in it. However, the one "Church of the Living God" is 
composed of the saintly people of God in all of these 
denominations, or outside of all of them, as the case may be. 
Hence, the oldest Church is the Church of Christ; and it is the 
only Church, in the Divine estimation. Each saint must desire 
and strive for membership in this Church as his greatest 
privilege. 

{PageQ756} 



Consecrated believers join this Church in a probationary 
sense now, but an entrance into full membership in that 
Church, which is the Body of Christ, will be granted only to 
the "overcomers," after they shall have finished their course 
and have become participants in the First Resurrection. 

CHURCH-Who Are 144,000? 

Q756:1 :: QUESTION-What do we understand by the 
144,000 mentioned in the seventh and fourteenth chapters of 
Revelation? (J.A.D.) 

ANSWER— For more than sixteen centuries the Lord 
dealt exclusively with the Jewish nation. They were His 
specially chosen people and favored above every other nation 
in the earth. The Lord told them on one occasion that He 
recognized them only of all the families of the earth (Amos 3:2). 
The Israelites were informed that if faithful to the 
Lord, and obedient to His commands, they would be a chosen 
generation, a royal priesthood, and that His favor would never 
depart from them. But they became disobedient to the Lord's 
instructions and consequently, the time came when they were 
cast aside and no longer recognized as His people. The 
Divine favor was then turned to the Gentiles and these were 
granted the opportunity to become members of the Royal 
Priesthood. This Priesthood would have been completely 
made up from the twelve tribes of Israel—twelve thousand 
from each 

tribe-had there been a sufficient number of faithful obedient 
ones to make up the predestinated number of 144,000. As 
only a remnant of that nation of the Jews accepted Christ, as 
their Savior when He presented Himself to them, the 
invitation went to the Gentiles, and all throughout this Gospel 
Age the selection has been going on amongst the nations of 
the earth aside from the Jews. When "the fullness (the full 
number) of the Gentiles be come in," then favor will once 
more return to the Jews and all Israel shall be saved (Rom. 1 1:25-27). 
The elect 144,000 will be kings and priests unto 
God and shall reign with Christ during the thousand years 
mentioned in Rev. 20:1-6. 

COMMANDMENTS""On Two Hang Law and 
Prophets." 

Q756:2:: QU ESTION-When the Lord said, "On these 
two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Mat. 22:40), 
what did He mean by the "law and the prophets"? 
(M.A.M.) 
ANSWER— The Lord was answering a question 



propounded by a lawyer who was of the Pharisees, a religious 
sect, the members of which made great professions of 
morality and piety. They were great sticklers for the various 
features of the letter of the Law; and, as far as outward 
conditions of morality were concerned, they were shining 
examples of righteousness; making examples of 
righteousness; making long prayers on the street corners; 
contributing largely to the support of the priests and the 
expenses of the Temple with its religious duties and 
ceremonies; and so particular were they in their habits of 
cleanliness, that the Lord sarcastically said of them on one 
occasion that they strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel! 
Yes; they 

{PageQ757} 

were a self-righteous and self-loving class who swallowed the 
camel of hypocrisy and injustice, but strained at the 
observance of the mere letter of the law. For one of the most 
scathing arraignments of any class to be found in any 
language, read the 23rd chapter of Matthew. Is there such a 
class of moral and religious people in existence today? Then 
let them give heed to the awful denunciations of the Lord. 
How fitting, then, was the Master's reply to this lawyer! 
Summing up all the instructions of the Law and the Prophets 
(the faithful servants and teachers of the law) He set forth the 
very essence or spirit of these instructions in the one word- 
-Love. The Jewish Law was engraved on two tablets of 
stone. The first tablet contained the Laws relating to man's 
obligations to his Creator. The other tablet set forth the duties 
of man toward his fellowman. Therefore, "Thou shall love 
thy God with all thine heart . . . and love thy neighbor as 
thyself." 

CONSCIENCE-What Is It? 

Q757:1 :: QUESTION What is conscience? 

ANSWER~Man when created was endowed with the 
moral faculties; that is, the faculties with which to determine 
between the right and the wrong. The faculties were perfect 
in the first man formed by the Creator. The Divine Law was 
written in the very nature of the perfect human being— Adam. 
When man disobeyed the Almighty Being who had formed 
him, he knew that he had violated the principles of 
righteousness and justice and therefore his conscience 
reproved him—his moral facilities were offended— and with 
the woman he hid himself from the presence of the Lord. 



The sense of discerning good and evil, differentiating 
between right and wrong, has been sadly marred and fulled by 
the long centuries of the experiences of the race with sin, evil 
and degradation, until the conscience alone is no longer a safe 
guide to direct life's affairs. The conscience, even of the best, 
is now and then erroneous and doubtful. Therefore, as 
individual timepieces need to be regulated by some standard 
of time, so our consciences require constant regulation by 
some standard of morality and righteousness—the Word of 
God, the Bible. 

CONSECRATION--re Presentation of Lord After 40 
days. 

Q757:2:: QUESTION-Can you tell me where I can find 
it stated in the Scriptures that our Lord was forty days old 
when He was presented in consecration to the Heavenly 
Father by His parents? Is this the basis for the custom 
observed by some in presenting their children to the Lord? 

ANSWER-As narrated in the second chapter of Luke, 
verses 21-23, (Luke 2:21-23) the mother of Jesus, in 
conformity with the Law which had been given to the 
Israelites by the Lord God through Moses, presented Him in 
consecration to the Heavenly Father. (See Exo. 13:12,15,6.) 
This presentation could not take place until the time of 
the mother's purification had been fulfilled; which, according 
to the Law, (Lev. 12:1-4) would require forty days. All of 
the first-born of the children of Israel are represented as 
belonging unto the Lord, and to redeem these from sacrificial 

{PageQ758} 

service the Law required that a substitute should be offered, 
either a lamb, or two doves, and these must be sacrificed. 
(Exo. 13:12-15.) We believe that it was this Jewish custom 
that is largely responsible for the consecration services 
observed by some of the Lard's saintly people of the present 
day. -1 Sam. 1:22-28. 

CREATION-Days of, How Long? 

Q758:1 :: QUESTION-Were the six days of creation 
literal days of twenty-four hours each? 

ANSWER-The word "day" as used in the Scriptures, 
signifies a fixed period of time. We read of a fourth year day; 
"the day of temptation in the wilderness." (Heb. 3:8,9.) 
Again, we have the Scriptural statement that "One day with 
the Lord is as a thousand years." (2 Pet. 3:8.) A year is 



frequently spoken of as a day; as, "I have appointed thee each 
a day far a year." (Eze. 4:6.) Furthermore the entire Gospel 
Age is called "The day of salvation." —2 Cor. 6:2. When 
considering the statements of Genesis respecting the six 
creative Days or periods, or epochs, we should not limit our 
thoughts to a twenty-four hour day, but examine the subject 
and see what period of time is signified. Doing this, we find 
that a twenty-four hour day could not be meant, for the sun 
did not appear until the fourth of these creative days; hence, 
in the first three of these creative days there could have been 
no twenty-four-hour-day period such as we now note. We 
would not, however, go to the opposite extreme and join with 
so-called Scientists in their claim that there were millions of 
years elapsing in the creative period. 

We find satisfactory evidence in the Scriptures, that one of 
these creative "days" was a period of seven thousand years 
and, hence that the entire creative week would be 7,000 x 7 = 
49,000 years. And although it is, we believe, quite reasonable 
ample for the work represented as being accomplished 
therein—in ordering and filling of the earth, already in 
existence. 

creation-Two Accounts of the Work. 

Q758:2:: QUESTION Were there two works of 
creation as narrated in the first and second chapters of 
Genesis, (Gen 1 and Gen 2)or are these simply two 
accounts of the same works of creation? (E.M.) 

ANSWER~The first and second chapters of the book of 
Genesis are wrongly divided. There are two accounts of the 
work of creation and the division of the chapters should show 
this and be in harmony with divisions contained in the 
narrative. The first account ends with the third verse of the 
second chapter, and the second account begins with the fourth 
verse of the second chapter. The first account relates to the 
epochal division of the work as arranged by the Lord. The 
second account is a commentary on the first, explanatory of 
details, "These are the generations," or developments, of the 
heavens and the earth and their creatures, from a time before 
there was any plant or herb. The first and principal account 
gives the word "God" when speaking of the Creator, and the 
second, or commentary account points out that it was Jehovah 
God who did the entire work~"in the day" that He made the 
heavens and 

{PageQ759} 



the earth—thus grasping the whole as one larger epoch day, 
including the work of the six already enumerated. 

CREATIVE "Day"--How Long is the Seventh? 

Q759:1 :: QUESTION Please give the Scripture 
evidence for the statement that the seventh creative "day" is a 
period of 7,000 years (Questioner.) Harmonize with the 
fourth commandment. (R.M.) 

ANSWER— The Scriptural evidence that this is a period 
of 7,000 years is clear. "God rested (from His work of 
creation) on the seventh day." When Psalm 95 was written 
God was still resting; nor had any change taken place when 
the Epistle to the Hebrews was written, for there (ch. 4.) is 
held out to the Church the offer of sharing in God's rest. 
Even when the Kingdom of Heaven is established God's rest 
continues, for the work of the Kingdom is committed into the 
hands of the Son. At the close of that reign of 1,000 years 
(Rev. 20) the Son will deliver up the Kingdom to the Father, 
"That God may be all in all." Since there are about 6,000 
years from the creation to the second coming of Christ, and 
1,000 years of Christ's Presence, it follows that God's day of 
rest is about 7,000 years long. During His long "day" God 
has not been entirely idle, but has done such Sabbath-day 
works as have in His wisdom been deemed works of 
necessity. The work of restoring the human race from its 
degradation— during the last part of that day will also be 
Sabbath work. Like the ox or ass, it has fallen into a pit, and 
God has made provision for its restoration. 

The fourth commandment does not say that God worked six 
days of twenty-four hours and then rested the other 
twenty-four. The Jewish Sabbath and its system of Sabbaths 
are types of the greater Sabbath— the heavenly. 

DAY OF PREPARATION-Meaning of 

Q759:2:: QU ESTION-What is the meaning of Nahum 2:3,4, 

particularly the expression "Day of His 

Preparation?" 

ANSWER-Many of the prophecies of the Bible relate to 
the last times or the last days, not of the planet an which we 
dwell, for "the earth abideth forever" (Eccl. 1 :4), but rather 
of this present evil world or dispensation, when a new Age or 
order of things would be ushered in. Thus the "Day of His 
Preparation" would be the day or period of time when the 
Lord God would prepare or make ready the elements and 
conditions for the new dispensation, 
sometimes alluded to as "The Golden Age of Prophecy." As a 



matter of fact, are we not living in a period of transition? 
Marvelous changes are being wrought out, old things are 
passing away and new conditions are being developed. In 
connection with this prophecy of Nahum we would direct 
attention to the statement of the Prophet (Dan. 12:4) that 
"many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased," 
in the time of the end. The people are running to and fro all 
over the earth today by means of these very "chariots with 
flaming torches"~the automobiles, trolley cars, and railway 
trains, which "rage in the streets and jostle one against 
another in the broad ways." The Bible prophecies, more than 
seventy in number, relating to this "Day of Preparation," 
clearly indicate that we are on the 

{PageQ760} 

eve of a glorious New Era in which the Divine blessings will 
be showered forth upon all the nations of the earth. 

DEAD--Re Rev. 14:13"How Can Dead Continue 
Works? 

Q760:1 :: QUESTION-What does this mean: "Blessed 
are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith 
the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; but their 
works follow with them? "--Rev. 14:13. How can the dead 
continue their works when there is no consciousness, wisdom 
or knowledge in the grave? Ecc. 9:10. (M.J.E.) 

ANSWER—Addressing the members of the Church of 
Christ, the followers of the Lord Jesus, the Apostle says "Ye 
are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col. 3:3.) 
From the Divine viewpoint, so far as the earthly existence is 
concerned, these are reckoned dead, and alive as new 
creatures in Christ. It is these dead who die in the Lord. 
Theirs is a sacrificial death, and they die daily 1 Cor. 15:31), 
until they have finished the dying process in actual 
death. But now, from a certain time, those of this class who 
die, in place of sleeping in the tomb, at the moment of death 
enter into the glorious heavenly state where their works will 
continue with them. St. Paul refers to this very matter when 
he says, "Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all 
sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the 
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." (1 Cor. 15:51,52). 
From henceforth, from that time, we understand the 
Scriptures to teach, the Lord's people have entered at once 
into their reward. 



DEAD~Re Let the Dead Bury Their Dead. 

Q760:2:: QUESTION--How shall we understand the 

Savior's words --"Let the dead bury their dead?" (Mat. 8:21,22.) 

ANSWER-When our first parent, father Adam, 
disobeyed the Divine commands the death sentence passed 
upon him, and in the legal sense and from the Creator's 
standpoint, he was dead although he lived for nine hundred 
and thirty years afterwards. The dying process began and 
was consummated when Adam passed into the tomb. The 
entire race was involved with Adam in this death sentence, as 
the Scriptures declare- "As by one man sin entered into the 
world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men." 
As in Adam all die" (Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:22). From this 
view of the matter we may understand the Lord's word, "Let 
the dead (the legally dead) bury their dead (the actually 
dead)." It is because all were condemned to death in Adam 
that all will be made alive in Christ (see Rom. 5:18,19). 
Corroborating the words of the Lord Jesus the Apostle says, 
"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge 
that if one died for all then were all dead" (2 Cor. 5:14). 
Jesus, in the laying down of His life, was giving Himself "a 
ransom for all" —those under the sentence of death and those 
who have entered into the great prison house of death, the 
tomb. 

DEAD-Made Alive in Christ. 

Q760:3:: QU ESTION -Here is a Scripture that is 
confusing. If you can explain it I will be very thankful to you. 
It reads, "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be 
made alive."-l Cor. 15:22. What is the meaning of the 
latter part? 

{PageQ761} 

ANSWER— The correct translation of this text is thus: 
"As in Adam all die, even so all in Christ shall be made 
alive." Adam by disobedience brought death upon himself, 
and all his children being then in his loins all inherited death. 
The redemption price for Adam and all his race has been 
provided through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
In due time Christ will offer to Adam and all his children, all 
the human family, life eternal. This offer will come to the 
world in the reverse order, however, the last being first and 
the first (Adam) being last. All after coming to a knowledge 
of the truth concerning the redemptive work of Christ, who 
accept Christ and obey him will be made alive. Accepting 



Christ and obeying Christ in the sense that they will became 
the children of Christ. Those who refuse to came into Christ 
will not receive eternal life, but will suffer eternal destruction. 
Christ is the Great Life Giver of the human race, and during 
His reign he will offer to all, life as a free gift, and those 
accepting it upon the terms offered will come up to full and 
perfect life. 

DEAD-Moses and Elijah on Mount-How? 

Q761 :1 :: QUESTION If Moses and Elijah were 
actually dead, how could they appear on the Mount of 
Transfiguration with our Lord Jesus? (Mat. 17:1-3.) 

ANSWER--While Moses and Elijah both passed from 
the scene of earth's experiences under peculiar and mysterious 
circumstances, yet we are assured that both died. (Deut. 34:5; 
Heb. 11:13.) The Scriptures everywhere represent the 
dead as being in a condition of unconsciousness, "asleep" in 
the tomb, the grave— "The dead know not anything," for there 
is no wisdom, nor device, nor knowledge in the grave whither 
thou goeth" (Eccl 9:5,10). We must carefully examine the 
text under consideration, for the true meaning, recognizing 
that all of the expressions of the inspired Scriptures are in 
complete harmony. The ninth verse of this same chapter 
explains the matter, where we note the words of the Master- 
-"Tell the vision to no man." What the Apostle saw therefore 
was merely a "vision" of Moses and Elijah with the Lord, just 
as St. John on the Isle of Patmas saw visions of beasts, angels, 
etc., and not actual things themselves. Moses surely had not 
been resurrected and made perfect at that time, for we are 
informed that our Lord Jesus was the first to rise from the 
dead and be glorified. Note also the Apostle Paul's words in 
Heb. 1 1:39,40 where he sets forth that Moses and the other 
ancient worthies of the past have yet to be made perfect by 
those of the church class when glorified in the heavenly 
Kingdom with Christ. 

DEAD~Re Seeing Visions and Hearing Celestial Music. 

Q761 :2:: QUESTION-If the dead are asleep in the 
graves awaiting the time of the resurrection at Christ's 
second coming, when all who are in their graves shall be 
awakened and shall come forth, as the Scriptures affirm; how 
shall we understand the experiences of some who, at the time 
of their departure from this life, see heavenly visions of 
angels, and hear strains of celestial music? (W.E.D.) 

{PageQ762} 



ANSWER~As it is emphatically set forth throughout the 
entire Scriptures that the dead are "asleep" "in their graves" 
and that "the dead know not anything," "for there is neither 
wisdom, nor device, nor knowledge in the grave whither thou 
goest"; and that all will remain in this sleep of death until the 
awakening time, when "all who are in their graves shall come 
forth at the voice of the Son of Man"; we must conclude that 
the dying ones did not enter at once into heaven; and that 
what they saw was not an actual glimpse of celestial glories, 
but merely a phantasmagoria induced by an excited condition 
of the imaginative powers of the mind, with a 
correspondingly dormant state of the reasoning faculties. The 
Lord Jesus declared at His first advent that no one had 
ascended into Heaven; and the Apostle says that the sleeping 
ones will be awakened and changed at the second advent.-- 
See John 3:13; 1 Cor. 15:51,52. 

DEAD-Who were Dead Preached to in 1 Pet. 4:6? 

Q762:1 :: QU ESTION-Will you kindly explain the 
words of the Apostle as found in 1 Pet. 4:6? Who were the 
dead that the Gospel was preached to? And when and by 
whom? How will they be judged in the flesh and live to God 
in the spirit? (J.P.H.) 

ANSWER~In the preceding verses the Apostles says 
"Speaking evil of you who shall give an account to Him that 
is ready to judge the quick and the dead." From these words 
it is manifest that he is addressing the followers of Christ who 
have became dead to the things of the world and alive to the 
heavenly or spiritual things. The Apostle continues with this 
thought, saying that it is for this reason (because we who are 
dead to the world and alive toward God are being called out 
now, as the Lord's elect class, therefore) the Gospel is 
preached to us who are judges as in the flesh, like all other 
men, the Lord may judge us in the spirit, begotten to a 
newness of life. These spiritual new creatures have their 
judgment time in this present life and are judged in the flesh 
with its weakness and blemishes inherited from Adam. 

DEATH-Adam Lived 930 Years After Sentence 

Q762:2:: QUESTION-God said to Adam, "In the day 
that thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die." How can you 
harmonize this with the record that "all the days that Adam 
lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died?"-- 
Gen. 2:17; Gen 5:5. 
ANSWER--St. Peter gives us the key to this question in 



his declaration, "One day with the Lord is as a thousand 
years" (2 Pet. 3:8). Father Adam began to die as soon as he 
was cut off from the privileges of the garden of Eden; for 
while he was living therein he had the Divine permission to 
freely eat of the trees of the garden—with a single exception— 
and he was sustained by their life-giving fruit; but after his 
disobedience he was thrust out into the unprepared earth, and 
Cherubim with a flaming sword kept the pathway to Eden that 
he might not return thither to partake further of its sustaining 
fruit, but should die, in harmony with the sentence. "In the 
day that thou eateth 

{PageQ763} 

thereof, thou shall surely die" (Gen. 2:17). The dying there 
began, and continued gradually for nine hundred and thirty 
years, until life was extinct— Adam was dead. This all took 
place within a thousand year day. 

DEATH-Vs. AnnihilatioN' 

Q763:1 :: QUESTION-ls there any difference between 

death and annihilation? 

ANSWER"ln the Scriptures we find that there are two 
kinds of death mentioned; the Adamic condition of death, and 
the "Second Death." The first could not properly be termed 
annihilation, as the Lord has arranged that all who have died 
because of Adam's sin (the whole world of mankind) are to be 
released from this sentence of death and awakened at the time 
of Christ's second coming. These, from the Bible standpoint, 
have merely been "asleep." Jesus Christ by the grace of God 
tasted death for every man," and therefore the entire race will 
be awakened from the tomb. (John 5:28,29.) During the 
reign of Christ and His Bride, the Church, who then will 
judge or try the world, if any continue in apposition to God's 
law of righteousness, and love, and justice, they will go into 
the "Second Death." This condition of death is annihilation. 
"They shall suffer everlasting destruction from the presence 
of the Lord." "But these, as natural brute beasts, shall utterly 
perish in their own corruption. "-Obadiah 16; 2 Thess. 1:9; 
2 Pet. 2:12. 

DEATH-Define 

Q763:2:: QUESTION What is death? 



ANSWER—Death is the cessation of life; the cutting off 
of the great privilege or boon of living. It signifies 
annihilation so far as the being or intelligence is concerned. 
Death, as it now reigns in the world, and to which the entire 
human family is subjected, is, however, not annihilation, 
simply because our Creator has graciously provided a 
recovery from it. The basis for that recovery was laid in the 
death of our Redeemer- -"the just for the unjust" (1 Pet. 3:18). 
The time for the recovery will be in the Resurrection 
Day, the Last Day, the seventh thousand-year-period from the 
creation of man. During Messiah's reign of a thousand years 
he will recover Adam and all his race from the effects of the 
first transgression, giving them life again. That is to say, the 
privilege of attaining to everlasting life and perfection will be 
placed within the reach of Adam and all of his race, and only 
by the wilful rejection of the grace of God will any fail to 
attain to this life. Such as wilfully and deliberately reject the 
grace of God, are represented by the Scriptures as dying the 
Second Death. That will be annihilation, or eternal death- 
-extinction as brute beasts—because no provision has been 
made for the recovery or succor of such (2 Pet. 2:12). 

DEATH-Does Last Moment Confession Guaranty 
Heaven? 

Q763:3:: QU ESTION-If a man has lived a sinful life, 
committed murder and robbed the widows and orphans, etc., 
and then at the last moment, with his dying breath, confesses 

{PageQ764} 

his sins and accepts Christ as his Savior, will he not go 
immediately to Heaven and be with the Lord in glory? (W.S.) 

ANSWER—When we think of the vast numbers of 
vicious, depraved characters, hardened criminals, convicts, 
etc., who at the solicitation of clergymen and religious 
devotees have "made their peace with God" at the last 
moment before being ushered into eternity by electrocution or 
by dying a natural death, we wonder that intelligent people 
would for an instant entertain the idea that these had all 
entered into Heaven! Is it possible that the saintly followers 
of Jesus, who walked the narrow way of self-sacrifice, 
suffering and death, and who developed characters of love 
and kindness and goodness—that these saintly few, for the 
saints are very few, when they reach Heaven, will find it 
crowded with the lowest scum of the earth! Much confusion 
of thought in this connection has resulted from the 



misapplication of the Savior's words addressed to the dying 
thief upon the cross. By placing the comma where it properly 
belongs after the word "today," the meaning of the Lord's 
words is clear. The thief did not go to heaven, or to Paradise 
that day; but went into the tomb there to remain until the 
Kingdom of Christ is set up at the Lord's second coming, 
when Paradise will be restored. Not only this thief, but the 
other thief as well, may then receive eternal life on the terms 
of obedience to the Divine Laws of justice and love. Failing 
in this, they will die the Second Death. 

death-How can the Dead Die? (Rev. 14:13) 

Q764:1 :: QUESTION-"And I heard a voice from 
heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the 
Lord from hence forth." Rev. 14:13. Who are the dead who 
die in the Lord, and how can a dead person die? (A.C.D.) 

ANSWER—There are three kinds of death mentioned in 
the Scriptures—the Adamic death; the sacrificial death, as 
death of Christ; and the "second death." 

The Adamic condition of death, passed upon all the human 
race because of Adam's disobedience. The world of mankind 
may be regarded as a convict race under sentence of death— 
"As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; 
and so death passed upon all men." (Rom. 5:12.) The death 
of Christ is different from that of Adam and his posterity. 
Adam died as a convict; the Lord Jesus died, not as a convict, 
but as a sacrifice for the sin of the world. His was a 
sacrificial death, and began at Jordan when He presented 
Himself in full consecration to God, and was "finished" 
(John 19:30) when He died upon the cross, three and 
one-half years later. From the Divine viewpoint, the Lord 
Jesus was no longer considered as a man from the time of His 
consecration; but was regarded as a spiritual "new creature." 
He was dead according to the flesh, and was alive according 
to the spirit. Thus it is with the true followers of Christ. "As 
many as were baptized into Christ were baptized into His 
death." (Rom. 6:3.) From the time of full consecration to 
God, these are counted as being dead, as says the Apostle— 
"Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col. 3:3.) 
These are the "dead who die in the Lord" —dying daily 
in the Lord's service, and in the service of the truth (1 Cor. 15:31). 
See also Rom. 6:8; Col. 2:23. 

{PageQ765} 

DEATH--Of Josiah 



Q765:1 :: QUESTION In 2 Kings 22:20th verse we 
read "Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, 
aud thou shall be gathered into thy grave in peace." Then in 
2 Kings 23:29-30, we are told that Josiah was killed at 
Megiddo. Please explain and harmonize. (M.D.G.) 

ANSWER— The promise which the Lord made to Josiah, 
as stated in 2 Kings 22:20, was because of the splendid 
work of reformation which the king had inaugurated and was 
prosecuting against the false and idolatrous religious systems 
that had become established in the land, during the preceding 
reigns of the kings of Judah. While it is not specifically 
stated that this promise was conditioned on Josiah's continued 
faith and obedience to the Lord, yet we can be assured that 
such must have been the case, for all of God's promises are of 
this nature. As Josiah did not die in peace, but was slain in 
battle, we would naturally be led to examine the Scriptures to 
find wherein Josiah had acted contrary to the Lord's will. The 
incidents narrated in the next chapter, are described more in 
detail in 2 Chronicles 35th chapter and the reason why 
Josiah suffered a violent death is clearly outlined in the 20th 
verse. What a lesson far all--to mind their own business and 
not to meddle in the affairs of others ! 

DEATH-Surely Die vs. Eyes Opened 

Q765:2:: QU ESTION-In Gen. 2:16,17, we read - 
"And the Lord God commanded the man saying . . . but of the 
tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat of it; for 
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die." In 
Gen. 3:4,5, we read as follows-- "And the Serpent said unto 
the Woman, Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know that in 
the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye 
shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil." My question is: 
which of these statements are we to regard as true? (I.D.) 
ANSWER~The Apostle says that God cannot lie, and 
one of the ancient writers of the Scriptures declared that "God 
is not a man that He should lie." (Titus 1:2; Num. 23:19.) 
Our Lord, on the contrary, in speaking of Satan, the Serpent, 
said— "He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not 
in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he 
speaketh of a lie he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar and 
the father of it." (John 8:44.) In view of these plain 
declarations of the Scriptures, it would be advisable to accept 
the Lord's Word an the subject of death being the penalty for 
disobedience. Scientists, our own senses, and the Word of 
God, all agree that the dead are dead; and not alive, as Satan 
and all his emissaries would have us believe. See Rom. 3:4. 



DEATH-'Their Worm Shall Not Die." 

Q765:3:: QUESTION— I've always had a sneaking idea 
that somewhere in the subterraneum depth of my make-up 
there was an immortal worm or something which could never 
be extinguished, and when this tabernacle that I am 
inhabiting disintegrates into its original elements, this 
whatever-it- 

{PageQ766} 

may-be will pass into the great beyond, off somewhere in the 
realms of boundless space. Now, what I'd like to know is: 
ain't there some Scriptures that proves my idea is correct? I 
ain't never been able to find it myself, although my 
grandmother said as how it was there. (Z.E.D.) 

ANSWER~The Bible does not speak of the place where 
"their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be 
quenched." (Isa. 66:24.) This place, however, has reference 
to the Valley of Gehenna, where the refuse of the city of 
Jerusalem was cast. In this valley fire and brimstone were 
kept burning continually. The bodies of dead animals, and 
criminals who had been executed, were sometimes thrown 
into this place. These would frequently lodge upon the rocks 
and would be consumed by worms, which were undying until 
the carcasses were consumed. Thus the Prophet was 
forcefully picturing the absolute destruction of the wicked, 
and was in no sense picturing their preservation. As there is 
to be a resurrection of the dead, it follows that there must be 
something that is preserved when death takes place. This 
"what-ever-it-may-be" is the character or the identity, which, 
in the awakening, will be endowed with a new body and with 
life. See 1 Cor., 15th chapter. Scientists and Bible students 
have never discovered any "immortal worms." 

DEATH~re Those Who Die Without Baptism. 

Q766:1 :: QU ESTION-I have just lost a dear little girl 
who never was baptized. I am about mad with grief and 
sorrow. Some people tell me that she is lost to all eternity 
and may possibly now be writhing in eternal torture. I have 
called in our minister and he only shakes his head in doubt. I 
have also talked with ministers of other denominations and 
can get no consolation. I will appreciate it if your question 
box can give me a satisfactory answer. I want God's word 
and no guesses if you please. ( an anxious mother.) 
ANSWER— We appreciate your sorrow and anxiety. 



Many mothers have been comforted by the Lord's word found 
in Jer. 31:15. "Thus saith the Lord, A voice was heard in 
Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for 
her children, because they were not." (They were dead, 
unconscious, "The dead know not anything." ~Ecc. 9:5.) 
These children of Rachel were not in eternal torment, and 
there is no record of their ever having been baptized. "Thus 
saith the Lord, Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine 
eyes from tears... they shall came again from the land of the 
enemy." Death is always spoken of in the Bible as an enemy, 
and the last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Cor. 15:26.) 
All the sleeping ones shall return from the tomb, "the land of 
the enemy," when Christ shall come again, (John 5:28,29- 
-Revised version.) 

DEATH--Re Tree falleth. 

Q766:2:: QUESTION-Kindly explain the last part of 
the third verse of Ecc, the eleventh chapter: "In the place 
where the tree falleth there it shall be." 

ANSWER~We find this scripture to be in harmony with 
the remainder of the Bible and as particularly expressed in the 
ninth chapter of this same book of Ecclesiastes— 

{PageQ767} 

"for there is no work nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom 
in the grave whither thou goest." When an individual dies- 
-falls as a tree in death— so shall he remain in the same 
condition in which he went into the death state, even as the 
tree of the forest remains at rest. According to the ideas of 
some good, well-meaning people, when a man dies there is 
something that escapes and goes winging its flight around 
through space, and, according to this theory, this intangible 
essence that it is liberated from the body, is the real 
individuality, and thus the person is more alive than ever and 
perfectly conscious. With this view in mind, and referring to 
the scriptures quoted in the question, we would be forced to 
understand that when a tree falls it does not actually die, but 
something passes from it and it is very much alive 
somewhere. However, there is no such absurdity about the 
Bible teachings, to the effect that the dead are dead (and not 
alive) and will be awakened in the morning of the 
resurrection. 

DEMONS-Responsible for Rapping Tables & Other 
Antics. 



Q767:1 :: QUESTION The Boston (Mass.) press 
recently devoted columns of conservative space to describing 
the antics performed by the furniture in the parish home of a 
Catholic priest residing in one of the suburban districts of 
that center of the intellectual universe. Tables and chairs 
waltzed about the room, and a brass costumer threw itself 
downstairs, while an alarm clock behaved in a most alarming 
manner, hurling itself across the room and then repeating the 
stunt after being restored to its original position. The several 
inmates of the house were duly impressed by these 
extraordinary proceedings, but were unable to account for 
them. Perhaps you can explain the mystery. What? (Psyche) 

ANSWER— Reports of similar proceedings, in all parts 
of the globe, indicate that the powers of darkness are 
becoming very active. These peculiar manifestations can be 
attributed to nothing else than to the operation of the demons 
that infest earth's atmosphere. Let no one for a moment 
suppose that these phenomena are produced by those who 
have died, and that these are indications of an effort on their 
part to communicate with their friends and relatives in the 
flesh. Our friends are asleep in the tomb, wholly unconscious 
(Ecc. 9:10) and therefore, could not be spending their time 
in throwing furniture around, thumping on banjos, twanging 
guitars, and rapping on tables. If our friends had nothing 
better to do on the other side, than to engage in such silly 
antics, as these spiritual phenomena usually are, we would do 
well to treat them with cold contempt. The tendency of 
spiritualism is invariably downward; no one has ever been 
influenced to the higher and nobler things through the power 
of the demons. 

DEMONS-re Speaking in Unknown Tongues. 

Q 767:2:: QU EST ION --What is meant by the expression 
"unknown tongues" as mentioned by the Apostle in 1 Cor. 14th 
chapter? Is it possible for anyone to speak in unknown 
tongues at the present time? (J.J.L.) 

ANSWER~On the day of pentecost, as the Apostles 
were gathered together at Jerusalem, the holy spirit, the 

{PageQ768} 

power of God, rested upon them and by its influence they 
were enabled to speak in unknown languages, so that the 
peoples of different countries and nationalities were able to 
understand the message which the Apostles were delivering. 
(Acts 2:1-12.) This gift of the spirit was conferred upon 



others of the Lord's followers later and was for the purpose of 
qualifying them to bear witness to the truth to people of 
foreign lands. In the chapter referred to in the question, the 
Apostle discourses at some length on this subject of "tongues" 
and explains that they were merely for a sign which was not 
to be used unless an interpreter were present. Although he 
could speak in more tongues or languages than all of the 
brethren, yet he would rather speak five words and be 
understood than to utter ten thousand words and not be 
understood. When the church was thoroughly established and 
the gospel message in its completeness had gone abroad, there 
was no longer any need for the "signs" or the miraculous gifts 
of the spirit and therefore, they ceased. (1 Cor. 13:8.) It is 
true that same today have the faculty of speaking in unknown 
tongues, but this is not accomplished through the power of the 
Lord; it is of the evil one. A single glance at the frenzied 
condition, and the paroxysms of those speaking in the 
unknown tongues, should be conclusive evidence that they 
are obsessed by demons or evil spirits. 

DESTRUCTION--Everlasting--in What Way? 

Q768:1 :: QUESTION-Do the words "everlasting" and 
"forever and ever" as applied to the punishment of the 
wicked, mean an eternity of misery, and torment, or merely 
punishment for a season? Cannot the wicked be destroyed? If 
they are fireproof and indestructible; then have they not 
eternal life as well as the righteous? And if they have eternal 
life, how shall we understand the words of the inspired writer 
when he says "and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life 
abiding in him"? John 3:15 (Serious). 

ANSWER~Let no one be deceived regarding the 
duration of the punishment of the wicked, as it is repeatedly 
put forth in the scriptures that it is for eternity and not merely 
for a season. However; it is not a question as to the duration 
of the punishment, but it is a question as to the nature of the 
punishment. It is about this point that many Christians have 
been confused. When the Apostle says, concerning the 
ultimate fate of the wicked, "they shall suffer everlasting 
destruction from the presence of the Lord," they at once get 
the thought of the eternal feature of the punishment, but do 
not get the proper idea as to its nature; reasoning generally 
that "destruction" means preservation (in fire and brimstone). 
Death is the punishment for sin. It is the penalty for 
disobedience. "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23.) 
And when death is eternal, it is eternal punishment. There 
should be no question on this point. The scriptural 



proposition is very plain. "The gift of God is eternal life, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord." The wicked, who after full 
light and knowledge, refused to accept of the grace of God as 
manifested through Christ, will never receive the "gift" of 
eternal life. 

{PageQ769} 

DESTRUCTION-The Mountain of--(Battle of 
Armageddon) 

Q769:1 :: QUESTION--What is the meaning of the word 
"Armageddon"? Also, what is signified by "the battle of 
Armageddon"? These are expressions that I see are 
appearing quite frequently in the daily press these balmy 
political days, and my curiosity is aroused considerably. 
(T.R.) 

ANSWER--The name is found in Rev. 16:16, and 
means literally "The Mountain of Destruction." It is supposed 
to have reference to the place where the Lord caused fearful 
destruction of the enemies of Israel before the armies of 
Gideon, and of Jehosaphat. On both of these occasions, the 
slaughter of the allied armies of the foe was terrible and the 
rout was complete (Judges 8; 2 Chronicles 20). These are 
believed to be types or illustrations of the "time of troubles 
such as was not since there was a nation" in the end of this 
Christian era, when "the whole world is gathered together for 
the battle of the great day of God the Almighty." (Dan. 12:1; 
Rev.l4:14;Zeph. 3:8.) 

As a matter of fact, the opposing hosts of this last final 
conflict are gathering at this present time. The spirit of 
revolution and anarchism in the world is generating a boiling, 
seething condition of affairs. The warring political factions, 
the militant suffragettes, the socialists, the nihilists, the 
anarchists, the labor organizations, the capitalistic 
combinations, and the ecclesiastical system, all in opposition 
to each and all, are rushing headlong to the Mountain of 
Destruction— Armageddon. The nations of the earth are 
already gathered together, forming one vast community of 
general interests, commercially, financially, and politically, 
and associated by the modern methods of communication, the 
cables, wireless telegraphs, railways and steamship lines. 
Armageddon will truly be an awful place of destruction with 
all the world engaged in that last final struggle! 

DIVINE NATURE-Explain Nature 

Q769:2:: QUESTION-What is meant by Divine nature. 



etc.? What is the meaning of the word nature in these 
connections? (A.P.N.) 

ANSWER~The word "nature" in its true sense, as 
applied to creatures, or beings, signifies the kind of organism 
and sphere of existence in which they live and move and have 
their being. Thus when human nature is referred to, it 
signifies the conditions of existence relating to the human 
race. The angelic nature is in a higher and different sphere of 
existence than that of humanity. (Psa. 8.) As there is a vast 
difference between the conditions of existence of a fish and a 
bird, so we may reasonably suppose there is just as wide a 
difference between the human and angelic. The Divine nature 
is the highest of all natures, and is different from all others in 
this regard-it possesses inherent life and is, therefore, 
immortal. Whereas all other natures possess life that is not 
inherent, but is sustained by partaking of the life-giving 
elements peculiar to the different natures. A blending of 
natures would be a hybrid thing-a monstrosity. The Lord 
Jesus experienced two changes of nature— from spiritual to 
human (Heb. 2:16,17) and then 

{PageQ770} 

from human to Divine. It is promised in the Scriptures that 
the faithful followers of Christ shall also experience a change 
of nature, and will "became partakers of the Divine nature" - 
-the nature of God. 2 Pet. 1:4. 

divinity-Is Jesus Divine? 

Q770:1 :: QUESTION-Can we say that Jesus is divine 
and yet not worship Him as deity? (H.A.R.) 

ANSWER-The Logos is designated "The Only 
Begotten Son" of God. The thought conveyed by this 
expression is that the Logos, the Lord Jesus, is the only direct 
creation or begetting of the Heavenly Father, while all others 
of God's sons (angels as well as men), were His indirect 
creation through the Logos. Hence the propriety, the 
truthfulness, of the statement, that He is the Only Begotten 
Son of God. The Lord Jesus has ever been the agency or 
channel through whom the Divine purposes have been 
accomplished. As the direct agent of the Heavenly Father it is 
appropriate that He should be honored even as the Father is 
honored. And so it is written, "That all men should honor the 
Son even as they honor the Father." (John 5:23.) After the 
death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, He was highly 
exalted, receiving glory, honor, and immortality, the divine 



nature. In view of this high exaltation, and of His position of 
special favor at the right hand of the Majesty an high, it is no 
cause for surprise that we find it stated that all should bow the 
knee to Him: "Him hath God highly exalted, and given Him a 
name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus 
every knee should bow. "--Phil. 2:9. 

EARTH-Was Motion Reversed?"Dial of King Ahaz. 

Q770:2:: QUESTION-In 2 Kings 20:11, we read that 
Isaiah the Prophet cried unto the Lord; and He brought the 
shadow of the sun ten degrees backwards, by which it had 
gone down on the dial of Ahaz. Does this record teach that 
the Lord reversed the earth's motion upon its axis? (A.) 
ANSWER~The possibility of such a miracle has been 
questioned by many, who have insisted that it would involve 
not only stoppage of the motion of the earth upon its axis, but 
an impossible retrograde movement, to be accomplished in a 
moment of time. However, Professor Garbett, writing far a 
magazine called Knowledge, declares that he knew of an 
afternoon some years ago when, on many sun-dials in 
Southern England, there occurred exactly the wonder 
described in the book of Kings. Asked by Astronomer R.A. 
Proctor to describe it, he writes as follows: "The shiftings of 
the shadows an the dials, that Isaiah predicted to sick 
Hezekiah, are liable to occur at any place, when these two 
circumstances occur: (1) That the upper atmosphere is in that 
condition which causes two bright parhelion or mock suns to 
appear an opposite sides of the sun; and (2) that the lower air 
contains drifting clouds, massive enough to hide often two of 
the three (apparent suns). When the real sun and eastern 
mock sun are hidden, there is only the western (mock sun) to 
cast shadows, which then coincides with what the sun would 
cast an hour and a half later; but if the clouds shift so as to 
hide the west parhelion, and disclose the eastern, the shadows 
instantly become such as 

{PageQ771} 

the sun cast an hour and a half earlier. ... On March 29, 
1858, these effects occurred, had any one been looking, on 
every dial of Portsea, and very probably of much of 
Hampshire besides. The parhelia were present and bright 
enough at about 1 1 a.m. and still better at 1 p.m. 

EARTH-Scriptural vs. Scientific View of Future 

Q771 :1 :: QUESTION-The Bible says "The earth 



abideth forever" (Ecc. 1:4). How do we harmonize this with 
the conclusions reached by scientists that the solar system is 
gradually running down and that eventually the earth will 
become cold and lifeless? 

ANSWER—Even if the conclusions of scientists were 
realized as suggested above, it would not be out of harmony 
with the Bible statement, for the earth would still be "abiding" 
although in a lifeless form. Various have been the 
speculations as to the ultimate fate of the earth. Some have 
conjectured that the earth would eventually drop into the sun 
and thus be consumed. Others have suggested that a collision 
would occur with some comet or with another planet, and in 
this way, the earth would be disposed of. The suppositions of 
scientists have served to amuse a not too credulous public 
and, we believe, not many have taken them seriously as to 
their wild guesses. How reasonable and consistent the Bible 
teaching to the effect that the Creator formed the earth to be 
inhabited, and that while it is still in an imperfect condition as 
a habitation for mankind, yet it is to be made glorious and 
perfect and in its beautified state will form an everlasting 
dwelling place for the regenerated human race! See 
Isa. 14:18. 

EARTH-Will it be Burned Up? 

Q771 :2:: QU ESTION--Are we to understand from the 
words of St. Peter (2 Pet. 3:10) that the earth is to be 
burned up at some time or other? And what is the meaning of 
the expression— "the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" 
ANSWER-The symbolical earth of St. Peter's prophecy 
doubtless refers to the social order of things or organized 
society, represented in the various forms of government now 
existing. In referring to the last times or the last days, our 
Lord foretold a time of trouble such as was not since there 
was a nation—Mat. 24:21 and the scriptures in general show 
how this "trouble" will be developed, and that it will be so 
destructive in character that it will result in the dissolution of 
the present evil, selfish, social structure, preparatory to the 
establishment of the "new earth"— verse 13— founded upon 
principles of equity, justice and love. The "elements" which 
constitute the present "earth" or social order, are the 
socialistic element, the capitalistic element, the labor element, 
etc. Who can not see that the friction existing between the 
various elements is constantly increasing, and that it is a 
question of but short time when the friction will become so 
intense that the elements, bursting forth into open flame, "will 
melt (be dissolved) with fervent heat," and thus the entire 



social fabric will be destroyed? As showing that the "fire" is 
not literal, we have in mind the Prophet's description of this 
same destructive time of trouble, in which it is stated that 
after 

{PageQ772} 

the "fire" has done its work, the Lord will "then" turn to the 
people a pure language. Zeph. 3:8,9. 

EARTH-Will Present Resources Last Forever? 

Q772:1 :: QUESTION-The scriptures state that God 
created the Earth not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited. 
(Isa. 14:18.) And also that the earth abideth forever. 
(Ecc. 1 :4.) This seems to imply that the earth will be 
populated forever. If this be true, where will they get their 
supplies from, such as coal, minerals, timber, etc. when the 
present sources are exhausted? (E.M.) 

ANSWER~The earth is composed of different elements. 
These elements, while they may change their forms and 
disappear from mortal vision, always remain the same 
elements. No instance has ever been known of where one 
element changed into another. But there is constant change 
taking place throughout all of the realms of nature. Yet, 
nothing is gained, and nothing is lost. Water changes from a 
solid (ice) into vapor (steam) and then into its elementary 
gases--H20. Then the operation is reversed. The gases 
change to vapor—the vapor to liquids, and the liquids to 
solids. We may reason from this that when the coal, 
minerals, timber, etc., have all been used in their present 
form, and having been transformed into some other state, they 
will be utilized in that state or condition. And this process 
could go on throughout eternity without exhausting in the 
slightest degree the original elements. The process of change 
is always in a circle, and all that mankind will need to do will 
be to follow the circle around to its initial starting point and 
then repeat the process throughout all the years of eternity. 

ELIJAH-Re John the Baptist. 

Q772:2:: QU ESTION-What did Christ mean when he 
referred to John the Baptist as Elijah? (Matt. 17:2,12). Is 
this an evidence that he recognized re-incarnation as the 
truth? 

ANSWER— The theory of re-incarnation is nowhere 
taught in the scriptures. Our Lord Jesus and the Apostles 
never, in all their teachings, said a word about re-incarnation. 



As to the meaning of the Savior's words referred to in the 
question, we recognize that He was calling to mind the 
prophecy of Mai. 4:5,6. John the Baptist was one of the 
greatest of the prophets, and it was his mission to prepare the 
way of the Messiah, the Christ, by performing a reformation 
work in preaching repentance and baptism for the remission 
of sins, and declaring the kingdom of heaven at hand. This 
message was to the Jews and to them only, as they had been 
the Lord's chosen people for many centuries. But now a new 
dispensation was about to be ushered in. The kingdom of 
heaven was at hand. And it was John's mission to prepare the 
people for the new order of things. This He did in the power 
and spirit of Elijah. (Luke 1:16,17.) We know positively 
that John was not Elijah for we have his own testimony on the 
subject. "And they asked him, what then? Art thou Elijah? 
And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he 
answered. No." (John 1:21.) 

{PageQ773} 

ENOCH-Translated-How Harmonized / All Died in 
Faith. 

Q773:1 :: QUESTION-Heb. 11:5, we read that Enoch 
was translated that he should not see death. Then in the 13th 
verse we read that these all DIED in faith, referring to those 
mentioned in the preceding verses. Would this include 
Enoch among those mentioned? And if so please harmonize 
the two statements. (E.G.) 

ANSWER--From the Genesis statement (Gen. 5:22-24) 
and the Apostles' words in the 5th verse of this 1 1th chapter 
of Hebrews, (Heb. 1 1:5) we are inclined to believe that the 
Lord translated Enoch that he should not see death; that in 
some way Enoch's life was preserved. As the scriptures do 
not say where the Lord placed Enoch that he should not see 
death, it would be idle speculation an our part to attempt to 
set forth just where to look for him. If Enoch, then, is alive 
somewhere as the 5th verse indicates, the expression of the 
13th verse— "these all died in faith"~would have no reference 
to him. The Apostle was evidently referring to those 
mentioned in the 12th verse, and not to those mentioned in the 
preceding verses. "Therefore sprang from one, and him as 
good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, 
and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These 
all died in faith." 

EVIL-Origin. 



Q773:2:: QUESTION-Where did evil originate? Is 
God the author of evil? (Isa. 14:7; Amos 3:6.) 

ANSWER— The word evil in the texts cited has the 
meaning in the Hebrew language of adversity. These evils or 
calamities were sent upon the Jews as chastisements for their 
violation of the terms of the covenant which they had made 
with the Lord. The evil here referred to was not evil in the 
sense of its being a wrong or a sin. Right and wrong, good 
and evil as principles have always existed and always will. 
Principles are eternal. Sin was produced by the evil principle 
becoming active, and began with Satan who permitted evil to 
control and dominate his course of action. Sin and evil were 
introduced into the world by Satan when he induced our first 
parents to disobey the Divine command. Thus the race has 
come under the dominion of sin and death supervised by 
Satan, the God (ruler) of this "present evil world." (2 Cor. 4:4.) 
At the appointed time when the Lord shall again 
control earth's affairs, establishing his own kingdom in the 
earth, Satan is to be bound and eventually will be destroyed, 
while evil will gradually cease to be active until at the close 
of Christ's reign, when sin and evil in their various forms, 
suffering, and death, shall be no more. (Rev. 21:3-5.) 

EVIL-Why Does God Permit? 

Q773:3:: QU ESTION-Why does God the great creator 
who has all power and wisdom permit the reign of sin and evil 
in the earth? When we see all of the sorrow and misery 
existing in the world because of the evil we wonder that a just 
and loving creator would permit these things when he has the 
ability to put an end to them at any time? 

{PageQ774} 

ANSWER—This is a very important question and one 
that thinking minds have pondered by using a fact of history 
to illustrate the matter. In ancient times during the reign of a 
just and wise ruler over a large part of the earth, a rebellion 
occurred in a certain portion of the empire. A usurper arose 
and, misrepresenting the character of the emperor, succeeded 
in inducing the people of this particular province to no longer 
render obedience to their rightful sovereign. Although the 
emperor had the power to suppress the rebellion at once, he 
permitted the tyrant to rule over the province, and in this way 
let the people experience the hardships and evils of misrule, 
that they might the better appreciate the advantages of the 
wise and beneficent reign of the monarch. Also it would 



furnish an object lesson to the people of the other provinces. 
And thus it turned out. The people in time grew exceedingly 
weary of the woe and sorrows inflicted by the usurper, and 
when the opportunity finally presented itself to escape from 
his dominion, they gladly returned to complete harmony with 
their emperor, expressing their allegiance and full submission 
to his just commands. Satan, "The God (ruler) of this present 
evil world," is to be bound eventually and the people, 
liberated from his dominion and tyranny, and instructed in 
righteousness, for, when "the judgments of the Lord are in the 
earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness," 
will then appreciate the wise and just commands of their 
creator, their rightful sovereign. 

FAITH-Can it Remove a Literal IVIountain? 

Q774:1 :: QUESTION-In Matt. 17:20, Jesus said to 
his disciples "if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye 
shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; 
and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto 
you." Could one have faith to remove a literal mountain? 
(A.C.D.) 

ANSWER~The question would seem to be a 
preposterous one, but when we reflect upon the meaning of 
the word faith; that it is not imagination or blind credulity, 
but, as defined by the Apostle, "Faith is a basis of things 
hoped for; a conviction of things unseen. " (Heb. 11:1.) We 
can see that our Lord's teaching here is in agreement with 
what he taught on another occasion (John 15:7) where he set 
forth that the request must be in harmony with the Divine 
will. But since there is no basis of evidence for faith that the 
will of God is to remove literal mountains in answer to any 
idle or self-willed, or ignorant commands of men to do so, a 
genuine faith in his willingness to do it now is an 
impossibility. But regarding the mountain as a symbol of 
difficulty and obstruction in our individual Christian course, 
or in the course of God's work, we know that "Miracles" are 
wrought for those who exercise faith; and they going forward 
in the strength of the Lord, are permitted to overcome 
difficulties and to work righteousness otherwise impossible. 

faith-How cultivated? 

Q774:2:: QU ESTION-How can I get faith when I don't 
have it naturally? 
ANSWER--Faith may be cultivated as any other mental 

{PageQ775} 



quality, and is increased in proportion to knowledge and 
reliance upon that knowledge. To have faith in God we must 
learn His character, plans, and purposes. This we acquire by 
a study of His word and relying upon the promises and truths 
therein stated. False doctrines have made God's character 
appear hideous. "Fear (dread) of him is taught by the 
precepts of men." A true knowledge of his character and plan 
greatly increase our faith in and love for him. Faith is 
scripturally defined as "the understanding of things hoped far, 
the proof of things unseen." Man hopes for eternal life in 
happiness. A basis for that hope is found in the word of God. 
A doubter may become a most earnest and tenacious believer 
upon receiving proper evidence. "Life is the gift of God 
through Jesus Christ." (Rom. 6:23.) His word is the only 
evidence pointing out clearly the way of obtaining that gift. 
To increase our faith we must, therefore, study God's word in 
a humble and prayerful manner, with the desire to know and 
do His will, and to rely upon His word. One who knows the 
letter of His word and fails to rely upon it has little faith. 
Another both knows the word and relies upon it and strong 
faith results. This is illustrated by the following incident; A 
man doubting the strength of the ice to bear his weight 
crawled across the river an his hands and knees, and just as he 
reached the opposite shore he was overtaken by a man, who 
had confidence in the strength of the ice, gaily driving a team 
of horses hitched to a sled loaded with pig iron. 

FAITH-When Son of Man Cometh-Shall He Find? 

Q775:1:: QUESTION-Luke 18:8, "Nevertheless when 
the Son of Man cometh shall He find faith on the earth?" Is it 
the mountain-moving faith that will be lacking? Please 
explain. (A.C.D.) 

ANSWER—A word for word rendering from the oldest 
Greek manuscripts of the quotation given above is as follows: 
"But the Son of Man coming, indeed, will He find the faith on 
the earth?" The "faith" in the text would have the meaning of 
system of belief or doctrines, as expressed in the Bible 
statement, "The faith once delivered to the saints." The 
Master's words imply that the existence of the true faith at the 
time of His second coming would be somewhat doubtful. 
The Lord's words are remarkably fulfilled in the conditions of 
the present day. We see that, owing to the hundreds of 
conflicting creeds and doctrinal systems; the many "isms," 
and the strong delusions and multiplied errors; so that if it 
were possible the very elect would be deceived; not many are 



holding to the true faith--only the "very elect." (Matt. 24:24.) 
The object of the Lord's return is to put aside all of 
the evil and the error, and to fill the whole earth with the true 
faith and knowledge of God and thus to bring about the 
blessing of all mankind.—Habakkuk 2:14. 

FATHER'S HOUSE-Many Mansions 

Q775:2:: QUESTION--What did Jesus mean when he 
said, "In my Father's house are many mansions"? 

ANSWER— In the larger sense, the Universe is God's 
home or house, and this earth is His footstool. We know not 

{PageQ776} 

how many angelic orders there are, but the Scriptures intimate 
that there are spirit beings of various grades, of different 
nature, each perfect, but differing one from the other. The 
Divine Plan, in connection with their creation, made full 
arrangement for their comfort and happiness to all eternity. 
Similarly, when God created man He provided for his welfare 
to all eternity, giving him an earthly home, mansion, or 
apartment in the great House. Our Lord, in calling His 
Church, invited them to become God's "New Creation." He 
promised those who would become His footstep followers, 
bearing their cross after Him, that eventually they should be 
with Him, sharing His glory on the heavenly plane. They 
should be like unto the angels, but higher than the angels--His 
Bride. There is no place yet for this "New Creation," except 
in the Father's purpose, or plan, in which provision for the 
Church, as the Bride of Christ, had already been made. But it 
needed to be prepared for them, and they needed to be 
prepared for it. This preparation has gone on from the time 
our Lord said, "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go 
and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive 
you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" 
(John 14:2,3). 

FIRE~Re Burning Up Earth. 

Q776:1:: QUEST ION -What kind of fire must that be 

which is to burn up the earth at the end of the world, when it 

is written of that very time, "THERE SHALL NOT BE A 

COAL TO WARM AT, NOR FIRE TO SIT BEFORE?" See Isa. 47:14. 

ANSWER— The Scriptures in many places refer to the 
time of destruction in the end of the present order of things 
under various symbols or illustrations such as "fire," 
"earthquake," "whirlwind," etc. The literal earth or planet on 



which we dwell is not referred to in connection with these 
statements, but the present social order, with all of its 
selfishness and evil, is to be destroyed in a destructive time of 
trouble "such as was not since there was a nation." The earth 
itself will never pass away, for the Bible declares the Lord 
formed it to be inhabited and will eventually "make the place 
of His feet (His footstool—the earth) glorious." The 
expression of the Prophet, "there shall not be a coal to warm 
at, nor fire to sit before," we understand to signify that during 
the time of trouble and distress that shall come upon the 
nations in the last days, there will be no place or source of 
comfort and consolation for the class of false prophets or 
prognosticators of the preceding verse. 

FIRE-Will Earth be Destroyed by Actual? 

Q776:2:: QUESTION-We hear of so many great fires 
these days, I wonder if the Bible shows that the earth will be 
destroyed by actual fire? 

ANSWER~An improper conception of the Scriptures has led 
to many ludicrous conclusions concerning the destruction of 
the earth by fire. A man in western Pennsylvania became so 
thoroughly imbued with the thought that the world will be 
burned up by the Lord in the last days, that he vigorously 
protested against the great consumption of coal, 

{PageQ777} 

gas and oil now being mined and removed from below the 
earth's surface, declaring, "that the Lord will not have enough 
fuel with which to burn up the world when the time comes to 
do so, if this thing keeps up." Others have had the thought 
that even the literal heavens will be consumed in that dreadful 
conflagration. If the heaven is to be destroyed, where would 
even the Lord find a habitation? 

The Apostle's words in 2 Pet. 3 are cited as authority by 
those who hold the theory of a literal destruction of heaven 
and earth. But let us observe that the Apostle is using 
figurative language. He mentions three worlds and three 
heavens, clearly meaning dispensation or ages each relating to 
a different social order and a spiritual rule. One of these 
ended with a great flood and the present is to pass away with 
a "great time of trouble" (Dan. 12:1). The prophet 
(Zep. 3:8,9) points out that after the present order of 
things passes away "then the Lord will turn to the people a 
pure message that they may all call upon the Lord," thus 
showing that the people remain. The Lord "made the earth to be 



inhabited" (Isa. 14:18) (Isa. 45:18). "The earth abideth 
forever" (Eccl. 1:4). It shall yet be a fit habitation for 
man. (Psa. 67:6.) 

FLOOD-After, and Noah's IntoxicatioN' 

Q777:1 :: QUESTION--lf Noah was a just and 

respectable old gentleman of some six hundred years of age, 

how is it that we find him getting intoxicated-becoming 

drunk-as recorded in (Gen 9:20). 

answer-How true are the words of the poet- 

"The evil that men do live after them; 

The good is oft interred with their bones." 
But one instance of straying from the path of rectitude and 
sobriety in a long life of fidelity to the principles of 
righteousness will stand out with startling distinctness and 
will be the subject of more consideration than all of the 
individual's noble acts and traits combined. However, we 
shall not leave Noah defenseless, but will call attention to the 
fact that his intoxication was after the flood and was wholly 
unintentional. The flood wrought great changes in the 
atmospheric conditions of our earth; to our understanding the 
deluge was produced by the precipitation to the earth of an 
immense quantity of water which previously had surrounded 
the earth at a distance as a cloudy canopy. The dissolution of 
this canopy or envelope of water not only produced the flood, 
but altered the conditions of nature so that storms, rains, etc., 
resulted, things which had never been before. (Gen. 2:5,6.) 
Another result, we believe, was the development of an 
acidulous condition of the atmosphere tending to produce 
ferment, which directly affected human longevity, so that 
according to the Scriptures the average of human life 
decreased from eight and nine hundred years to one hundred. 
This ferment from the changed atmosphere, affecting the 
grape, generated "mold," and hence the alcoholic condition 
which produces drunkenness. According to the record, 
Noah's drunkenness was the result of the first vintage of 
grapes after the flood, and it evidently was contrary to all of 
his experiences preceding the flood. We are justified, 
therefore, in supposing that this one instance of Noah's having 
been intoxicated was the 



{Page Q778} 

result of ignorance respecting the changed character of the 
grape product fermented. 

FLOOD-Description Noah's Arl< 

Q778:1 :: QUESTION-How large was Noah's Ark, and how 
did it compare with modern vessels as to size and capacity? 

ANSWER-The Bible (Gen. 6:15) gives the 
dimensions as follows: Three hundred cubits long, fifty 
cubits broad and thirty cubits high. The length of the cubit is 
variously estimated. The modern cubit is 18 inches, linear 
measure; the sacred cubit of the Jews is 21.88 inches. 
According to the latter the ark was 547.3 feet long, 91.2 feet 
wide and 54 feet high. The capacity, 2,730,782 cubic feet. 
Tonnage, 81,042. It is impossible however, to do more than 
merely to estimate the dimensions as no one can be absolutely 
sure as to the length of the cubit according to which the ark 
was constructed. There are some modern vessels of greater 
length than the ark, but the capacity of the ark was three times 
as great as any vessel afloat. It provided plenty of room for 
Noah and his family and pairs of all the 244 species of 
animals, taken in, as scheduled by the Buffon, together with 
all supplies needed for the long voyage. The design has been 
found in actual practice to yield the best results for safety and 
stowage. 

FLOOD--Literal or Spiritual? 

Q778:2:: QUESTION--Are we to accept a literal flood,or does 

Gen. 6, 7, 8, give an account of a spiritual flood? (R.E.) 

ANSWER—Scientific thought is coming more and more 
into harmony with the Scripture teachings as to the 
occurrence of an actual flood at about the time indicated in 
the Genesis account. From the latest investigations and 
researches, the conclusion has been formed that this earth 
was, in times remote, a part of the sun, and that it was thrown 
off, or detached from the central orb in the form of gas. In 
course of time, this whirling mass would cool and condense, 
and resolve itself into solids and liquids with the central mass 
as a nucleus around which several canopies or rings, similar 
to the rings of the planet Saturn, were developed. These 
would condense and in turn would eventually be precipitated 
to the earth one by one. Science and the Bible agree that 
there were six of these "canopies," and these, coming to the 



earth in their regular order, formed the six creative "days" or 
epochs as narrated in the first chapter of Genesis; the last one, 
being of water, brought about the deluge, or Noah's flood. 

FOOLS-For Christ's Sake 

Q778:3:: QUESTION-The Apostle says--"We are fools 
for Christ's sake! "--what did he mean by this expression? 
How are Christians made fools? See 1 Cor. 4:10. 

ANSWER— The Apostle Paul, because of his zeal and 
earnestness in the cause of Christ, had suffered opposition 
and persecution of various kinds and had even endured 
hunger and thirst and hardships, as he proceeds to narrate in 
this same chapter. To those without faith in Christ and His 
teachings this was all foolishness on the part of the Apostle. 
To them he seemed to be a religious fanatic~a 

{PageQ779} 

fool. And evidently some of the Christian brethren at Corinth 
got this same idea, deeming it needless to endure so much 
contempt and hardships for the Master's cause. These 
conditions have prevailed all down throughout the Christian 
Era, the consecrated, devoted people of the Lord, who have 
given their all, sacrificing ease, comfort and worldly fame and 
riches in their desire to serve Him who endured so much for 
their sakes, have ever been ridiculed and despised by the 
common lot who, because of their diminutive mental and 
moral caliber, could not appreciate the grandeur and the 
nobility of the characters and teachings of these who truly 
deserve the name of Christian. Well has one expressed the 
matter in the following lines— 

"The few by whom high truth was recognized 

Who foolishly their full hearts left unguarded 

Revealing to the crowd their noble vision 

Have always banished been crucified." 

GOD-Divine Impossibilities 

Q779:1 :: QU ESTION-I heard a man the other day say that 
there are some things that God cannot do. Is that so or not? 

ANSWER— In the very nature of things there are some 
things that it would be impossible for God, the great Creator, 
to do. Our infidel friends say that it would be impossible for 
God to create two hills without a valley; however, we believe 
this could easily be accomplished by putting one hill on top of 
the other. 

The Bible itself tells of some things beyond the range of 



Divine possibilities. For instance, the Apostle Paul (Heb. 6:13) 
says that God could "swear by no other greater than 
Himself." Since the Lord God is the Supreme Being of the 
universe and none therefore greater than He, the truth of the 
Apostle's words is evident. Again we are informed that "He 
cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13). Because of His 
immutability or unchangeableness (Jam. 1:17) it would be 
impossible for the Lord God to deny Himself, or to do any 
wrong in any sense. The Divine character of Wisdom, 
Justice, Love and Power could never be altered or swayed in 
the slightest degree. This gives us confidence indeed that all 
of the Divine purposes will be accomplished exactly as 
prearranged from before the foundation of the earth. "Known 
unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world." 
(Acts 15:18.) 

GOD-His Love vs. Commands To Destroy 

Q779:2:: QUESTION-If God is a God of love, as the 
Bible tells us, how can we understand His command to the 
children of Israel to utterly destroy their enemies, men, 
women, and children? (B.R.) 

ANSWER--The Land of Canaan belonged to the 
Israelites as it had been given to Abraham and promised to his 
seed as an everlasting possession. The Philistines, Amorites 
and others who inhabited the land at the time when Moses 
under Divine direction led the Israelites out of Egypt, were a 
semi-barbarous race whose sins and iniquities had come to 
the full. It was because they had become so depraved that the 
Lord saw that it would be best to destroy them. Let us 
suppose that a people, occupying the land of Canaan 

{PageQ780} 

today, were to become so degraded and corrupt that they were 
a menace to civilization, robbing and massacring innocent 
people, and in all ways being obnoxious both to themselves 
and to other nations. Would it be thought an unwise, unjust, 
or unloving arrangement for the Lord to cause their removal 
and entire destruction in order to make way for the 
establishment of the Israelites in their own land? Many of the 
prophecies of the Scriptures clearly indicate that we may 
expect within the next few years just such a development of 
affairs, and that the Israelites will be gathered back into their 
own country from the uttermost parts of the earth. (See 
Jer.32:36-44.) Reverting to the question: we see women and 
children, young and old, dying off in multitudes every day 



with but very little evidence of the Lord's love in any 
direction. However, the Lord has arranged in His plan of 
salvation a time and a way when all the race shall be 
delivered from the death conditions--Isa. 35:8-10; 
Rev. 21:3-5. 

GOD-His Love vs. Commands to Destroy Enemies 

Q780:1 :: QUESTION-If God is a God of love as the 
Bible tells us; how can we understand His command to the 
Children of Israel to utterly destroy their enemies, men, 
women and children? (E.A.) 

ANSWER— Four hundred years ago North America was 
a vast wilderness inhabited by roving bands of savages who 
warred with one another and practiced all kinds of barbarities. 
Today, in place of the scattered tribes of murderous Indians, 
there are millions of civilized and enlightened people who are 
engaged in developing the higher and nobler qualities of mind 
and heart and cultivating the arts and sciences and the various 
branches of industry. Which of these two arrangements is the 
best? Was the Lord unjust or unloving in overruling the 
affairs of earth so that the Indians should practically be 
destroyed root and branch in order to make way for 
civilization? We think not. The same conditions prevailed in 
the land of Canaan. The Philistines, Amorites, etc., who 
occupied the land were practically savages, as they engaged 
in all forms of idolatrous worship, offering up human 
sacrifices in connection therewith. It was because their 
wickedness and depravity had reached to such a stage that 
God, in His wisdom and justice, saw that it would be best to 
destroy them and to place in the land a people, who, under 
His instructions, attained to a high degree of civilization. 
When the Jews were about to enter the land the Lord 
established a system of laws with them with the assurance 
that if they obeyed the Law they would be marvelously blest, 
and if disobedient they would be severely punished. 

GOD--"No Man Hath Seen" vs. "Ye... Have Seen My Father Also." 

Q780:2:: QUEST ION -Can you explain these two 
passages of Scripture: John 1:18, "No man hath seen God 
at any time;" and John 14:9, "Ye that have seen me, have 
seen my Father also?" (L.M.) 

ANSWER— The first expression should be understood in 
the concrete sense. No mortal being could see the Lord God 

{PageQ781} 



and live— "Whom no man hath seen, nor can see." The last 
expression, to be understood in harmony with the first, should 
be considered in the abstract. As it was impossible for the 
Lord's followers to actually see God, the Heavenly Father, the 
only way then in which they could see God was in the 
representative sense. Our Lord Jesus, fully and perfectly 
represented the Father. He was God manifested in the flesh. 
The Father's love, and mercy, justice, and wisdom, were all 
manifest in the Life and teachings of the Lord Jesus. Those 
then, who became acquainted with the Lord Jesus, were made 
acquainted with the Father. The Lord Jesus never claimed to 
be the Heavenly Father personally; but always taught that He 
was the Son of God. The Scriptures declare that God sent His 
only begotten Son into the world. God was in Christ 
reconciling the world to Himself in the same sense in which 
He will be "all in all" when the Son shall have delivered up 
the Kingdom to the Father at the close of Christ's millennial 
reign.-lCor. 15:17,28. 

GOD-What is Meant by "Repented" Man's CreatioN' 
Q781 :1 :: QUESTION""And God saw that the 
wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every 
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil 
continually. And it repented the Lord that He had made man 
on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart; and the Lord 
said, I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of 
the earth." If God is omniscient, knowing the end from the 
beginning, how could He REPENT of His course in creating man? 

ANSWER-The word "repent" means "To change the 
mind, or course of conduct, on account of regret or 
dissatisfaction with what has occurred." The question then is. 
Did God change His mind (plan) or His course of conduct? 
We claim that, knowing the end from the beginning, God's 
mind could not be changed; hence "repent" in this text must 
signify change of conduct. That is, God did change His 
course of dealing with man because of man's wickedness, 
which grieved Him, but He did not change His mind or plans, 
because these plans had from the very first recognized the 
corrupting and degrading tendency of sin, and provided (in 
purpose of mind) the Lamb of God""slain from the 
foundation of the world" - as the redemption price. 
(Rev. 13:8; Rev. 17:8.) 



GOD'S CARE-Fatherless and Widow 

Q781 :2:: QUESTION-Please explain why the 
Scriptures refer to God's special care over the fatherless and 
the widow and says nothing about the widower and the 
motherless? It seems to me that where the wife and mother is 
taken away it is much sadder than where the husband and 
father is removed from the family circle. 

ANSWER~In many places in the Scriptures the 
expression "fatherless," in the original language in which the 
Bible was written, has the significance of bereaved or 
orphans. The thought is that the Lord's special care and 
compassion are over the weak, helpless and the bereaved 
ones, and not that He has less consideration for the motherless 

{PageQ782} 

than for the fatherless. We read "The Lord is gracious and 
full of compassion; slow to anger and of great mercy. The 
Lord is good to all; and His tender mercies are over all His 
works. The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord 
loveth the righteous, and preserveth the stranger; He relieveth 
the fatherless and widow; but the way of the wicked He 
turneth upside down"--Psa. 145:9,10; Psa. 146:8,9. 
Again we read "A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou 
wilt not despise." (Psa. 51:17.) All those who are mourning 
and sorrowful, who will draw nigh unto God through Christ, 
will be comforted whether they are motherless or fatherless; 
widowers or widows. 

GOSPEL-Meaning of 

Q782:1 :: QU ESTION-Please explain what is meant by 
Preaching the Gospel, and what is the Gospel? 

ANSWER~The word gospel signifies a message of glad 
tidings. Preaching the Gospel means proclaiming the good 
tidings, or massage of gladness, to others. When the Lord 
Jesus came He declared, "The spirit of the Lord God is upon 
Me, because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good 
tidings unto the meek." During the three and a half years of 
His ministry He preached the good news of the coming 
Kingdom and the blessings it is to bring to the human race. 
He commissioned His true followers to do the same thing, 
and those who have been telling others of the redemptive 
work of Christ and the blessings of His coming Kingdom 
have thus been preaching the Gospel. In these modern times 
the public press has become the most effective way of getting 



great truths before the people and the Gospel is being 
preached through the press wheresoever the glad tidings of 
Messiah's Kingdom is being published. From this it will be 
seen that much that is preached is mislabeled "Gospel." All 
sorts of bad tidings of great misery are many times 
improperly styled "Gospel." 

HATRED~Of Unrighteousness and Injustice Proper 

Q782:2:: QUESTION-If hatred is not a virtue, why 
does it say in Eccl. 3:8 "There is a time to hate?" Why does 
Christ say in Luke 14:2 "If any man come to me and HATE 
not his father and mother, and children, and brethren, and 
sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple?" 
(F. W.) 

ANSWER~Our Lord in all of His instructions to His 
followers continually admonished them to love one another, 
and not only this but that they were to love their enemies as 
well. (John 13:35; Mat. 5:43,44-46; 1 Pet. 2:23.) 
Therefore, it would not be consistent to think that the Lord 
would counsel His followers to HATE those that were near 
and dear to themselves, and towards whom there was every 
incentive to love and esteem. The Lord evidently used this 
word to impress the thought upon the minds of those who 
would be His followers, that the terms of discipleship are very 
rigid and exacting. In other words; none could become 
disciples of the Master unless they loved Him more than all 
earthly ties, or considerations. None can ever be recognized 
by the Lord as His follower unless they have taken the step to 
be obedient to the Divine will even though it 

{PageQ783} 

meant the loss of every valued object and the sacrifice of life 
itself! The thought conveyed in the expression found in 
Eccl. 3:8, is that there are times and seasons when it would 
be proper to "hate," or despise that which is contrary to the 
principles of righteousness and justice. All should hate 
injustice and be out of sympathy with those who oppress and 
injure the weak and helpless. Also, those who are in 
opposition to the Lord and His just laws and arrangements, 
and who wilfully go contrary thereto, should be righteously 
shunned and despised— "hated with a perfect hatred." 
-Psa.l39:21,22. 

HEALINGS-BY the Faithless 

Q783:1 :: QUESTION-Can you give some Scriptural 



proof that faith healing as it is practiced today is of the 
Adversary or the Evil One? I know that it cannot be of the 
Lord because there are some who are engaged in performing 
wonderful cures, as I happen to know personally and who are 
devoid of faith in the teachings of the Bible. For instance, a 
close relation of mine was raised from a death bed by the 
powers of one of these "healers" who in his teachings was 
denying the very foundation principles of the Scriptures. (A.N.) 

ANSWER—There is no question but that many 
remarkable cures are effected by some who seemingly are 
able to exert an influence, that is beyond and above the 
natural powers of man. It is equally true that many of these 
healers make no professions as to Christianity. Their power 
then must be from an evil source, as the righteous Lord would 
not aid those who are not in harmony with Himself. In 
agreement with this thought we read in Mat. 7:22,23, that 
some would accomplish many wonderful works, even in the 
name of Christ, yet the Lord would not recognize them. After 
all, the Lord's followers are not to be known by their "great 
works"— "by their fruits ye shall know them." Mat. 7:20. 

HEAVEN AND HELL""Keys" 

Q783:2:: QUESTION-Somebody told me that Saint 
Peter must have a higher position than the Lord Jesus 
because St. Peter has the keys to heaven, whereas the Lord 
Jesus has the keys to hell. Where do we find this in he Bible 
and please explain? (W.P.M.) 

ANSWER-A "key," in the symbolisms of the 
Scriptures, is representative of the opening power vested in 
the one who has been duly authorized to act, just as is 
sometimes expressed in the vernacular— "He holds the key to 
the situation." St. Peter was given two "keys" (Mat. 16:19), 
one of which he used on the day of Pentecost when he opened 
the way for the Jews to enter into the Kingdom by preaching 
the Gospel of Christ and the Kingdom (Acts 2:22-36.) 
Three thousand Jews entered in though this opened door 
(verse 41) on that very day. The second key was used three 
and one-half years later when St Peter opened up the way for 
the Gentiles to enter into the Kingdom, by preaching the 
Gospel to Cornelius who accepting the message, and 
believing, became the first Gentile convert to Christianity. 
(Acts 10:44,45.) In Rev. 1:18 the glorified Savior is 
represented as speaking, saying "I am He that liveth, 

{PageQ784} 



and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; 
and have the keys of hell and death." The Lord Jesus, by 
virtue of His death and resurrection, accomplished the 
redemption of the race of mankind from death and hell- 
hades, the grave. Because He thus bought the race. He has 
the "keys," the opening power, to release all mankind from 
the great prison house of death and the tomb, as we read 
concerning the Lord Jesus--"The Spirit of the Lord God is 
upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me ... to proclaim 
liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them 
that are bound." Isa. 61:1. 

HELL-Did Christ Descend There? 

Q784:1 :: QUESTION-Is it a Biblical fact that Christ 
descended into hell after His crucifixion and before His 
resurrection? 

ANSWER-Many Christians are quite perplexed as to 
where the Lord Jesus was from the time of His crucifixion to 
the time of His resurrection. Some have the thought that He 
was away somewhere preaching to the spirits in prison 
(1 Pet. 3:19); some that He was with the thief in Paradise 
(Luke 23:43); some that He was in Heaven, and some that He was 
in a place of fire and brimstone called Hell. (Psa. 16: 10; 
Acts 2:31.) However, the Bible does not leave us in 
doubt about the matter but plainly teaches that the Lord Jesus 
was in hell during the three days following the crucifixion. 
The hell of the Scriptures is not the hell of the creeds, but the 
condition of death, the grave. Jesus was in the tomb, the 
grave. He was dead, as the Bible affirms, and was raised the 
third day. See the following Scriptures and forget about the 
confusion of the creeds which in the main are unscriptural. 
(1 Cor. 15:3,4; 1 Cor.l2:16; Acts 2:24; Rom. 6:4; 
1 Pet. 1:21.) The Hebrew sheol the Greek word hades, and the 
English word hell all signify the same thing—the grave, the 
condition of the dead. All enlightened Bible Scholars and 
clergymen versed in the original languages of the Scriptures 
will acknowledge, if they are honest and unprejudiced, that 
there is not the slightest suggestion, in the original meaning of 
these words, of fire, brimstone and torment. We have not the 
space here to give an explanation of the Scriptures referred to 
at the beginning of this reply, but can assure all that these are 
in entire harmony with themselves, rightly understood, and 
with all the rest of the Scriptures which teach that our Lord 
was in the tomb for the three days preceding His resurrection. 

HELL-Where? Who Created It? 



Q784:2:: QUESTION-Where is hell, and who created it? (LNJ.) 

ANSWER-The so-called "orthodox hell," of a vast 
furnace of fire and brimstone, manned by fire-proof devils 
with pitch forks in their hands, who are busily engaged in 
jabbing and tormenting the billions of poor unfortunates-all 
of the human race, with the exception of the few saints, who 
with much difficulty manage to squeeze through the pearly 
gates into the heavenly city-exists only in the feeble minds 
and perverted imaginations of those who have given heed to 
the "doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1) and 

{PageQ785} 

who have never thoughtfully studied the Scriptures. This 
"hell" was created in the Dark Ages of the past by corrupt and 
ignorant priests influenced by evil spirits who misrepresented 
and blasphemed the character of the Almighty God, who is 
wise and just, loving and merciful, as the Scriptures 
everywhere affirm. In the increasing light of our day, when 
the people are brushing the smoke and dust of the Ages of 
gloom from their eyes, it is clearly seen that "hell," in the 
Scriptures, is nothing more than the condition of death— the 
tomb. The Hebrew word sheol and the Greek hades from 
which the word hell is used in the English translations, have 
this significance. All go to hell-the grave-the death state, 
and will remain there until the resurrection. Adam created, or 
brought this "hell," or condition of death, upon the race by his 
disobedience. See Rom. 5:12. 

HIGHWAY-Of Holiness, If Open and Plain, Why 
Confusion? 

Q785:1 :: QU ESTION-Is it true that the "Highway of 
Holiness" is opened now and that the way of salvation is so 
plain that a "wayfaring man though a fool shall not err 
therein" (Isa. 35:8-10)? If the way is so plain and clear and 
simple that a foolish person need make no mistake about it, 
then why is there so much confusion among the learned 
clergymen. Doctors of Divinity, etc., as to the proper methods 
of salvation, some teaching one thing and some another? As 
an honest skeptic and one seeking to know the way of 
salvation, can you direct me to this "Highway?" 

ANSWER-We are not surprised that you have failed to 
find the "Highway." The Lord Jesus referring to the 
conditions of salvation during this present Gospel Age, 
declares that "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that 
leadeth unto life and few there be that find it." As a matter of 



fact the Scriptures point out three ways: --"The broad way, 
leading to destruction," "The narrow way to life," and the 
"Highway of Holiness." (Mat. 7:13,14; Isa. 35:8,9.) It is 
very evident from the conditions which you mention, that the 
latter of these ways has not been in existence thus far, but as 
the Scriptures affirm, it will be opened up for the world at the 
time of our Lord's second coming. Then when Satan, that old 
"lion" (1 Pet. 5:8), is bound (Rev. 20:2), the Prophet's 
words shall be fulfilled~"No lion shall be there," and "the 
redeemed of the Lord (the world of mankind) shall go up 
thereon with everlasting joy and singing upon their heads, and 
sorrow and sighing shall flee away." 

IGNORANCE-Will It Save Heathen? 

Q785:2:: QUESTION-What will become of the 
heathen? Will they be saved because of their ignorance? 
ANSWER~If ignorance were a basis of salvation then 
all should have been left in ignorance, for then all would have 
been saved. And if the heathen are saved through ignorance 
then also all of the babes and children who have died before 
attaining years of discretion and knowledge, and therefore in 
ignorance—these likewise should be saved. What a great 
missionary Herod must have been when he slew so many of 
the infants of Bethlehem, for of course these were all 

{PageQ786} 

saved to Kingdom glory! And what a pity we did not all die 
as infants! Heaven would be a delightful place filled with 
heathen and infants! We are informed in the Scriptures that 
the heathen's trial time for eternal life will be after the second 
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when not only the heathen 
but all the world of mankind shall be fully enlightened as to 
the way of salvation; when the way is so plain that a 
wayfaring man, though unlearned, shall not err. The babes 
developing to maturity will likewise have their opportunity of 
salvation, for eternal life is to be given to those only who 
exercise faith and obedience. Those who disobey, after full 
opportunity has been received, shall die the "second death." 

immortality-Do Men Possess Now? 

Q786:1:: QU ESTION-I read in 1 Tim. 6:16, that the 
Apostle Paul speaking of God says— "Who only hath 
immortality." In the same chapter, 19th verse, the brethren 
are exhorted to good works, "that they may lay hold on 
eternal life." And the only place I find the word "immortal" is 



in 1 Tim. 1:17, which also refers to God, and in Rom. 6:23, 
the Apostle says--"The wages of sin is death; but the 
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
Then again Rom. 2:6,7, shows that the gift has to be sought 
for— "By patient continuance in well-doing." Therefore if 
immortality or eternal life is the gift of God as a reward to 
those who faithfully fulfill His desires, from whence is the 
authority derived by those who teach that man is now in 
possession of immortal life? 

ANSWER—This is a question that is frequently asked 
these days by those who are not content to accept a mere 
assertion without a "thus saith the Lord." There is but one 
statement to be found in the Scriptures which could be 
construed as teaching that man was in any sense immortal; 
that he would not and that he could not die. This is found in 
the third chapter of Genesis, the fourth verse. Gen 3:4. 
However, we suggest that before any one accepts this as due 
authority they read the passage and note carefully who it was 
that made the statement! 

IMMORTALITY-Now, Or Future Only? 

Q786:2:: QU ESTION-I read in 1 Tim. 6:16, that the 
Apostle Paul speaking of God says-- "Who only hath 
immortality." In the same chapter, 19th verse, the brethren 
are exhorted to good works, "that they may lay hold on 
eternal life." And the only place I find the word "immortal" is 
in 1 Tim. 1:17, which also refers to God, and in Rom. 6:23, 
the Apostle says— "The wages of sin is death; but the 
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
Then again Rom. 2:6,7, shows that the gift has to be sought 
for— "By patient continuance in well-doing." Therefore if 
immortality or eternal life is the gift of God as a reward to 
those who faithfully fulfill His desires, from whence is the 
authority derived by those who teach that man is now in 
possession of immortal life? 

ANSWER—This is a question that is frequently asked 
these days by those who are not content to accept a mere 
assertion without a "thus saith the Lord." There is but one 
statement 

{PageQ787} 

to be found in the Scriptures which could be construed as 
teaching that man was in any sense immortal; that he would 
not and that he could not die. This is found in the third 
chapter of Genesis, the fourth verse. However, we suggest 



that before any one accepts this as due authority they read the 
passage and note carefully who it was that made the 
statement! 

INFANTS-HeaveN' 

Q787:1 :: QUESTION-Jesus said, "Suffer the little 

children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is 

the Kingdom of Heaven" (Mark 10:14). Does this not mean 

that there will be infants in heaven? 

ANSWER-There is a simplicity and gentleness about a 
little child which all good people appreciate. The Master was 
not so overwhelmed with His great work as to be unable to 
realize the desire of the Jewish mothers to have Him give 
their little ones a blessing. Therefore, when the disciples 
would spare Him the annoyance. He rebuked them and, 
calling for the little ones. He blessed them. The statement, 
"For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven," must not, however, 
be understood to imply that the Lord is electing or selecting 
such little children for His joint-heirs in the Kingdom; we 
must interpret Scripture by Scripture. We must remember His 
words that only "overcomers" can share with Him in the 
Kingdom (Rev. 2:7,11,17,26; Rev 3:5,12,21); and 
again, we are to remember His declaration that those who 
would be His disciples must take up their cross and follow 
Him. Such things could not be true of infants. Heart purity 
and simplicity are necessary for the Kingdom, but more than 
these are required. The text of the question should be 
understood in harmony with our Master's words, "Except ye . 
. . become as little children ye shall not enter the Kingdom of 
heaven" (Mat. 18:3). The emphasis lies upon the word "as" 
in the sense of like. Only the child-like and trustful disciples 
can experience God's highest favor~a share in His Kingdom. 

INSPIRATION-Of Apostles 

Q787:2:: QUESTION--How and to what extent were the 
Apostles inspired? 

ANSWER— There are some at the present day who 
believe that modern authors, teachers and poets are as fully 
inspired as were the Apostles. Even some clergymen 
apparently have the thought that they themselves are as 
authentic and reliable authorities, and should be regarded as 



such. If this view is the right one, then inspiration is a cheap 
article, and wholly unreliable when we reflect upon the many 
conflicting theories and doctrines that have been promulgated 
by modern theological authorities. The Apostle Peter, in 
referring to the inspiration of the Sacred Writers, declares that 
"Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy 
Spirit." (2 Pet. 1:21.) That is to say, God's holy power or 
influence operating upon the minds of the Prophets caused 
them to speak and to write of future things in relationship to 
the Divine purposes, which even they themselves did not 
understand. (Dan. 12:8,9.) The Apostles likewise were 
caused to write of 

{PageQ788} 

matters that would be necessary to the spiritual interests and 
welfare of the Lord's people in after times. (2 Tim. 3:16,17.) 
Plenary inspiration has not existed since the days of our 
Lord and the Apostles, and is not needed, as the Scriptures are 
complete and sufficient of themselves. 

IRRESPONSIBLES-What Becomes of Them? 

Q788:1 :: QUESTION--We know what becomes of the 
obedient and disobedient, but there is another class, which 
really cannot be called obedient nor yet disobedient. I mean 
the irresponsible, and they who love this present world and 
have not even a desire to know what God requires of them, 
and which, in my opinion, form the vast majority of mankind 
even in this enlightened age (so-called). What becomes of 
them? (P.E.L) 

ANSWER~The answering of this question involves the 
consideration of the doctrines of "Election" and "Free Grace," 
both clearly taught in the scriptures, as all Bible Scholars 
recognize. It is only within recent years that the beautiful 
harmony existing between these two doctrines has been 
recognized. From many Scriptures, of which we will only 
cite a few, it will be seen that the entire Christian Era, from 
the time of our Lord Jesus' first advent down to the time of 
His second coming, is the period in which the "Election" 
takes place, the election or selection of those who shall 
constitute the Bride, the Church of Christ. (See 1 Pet. 1:2; 
Eph. 1:4; 2 Pet. 1:10; Acts 15:14-18.) When, at the 
close of this Christian Age, the work of election is 
consummated, then God's free grace will be extended to all 
the remainder of mankind, through the selected class, who 
were elected to be kings and priests unto God and with their 



Lord Jesus to reign for the space of a thousand years over the 
nations of the earth for the purpose of lifting them up out of 
sin and death to human perfection and eternal life. Now is 
the Church's opportunity to make her calling and election 
sure; then will be the world's opportunity of receiving God's 
free grace. Election now and Free Grace then. See 
Acts 15:14-18; Rev. 22:17; Acts 3:19-21. 

ISRAEL-Judgments, Repentance and ReconciliatioN' 
Q788:2:: QUESTION-Can you explain the first tliree 
verses of the sixth chapter of Hosea? (Hos 6:1-3) 

ANSWER-These verses, doubtless, refer to Israel's 
judgments and their final repentance and reconciliation. The 
three days we understand to be the days of the larger week, 
one thousand years to each day. In this larger week the 
seventh day will be the seventh thousand-year period~the 
Sabbath of rest from sin and Satan. Recognizing time from 
this standpoint and applying to each thousand years the 
parallel day of the week, we find that, as over four thousand 
years had passed and the fifth thousand had begun at the time 
the Jews had experienced the judgments of the Lord in the 
destruction of the city of Jerusalem, it was therefore at a time 
corresponding to the fifth day of the lesser week, namely 
Thursday, the first day of the three mentioned. Friday the 
second day, and Saturday (the seventh day Sabbath) the third, 
in which the Israelites will be revived and raised up to Divine 
favor and life. 

{Page Q789} 

It is to be early in the morning of this third day-the thousand 
years of Messiah's reign-that "all Israel shall be saved"- 
-Rom. 1 1 :26. Then will be the seasons of refreshing which 
shall come from the presence of the Lord as indicated in the 
"rain" mentioned in the third verse and referred to by the 
Apostle Peter-Acts 3:19-21. 

JERUSALEM-Literal or Symbolic? 

Q789:1:: QUESTION-Will the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2) 

be a literal city of gold and gems, and will it come 

floating down through the sky and locate somewhere on the 



earth? If so, how, when, and where? 

ANSWER-We are aware that quite a number seem to 
hold the thought of an actual city, with all of its walls, 
buildings, towers and turrets, coming down from above and 
locating in the land of Palestine. Those who have this 
thought should try to bear in mind that much of the Bible is 
written in highly symbolic or figurative language. The 
dimensions of this city are given in furlongs in this same 
chapter. If we reduce these to miles, we have for the 
dimensions fifteen hundred miles in length and breadth and 
height. A city of this magnitude could scarcely be placed in 
the small land of Palestine, which measures less than two 
hundred miles in its greatest length. By noting the 
expressions of the 9th verse, it will become apparent to all 
that not a literal city is referred to, but a symbolic one is 
meant. The angel showed St. John "The Bride, the Lamb's 
wife," in symbol, as a beautiful city. Surely no one would so 
far ignore the faculties of intelligence and reason as to say 
that the Bride of Christ is to be a literal city. This Bride is the 
same one represented as saying, in almost the closing words 
of the Bible, "Come and partake of the waters of life freely." 
The Bride is the Church class composed of the faithful 
followers of Christ, of whom the Apostle Paul speaks, saying: 
"I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you 
as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Cor. 1 1 :2). 

JERUSALEM-"New""Literal or Spiritual? 

Q789:2:: QUESTION What is meant by the New 
Jerusalem referred to in Rev. 21 and 22 chapters? (M.M.) 

ANSWER— A close reading of these chapters will 
convince any student that a literal city was certainly not 
meant. In symbolic prophecy a "city" signifies a religious 
government backed by power and authority. Thus the "holy 
city, the New Jerusalem," is the symbol used to represent the 
established Kingdom of God, the overcomers of the Gospel 
Church exalted and reigning in glory. The Church is also, 
and in the same connection, represented as a woman, "the 
bride, the Lamb's wife," in power and glory, and backed by 
the power and authority of Christ, her husband. "And there 
came unto me one of the seven angels... saying Come hither, 
I will shew thee the bride the Lamb's wife. And he . .. 
shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem." (Rev. 21:9,10.) 



It is evident that we should "spiritualize" this narrative 
because St. John himself did so, for he says "And he carried 
me away in spirit." (Rev. 21:10.) That is to say in a 
spiritual sense he viewed 

{PageQ790} 

the wonders of this great city, and not actually, in a literal 
sense. The dimensions of the city are given in furlongs, 
which, if reduced to miles would mean that it measured 1,500 
miles in length, and breadth, and height! Surely no such 
literal city will ever be established on this little globe of ours. 
Recognizing the meaning of the symbols we have a beautiful 
picture representing the gradual establishment of the Divine 
Kingdom of the Heavens on the earth, when the Church, the 
Lamb's wife, is ruling in royal majesty with Christ, "the 
Prince of Peace." 

JERUSALEM-Why Rebuild? 

Q790:1 :: QUESTION-Will Jerusalem ever be rebuilt 
and for what purpose? 

ANSWER~The most remarkable movement ever 
occurring amongst the Jewish people since the time of the 
destruction of their capital city, Jerusalem, is now in process 
of development, and is known as "The Zionist Movement." 
The primary object of this movement is the establishment of 
the Jews in their own land under a government of their own. 
This would mean the rebuilding of the city in the event of the 
success of this movement. There are many prophecies which 
show that the Jews shall return to Divine favor and shall again 
be established in their own country, and that the City of 
Jerusalem will be rebuilt. We cite but one— Jer. 31:27-40. 
The clear intimation of the teachings of the Scriptures is that 
Jerusalem will become the Capital City of the world, "for out 
of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord 
from Jerusalem," "And many people shall go and say. Come 
ye and let us go up to the mountain (Kingdom) of the Lord, to 
the house of the God of Jacob: and He will teach us of His 
ways, and we will walk in His paths." (Isa. 2:3.) For a 
remarkable confirmation of this, in the words of the New 
Testament, see Acts 15:16,17. 

JESUS-Date of Birth 

Q790:2:: QUESTION-Is there any positive proof that 
our Lord Jesus was born on Christmas Day, Dec. 25th, and if 
so where can it be found? (A.S.) 



ANSWER—There is nothing to prove that Christ was 
born December 25th, but the evidence is clear and strong that 
the time of His birth was about October 1 st. It is generally 
recognized that Jesus was crucified on Friday, April 3d, A.D. 
33. The fact that His crucifixion occurred at the close of the 
fourteenth day of the month Nisan, and that this date rarely 
falls on Friday, but did so in the year A.D. 33 substantiates 
that date so thoroughly even Usher, who adopted B.C. 4 as 
the date of Jesus' birth, was forced to admit that His 
crucifixion was A.D. 33. Our Lord was thirty years of age 
when He began His ministry, and it is clear that His ministry 
was for three and a half years only. This generally conceded 
fact is proved by Daniel's prophecy (Dan. 9:25-27) 
concerning Christ's cutting off in the middle of the seventieth 
week of Israel's favor. The "seventy weeks" (A day for a 
year--490 days, or 490 years-- Eze. 4:6) dating from 454 
B.C. terminated A.D. 36. In the "midst" of that last week of 
seven years, the "seventieth 

{PageQ791} 

week," Christ was "cut off" -crucified-April 3d, A.D. 33. 
As the Lord Jesus was thirty-three and a half years old when 
He died, we have only to measure back that length of time to 
the date of His death to ascertain the date of His birth, which 
would be about Oct. 3d, B.C. 2. It is certain that the 
midwinter date, December 25th, does not well agree with the 
statement of the Scriptures, that at the time of our Lord's birth 
the shepherds were in the fields with their flocks. 

JESUS-Seeming Discrepancy of Genealogy 

Q791 :1 :: QU ESTION-I find in Matthew and Luke what 
purport to be the genealogies of Christ. Matthew gives His 
ancestry back to Abraham; Luke goes back to Adam. 
Between Christ ad David, Matthew gives 27 generations, and 
Luke gives 42; and none of the names in these two lists are 
the same. Will you please explain this seeming discrepancy? 

ANSWER-Our Lord Jesus became related to the human 
family by taking our nature through His mother Mary. Mary's 
genealogy, as traced by Luke, leads back to David through his 
son Nathan. (Luke 3:23.) (Joseph is here styled "the son of 
Heli," that is, the son of Eli, Mary's father, by marriage, or legally; or as 
we would say, son-in- law of Eli. By birth, Joseph was the 
son of Jacob, as stated in Matt. 1:16), while Joseph's 
genealogy, as given by Matthew, traces also back to David 



through his son Solomon. (Matt. 1:6-16.) Joseph having 
accepted Mary as his wife, and adopted Jesus, her son, as 
though He were his own son, this adoption would entitle 
Jesus to reckon Joseph's genealogy; but such a tracing back to 
the family of David was not necessary, because His mother 
came also of David, by another line. Thus the seeming 
discrepancy is due to the fact that Luke gives Mary's 
genealogy while Matthew gives the genealogy of Joseph. 
The difference in the number of generations from David to 
Christ need not be considered as remarkable. It would be 
remarkable had they been the same. 

JEWS-Gathering As Bird Under Wings 

Q791 :2:: QUESTION-Would you kindly explain the 

37th and 38th verses of Matthew 22 (should beMat. 23:37,38) 

where the Lord said "O Jerusalem Jerusalem, thou 

that killest the prophets, and killest them which are sent unto 

thee how often would I have gathered thy children together, 

even as a bird gathers her brood under her wing, but ye 

would not! Behold your house is left unto you desolate?" (H.B.P) 

ANSWER--The Savior standing upon the Mt. of Olives 
and gazing out upon the Holy City, Jerusalem, gave 
expression to these words with a heart filled with conflicting 
emotions. For three and one-half years He had been laying 
down His life for the Jewish people in preaching to them the 
wonderful tidings of the Kingdom of God. He had healed the 
sick, comforted the sorrowing and the afflicted, and even 
raised the dead in some instances. Now, on this sad day, after 
having ridden into the city in triumph, and being rejected by 
the nation, through their representatives, the Scribes and 
Pharisees; in sorrow and with tears. He declared that they as a 
nation were cast off from Divine 

{PageQ792} 

favor and no longer recognized as the chosen people of God. 
How true to the declaration of the Lord are the facts of history 
as outlined in the secular annals of the race! From that 
moment they declined in favor, and disaster after disaster 
came upon them until the nation was conquered by the 
Roman arms, and they as a people were scattered abroad 
throughout the whole earth to he persecuted, oppressed, and 
slaughtered by the Gentiles. The Jew is the miracle of 
history; "the man without a country." The Lord Jesus, in 
prophetic vision, foresaw all the long centuries of afflictions 
that would come upon them, and in His sympathy and love. 



grieved for them, and gave expression to His love by saying 
"How often would I have gathered thy children together, even 
as a bird gathers her brood under her wings, but ye would 
not!" Corrected Translation. 

JEWS-Return to Palestine 

Q792:1 :: QUESTION-Does the Bible teach a return of 
the Jews to Palestine, and is that country large enough for all 
of Abraham's descendants? (F.W.) 

ANSWER--The Bible answer is YES to both questions: 
(a) "I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of 
your graves, and will bring you again into the land of Israel." 
"Ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye 
shall be My people, and I will be your God." "And they shall 
say, this land that was desolate is become like the Garden of 
Eden" (Eze. 37:12; Eze. 36:27-35). (b) What is known 
as the land of Palestine is but a very small part of the 
promised land, which is to stretch from the Nile to the 
Euphrates (Gen. 15:18), and appears to include Arabia as 
well as parts of Egypt and the Soudan, an area equal to the 
half of Europe. Much of this is now desert land, but "the 
desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose." (Isa. 35:1.) 
Thus there will be ample space and abundant provision made 
for the Israelites in the promised land— promised for an 
everlasting possession to Abraham and his descendants--when 
God's favor will have returned to them as foretold by the 
Prophets--Rom. 11:25-27. 

JEWS-Why Called "Chosen People?" 

Q792:2:: QUESTION -Why were the Jews called 

"God's chosen people?" Were the ancient Jews different from 

the modern ones? 

ANSWER-Abraham was the father of the Jewish 
people. God made promise to him, saying, "In thy Seed all 
the families of the earth shall he blessed." Jacob, the 
grandson of Abraham, had twelve sons, who became the head 
of the twelve tribes of Israel, or Jews. God made a covenant 
with His people, saying to them: "If ye will obey my voice 
indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar 
treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is mine: 
and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy 
nation" (Exo. 19:5,6). For more than eighteen centuries 
God's dealings were with this people exclusively, as he said 
through His prophet, "Ye only have I known of all the 
families of the earth" (Amos 3:2). Time after time 



{PageQ793} 

God reiterated His promise that the Messiah should come to 
them, and when Jesus came the masses of the Jews were not 
heeding God's promises: being led by the Clergy class, 
themselves negligent of the promises, therefore blind, as Jesus 
said, "Blind leaders of the blind," they rejected Jesus Christ 
and were cast off from God's favor (Matt. 23:37-39). The 
words of our Lord clearly imply that God's favor will again 
return to this people; He said, "Ye shall not see me 
henceforth, till ye shall say. Blessed is He that cometh in the 
name of the Lord." The Apostles point out that God there 
began to turn his favor to the Gentiles, and when the requisite 
number have been selected from among these to constitute the 
Kingdom class, as promised, then God's favor will again be 
shown to the Jews as a people (See Rom. 11:1-5 and 25-28). 

JOB-Real or Allegorical? 

Q793:1 :: QUESTION-Was Job a real personage, or 
only an allegorical character? 

ANSWER~We believe Job to have been a real person—a man. 
He is so referred to in the following Scriptures: Job 1:1; 
Eze. 14:14-20; James 5:11. This does not alter the 
fact, however, that a great allegorical lesson is taught by Job's 
experiences. As a whole, his life represented the experiences 
of the human family in the loss of everything. Job lost his 
children, friends, home, health, the affections of his wife—all 
—and he was nigh unto destruction in the tomb. Then came 
the turning point. He was restored to Divine favor and to all 
the blessings which he had formerly enjoyed, and had more 
abundance than he ever had before. This pictures the 
experiences of the human race. Adam, in Eden, was perfect, 
joyful and rich in life and a perfect home. He lost all of 
these, being driven from Eden and compelled to battle with 
the sterile soil of the earth. By and by, when the "Restitution 
of all things, spoken by Jehovah through His holy prophets," 
shall have come to the world, the human race will likewise be 
restored to Divine favor and receive greater blessings than 
ever before experienced. 

JUDGMENT-God's Impartial 

Q793:2:: QUESTION-Will you kindly explain and 
harmonize Romans 2nd chapter, 7th to 10th verses inclusive? 
(Rom. 2:7-10). (W.H.H.) 

ANSWER-In the 6th verse the Apostle says :-"Who 
will render to every man according to his deeds"— at the time 



when God's judgments will be manifested as stated in the 5th 
verse. Coming to the seventh verse, he points out that those 
who patiently continue in well doing, seeking for glory, 
honor, and immortality shall receive eternal life, at the time 
indicated in the preceding two verses. And, at that time, 
those who will persist in wrongdoing, shall be punished by 
experiencing Divine indignation and wrath. But those who, 
when the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth, will 
comply with the principles of righteousness shall experience 
Divine favor and blessings, both Jews and Gentiles. This 
presentation of the matter is in harmony with the general 
teachings of the Scriptures which show that the Church of 
Christ, now being selected out 

{PageQ794} 

from the nations of the earth, shall receive "glory, honor, and 
immortality"; while the world of mankind—the righteous and 
obedient—whose trial for eternal life will follow the 
glorification of the Church, shall receive the "glory, honor, 
and peace" of perfect human conditions. 

JUDGMENT-What Is "Doomsday?" 

Q794:1 :: QUESTION-What is meant by the term 
"Doomsday?" (A.B.C.) 

ANSWER-It is that last dreadful day in the which 
(according to the antiquated theories of an obsolete 
theological formation) the Lord will return to the earth, and 
take His seat upon a great white throne, and then all nations 
will be gathered before Him, for judgment. As the judgments 
proceed, the mountains and the rocks will come tumbling 
down, and the sea and all the waves will roar under the 
agitations of a mighty storm. About this time a terrible 
earthquake will shake things up so severely that all the things 
that can be shaken will be removed. In connection with these 
terrifying phenomena of nature, there will be the sounding of 
the last trump, and tremendous voices will be heard in the air. 
Amidst this deafening uproar, while "the wreck of matter and 
the crush of worlds" is transpiring, the 20,000,000,000 and 
more of the human race will be judged, and all within the 
limitations of a twenty-four hour day. When the final 
summing up takes place, the Great Judge will invite the few 
saints, "the little flock," to enter into the conditions of bliss, 
while to the vast majority of the race He will issue the 
command to depart into an eternity of torment in fire and 
brimstone. With the pronouncement of the final sentence of 



doom, a terrible fire will break forth; the elements shall melt 
with fervent heat; and the heavens and earth being on fire 
shall be dissolved! This lurid picture of the judgment time 
was evidently formed by some one with highly developed 
imaginative powers, who gathered together a number of 
symbolic and figurative expressions from the Scriptures with 
which to produce this amusing sketch of "doomsday," which 
has served to frighten some good and bad children nearly to death! 

JUDGMENT DAY-When and How Long? 

Q794:2:: QUESTION-What is meant by the "Judgment 
Day," and when will it be? Is it to be a 24 hour day? 

ANSWER— The term "Judgment" includes a hearing or trial 
and the final conclusion or result of that trial. Not all are 
judged at once. To illustrate, the Church is now on trial or 
judgment, which trial or judgment has been in progress since 
Pentecost. The faithful in this judgment shall be rewarded, as 
we read, "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a 
crown of life." (Rev. 2:10.) The Judgment Day as applied 
to the world in general is entirely a different matter. It is 
manifest that the whole world could not be tried and judged 
within 24 hours. The Apostle says, "God hath appointed a day 
in which He will judge the world in righteousness" (Acts 17:31). 
Again we read: "That one day is with the Lord as a thousand 
years" (2 Peter 3:8). The judgment of the world by Christ 
will cover a period of one thousand years (Rev. 20:4-6). 

{PageQ795} 

That the judgment of the world had not come in the Apostle 
Paul's day is clearly shown by his words in the Scripture 
above noted (Acts 17:31). This and other Scriptures clearly 
show that Christ is to be the Judge of the world when he sets 
up his kingdom at his second coming. In Matthew 25:31-46 
our Lord gave a description of the judgment of the world, 
clearly pointing out that it would take place at His second 
appearing. This is conclusive proof that the world's judgment 
is not yet in progress. 

JUDGMENTS-lsraeVs-Hosea 6:1-3 

Q795:1 :: QUESTION-Can you explain the first three 
verses of the sixth chapter of Hosea? 

ANSWER— These verses, doubtless, refer to Israel's 
judgments and their final repentance and reconciliation. The 
three days we understand to be the days of the larger week, 
one thousand years to each day. In this larger week the 



seventh day will be the seventh thousand-year period—the 
Sabbath of rest from sin and Satan. Recognizing time from 
this standpoint and applying to each thousand years the 
parallel day of the week- we find that, as over four thousand 
years had passed and the fifth thousand had begun at the time 
the Jews had experienced the judgments of the Lord in the 
destruction of the city of Jerusalem, it was therefore at a time 
corresponding to the fifth day of the lesser week, namely 
Thursday, the first day of the three mentioned. Friday the 
second day, and Saturday (the seventh-day Sabbath) the third, 
in which the Israelites will be revived and raised up to Divine 
favor and life. It is to be early in the morning of this third 
day— the thousand years of Messiah's reign— that "All Israel 
shall be saved"— Rom. 11:26. Then will be the seasons of 
refreshing which shall come from the presence of the Lord as 
indicated in the "rain" mentioned in the third verse and 
referred to by the Apostle Peter— Acts 3:19-21. 

KINGDOM--"Keys" Given to Peter. 

Q795:2:: QUESTION-Will the Apostle Peter be the 
doorkeeper in heaven, since Jesus said to him: "I will give 
unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven?" (Matt. 24:19.) 

ANSWER— The "Kingdom" in this Scripture represents 
those who become true followers of Jesus. "Keys" are a 
symbol of power to open. To the Apostle Peter was delegated 
the privilege and authority of first opening the message and 
work of the Gospel to the Jews, and later to the Gentiles. He 
did the opening work of the New Dispensation, first to the 
Jews at Pentecost, at which time as we read, "Peter stood up 
with the eleven"; he took the initiative, he opened the Gospel 
invitation to the Jews and the other Apostles followed him. 
There he used one key. More than three years later he used 
the other key to open the message of the Kingdom of heaven 
to the Gentiles when the Lord sent him to preach the Gospel 
to Cornelius who was the first Gentile to accept the Lord 
Jesus Christ; therefore the first to become a member of the 
Kingdom of heaven class. Thus we see that the Apostle Peter 
long ago used the keys referred to in this Scripture. There 
will be no occasion ever to use them again. Those who reach 
heaven will not pass through literal doors. 

{PageQ796} 

KINGDOM-Least In, Greater Than John the Baptist 

Q796:1 :: QUESTION-What did Jesus mean when He 
declared, "There hath not risen a greater than John the 



Baptist; notwithstanding, he that is least in the Kingdom of 
heaven is greater than he?" --Matt. 11:11. (I.B.S.) 

ANSWER~To understand this statement of the Master it 
is necessary to remember the clearly marked distinction 
between the different "Ages." John was the last of the 
Prophets and belonged to the dispensation which was closing. 
The Apostles and other followers of Jesus, on the contrary, 
belonged to the New Dispensation, which Jesus was 
inaugurating. The Gospel call is a call to participate in the 
Kingdom of God-Messiah's Kingdom. Our Lord Jesus is to 
be the Great King of the World during that Millennial Age; 
and the Heavenly Father purposes to select from among men 
a "little flock" to be our Lord's associates in the work of 
uplifting and blessing the world of mankind. The first to be 
accepted into this Kingdom condition received the holy spirit 
at Pentecost. Since then, all who similarly consecrate and are 
similarly begotten of the holy spirit are accepted as of the 
same class, namely, as members of the Kingdom class. If 
faithful through the trials and testings of the present life, these 
shall be "kings and priests unto God" and unto Christ and 
shall reign with Him a thousand years for the uplifting and 
blessing of mankind. (Rev. l:6;Rev. 20:4.) The least one 
in this class will have a higher station than John the Baptist or 
any of the Prophets of the preceding dispensation; for all 
these will be spirit beings on the spirit plane. On the 
contrary, while John, with all the faithful of the past, will 
have great blessings, yet, since they will be on the earthly 
plane, their blessings will be restitution blessings to human 
perfection, etc. 

KINGDOM-Nicodemus 

Q796:2:: QUESTION-Can you explain the Savior's 

words to Nicodemus- "Except a man be born of water, and of the 

spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God?" John 3:5. 

(Pharisee.) 

ANSWER~The Jewish nation was a consecrated nation, 
a covenant people. They were all baptized into Moses in the 
sea and in the cloud when they left Egypt. God accepted 
them in Moses, the mediator of their covenant at Mt. Sinai 
but, at the time Jesus was speaking, they had forgotten their 
covenant, some were openly living as publicans and sinners, 
and many others were self-righteous hypocrites. John's 
ministry, therefore, was repentance and baptism for the 
remission of sins~a return to God and to a recognition of the 
repentance and reformation of heart and life. Nicodemus was 
a Jew, and no Jew could become a follower of the Lord Jesus 



and enter into the kingdom, until first of all he had 
experienced this reformation and had been baptized, "born of 
water," in addition to this there must be the begetting of the 
spirit, and then in the resurrection, the birth to the spirit 
nature— "born of the spirit." Only those who experience this 
complete reformation of heart and mind, and who are 
"changed" in the resurrection, will ever enter into the 
kingdom of God. 

{PageQ797} 

KINGDOM-See Son of Man Coming IN' 

Q797:1 :: QUESTION--"Verily I say unto you, There be 

some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see 

the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom." Matt. 26:28. 

Does this idea that some living at that time would continue to 

live on until the Lord's second advent? (C. W.) 

ANSWER-The word "Kingdom" properly rendered is 
royal majesty. Continuing the narrative on down into the next 
chapter, it is stated that six days afterwards, the Lord took 
Peter, James and John and went apart from the rest of the 
disciples, up into a high mountain, and was there transfigured 
before them. His face was gloriously illuminated and became 
as resplendent as the sun, while His raiment was white as the 
light. The royal majesty of the Lord's appearance, together 
with the "vision" of Moses and Elijah, and the bright cloud 
over-shadowing all, formed an overwhelming arrangement of 
light and glory. The Apostle Peter afterwards, in writing of 
this glorious scene, declared that they were eyewitnesses of 
the majesty (royal majesty) of the Lord Jesus, and that they 
also heard the voice of the Heavenly Father coming from the 
excellent glory. (2 Peter 1 :16-18.) In this way Matt. 16:28, 
was fulfilled. 

KINGDOM-Suffering Violence 

Q797:2:: QUESTION-Will you please explain Matt. 11:12 
~ "And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the 
Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it 
by force?" (T.C.W.) 

ANSWER— This is a prophecy relating to the Church, 
the Kingdom class, the Kingdom of Heaven in its embryotic 
state. It has been remarkably fulfilled in the history of the 



true Church of Christ from the days of John to the present. 
The "violent," those of the Ishmael and Esau disposition, have 
always bitterly opposed and persecuted the Lord's true people, 
and apparently, have triumphed over the Kingdom of Heaven. 
Many Scriptures teach that this would be the condition of 
affairs in the world until the time would come when the Lord 
Jesus, at His second coming, would take unto Himself His 
great power and authority and establish His own righteous 
rule in the earth, overthrowing Satan's Empire and setting up 
the Kingdom of Heaven. The Apostle admonishes the Lord's 
people to be subject to the powers that be (Rom. 13:1-7) the 
worldly governments and dominions, but the time would 
come when these would be turned over to the Lord Jesus and 
His joint-heirs, and on the ruins of the old, selfish, evil, 
kingdoms and governments, God's Kingdom would be 
established, never to be removed. 

KINGDOM-What Will Entitle Entrance? 

Q797:3:: QUESTION-I am trying to do the best I know 
how; will not this entitle me to an entrance into the Kingdom 
of Heaven? (M.E.W) 

ANSWER~If you do to the very best of your ability you 
will get a great lesson as to your inability to do perfectly. 
Then, realizing that God, cannot approve that which is 
imperfect and self- condemned, you will he ready to pray. 



{PageQ798} 

"God be merciful to me a sinner." (Luke 18:13) Then the Lord 
will reveal to you the fact that there is only one door of 
salvation—Christ. Then, still desiring peace with God, you 
will seek Christ and be found in Him. The most God asks of 
anybody is that he do the best he can. We all need a Savior, 
for the reason, as St. Paul declares, "Ye cannot do the things 
that ye would." (Gal. 5:17) We cannot do perfectly 
because we are imperfect; we are imperfect because we were 
born in sin and "shapen in iniquity." (Psa. 2:5) (Psa. 51:5) 
The Jews, who were under the Law Covenant, tried to justify 
themselves before God by what they did, but wholly failed. 
In discussing this question the Apostle points out that the only 
hope for deliverance is through Chist Jesus, who as the great 
Deliverer will come and turn away ungodliness from them. 
(Rom. 7:18-25) 

KNOWLEDGE-What is the "Key" Jesus Referred to? 



Q798:1 :: QUESTION-What is the "key of knowledge" 
referred to in Luke 1 1:52, where the Lord Jesus said to the 
Scribes and Pharisees "Ye have taken away the key of 
knowledge; ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were 
entering in ye hindered?" (Y.E.K.) 

ANSWER— Some one has said "The summary want of 
the age is that last philosophy into which shall have been 
sifted all other philosophy, which shall be at once catholic 
and eclectic, which shall be the joint growth and fruit of 
reason and faith, and which shall shed forth through every 
walk of research the blended light of discovery and 
revelation." The Bible is just such a revelation and contains 
that true philosophy which is the basis for all philosophies. It 
is the "key of knowledge," the Standard of Truth, and all lines 
of investigative thought which ignore this Standard and are 
contrary thereto, are "vain philosophies and science falsely 
so-called." (1 Tim. 6:20.) The "lawyers," Doctors of the 
Law, the Doctors of Divinity of our Lord's time, had made 
void the Word of the Lord through their traditions and 
speculations. (Mark 7:13.) The people, looking to these 
"lawyers" for true instruction regarding the Lord's Word, 
were deceived and confused by their false teachings. 

LAW--"Eye for an Eye" 

Q798:2:: QU ESTION-What is mean by the expression, 
"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth"? (Exo. 21:24.) 
ANSWER~The Law given to the Israelites by the Lord, 
through Moses as the Mediator for that nation, was designed 
to emphasize and impress the lesson of the Divine principle of 
JUSTICE on the minds of the people. All through that 
wonderful system of laws this principle is boldly prominent. 
Justice is inexorable, demanding an exact equivalent for the 
thing that is lost or injured by a violation of the principles of 
righteousness. The scales must balance perfectly. Just as the 
laws of the material or natural realm are fixed and absolute 
—and any violation of these laws of nature must exact the 
penalty--so also in the moral realm. As surely as cause and 
effect are related, so any violation of the principles of 
righteousness demands a recompense and the penalty is 
exacted. There is no escape. Let no one deceive himself on 
this point. If one wilfully injures 

{PageQ799} 

another, he has to the same extent injured himself. The law 
of action and reaction operates in the moral realm just as 



positively as in the arrangements of the material universe. He 
is happiest who observes the principles of righteousness most 
fully, and he is unhappiest who violates them most. It 
follows, therefore, that love is the fulfilling of the Law. Love 
for the Lord would prompt one to be obedient to His just 
commands, and love for the neighbor would induce one to do 
good unto all men as the opportunities were presented. This 
great truth was beautifully set forth by the Master and His 
Apostles. See Matt. 22:37-40, and Rom. 13:10. And yet 
how few are observing this rule! Consequently, how much 
unhappiness there is in the world! 

LIE-Ananias 

Q799:1 :: QUESTION-Did Ananias tell the first lie, 
and is that the reason why we often speak of an "Ananias 
Club" whose members are reported to be notorious liars? 
ANSWER--The Lord Jesus declared that Satan told the 
fist lie, saying, "He was a murderer from the beginning and 
abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When 
he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar and 
the father of it." (John 8:44.) The first lie told was by Satan 
in Eden when he said to Mother Eve, "Ye shall not surely 
die." (Gen. 3:4.) This was false because a contradiction to 
God's plain statement, "Thou shall surely die." (Gen. 2:17.) 
It may truly be said that all the false doctrines of 
"Heathendom" and "Christendom" have had their foundation 
in this falsehood told by Satan. Satan's falsehood was the 
cause of the disobedience of the first man which resulted in 
the sentence of Adam to death, and which death sentence by 
inheritance has passed upon all of his offspring. (Rom. 5:12.) 
Ananias was an offspring of Adam. He was born under the 
condemnation of death, shapen in sin and brought forth in 
iniquity. (Psa. 2:5.) (Psa. 51:5) Therefore, the 
natural tendency was downward, hence all who would be 
honest and upright must fight against evil. 

LIFE-Explanation of 

Q799:2:: QUESTION -What is life? 

ANSWER— To live is to possess sentient being; to be 
capable of consciousness, joy or sorrow, pleasure or pain. 
Life, in its highest sense, is known as immortality. 
Immortality signifies inherent life, a life not sustained by 
outside supplies, conditions or influence, but life possessed in 
one's self. Life possessed in this sense belonged originally to 
God alone, but it has been given by the Father to the Lord 
Jesus Christ; and He promises this life to His faithful Church, 



His Bride, His companions in Kingdom glory. However, life 
in an inferior sense is the possession of the angels through the 
grace of the Creator, who is pleased that they shall enjoy it 
everlastingly in harmony with His will. Eternal life is 
preferred to mankind in general; it will be granted to so many 
of Adam's race as shall ultimately, under the blessings of the 
Messianic Kingdom, be recovered completely from the 
imperfections of sin and death, and who shall maintain that 
perfection by continued obedience 

{PageQSOO} 

to the Divine requirements. All who sin after receiving full 
light, shall not live. 

LIFE--"Second Chance" 

Q800:1 :: QUESTION-Would not the teaching of a 
future probation tend to make the people careless and 
sinful in this life, and knowing that they were to have a 
second chance in the life to come? (Dubious) 

ANSWER--Not nearly as much as to teach that a 
hardened wretch by a deathbed confession would immediately 
be ushered into Heaven! Besides, a future probation would 
not signify a "second chance," save for a limited few, the 
Church of Christ, now being selected out of the world 
(Acts 15:14) to be the Bride, the Lamb's Wife. Most of the 
criminals inhabiting the jails and prisons of our land are, or 
were, members of some religious system that taught the 
sinner-hardening doctrine of eternal torment. Did the false 
teaching defer them from committing crime? Those who 
believe that the Creator is a God of love, and mercy, and 
justice, and that He has arranged seasons of blessings for the 
world in the coming age, when mankind is to have its only 
chance of salvation, are invariably ennobled, and elevated to a 
higher plane of morality, with greater reverence for their 
Creator, a God, whom to know, is to love. The truth 
sanctifies, while the error debases. 

LYING-ls It Ever Justifiable? 

Q800:2:: QUESTION-Is a lie ever justifiable? (H.V.D.) 

ANSWER— The development of character is the main 
purpose of our present existence. The importance of this 
work is manifest when we reflect that our interests throughout 
eternity depend entirely upon the kind of character we 
develop in this life. It is by contending against adverse 
influences that character is formed. Nearly all of the 



influences of the conditions of this life are opposed to the 
principles of righteousness. Those who are willing to fight 
the good fight of faith, struggling to rise against the 
downward tendencies of this present evil world, are assured 
of a high and heavenly reward in the life to come, as well as 
receiving the reward in this present time of a clear conscience 
and the glorious satisfaction of having lived a noble, honest 
life! Those who follow the lines of least resistance, drifting 
with the tide, may think theirs is the easiest way, but this is 
only a vain delusion for, after all, they have travelled the 
hardest way. "The way of the transgressor is hard." 
(Pro. 13:15.) A lie is never justifiable; and not only so, 
it is unprofitable. It weakens one's character in proportion to 
the enormity of the offense involved in the relating of the lie. 
Every step away from truth will have to be retraced either in 
this life or in the life to come. Throughout the Scriptures 
lying is condemned. Satan is called "a liar from the 
beginning." The character of the Lord Jesus is the standard of 
righteousness set before us, and in all His earthly experiences 
He set forth the truth and condemned the error. He spoke the 
truth at all times, and when it was not expedient to tell the 
truth, He was silent. 

{PageQSOl} 

MAN-God Repenting CreatioN' 
Q801 :1 :: QUESTION""And God saw that the 
wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every 
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil 
continually. And it repented the Lord that He had made man 
of the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart; and the Lord 
said, I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of 
'the earth.'" If God is omniscent, knowing the end from the 
beginning, how could he REPENT of His course in creating 
man? 

ANSWER-The word "repent" means "to change the 
mind, or course or conduct, on account of regret or 
dissatisfaction with what has occurred." The question then 
is. Did God change His mind (plan) or His course of conduct? 
We claim that, knowing the end from the beginning, God's 
mind could not be changed; hence "repent" in this text must 
signify change of conduct. That is, God did change His 
course of dealing with man because of man's wickedness. 



which grieved IHim, but IHe did not change IHis mind or plans, 
because these plans had from the very first recognized the 
corrupting and degrading tendency of sin, and provided (in 
purpose of mind) the Lamb of God -"slain from the 
foundation of the world'-as the redemption price. 
(Rev. 13:8; Rev. 17:8.) 

MAN-His Age: Stated in Years or Lunar Months 

Q801 :2:: QUESTION What proof have we that the ages 
of the antediluvians were stated in years and not in lunar 
months, as taught by some scientists? 

ANSWER—Many have endeavored to account for the 
remarkable longevity of the antediluvians, some of whom 
lived to the ripe old age of 800 and 900 years. Regarding 
Methuselah, the oldest man mentioned in the Bible being an 
elderly gentleman of 969 years of age, various theories are 
offered, one of which is referred to in the question before us. 
However, we can readily see by consulting the Sacred 
Narrative, that this theory would not fit the situation. The 5th 
Chapter of Genesis, in setting forth the genealogy of different 
ones, states the ages when these had children. If we were to 
estimate on the basis of a year as being in reality only a lunar 
month of time, we become involved in difficulties, for 
according to this method of reckoning Cainan was but five 
years and ten months of age when he had a son; also 
Mahalaleel was five years and five months old when his son 
Tared was born. The real cause of advanced ages of those 
who lived prior to the deluge is presented in the Bible. The 
human race had deteriorated but slightly from that condition 
of perfection which Adam had enjoyed preceding his 
disobedience. Consequently, with splendid organisms and 
very slightly impaired vitality, the spark of life would be 
maintained for centuries. How different the conditions now, 
when the average length of life is about thirty-five years ! 
Malignant diseases, caused by germs and bacteria, are 
infesting the race fearfully, and even with all the aid of 
science and hygenic precautions, how hard to preserve the 
dim spark of life! 

{PageQ802} 

MAN-How Long Living? 

Q802:1 :: QU ESTION-Does the Bible teach how long 
man has been living on the earth? 
ANSWER~The Bible does give a satisfactory answer to 



this question. Scientists have indulged in much speculation as 
to the length of time man has been on the earth. Their 
guesses have ranged over a wide field. One celebrated 
geologist claims it has been fifty thousand years since the first 
man was in Egypt, while another names 250,000 years since 
the first man was on European soil. In contrast with these 
speculative theories we have the clear and connected chain of 
Bible chronology, which shows that less than seven thousand 
years have elapsed since the creation of the first man. The 
Bible is the oldest and most authentic history concerning man. 
It indulges in no guesses, but clearly teaches that Adam was 
the first man. It gives its own chronology, which is 
subdivided as follows: From Adam to the flood, 1,656 years; 
from the flood to Abraham, 427 years; from thence to the 
exodus and the giving of the Law, 40 years; from thence to 
the division of Canaan, 46 years; next the period of the 
Judges, 450 years; and the period of the Kings, 513 years; 
from thence to A.D. 1911 makes a total of 6,039 years since 
Adam's creation. This is the result shown by the best Bible 
chronologists who have written on the subject. 

MAN--ln What Sense "Image of God"? 

Q802:2:: QUESTION-The Scripture reads: "And God 
said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness." 
(Gen. 1:26). Does this mean physically, with all facial and 
bodily variations we see in people today, or is the "soul" "the 
image of God" and uniform in all people? Or what is the 
meaning of this Scripture? 

ANSWER—This "image of God" does not mean physical 
shape because "God is a spirit" and man is human. Nor does it 
mean the "soul." "Soul" is the synonymous term for man- 
-man is a soul. "In His image" means that man was made with 
reasoning power and moral intelligence. God made man a 
free moral agent, and fashioned him appropriately to earthly 
conditions and nature. God endowed him with the sense of 
justice, reason, love and righteousness, and thus he was an 
image of the great Jehovah in these qualities of character. 
"After Our likeness," we understand to mean that as God 
made man to be in the likeness of God, He made man to be 
the king of the earth and gave him dominion over all the 
things of the earth. The first man being created in the image 
and likeness of God was, in every respect, perfect. Some 
modern scientists hold that man is a creature of evolution. If 
evolution be true the Bible is false from Genesis to 
Revelation. If the Bible statement of man's creation is true, 
and all Christian people hold that it is true, then the evolution 



theory is utterly false as respects man. 

MAN-Relationship to God and WomaN' 

Q802:3:: QUESTION-What does the Apostle Paul mean 

when he says, "Man ... is the image and glory of God; 

but the woman is the glory of the man"? (1 Cor. 1 1 :7.) 

(M.L.B.) 

{Page Q803} 

ANSWER-ln the Genesis account of the creation of 
man, it is stated that he was in the "image and likeness of 
God." The words in the text would more properly be: "Man . 
. . is the glorious image of God." These words of the Apostle 
apply, of course, to the first perfect man, and not to man as he 
is today in his fallen depraved and degenerated state. The 
woman was created to be his "help-meet" (Gen. 2:18) and in 
the proper relationship that should exist between the two, 
would be to his honor and glory. In the third verse of this 
chapter, (1 Cor. 11 ;3) the Apostle explains that the "head of 
the woman is the man." (Eph. 5:22-32.) The Heavenly 
Father has arranged that His Son, the Annointed Jesus, who is 
in the "express image of the Father's person," (Heb. 1 :3) is 
to have a Bride. (Rev. 21 :9) This Bride is to be made up of 
a class, the elect overcomers of the Gospel Age. When 
completed and glorified, the Bride, the Church, will be the 
"Helpmeet" of Christ, and will be to His honor and glory. 

MAN-What is He? 

Q803:1 :: QUESTION-What is man? Is he half spiritual and 
half fleshly, or is he entirely a human or earthly being? 

ANSWER— There is not a single expression to be found 
in the Scriptures in which it is stated that man was created in 
any sense a spirit being. On the contrary, the Bible distinctly 
asserts that man is of "the earth earthy," that he was formed of 
the dust of the ground and that the breath of life was breathed 
into his nostrils and he became a living soul. (1 Cor. 15:45-47; 
Gen. 2:7.) The Scriptural expression, "And the spirit 
returns to God who gave it," has reference to the life 
principle or spark of life which the Lord imparted to Adam 
when he was created from the dust of the ground. This breath 
of life is the active principle that makes the living being and 



when removed from the body it returns to the Creator who is 
the source or fountain of all life. The Psalmist declares that 
man was created a little lower than the angels, the lowest of 
the spirit beings. Man is the highest of the animals or earthly 
beings, and in the divine arrangements was to be the ruler or 
the monarch over the earthly realm having dominion over the 
beast of the field and the fish of the sea and the fowls of the 
air. In view of this plain teaching of the Bible on this matter, 
we can understand the words of our Lord and His Apostles 
that one must be begotten of the holy spirit in order to have a 
spiritual existence in any sense. The Lord Jesus was the first 
one to be developed as a spiritual new creature, from the 
fleshly or earthly condition. Although He was a perfect man, 
we read that He was made perfect through sufferings (Heb. 2:10) 
as a spiritual "new creature," "being, indeed, put to death in 
the flesh, but being made alive in spirit." (1 Pet.3:18 
--Diaglott.) 

MARRIAGE-Unbeliever Sanctified By Believer 

Q803:2:: QUESTION-Can you explain the words of the 
Apostle Paul (1 Cor.7:14): "For the unbelieving husband is 
sanctified by the (believing) wife and the unbelieving wife is 
sanctified by the (believing) husband; else were your children 
unclean (sinners under condemnation, unjustified, 

{PageQ804} 

unrelated to God, aliens from His care and blessing, but now 
are they holy")? 

ANSWER~As the disobedience and alienation of Adam 
and Eve from the Heavenly Father brought alienation to all 
their offspring, so the reconciliation of the Lord's people 
through the merits of the great atonement, not only brings 
them back to harmony with God, but their children as well are 
counted as justified through their parents, up to such a time as 
the child shall have an intelligence and will of its own. The 
question is more complex, however, when one parent is the 
Lord's and the other is a stranger and an alien from Him; but 
the Apostle assures us that in such a case God counts the 
child as His, through whichever one of its parents is the 
Lord's disciple. The standing of the believing parent is 
counted as offsetting and overruling the standing of the 
unconsecrated parent, so far as the child is concerned. 

IVJATERIALIZATION-Appearance of the Dead: Fallen Angels 

Q804:1 :: QUESTION-What are we to think of the 



amazing occurrences, accounts of which are appearing in the 
daily press and in the monthly publications, to the effect that 
messages have been received from the noted English 
publicist, Wm.T. Stead, who was drowned when the Titanic 
sank mid-ocean; and that he has appeared and conversed with 
several well-known people on different occasions? Does this 
not prove that the dead are not dead but more alive than ever? 
(Aviator.) 

ANSWER~It is true that many remarkable 
manifestations of an unseen, supernatural power have been 
reported through the daily press of late. There is no doubt as 
to the authenticity of these demonstrations. They are vouched 
for by the very best of human testimony. As the Scriptures 
unmistakably teach that the dead are unconscious in the tomb 
and will not be awakened until the resurrection morning, we 
are forced to the conclusion that these supernatural 
phenomena are not created by those who have gone down into 
death. The Bible explains the mystery to those who are willing 
to accept its testimony. It tells about the fallen angels, 
demons, who left their former habitation, their spiritual estate, 
in the antediluvian times, and went contrary to the Divine 
will, for which they have been restrained in chains of 
darkness (the darkness of the night) until the judgment time. 
These have manifested their power all down through the ages, 
obsessing people, impersonating the dead, and otherwise 
deceiving mankind. Note carefully the following Scriptures: 
Exo. 22:18; Deut. 17:9-12; Lev. 19:31; Lev. 20:6; 
2 Kings 21:2,6,11; 1 Chron. 10:13,14; Acts 16:16-18; 
Gal. 5:10-21; Isa. 8:19,20; Isa. 19:3. 

MILLENNIUM-Before or After Christ's Coming? 

Q804:2:: QUESTION-AccordingtoRev. 20:6; IThes. 4:16, 
will the Millennium be before or after the coming of 
Christ? It is claimed by some that the Millennium began in 
the year 799 and ended in the year 1799 A.D.~ Millennium 
meaning one thousand years—and is known 

{PageQ805} 

as the Papal Millennium. Is that the Millennium mentioned in 
the Bible? 

ANSWER~The Scriptures above referred to, together 
with many others, show that Christ will reign during the 
Millennium, and we all know that Christ has not reigned yet. 
If Christ was reigning now we would not have the great 
systems of evil in the earth, for the Scriptures declare that 



when "His judgments are in the earth then the people shall 
learn righteousness." (Isa. 26:9.) The Scriptures in your 
question declare that "the dead in Christ shall rise first" at His 
coming. In harmony with this we see that then He will take 
unto Himself His great power and reign, as set forth in 
Rev. 11:17,18. Jesus Himself declared (Mat. 25:31), that His 
reign would follow His second coming. 

MILLENNIUM-No Infant There 

Q805:1 :: QUESTION Please explain Isa. 65:20, 
which reads: "There shall no more come thence an infant of 
days, nor an old man that shall not have the full length of his 
days; for as a lad shall one die a hundred years old; and as a 
sinner shall be accursed he who dieth at a hundred years 
old." (G.A.N.) 

ANSWER~The verses connecting, particularly the 25th, 
show that it is during the Age in which divine favor and 
blessings are to be disseminated over the world, and when the 
terms of salvation are much more favorable to humanity than 
now, that an incorrigible sinner dying at an hundred years of 
age will be but as a child. The apparent teaching of the 
Scriptures is, that a thousand years have been set apart in the 
Creator's plan of salvation, and that this period of time, 
constituting the judgment or trial day of the world, will 
immediately follow the Christian Era. In the meantime, those 
who are to be the judges and rulers over the world in that day 
are now being prepared and qualified for that future work. 
(Acts 17:31; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3.) In that Age of joy and blessing 
(Psa. 92:4-9), when a wayfaring man though a fool shall not 
err concerning the way of salvation (Isa. 35:8-10), all will 
have at least an hundred years to make some progress in the 
way of righteousness. Failing to do this they will die as an 
infant, for one an hundred years of age, comparatively 
speaking, is but an infant to one a thousand years old, for all 
who will comply with the terms of righteousness will live to 
the end of the thousand years, and may make their existence 
eternal if they successfully endure the final trial or test at the 
end of that Age, when Satan is loosed for a little season. 
(Rev. 20:7.) 

MIRACLES-What Were "Greater Works Than These"? 

Q805:2:: QUESTION-Please explain John 14:12: 
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the 
works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these 
shall he do; because I go unto my Father." (J.A.B.) 
ANSWER— Whatever may be the meaning of the 



Master's words, it is obvious that not any of His followers 
have ever been able to do "greater works" than He 
accomplished 

{PageQ806} 

as regards the miraculous works of opening the blind eyes, 
unstopping the deaf ears, raising the dead, stilling the 
tempest, etc. The "works," therefore, must be of a different 
nature, or upon a larger scale. Both of these are true. The last 
expression of the verse should be noted in this connection- 
- "because I go unto my Father." Our Lord, when he ascended 
on high, and had presented the merits of His sacrifice in 
behalf of His followers, could then bestow the holy Spirit of 
sonship upon those who, through faith and obedience, would 
become members of His Church. These receiving the holy 
Spirit, or power of God, would be enabled to accomplish the 
"greater works" of opening the spiritually blind eyes, 
unstopping the spiritually deaf ears, raising to spiritual life 
those who were dead in trespasses and sins, and stilling the 
tempests of the soul; all of which, from the Divine viewpoint, 
is a far greater work than the merely physical healing, etc. 
Then again, when the Church of Christ has been glorified in 
the Heavenly state, the work of raising the dead, and healing, 
blessing and restoring to full life and health and joy and 
happiness, will be executed on a world-wide scale, for the 
promise is that all the families of the earth will be blessed 
through "The Seed of Abraham"--Jesus and the members of 
His Body, the Church. (Gen. 22:18; Gal. 3:27-29.) 

MIRACLES-Why Not In Our Day? 

Q806:1 :: QUESTION Are we to accept the Bible 
account of the miracles that were performed in olden times? 
Why are not miracles performed in our day? (Doubtful.) 
ANSWER—This is an age of miracles, with messages 
being flashed thousands of miles through space, and under the 
seas, and around the globe. Marvelous discoveries and 
wonderful inventions are being made almost daily. Some of 
the achievements of our times almost eclipse those of former 
days, even the miracles of which we read in the Scriptures. 
As a matter of fact, miracles are transpiring all about us 
continually. The reproduction of living organism, either 
animal or vegetable, is beyond our comprehension, as well as 
beyond our power—hence miraculous. We can see the 
exercise of life principle, but can neither understand it nor 
produce it. Two seeds are planted side by side; the 



conditions, air, water, and soil are alike; they grow we cannot 
tell how, nor can the wisest philosopher explain this miracle. 
These seeds develop characteristics that are exactly opposite, 
though the conditions were the same. The Creator who 
formed all of the marvels that we see about us in the material 
world, would surely be able to perform the miracles narrated 
in the Bible, and therefore, we need have no doubts as to their 
authenticity. 

MOSES-Michael and Devil Dispute Over Body 

Q806:2:: QUESTION In Jude 9, is described a 
contention and dispute between Michael, the Archangel, and 
the Devil over the body of Moses. Why this dispute? 
(C.W.W.) 

ANSWER~We quote from an eminent authority an 
explanation as to the reason for the contention between 
Michael and the Devil: "The Lord Himself buried Moses, 
hiding the place of the sepulchre. The primary reason for 

{PageQ807} 

this probably was to hinder the Israelites from carrying his 
corpse as a mummy, which in after time might have become a 
temptation to idolatry. The passage in Jude 9, which 
mentions Michael contending with Satan concerning the body 
of Moses, is a hint along this line that Satan desired to have 
the corpse to use it for the further misleading of the people, 
but that the Lord through Michael the Archangel hindered, 
prevented this, and kept the burial place a secret from the 
Israelites. But there is another view of this matter which is 
interesting because it relates to spiritual Israelites. Jesus and 
the Church unitedly constitute the antitypical, or greater 
Moses--the Spiritual. Their inheritance is not to be earthly 
but heavenly, and a grave is a symbol of hope as respects an 
earthly resurrection. Hence it was appropriate that the type 
should not show an earthly grave since the antitype has no 
hope in that connection." 

MOSES and ELIJAH-How Recognized on Mount 

Q807:1 :: QU ESTION-At the transfiguration of Jesus, 
Matt. 17:3, states that Elias and Moses appeared and talked 
with Him. Will you please explain how it was possible for the 
Apostles to recognize that these two who were with the Lord 
were Moses and Elias? (W.C.C.) 

ANSWER— As the Scriptural narrative does not contain 
the information as to the modus operandi by which the 



Apostles recognized the Patriarchs, we are forced to rely upon 
our own resources, and to accept that which would appeal to 
us as the most reasonable solution of the matter, without 
forming a too positive conclusion. There are two ways by 
which it would be reasonable to suppose the Apostles were 
made aware of the identity of the two who appeared with the 
Lord. In the account it says, "There appeared unto them 
Moses and Elias, talking with Him." During this conversation 
it would be the most natural thing in the world for the Lord to 
address them by their names. Then again, as they were 
coming down from the mountain with the Lord, He may have 
informed them as to the identity of the two they saw in the 
"vision." They did not actually see Moses and Elias but 
merely a "vision," as stated by the Savior when He said, "Tell 
the vision to no man until the Son of man be risen from the 
dead." (Mat. 27:9.) 

NATURE-Christ's 

Q807:2:: QUESTION-Was Christ human and Divine at 
the same time? 

ANSWER--The word "Divine" signifies "the nature of 
God." The Creator, God, is a Spirit Being glorious and 
immortal, dwelling in light that is inaccessible to mortal man. 
One possessing the Divine, immortal nature could never die. 
The human nature is the highest form of the earthly or fleshly 
nature. The Divine nature is the highest form of the spirit 
nature. The spiritual nature is one thing and the fleshly nature 
is another thing. (1 Cor. 15: 44-46.) The blending of the 
two natures would produce a hybrid nature or being. As to 
which nature Christ possessed while in the flesh, let the 
scriptures speak: "The 

{PageQ808} 

Word (Logos, Jesus) was made flesh." (John 1:14.) "Christ. 
. . being indeed put to death (A Divine being could not die) in 
the flesh, but made alive in spirit." (1 Pet. 3:18.) "Since 
then the children have one common nature of flesh and blood. 
He also in like manner partook of these; in order that by 
means of His death He might vanquish him that hath the 
power of death." (Heb. 2:14; see also Heb. 2:6,7,9.) 
From the Scriptures it is apparent that the Lord Jesus left His 
spiritual nature and condition when He became the "Man 
Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all." At His 
resurrection He received the Divine nature and honor and 
glory as a reward for His obedience to the Father's will even 



unto death. Nature is simply organism, and varies according 
to the form or quality of the organism. The element of life is 
always the same. 

NEIGHBOR-Who? 

Q808:1 :: QUESTION--One of the commandments of the 
Bible reads, "Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself." How 
may I know who is my neighbor? 

ANSWER— Our Lord gives a clear answer to this 
question in Luke 10:29-37. He describes a man in distress 
and need. A priest came along and seeing the man passed by 
on the other side as if he were afraid he would be 
contaminated by even paying attention to the sufferer. A 
Levite did likewise. Then came a Samaritan (Samaritans 
were a mixed people, common and despised by the priestly 
class of Jews), and ministered unto the wants of the sufferer. 
The principle here taught is, that every man is your neighbor 
and should be treated kindly, generously, according to the 
Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do 
unto you." "Love your neighbors as yourself" and show that 
you do love them by dealing with all honestly, fairly and 
exactly as you would like others to deal with you. The 
Apostle Paul announces the proper principle saying, "Do 
good unto all men as you have opportunity." (Gal. 6:10.) 

NEW CREATURE-And SiN' 

Q808:2:: QUESTION-Please explain this Scripture 

found in 1 John 3:8: "Whosoever is born of God doth not 

sin; for IHis seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin because 

he is born of God." 

ANSWER-A better translation from the original Greek 
manuscripts renders the passage thus: "No one who has been 
begotten by God practices sin; because His Seed abides in 
him; and he cannot sin, because he has been begotten by 
God." This begetting takes place at the time of the receiving 
of the Holy Spirit. In other words, it is the beginning of the 
new spiritual life, the living of the Christlike life. This "new 
creature" (2 Cor. 5:17) is in an embryotic state or condition 
while in the flesh and will be born of the spirit in the 
resurrection. The spirit of the Lord God is the power or 
influence exerted upon the minds and hearts of those who 
have surrendered their own wills and are obedient to the 
Divine will. This holy power of the Lord gradually 



transforms the mind of the Christian, shaping 

{Page Q809} 

the mental faculties so that earthly hopes, desires and 
ambitions die, while heavenly spiritual ones are developed. 
The spirit-begotten New Creature becomes spiritually 
minded, develops a new mind; his mind is renewed for so 
states the Apostle: "Be not conformed to the things of this 
world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds.' 
(Rom. 12:2.) Because of the weakness and the 
imperfections of the flesh we sin almost constantly, not 
willfully; the new mind, the mind of Christ cannot sin. All 
who are honest with themselves will acknowledge that they 
are imperfect and cannot do the things that they would, 
perfectly. (See 1 John 1:8; 1 John 2:1.) The embryotic New 
Creature (the mind of Christ dominated by the Holy Spirit) 
cannot sin (willfully) as long as "His Seed (the spirit) 
remaineth in him." 

NOAH-Drunkenness 

Q809:2:: QUESTION If Noah was a just and 
respectable old gentleman of some six hundred years of age, 
how is it that we find him getting intoxicated—becoming 
drunk—as recorded in Gen.9:21? 
ANSWER— How true are the words of the poet: 

The evil that men do lives after them; 

The good is oft interred with their bones. 

But one instance of straying from the path of rectitude and 
sobriety in a long life of fidelity to the principles of 
righteousness will stand out with startling distinctness and 
will be the subject of more consideration than all of the 
individual's noble acts and traits combined. However, we 
shall not leave Noah defenseless, but will call attention to the 
fact that his intoxication was after the flood and was wholly 
unintentional. The flood wrought great changes in the 
atmospheric conditions of our earth. To our understanding 
the deluge was produced by the precipitation to the earth of 
an immense quantity of water which previously had 
surrounded the earth at a distance as a cloudy canopy. The 
dissolution of this canopy or envelope of water not only 
produced the flood, but altered the conditions of nature so 
that storms, rains, etc., resulted-things which had never been 



before. (Gen. 2:5,6.) Another result, we believe, was the 
development of an acidulous condition of the atmosphere 
tending to produce ferment, which directly affected human 
longevity, so that according to the Scriptures the average of 
human life decreased from eight and nine hundred years to 
one hundred. This ferment from the changed atmosphere, 
affecting the grape, generated "mold," and hence the alcoholic 
condition which produces drunkenness. According to the 
record, Noah's drunkenness was the result of the first vintage 
of grapes after the flood, and it evidently was contrary to all 
of his experiences preceding the flood. We are justified, 
therefore, in supposing that this one instance of Noah's having 
been intoxicated was the result of ignorance respecting the 
changed character of the grape product fermented. 

NOMINAL CHURCH-Recognizing True Christians 

Q809:2:: QUESTION--! am a young married man and 
my wife and I desire to be good Christian people. We think 
we ought to go 

{PageQSlO} 

to church and worship God, but as there are ten different 
churches in our neighborhood, I am at a loss to know which 
to make our church home. I have attended each one several 
times, and none of them seems to satisfy our minds and 
hearts. In one church it is all formality and dress; in another 
it is a continual plea for money; in another the Bible is 
seldom referred to, but it is all Higher Criticism and 
Evolution. I am almost disgusted and would like to know if 
my wife and I cannot remain at home and read our Bible and 
be good Christians without supporting with our time and 
money what appears to me as being "clubs" instead of 
churches. (Candid.) 

ANSWER~It is true that we can worship the Lord at 
home, and unless we do worship the Lord at home, our 
church worship would be of little benefit. Worship is not a 
mere form but devotion of the heart. However, we are 
admonished of the Lord to "forsake not the assembling of 
ourselves together" (Heb. 10:25), and we should look 
carefully for a gathering of the Lord's people, however small 
in number. True Christians may be readily recognized by the 
test which the Master Himself instituted, "by their fruits ye 
shall know them." 

NOMINAL CHURCHES-Parable of Vine and Branches 



Q810:1 :: QUESTION--In the parable of the vine and 
the branches given by the Lord Jesus (John 15:1-8), are we 
to understand that the branches would represent the different 
churches and denominations? (S. S. Scholar.) 

ANSWER— A critical examination of the parable should 
thoroughly convince any Bible student that the "branches" 
could in no way represent the five-or six -hundred different 
religious denominations of Christendom. At the time the 
parable was given, there were no denominations, and none 
were organized until several centuries afterward. The Lord 
never authorized the formation of these denominational 
systems, and furthermore. He has never recognized them as 
His representatives. If anything, they are of the "vine of the 
earth" (Rev. 14:18) for they are of an earthly or human 
origin. It is very evident that this fact is coming more and 
more to be recognized even by the representatives of the 
various religious bodies as, in general, they are advocating a 
federation of all the churches, and the eradication of 
denominational lines. See what the Apostle has to say about 
denominationalism, 1 Cor. 3:3,4. The Master was 
addressing His disciples and telling them that they were the 
branches. His language is, "I am the true vine, ye are the 
branches." It becomes more apparent that He was referring to 
the individual when in the fifth verse. He says, "If a man 
abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch." This same 
intimate relationship existing between the Lord and His 
faithful followers is pictured by the Apostle when he uses the 
illustration of the natural body to show how the brethren in 
Christ are members in particular of the body of Christ, 
ICor. 12:14-27. 

ORDINATION-Scriptural Method 

Q81 0:2:: QU ESTION-What is the Scriptural method of 
ordination? It seems to me that the laymen should have 
something to say as to who shall be their representatives. 
Have the clergy 

{PageQ811} 

arrogated to themselves privileges in this connection to which 
they are not entitled? (American) 

ANSWER-Priestcraft, and not the teachings of our Lord 
and His Apostles, is responsible for the division of the church 
into two classes, called "clergy" and "laity." It is still the 
spirit of priestcraft that seeks to lord it over God's heritage in 
every way possible—proportionately to the density of the 



ignorance prevailing in any congregation. The word "ordain," 
in respect to elders—those who preside over the church- 
-occurs in Titus 1:5. It is from the Greek which signifies "to 
place down." "Set in order the things that are wanting, and 
ordain elders in every city, as I gave thee charge." (R.V.) On 
the fact of it, this text seems to imply that Titus was 
empowered to appoint these elders, regardless of the wishes 
of the congregations (churches, ecclesias); and it is on this 
view that the whole clerical system rests. The leading 
churches all claim for their bishops an apostolic authority to 
set, to place or appoint, elders for the congregations—without 
the stretching forth of the hand, or vote of the church. This 
text is the bulwark of this idea; but it appears to be rather a 
weak support when we notice the last clause, "As I gave thee 
charge," and reflect that the Apostle would surely not give 
Titus "charge" or instruction to do differently from what he 
(the Apostle) did in this matter. The account of the Apostle's 
own procedure, rightly translated, is very explicit: "And when 
they had elected them elders by a show of hands in every 
ecclesia, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them 
to the Lord." (Acts 14:23) 

PAUL-Apostleship 

Q81 1:1:: QUESTION-Considering Paul's positive 
claim to be an Apostle, specially called of God, who saw 
Jesus, and that the choice of Matthias to be the successor of 
Judas, by the Eleven, was before the descent of the Holy 
Spirit on the day of Pentecost, are we to consider him (Paul) 
as the successor of Judas, remembering that there were to be 
but twelve Apostles, and that Matthias was not afterward 
heard of? 

ANSWER— It is evident from the Scriptural account that 
the Eleven were acting without due warrant and authority in 
selecting Matthias to be the successor of Judas. They had 
been instructed to tarry at Jerusalem and wait for enduement 
from on high by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and it was 
during this waiting period and before they were endued with 
power, that they mistakenly cast lots and chose Matthias. The 
Lord did not reprove them for this undesigned meddling with 
His arrangement, but simply ignored their choice, and in His 
own time brought forward the Apostle Paul, declaring, "He is 
a chosen vessel unto Me." There can be no question but that 
the Lord arranged that there should be but twelve Apostles, 
and in evidence of this note how the Lord particularly chose 
those twelve, calling to mind the prominence of the number 
twelve in sacred things pertaining to this election. And we 



cap the climax by pointing to the symbolical picture of the 
glorified Church furnished in Rev. 21:1. In the picture the 
statement is most distinctly made that the twelve foundations 

{PageQ812} 

of the City are precious, and in them were written the names 
of the "twelve Apostles of the Lamb . . ."--no more, no less. 

PEACE-Vs. Vast Preparations for War 

Q81 2:1 :: QUESTION- How shall we understand the 
Prophet's words: "And they shall beat their swords into 
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall 
not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war 
any more" (Isa. 2:4) in view of the fact that all of the 
nations are learning war and making vast preparations for a 
great international conflict? Think of the armies and navies 
and munitions of war! Have in mind also the frightful 
instruments of destruction that are being devised, such as 
submarines, airplanes, murderous machine guns and terrific 
explosives, etc. Will peace never be established in the earth? 

ANSWER~The Prophet Joel foretold just the conditions 
that we see about us in the world today (see Joel 3:9-1 1). 
The Lord Jesus also informed His followers that "wars and 
rumors of wars as well as dreadful calamities would continue 
all down through the centuries until the time of His second 
advent (Mat. 24:6,7), and then in the very end of the Age, 
"the last days," would be the great tribulation, a time of war 
and trouble involving all nations, the preparations for which 
are fulfilled in the conditions of the present. When the final 
great cataclysm, the overwhelming flood of trouble, has 
drawn to its close, then Messiah's reign of peace begins. A 
universal government will be established in the earth, the 
Kingdom of God, and "the government shall be upon His 
shoulder; and His name shall be called . . . The Prince of 
Peace; of the increase of His government and peace there 
shall be no end." (Isa. 9:6,7) The connecting verses to 
the one quoted in your question, show that the conditions of 
peace referred to will not be established until after the 
"mountain" (Kingdom) of the Lord is set up in the earth. 
(See verses 2 and 3) 

PHYSICAL EXERCISE-IS It Sin? 

Q81 2:2:: QU ESTION-Is it proper for a Christian to 
engage in physical exercises, or physical culture? I would 
like to have your thought on this matter and, if possible, any 



Scriptures bearing on the subject, as I know of some people 
who seemingly think it a sin to devote any thought to the care 
of the body. (J.E.M.) 

ANSWER~The mind or will is the master of the body. 
The condition of the mind is largely affected by the condition 
of the body. A sound mind in a sound body is the ideal 
condition. To keep the body and the mind in proper condition, 
it is essential that they be exercised, for it is a law of nature 
that inaction produces decay and disease. Any stagnant pond 
is a good illustration of this law. The Christian, whose desire 
is to serve his God and his fellow-man, and who wills to do 
so, should recognize that he can work out his will and desires 
more effectively with a sound mind and a sound body than 
with those that are disabled or injured through neglect or 
disuse. Considering the body from this standpoint, as an 
instrument or a machine to be utilized by 

{PageQ813} 

the will in accomplishing good works, it would be the part of 
wisdom to have it in excellent condition in order to achieve 
the best results. The orderly, systematic care of the body 
tends to develop those very traits of character that are 
essential to the Christian development. Temperance, 
self-control, determination, patience, self-denial, etc., are 
naturally acquired by those who pursue a regular course of 
training with the object of devoting their time and energies to 
the service of their Lord. The Apostle says, "Bodily training 
is profitable for a little; but piety is profitable for all things, 
having a promise of the present life, and of that which is 
future." (1 Tim. 4:8) 

PLEIADES-Binding Sweet Influences of 

Q81 3:1 :: QUESTION-What is the explanation of Job 38:31, 
"Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades, 
or loose the bands of Orion?" 

ANSWER-This passage of Scripture, as with all the 
inspired statements from the Lord, is profound in its depth of 
meaning. In Job's day, men did not possess the wonderful 
astronomical instruments which have been devised in modern 
times and by which marvelous discoveries have been made. 
With the primitive means at their disposal, it was beyond the 
bounds of reasonable possibilities for the ancients to attain to 
the degree of astronomical knowledge and information at 
present enjoyed. It is only by inspiration (imparted 
knowledge from the Creator), that we can account for the fact 



that they possessed a more accurate knowledge of science and 
astronomy than we possess today. In the mightiest structure 
ever erected by man and also the oldest building on the earth, 
a monument over four thousand years old, the Great Pyramid 
in Egypt, are contained in its measurements and outlined in its 
chambers and passageways, scientific facts such as the 
number of days in the solar year down to the exact fraction 
thereof, the mean distance to the sun from the earth, and also 
the number of years in the precessional cycle. But the 
crowning feature of all its scientific presentations is that some 
years ago, that the Pleiades, the most renowned of all the 
heavenly groups of stars, from the center of the Universe, 
around which revolve all the celestial bodies in space, just as 
the earth and planets revolve around the sun, forming our 
solar system. What a depth of meaning therefore is breathed 
into that wonderful expression of Job, "Canst thou bind the 
sweet influences of the Pleiades?" 

POOR-Will Earth Always Have Them? 

Q813:2:: QUESTION- Please explain the Scripture, 
"The poor ye have always with you." (John 12:8.) Does 
this mean that there will always be poor on the earth? 
ANSWER-Jesus was addressing His disciples, and 
through them all consecrated Christians. At Jesus' second 
coming all of His faithful followers, then remaining on the 
earth, will be taken away to heavenly conditions, as He stated 
that He would go away to prepare a place for these, and He 
would come again for them, and when Christ's Kingdom is 
fully established and the blessings flow out therefrom to the 
people, there will be neither rich nor poor, 

{PageQ814} 

but all shall be brought to one common level (Isa. 1 1:4,5). 
Messiah's reign will result in peace, joy, happiness, 
health and plenty to all the righteous. Then "they shall sit 
every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none 
shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken 
it." (Jer. 31:34; Jer. 33:6; Micah 4:3,4.) 

PRAYER-Elders Praying for Healing 

Q814:1:: QUESTION-Are we to understand from 
James 5:14-16, that it is possible for the "Elders of the 
Church," at the present day, to heal the sick by prayer and 
anointing with oil? 
ANSWER— The following is a more literal translation of 



the verses cited than that in the Authorized Version: "Is any 
weak among you (weak in the faith, morally and spiritually 
weak or ailing) let him call for the elders of the church; and 
let them pray over him, annointing him with oil in the name 
of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the wearied one 
(weary in well doing; the one who is in a "backslidden" 
condition. The prayers and the words of exhortation and 
encouragement to righteousness on the part of the "elder" 
brothers in the church will have the effect of raising up, 
stimulating and reviving the spiritually weary and fainting 
one). And the Lord shall raise him up, and though he have 
committed sins they shall be forgiven him. Therefore confess 
your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye 
may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous 
man availeth much." Evidently the weakness and faintness 
are spiritual, and the restoration and healing also spiritual. 
There is no instance mentioned in the Scriptures of where the 
Apostles or their associates healed each other of their physical 
maladies or ailments. When Timothy was afflicted with 
indigestion, the elders were not called in to pray over him; but 
the Apostle counseled the use of a little wine for his infirmity. 
The Apostle Paul himself was afflicted with painfully weak 
eyes (a "thorn in the flesh") and prayed for relief, but his 
prayer was not granted. From the foregoing, we conclude 
that Christians are nowhere authorized to practice "faith 
healing" amongst themselves. 

PRAYER-For Health 

Q814:2:: QUESTION-Is it proper for Christians to 
pray for health? 

ANSWER—A babe in Christ might pray for physical 
health in all good conscience and might be granted an answer 
as a reward for the faith and prayer. But an advanced 
Christian, who had proceeded from justification to 
sanctification-one who had consecrated life and health and 
all to God, and who, in return, had been begotten of the holy 
Spirit to a new nature--such a Christian should not pray for 
health. He should discern that his consecration includes his 
setting aside of all claim to earthly blessing, as an exchange 
for spiritual life, spiritual health, spiritual clothing, spiritual 
food, and by and by, in the resurrection-the spiritual body. 
His prayer should be. Thy will be done in me; give me today 
my daily portion, according to Thy Divine wisdom, of what 
would be for my best interests as a New Creature in Christ, a 
member of the Body of Christ, the 



{PageQ815} 

Church of the First-born, whose names are written in heaven. 
He should remember the Lord's words to the effect that after 
all these things— food and raiment—the Gentiles seek and are 
solicitous and inclined to pray; whereas those who have 
become New Creatures have higher interests and can fully 
trust the Lord to give what is best. 

PRAYER-For "Sinners": Asking Amiss 

Q815:1 :: QUESTION-I have heard good devout 
Christian brethren praying to the Lord and pleading, during 
revival services, that sinners might be saved and that the 
sinners might not have rest day or night until they gave their 
hearts to the Lord. Also they prayed that God would stir up a 
great revival amongst the people and that sinners wold be 
saved from an awful hell. But I find that these brethren's 
prayers have not been answered as only a few are converted 
and of these the most of them go back into the world again. 
Were these brethren praying right or wrong? You know it 
says, "Ask and I will give." (G.C.) 

ANSWER— The Lord Jesus and His Apostles never 
prayed for the conversion of sinners and they never 
authorized any one to do so. In that notable prayer of the 
Lord Jesus to the Heavenly Father as given in the 17th 
chapter of the Gospel of St. John, the Lord said, "I pray for 
them: I pray not for the world (sinners), but for them which 
thou hast given me; for they are thine." Here our Lord was 
praying for His Apostles, and in the 20th verse of this chapter. 
He prayed for those who would believe on Him through their 
word, and ignored "sinners" completely. The reason why 
some good Christian brethren have not had their prayers 
answered is because they have asked amiss. (See James 4:3.) 

PURGATORY-Not Tauglit in Scripture 

Q815:2:: QUESTION-Is there such a place as 
purgatory, and if so, where is it taught in the Scriptures? 

ANSWER-The word "purgatory" is from the Latin 
tongue and signifies primarily a place of purification or 
making clean. The thought usually involved in the 
consideration of the term is that an intermediate state of 
condition exists for those who die and who at the time of 
death— while professing Christianity— were not sufficiently 
cleansed from their sins to justify an immediate entrance into 
heaven, the abode of the pure and saintly ones. Hence, they 
must expiate their sins by enduring intense suffering in flames 



and sorrow for a period of time in proportion to the amount of 
sin to be eradicated. We are not aware that this view is set 
forth in the Bible. There is, however, a condition of 
purgatory presented in the teachings of the Scriptures. It is 
becoming very clear to all enlightened Bible scholars that the 
period of Christ's reign on earth for the space of a thousand 
years— when Satan is bound and the knowledge of the Lord is 
filling the whole earth as the waters cover the great deep--that 
then the nations of earth will learn righteousness and 
gradually be purged of all iniquity and unrighteousness and in 
this way be prepared to enter into the conditions of eternal 
life. This, of course, will be after the second advent. The 
world is not to be scorched 

{PageQ816} 

and blistered in a vain attempt to make it pure and upright, 
but the Lord will rule in righteousness and love and win the 
race by His kindness and tender mercies. 

RACE-Were Both Adam and Jesus Representatives? 

Q816:1 :: QUESTION-Were Adam and Jesus in any 
sense representatives of the race? 

ANSWER—Adam, as the federal head of his family, was 
its representative in Eden. This is demonstrated by the fact 
that all of his posterity are involved in everything affecting 
him. Thus the sentence of death which directly passed upon 
Adam affected and impaired every one of his offspring. Jesus 
was not a representative in this sense; He was made a man, a 
"little lower than the angels, that He might, by the grace of 
God, taste death for every man." (Heb. 2:9) He becomes 
Adam's substitute, his Redeemer. He pays for Adam the 
penalty demanded by divine Justice. He gave His life "a 
ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Tim. 2:6) 
Since Adam was the representative of the whole human 
family, therefore, all of the human race must share with him 
in the benefits to accrue through the redemption provided by 
Jesus, his substitute. Thus the death of Jesus is made 
efficacious to all who will accept the benefit thereof, by 
believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, as we read: "As in Adam 
all die, even so all in Christ shall be made alive." 
(1 Cor. 15:22) 

REFORMS-What Does Religions Wave Indicate? 

Q816:2:: QUESTION--Does the religious wave over the 
country indicate anything, or is it a "flash in the pan?" 



(Reader) 

ANSWER~We believe that it is indicative of much that 
is important to the welfare of the entire race of mankind. Not 
that we anticipate that it will result in converting the race to 
Christianity, or "save the world for Jesus," but that it indicates 
that mankind in general is longing after the higher and holier 
things. All honor to the noble men and women who are 
striving to better human conditions, and who are sacrificing 
much in their efforts ! However, the Lord in His Word, the 
Bible, has pointed out a more excellent way than all of the 
religious and reformation movements combined. In the first 
place, the Scriptures foretell that the world will never be 
converted to Christianity until after the Lord Jesus' second 
coming. (See the following Scriptures and note carefully as 
they relate to the "last days," or "the time of the end." 
Mat. 24:37-39; 2 Tim. 3:1-5,13; Jam. 5:1-5) From these 
statements of the Sacred Writers, we see that the world will 
be far from being converted to Christ at His coming and will 
have very little regard for the teachings of the Master. Are 
not the facts in harmony with the Scripture prophecies? In 
spite of all the missionary efforts put forth, there are more 
than double the number of heathen in the world today than 
there were a century ago, according to the latest compiled 
missionary statistics! What are the conditions in Christendom 
so-called? There are far more bloodshed, wars, crimes, greed 
and graft than in all the heathen lands combined! Christians 
may well pray, "Thy Kingdom come," for that is the only 
hope for the world. 

{PageQ817} 

REINCARNATION-John As Elijah 

Q81 7:1 :: QU ESTION-What did Christ mean when He 
referred to John the Baptist as Elijah? (Mat. 17:11,12) Is 
this an evidence that He recognized reincarnation as a truth? 

ANSWER~The theory of reincarnation is nowhere 
taught in the Scriptures. Our Lord Jesus and the Apostles 
never, in all their teachings, said a word about reincarnation. 
As to the meaning of the Savior's words referred to in the 
question, we recognize that He was calling to mind the 
prophecy of Mai. 4:5,6. John the Baptist was one of the 
greatest of the Prophets, and it was his mission to prepare the 
way of the Messiah, the Christ, by performing a reformation 
work in preaching repentance and baptism for the remission 
of sins and declaring the Kingdom of Heaven at hand. This 
message was to the Jews and to them only as they had been 



the Lord's chosen people for many centuries. But now a new 
dispensation was about to be ushered in. The Kingdom of 
Heaven was at hand! And it was John's mission to prepare 
the people for the new order of things. This he did in the 
power and spirit of Elijah. (Luke 1 : 16,17) We know 
positively that John was not Elijah for we have his own 
testimony on the subject: "And they asked him, What then? 
Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that 
Prophet? And he answered. No." (John 1:21) 

RESURRECTED-What Meant by "It" in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44? 

Q817:2:: QUESTION Since the Apostle clearly 
explains in 1 Cor. 15:35-38, that the body will not be 
resurrected, what does he mean when he says: "So also is the 
resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised 
in incorruption," etc. (1 Cor. 15:42-44) What is meant by 
the expression, "it"? What is resurrected? 

ANSWER-We answer that "it" is the soul that is 
restored or resuscitated. What was it that died? The 
Scripture reply is: "The soul that sineth, it shall die." The 
living, intelligent, sentient being is to be raised up by Divine 
power in the time of resurrection— "when all who are in their 
graves shall come forth." A phonograph with recording 
cylinder, furnishes an excellent illustration of the resurrection. 
The cylinder placed in the machine will have impressions 
formed upon it by sounds produced by the voice or by some 
other means. After the cylinder has received its full 
impression, it is laid away and preserved for some years while 
the phonograph is destroyed. By and by the cylinder is taken 
from its place and put into a new phonograph where the 
original sounds are reproduced. Thus it is with the individual. 
His character is formed by the impressions received in the 
daily experiences of life. His body corresponds to the 
machine. In course of time he dies. The body is destroyed 
and the character or identity is preserved by the Lord~we 
know not how nor where. In the resurrection the character 
(wax cylinder) will be placed in a new body (machine) and 
the original thoughts, memory, etc., will be reproduced. A 
fine "record" will be placed in a high-class machine. A poor 
record (if not destroyed because of worthlessness) will be 
placed in a lower grade instrument. 

{PageQ818} 

RESURRECTION-Animals 

Q818:1 :: QUESTION-Will faithful animals such as 



dogs and cats be resurrected? 

ANSWER~The matter of exterminating dogs and cats is 
being agitated in some of the large cities as it is claimed that 
these animals transmit disease germs and more or less 
endanger the lives of the people in various other ways. Mr. 
A's dog may be highly thought of in the family circle and yet 
be a nuisance to Mr. B. And Mr. B's cat may be inclined to 
make night hideous for Mr. A. We cannot imagine a bull pup 
or a rat terrier trotting up and down the golden streets of the 
New Jerusalem; or some antiquated tom cat crawling around 
the glittering spires of the Holy City. Indeed, the Bible—after 
describing the City and mentioning those who will be privileged 
to enter it—says that "without are dogs." (Rev. 22:15) 
And St Peter tells of "the natural brute beasts made to 
be taken and destroyed." (2 Peter 2:12) There is nothing in 
the Bible indicating the resurrection of animals. 

RESURRECTION-General and Universal 

Q818:2:: QUEST ION -Can you show from the 
Scriptures that there is any such thing as a general 
resurrection of the dead? (S.J.R.) 

ANSWER-The Bible is the only book in all the earth 
that does teach a general resurrection of the dead. In the first 
place, it sets forth that the dead are dead and not alive; and 
that because they are dead a resurrection is necessary to make 
them alive. If alive already, there could be no resurrection. 
The Scriptures teach that the entire race was condemned to 
death because of Adam's transgression. (1 Cor. 15:21,22; 
Rom. 5:12,18,19) In the following Scriptures it is declared 
in unmistakable terms that Jesus Christ, as the Savior of the 
world, died for "all," every man." (1 Tim. 2:5, 6; Heb. 2:2,9; 
1 John 2:2) This last citation shows, beyond all controversy, 
that Christ is the "propitiation" -satisfaction-not only 
for "our sins," the Church's sins, but also for the sins of 
the whole world. Because of the "ransom for all," the hour is 
coming in the which all who are in their graves shall come 
forth at the voice of the Son of man (John 5:28,29), the 
righteous to an immediate raising up to life, and the evil to a 
gradual raising up (resurrection) by judgment. The Apostle 
elsewhere affirms a general resurrection. (See Acts 24:15) 

RESURRECTION--Of Mankind: To Wliat Condition? 

Q818:3:: QUESTION-When the world of mankind are 
awakened from the tomb, to what conditions will the members 
of the race be awakened? (Cherub) 
ANSWER— There are two resurrections mentioned in the 



Scriptures: the resurrection of the just and the unjust. 
(John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15.) The just or righteous--the 
Church of Christ gathered out from among the nations during this 
Christian Era—are to experience a special resurrection. This 
is referred to in the Scriptures as the "first" or chief 
resurrection: "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first 
resurrection . . . these shall be kings and 

{PageQ819} 

priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a 
thousand years." (Rev. 20:6.) These are to reign on the 
earth (Rev. 5:10) over the world of mankind, who will have 
been awakened from the tomb by the Lord at His second 
coming. The object of this reign is to resurrect, or raise up 
the fallen race of humanity by judgments to a condition of 
righteousness, perfection and life. When all the willing and 
obedient have attained to perfect life at the conclusion of the 
thousand years, they will continue to inhabit the earth 
throughout eternity, for the earth will have been restored to 
the Edenic conditions that prevailed when Adam was placed 
in the Garden. The earth will abide forever, as God formed it 
to be inhabited, and He assures us that the place of His feet 
shall be made glorious. The Church will experience a 
resurrection to spiritual, heavenly conditions; the world, aside 
from the Church, is to be resurrected to human perfection and 
life. 

RESURRECTION-Provision for Life's Necessities 

Q819:1 :: QUESTION Since the Bible teaches a 
general awakening of all who have died and since in all 
probability the majority of the race of mankind will be saved 
and inasmuch as they are to live upon the earth—how will it 
be possible to provide the necessities of life, food, etc., for 
the billions of humanity that will be on the earth when all are 
resurrected-particularly in view of the fact that with the 
present population of the earth— 1,600,000,000— millions are 
on the verge of want and starvation? (Anxious) 

ANSWER— A careful and liberal estimate of the number 
of all the people who have lived upon the earth from the time 
of the creation of the first man down to the present would be 
about 20,000,000,000. If three-fourths of these should attain 
eternal life (doubtless a liberal estimate), it would signify that 
15,000,000,000 would have to be provided for. The area of 
the earth's surface included within the temperate zone is over 
102,000,000 square miles. This would afford each individual 



more than four and one-half acres of surface in which to rove 
about. When it is reflected that the "desert is to bloom and 
blossom as the rose" and the "earth is to yield her increase," 
producing spontaneously the fruits and flowers instead of the 
thorns, briars and weeds and that in all probability the seas 
and oceans will be greatly diminished, thus increasing the 
land area, it can be readily seen that it would be a simple 
matter for the Creator to arrange for the bountiful provision of 
the necessities of life for all mankind. A great deal of the 
want and deprivation experienced by the race now is caused 
by selfishness as there is sufficient produced to supply the 
needs of all. In that time, selfishness will be eradicated from 
the human heart. 

RESURRECTION-What is Celestial Body? 

Q819:2:: QUESTION-The Bible seems to infer that we 
will have celestial bodies. If so, are they these human bodies 
cleaned and made whole, revamped and made over? (C.T.) 

ANSWER-The 15th Chapter of 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 15) 
is an inspired treatise on the topic of the resurrection. In 
it the Apostle sets forth practically every phase and point 
relating 

{PageQ820} 

to this momentous subject. He begins by giving a synopsis of 
the Gospel in a few brief words: "How that Christ died for 
our sins . . . and that He was buried, and that He rose again 
the third day." He then names the witnesses to attest the fact 
of Christ's resurrection. In the 11-17 verses, he affirms and 
emphasizes the fact of Christ's resurrection. The 18th verse 
contains a statement that nearly all Christian people have 
overlooked or misunderstood. If Christ was not put to death 
and resurrected, "Then they also which are fallen asleep in 
Christ are perished!" "Perished" means destroyed or 
annihilated. Let no one advance the absurd idea that the 
Apostle was referring to the bodies of those who had "fallen 
asleep," for the bodies of all perish and disintegrate into dust. 
But he had reference to the individual, the being, the soul. 
"The soul that sinneth it shall die." (Eze. 18:4) Because 
Christ died for all, all are coming forth from the tomb. What 
comes forth—the body? Let the Apostle answer: "O senseless 
man! that which thou sowest is not made alive except it die; 
and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body which 
shall be ... so also is the resurrection ... it is sown a natural 
body, it (the soul) is raised a spiritual body (or being). Flesh 



and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (therefore) we 
shall be changed ... at the last trump... the dead shall be 
raised incorruptible and we shall be changed." 
(1 Cor. 15:35-53) 

RICH MAN AND LAZARUS-Does Parable Teach Eternal Torment? 

Q820:1 :: QUESTION-Does Christ's statement as to the 
"Rich Man" and "Lazarus" teach that the wicked go to eternal 
torment at death? (V.P.) 

ANSWER— There is not a single word in this much 
discussed parable about the Rich Man being a wicked man or 
the Poor Man being a good man. Therefore, in answer to the 
question, it could be positively stated that there is nothing 
said about the wicked going to eternal torment at death. To 
interpret the story literally just as it reads, as so many are 
prone to do who believe in the theory of eternal torment for 
nearly every one but themselves, involves one in a number of 
absurdities. It would signify that all who are clad in purple 
and fine linen and who fare sumptuously every day, are at 
death to be placed in a furnace of fire and tormented. It 
would also mean that unless we were poverty stricken 
beggars, the companion of dogs, full of sores, and fed on 
crumbs at some rich man's back gate, we would never be able 
to wing our flight to Abraham's bosom when we departed this 
life. Poor Abraham would experience considerable difficulty 
in clasping all of the poor to his expansive bosom! The 
parable, rightly understood, does not in the remotest degree 
teach the monstrous doctrine of eternal torment. 

RICH MAN AND LAZARUS-Meaning of Parable Concealed from World 

Q820:2:: QUESTION- Conceding that "Dives and Lazarus" is a 
parable, representing the Jews' and the Gentiles' positions of 
favor and disfavor during this Christian Age, the question 

{PageQ821} 

arises concerning the figure itself: (a) Is it not a well- known 
fact that or Lord used everyday occurrences and things to 
make up the various figures and "dark sayings" (sheep, goats, 
seed, sower, harvest, reaper, stewards, etc.)? (b) Then why 
did Lazarus die to be carried to Abraham's bosom? Why 
must the "Rich Man" be alive in torment when he is DEAD? 

If "hell" is a place of "forgetfulness," why did the "Rich 
Man" remember his "five brothers?" Lastly, if the Lord knew 
of such a place, why did He picture Dives in the hell of 
Dante's Inferno-even for the sake of a figure? (T.E.) 



ANSWER~The Scriptures were written and arranged in 
such a way by the Lord, through the inspired writers that they 
could not be understood excepting by those who would come 
into harmony with Him by faith and obedience. The Lord is 
pleased to enlighten His children by the operation of the holy 
spirit through His Divine purposes. It is related of our Lord 
Jesus, that in all of His teachings He addressed the multitudes 
in parables and dark sayings and then afterwards explained 
them to His disciples. (Mark 4:1 1,33,34) The parable of 
"The Rich Man and the Poor Man" is a remarkable prophecy 
of conditions relating to the Jews and the Gentiles and, we 
believe, could have been stated in no other way without 
disclosing the realities which was evidently intended by the 
Lord should remain disguised or concealed from the world in 
general and whose real significance would be known only by 
His devoted followers. The entire book of Revelation is 
composed of prophecies thus concealed in signs, symbols and 
figures. 

RIGHTEOUS-Why more "Bad Luck" Than Selfish 

Q821 :1 :: QU ESTION--I have noticed that people who 
try to live right and be Christians have more "bad luck" than 
those who are selfish and wicked. Does the Bible give any 
reason for this? 

ANSWER--Yes, the Bible does give the reason. On the 
principle that a skiff rowed against the stream is twice as 
likely to be bumped into by logs and debris as if it were 
floating down stream, even so, the man who strives against 
selfishness and sin has a harder fight. The natural tendency 
of the world is downward. The Christian finds as the 
Redeemer said, that "Strait (difficult) is the gate and narrow is 
the way which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it." 
(Mat. 7:14.) The Lord permits the Christian to have adverse 
experiences that his character may be developed. Willingness 
to brave opposition indicates a character pleasing to the Lord. 
Weak Christians become discouraged with these experiences, 
but strong Christians grow stronger in the Lord and develop 
strong characters. It is to the faithful Christian that God has 
given the promise of joint-heir ship with Jesus in His 
Kingdom. To such He says, "We might through much 
tribulation enter the Kingdom of God." (Acts. 14:22) 

RIGHTEOUSNESS--"Sun of": What Is Signified? 

Q821:2:: QUESTION -What is signified by the 
Scriptural expression, "The Sun of Righteousness shall arise 
with healing in its beams?" (Mai. 4:2) (X. X. X.) 



{PageQ822} 

ANSWER~In the prophetic language of the Scriptures, 
the condition of the race of mankind throughout its entire 
history in sin and ignorance, suffering and death, is likened to 
a dark night time. "Darkness covers the earth and gross 
darkness the people" is the Prophet's declaration. Truly it has 
been a fearful time of darkness in which mankind has been 
groping for the better things which instinctively all realize do 
not exist at this time but must come somehow, somewhere. 
And in this dreadful night time how many have dreamed 
fearful dreams, having the awful nightmare of eternal torment 
before their minds! But, thank God, the Scriptures represent 
that a day is approaching, "The Day of the Lord," in the 
dawning of which all the shadows of ignorance and prejudice 
shall roll away. The Psalmist, in poetic expressions, portrays 
the transition from the darkness of the night to the glorious 
radiance of the day. "Weeping may endure for a night; but joy 
Cometh in the morning." Yes, it is to be a joyous time for the 
world when all shall be enlightened concerning the goodness 
of the Creator and when sorrow and sighing; suffering and 
death shall be no more. The "Sun of Righteousness" will be 
formed of the members of the Church of Christ, as the Lord 
Jesus declared, "The righteous shall shine as the sun in the 
Kingdom of their Father." (Mat. 13:43) It shall arise with 
"healing in its beams" in the sense that the Church together 
with her Lord will be manifested in power and great glory to 
all the world and will illuminate the whole earth with the 
knowledge of the glory of the Father which will result in the 
healing and blessing of all the families, kindred, and nations 
of the earth. It is no wonder that the "whole creation groans 
and travails in pain together until now, waiting for the 
manifestation of the Sons of God" --this glorious Sun of 
Righteousness. (Rom. 8:22,19) 

RIGHTEOUSNESS-Vs. RegeneratioN' 
Q822:1 :: QUESTION -Is it proper to speak of those 
who have turned from sin to righteousness as being 
regenerated or having a regenerated heart? 

ANSWER-The term "regenerated" is equivalent to the 
expression of "being born again." There are but two places in 
the Scriptures where the expression "regeneration" occurs. In 
Titus 3:5, it is used to represent the reforming and justifying 
influences of faith in the Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ; 



and again in IVIatthew 19:28, where it is used to represent 
that glorious moral, social, political, religious, and physical 
change which will be introduced by the Messiah who says, 
"Behold, I make all things new." (Rev. 21 :5) The process of 
regeneration is now going on in the experiences of the 
members of the Church of Christ-the Christians. These have 
been begotten of the Spirit and must grow and develop as 
"new creatures," and will be born of the Spirit in the 
resurrection when as glorious spirit beings they will be 
invisible and powerful and can then go and come as the wind. 
(John 3:8) In the regeneration of the world, after the 
Church has experienced the new birth, the race will be 
restored to its primitive conditions of perfection and life as 
represented in Adam in the Garden of Eden--"The Times of 
Restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy 
Prophets." (Acts 3:19-21) 

{Page Q823} 

RIVER--Of Life, Actual or Symbolic? 

Q823:1 :: QUESTION -What about the "River of the 
Water of Life, clear as crystal?" (Rev. 22:1,2) Is it an 
actual river? If so, how may one get a drink out of it? 

ANSWER-If we were disposed to accept this as a literal 
statement, we might well do as the old Spanish explorer. 
Ponce De Leon, did—search for the Fountain of Perpetual 
Youth! And we might have the consoling thought that surely 
there would be enough water in this river of the water of life 
to put out all the fires of the "lake of fire and brimstone" 
mentioned in the eighth verse of the preceding chapter! 
Dispensing with absurdities, we recognize that a wonderful 
symbolical picture is here presented to our mental gaze— a 
gloriously beautiful city of vast proportions and all of gold 
and precious stones, reflecting the radiance of the marvelous 
light that glows within and which emanates from that great 
Being who is the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, the 
Almighty God! And forth from the street of gold, there flows 
this lovely river whose waters are as clear as crystal and 
whose banks are adorned with trees "whose leaves shall be 
for the healing of the nations!" The city is "the Bride, the 
Lamb's Wife," the Church of Christ glorified. The river is the 
stream of truth and not the muddy waters of the traditions of 
men that shall flow from the Church when it is complete and 



highly exalted. The Lord had promised that whoever would 
drink of the water (the truth) that He should give, it would 
make of him "a well of water springing up into eternal life." 
(John 4:14) These wells or springs of water have been in 
course of development throughout this Christian Era and 
when they are all brought together--the 144,000 mentioned in 
the 7th and 14th chapters there will be formed a mighty flow 
of truth, of which all the nations will be invited to partake. 
The Spirit and the Bride will then say. Come, and whosoever 
is athirst may come and partake of the Waters of Life freely. 
(Rev. 22:17) 

SABBATH-First or Seventh Day? 

Q823:2:: QUESTION-Which day should be observed 
as the Sabbath Day, the first day or the seventh day of the 
week? (LB.S.A.) 

ANSWER~It would depend upon the religious belief of 
the one who asks the question. To the Jew the seventh day 
(Saturday) is the one to be observed, as it was commanded in 
the Law that was given to the Israelites that they should keep 
the seventh day as a holy day. That Law is still binding upon 
the Jews. If a Seventh Day Adventist, then let him keep the 
seventh day, for he believes that he is under the Law, and 
with that belief he certainly should keep the seventh day. To 
those who are members of some one of the various Protestant 
Churches, or of the Roman Catholic Church, let them observe 
the first day (Sunday) as the day of rest, as they believe that it 
is so commanded, and surely it would not be right for them to 
violate their conscience by doing otherwise. To the true 
Christian, the consecrated child of God, let these keep every 
day holy unto the Lord and not merely one day in seven. And 
let these enjoy a rest by faith in the Lord and in His sure 
promises. Let no one attempt to judge another in respect to 
this matter of ob 

{PageQ824} 

serving the sabbath or holy days. No one has the right to 
judge his fellowman in this regard; but let every man be fully 
persuaded in his own mind (Rom. 14:4,5). If any one 
presumes to judge another in these matters, he is violating a 
direct command of the Lord as expressed by one of His 
inspired Apostles (Col. 2:16). If any one should say that we 
are not saved and that we are lost because we do not observe 
some special day, ask him gently but firmly-- "Who made thee 
a judge?" 



SALVATION-Death Upon All, Life Provided for AIL 

Q824:1 :: QUESTION- Kindly explain 1 Tim. 2:4-6. 

ANSWER— God will have all men to be saved (from the 
death conditions that came upon all because of father Adam's 
disobedience; just as the whole race is in a dying condition 
with the vast majority in the tomb, so the Lord will have "all," 
"every man," saved from this condition of death) and to come 
to the knowledge of the truth (in order to bring the race-all 
men— to the knowledge of the truth it would be necessary to 
resurrect them from the grave, for very few members of the 
race have come to the knowledge of the truth in this present 
life, as the Lord Jesus Himself stated on one occasion, "Strait 
is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life; and 
few there be that find it"), for there is one God (not three 
Gods nor many), and one Mediator (go-between), the Man 
Christ Jesus, who (will satisfy the claims of Divine Justice 
and bring about the atonement or reconciliation between God 
and men, because, by the grace of God, He) gave Himself a 
ransom for all ("every man," which truth; or fact is), to be 
testified (to all) in due time, when all have come forth from 
the tomb. 

SALVATION-Father's Drawing Vs. Water of Life Freely. 

Q824:2:: QU ESTION-Would you please explain what 
is meant by John's Gospel, sixth chapter and forty fourth 
verse; and does this harmonize with Rev. 22:17— "Whosoever 
will let him take of the water of life freely"? (H.B.M.) 
ANSWER— Jesus' words, "No man can come to Me 
except the Father which sent Me draw him," have long 
perplexed Bible scholars and Christian people in general. The 
thought usually is that the Lord is desirous that all mankind 
should be saved in this present Christian Era. And if this be 
so, then why does the Father "draw" so few to Christ? Why 
does He not draw all men unto Him? The difficulty is that 
many have failed to note the Scripture teachings concerning 
the Divine purpose. All Bible scholars recognize that the 
doctrine of "election" is taught in the Scriptures. And nearly 
all are aware that "free grace" is likewise set forth. In 
attempting to apply both these Bible teachings to the present 
Era, confusion has resulted. God is now drawing to Christ 
such as He desires shall be members of His Church, the Bride 
of Christ. In other words, God is "calling" or inviting a 
few— "the elect"— to be joint-heirs with His Son in the glories 
of the Kingdom. When this election is completed, then God's 
free grace will be extended to all the world of mankind. 



{PageQ825} 

SALVATION-Three Ways. 

Q825:1 :: QUESTION- Is it true that the "Highway of 
Holiness" is opened up now and that the way of salvation is 
so plain that a "wayfaring man though a fool shall not err 
therein" (Isa. 35:8-10)? If the way is so plain and clear and 
simple that a foolish person need make no mistake about it, 
then why is there so much confusion among the learned 
clergymen, Doctors of Divinity, etc., as to the proper methods 
of salvation, some teaching one thing and some another? 

As an honest skeptic and one seeking to know the way of 
salvation, can you direct me to this "Highway"? 

ANSWER-We are not surprised that you have failed to 
find the "Highway." The Lord Jesus referring to the 
conditions of salvation during this present Gospel Age, 
declares that "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that 
leadeth unto life and few there be that find it." As a matter of 
fact, the Scriptures point out three ways: --"The broadway, 
leading to destruction," "The narrow way to life," and the 
"Highway of Holiness." (Mat. 7:13,17; Isa. 35:9.) It is 
very evident from the conditions which you mention that the 
latter of these ways has not been in existence thus far, but as 
the Scriptures affirm, it will be opened up for the world at the 
time of our Lord's second coming. Then when Satan, that old 
"lion" (1 Pet. 5:8), is bound (Rev. 20:2) the Prophet's 
words shall be fulfilled. "No lion shall be there," and "the 
redeemed of the Lord (the world of mankind) shall go up 
thereon with everlasting joy and singing upon their heads, and 
sorrow and sighing shall flee away." 

SANCTIFIED-Children and Unbeliever by Believing Spouse. 

Q825:2:: QUESTION -Can you explain the words of 
the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 7:14), "For the unbelieving 
husband is sanctified by the (believing) wife and the 
unbelieving wife is sanctified by the (believing) husband; else 
were your children unclean (sinners under condemnation, 
unjustified, unrelated to God, aliens from His care and 
blessing), but now are they holy"? 

ANSWER— As the disobedience and alienation of Adam 
and Eve from the Heavenly Father brought alienation to all 
their offspring, so the reconciliation of the Lord's people 
through the merits of the great atonement, not only brings 
them back to harmony with God, but their children as well are 
counted as justified through their parents, and on account of 



their parents, up to such a time as the child shall have an 
intelligence and will of its own. The question is more 
complex, however, when one parent is the Lord's and the 
other is a stranger and an alien from Him; but the Apostle 
assures us that in such a case God counts the child as His, 
through whichever one of its parents is the Lord's disciple. 
The standing of the believing parent, is counted as offsetting 
and overruling the standing of the unconsecrated parent, so 
far as the child is concerned. 

SATAN-Did God Create? 

Q825:3:: QUESTION- Did God create Satan? (C.F.T.) 
ANSWER-According to the Bible, Satan, of his own 

{PageQ826} 

volition, became the adversary of God. Originally, as God 
created him, he was holy, pure, grand of character and of a 
high order of angelic nature, a "covering cherub" (Eze. 28:16). 
He transformed himself from the loyal, glorious servant 
of God, to a bitter enemy and opponent. The Scriptures tell 
us what constituted this transforming work—that it was an evil 
thought, a disloyal thought, an ambitious thought. The angel 
Lucifer— signifying "bright morning star"— said within 
himself, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne 
above the stars of God (the other angels) ... I will be like the 
Most High (Isa. 14:12-14). As God is the Emperor of the 
entire Universe, I should like to be the Emperor of some 
quarter of it where I might reign supreme and work out my 
own schemes and plans." Lucifer's opportune moment came 
when our first parents were created. Perceiving that they had 
procreative powers, he seized upon the thought that by 
alienating them from God, he could wield an influence over 
them and eventually have an earthly dominion of his own. 
God has permitted him to carry out much of his scheme, 
while he was, at the same time, unconsciously working out a 
part of the Divine Program. It is not to be understood that 
Satan has in any sense thwarted the Divine Program; on the 
contrary it has been a part of God's great plan to permit evil to 
reign for 6,000 years and then to bind Satan and establish 
righteousness. 

SATAN--"Prince of this World." 

Q826:1:: QUESTION-Kindly explain John 14:30 
—"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of 
this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." (A.W.W.) 



ANSWER--The first part of the text relates to the time 
following the Lord's resurrection. Jesus had been put to death 
as a human being, a perfect man, and was raised a glorious 
spirit being of the highest order, of the Divine nature. In His 
highly exalted spiritual state, endowed with glory, honor and 
immortality, it was appropriate that the Lord should manifest 
a greater measure of dignity, in order to impress upon the 
minds of His followers the change that had taken place. He 
who had been the meek and lowly Nazarene, so poor that He 
had not where to lay His head, after His resurrection would be 
so no longer, but the all-powerful Divine Lord, next to the 
Heavenly Father in power and authority. During the forty 
days from the time of His resurrection to the time of His 
ascension into Heaven, he manifested Himself and talked very 
rarely with His disciples. The "prince of this world," Satan, 
was coming in the sense that he would triumph over the world 
of mankind and bring it into subjection to his own evil sway 
and dominion until the time for the Lord to set up His own 
Kingdom at His second coming.— 2 Cor. 4:4. 

SATAN-Ruler of Present Evil World. 

Q826:2:: QUESTION-Who is the "Prince of this 

world," mentioned in the following Scripture texts: John 16:11, 

and John 12:31? (Subscriber.) 

ANSWER-There are three great ages or dispensations 
of time outlined in the Bible. The first of these is referred to 
as "the world that was," and the second as "the world 

{PageQ827} 

that now is," and the last as the "world to come wherein 
dwelleth righteousness." The "world that now is," or "this 
present evil world," is the one over which Satan is the 
"Prince" or ruler. The Apostle elsewhere refers to Satan as 
"the god of this world." (2 Cor. 4:4.) It is because Satan is 
the ruler over this present order of things during this 
dispensation that it is termed an "evil world." All will agree 
that evil is very much in evidence, and that the influences of 
the past and present are universally inclined towards sin and 
unrighteousness. How difficult it is to do right now; and how 
easy it is to take the downward way! Our Lord is not ruling 
over the nations now, and will not until the appointed time for 
Him to take unto Himself His great power and authority and 
establish His own Kingdom in the earth. Then, as the 
Scriptures declare, "the kingdoms of this world will become 
our Lord's and His Christ's and He shall reign for the Ages of 



the Ages." This agrees with the Savior's words when He said, 
"My Kingdom is not of this world." 

SATAN-Will Have No Successor. 

Q827:1 :: QUESTION-If Satan (the Devil) is the grand 
general supervisor over the lower regions, and he is to be 
destroyed, as we read in the Scriptures--(Heb. 2:14) who 
will be appointed to look after the interests of his department 
after his demise? (Q.E.D.) 

ANSWER--Not only will Satan be destroyed, but we 
read also that "hell," the place of supposed fire and brimstone, 
is to deliver up all the dead that are there and then the place 
itself destroyed-- (Rev. 21:13,14). The "lake of fire and 
brimstone," as all Bible scholars now know, is the symbolic 
expression denoting destruction, annihilation, or extinction of 
being. Death and hell being cast into this "lake," would, 
therefore, signify their destruction, or termination. 
Demonstrating the truth of this interpretation of the symbols, 
we find it stated in the 22nd chapter and the 4th verse that 
"there shall be no more death" —it having been destroyed in 
the "lake of fire and brimstone." Satan will have no 
successor, and the fire-proof demons will join the army of 
unemployed! 

SATAN-Will He Be Destroyed Before Death? 

Q827:2:: QU ESTION-Since Jesus is to reign until all 
enemies are put under His feet, and the last enemy to be 
destroyed is death (1 Cor. 15:25,26) would it not prove that 
Satan and his hosts would be destroyed before death is 
destroyed, and that both would be destroyed during the reign 
of Jesus? 

ANSWER— The Apostle's argument is so clear and 
convincing in this fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians 
relative to the reign of our Lord Jesus and the object or 
purpose to be accomplished by that reign, that there is but one 
answer to the question and that one in the affirmative. It is 
apparent to all thinking minds that Christ's reign has not yet 
begun, for the Scriptures declare that during the reign of the 
Lord, the great adversary of the race, Satan, will be bound, 
and that in the close of that reign he will be loosed for a little 
season. A single glance over the conditions 

{PageQ828} 

existing in the world will serve to convince anyone that Satan 
is still a very active personality. However, conditions in the 



next Age, the period of Christ's reign, will experience a 
radical change as gradually the evil, selfish elements are 
eliminated. The last of the evil things that have so long 
afflicted the race, death, "and him that had the power of 
death" shall be destroyed (Heb. 2:14; Rev. 21:4). 

SCIENCE-Does Harmonize with Joshua's Request re Sun? 

Q828:1 :: QUESTION-It is claimed by scientists that 
the earth's motion upon its axis has not varied a second for 
thousands of years. In view of this how shall we account for 
the statement of Joshua 10:13, "The sun and moon stood 
still and the sun hasted not to go down about a whole day." 
Does this record imply that the earth's motion upon its axis 
was stopped or its velocity lessened? (J.W.A.) 

ANSWER—A critical examination of this passage in the 
Hebrew language in which the Old Testament was written, 
discloses the fact that Joshua never requested the Lord to 
cause the sun and moon to stand still. His request was that 
the sunlight and the moonlight might be restrained, or 
prevented from shining through the dark clouds of the storm 
mentioned in verse 1 1 , in which great hailstones had been 
formed, and doubtless were accompanied by thunder and 
lightning, all of which would strike terror into the hearts of 
the Amorites. Had the dark clouds rolled away and the sun 
shone forth, the enemies of Israel, who were sun worshippers, 
would have plucked up courage and resisted the onslaughts of 
Joshua and his army. So the sunlight and the moonlight 
remained dim (Hebrew, dum) about a whole day, "until the 
people had avenged themselves upon their enemies." The 
scientists are right and in harmony with the Scriptures, for the 
earth did not cease to revolve upon its axis, but continued to 
pursue the even tenor of its way. The Bible rightly 
interpreted and understood is consistent with reason and with 
facts. 

SCIENCE-Primitive State of IHuman Race. 

Q828:2:: QUESTION-Are there not remains of buried 
cities in Egypt containing evidence, pictorial drawings, 
hieroglyphics, etc., which antiquarians are in general agreed 
evidence a civilized, prosperous, and opulent people living 
about 7,000 years before the Christian era? And how many 
more thousands of years must it have taken for these to rise 
from conditions of barbarism—the universally conceded, 
primitive state of the entire human race? (R.J.S.) 

ANSWER— It is passing strange that antiquarians which 
acknowledging the skill, ingenuity and wisdom of the 



ancients, evidencing a degree of civilization far in advance of 
any other prior to that of the present day, persist in calling the 
earlier peoples of the earth, "barbarous" and "primitive." The 
Egyptian ruins have been and are the marvels of modern 
times. Engineers and architects who have examined those 
mighty monuments of a former age, have declared that with 
all of our boasted civilization and enlightenment, it is 
doubtful if there is sufficient wisdom and knowledge in the 
world today to even duplicate those wondrous structures. 

{PageQ829} 

The oldest building in Egypt is conceded by all recognized 
authorities to be the Great Pyramid, and the date of this 
construction is well established, about 2170 B.C. It is still the 
wonder of the world as it was in ancient times, when placed 
by the Greeks at the head of the list of the "Seven Wonders of 
the World." The seven thousand years antiquity of the buried 
cities of Egypt, has long been recognized as being fictitious, 
as pictorial representations of the Pyramid have been 
discovered in all of those ruins showing that they were 
erected after the Great Pyramid had been built. Therefore, 
there is nothing in Egypt to disprove the Bible chronology, to 
the effect that the race had its origin 4128 B.C. 

SCRIPTURES-Why Confusion About Teachings? 

Q829:1 :: QUESTION— Why is there so much confusion existing 
in the world today as to the true teachings of the Scriptures? 
ANSWER-The study of the Scriptures, as with all other 
lines of investigation, must be conducted systematically, else 
confusion results. The Apostle Paul counsels us along this 
line saying, "Study to show thyself approved unto God (not 
unto men), rightly dividing the word of truth." Many have 
erred in failing to follow this rule. For instance, in reading 
Rev. 19:20, some have insisted that the lake of fire and 
literal brimstone is a real lake filled with brimstone and fire. 
A mere novice should recognize the passage as highly 
figurative, especially in view of the fact that it states that a 
beast and a false prophet are to be cast into it. No thoughtful 
person would conclude that a real beast and false prophet are 
meant. Many Bible students have entirely overlooked the 
importance of "rightly dividing the Word." The Apostle 
shows that the Divine arrangement, as thus far revealed, is 
divided into three great dispensations or ages, referred to in 
our Bibles as "Worlds" (See 2 Peter 3). The major portion of 
the prophecies relate to the world or age to come, and when 



we strive to make them fit present evil conditions, confusion 
results. To illustrate: If we apply the prophecy of 
Isa. 35:8-10, to the past or present, it is meaningless, whereas 
it is in exact harmony with the glorious reign of the Messiah, 
which we all know to be future. As corroborative of this 
manner of dividing the Word, we see that our Lord 
(Matt.7: 13,14) speaks of the present evil world as "a broad 
way leading to destruction" and the way to life through Christ 
as "a strait and narrow way," while in his great prophecy in 
Matt. 25:31-46, He confirms the prophetic statement of Isaiah. 

SCRIPTURES-Wrested by Unlearned and Unstable. 

Q829:2:: QUESTION Please explain 2 Pet. 3:16, As 
also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in 
which are some things hard to be understood, which they that 
are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other 
Scriptures, unto their own destruction." 

ANSWER—From the reading of this chapter, it is 
evident that "these things," referred to by the Apostle, are the 
things relating to the three worlds and the three heavens of 
which he was writing. In 2 Cor. 12:1-4, 

{PageQ830} 

the Apostle Paul relates how that special visions and 
revelations had been given him by the Lord, and among these 
was a view of the "third heaven," and of "paradise." This was 
a glimpse of "the new heavens and the new earth" mentioned 
in the 13th verse of this chapter. St. Paul was not permitted to 
give the details of what had been revealed to him, 
nevertheless, these revelations influenced all of his writings 
and caused him to give such expressions as were hard to be 
understood, but which, in the light of subsequent events, are 
now being clearly revealed to the sincere and earnest student 
of the Scriptures. It is now seen that the "unlearned and 
unstable" have wrested many of the Apostle's statements from 
their true connection and significance. Scriptures that apply to 
"the new heavens and the new earth" have been variously 
warped and twisted from their true application and forcibly 
assigned to "the heavens that are now" and "this present evil 
world." As an illustration of this: the Apostle explains that 
"God has appointed a day (a thousand-year day~2 Pet. 3:8) 
in the which He will judge the world in righteousness" 
(Acts 17:31), yet many have misapplied this statement and have 
declared that the world is on trial (being judged) at present. 



SECOND DEATH-Cast Into Lake of Fire. 

Q830:1 :: QUESTION-Please explain this Scripture: 
"Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, this is the 
second death?" 

ANSWER— The first death came upon Adam because of 
sin, and death has been reigning in the earth since, and men 
have died because of inherited sin. Death is spoken of in the 
Scriptures as a great enemy. Under the reign of Christ the 
dead shall return from the land of the enemy, the tomb, the 
death condition. (Jer. 31:15-17; John 5:28,29). All those 
who have become Christ's in this life receive their trial now. 
Those who have had no opportunity to accept the Lord will be 
given a trial then, and if obedient will be rewarded with 
eternal life on the earth. The reign of Christ is for the 
purpose of restoring all that was lost in Adam (Acts 3:19-22) 
and as the Scriptures declare: "He must reign till He 
hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall 
be destroyed is death" (1 Cor. 15:25,26). In the Scripture 
quoted in your question, "hell" is from the Greek word 
"Hades," meaning the tomb. Death means the result of the 
curse that came upon Adam. The words used by our Lord 
were figurative. The "lake of fire" is a symbol of complete 
destruction, here called the "second death," therefore the 
second death refers to that death from which there will be no 
resurrection. 

SECOND DEATH-Meaning of. 

Q830:2:: QUESTION-Whatismeantby the "Second 
Death" mentioned in the book of Revelation? 

ANSWER— The first death, the death which came upon 
the human family through the disobedience of Father Adam, 
extended to every member of the human race. But according 
to God's providence, foreknown and fully declared, Christ 
died for the sins of the whole world; and in due time every 
member of Adam's race is to be recovered from that sin and 
from its death penalty, which for six thousand 

{PageQ831} 

years has been upon the race. In other words, as Adam 
brought mankind under the first death penalty, so Christ will 
release all mankind from that death penalty and give every 
member of the race a full and fair opportunity to attain 
perfection and eternal life. Whoever refuses that favor and 
opportunity— whoever sins willfully and deliberately against 
that light, will come under the sentence of death again; and 



this time it will not be Adamic death, but Second Death. And 
the difference between the two deaths is that the latter will 
know no revocation—there will be no redemption from it and 
no resurrection. 

SECOND DEATH-Tormented Forever Symbolic. 

Q831 :1 :: QUESTION Please explain Rev. 20:10, 
particularly the last clause of the verse which reads: "and 
shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." 
(E.W.D.) 

ANSWER-All Bible students recognize that the 
expressions of this chapter and verse are highly figurative. 
Where it is stated that a "beast and false prophet" are to be 
cast into the "lake of fire and brimstone," no reasoning mind 
would say that literal beast, or a literal false prophet were 
meant; but that these were symbols, and represent false and 
beastly systems. And if not an actual beast is meant, so also 
with the "lake of fire and brimstone." This lake would 
fittingly symbolize absolute destruction, for whatever is cast 
into fire and brimstone, the two most destructive agencies 
known to mankind, is immediately destroyed and not 
preserved in any sense. As stated in the 14th verse, it is the 
"second death"--annihilation. To our understanding, the 
"devil" here mentioned is not Satan himself, but is an evil 
system— a devilish power. These evil systems— false civil and 
ecclesiastical powers— in the end of the Age are to be 
"tormented day and night," as long as they last, with financial, 
social, and religious difficulties and pains. "Forever and 
ever" is from the Greek aionion which signifies lasting. The 
"torment" will last until these Satanic systems are consumed. 

SERPENT-Method Used To Tempt. 

Q831:2:: QUESTION -Who was the serpent? What was 
its form? In what way did he induce our first parents to 
disobey the Lord? (W.H.M.) 

ANSWER-The Genesis account of the seduction of our 
first parents by Satan is very brief. There is just a sufficient 
amount of detail given to show how sin entered into the world 
and death by sin. The Bible is the only book in all the world 
that goes back to the beginning and logically and consistently 
sets forth the origin of sin and death. After concisely stating 
the facts, it does not ramble all around the point by bringing 
in a mass of unnecessary detail. It was not written to amuse, 
charm, or satisfy curiosity. In the first three chapters of the 
Bible the origin, fall and death of the race are described; and 
in the last three chapters of the Bible, the elimination of sin 



and death, and the uplifting and blessing of mankind are set 
forth. From the brief account given of the tragedy that 
occurred in the Garden of Eden, we might surmise that the 
serpent was merely one of the number that were in existence 
at that 

{PageQ832} 

time and that Satan, a powerful spirit being, controlled, or 
obsessed it and caused it to act and to speak in a manner such 
as would deceive mother Eve. Inasmuch as the Bible does 
not furnish the particulars, it would be impossible for anyone 
to set forth all the facts. 

SIN-David Numbering the People. 

Q832:1 :: QUESTION-Why was it a sin for David to 
number the people (2 Sam. 24 and 1 Chron. 21)? 

ANSWER--While it is not stated in the Scriptural 
account that the Lord did not wish the Israelites to be 
numbered, yet we are convinced from the reading of these 
chapters, particularly verses one and eight of 1st Chronicles, 
21st chapter, that such was the case and that He had given 
instructions to that effect. In the third verse of this same 
chapter, we find Job, David's chief officer, protesting against 
this action of the King; saying that it would be "a cause of 
trespass to Israel." We may reason, too, that as David sat 
upon "the throne of the Lord" (1 Chron. 29:23) as the Lord's 
representative, he was acting without instructions and due 
authority in taking the census of the people and was therefore 
presumptuous in the matter, and deserving of punishment as a 
rebuke in not first ascertaining the Divine will of God, the 
true King of Israel. There is a valuable lesson here for all 
who profess to be God's people, and that is, to first seek the 
Lord's instruction and guidance in life's affairs and not to lean 
to their own understanding and natural preferences. The 
reasoning faculties of all are more or less unbalanced; no one 
has a perfectly balanced mind, and hence it would be the part 
of true wisdom to follow the instructions of the Lord. 

SIN-Forgiveness for Sinful Life. 

Q832:2:: QUESTION-If a person has led a sinful life 
and has been instrumental in causing others to sin, would it 
be possible for such a one to be fully forgiven and all their 
past sins cancelled if they should repent and ask the Lord to 
forgive them? 
ANSWER— There should be no question in the mind of 



any one on this point. The Scriptures abound with 
expressions in which the Divine love and compassion of God, 
the Heavenly Father, are set forth. The great Creator of the 
Universe sacrificed His well-beloved Son, the Lord Jesus 
Christ, to redeem the world and to reconcile it to Himself. 
Those, therefore, who will accept the Lord Jesus as their 
Savior, believing that He by the grace of God tasted death for 
every man—these are freely forgiven all their past iniquities. 
The Apostle Paul, before his conversion to Christianity, was 
bitterly opposed to the cause of Christ and went about 
persecuting the followers of the Master—putting them in 
prison and arranging that some should be put to death. We 
remember that he consented to the death of Stephen, the first 
martyr. Yet with all this, the Lord freely forgave him. Note 
the following Scriptures as evidencing the full and complete 
forgiveness of all those who are truly repentant and who 
desire to draw nigh to God through Christ (Isa. 1:18; 
Psa. 103:10-14; Acts 26:18; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14). 

{PageQ833} 

SIN-Unpardonable. 

Q833:1 :: QUESTION-What is the unpardonable sin? 

ANSWER— The unpardonable sin is a sin which God 
declines to pardon or forgive-a sin, therefore, which must be 
punished, must be expiated by the sinner. There may be said 
to be different degrees of unpardonable sin, however. An 
unpardonable sin is one that is committed against light and 
knowledge. All sins of weakness and ignorance are 
pardonable, because God has made provision for the pardon 
of these in the death of Christ. Since all of our weakness and 
ignorance came to us through the fault of our Father Adam, 
and since Jesus redeemed the world from that transgression 
and all of its hereditary taint, therefore, every sin attributed 
to that fall alone is a pardonable sin. 

There are, however, what might be termed mixed sins in 
which a measure of wilfulness, knowledge and intelligence 
combine with a certain measure of ignorance and weakness. 
For such sins there would be forgiveness to the extent of the 
weakness and ignorance, but punishment would be required 
to the extent of the knowledge and wilfulness. A wilful sin 
against full light and knowledge would be a sin against the 
holy spirit of God. Such, knowingly committed, would bring 
the sinner under the sentence of the sin namely, the Second 
Death. 



SINS-Some Men's Are Open Before Hand. 

Q833:2:: QUESTION--T0 my mind, the following text of 
Scripture is one of the most puzzling to be found in the 
Bible— "Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to 
judgment; and some men they follow after. "~1 Tim. 5:24. 
(C. M.) 

ANSWER— The Scriptures point out two spiritual classes 
among the Lord's people, one class of which will be kings and 
priests unto God, and will be seated upon the throne of Divine 
authority and power. This is a comparatively small class, and 
is called the "Little Flock," the "very elect," "a chosen 
generation, a royal priesthood," etc. The other class is 
comparatively large, and is called the "great multitude which 
no man can number," and are represented as being before the 
throne, as servants and messengers. (Rev. 7:9-15.) These 
two classes are referred to in the parable of the "Wise and 
Foolish Virgins." The first class, "the very elect," have all 
their sins up for judgment beforehand, before the general 
judgment time for the world. They are on trial in this present 
time and have all their sins atoned for and expiated. The 
other class, "the great company," will have its sins up for 
judgment following after the judgment of the "Little Flock," 
having "come up through great tribulation, and washed their 
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." The 
Apostle's letter was addressed to Timothy, a child of God, and 
his instructions relate to the worldly ones outside of the 
Church of Christ. Indeed, the world's sins, both Adamic and 
willful, are all fully atoned for by the above two classes in 
association with the Lord Jesus Christ as the "sin-offerings" 
of this great Atonement Day. 

SODOM-Lot's Wife Turning to Salt. 

Q833:3:: QU ESTION-We read in the Bible that as Lot and 
his wife were fleeing from Sodom, his wife looked back at the 

{PageQ834} 

city and was instantly turned into a pillar of salt; can that be 
literally true? 

ANSWER— We see no reason for thinking otherwise than 
that the statement with reference to Lot's wife is a literal 
one. We can conceive of no reason why the record should be 
otherwise than literal. The Great Master, Himself, referred to 
the incident and made no criticism of the narrative (Luke 17:32). 
Why then should we criticize it? The Scriptures show that the 
Angels of the Lord had warned Lot to take his wife and daughters 



and flee out of the City of Sodom, and they started in their 
flight, but instead of keeping steadily on after once starting. 
Lot's wife turned to look back—evidently desiring the things left 
behind--and she was turned into a pillar of salt. The Apostle 
shows us that these lessons or examples were for the benefit of 
others. In other words, types and shadows of greater things. 
Space does not here permit us to discuss the type and anti-type. 

SOUL-CanltDie? 

Q834:1 :: QUESTION-Can the soul die? I read in the 
Bible such expressions as these, "The soul that sinneth, it 
shall die" (Eze. 18:4), "Every soul that will not hear the 
voice of that Prophet shall be DESTROYED from amongst the 
people (Acts 3:23), etc., yet on every hand the doctrine of 
"The Immortality of the soul" is being taught and nearly every 
one believes that the soul cannot die, but is doomed to live on 
forever. I am much confused in regard to this matter. 

ANSWER—Some years ago this question was discussed 
by theologians and others, and at that time, having the general 
thought or teaching in mind, which was supposed to be the 
truth, many were led to investigate along this line and were 
vastly surprised to find that the doctrine of the immortality of 
the soul is entirely of heathen origin and nowhere taught in 
the Bible. Under the glare of the increasing light of our day, 
many ministers have come to a recognition of this fact and are 
now engaged in preaching that which the Scriptures teach, 
viz., that it is the soul (the living, intelligent being) which 
enters into death. The soul is "asleep," "dead" and will 
remain in that condition of unconsciousness until resuscitated 
at the time of the resurrection of the dead. Immortality is 
conditional. By examining the following Scriptures, it will he 
seen at once that immortality is a reward that will be 
conferred upon those who are faithful and obedient to the 
commands of the Lord and who prove their worthiness to 
receive this "Crown of Life" (Rom. 2:7; 1 Cor. 15:53,54). 
See also 1 Tim. 6:15,16. 

SOUL-Does It Sleep When Body Dead? 

Q834:2:: QUESTION--Does the soul of man sleep when 
the body is dead? (J.H.L.) 

ANSWER— Various have been the theories as to the 
condition of the soul after death. The Bible teaching 
regarding this much discussed question is very clear and 
simple, and there need be no confusion of mind at all if we are 
willing to accept what the Scriptures teach. In the case of 



{PageQ835} 

the first man who sinned, let us see what it was that sinned, and 
what it was that suffered the penalty for disobedience. The 
account of the creation of man mentions three things—body, 
soul, and spirit. The body was formed of the dust of the 
ground. God breathed into its nostrils "the breath (spirit) of 
life, and man became a living soul." Man did not receive a 
soul, but he became a soul." The union of the life or 
energizing principle, the breath with the body, produced the 
living intelligent being—the soul. What was it that sinned? 
Surely it was not so much dust, the body. Neither was it the 
"breath of life" that disobeyed, but it was the soul, the living 
being, Adam, that sinned against the Lord. Then what was it 
that died? Hear what the Scriptures declare— "The soul that 
sinneth, it shall die." (Eze. 18:4.) It is, therefore, according 
to the highest authority in all the Universe, the soul that sinks 
into unconsciousness at death is to awaken on the resurrection 
morning. 

SOUL-Does Woman Have One? 

Q835:1 :: QUESTION-Has woman a soul? We read 

that man "became a living soul," but nothing is said about the 

woman having a soul! Hence my question. (L.B.) 

ANSWER-As the Scriptures are silent on this subject, 
and as much as the gentler and fairer sex is to be admired, to 
be in harmony with the Bible, and to answer the question 
therefrom (however painful it may be to state the fact) it is 
necessary to set forth the awful truth that women do not have 
souls! But what is still more painful to relate, according to 
the Bible, man does not possess a soul, either! Some good, 
well-meaning people who have read their Bibles, but not with 
careful thought, have been rather careless in the use of 
language when referring to Scriptural matters. No one has a 
soul; but every living, breathing creature is a soul. In the 
quotation above it is stated that "man became a living soul" 
and not that he was given a soul. The breath of life, the 
energizing principle imparted to the body alone is the soul. It 
was the union of the two, the life and the body, which 
produced the intelligent creature— the soul. Woman, 
therefore, is as much a soul as man. 

SOUL-ls It a Part of Man? 

Q835:2:: QU ESTION-In Gen.2:7, we read that "man 
became a living soul"; and in Job 14:22, we read "his soul 
within him." Is the soul a part of man, or is the whole of man 



a living soul? (E.) 

ANSWER~For Ages, one of the most momentous 
questions, and one most frequently propounded has been 
"What is the soul?" The Bible answers the question so 
directly and simply that students of the Scriptures are now 
marvelling that this question should ever have perplexed any 
in the past. The life-giving quality, the energizing principle, 
in union with the organism, or body, forms the living, 
intelligent being. This being, whether sheep, elephant, horse, 
man, angel, or devil, is the soul. For proof of this in the 
Scriptures, carefully note the following citations, the first two 
in the marginal readings of the Authorized Version. 
(Gen. 1:20,30; Gen 2:7.) The word soul in this connection, 

{PageQ836} 

is from the Hebrew nephesh which means literally "a breathing 
creature." Man does not possess a soul, but he is a 
soul. The entire being is the soul. Job's expression must be 
understood in the poetic sense, and signifies that man would 
suffer and mourn from his inmost being, "from the bottom of 
his soul," as is sometimes said in the vernacular. Statements 
have appeared in the public press from time to time, 
emanating from some reputed authorities, to the effect that the 
"soul" has been weighed and photographed. This can easily 
be accomplished by any amateur photographer equipped with 
a camera and a pair of freight scales ! 

SOUL-Meaning Of. 

Q836:1 :: QU ESTION--Will you please tell me what is 
the soul? (N.U.M.) 

ANSWER~The Bible gives the correct definition to 
your question. We read, "And the Lord God formed man of 
the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the 
breath of life, and the man became a living soul." (Gen.2:7.) 
God did not give a soul to man, but He created man a 
soul or being. The word soul is translated from the Hebrew 
word "nephesh," which means "a breathing, sentient being." 
That is to say, God formed Adam of the dust of the ground, 
the body was not the soul; neither was the breath of life which 
God breathed, or blew into his nostrils the breath of life and 
the result was a living, breathing, animate being, then for the 
first time properly termed a soul. The word soul is not 
applied to man only. Animals are souls. In the first, second, 
and ninth chapters of Genesis, the words "living soul" are 
applied in the Hebrew language to the lower animals nine 



times. Man as a soul is different from the lower animals or 
souls by reason of his higher organism; he has superior 
mental endowments. He is the highest order of animal creation. 

SOUL-What Becomes of it at Death? 

Q836:2:: QUESTION-What becomes of the soul at 
death? Is it put into the grave with the body, or does it fly 
away in a disembodied state, and go soaring around through 
space, waiting and longing for the time to come when it can 
get back into its body (put on its clothes again, so to speak) at 
the resurrection? (J.A.G.) 

ANSWER— There is much confusion of thought 
regarding this matter. Many are disposed to express the 
matter wrongly by saying that they have a soul in place of 
saying that they are a soul. There is considerable difference 
in having a cow and being a cow ! All living beings are souls 
from the Scriptural standpoint. (Gen. 1:20-30. Margin.) 
When father Adam disobeyed the Lord, it was not his body, 
the dust of the ground that sinned. Neither was it the 
energizing principle, the breath of life, that sinned. But it was 
Adam himself, the living intelligent being, the soul, that 
sinned. Therefore, it was the soul that died, as the Scriptures 
declare, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Eze. 18:4). In 
the resurrection, it is the soul that is to be resuscitated. "Thou 
wilt not leave my soul in Hades--the tomb "--was spoken of 
our Lord Jesus. 

{PageQ837} 

SPIRIT-ls it Same as Soul? 1 Tlies. 5:23 

Q837:1 :: QUESTION -St. Paul, in 1 Thes. 5:23, prays 
God . . ."Your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved 
blameless," etc. If not, kindly enlighten fully (J.W.C.) 

ANSWER-In his prayer, St. Paul evidently 
distinguishes between spirit, soul, and body. We should bear 
in mind that his letter was addressed to the Church 
collectively, and not so much to individuals. We can be quite 
sure that the Apostle did not refer to individuals, for whatever 
interpretation we may put upon "soul and spirit," we are in 
the singular, not the plural number. St. Paul expresses his 
earnest desire that until the Lord's return the Church might be 
preserved entire, without schism, in the unity of the spirit and 
the bond of peace. In Acts 4:32, we read that "The 
multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one 
soul," and in Eph. 4:4, the Apostle points out that there is 
one BODY AND ONE SPIRIT. As in the creation of Adam, 



with the entrance of the breath of life, man became a living 
soul, an intelligent, sentient being, so with the New Creation. 
Inspired with the Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Spirit, the 
members of the Church, which is His Body, should work in 
unity and harmony in doing the will of the Lord and 
witnessing to the truth of the Gospel. 

SPIRIT--"Shall Return unto God Who Gave it." 

Q837:2:: QUESTION-Do you mean to say that the 
spirit of the Thief, who died upon the cross when the Lord 
Jesus was crucified, remained in the grave with his body? If 
so, do the spirits of our dear friends, who turned to Christ in 
this life, remain with their bodies in the grave until the Lord's 
return? (D.D.) 

ANSWER~The inspired writers of the Bible tell us just 
what became of the spirit of the thief who died upon the 
cross. And they also tell us what becomes of the spirits of 
those who were devoted followers of Christ and were faithful 
even unto death. It would not do for us to say what became 
of these spirits. Too many so-called leaders of religious 
thought have theorized and speculated as to what became of 
the spirits of the departed dead and have set forth the results 
of their vain imaginings. Let us not add to the awful 
confusion by presenting ideas of our own, but let us hear what 
the Scriptures declare, recognizing that the Lord God is surely 
able to guide us into the knowledge of the Truth. We read, 
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit 
shall return unto God who gave it." (Eccl. 12:7.) This text 
reminds us of the original sentence of death pronounced upon 
Adam for disobedience. He had been formed of the dust and 
therefore he should forfeit his life and return unto dust. He 
died. The breath of life (the spirit), the energizing of life 
principle, was removed from the body and returned to God, 
who is the source or fountain of all life. The living soul, the 
intelligent being, died. As the Bible says, "The soul that 
sinneth it shall die." (Eze. 18:4.) From these scriptures it is 
evident that the spirit of the thief and of all who die returns to 
God. This animating principle 

{PageQ838} 

(spirit), called life, is to be given to all of the faithful and 
obedient in the resurrection. 

SPIRIT AND BRIDE-Meaning of Rev. 22:17 

Q838:1 :: QU ESTION-What is meant by these words, 



"The Spirit and the Bride say come?" (Rev. 22:17.) 

ANSWER--The Spirit clearly refers to Jesus Christ, the 
Bridegroom. His Bride is to be the Church glorified. (See 
Rev. 21:9; Rev. 19:7-9.) The marriage, or union, referred 
to in the last Scripture, takes place at the second coming of 
Christ (John 14:3). The reign of Christ (Bride and 
Bridegroom) follows, and then the message will go forth to 
the world, inviting all to come and obey Christ and receive 
eternal life; and the obedient shall live. And the obedient will 
be privileged to repeat the invitation to others, that 
"whosoever will may come and take of the water of life 
freely." The Church of Christ in its present condition of 
development is referred to by the Apostle as "the chaste 
virgin, espoused to one Husband" (2 Cor. 11:2). She will 
not become the Bride of Christ until at the time of the 
Bridegroom's presence, when the marriage of the Lamb shall 
take place and the marriage supper shall follow (Rev. 19:9). 
Evidently, from the fore-going, it is manifest that the 
expression "whosoever will does," not apply to all at this 
time, and will not be true until the wedding is consummated. 

SPIRIT BEING-Explanation of. 

Q838:2:: QUESTION -What is a spirit being? 

ANSWER—According to the Scriptures, it is a creature, 
or personality, inhabiting the spiritual plane of existence, a 
higher plane than that of the human or earthly creatures. Just 
as the Divine nature, the nature of God, is the highest order of 
the spiritual realm, so man is of the highest order of the 
animal or earthly existence. Angels are spirit beings (Psa. 104:4) 
and we read that man was created "a little lower than 
the angels." (Psa. 8:5.) A change of nature is promised to 
all of those who will be of the Church of Christ; those who 
"make their calling and election sure" and who eventually will 
be associated with their Lord and Savior in the glories of the 
Kingdom as His "joint-heirs." This "change" of nature is 
wonderfully described by the Apostle in the fifteenth chapter 
of 1 Cor. 15:42-52. Those who will experience this 
transformation of nature are said to be "born of the spirit" and 
this will take place in the resurrection. These then will be 
powerful, and invisible to mortal eye, just as the angels are all 
around and Jehovah's messengers in past ages, yet unseen. 
Jesus described this matter of the "wind" to picture the 
condition of those who shall be born of the spirit in the 
resurrection morning, John 3:6-8. 

SPIRITISM-"Empty as Hollow Gourd." 



Q838:3:: QUESTION--Has Spiritism ever benefitted the 
members of the race of mankind in any way? If so, how? (Victim.) 

ANSWER--The value of Spiritism to the world is 
summed up in the words of a well-known author as follows: 
"According to the theory of Spiritualists there are a hundred 

{PageQ839} 

times as many disembodied spirits about us as there are men 
in the flesh. Among them are all the poets, authors, orators, 
musicians and inventors of past ages. They know all they 
ever knew when they were in the flesh, and have been 
learning a great deal more since; and with their added powers 
and extended experience they should be able to do what 
mortals have never done before. They have had free access to 
the public mind and public press, with no end of mediums 
ready to receive their communications and thousands and 
thousands of anxious inquirers who have questioned them, 
and earnestly desired to obtain information from them. They 
have talked and rapped, they have tipped and rattled, they 
have fiddled and scribbled, they have materialized and 
dematerialized, they have entranced and exhibited; they have 
told us many things which we knew before; many things 
which we do not know yet; and many other things which it 
was no matter whether we knew or not; but when we come to 
real instruction, reliable information, or profitable and 
valuable knowledge. Spiritualism is as barren as Sahara, as 
empty as a hollow gourd." 

SPIRITISM-Mediums Communicating With Dead. 

Q839:1:: QUEST ION --Do Spiritualist Mediums really 
communicate with the spirits of the dead? 

ANSWER—Spiritualism is a rapidly growing movement, 
numbering several millions of people, among which are some 
of the brightest minds of the day. There is no question as to 
many of the facts clearly established in the rites and 
ceremonies of Spiritism. Many of the phenomena produced, 
with the aid of spirit mediums, have been pronounced as 
beyond all controversy supernatural. The Bible tells us 
exactly to what these phenomena may be attributed. A clear 
account is given of the fall of some of the angels from Divine 
grace because of disobedience. These are restrained "in 
chains of darkness" (the darkness of the night-manifestations 
can take place only in the dark), until the judgment time. 
These demons or fallen angels have impersonated the dead 
and represented that they wished to communicate with their 



friends through the aid of mediums. Evidently it is 
displeasing to the Lord for any of His people to communicate 
with these demons. (See Isa. 8:19,20). The Superintendent 
of one of the largest insane asylums stated recently that fully 
one half of the insane patients were obsessed by evil spirits. 

SPIRITISM-What is a Witch? 

Q839:2:: QUESTION-'Thou shall not suffer a witch to 
live."~Exo. 22:18. From this expression would we not 
understand that the writers of the Scriptures believed in the 
existence of witches? What is a witch? (F.C.) 

ANSWER-Throughout the world today there are 
thousands and millions of people who firmly believe in what 
is known as "Spiritism." Among those who thus believe are 
some of the brightest minds of the day-doctors, lawyers, 
judges, professors, etc., a class of people who would not be 
deceived by mere sleight-of-hand performances, or by 
hallucinations. These know that it is possible to communicate 
with beings of the spiritual realm, through the aid of 

{PageQ840} 

spirit mediums, clairaudiants, clairvoyants, and the like~the 
modern wizards and witches. Few recognize that every one 
of these spirit beings who thus communicate with members of 
the race of mankind are of the demons, or fallen angels—evil 
spirits— whose sole aim and purpose is to deceive the 
members of the race by impersonating the dead, and 
representing that they are the spirits of the departed ones. 
The Sacred Writers certainly recognized the existence of the 
demons, and of the witches (spirit mediums) of their day. 

SPIRITS-Familiar, and Wizards. 

Q840:1:: QUESTION -Please explain Isa. 8:19-22, 
where the Prophet speaks of "familiar spirits," and "wizards" 
that work in the dark. (A.B.S.) 

ANSWER-The "familiar spirits" are the demons that 
infest earth's atmosphere, and who are busily engaged in 
impersonating the dead, representing that they are the spirits 
of the departed ones, and thus confusing and deceiving many, 
who have not given heed to the instructions of the Scriptures 
to the effect that the dead are dead, and will not be alive or 
conscious until the awakening time in the resurrection. The 
"wizards" are the mediums who act as the agents of these and 
mutter and work mysteriously in the dark, in place of working 
out in the open where all may be clear and plain. The powers 



of righteousness do not have to labor in the dark and in an 
underhand way, as they have nothing to conceal. The 
"hungry" ones are those who have neglected "the law and the 
testimony" --God's Word~and are giving heed to the doctrines 
of demons. They are dissatisfied and suffer the pangs of 
regret and remorse, because there is nothing to satisfy their 
cravings in the direction in which they are seeking to be 
enlightened. Theirs is a deplorable condition of darkness and 
anguish of mind, as they have neglected the only real source 
of comfort and consolation-the Scriptures. 

SPIRITS IN PRISON-Who Are They? 

Q840:2:: QUESTION-Who are "The spirits in prison?" 
(1 Pet. 3:19.) (Secretary). 

ANSWER~The "spirits" or spirit beings, are the ones 
referred to by the Apostle in the following verse as having 
been disobedient during the antediluvian period of time, in the 
days of Noah. Turning back to the early records of the 
Scriptures, we find that in Gen. 6:1-4, it is narrated how and 
in what manner these spirit beings disobeyed, and why they 
were cast into prison. Note the contrast in the expression, 
"The sons of God (the angels—Job 2:1) saw the daughters of 
men." These spiritual sons of God left their habitation, the 
spiritual realm, and materializing as human beings, took unto 
them wives of the daughters of men. In this way the "men of 
renown," "the mighty men," the "giants in the earth," were 
brought into existence. This was contrary to the Lord's 
arrangements, and therefore we read that those angels were 
deprived of their liberties under certain limitations: "And the 
angels which kept not their first estate (their spiritual state) 
but left their own 

{PageQ841} 

lasting chains, under darkness (the darkness of the night, for 
they can operate only under the cover of the night or 
conditions of darkness), unto the judgment of the great day." 
(Jude 6.) The Apostle Peter also refers to them when he 
says, "God spared not the angels who sinned, but degraded 
them, and delivered them into chains of darkness." 
-Corrected Translation. (2 Pet. 2:4.) All history, both 
sacred and secular, is replete with instances of obsession, or 
demonizations, by these demons, or fallen angels. It was to 
these "spirits" that our Lord, by His death and resurrection. 
Preached a powerful sermon in pantomime. 



SYMBOLIC FIGURES--"Heavens"--"Broken 
Cisterns"--"Water." 

Q841 :1 :: QUESTION Please explain Jer. 2:12,13. 
What are the "heavens" referred to; and what do the "broken 
cisterns that can hold no water" represent? (B.S.A.) 
ANSWER—Evidently the Prophet is using highly 
symbolic language to convey his thoughts. The larger portion 
of the prophecies of the Bible are put forth in figurative 
expressions and in parables and dark sayings, for they were 
not intended of the Lord to be understood until at the time of 
their fulfillment. The "heavens" would symbolize the powers 
of ecclesiasticism and the "fountains" would symbolize the 
truth, the Lord's word. The time would come, therefore, as 
foretold by the Prophet, when the Lord's professing "people," 
Christians, would forsake the Lord and His Word, and would 
"hew" out or fashion for themselves "cisterns" or receptacles 
to hold the muddy waters of the traditions of men. The creeds 
and religious systems are in a very dilapidated and broken 
state and wholly incapable of holding the waters of the truth. 
The old effete systems of the past are breaking up and are 
absolutely useless so far as holding the waters of the truth are 
concerned. 

SYMBOLIC FIGURES-Sea and Waves Roaring. 

Q841 :2:: QU ESTION-What is the meaning of the 

words "the sea and the waves roaring?" (Luke 21:25.) (R.H.) 

ANSWER— The murmuring of the rising wind is 
distinctly audible to the ear. The sea and the waves of the 
troubled masses of humanity are already beginning to heave 
and toss and foam. The increasing winds of strife are driving 
the great sea of mankind into a frenzied state of revolt against 
the present social order— "the world that now is"— wave on 
wave, mounting higher and higher and rolling in upon the 
rocks and cliffs. The sullen thunder and roar of the sea as it 
breaks in ever increasing fury upon the shore, jarring and 
shaking the mountains to their center, forecasts only too well 
the on-coming of the cataclysm that is foreordained to 
overwhelm the entire world. The "earth" (society) and the 
"mountains" (kingdoms and governments) will be removed 
and carried into the midst of the sea (the turbulent and raging 
masses of humanity). (Psa. 46:2,3.) The great "waves" 
(nihilism, communism, socialism, and anarchism) are 
sweeping with irresistible force against the bulwarks of 
present institutions. Habitation (the spiritual realm), He hath 
reserved in age'?? 



{PageQ842} 

SYMBOLIC FIGURES-No More Sea. 

Q842:1 :: QUESTION-Is the Scriptural statement, "and 
there were no more sea," to be taken literally? See Rev.21:l. 

ANSWER--In the Scriptures the word "sea" is used, not 
merely as a name for a body of water, but also symbolically, 
as representing lawless, restless, dissatisfied, discontented 
humanity. In His great prophecy (Luke 21:5-36) our Lord 
tells us that in the time of trouble, with which the Millennial 
Age will be introduced, the sea and the waves will roar; and 
in Psa. 46:1-3, is pictured, that the symbolic mountains, or 
kingdoms, of earth will go down, overwhelmed by the 
symbolic sea, in an anarchistic storm. When once the 
Messiah's Kingdom shall have brought order out of the 
present confusion, after it shall have established the world's 
interests upon a proper basis of equity, there will be "no more 
sea," in the sense that there will no longer be a restless, 
dissatisfied element amongst the masses of mankind. 

But while many of the prophecies have had both a literal 
and a symbolic fulfillment, yet we are not wise enough to say 
whether or not this one will have a literal fulfillment. We feel 
sure, however, that it will have a symbolic fulfillment as 
already suggested. Even if the literal sea should continue, we 
know of no reason why the continents of earth might not be 
united by the raising of submerged lands to connect them. 
However, it is best for us not to indulge in speculation along 
this line, of which we have no absolute knowledge. 

SYMBOLIC FIGURES-Woe Unto Them With Child. 

Q842:2:: QU ESTION-Will you kindly explain the 
seemingly harsh Bible statement, the expression of the Savior, 
as given in the 24th chapter of Matthew, the 19th verse— 
"And woe be unto them that are with child, and to them that 
give suck in those days?" (J.G.D.) 

ANSWER— This expression is a portion of our Lord's 
great prophecy relating to events and conditions that would 
develop in the last days of the Christian dispensation. As 
with all prophetic expressions it is in highly figurative 
language. The clue to the understanding of this prophecy is 
found elsewhere in the Scriptures. A woman is used as 
symbolical representation of the church. Thus the true 
Church of Christ is referred to as the "chaste virgin" and also 
in another picture as the "Bride the Lamb's wife" (2 Cor. 11:2; 
Rev. 21:9). The false churches are represented as 
corrupt and debauched women (Rev. 17:1-5), compare these 



five verses with Rev. 21:9-11. The "mother church" is 
represented as a lewd woman, and also as the great mystical 
city of Babylon. Her daughters, the ecclesiastical systems 
that are the offspring of the parent system, are likewise 
represented as being babes both embryonic and new-born. 
They have need of the milk of the Word as the Apostle says 
(Heb. 5:12-14) they are not sufficiently developed in 
knowledge and grace to assimilate the strong and important 
doctrines. It will be a special time of sorrow for the false 
religious systems in that day, "those who are with child," and 
also to those who are dispensing the milk—in other words 
"giving suck." 

{PageQ843} 

TALENTS-Parable of. 

Q843:1 :: QUESTION-Kindly explain Matt. 25:29; 
"From him that hath NOT shall be taken away even that 
which he hath." (E.M.) 

ANSWER—This verse occurs in the Parable of the 
talents, and if we supply the word increased after not, the 
thought is clear. During the Gospel Age—that period between 
the going away and the coming again of Christ Jesus-His 
servants have been entrusted with the Gospel of the Kingdom. 
All professing Christians have obligations and responsibilities 
to tell out the "good tidings of great joy," according to their 
knowledge and opportunity. Those who improve their talents 
increase them, and because faithful to the light and privileges 
granted to them, will receive the "Well done" of the Master. 
All who neglect to use their talents for the blessing of others 
will not have the Lord's approval. On the contrary, they will 
lose not only the light they once enjoyed, but also the reward 
of faithfulness. Let us then heed the exhortation of our Lord, 
"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of 
life." 

TEACHING-Does God Teach Directly? 

Q843:2:: QUESTION-The Scriptures declare, "They 
shall be all taught of God" (John 6:45). Does God teach 
each one of His children directly through His Word? 
ANSWER— God uses various instrumentalities for 
communicating His instructions. Thus the Lord Jesus 
Himself is called the Father's "Word" -the Message, the 
Logos (John 1:1; Rev. 19:13). St. Paul speaks of him 
saying, "God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners 
spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in 



these last days spoken unto us by His Son" (Heb. 1:1,2). 
This message has been repeated by the Apostles. We read 
that when our Lord "ascended up on high He—gave gifts unto 
men," and these gifts are still with us. He explains these gifts 
to be Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, 
"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, 
for the edifying of the Body of Christ, until we come unto the 
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:8;11-13'). 
So we see that the instructions of God may come 
through His disciples, teachers, evangelists, etc.; but they 
must all be recognized as emanating from the Father through 
the Son. 

TEACHING-Survival of the Fittest. 

Q843:3:: QUESTION-Is the doctrine of "survival of 

the fittest" true; and is it in harmony with the teachings of the 

Scriptures? (Troglodyte.) 

ANSWER~The combined testimony of the evidences in 
nature, aside from the inspired revelations of the Scriptures, is 
opposed to the theory of the best surviving the worst. In the 
realm of vegetation it is universally recognized that the finest 
flowers, fruits and vegetables, are produced only by the 
utmost care in training and cultivation. These fine varieties, if 
left to themselves, quickly deteriorate in quality, or else are 
entirely overcome by the weeds, thorns and briars. Does not 
this same principle hold in the animal kingdom? High-bred 
horses, dogs, and cattle, if left without the guiding hand of 
man, quickly degenerate 

{PageQ844} 

into lower breeds, or else are entirely destroyed by inferior 
species of animals. This same principle is true with the races 
of men, as all history demonstrates, and as foretold in the 
Scriptures. Beginning with the Babylonian Empire, when it 
had reached to the very zenith of its glory, it fell in one night, 
yielding to the inferior kingdom of the Medes and Persans. 
These in turn yielded to the Greeks. Then Greece with all her 
learning succumbed to the inferior Latin races. And who is 
not familiar with the history of Rome which arose on the 
ruins of Greece? In the shattered remains of the Roman 
Empire, the modern nations of Europe and America, another 
mighty civilization, has reared its crest to a vast height, and is 
doomed to destruction. (See Dan. 2:31-45.) This present 
evil world, with its conditions of "the survival of the worst," 
is to pass away; and on its ruins will be established a new 



order of things, called "The world to come wherein dwelleth 
righteousness," in which "the survival of the fittest" will be 
absolutely true.--2 Pet.3:13. 

TEACHINGS-Following One Man's. 

Q844:1 :: QUESTION Is it right to follow the teachings 
of any ONE MAN, or should we expect to be individually 
taught through the study of the Bible? 

ANSWER— The Scriptures answer, "One is your Master, 
even Christ; and all ye are brethren" (Matt. 23:8). We 
should not follow man, nor manmade creeds or systems. God 
exercised the supervising care over His consecrated people; as 
we read, "Now hath God set the members, every one of them, 
in the Body, as it hath pleased him" (1 Cor. 12:18); 
therefore He advises Christians to come together to assist in 
building each other up in the most holy faith (Heb. 10:24,25). 
He directs the church to select elders--not Lords, nor 
Masters, nor Reverends (1 Tim. 3:3; Titus 1:5-9). These 
are "overseers" to feed the flock of God (Acts 21:28; 
1 Pet. 5:1-3). St. Paul says, "Be ye followers of me, even as 
I am of Christ." The most faithful have been followers of the 
Apostle, who followed in the footsteps of Jesus. This is not 
following man, but following the Divine leadings through the 
Lord and the Apostles. Similarly today we note God's 
leadings through His servants. In this we are following Jesus 
Christ, not man. 

Individual study of the Bible seems indispensable to proper 
Christian development, and is commendable, just as 
individual study of Geology would be commendable; but one 
must not ignore the aids to Bible study which God has 
providentially furnished; to do so would be as unwise as for a 
pupil in astronomy to ignore the astronomical instruments and 
findings of others who have preceded him in the study of the 
same science. "Study to show thyself approved unto God (not 
unto men); rightly dividing the Word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). 

THIEF ON CROSS-Dlfference Between Paradise and Heaven. 

Q844:2:: QUESTION-How could the repentant thief on 

the cross go to Paradise THAT DAY, with Jesus, when Jesus did not 

{PageQ845} 

ascend to Heaven until forty days after His resurrection on 
the third day? 

ANSWER-The word "Paradise" signifies, "a delightful 
garden, park, or pleasure ground." The garden of Eden was 



the original Paradise, where man dwelt before disobeying the 
Divine command. Because of disobedience he lost this 
Paradise. (Gen. 3:22-24.) When the race of mankind comes 
again into harmony with the Creator by becoming obedient to 
the Lord, the "earth will become as the Garden of Eden," and 
mankind will be restored to that Edenic condition. (Acts 3:19-21; 
Eze. 36:35.) "The desert shall bloom and blossom 
as the rose and springs shall break forth in the wilderness, and 
the solitary place shall be glad for them—the happy world of 
mankind. (Isaiah 35.) Such conditions will take place when 
our Lord "comes into his kingdom." The thief asked to be 
remembered "when Thou comest into Thy kingdom," and our 
Lord will come into His kingdom at His second coming. Our 
Lord did not go to Paradise that day, but went to the tomb, as 
the Scriptuies declare, from which he was raised the third 
day. The passage with the punctuation propery made, placing 
the comma after the word "today," clears the matter up. 
"Verily I say unto thee today (now), thou shall be with Me in 
Paradise"~at My second coming, when the Kingdom of 
Heaven shall be established in the earth. Punctuation is a 
modern invention, dating from the year 1515 A.D. The 
comma was placed in the text by the translators under King 
James, and it is evident that they made the mistake of placing 
it before instead of after "today." 

THIEVES AND ROBBERS-AM That Ever Came Before Me Are. 

Q845:1 :: QUESTION-We read in the 10th chapter 
and the 8th verse of the Gospel of John the following words 
of the Savior~"All that ever came before me are thieves and 
robbers." Who are referred to by the terms "thieves and 
robbers?" (A.N.F.) 

ANSWER~The Lord Jesus was narrating a parable 
illustrating certain arrangements and conditions. Every 
sheepfold must of necessity have a door or gate and this 
would be for the use of the shepherd and the sheep. As stated 
in verse 1 , any person attempting to enter the sheepfold in any 
other way than by the door would be a thief and a robber. 
Our Lord Jesus, as the "Shepherd," by fulfilling the terms of 
the Law Covenant, entered the "door" and secured all the 
blessings and privileges which had been promised in the Law. 
The Scribes and Pharisees- "the thieves and robbers "--on the 
other hand, had been endeavoring to "climb up some other 
way," by a hypocritical observance of the letter of the Law, 
rather than by a heart observance and fulfillment of the spirit 
of the Law. Jesus, as the "Good Shepherd," laid down His 
life for the "sheep." The Scribes and Pharisees neglected the 



interests of the people and were engaged in seeking their own 
gain-wealth and fame-while piously posing as religious leaders. 

{PageQ846} 

TIME-How Long Was a Time? 

Q846:1 :: QUESTION-What is the meaning of the 
expression found in Dan. 12:7 —"Time, times and a half?" 
How long was a "time?" 

ANSWER-A year, or "time," according to the old 
Hebrew method of preserving chronological records, was 
ordinarily a year of twelve lunar months of approximately 
thirty days each, or 360 days. In the symbolic prophecies of 
the Scriptures, a day stood for a year. (See Eze. 4:1-8; 
Num. 14:33,34.) A "time" therefore, of three hundred and 
sixty days in a prophetic sense, would signify 360 years. In 
the expression under consideration there are three and 
one-half times, or 1,260 years. The same period is mentioned 
in the book of Rev; in chapter 12: 14, it is called three and 
one-half times (360 x 3« = 1,260); in chapter 13:5, it is 
termed forty-two months (30 x 42 = 1,260); and in chapter 
12:6, it is called twelve hundred and sixty days. Bible 
scholars in general have reached the conclusion that these 
twelve hundred and sixty years came to an end in the year 
1799 A.D. Noting the fulfillment of this prophecy at that 
time, and following this clue, a number of students of 
prophecy are expecting that the "seven times" (Lev. 26:17, 
Lev. 18, 24,28) or 2520 years, in which the Jewish people 
were to be subject to the Gentile powers and kingdoms, will 
terminate in the year 1914 A.D. as their kingdom was 
overturned and destroyed in the year 606 B.C. "Seven times," 
or two thousand five hundred and twenty years, bring us to 
the date 1914, when the Jews will be restored to their own 
land, to have a government or kingdom of their own, which 
will be the nucleus of the coming universal government so 
frequently referred to in the Scriptural prophecies. 

trinity-Is Expression "The Triune God" Scriptural? 

Q846:2:: QUESTION-What is understood by the 
expression, "the triune God?" (E.S.M.) 

ANSWER— Some have thought this to be a scriptural 
expression, but it is not to be found in the Bible. It is 
believed to have originated in the heathen mythologies of the 
Hindoos in ancient India. Webster defines the term "triune" 
as three in one- "an epithet used to express the unity of a 
trinity of persons in the Godhead." We know of but one 



passage in the Bible that actually teaches the doctrine of a 
"triune God." But this passage is now conceded to be 
spurious by all Bible scholars. The words found in 1 John 5,7 
("in heaven the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and 
these three are one; and there are three that bear witness in 
earth"), are not contained in any of the oldest Greek 
manuscripts. The Religious Dictionary, page 944, says: "It 
was not until the fourth century that the Trinitarian view 
began to be elaborated and formulated into a doctrine, and an 
endeavor made to reconcile it with the belief of the Church in 
one God . . . Out of the attempt to solve this problem sprang 
the doctrine of the Trinity . . . Trinity is a very marked feature 
in Hindooism, and is discernible in Persian, Egyptian, 
Roman, Japanese, Indian, and the most ancient Grecian 
mythologies." 

{PageQ847} 

TRINITY-Metiphysical or Ethical Sense? 

Q847:1 :: QUESTION -Is the oneness between Jesus 
Christ and God, the Heavenly Father, ethical or 
metaphysical? (R.A.H.) 

ANSWER--In the early history of the Church, after the 
Apostles had fallen asleep, many bitter controversies were 
engaged in over this very question. But now in these latter 
days when knowledge is increasing along all lines, and 
particularly so as regards the knowledge and understanding of 
the Scriptures, the solution of the matter is clearly seen. 
There is not a single passage of Scripture to be found in 
which it is set forth that the Lord Jesus and the Father are one 
in the metaphysical sense. Two texts are usually relied upon 
to support the metaphysical view, but it has been wrongly 
translated and the other is spurious as it is not contained in 
any of the old Greek manuscripts. The first of these, John 1:1, 
should read--"In the beginning was the Word, and the 
Word was with (ho theos) the God, and the Word was (theos) 
a God. The same was in the beginning with (ho theos) the 
God." The Logos was a God (mighty one) and was with the 
God (the Almighty One). The spurious passage is found in 
1 John 5:7, and consists of the words, "in heaven the Father, 
the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And 
there are three that bear witness in earth." As showing that 
the oneness of the Father and the Son is in the ethical sense 
we need only to quote a portion of the Lord Jesus' prayer— "I 
pray not for the world but for them which Thou hast given 
Me, for they are Thine . . . neither pray I for these alone, but 



for them also which believe on Me through their word; that 
they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me and I in Thee, 
that they also may be one in Us . . . that they may be one, 
even as We are one; I in them and Thou in Me, that they may 
be made perfect in one. "--John 17:9,20-23. 

TRINITY-This is My Beloved Son. 

Q847:2:: QUESTION-If Christ was God the Father, 
and God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; how could a voice 
from heaven say— "This is My beloved Son," when He was a 
man on earth? (Diogenes.) 

ANSWER This is an age of general enlightenment. 
Knowledge is increasing along all lines, and specially so in 
regard to the teachings of the Scriptures. The superstitions 
and theories of the darker past are fading away in the light 
that is gradually widening out unto the perfect day. The 
shadows of ignorance and prejudice are still lingering here 
and there; but those minds of bolder sway that have burst the 
bonds and shackles of the creeds and traditions of former 
times, are rejoicing in the glorious liberty that comes to those 
who know the truth. God's Word has been woefully 
misrepresented both by friends and foes, and because many 
have been taught to believe that the absurd theories found in 
the creeds are contained in the Bible; these, in the light of our 
day, are rejecting the Bible as the inspired Word of God in 
place of studying the Scriptures to ascertain what they really 
teach. The expression of the creeds, contained in the 
question, is nowhere found in the Bible. Our Lord Jesus 
never claimed to be "God the Father" but always said that He 
was the Son of God. 

{PageQ848} 

"My Father is greater than I"; "God sent His Son into the 
world." Our Lord Jesus was not His own Father; but as the 
Scriptures declare He "was the beginning of the creation of 
God." The voice from heaven to the Son on earth proves 
absolutely, unless we deny our reasoning faculties and 
become unreasonable, that the Heavenly Father and our Lord 
Jesus are two distinct personalities. 

TROUBLE-Last Days. 

Q848:1 :: QU ESTION-Can you explain the first six 
verses of the fifth chapter of James (Jam. 5:6)? (J.G.S.) 

ANSWER-This is a prophecy relating to "the last days" 
(verse 3) and is contrary to the expectations of many 



Christian people who are anticipating the world's conversion 
to Christianity before the second coming of the Lord. This is 
a clear-cut statement of the Apostle describing the conditions 
that would exist in the last times. Had he been living in these 
times he could not have described the situation of affairs in 
the world more accurately or concisely. Is it not true that 
"treasures have been heaped together?" It is said that one 
man controls directly and indirectly more than 
$16,000,000,000 and that another individual has given away 
over $200,000,000 and yet has not touched the principal of 
his wealth. Are not the "rich men" living in pleasure; and are 
they not "wanton" (extravagant-luxurious) in their ways of 
living? (Verse 5.) Expensive palaces, yachts, automobiles, 
jewels, balls, banquets, and various forms of amusements are 
aggravating the poor and the unemployed to such an extent 
that they are crying out; and these "cries" (verse 4) have 
swelled into a mighty volume and find expression throughout 
all the public press. Do not all intelligent people know that 
the vast accumulation of wealth has been brought about 
mainly by "fraud" (verse 4)? It is the farming class, "the 
laborers who have reaped down your fields," that are the real 
wealth producers of the world, and these are the ones who 
have been defrauded the most by the political and financial 
frauds of the times. Pity the poor rich (verse 1) in the coming 
"time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation" 
(Mat. 24:21), for theirs will be a season of special sorrow 
and anguish of mind when all the accumulated wealth will 
become valueless. Verses 2 and 3. 

TROUBLE-Time of, Worldwide. 

Q848:2:: QUESTION-What is meant by the Scriptures 
which declare that in the last days there would be a fearful 
time of trouble (Dan. 12:1; Mat. 24:21,22)? Has this any 
reference to the industrial and social crisis that is now 
developing throughout the world? 

ANSWER—There have been seasons of severe trouble 
and destruction at various times in the history of the race, 
such as the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, when about a 
million and a quarter of Jews were slain, and the French 
Revolution, when vast numbers were slaughtered by the mobs 
and by the troops~a reign of terror indeed~but the "time of 
trouble" in the end of this age (not the end of the world for 
"the earth abideth forever" -Eccl. 1:4) is represented as 
being more dreadful than any preceding 

{PageQ849} 



experience, in the sense that it will be world-wide and not a 
local disturbance as were the previous seasons of destruction. 
(See Rev. 16:14; Luke 21:25; Zep. 3:8,9.) The 
Scriptures clearly indicate in what way the trouble will be 
developed, after the nations, kingdoms and governments have 
become associated together, forming a general community of 
interests, such as we see existing now, when all are brought 
together by financial, political, and social ties, treaties and 
alliances. It will be an industrial and social conflict that will 
involve all classes and be terrible when the climax is reached. 
The battle lines are already sharply drawn. Organized capital 
on the one hand and organized labor on the other are the two 
forces arrayed against each other in deadly conflict. The 
Apostle James writes almost like a Socialist in describing 
some of the phases of the impending struggle-- Jam. 5:1-5. 
After the "trouble" is over conditions will be established on a 
new basis, and an era of peace and prosperity be ushered in~ 
Hag. 2:7. 

TROUBLE-What Advantage Knowledge of God's Plan? 

Q849:1 :: QUESTION-Of what practical advantage is a 
knowledge of the truth of God's character and plan of 
salvation, to one in time of trouble, disappointment, sorrow, 
etc.? (We refer particularly to one who is already converted—a 
member of the Church.) (E.W.) 

ANSWER-The knowledge of God, the Creator, that He 
is wise and just, loving and all powerful, and that He is our 
loving Heavenly Father, one that we can draw nigh unto with 
confidence and trust in every time of need, through the merits 
of the Anointed Savior, is a wonderful source of comfort and 
consolation, and is of far more practical benefit than all that 
earthly wealth or fame could possibly bestow. After all; real 
advantage or benefit is that which brings peace and happiness 
to the heart. Those who have the consciousness that they are 
the children of the Most High God, and that He loves them, 
and is over-ruling all of the affairs of life to their interest and 
welfare as spiritual children; ah, these have that inward peace 
and joy and happiness, that not all the storms, and trials and 
afflictions of life can mar or take away. The knowledge of 
the plan of the ages, brings unspeakable joy to those who thus 
know what God has in reservation for those who love Him; 
and not only for these, the Church of Christ, but also for all 
the families of the earth—the world of mankind. In view of 
the high exaltation to glory, honor, and immortality, at the 
right hand of the Majesty on high, promised to the Lord's 



faithful people; how trifling and insignificant must seem the 
trials and hardships of life! And thus the Apostle Paul 
expresses the matter saying "For our light affliction, which is 
but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory." 

VOTING-Secular Elections. 

Q849:2:: QUESTION-The Lord Jesus taught the 
Christians to pray, "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done on 
earth." Does that mean that all Christian people should join 
together and vote for the election of only Christian men to 
office in order that God's will might be done on the earth? 

{PageQ850} 

ANSWER --The true footstep followers of the Lord 
Jesus are called to a "heavenly calling" (Heb. 3:1), to the 
"high calling of God" (Phil. 3:13.) They are running for the 
office of joint heirship with Christ Jesus in His Kingdom. The 
Apostle Paul was one of these runners. He realized that a 
man cannot well run for two offices at the same time. He 
said, "Do not be conformed to this world." (Rom. 12:2.) 
That is to say, do not become entangled with the things of this 
world. Again he said, "This one thing I do, forgetting those 
things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things 
which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the 
high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3: 13,14); and in 
harmony with this Jesus said, "Ye are not of this world"; and 
again, "My kingdom is not of this world," meaning this 
present evil order of things; therefore we come to the 
conclusion that the chief duty of the Christian is to avoid 
entangling alliance with worldly systems, and to devote 
himself to preparing for the kingdom of our Lord when He 
comes. All good citizens should desire righteous men in 
office, but a righteous government cannot be established by 
imperfect men, hence the hope of the Christian is in the Bible 
teaching that Christ Jesus, the great Messiah, will, in God's 
due time, set up His kingdom, and establish righteousness in 
the earth. 

WEATHER-Does God Control It? 

Q850:1 :: QUESTION-Does God give orders for the 
weather every day? 

ANSWER— No; nor does He every day order the stars in 
their courses, nor the earthquakes, famines and pestilences. 
At the present time, because of sin, the entire course of nature 



is permitted to be out of joint, so far as this earth is 
concerned. Our weather is not ideal at all times; God knows 
this and permits it as a part of the penalty of death upon 
Adam's race. Present conditions are not what God would 
have provided for Adam and his posterity had sin not entered 
into the world. Extremes of heat and cold, floods and 
droughts, death-dealing tornadoes and cyclones are the 
world's portion as criminals under death sentence; they are 
parts of the curse. Christians are not exempted from these, 
but are required to walk by faith, sharing the world's 
experiences; yet by this faith and the Holy Spirit to recognize 
themselves as "sons of God without rebuke" (Phil. 2:15), 
learning through all life's experiences lessons which will fit 
them for their future work of glory with Christ in His 
Millennial Kingdom. God's promise is that then there shall be 
no more curse—no more dying, no more crying. Instead, the 
time will come for the restitution of man and his earthly home 
to the perfection of grandeur of the Edenic condition 
(Acts 3:19-21.) Thus God will make the place of His feet, the 
earth, "glorious." Paradise lost will be Paradise regained. 

WILL-Guides for Discerning God's Will. 

Q850:2:: QUESTION-I am sure all Christians want to 
do God's will, but how can we determine his will in our 
affairs? 

ANSWER~If we have not wholly become God's people 
by consecration. His message to us is, "This is the will of 

{PageQ851} 

God, even your sanctification" (1 Thess. 4:3). If we are His 
people we are to search His Word, which has been written for 
our benefit. In it He says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine 
heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy 
ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" 
(Pro. 3:5,6). When we are perplexed we should go to Him in 
prayer, resting content with whatever He may permit, study 
His Word and seek to be guided thereby. He has said to us, 
"All things shall work together for good to those who love 
God, to those who have been called according to His 
purpose" (Rom. 8:28). We will, if we follow this course, 
soon learn to appreciate the fact that all the precious promises 
in the Bible are for the guidance and benefit of the Christian. 
Exercising faith in these, we should use our best judgment to 
follow the Lord's will in all things, carrying no anxious 
thought respecting the future and watching for His 



providential leadings. 

WOMAN-Seven Take Hold of One Man. 

Q851 :1 :: QUESTION-"And in that day seven women 
shall take hold of one man." (Isa. 4: 1.) What is the meaning 
of this Scripture? (Interested.) 

ANSWER— In the symbolisms of the Scriptures a 
"woman" represents a church. Just as the Church of Christ is 
said to be the "Bride, the Lamb's Wife." The false churches 
or anti-Christian religious systems are symbolized as wicked 
women. (Rev. 17:5.) The number seven is always 
representative of fullness, or completion, in the expressions of 
the Bible. Therefore, we have the picture before our minds of 
a time when the full number, or all of the churches (in this 
case the false churches) would be seeking to be called by the 
name of the "one man" —Christ—in order that their reproach 
might be taken away. These churches, which in reality are 
worldly organizations, as they are filled with a worldly spirit, 
and supported by worldly individuals, are being reproached 
more and more because of their worldiness; and recognizing 
this, they are strenuously claiming to be "Christian 
Churches." The "seven Women" are taking hold of the "One 
Man," but He does not recognize them, as He has but the one 
Bride, the true Church. 

WOMAN-Suffrage Movement and the Bible. 

Q851 :2:: QU ESTION-May I ask your views on the 
"Woman's Suffrage" question? Should women have equal 
rights with men? What is the attitude of the Bible toward this 
momentuous subject? I use the term "momentuous" 
advisedly because the Suffrage Movement is extending 
around the world, and to my mind is one of the most 
important phases of the general conditions existing in these 
hyperbolical times. (F.E.W.) 

ANSWER— It is very evident to the close observer that 
men and women, the world over, are more and more 
approaching a condition of equality. This is largely due to the 
changing state of affairs in the industrial and social realms. 
Women are entering in upon every line of accomplishment in 
the commercial world, and in the realms of art, science, and 
literature. They have been driven into the world of business 
and industry by the harsh competitive 

{PageQ852} 

system of the day, and having taken their position side by 



side with men in every other walk of life, it is the logical 
sequence in the trend of events that they should enter in upon 
conditions of equality in the political arena. This is well, and 
is certainly in agreement with what the Scriptures indicate 
will be brought to pass in the "times of restoration" 
(Acts 3:19-21) the thousand years in which the race of humanity 
will be restored to the perfect conditions represented in the 
first man, Adam, before Eve had been formed from his side. 
Adam combined in himself the masculine and feminine 
qualities, and when Eve was formed for the purposes of 
propagation, the feminine qualities were incorporated in her 
personality. When the race has multiplied sufficiently to fill 
the earth (Gen. 1:28) propagation will cease and the 
members of both sexes will become as Adam was before Eve 
was formed. See Mat. 22:30. 

WORLD-Conversion to Christianity. 

Q852:1 :: QUESTION— Have we any reason for anticipating 
the World's conversion to Christianity before long? 

ANSWER~We have every reason to expect the world's 
conversion to Christ not many years hence, but perhaps this 
work will be brought about in an entirely different way and 
manner than is usually supposed. The Scriptures clearly 
foretold that the world would be far from being in harmony 
with the Lord and His righteous laws at the close of this 
present age or evil world. (Rev. 11:17,18; 2 Tim. 1:5; 
Mat. 24:37-39.) And that it would not be until after our 
Lord's second advent that all the nations would be brought to 
a knowledge of the truth, the way of salvation, and then 
converted to Christ and His rule of love and kindness. 
Meantime an election is taking place which when completed 
will result in the formation of a special class of the Lord's 
earnest devoted followers who when glorified and united with 
their Lord in the spiritual or heavenly realms will constitute 
the governing body, the Kings and Priests, under whose 
righteous administration, the nations shall all be taught of 
God and learn righteousness. (Isa. 26:9; Isa 54:13.) It 
will require all of the thousand years of Messiah's reign to 
subdue all unrighteousness and bring into subjection all evil 
and error. "For He must reign until He has placed all enemies 
under His feet even death the last enemy shall be destroyed." 
1 Cor. 15:25,26. 

WORLD-End of. 

Q852:2:: QUESTION-When will the world come to an end? (P.W.L.) 
ANSWER-According to the Scriptures the term "world" 



signifies age or dispensation. Three great worlds are outlined 
in the Divine Plan of the Ages, as revealed in the Bible. (See 
2 Pet. 3:5-13.) The first "world" or dispensation passed 
away at the time of the Flood. The second "world," or 
"present evil world," is likewise to pass away, in a fiery time 
of trouble-not a literal "fire," but a destructive season of 
lawlessness that will destroy the "elements "--labor, 
capitalistic, etc., etc., that go to make up the present social 
order. "The world to come wherein dwelleth righteousness" 
will never come to end, but is to 

{PageQ853} 

continue throughout eternity. The world that now is" 
(Titus 2:12) is already being violently shaken, and is 
beginning to crumble away financially, politically, socially, and 
ecclesiastically. The evidences about us, in the fulfillment of 
the Scripture prophecies, are clear and strong that within the 
next decade, the new and better order ("the world to come") 
will be established in the earth. 

world-Is it Growing Worse? 

Q853:1 :: QUESTION-Is the world growing worse? If 
not, what does the Apostle Paul mean by the words, "Evil men 
and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being 
deceived"? (2 Tim. 3:13.) 

ANSWER~In some respects the world was never better 
than it is today. We know of no time in history when the 
public press so fearlessly and boldly exposed wrong doing as 
now. Education has helped to bring about better moral 
conditions. Of course a great deal of this morality is on the 
surface, as it was in the closing days of the Jewish Age, when 
Jesus told the chief religionists that they were whited walls, 
outwardly beautiful, but inwardly corrupt. The Apostle, in 
the Scripture to which you refer, evidently had in mind the 
deceivers and leaders astray in the Church. These, in the end 
of the Age, will become more bold; as foretold, their 
deceptions will become strong delusions, following which 
many will believe a lie (2 Thes 2:11). "They shall depart 
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines 
of devils" (1 Tim. 4:1). Many theological teachers today are 
denying the Bible and advancing strong arguments in favor of 
Higher Criticism, Evolution, etc., thus growing worse and 
worse in repudiating the "faith once delivered to the saints" 
(Jude 3,4), "deceiving and being themselves deceived." 



WORLD-Trial Time. 

Q853:2:: QUESTION-"Know ye not that the saints 
shall judge the world?"--l Cor. 6:2. Does this signify that 
the world is not now on trial for eternal life? (C.J.W.) 

ANSWER— This Scripture is in conformity with the united 
testimony of the teachings of all the Prophets and the Apostles 
to the effect that the world's judgment day, or trial time, 
is not in this present Christian Era, but is yet future~"God 
hath appointed a day (a thousand year day--2 Pet. 3:8) 
in the which He will judge the world in righteousness." 
(Acts 17:31.) Those who, in association with Christ, shall 
judge the world in mercy, justice and love, are now being 
qualified for that high office, by having developed in them 
saintly. Christlike characters. These "saints," who have 
learned to love their neighbors as themselves, and who even 
love their enemies, are the ones who, in the future age, will 
offer every inducement to the world of mankind to come into 
harmony with the gracious requirements of the Divine Law of 
love and justice and receive eternal life. The fact that the 
followers of Christ are not judging now proves conclusively 
that the world is not on trial for eternal life at the present 
time. The judgment day, in place of being a time of terror, 
distress and sorrow, is represented in the Scriptures as being a 
special time of joy and gladness for the world.~Psa. 96. 



What Pastor Russell Taught 

Pages 321-390 

The first part of this book consists of articles from the 
Zion's Watch Tower and thus are not duplicated on this disk. 



PT321 



The sin-offering 

and 
Ttie Covenants 



PT322 



1907 PUBLISHERS NOTE 



The following pages are taken from a stenographic report 
of a Question Meeting conducted by Pastor Charles T. 
Russell, of Allegheny, in St. Louis, Missouri, Sunday, 
August 11, 1907. The brethren who have arranged for its 
publication send it out with the sincere hope and prayer 
that it may be blessed of the Lord in making more clear to 
the minds of His people into whose hands it may fall, the 
Harvest Truth concerning the subjects discussed; to the 
end that all the Watchmen may see eye to eye. Peace be 
to you! 



We are glad to be able to reprint these items for the 
benefit of those who do not have the original Towers or 
Reprints. 

PT323 

THE SIN-OFFERING AND THE COVENANTS 



Introductory Harvest Truth 

I was glad to accept the invitation of the St. Louis Church 
to hear certain questions, perplexing to some, and give 
answers to the best of my ability, with the hope and prayer 
that the subject may be clear to our minds. We are living 
in a time when the Lord declares his people shall see eye to 
eye. He says this shall be a characteristic of our day: 
"When the Lord shalld bring again his people the watchmen 
shall see eye to eye. " (Isa. 52:8.) We trust that while some 
of us, called Elders, might be called watchmen in a special 
sense, yet all the Lord s people are watchmen. We are all 
seeing what the Lord our God has brought to us, and 
looking to that word which is the only revelation of the 
Divine will. So all should see eye to eye. Those asleep are 
not watchmen, but as soon as they become watchmen they 
will come to see eye to eye. As we come nearer and nearer 
to an object it should be more clearly seen by all of us. 

If we recognize that we are in the harvest time of the 
Gospel Age, then we ought to recognize certain things as 
being due to be understood more clearly, yet at the same 
time we ought not to expect anything particularly different 
from what has been the course of the Lord s dealing 
throughout the past; but so surely as we are, we ought to 
expect something peculiar to the harvest time. What are 
we to expect? With us the Jewish nation is a figure, an 
example and type. You remember having studied that 
matter. They had their priesthood, their high priests and 
under priests, we have ours; they had 

PT324 

their tabernacle and we have ours; they had their golden 
candlestick and we have our golden candlestick of Divine 
truth and light. So when it comes to the harvest we find 
that their harvest was a particular pattern of this age. If 
Jesus was present to do the work there, so he will do the 
work here. What was the work? Separating and reaping, 



and gathering together iof the Lord s elect. How was that 
done? By the promulgation of greater knowledge and 
greater truth. He made known certain things. 

Well, then, we should expect there to be greater knowledge 
of God s plans pertaining to this time, as there was to that 
harvest time. We ought to remember that that was the end 
of the Jewish age and the opening of the Gospel age, and 
the Apostle, by inspiration, speaks of the light that is to 
come upon the ends of the ages, upon the ends of those 
ages where they met, and these two ages where they meet. 
That light did not precede our Lord s presence, and while 
there has not been gross darkness over this Gospel age, the 
ispecial lightd from God shines upon the i"ends of the 
ages."d It is in harmony with this that you and I have 
received from the Lord the great blessing of clearer light. It 
would be very difficult for us to say what is the most 
valuable feature of Divine truth. It is all important, all 
necessary, that the man of God may be thoroughly 
furnished. (2 Tim. 3:16,17.) 

Now, dear friends, this clear light on the end of the age 
came in connection with the understanding of a mystery. 
What mystery? The mystery the Apostle Paul talks about. 
You remember how this was on the end of the Jewish age 
and the opening of the Gospel age. The Lord made known 
the mystery not made known to other ages and 
dispensations and which is now made manifest. (Rom. 
16:25,26; Col. 1:26,27.) You remember how frequently he 
speaks of this mystery. He explained that the Messiah 

PT325 

to come was to be not only our Lord Jesus Christ, but 
also the Church his Bride. They supposed that the great 
Messiah was coming and was to be king of their nation and 
their nation was to convert the world, but they did not 
know he was going to itake out of the Jewish nation the 
ijoint heirsd of the world. 

Then the Apostle says there was another part they did 
not understand. God not only proposed to take some of 
that body of Christ from the Jews, but from all the nations 
of the earth, that He might make of each one a part of the 
Christ. This is what the Apostle brings to our attention. 
He says God gave Jesus to be the head of the Church. This 
is "the mystery" not made known in previous ages. This 
mystery was not even made known to all the apostles. You 
remember it was made known to the Apostle Paul, and 



while the writings of the other apostles are in harmony with 
this thought, you do not get it from them you get it from 
Paul. He tells us that God had given to him visions and 
revelations more than to all the other apostles, and it is 
manifest from his writings, that he had this clearer vision 
and knowledge. So it is from the Apostle Paul s writings 
that we get this knowledge of the mystery. 

Peter did not understand it: he was at first in opposition 
to the Gentiles, but the Lord sent to him the vision of the 
sheet held by the four corners, by which he was shown he 
must not consider the Gentiles any longer as common and 
unclean. (Acts 10.) You see, then, that at that time the 
Apostle Peter did not have the thought of the oneness of the 
Body of Christ. That is a part of the mystery Paul says was 
made more clear to him through visions and revelations 
than to them all. And yet that very thought was lost sight 
of the oneness of Christ and the Church when the 
Church began to get the wrong impression that it was to 

PT326 

convert the world. When they thought of everybody, they 
could not think of the Body of Christ including everybody. 
It destroyed this thought that the Church is the mysterious 
body of Christ that is to rule all the earth and bless the 
earth. 

So this thought was hidden from all during the Gospel 
age, and our parents and friends did not see this subject, 
which is now clear to us. It is clear to us because we are 
living in the harvest time of the age, when God is brushing 
away the darkness and allowing our eyes to see and 
understand. This light was lost sight of during the Gospel 
age, and now this is the particular thought brought to your 
attention, namely: That Christ the head and the Church 
his body, is the great anti-typical Moses, the great Prophet 
God has been raising up, through which the blessing is to 
come to Israel, and through Israel to all the nations (Acts 
3:22,23.) Christ is the head, and through the members of 
his Elect is to bless Israel and all the nations. When did 
this feature of light come to our attention? It came to my 
attention in 1869. I was thinking along these lines, seeing 
that our friends in the churches were wrong, and seeing 
the second coming of Christ was the thing to be expected, 
and along about 1873 I got so far as to see that there was 
restitution coming to the world, but I did not understand 
what restitution meant. I supposed that when the world 
was blessed it would come to be in the same sort of 



spiritual condition as the Church, and not until 1878 did 
the light of that feature come, in respect to the fact that the 
Church is to be of a separate and distinct nature, and is to 
be used by the Lord in blessing Israel and through them 
blessing all the nations. What is the basis? The matter we 
are to discuss this morning The type of the Sin Atonement, 
and the Day of Atonement. 

You have it in a booklet called Tabernacle Shadows, 

PT327 

published in the Fall of 1880 there was the basis of it. 

Christ is the great High Priest and the Church is 
associated with him as the under priests, and to be 
associated with him in the glories of the future when the 
atonement day is over and the sacrifices ended. So have in 
mind that the basis of any light we have today rests upon 
this subject of the atonement sacrifices and the 
sin-offerings of this Day of Atonement. The light has come 
along these lines. God has been pleased to bless this 
thought. If that becomes evident to you, you will ibed ivery 
slow to cast aside that which has brought you to the light 
you have.d It is on this line God has granted all the light in 
which we are now rejoicing. 

I shall be pleased to answer any questions. 
PART 1.—THE SIN OFFERING 

(Question.) How does the Sin-Offering, typified in the 
Atonement day sacrifices, differ from the Ransom, or 
corresponding price, paid by Jesus Christ for Adam s 
forfeited life? 

(Answer.) The two are not to be associated at all, any 
more than two of our Lord s parables. If you take the 
parable of the Wheat and the Tares and the parable of the 
Ten Virgins and try to combine them, you will find it 
impossible to do so, because one is discussing one subject 
and the other another subject. They are both true, and 
plausible, and both teach beautiful lessons, but not the 
same lesson. They are both parables given 

of God; they do not contradict, but they do not teach the 
same lesson. And so when we talk about the Ransom, that 
is one thought, iand the Sin-offering is another thought, and 
we are inot to mix the two.d 



Suppose you were to say, The Church is called 

PT328 

the brother of Christ and the Bride of Christ and the living 
stones of the temple. How could Christ marry his own 
brothers, or the living stones of the temple?" This is 
confusion these are different figures. They must be kept 
separate and distinct. In the matter of the Ransom, that is 
one picture in which the Lord shows us that Adam was 
condemned while the race was yet in his loins, and that the 
Lord Jesus Christ as a ransom takes the place of Adam and 
gives his life for Adam s sin, and thus purchases Adam and 
his race. This is a pretty picture a true picture and 
could not be supplanted by any other. If that were left out, 
we would not get the same teaching from God. But we do 
not want to mix it with any other. How one person buys 
another, how one person with his race in his loins is 
bought by another having a race in his loins. Jesus gave 
himself in exchange for Father Adam and his race. That 
Adam had a wife associated with him in the transgression, 
and Christ Jesus a bride to be associated in the work of 
redemption, is not considered. It is all confined to the one 
thought that by one man sin entered the world, and so, by 
another, Jesus Christ, a ransom has been paid for the race 
redeemed. 

T.99 p. 3: ...the sin-offerings of the Day of Atonement... 
were offered to God (Justice) in the Most Holy as the 
Ransom or Purchase Priced of sinners. 

Z. 07-47, Col. 1, third line from foot: Reading the article 
in question more carefully, you will perceive that it is not 
discussing the Redemption, but the sin-offering, which is a 
idifferent viewd of the great transaction. 

I presume the question is. How do these two harmonize? 
Evidently it would have been better if we had not 
introduced the matter of the Ransom in the 

PT340 

first quotation. It would have left it clearer. We were not 
discussing the Ransom at the time, but the Sin-offering. It 
tends to confuse. To some minds it might not. The 
attempt to make the subject too broad and take in two 
thoughts has been confusing to whoever took this up. 



(Question.) May the Church be said to share in the 
Ransom, actually, reckonedly, or not at all? 

(Answer.) So far as the Ransom is concerned, the Church 
is never said to share in the Ransom. The Ransom is the 
price and our Lord Jesus is declared to be a ransom for 
Father Adam. As for Mother Eve, she did not need a 
ransom she was considered as a part of Adam she came 
from him, was his wife and was included with him. So with 
the Church; our part is not shown in the Ransom, for we 
would correspond to Eve, and she was not shown in the 
Ransom; nor are we. 

(Question.) Does the Church share in the anti-typical 
Atonement-day sin-offerings, actually, reckonedly, or not at 
all? 

(Answer.) She does share in the an ti- typical Atonement 
Day offering. She shares actually in the most positive 
sensed The Apostle Paul says (Col. 1:24), seeking to fill up 
the measure of the sufferings of Christ, and he says. You 
have us for an example, so as he was filling up, all those 
who take up their cross and follow Jesus are sharing with 
him. Are we actually sacrificing anything? There are 
different minds. A thought will strike different people 
differently. If we read I am crucified with Christ, some 
might think they would have to be nailed to the cross. It is 
not their fault that they cannot grasp the thought, but 
there are some that cannot grasp it. We are crucified with 
Christ; we are partakers with him in his sufferings. That is 
a fact. It is not imagination. Some one says, I never 

PT330 

suffered anything." I am sorry for you. If we have suffered 
with him, we shall reign with him. (2 Tim. 2: 12.) If we be 
crucified with him, then we may have joint heirship with 
him in his glory. If any one cannot say that, do not feel 
discouraged, but do not war with those who can do it. Try 
to say it. If you cannot, then you lack the spiritual vision. 
Pray to the Lord that you may say this. 

I think of a dear brother who died recently who lived near 
Providence, Rhode Island. When our Brother Streeter came 
into the truth he was publishing a little paper and he 
discontinued it and introduced all his subscribers to the 
Watch Tower and started in to preach. He was very much 
interested in an old retired Adventist minister living near 



him. He said, I tried to make the Truth plain to him and 
could make no impression. 

Finally I concluded it was no use, and so I said to him: I 
know that you are a good man and one of the Lord s 
children, and I have tried to make this matter plain and 
clear to you, but I see that you are too old to grasp the 
subject, and I have concluded that the Lord will not require 
it of you. So I am not going to bore you with this any more. 
When we meet, we will talk about the Lord and his 
goodness, and have prayer together, and not talk about 
these things that are objectionable to you. The next day 
the word came. Come down to see me. I went down, and 
the old man said. Brother Streeter, after you went out I got 
to thinking and praying and I said to the Lord, Lord amd I 
too old to learn anything? If I am not, help me. I want to 
know the truth." Before I got off my knees the whole thing 
became clear to me. " 

I do not say that is the way with everyone, but that it is 
the proper course if there is something we do not see. The 
Apostle James says. If any man lack wisdom, let him ask 
of God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not. (James 
1:5.) We shall know 

PT331 

the things that belong to our day. My answer is, we are 
most assuredly members of this Sin-offering. 

Thus is shown that the Redeemer and Restorer is 
spiritual, having given up the human a Ransom for all, and 
that from this highly exalted spiritual class all blessings 
must proceed. (A293, Par. 2) What does that mean? We 
are not discussing the sacrifices of the atonement day in 
this quotation. We are discussing another matter that has 
no bearing. What do we mean by this? I answer, we refer 
there not only to Jesus, who gave up his human nature, 
but also to the Church. Each member of it, as he becomes 
a part of the body of Christ, must give up his right to share 
in the redeemed human nature. What is true of the head is 
true of the body. The only difference between Christ and 
the Church is that Christ was perfect actually and gave 
himself actually, the pre-human and human nature, on 
behalf of the world; but you and I have no such nature; we 
have not anything that would be suitable for sacrifice. But 
as we are justified by faith, God counts us as though we 
were perfect in order to accept our sacrifices as perfect. He 



first justifies us and after that if we will take the proper 
steps we may be sanctified. 

The day of atonement is the time of the acceptance of this 
sacrifice. Now is the acceptable time. How acceptable? 
We used to think it meant, if you want to escape Hell, God 
will now accept you to Heaven. But we now see that this 
scripture means now is the acceptable time in the sense 
that God is now willing to accept your sacrifices. For you 
have heard the message that his death atones for your 
sins, and you being justified by that death, present your 
body a living sacrifice; this is the acceptable time. Will he 
accept the sacrifice the next day? No. All the sacrificing 
will be over. It only belongs to this Gospel age. It began 
with Jesus, the great Head of our 

PT332 

priesthood. It ends with this Gospel age, and there will be 
no more opportunity of being accepted. The day of 
sin-offering will be at an end, and nobody will be accepted 
after that. The Elect will be complete then. There will be 
no adding to or taking from. No one can get into that class 
except as a sacrifice, for the Apostle Paul says priests are 
ordained to offer both gifts and sacrifices. So if you are a 
priest you are to offer gifts and sacrifices. What is the 
difference? A gift might be something that would be 
offered, and yet not anything necessary for you to do, as a 
sort of incense. That is not a sacrifice, that is a gift; as 
priests not only offered animals, but also incense that went 
up as a perfume. All priests are ordained to offer both gifts, 
and also sacrifices for sins. 

Z. 07-47, Col. 1, Paragraph 3: You never read in any of 
our articles or books, or sermons, the statement that the 
Church redeems anything or anybody. Quite to the 
contrary; we have often been accused of making a hobby of 
the ransom doctrine that our Lord Jesus tasted death for 
every man, gave Himself a Ransom for All . " 

You can take the Bible and read: Judas went and 
hanged himself," and another place that says. Go thou 
and do likewise. If you put these two together, what kind 
of sense do you have? It is equally possible to take things 
out of the Watch Tower and make them seem something 
not intended. In this case we are saying that Christ, the 
head, and the body make sacrifices. When did Jesus make 
his sacrifice? When he presented himself. When did he 
present himself? When he came to John at Jordan. 



You say, I thought his sacrifice was made on Calvary. It 
was finished there; it was made at Jordan and it is of that 
experience that the Apostle 

PT333 

says speaking of Jesus there "Lo I come (in the volume 
of the book it is written of me) to do Thy will, O God." (Heb. 
10:7.) He came to that when he was thirty years of age. 

You say, was his death reckonedly finished there? Yes, 
in a sense. It was the beginning of the New Creature from 
that time. The old creature finally lost life on the cross, and 
the new creature was glorified three days later. So with all 
others; the time when you made your sacrifice was when 
you presented your body a living sacrifice, and you are 
henceforth living in newness of life, being refreshed and 
growing strong in the Lord; the new creature growing, and 
the old creature dying, until finally death will be complete. 

(Question.) Is it correct to apply the Apostle s words 
(quoted below) to the Church s sacrifice, as proving that the 
sin-offering for the world is not yet complete, since they 
have not yet received remission or release from the penalty 
of sin; and to say that the blood (life) of the last member of 
Christ s body must be shed before the world can receive 
remission? 

Heb. 9:22: Apart from the shedding of blood there is no 
remission. 

Heb. 10:18: Now where remission of these is, there is no 
more offering for sin. 

(Answer.) Yes, I would say it would be proper to apply 
both of these scriptures to the work of this Gospel Age, 
which began with our Lord s baptism, where he made his 
sacrifice which he finished at Calvary and which has since 
been continued by those of the Seed who walk in his steps. 
It is true of the whole Body of Christ that the shedding of 
blood is necessary. It is not possible for us to be of the 
Church unless we suffer with Him.d If we suffer with Him, 
we shall reign with Him. The Apostle is 

PT334 

right. We are partakers of the sufferings of Christ, and 
these sufferings, Peter says, were spoken of by the prophets 
of olden times when they testified of the sufferings of Christ 



and the glories to follow. (1 Pet. 1:11.) The sufferings 
occurred, 

but did the glory follow? No. What is there if we have 
not glory now? The Apostle says we have the whole world 
travailing and groaning; they are waiting for the glory of the 
manifestation of the sons of God. (Rom. 8:19,22.) The 
manifestation cannot be consummated until after the sons 
have been found. Dear friends, if any one does not wish to 
be a living sacrifice, he has the chance to step out. The 
Lord is not compelling anybody. He is merely giving us the 
opportunity. He is not going to force you. He will deal with 
others by and by. He is dealing now with those who want 
to have fellowship in his suffering that they may have 
fellowship in the glory of the kingdom. 

(Question.) What does the Anti-typical Day of Atonement 
accomplish? 

(Answer.) I answer, the Anti-typical Day of Atonement is 
forthe sins of the whole world. This atonement-day service 
performed for the twelve tribes was typical of what was to 
be done by the Son of God for all who desire to come into 
harmony with God. First of all, there was the elect, the 
priests of the tribe of Levi. The work the High Priest does 
and the others join in helping to do is the work of 
atonement, the High Priest accomplishing it and the other 
priests being counted as members of the body of Christ 
who is doing the work and is making the sacrifices for our 
sins. He appears in the presence of God on our behalf not 
on the world s behalf, but on our behalf. 

Christ has been in the world for all these eighteen 
hundred years in the sense that he has been represented 
by you and by me and every consecrated one of those under 

PT335 

priests, and finally the sin-offering will be accomplished 
and he will apply the blood of this sacrifice as he applied 
the other sacrifice, only ithe merit of all is in his own blood. 
We have no meritd except as he imputes it. The Apostle 
intimates there is no merit in the Church that the whole 
merit is in Christ. Rom. 12:1: I beseech you, therefore, 
brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your 
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. Paul 
says you are holy, acceptable. How did that come? To us 
was imputed the righteousness of Christ. (Rom. 4:24.) His 
merit has been applied to us. Whatever merit or excellence 



our sacrifice has is in him, and through it we may possess 
the privilege of being associated with him by and by in the 
glories of his kingdom. 

(Question.) The question was asked: What was 
specifically accomplished in the Anti-typical atonement, 
and the answer was, the completion of the sacrifice of 
Jesus and the Church, his body. What was the value of 
this sacrifice? What did it accomplish? 

(Answer.) The Lord s object in having a whole Gospel Age 
instead of a few days was to have an Elect Church, instead 
of merely having our Lord as the one Elect; because if 
Jesus had been intended to be the Redeemer and the 
Church left out of the mission, there would have been no 
Gospel Age provided for at all. The Gospel Age is for us to 
make our calling and election sure. So if he had not had a 
Gospel Age, it would have meant he did not want an Elect 
Church; but if he did, as is the case, then he did want an 
Elect Church. 

(Question.) Does the perfected Church participate with 
Christ in the next age work? 

(Answer.) The Church is to have a share in the sufferings 
now, and in the glory then. 

PT336 

(Question.) The suffering is for the purpose of perfecting 
the Church so that it may be fitted to do the work in the 
next age? 

(Answer.) The Church is of importance, even if there was 
no work in the Millennial Age. The Son shall give 
immortality to whomsoever he will (John 5:21,26), so here 
is the Father, the Son and the Bride, all having this quality 
of glory and honor and immortality. I think that so far as 
the Church is concerned God wishes to show, not only to 
men but to angels that He is able to accomplish this thing 
through his Son, who came down to this world into the 
depths of degradation that we might be partakers of the 
Divine nature. God could have gotten along without the 
Church. He did not need the Church, but it gave him 
pleasure to accept the Church as joint heirs with Christ, 
and the Church has been seeing the exceeding richness of 
his grace in his loving kindness toward us. Not many 
great, wise, learned, hath he chosen, but chiefly the poor. 
(1 Cor. 1:26.) God not only wished Jesus to be the Savior of 



mankind, but the manifestation of his love. The Heavenly 
Father hath exalted the Son, and He will make us joint 
heirs with him in glory and immortality. The exaltation of 
the Church means a manifestation of the love of God. 

(Question.) We have an actual part in the atonement? 
(Answer.) The word Atonement takes in a large scope, and 
ultimately all of mankind will have the opportunity of 
coming into it. The sacrifice of Christ was applied first to 
the House of Faith, including the Body of Christ; not to 
every one. He hath ascended on high, and we have an 
Advocate with the Father, because he appears for us. (1 
John 2:1; Heb. 9:24.) What do we mean by that? In the 
sense that if you had a suit, and the case came up in 



PT337 

court, and you should address the judge, he would not 
hear you; you would have to get an attorney. So we have 
an attorney, and that attorney is termed an advocate. We 
have an advocate an attorney Jesus Christ the 
righteous. How can he be our attorney? Because the 
Father hears him always. 

(John 1 1:42.) What is the basis on which he appears 
before the Court of Justice? His sacrifice to cover our sins. 
We are in harmony with the sacred word of God, which 
says you can only come through Christ. The Advocate 
says. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. (John 
14:6.) What about the world? They cannot come, because 
there is only one Advocate, and they have not gotten him 
yet. As soon as they receive him they are believers. 
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord doth not impute 
sin." (Rom. 4:8.) The world cannot come. The Father hath 
no dealing with the world. Will he have dealing with them 
in the next age? No. The Advocate will take them himself 
as Mediator, to set up a reign of righteousness. 

(Question.) The High Priest took the blood of the goat and 
sprinkled it before the altar. Is this an actual or a 
reckoned part of the Atonement? 

(Answer.) I do not think Jesus takes some literal blood 
into Heaven, and sprinkles it before the mercy-seat there, 
but the blood as was represented in his sacrificed life. 



Jesus appeared in the presence of God offering his 
sacrificed life, and said: This is on behalf of those who 
believe in me. So he will again present not our blood, but 
his own blood, as he counts our blood as his blood. The 
blood becomes one and he says. Accept this blood also, 
this sacrifice also; accept this on behalf of the sins of the 
whole world. It is all his merit. 

(Question.) Is it correct to say that the sprinkling of the 
blood of the Atonement-Day sacrifices on the 

PT338 

Mercy- seat signifies the resurrection of the sacrificer as a 
New Creature? 

(Answer.) We answer, no. The sprinkling of the blood has 
no signification of that kind. I will picture that before your 
minds: First of all the High Priest went out to the altar and 
there he slew the animal; then took some of the blood in 
his hand, and incense, and went beyond the first veil into 
the Holy, and inside the Holy there was a candlestick, and 
there was a table of shew bread, and he sprinkled incense 
upon the fire and the smoke rose as a perfume, entering 
beyond the second veil, where was the Most Holy; then he 
took the vessel containing the blood and passed beyond the 
second veil. 

That passing was the death of Christ, and the rising on 
the other side was the resurrection. He went under the 
veil, but he rose again on the third day. After our Lord s 
resurrection he remained forty days, then ascended on 
high. He there tendered to the Father on behalf of the class 
he represented the blood shed by his death. For whom did 
he sprinkle that blood? For himself and his house; for 
his Body, the Elect, and for all the house of Faith. These 
were covered by the first sacrifice-Leviticus 9. 

Then he took the other sacrifice he took the blood of the 
goat and did with it ijust as he did with the blood of the 
bullock, only he did not offer it for his house, but for the 
people. Now the question is, did Jesus die two times, once 
for the Church and then for the rest of mankind? Once 
only. Where then, does this second sacrifice come in? The 
Lord indicated that the Church would be partakers with 
Christ; he is the great High Priest with us as members of 
his body. He has been offering the sacrifice. You are not 
doing it, you are not the priest. We offer ourselves to Him. 
He says, I will count you a member of my body. We give 



ourselves to the Lord, and he accepts us as members, and 
the matter of how the 

PT339 

sacrifice shall take place is not especially one for us; but we 
shall ultimately be with Him. We give ourselves to Him, 
into his hands, and he accepts us as members of his body. 
So the High Priest was the one who did the sacrificing in 
both cases. He did not sacrifice the bullock and then tell 
one of the under priests to sacrifice the goat. Nobody has 
any standing before God except the High Priest, and it is 
only in this way that we can be accepted that our flesh 
can be counted as Christs , and we can be counted as New 
Creatures with him in glory. 

There were two sacrifices, and yet both were offered by 
the one priest. From this all the light of the present day 
has come; if we suffer with him we shall reign with him; by 
dying with him we shall live with him. Is not that what the 
Apostle meant when he said, I beseech you, therefore, that 
you present your bodies a living sacrifice, etc.? For a 
while it never really entered into my mind what it meant. 
The Church has the privilege of living in this day of 
suffering, and there is the distinction God is making 
between the Church and the rest of mankind because we 
suffer with him, we shall reign with him. And he has given 
us his precious promise that we may become partakers of 
the divine nature. (2 Pet. 1:4.) This promise assured to us 
the privilege of laying down our lives. You remember how 
the Apostle put that in his letter to the Philippians (Chap. 
3:10): "That I may know the power of his resurrection." 

Paul knew the resurrection was to come to the just and the 
unjust, and he says. If I might know the power of his 
resurrection. What are the conditions? Being made 
conformable unto his death. If we do not go into his death, 
we will not go into his resurrection. How do we go into his 
death? What is the difference between Christ s death, and 
the death of any other man? Christ s death was a 

PT329 

sacrifice, and we are counted in with him as part of his 
sacrifice; so we become partakers with him in the 
sufferings of the present time and the glories to follow. 

(Question.) What is the scriptural objection to 
understanding the Apostle s argument in Romans 6:1-11 to 



be that our old man as a sinner died in the person of his 
substitute, Jesus, on Calvary; and that therefore we should 
be raised with him (Jesus) to walk in a new life of 
holiness? Please give a brief exposition of these verses. 

(Answer.) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in 
sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, 
that are dead to sin, live any longer therein. You will 
perceive the Apostle is not speaking to Jews, nor to 
Gentiles, nor to mere believers, but to those who are dead 
to sin, and have surrendered themselves to die with Christ. 
Know ye not, that so many as were baptized into Jesus 
Christ were baptized into his death? We do know. We 
know to be baptized into Christ is not into ordinary death. 
But you are baptized into his death. Was that a death to 
sin? I think not. He knew no sin. 

(1 Pet. 2:22.) He could not die a death to sin. We were 
baptized into his death. d Therefore that means that our 
death was not ad death to sin, as his death was not a death 
to sin. Of course our death includes a death to sin. When 
we give up our lives that we may share with Christ in his 
sacrificial death, it means we have enlisted to battle against 
sin have sworn that we will lay down our livesd in battle 
against sin. How shall we that are dead to sin, and whose 
lives are buried with Christ, how could we consent to sin? 
We might have imperfections of the flesh, but to be in 
harmonyd with sin would be impossible to those who have 
given up their lives. 

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism 

PT341 

into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead 
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in 
newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the 
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of His 
resurrection." That is to say, if we have given up ourselves 
to be like Him in death, we shall also be like Him, sharers, 
in His resurrection; the resurrection and death being linked 
together. Whoever goes into His death goes into His 
resurrection, and who does not, does not. Just as surely 
as Jesus death was a sacrificial death, so must this be. 

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, 
that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we 
should not serve sin. This old man is crucified. Just as 
Christ at his baptism had given up his earthly life, and the 



remaining years of his ministry were to be newness of life, 
as the old creature was dying; so the Apostle says we may 
reckon ourselves, our old nature, the old creature, as being 
crucified with him; it is a slow, lingering death, but we are 
living as new creatures and the old creature is dying. We 
are willing to be crucified with him, and suffer on account 
of sins with him, that we may be with him in his glory. 

For he that is dead is freed from sin. That is to say, 
when you are actually dead, you will be actually free. You 
will never know any more of the temptation of sin. He that 
is dead is set free from the power of sin. So the Apostle 
says, though we were once the servants of sin, after being 
set free we have become the servants of righteousness. In 
the eighth chapter of Romans he tells us "But if the Spirit 
of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he 
that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your 
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." God s 
Spirit will not come to dwell in you until after you have 
received the Holy 

PT342 

Spirit, but if you have made your consecration and received 
the Holy Spirit The Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from 
the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His 
Spirit that dwelleth in you. Our Adventist friends apply 
this to the future, and say that God will quicken their 
mortal body. We say if we have made our consecration, 
God has given us His Holy Spirit, and this Holy Spirit is 
already energizing this mortal body. You shall not be 
carried away as formerly, but having the Holy Spirit, you 
shall walk in newness of life. Therefore, brethren, we are 
debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh, but to the 
Spirit. In this chapter he is speaking of the new creature 
that is triumphing over the flesh. The new creature might 
not have perfect control over the flesh, but the Apostle says 
the Lord is judging these new creatures by their wills, and 
where the will is right, there can be no sympathy with sin. 
He has enlisted and laid down his life to battle against sin. 

PART II THE COVENANTS 

(Question.) Should the words of the Apostle in 

Hebrews 9:16,17, as follows be understood to teach that 
the word testament or covenant, as used in the 
Scriptures always carries the significance of a last will and 
testament? 



16: For where a testament is there must of necessity be 
the death of him that made it. 

17: For a testament is of force where there hath been a 
death; it doth never avail while he that made it liveth. 

(Answer.) I do not know why we should say the word 
testament always means a covenant. Every will is a 
covenant, but we could not say every covenant is a 
testament. I do not understand the purpose of this 
question. 

PT343 

(Question.) The point is made that the definition of the 
Apostle in Hebrews makes a Scriptural definition of the 
word, so that we are to understand that in every case 
where that word is found the Apostle has furnished a 
definition of it. The contention is that the Apostle s 
definition makes it always carry that significance in the 
Scriptures. 

(Answer.) We read in Genesis that God made a covenant 
with Abraham. If that could not be carried out until the 
death of the one who executed it, God would have to 
die and God is not going to die very soon. So you see 
testament is not to be used as the only definition of 
covenant. It would not be appropriate at all there. It would 
mean that to carry out that testament he would have to die. 

(Question.) When does the Abrahamic Covenant become 
operative, and when the New Covenant? 

(Answer.) The Abrahamic Covenant became operative in 
Christ. It was to the effect that there was to be a Seed of 
Abraham. Nothing could be done until the Seed should 
come. That Seed was Christ. The Apostle says, you 
remember, in Galatians, that the Abrahamic Covenant is 
typified by Sarah, who had no children; she represented 
that covenant and was barren for some time. Hagar 
represented Sarah, but was not Sarah. This law covenant 
had a seed; Hagar had a child, Ishmael, who corresponds 
to the Jewish nation, and as Hagar was a bond woman, so 
this was a bond covenant, and as Hagar was a bond 
woman her son was a bond servant. So all Israel are under 
bondage of the law. The Apostle says by and by the time 
came when Sarah had a son, and when she did, Ishmael 
was jealous and so this corresponds to natural Israel now 
fighting against the true Israel of God, which is Christ and 



all that accept of Him. The Apostle is saying that the 
Abrahamic Covenant began to have 

PT344 

its fulfillment in Christ, and he says not only Jesus but 
you brethren are the children of the promise. He makes it 
still more clear in Galatians 3:29: If you be Christ s, then 
are you Abraham s seed ; not Ishmael s, but you belong to 
the real seed, which is Christ. If you belong to Christ you 
belong to all that is typified in Isaac and Rebecca. The 
Lord gave Rebecca also to be a type of the Church and as 
Rebecca became joint-heir with Isaac, so the Church 
becomes joint-heir with Christ. 

(Question.) Is the Church called, during the Gospel age, 
under the Abrahamic or New Covenant, or both? 

(Answer.) Under the Abrahamic covenant. There is no 
New Covenant yet. There were three wives of Abraham: 
Sarah, barren for a time; Hagar, who bore Ishmael; and 
also Keturah, the third wife, by whom he had many sons 
and daughters. These three wives represented the three 
covenants. All of Abraham s seed came from these three; 
so we do not have two mothers, two covenants, but one. 

This matter was not always as clear to our minds as it is 
now. We started in with our minds very much befogged, 
but gradually we got to see what the Scriptures meant and 
they became clear to our mental vision. But it took time. 
In one place the Apostle says: He hath made a 
former and I did not think at the time he was telling the 
Jews that their covenant was doomed to pass away; I 
thought he was speaking to us. The Jew said, Moses gave 
us that covenant; God gave us that covenant. We are the 
greatest people in the world, and our covenant will never 
pass away. They could not imagine such a thing. The 
Apostle was trying to prove to them that it would. He says, 
Hagar was your mother. You are not Israel s sons. They 
thought they had Abraham, but Paul says not. They did 
not see it because they could not see it. But this wed can 
see 

PT345 

was what the apostle meant. He was telling that those 
Jews never were the real Seed of Abraham ; that it was 
intended their law covenant should pass away, and to 
prove it he said (Heb. 8:7-13): Don t you remember it 



reads, I will make a new covenant after those days? Don t 
you see if he meant he would make a new covenant, the old 
one would be useless? He tried to get the Jews to see their 
covenant would not last forever and be the only covenant. 
We see their covenant did pass away and they, as children 
of the flesh, are not children of the Spirit. 

We see that Jesus is going to fulfill that promise. (Jer. 
31:31-34): It shall come to pass that after those days I will 
make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and bless 
them. With my eyes not clearly open at the time I confused 
that New Covenant with the Abrahamic Covenant because 
the Apostle said that the old should pass away and the 
Sarah covenant come in. But when we examine everything, 
it becomes clear. Z. 98-197, Article entitled, Mercy 
Rejoiceth Against Judgment : The death of Christ sealed 
or ratified or made complete and binding this New 
Covenant between God and man.... We see then that since 
Calvary, since the sealing of the New Covenant with the 
blood of the Mediator, since that New Covenant was thus 
ratified or made effective, the triumph of love and mercy 
over justice and the sentence of death originally inflicted 
has been a fact.... The object of the present call of the 
Church.... to share in the benefits and privileges of the New 
Covenant, etc. 

I answer this: We were thinking all the time of the 
original covenant God had made and which became 
effective to us in the death of our Lord. This death not only 
brought us into relationship with the Abrahamic Covenant; 
it is also the basis of what is to be done for the world in the 
next age. So the New Covenant was related to the Lord s 
death. The New 

PT346 

Covenant had as a basis the fulfillment of the death of 
Christ. Jesus said at his Last Supper, giving the cup. This 
is the cup of the new testament the New Covenant in my 
blood shed for many (for all) for the remission of sins ; in 
other words the cup of his death was to be efficacious not 
only for the Church, but for all of humankind: This is the 
cup of my blood, shed for the remission of sins; drink ye of 
it. This is the cup which brings justification to the whole 
world; the cup of suffering and death which seals the New 
Covenant, and I invite you to join with me in the sealing of 
that New Covenant. So when the disciples said (Matt. 
20:22-23): Grant that we may sit one at thy right hand 
and one at thy left, he said. Are you able to drink of the 



cup I shall drink of? No one can be with him on his 
throne except that he drink of this cup and share in his 
blood. So the hope of being with him in his throne is in 
sharing his cup as well as being baptized into his death. If 
we are partakers with him, we are members of his body. If 
not, we are not. Somebody else will get in, for the body 
must be full No one could serve as High Priest unless he 
had all his fingers and toes. Why? Because those parts 
were necessary to represent full completion, a specific 
principle that part could not be added or diminished. 
There will be neither one more nor one less than the elect 
number. If you fail to get in, somebody else will, for that 
number must be full. No one can be of the Bride of Christ 
except he shall drink of his cup. Drink ye of this cup. 

Z. 03-436: While the benefits of this gracious 
arrangement are only for us, for believers, for those who 
come unto God by Christ under the provisions of the New 
Covenant... etc. 

I answer, there I used the New Covenant as a name for 
the 

Abrahamic because my mind was not clear that the 
Abrahamic Covenant was the old 

PT347 

Covenant, made long before the Jewish Covenant. 

Quoting further from the Watch Tow;er above mentioned: 
Our call and acceptance are based on the New Covenant, 
etc. We have seen that all those acceptable to God in 
Christ were obliged to come unto him under the New 
Covenant. 

I answer just the same thing. We have nothing to do 
with that New Covenant. It means what it says. It shall 
come to pass after those days I will make a new covenant. 
You see the difference between after those days and during 
those days. Those days are the Gospel Age. During those 
days the Lord does something for Spiritual Israel, taking 
out the Body the Bride.(Joel 2:28,29): It shall come to 
pass after those days I will pour out my spirit upon all 
flesh. But in those days, said the Lord, I will pour out 
my Spirit upon my servants and my handmaidens. 
Nobody else in those days. It shall come to pass afterd 
these days I will make a new covenant. In other words, 
not until after this Gospel Age can the New Covenant be 



sealed. Our Lord gave his life for the sealing, but left 
something for you. He said, Drink ye of it, for this is the 
basis on which this New Covenant is sealed. 

Z. 07-9, Col. 1, Paragraph 2: Entirely separate and 
distinct from both of the foregoing covenants is the Lord s 
promise of a New Covenant." In this article we were 
discussing it from our present greater enlightenment. If 
you will look back, you will find you have done a great 
many silly things, and that is one of the silly things I did. 
Because I have got my thinker to work, and see that what 
I thought was the New Covenant is not the new one, 
somebody takes me to task. (Foot of same col.) The New 
Covenant belongs exclusively to the coming age, as the 
Abrahamic Covenant belongs 



PT348 

exclusively to the Gospel Age, and as the Law Covenant 
applied exclusively to the Jewish Age." Page 10, 1st Col., 
2nd line: The New Covenant is not yet in existence. Quite 
correct. The New Covenant is to be made after those 
days, and awaits its ratification until after the last member 
of the Body of Christ shall have tasted death, because no 
testament can be in effect while the testator lives. The 
whole Church has been accepted as the Body, but not until 
the last member has gone will the blessings of the New 
Covenant come to the world. 

(Question.) If the Church is accepted and blessed under 
the provisions of the New Covenant, 

(Answer.) It is not accepted and blessed under the 
provisions of the New Covenant. It is accepted and blessed 
under the Abrahamic Covenant. 

(Continuing Question.) and they, being Christ s are so 
constituted members of the Seed of Abraham 

(Answer.) That is not the way they are constituted. They 
are constituted by being united to Christ as the Bride, as 
was illustrated in the case of Rebecca when she was 
married to Isaac and became joint-heir with Isaac; so the 
Church becomes joint-heir with Christ. 



(Continuing Question) will not all those who during the 
Millennial Age come under the provisions of the New 
Covenant and are blessed by it also thus become members 
of the Seed, and thus the promise to Abraham be fulfilled 
to them, i.e.: (Being) In thee and (being) in thy seed shall 
all the families of the earth be blessed? 

(Answer.) No. There were two seeds. Romans 4:16 "...to 
the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to 
that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of 
the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all." 

PT349 

The Apostle s thought seems here to be that while there 
is only one in number, yet there are many of us in another 
sense in the sense that all nations are yet to become the 
children of Abraham; as all the nations will come into 
harmony with God, they will become of God s seed, so that 
all may ultimately be the children of God. Abraham was 
the father of Ishmael, and the father of Keturah s children, 
and yet only one was called the Seed, the Seed which the 
promise specified. In that sense Christ and the Church is 
the only Seed, but in a general sense, that all mankind may 
receive the blessings, they may become the seed of 
Abraham, but not The Seed. There is a particular seed, the 
Seed of promise, and the general seed. 

(Question.) Tell us how you found out all these things. 
(Answer.) I will tell you, sister. Here a little, and there a 
little. The Lord, we are told, has hidden his plan so that 
none of the wise shall understand; he hath hidden these 
things from the wise and revealed them unto babes. And 
it is in proportion as we become humble, teachable 
children, that we can learn them. It was intended in God s 
plan that there should be a special light upon the ends of 
the ages, and it is this special light God is giving that we 
understand to be our blessing. The Lord has been blessing 
and making these things known in a natural way. 

The Lord said (Rev. 10:7): It shall come to pass in the 
days of the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet that the 
mystery of God shall be finished. The trumpet began to 
sound in 1878, and one of the first things to be 
accomplished is that the mystery is to be finished. The 
Apostle says he had far more knowledge of the mystery 
than any one else. He says God had given to him more 
knowledge than to any one else. We understand it is our 
privilege to see some of these things with the same 



PT350 

clearness the Apostle Paul saw them. He says he was not 
permitted to tell these things. It is now privileged to be 
told. Why did God tell Paul anything? Because he was one 
of the Apostles, and it is necessary that all knowledge shall 
come through the Word of God so that God will not need to 
give special revelations today. And he kept the things 
secret until the due time, and when the due time had come 
the things were made clear. 

(Question.) I want to know, where did you get all this? 
From the New Testament? 

(Answer.) From the Old Testament and the New 
Testament both. Paul says we have an anchor of the soul. 
What is this anchor of the soul? This promise that God 
made to Abraham and Isaac; and everything Paul said in 
the New Testament is proved by the Old Testament. We 
would not be wise to leave out the Old Testament. 

(Question.) What is the New Testament? 

(Answer.) I see what you mean. Do we call this book the 
New Testament? God never called this book the New 
Testament. He was not meaning this book. It has nothing 
to do with the New Testament. That is not the sense in 
which the New Testament is used. 



(Question.) What do you call it if it is not the New 
Testament? 

(Answer.) You might call it anything. 

(Question.) Isn t it the Word of God? 

(Answer.) Yes, but I do not think any of the apostles 
called this the New Testament. It is a name that has been 
given by man. We call this the New Testament, but it is not 
called so in the Scriptures. 

(Question.) Didn t Paul say he was a minister of the New 
Testament? 

(Answer.) Yes, but he was not talking about this book. 



PT351 

(Question.) What was he talking about? 

(Answer.) About the work of Christ. We are talking about 
the New Testament. God says it shall come to pass that 
after those days there shall be a New Testament, a New 
Covenant. Jehovah was talking about this New Testament, 
this New Covenant. Paul was a servant of it and was 
talking about it, and you may be a servant of it and talk 
about it. I am talking about the New Covenant. I am 
saying it is your privilege and mine to be sharers in the 
sealing of that New Covenant which is to be a blessing to 
the world. So Paul was an able minister of that New 
Covenant. 

(Question.) Was it Jehovah, or the Son of God, who made 
the covenant with Abraham? 

(Answer.) It was Jehovah who made the covenant with 
Abraham. The Son of God had nothing to do with 
covenants until he became flesh. His time of work began 
when he was made flesh. 

(Question.) Will Christ be the testator of the New 
Testament of God? 

(Answer.) It is God s covenant in Christ. God has 
purposed that through this Seed all the earth shall be 
blessed. I do not say how. I leave the matter in Christ s 
hands. He is the life-giver of the world, and therefore the 
father, the prophet, the great priest and king, and shall 
work all through the Millennial age because all power has 
been given into his hands. Not that which is his own power 
individually, but power delegated to him by the Father, and 
the Father gives him the power to do this; and so the 
people of the world in the Millennial age will have to do 
with Jesus and the Church in the same way the Jews had 
to do with Moses. But they had all to do with Moses, and 
Moses with God. As you remember on several occasions, 
God said to Moses, Let me alone that I may destroy this 
people. God put it in this way to show us how 

PT352 

completely Moses was the mediator, and that what Moses 
did God was doing. So in the Millennial age, what the 
glorified Christ shall say will be just the same as if the 
Father had said it. And just as in the Bible, Abraham s 



children had to do with Isaac, so here God has provided a 
blessing in Christ, and whoever gets any blessing gets it 
under Christ. It is all in Christ. The whole work looks to 
this Christ, and during the day of Christ he shall bring all 
things into subjection. 

Paul brings out the thought that a testament is of no 
force until the testator is dead. I believe he meant to say 
the New Covenant will not be in force except under certain 
conditions; because God was the testator. He had in view 
certain conditions, which must be fulfilled. 

We sometimes read that God declares I am thy 
redeemer, and beside me there is no saviour, and then 
again we read that God sent Jesus to be the Saviour of the 
world, and again we read that Christ gave himself, and 
again we read that God gave his Son. These are different 
accounts, and we are obliged to harmonize them. So in 
this case it is said he became a testator. I think it is really 
God who is behind the whole matter, but since Christ was 
not forced to it, it may be said to be his testament. So you 
may be said to join in this testament. Sacrifice is a different 
thing from execution. Execution would be by force, but 
sacrifice brings in the thought of voluntariness. So we are 
doing the Father s will, and so when Christ was making 
this testament he was carrying out his Father s will, and in 
harmony with the Father s original covenant. It was his gift 
of life to the world, and the sealing of that arrangement by 
which God is willing to receive men. PT353 



Poems of Dawn 

MY ONE TALENT 

In a napkin smootfi ancCwfiite, 
J-CidcCenfrom aCCmortaCsigfit, 
My one taCent Cies tonigfit. 

Mine to fioarcC, or mine to use, 
Mine to keep, or mine to Cose; 
May I not do wfiat I cfioose? 

JAfi! tfie gift was onCy Cent, 
IVitfi the Qiver s known intent 
J'fiat it sfiouCcCBe wiseCy spent, 

Jkndl know ^e wiCC cCemancC 
Xvery fart fling at my hand, 
IVhen I in J-Cis presence stand 

IVhat wiCChe my grief and shame 
yvhen I hear my humhCe name, 
JAnd cannot repay J-fis cCaiml 

Some wiCC douhCe what they hoCd; 
Others add to it tenfoCd, 
J\ndp)ay hack in shining goCd 

Lord, O teach me what to dot 
I wouCdfaithfuC he and true; 
StiCCthe sacred trust renew, 

JLeCp me, ere too Cate it he. 
Something now to do for 'thee; 
thou who hast done aCCfor met 

PT354 

PT355 



GOD'S COVENANTS 

by B. H. Barton 

With Notes On The Ransom 
Sin Offering Justification 



PT356 



(as originally published about 1910) 



In Revelation 11:15, we have a prophecy respecting the 
sounding of the Seventh Trumpet, and realizing that we are 
living in the days of the voice of the Seventh Angel, we 
must be especially interested in all the details as to what 
would occur during the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet. 

In describing the events, the Apostle in the 19th verse 
first makes this statement: And the temple of God was 
opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the Ark 
and the Testament. (This word testament in the original 
Greek is the same as the word covenant.) 

We are here informed that after the sounding of the 
Seventh Trumpet some specially clear and open views 
would be granted of God s glorious temple, and in 
connection with this there would also be some illumination 
upon that. This was illustrated and typified in the Ark of 
the Covenant. We know that during the last year we have 
surely had glimpses of the covenants that we never had 
before, and it seems that this passage is having its 
fulfillment today. 

Now let us notice what follows: And there were 
lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an 
earthquake, and great hail. Notice the order of these 
statements first lightnings. When these thoughts upon 
the covenants first began to be seen and given to us, it was 
in the nature of individual flashes of light. Probably one 
issue of the Watch Tower would have one flash, and the 
next issue would have another flash. We recognize that 
just as lightning naturally has three effects, so these 
flashes of light upon the subject of the covenants have been 
productive of three results: 

(1) It enlightens or illuminates the way for some. 



(2) It brings death and disaster to some. 

(3) It frightens others. 

We have found that in some cases the discussion of the 
covenant question has surely brought enlightenment and a 
better understanding of the various features of God s great 
plan. 

To others it seems to have had just the opposite effect; it 
has been productive of bitterness, and may ultimately be 
instrumental in proving some as unfit for any place in the 
Lord s dominion. 

Then there is the third class, who seems not to be 
specially embittered, but frightened, and fearful that 
something awfully wrong will come out of this discussion. 

PT357 

Following the lightnings there were to be voices. We 
know that following these flashes of light there were 
discussions by the brethren as they would meet and 
inquire of one another what they thought of this passage 
and that passage in connection with the covenants. 

Then there were to be thunderings. Thunderings give 
us the idea of rumblings in heavenly places, and this is 
what followed in various classes dissatisfaction and 
fault-finding. 

Then followed an earthquake. So we find in many place 
an earthquake-like shaking going on over this subject. 

And last, there was a great hail. Just as rain is a 
symbol of truth, so hail conveys the thought of hard, 
condensed truth, and the thought seems to be that this 
special light upon the covenants, and the various 
experiences therewith, were really to be a preparation for a 
specially great outpouring of truth. 

Because of this and of some other similar passages, I 
have been led to believe that the ultimate outcome of the 
consideration of this covenant question is going to be a 
remarkable bringing forth of certain truths in connection 
with the great plan of salvation, with a clearness that we 
have never seen before. 



PERSONAL EXPERIENCES 

Before coming to the consideration of the subject direct, I 
would like to say a few words in relation to my own 
experience in connection with the matter. Whenever any 
thought has been promulgated by Brother Russell, either in 
writing or orally, I have always held my judgment in 
suspense until I have been thoroughly satisfied that the 
Scriptures corroborate the view he has presented; and so 
when these thoughts upon the subject of the covenants 
were presented by him I could see certain Scriptures which 
seemingly were corroborative of his view, but there were 
other passages which seemed to conflict with his view. 
Instead of hastily concluding that Brother Russell was 
wrong, as many seem to have done, I determined to wait 
until the Lord had made this matter clear and plain. I took 
a composition book and headed two pages: The 
Covenants. At the top of one page I put the statement: 
Scriptures and lines of thought which seem to corroborate 
the view of Brother Russell. And on the other page I 
wrote: Scriptures and lines of thought which seem to 
contradict the view of Brother Russell. I then searched for 
every passage in the Bible which directly or indirectly 
seemed to relate to the subject of the covenant, especially 
the New Covenant. When I found a passage which seemed 
in perfect agreement with the view of Brother Russell, I put 
it on the affirmative side, and when I found a passage 
which seemed to conflict, I put it on the negative side. I 
made no attempt to twist any 

PT358 

passage nor to force it to conform to the idea which he 
presented. I then thought of all the points or arguments 
which would have a bearing upon the subject, and I put 
them on their respective sides. When I had finished I had a 
very large number of Scriptures and quite an array of 
arguments and lines of thought. The majority of them 
seemed to be confirmatory of Brother Russell s position, 
but there were quite a number which seemed to conflict 
with his position. I then took the matter to the Lord in 
prayer, I left it entirely with Him, and asked that this 
matter might be thoroughly settled, and determined to hold 
my opinion to myself until I had given the subject such a 
thorough investigation that every Scripture and agreement 
would be removed from one side to the other, and when I 
had everything in the same column, I would be satisfied as 
to which view was right, and which was wrong. 



It required quite a number of weeks before the subject 
was thoroughly settled to my satisfaction. There were some 
passages in the book of Hebrews which seemed almost 
impossible of understanding as Brother Russell had 
presented the matter, and I made no attempt to twist those 
passages, nor to distort them, or to try to work out of them 
a significance which the Lord did not intend us to get from 
them. But, in due time, I was just as thoroughly satisfied 
upon the subject of the New Covenant as upon any other 
subject contained in the Word of God. I now see in those 
passages a depth of meaning and a harmony with the other 
statements of the Word of God of which I had once never 
dreamed, and I now look back and wonder how it was that 
I read those passages over and over and over and failed to 
see the real depth the views which I expect to present in 
the course of this talk. 

ABRAHAMIC COVENANT 

Suppose we begin this discourse by noticing the occasion 
when the Lord made his wonderful covenant with 
Abraham. We must keep in mind that this was not the 
first covenant that God ever made, for we recall the special 
covenant God made with Noah, saying that He would never 
again destroy the earth with a flood of water, but it is this 
covenant with Abraham around which all other covenants 
revolve. It is recorded in Genesis 22: 15- 18: 

And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of 
heaven the second time, and said. By Myself have I sworn, 
saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and 
hast not withheld thy son, thine only son; that in blessing I 
will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed 
as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon 
the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his 
enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth 
be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice." 

PT359 

When we call this a covenant, we are not using liberty, 
because the Bible itself speaks of it in various places as a 
covenant. In Luke 1:72,73, we read: To perform the mercy 
promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy 
covenant; the oath which He swore to our father Abraham. 
Here it is stated that this oath which God Swore to 
Abraham was His holy covenant. 



Again Acts 3:25: Ye are the children of the prophets, and 
of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying 
unto Abraham, And in thy seed all the kindreds of the 
earth be blessed." However, there was something very 
peculiar about this covenant. A covenant is not merely a 
promise; it includes certain promises, but it implies an 
agreement. The Hebrew word rendered covenant 
unmistakably has this meaning. The Greek work 
translated covenant is sometimes used rather in the 
significance of a promise, but it also has other secondary 
meanings, and it is often used as the equivalent of the 
Hebrew word conveying the thought of an agreement. 

Yet to a great majority of Christian people God s 
statement to Abraham has never been considered as a 
covenant, but merely as a promise. But just as truly as 
God would never call something death that was not death, 
so He would never call something a covenant that was not 
a covenant. The agreement entered into between God and 
Abraham was a very peculiar agreement. It was a covenant 
because it was an agreement which involved God and it 
was also to involve others, but God made it in the nature of 
an unconditional covenant. 

He told what he would do according to that covenant, 
and then left it to the liberty of all those who might come to 
an understanding of His promise to decide as to what they 
would do in view of what He had promised to do. If we are 
pleased to make an entire surrender of ourselves to Him, to 
live for Him, to glorify Him in thought, word and deed, we 
thereby become participants in this covenant, and it was in 
harmony with this that the Psalmist stated in Psalm 50:5: 
Gather together My saints unto Me, those that have made 
a covenant with Me by sacrifice. It is different in this 
respect from the covenant made through Moses with the 
nation of Israel at Mount Sinai, which was a covenant of 
bondage, a covenant which did not leave it to the people as 
to what they would or would not do, but it stated. Thou 
shalt not do that, etc. 

Because the statements of God to Abraham were spoken 
of as a promise should not blind us to the fact that they 
were also in the nature of a covenant. A covenant would be 
impossible without a promise being included in it. 
Therefore, we sometimes find it called a promise and 
sometimes a covenant it was both. 

We might digress here for a moment to notice an 
argument which has been used by those opposed to our 



PT360 

understanding of the covenants. They say that there is no 
Scripture where it says that God made the covenant with 
anybody, but that the thought is always that God made 
that covenant to a certain one. But I would say that such 
have not thoroughly familiarized themselves with the 
Hebrew idiom in connection with the making of covenants. 
In the Hebrew language, the expression which most always 
is made use of is that of making a covenant to a person, 
even though it is frequently translated as making a 
covenant with a certain person. As an illustration of this, 
notice Joshua 9:7,11,15: Make a league with you, while 
the original Hebrew states it. Make to us a covenant. The 
Hebrew expression is equally as proper and accurate as our 
English, because a covenant binds one to another. Many 
illustrations of this can easily be found throughout the Old 
Testament. 

OLD TESTAMENT COVENANTS 

We thus see two peculiar covenants brought to our 
attention in the Old Testament times the covenant with 
Abraham, and the covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, 
often styled the Law Covenant. These two are referred to 
by Paul in Ephesians 2:12, where he tells the Gentile 
converts that previously they had been strangers from the 
covenants of promise. He put the word covenants here in 
the plural. What two or more covenants is he speaking of? 
The Abrahamic and the Law Covenants. Were both of 
these covenants covenants of promise ? Most assuredly, 
though the Law Covenant contained promises which no 
one of all the imperfect race of Israel was able to keep 
because of their weaknesses and inability to conform their 
lives to a perfect law. 

However, Jesus because of His faithfulness became heir 
to all the promises of the Law Covenant, but the Gentile 
converts had formerly been strangers to these things. And 
with equal truthfulness, they had been also strangers to 
that other covenant containing the promise which would 
ultimately result in the blessing of all. 

ILLUSTRATED IN NEW TESTAMENT 

These two covenants are beautifully portrayed by the 
Apostle Paul in Galatians 4:21,31: Tell me, ye that desire 
to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is 
written, that Abraham has two sons, the one by a 



bondmaid, the other by a free woman. We all recognize 
these two sons as Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael the son of 
Hagar, who was really a slave, and Isaac the son of Sarah, 
the true wife of Abraham. But he who was of the 
bondswoman was born after the flesh; but he of the free 
woman was by promise. In other words, Ishmael was born 
without any necessity for divine intervention: it was a 
matter of the flesh altogether, but it was different in the 
case of Isaac. In the accomplishment of his birth God s 
special over-ruling providence was required to 

PT361 

work a miracle. Which things are an allegory: for these 
are the two covenants. We know that the larger part of the 
Old Testament had a typical and allegorical significance; 
the things recorded actually happened, but they were not 
recorded because there was any real worth in them from an 
historical, sociological or ethnological standpoint, but 
because there was a hidden meaning underneath them, 
which the Lord realized would be 

for our edification. Now, if Paul had never told us that 
the history of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Ishmael and Hagar 
was an allegory, we might have known it anyway, but we 
feel ourselves on so much safer ground when we have the 
inspired statement as to what this allegory represented. 
We might have thought that Sarah was a type of the 
Church and Hagar of the Jewish nation, or vice versa, or 
we might have supposed some other strange idea from our 
own imaginations. But here we have Paul s positive 
assertion that those two women were typical of two 
covenants. Now we might inquire as to which covenant 
Sarah and Hagar would typify, and we look to see if there is 
any special work peculiar to those two women, which 
corresponds to these two covenants, and immediately 
recognize that there is. We remember one of the emphatic 
things recorded of Hagar is her bondage, and how 
appropriately this reminds us of the bondage of the Sinaitic 
or Law Covenant. Sarah therefore represents the other or 
covenant of grace and special promise, and the Apostle 
goes on to say: For these are the two covenants; the one 
from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage which is 
Agar. We notice that this word Agar is spelled differently 
than in the Old Testament, not having the initial letter H , 
but we might say by way of explanation that there is really 
no letter in the Greek which corresponds with the letter H 
in the Hebrew, so that Agar in the New Testament really 
refers to the same woman who is called Hagar in the Old 



Testament. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and 
answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in the 
bondage with her children. The Apostle thus very clearly 
shows us the correspondences between Hagar and Law 
Covenant, and between Hagar s child and the children of 
the Law Covenant. 

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the 
mother to us all. For it is written. Rejoice, thou barren that 
bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: 
for the desolate hath many more children than she which 
hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the 
children of the promise. But as then, he that was born 
after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit 
even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? 
Cast out the bondswoman and her son: for the son of the 
bondswoman shall not be heir with the son of the free 
woman. So then, brethren, we are not the children of the 
bondwoman, but of the free. 

PT362 

SARAH COVENANT 

Having obtained from Paul the key to this type, let us 
now consider it in the light of what he has said and see the 
beauty of the allegory. In other lines of study, we have 
seen that Abraham is a type of God; for instance, when he 
offered up his son Isaac, he was there clearly marked as 
the type of God offering up his Son. 

Again in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, he is a 
type of God. In that parable we note that the rich man saw 
him afar off, which illustrates how the Jews have seen God 
afar off, since temporarily cast off, not nigh as they once 
were. We understand from Paul s declaration that Sarah, 
the wife of Abraham, was a type of the covenant of grace. 
The fact that Sarah was Abraham s wife emphasizes the 
preciousness of that covenant which God made. Just think 
of what it means for God to speak of that covenant as his 
wife, to be called the husband of that covenant. We also 
have Scriptural foundation for this statement in Isaiah 
54:5: For thy maker. The Maker of that Abrahamic 
covenant was God Jehovah. For thy Maker is thine 
husband; the Lord of hosts is his name. This gives us 
some faint conception of how dear to the heart of the 
Father in heaven that wonderful covenant must have been. 
The very name Sarah is significant; it means princess. 
The covenant of grace is well called the Sarah covenant; 



because it is the Princess Covenant, which is going to give 
birth to the royal seed. 

However, after Abraham s marriage to Sarah, years 
passed and there was no seed as the result of that union, 
and we remember that this same thing was true of the 
covenant of which Sarah was a type. After God had 
married that covenant away back in the days of Abraham, 
that covenant was unproductive, so far as producing the 
seed through which the promises were to be fulfilled. And, 
in addition to this, it almost looked as though Abraham did 
not care for his wife Sarah. You remember that on two 
occasions it looked almost as though Abraham had actually 
denied his wife and that he did not love her. We recall the 
experiences with Pharaoh and Abimelech, when he taught 
Sarah to say that she was his sister. (Gen. 12:10-20; 
20: 1-13.) It looked as though Abraham was not truthful, 
but he explained afterwards that she was his half-sister, 
yet she was more. How well that illustrates God s 
relationship to that covenant which He made. It seemed 
that God did not care any more for that covenant than 
Abraham did for Sarah. God likewise made statements 
which seemed contrary to the covenant which He made, 
and it looked as though He had very little love for His 
covenant. 

HAGAR TYPES LAW COVENANT 

At length it seemed unlikely that there would be any 
result from the union of Abraham and Sarah, so Hagar 

PT363 

was added to the family of Abraham. (Gen. 16:1-3.) She 
did not actually become Abraham s wife she did not take 
Sarah s place, but Abraham treated her as though she were 
his wife, and as though she had taken Sarah s place. 

The same thing is true of the Law Covenant, of which 
Hagar was a type. In due time the Law Covenant, if we 
may be permitted to use the expression, was added to the 
family of God, and so Paul puts it. The Law (Covenant) was 
added because of transgression until the seed should 
come. (Gal. 3: 19.) God treated that Law Covenant as 
though it was His wife, and as though it had taken the 
place of the original covenant, but that was not really the 
case. 



Almost immediately the result of Hagar s relationship 
with Abraham was Ishmael, and so we remember that very 
quick results came from the addition of the Law 
Covenant the development of those of whom Ishmael was 
a type. We remember that even after the birth of Ishmael, 
God kept reiterating the promise which He had made 
respecting Sarah, although each year it looked more 
unlikely that that promise would have a fulfillment. 

So likewise, after the Law Covenant had been 
inaugurated, and after the development of the children of 
the Law Covenant, God kept reiterating through the 
prophets the fact that the Sarah Covenant would produce 
the promised seed, in due time. But as it seemed 
unreasonable with Sarah, it likewise seemed unreasonable 
that the Sarah Covenant would ever have the seed that was 
promised. It almost looked in Abraham s case as though 
the only child he would ever have would be the children 
that might be developed under that Law Covenant. At 
length, however, Sarah conceived, and Isaac was born. At 
length, also, the time for the development of the children of 
the Sarah Covenant, the Isaac Class, arrived. 

We are to keep in mind that Ishmael was not a type of 
one individual, but of a whole class; and so likewise, Isaac 
was not a type of one person, but of a whole class. Thus 
we read in Paul s statement in Gal. 4:28: Now we, 
brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. Isaac 
thus typified not merely the Lord Jesus Christ but His 
faithful followers. His brethren, as well. The Lord Jesus 
Christ was the Head of that Isaac Class, and His faithful 
followers will constitute the Body of the Isaac Class. 

In some of the types of the Old Testament (for instance, 
when Abraham offered up Isaac) Isaac represented only the 
Lord Jesus; but there are other types in the Old Testament 
in which Isaac typified not only the Lord Jesus, but the 
Church also. We remember he was given the name Isaac, 
because Sarah said: Now all the world will laugh with me. 
The word Isaac means laughter. (Gen. 21:6.) How 
appropriate, because Isaac represents a class that will 
make the whole world to laugh, the one that is to displace 

PT364 

sorrow with joy, grief with pleasure. We also remember 
that Ishmael took rather unkindly to Isaac, and as Paul 
also reminds us in Galatians, he persecuted and mocked 
Isaac (Gen. 21:9): similarly we remember that the Ishmael 



Class, the Jews, persecuted and mocked the Isaac class, 
the Lord Jesus and His faithful followers. The result of 
Ishmael mocking Isaac was that Abraham cast off Hagar 
and her child (Gen. 21:10,14): and, as a result of the Jews 
rejecting the Isaac Class, our Lord, the Apostles and the 
faithful ones, God cast off the Law Covenant and its 
children, the class of which Ishmael was a type. It is by 
keeping this thought in mind that we find a depth of 
meaning in many of the Old Testament passages which 
otherwise would have but little intelligent significance. 

LA W COVENANT CAST OFF 

Notice Isaiah 50: 1, Thus saith the Lord, where is the bill 
of your mother s divorcement, whom I have put away, or 
which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? 
Behold for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for 
your transgressions is your mother put away. What 
mother is here referred to? It is evident that the Lord s 
remarks are aimed at the Jewish nation, but who was the 
mother of the Jewish nation? This very question and our 
inability to see the correct answer has confused a great 
many. The Law Covenant was the mother, and the Lord 
divorced the Law Covenant over eighteen hundred years 
ago, just as Abraham did with Hagar. The Law Covenant 
was cast off because of the transgressions of its offspring. 
We remember how, after being cast off, Hagar and Ishmael 
had a very hard time, and we remember that the Jewish 
people have had a very hard time ever since they were cast 
off. We also recall that Hagar did not die the moment she 
was cast off by Abraham, neither did the Law Covenant die 
eighteen hundred years ago when God put that Covenant 
aside. 

Hagar lived for some time to afford the best comfort she 
could to her son Ishmael, and so the Law Covenant is still 
in existence, trying to comfort, trying to give some measure 
of help to its children, the Jews. But we also remember 
that the Scriptures show that at last Hagar was led to 
recognize and point Ishmael to the well of water. Here 
notice Genesis 21:19, and the context. This was expressly 
stated to be in the Wilderness of Beer-Sheba, a word which 
means. The well of the oath. (See verse 31.) We see in all 
of this an intimation of how, in due time, the Law Covenant 
is going to point the Jews to the truth and blessings that 
will come through the wonderful oath-bound covenant 
made away back there with Abraham in the days of old. 



Notice another passage in Micah 5:1-4. The first and 
second verses have to do with the first advent of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, and they speak of His birth at Bethlehem, 
and tell how, instead of the Ishmael class accepting the 

PT365 

Lord Jesus willingly, they would Smite the judge of Israel 
with a rod upon the cheek. Then follows the third verse. 
Therefore, that is, in view of the fact that those Jews were 
willing to smite and persecute our Lord, just like Ishmael 
persecuted Isaac, Therefore will he give them up until the 
time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the 
remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of 
Israel. And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the 
Lord. Here we are told that the children of the Law 
Covenant were to be given up, to be cast off until the time 
that the Sarah Covenant, the covenant which during this 
period of the Gospel age would be travailing and would 
bring forth the whole Isaac class, and when this had been 
accomplished, the Lord s favour was going to return to the 
Ishmael class, and they were to get the blessings which the 
Lord foretold to them, under the New Covenant. 

THE SEED 

We thus get the thought that the Covenant under which 
Christ and The Church were to be developed was not a New 
Covenant which would supersede the old Law Covenant, 
but in reality it is a much older covenant than that one 
made at Mount Sinai it was made away back in the days 
of Abraham. However, it remained barren for twenty- two 
hundred years, and eighteen hundred years ago that 
Covenant was redeemed from its barren condition. It 
would not be right to say that when Isaac was begotten, 
Sarah had become Abraham s new wife. She was his true 
wife much longer, as respects her relationship to Abraham, 
than Hagar. 

The only difference was that there had not been any 
visible result from Sarah s relationship to Abraham up to 
that time. The same is true of the covenant under which we 
are developed. 

It is not a new covenant any more than Sarah was a new 
wife, and if it is proper to designate the Covenant under 
which we are developed as an Older Covenant still. 



Notice the statement in Isaiah in this connection. The 
apostle in Gal. 4:27 expressly applies the first verse of the 
54th chapter of Isaiah to the Covenant under which Christ 
and the Church are developed. So again we have the key 
which makes us recognize that we are on safe ground in 
the application which we are about to make. 

We will just briefly comment upon a few thoughts in 
Isaiah 54: 1-5, but we will not attempt to go into an 
exhaustive treatment of all the statements there. Sing, O 
barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, 
and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child. Here 
the Abrahamic Covenant of grace is personified, being 
compared to a woman who has been childless for many 
years, but now has occasion for rejoicing because at last 
granted a child. She is spoken of as the desolate, not 
because she is now desolate, but in remembrance of 

PT366 

the long period during which this was the case. In the 
same verse the Law Covenant is called the married wife. 
While this is the rendering in both the King James and 
Revised Versions, it is not a very accurate translation of the 
original. The usual word for wife (ishshah) is so translated 
several hundred times in the English Bible, but the word 
used in the passage we are considering (baal) is a word very 
seldom applied to a wife, though often to the husband. It is 
a word which conveys to the mind the idea of ownership, 
possession. Thus Paul in 

Gal. 4:27, gives the thought correctly: She which hath 
an husband. In an oriental home where there are several 
wives, if 

one of those wives has borne their husband children, she 
naturally feels that in a special sense he is her husband, he 
belongs to her. The original Greek of Paul s words 
emphasize this thought; note the Diaglott: Her having the 
Husband. How well this pictures the relative positions of 
the Abrahamic and Law Covenants during the eighteen 
hundred years of the Jewish Age. 

The Prophet Isaiah then foretells in verses 1 and 2 how 
much greater will be the results of the Abrahamic Covenant 
than the Law Covenant, and in verse 3 shows us that the 
children of the Covenant made with Abraham will not be all 
found in one part of the earth, but she was to break forth 
on the right hand and on the left, in every direction; in 



contra- distinction to the children of the Hagar Covenant, 
who were all located in that land of Palestine. The 
remainder of this third verse most unquestionably points to 
Christ and the Church as the Seed of this formerly barren 
covenant: Thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles (nations), 
and make the desolate cities to be inhabited (Psalm 2:8 
and Rev. 2:26,27) are examples of the plain statements in 
the Word of God proving that the Seed of Isaiah 54:3 must 
be Christ and His faithful followers. 

In the following verse that covenant still being personified 
as a woman, is advised to forget the long period during 
which she was more like an unmarried woman, or, worse 
yet, more like a widow. As far as visible results were 
concerned it almost looked as though she did not have a 
husband. 

Then in verse 5 we are taught that just as the same 
Abraham who originally made Sarah his wife, in due time 
with divine assistance delivered her from her barren 
condition; so likewise the same God who had originally 
made the Covenant of grace in due time redeemed or 
delivered it from its barrenness. Israel knew Him in a 
limited sense, and they recognized him as their Holy One, 
but in due time everyone was to know this wonderful God 
and Father. Then he would be the God of the whole earth. 

NEW COVENANT 

Now having considered the subject sufficiently to have 

PT367 

satisfied us that we are under a covenant which is now 
about four thousand years old, we would inquire regarding 
the covenant which is distinguished from either of the two 
old covenants we have been considering by being called 
the New Covenant. And we will begin this portion of our 
study by considering 

Rom. 1 1:25-27: For I would not, brethren that ye should 
be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your 
own conceit; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, 
until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. 

In other words, Israel, like Ishmael, has been rejected or 
cast off, and this condition was to last until all the Isaac 
class had been developed, or the entire Church of Christ 
had been gathered out from the nations of the earth. And 



so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall 
come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away 
ungodliness from Jacob: for this is My covenant with them 
when I shall take away their sins. Here we have reference 
to a Covenant which is specially connected with the 
blessings of Israel after their re-gathering. It is this 
Covenant which the Prophets, and our Lord and the 
Apostles, designated as the New Covenant. 

Listen to Jeremiah 31:29-34. In the 29th and 30th 
verses we have statements which never were true and 
never will be true until the Millennial reign of the Lord 
Jesus Christ: In those days they shall say no more. The 
fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children s teeth 
are set on edge. But everyone 

shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the 
sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge." Then again in 
the 34th verse, we have a picture after the Millennial Age 
has made considerable progress: And they shall teach no 
more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, 
saying. Know the Lord: for they shall all know Me, from the 
least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I 
will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no 
more. Now, if verses 29,30 and 34 have evident reference 
to the Millennium, is it not also probable and proper that 
the verses 31,32 and 33 should also point us to something 
respecting the 

Millennium? Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, 
that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel 
and with the house of Judah. Now we want to see if there 
is not something further to identify the time to which this 
New Covenant applies, and we find there is: Not according 
to the Covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day 
that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land 
of Egypt; which My Covenant they brake; although I was an 
husband unto them, saith the Lord. We are thus 
reminded that there will be some sharp distinctions 
between the old Law Covenant and the new Law Covenant, 
and one great difference will be that whereas that old 
Covenant was 

PT368 

disregarded and broken by them, the new Covenant will be 
respected and kept. 



AN HUSBAND 

But let us pause here for a little consideration of the last 
part of this verse, although I was an husband unto them, 
saith the Lord. You will recall that the Apostle quoted this 
passage in Hebrews 8:9, and if you look at his rendering of 
this clause you will find it radically different from the 
English version of Jer. 31:32. Paul has it read: and I 
regarded them not, saith the Lord. We must consider Paul 
a competent translator or judge of translations, especially 
when it is remembered that he was controlled by the spirit 
of inspiration; but why is there such a seeming discrepancy 
between his words and the passage in Jeremiah? That the 
words of Jeremiah could be rendered just as they are in the 
King James version there can be no question; but we feel 
compelled to see if they do not have another meaning in 
harmony with the statement in Hebrews. 

We could never be satisfied to think of the inspired 
Apostle as misquoting Scripture. The New Testament 
writers when quoting from the Old Testament do not 
always quote the same identical words, they spoke a 
different language, but while we may note a little difference 
in the wording, it presents the very same thought. That 
must be so in this instance, too. And it is, for we find quite 
a number of Hebrew scholars giving to reject, to 
disregard, as some of the meanings of the word. Thus in 
Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon we have this very passage in 
Jeremiah cited as an instance of this significance. The 
marginal reading in the common version also is in harmony 
with the thought, though I do not see that it is a really 
accurate rendering; should I have continued an husband 
unto them? 

That is, seeing the people of Israel were treating the 
children of the Abrahamic Covenant somewhat like Ishmael 
treated Isaac, how could they expect God to treat the Law 
Covenant and the children of the Covenant as a husband 
would treat his wife and children? No, He would do as 
Abraham had done, cast off the Law Covenant which for so 
long a time had been treated as a wife, and He would reject 
the children of that Covenant, the natural Seed of 
Abraham, until the entire Isaac Seed had been developed. 

AFTER THOSE DAYS 

I have considered this point somewhat in detail because 
of its bearing on the 33rd verse, which we will now 
consider: But this will be the Covenant that I will make 



with the house of Israel: after those days, saith the Lord. 
After what days? After the days when the Lord would have 
disregarded them; after those days in which he would not 
show them the favour formerly enjoyed. And we all 
instantly recognize that those days of disfavour have lasted 
nearly nineteen hundred years. So after 

PT369 

those days" would clearly designate the Millennial Age as 
the time for this New Covenant. This shall be the 
Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After 
those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward 
parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, 
and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more 
every man his neighbour, etc. 

That this new Covenant was to be inaugurated in the 
Millennium, after the regathering of the Jews, is also 
proven by Jer. 32:37-40: Behold, I will gather them out of 
all countries whither I have driven them in My anger, and 
in My fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again 
unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. 

And they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 
And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may 
fear Me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children 
after them. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with 
them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good: 
but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not 
depart from Me. 

Another pertinent Scripture is found in Ezek. 20:37: And 
will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you 
into the bond of the Covenant." Israel s experiences under 
the chastening rod have been painful and humiliating, but, 
thank God! her buffeting is almost over, and soon the 
blessings of that new everlasting Covenant will begin to be 
showered upon her. 

Having considered these quotations from the prophets, 
let us return to the writings of the Apostle Paul. The book 
of Hebrews is specially full of statements regarding the New 
Covenant. Of all the passages in the Bible which might 
seem to support the idea of the New Covenant most of us 
once held, these verses in Hebrews are invariably counted 
among the very strongest; and yet, if I were called upon 
today to prove that the Church is not under the New 
Covenant: that the New Covenant did not include the 



special blessings which the sacrifice of Jesus Christ has 
made possible to the Church of this age; I would very likely 
turn to these very passages in the book of Hebrews to prove 
our position. I believe the statements of the seventh and 
eighth chapters of this book as convincing as anyone could 
ever ask for. And still I must admit, when this further light 
began to be seen on the subject of the Covenants, these 
very verses appeared to me to be almost irreconcilable with 
it, while now their teaching is so simple and plain that I 
wonder I did not see it from the first. 

HEBREWS 7:22 

Let us turn to Hebrews 7:22: By so much was Jesus 
made a surety of a better Covenant." The King James 

PT370 

version renders the same Greek word, sometimes Covenant 
and sometimes Testament, but the significance would be 
more quickly grasped if in all these places it were rendered 
Covenant. Both the Revised version and the Diaglott have 
Covenant in 

Heb. 7:22. This verse makes it most emphatically 
evident that this better Covenant, better than the Law 
Covenant under which Israel previously was, was a thing of 
the future, not of the present; and the proof of our 
assertion is the word surety. 

Let me illustrate the significance of this word; suppose 
that 

in the same room, within ten feet of me, there was a bag 
of gold which I desired someone present to bring to me. 
How strange it would be if, before I allowed that one to 
touch the bag, I would require surety, or, as we more 
usually say, security. But if that bag of gold was two or 
three thousand miles away, then it would be nothing 
unusual to expect that man to have someone go on his 
bond as a surety, a guarantee, a pledge, that he would 
bring the gold to me, if I sent him after it. 

Similarly, the Lord Jesus is not the surety for the 
blessings enjoyed by the Church today. He purchased 
those blessings for us with His own blood, but we do not 
need any surety of them, because we have the things 
themselves. But if our Saviour is a surety, it implies that 
there is something yet future coming to somebody. 



something different from what we are getting today. Paul 
calls that something a better Covenant, so we conclude 
that this Covenant is entirely separate and distinct from 
the high calling of this age. This agrees perfectly with what 
we have already seen: that the new Covenant has reference 
to the blessings of restitution, which are soon to be granted 
to the willing of mankind, beginning with the people of 
Israel. Jesus, as a result of the sacrifice which He 
completed at Calvary, is the surety, the pledge, the 
guarantee, that these things shall be, even though the Jew 
is still in a cast-off condition; yet, in due time, the very one 
because of whose rejection they were cast off, will be the 
one who will bring them back. 

HEBREWS 8:6-13 

Hebrews 8:6-13 will be now considered, but we will first 
take the sixth and seventh verses by themselves. But now 
hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much 
also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was 
established on better promises. 

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should 
no place have been sought for the second." 

The Apostle here calls the Sinaitic or Law Covenant the 
first Covenant, not because it was the first covenant that 
God ever made (indeed, we know that the Abrahamic 
Covenant was not the first covenant), but it is called the 
first covenant because it was the first covenant given to 
Israel as a whole. His statement is another way of saying 

PT371 

that, if the first covenant had been faultless, it would have 
done the work that the second covenant is going to do, and 
as a consequence, the second covenant would have been 
unnecessary. Now we inquire. What would the first or Law 
Covenant have done had it been faultless? We must 
remember that the fault was not in its imperfection, but in 
the lack of any mediatorial provision to offset the weakness 
and inability of the people to keep it. If that covenant had 
been faultless, it would have given the people under it 
everlasting life. That covenant said that the man that 
doeth these things shall live by them, and he could have 
lived as long as he did those things. Furthermore, he 
would have been free from sickness and disease. In 
addition to that, his farm would have been a paradise, for 
God had promised to bless his flocks, and trees, and wine 



and oil, and to bless him in basket and in store. To sum it 
up, man would have been a perfect being living eternally in 
a perfect earthly paradise. But if that first covenant had 
been faultless, it would not have taken anyone to heaven; it 
would not have made anyone a joint heir with Jesus; it 
would not have begotten anyone to the divine nature, nor 
given them immortality it would have accomplished 
restitution. So if the second covenant is going to do what 
the first covenant should have done, then that New or 
Better Covenant will accomplish restitution, and nothing of 
a spiritual nature at all. 

But someone might ask. Why in the sixth verse does the 
Apostle speak of this covenant in the past tense, as having 
already been established, saying: Which was established 
upon better promises ? We answer that that covenant was 
established eighteen hundred years ago, but we must 
distinguish between a covenant being established and 
becoming operative. In our city the council meet together, 
and they enact certain laws, these laws then go to the 
mayor for his signature, and after being properly passed 
and signed, they are established. Yet it might be explicitly 
stated in the body of that law that it was not to go into 
effect or operation until January 1st, 1915. It might be 
that that law appointed the mayor as arbitrator, or referee 
in some particular matter. He is appointed arbitrator, 
referee, or whatever the position might be, the moment that 
law was established, and yet he does not have any duty to 
perform in that capacity until the law has gone into effect 
or become operative, and that is expressly stated to be at a 
particular future time. It is in perfect accordance with this 
that the New Covenant was established eighteen hundred 
years ago, but all the Word of God agrees in proving that 
that New Covenant was not to become operative until more 
than eighteen hundred years after it had been established, 
and several thousand years after it had been promised. 

The Apostle then continues by referring to the passage 

PT372 

already noted in Jeremiah 3 1 : For in finding fault with 
them, he saith. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, 
when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel 
and with the house of Judah not according to the covenant 
that I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them 
by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because 
they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them 
not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will 



make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the 
Lord. After those days in which they would be 
disregarded, in the cast-off condition. I will put My laws 
into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will 
be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people: and 
they shall not teach every man his neighbour, saying. 
Know the Lord: for all shall know Me from the least to the 
greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, 
and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 
In that He saith, A new covenant. He hath made the first 
old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to 
vanish away. 

This last verse reminds us that the Law Covenant in 
Paul s day occupied a position somewhat similar to Hagar s 
position after Abraham had rejected her. There she was in 
the wilderness, almost ready to die, to vanish away; 
nevertheless with certain promises which God had made 
her and her child Ishmael; so Paul saw the Law Covenant 
in Hagar s predicament, almost ready to die, to vanish 
away, but there were certain promises of future blessings 
which God had made to the children of the Law Covenant, 
and these would have to be fulfilled after the death of the 
Hagar Covenant, and in the days of the New Covenant. 

MAKE? OR COMPLETE? 

We will again digress to note another beautiful point, and 
yet so liable to be misunderstood. I refer to the word 
translated make in the eighth verse. Those who refer to 
the Emphatic Diaglott will find this word there translated 
complete. In the King James version the Greek word 
sunteleo is rendered by four English words: end, finish, 
fulfill, make. It is evident in the verse under consideration 
that the Apostle did not mean to say: after those days God 
will bring that New Covenant to an end, for in that case it 
would not be an Everlasting covenant at all. When was 
the Law Covenant finished or completed? In one sense it 
was finished or fulfilled eighteen hundred years ago, and in 
still another sense it will be finished at the close of this age, 
when the Israelites are delivered from its curse, by coming 
into the bonds of the New Covenant; but in neither of these 
senses does the Bible use the word sunteleo. The Law 
Covenant was finished in the sunteleo sense, when God 
had completed the writing of the commandments on the 
tables of stone, and giving 



PT373 

them to Moses, sent him down from the mountain to 
inaugurate that covenant with the people of Israel. A 
house cannot be conveniently occupied until it is finished, 
a horse and vehicle cannot be driven until the harnessing 
has been completed; similarly, a covenant cannot be 
effective until it has been sunteleo. 

But there is still another thought in this word which 
must be noticed. In Jeremiah 31:33, from which Paul is 
quoting here in Hebrews 8, and, in fact, in almost all Old 
Testament passages where it speaks of making a 
covenant, the word translated make is not the usual 
word with that significance, but it is the rendering of the 
Hebrew word karath. This word has the sense of cutting 
off. Jer. 11:19: Let us destroy the tree with the fruit 
thereof, and let us cut him off (karath) from the rest of the 
living. Joel 1:9, says The meat offering, and the drink 
offering is cut off (karath) from the house of the Lord. This 
word was used in connection with covenants in evident 
reference to the sacrifices that would seal or ratify the 
covenant entered into. No Covenant was really made until 
the sacrifices had been cut off or accomplished. 

However, we must distinguish between the sacrifices 
being cut off and the covenant being made as a result of 
the sacrifices being cut off. Jeremiah s word would not 
mean that after those days the sacrifices will be cut off; 
indeed the sacrifices will all have been made before those 
days. The thought was, after those days I will covenant a 
covenant with the house of Israel as a result of the 
sacrifices cut off. 

When Paul came to translate this word into the Greek, he 
says (see Diaglott rendering of Heb. 8:10): For this is the 
covenant that I will covenant with the house of Israel; after 
those days, etc. But in order to emphasize the thought of 
the original Hebrew, the Apostle, in verse 8, uses a still 
different word, sunteleo, from that he has in verse 10. 
We have already noted the force of this word, but there is 
another point connected with it that we can not pass 
unnoticed. In classic Greek this word was commonly used 
in a different sense from what it usually has in the New 
Testament. It meant payments or contributions made by 
others towards defraying the expenses of some enterprise 
that had for its object the benefiting of the general public. 
Thus in Liddell and Scott s Unabridged Greek Lexicon are 
included such definitions of the word as, a joint 



contribution for the public burdens. For instance, at 
Athens, this term was applied to a body of men who 
contributed jointly each year to equip a ship for the public 
service. Any similar partnership in bearing public 
burdens. 

I do not lay much stress on the acceptance of the more 
classic meanings of the New Testament words, and yet 
there is certainly some food for reflection here. The new 

PT374 

covenant promises were not for the benefit of some private 
class, like the high calling of this Gospel Age, but it was for 
the blessings of the general public, all the people of the 
earth, beginning with the Jewish nation. However, certain 
contributions, certain sacrifices were to be made before 
that work could begin. The principal contributor, in fact 
the sole contributor as far as individual merit was 
concerned, was the Lord Jesus; but while the Church had 
no merit of her own to offer, yet the Heavenly Father had 
graciously arranged that she should have somewhat to 
contribute also, by bestowing upon her some of the merit 
borrowed from the Lord Jesus Himself. She has the 
privilege of contributing that which was reckoned to her 
through faith in the blood of the Saviour. And when all 
these contributions are in, then this new covenant will 
begin to operate on behalf of Israel first, and then through 
Israel to all the remainder of the human family. (Acts 
15:15-17; 1 Peter 4:13.) 

HEBREWS 9:13-15 

Let us next turn to the ninth chapter of this epistle to the 
Hebrews, verses 13-15. While the verses that follow these 
have considerable bearing on the subjects we are 
considering, yet it is these three that we will give most 
attention to, because they are recognized by some as 
among the most difficult to reconcile with our views of the 
covenants, and it is so until you once get the real import of 
this passage. 

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of 
an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the 
purifying of the flesh; How much more shall the blood of 
Christ, who, through the eternal spirit, offered Himself 
without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead 
works to serve the living God. 



And for this cause He is the mediator of the new 
covenant, that by means of death, for the redemption of the 
transgressions that were under the first covenant, they 
which are called might receive the promise of eternal 
inheritance. 

A casual glance at these words would lead almost anyone 
to think Paul was here saying that those to whom he was 
writing had been delivered from the condemnation of the 
law covenant by coming under the new covenant. But a 
little further research would show us that we had failed to 
grasp the basis of the Apostle s argument. The epistle to 
the Hebrews was primarily addressed to the Jews and 
Jewish proselytes who had accepted the Christian religion, 
and the inspired writer here, as well as in many other 
places, points out to them that their deserts under that 
first covenant was condemnation. And just as truly as a 
murderer with the sentence of death hanging over him 
could not be put on trial for another 

PT375 

crime, until some way had been found of delivering him 
from the penalty incurred by the first crime; neither could 
those Jews be accepted of the Lord and enter the race for a 
heavenly prize, unless some way was found of delivering 
them from the condemnation of the law covenant, as well 
as from the more universal sentence resulting from the sin 
of Father Adam. 

However, that law covenant could not be disregarded, nor 
its condemnation ignored, so the only way whereby the 
Israelite could have its curse lifted would be by the 
introduction of that of which the law covenant was a type, 
a shadow. Then it would be just as it is in nature, where 
every shadow ends at the substance. But before the law 
was given the Lord selected the mediator for that covenant, 
and so the first thing in the introduction of the antitypical 
law covenant was the election of its mediator. So we 
recognize God s choice of the Lord Jesus nineteen hundred 
years ago to be the mediator of this better covenant even 
though, as we have already seen. He was not to begin to 
bestow the blessings of that covenant until it had become 
operative. And now that the Saviour had become the 
Mediator of the new covenant, it was possible for those who 
had been under the condemnation of the law to accept the 
Lord Jesus as their Captain and Leader instead of Moses, 
and through faith in His great offering, the great sacrifice 
which fitted Him to become the Mediator of the new 



covenant, they found deliverance from the curse of the law 
covenant. 

Now do not misunderstand me, and think that by this I 
mean the law covenant ended and the new covenant began 
1,800 years ago. That is not my thought. I may illustrate 
it in this manner; there are two classes of people in the 
world at this time. To the one class we are yet in the 
Gospel Age, and to them the Millennium will not begin 
until 1915. But there is another class, among whom we 
are thankful to be counted, with whom the Gospel Age 
ended in one sense and the Millennium began in 1874. So 
in the days of the Apostles there were two classes, to the 
one class the law covenant was as dead, but to the other 
class the law was just as much alive as ever. In Rom. 10:4 
Paul refers to the first class, saying, For Christ is the end 
of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 
But some one may be prompted to remark: I do not see 
how the law covenant could be said to end even with this 
class, unless they came under the new covenant first, if it 
be true that no shadow ends until the substance has 
begun. To this I answer, the substance has begun with 
them, but in a wondrous way the Lord arranged for them to 
share in the distribution of the blessings of the new 
covenant, rather than in the receiving of the blessings 
which were to be granted to those under the new 
arrangement. 

PT376 

THREE STAGES 

In order to appreciate this point, let us note that there 
were three stages to the law covenant, and similarly there 
were to be three stages to the new covenant, of which the 
law covenant was a type. 

First, there was the preparatory stage which lasted for 
forty days, when Moses went up into the mountain and 
preparations were made for bringing Israel into covenant 
relationship with the Lord. In due time Moses came down 
from the mountain. There the preparatory stage ended 
when the Law went into effect. After it went into effect, 
then the influence of the Law Covenant began to be felt. 
Now, eighteen hundred years ago, as respects the class 
which accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and 
Redeemer, the third stage ended, and there the first stage 
of the New Covenant began, namely the preparatory stage. 
We remember Moses was in the mountain forty days during 



that preparatory stage, which represented the entire Gospel 
Age. 

When Moses came down from the mountain, he had to 
put a veil over his face, reminding us that at the end of this 
Gospel Age the greater Moses was to come down and He 
would be invisible to the world. He came down to 
inaugurate the Law Covenant, for which preparations had 
been going on for forty days, and so when the greater 
Moses comes down at the end of the Gospel Age, it will be 
to inaugurate the New Covenant, of which the Law 
Covenant was a type, and for which preparations have been 
going on all down through the Gospel Age. 

We can thus see that it would be improper to speak of 
the second stage of the New Covenant, beginning where the 
third stage of the Law Covenant ended. Where the third 
stage of the Law Covenant ends, as respects that class, the 
first stage of the New Covenant began. The first stage, as 
we have already seen, was the preparatory stage. After this 
would come the second stage, when the New Covenant 
would become operative, which will last during the 
Millennial Age. Then, after the New Covenant became 
operative, the third stage will begin, when the effect of the 
New Covenant would be experienced. How long? Through 
all eternity. That is why it is called the Everlasting 
Covenant. It would be very inappropriate for us to take any 
other view of this matter. We also recall the Jubilee type. 
We remember that the Jubilee consisted of two stages: 
First, the cycle of forty-nine years, then the Jubilee, the 
fiftieth year. When the last typical jubilee was celebrated, 
then the- type began. Not the Jubilee itself, but the 
antitypical cycle, and when the antitypical cycle ends, then 
the second stage or real Jubilee will begin. 

PREPARATORY WORK 

We would also call your attention to the fact that the 

PT377 

Apostle Paul in the 3rd chapter of 2nd Corinthians is 
making a comparison between the work of the Gospel Age 
and that of the Law Covenant, and he clearly shows that 
the comparison was not with the time when the Law 
Covenant had gone into effect and become operative, but 
with the time when the Law Covenant was in process of 
preparation. He reminds us there that just as up in the 
mountain the tables were being prepared, so today there is 



a work going on of which that was a type. But up in the 
mountain the Law Covenant was not binding, not 
operative no indeed. But the agents and instruments 
necessary to put that Law Covenant into effect were being 
prepared, being fitted for the work that they were to do. So 
likewise, during this Gospel Age, a similar work is going on, 
a preparatory work, which is being to make the New 
Covenant effective in blessing all the families of the earth. 

We notice in this connection also the statement of Paul in 
2nd Cor., the 3rd chapter and the 6th verse. Who also 
hath made us able ministers of the New Covenant. 
Remember that the ministers of that Law Covenant were 
not the people under that Law Covenant, but that the 
principal minister of that Law Covenant was Moses, and he 
ministered the Law Covenant largely before the Law 
Covenant became operative; it was while he was up in the 
mountain that he was its minister as truly as after he came 
down. So today we are ministers of the New Covenant, we 
are ministers of the Lord, servants, sharing with Him the 
work of preparation which will ultimately inaugurate this 
New Covenant which is to mean a new agreement on behalf 
of Israel, and through them to the remainder of the world of 
mankind. 

However, what we have been saying applies only to those 
who have recognized the Lord Jesus as their Redeemer. 
Christ is the end of the Law to such, but to the remainder 
of the Jews that Law Covenant is as binding as it ever was; 
they are still under the control of it, just as Ishmael was 
under the control of Hagar back there in the wilderness. 

KETURAH 

Now, this will probably be the most appropriate place for 
some reference to the type of Abraham and his wives. 
Someone might say, Why is it if there is to be a New 
Covenant that God did not illustrate it in the case of 
Abraham and his wives? Why did God cut the picture 
short? The Lord has made that picture complete too. We 
find that there is still another wife mentioned in the 25th 
chapter of Genesis, Keturah, and we understand that she 
is the appropriate type of this New Covenant. One might 
inquire as to why Paul made no reference to her in his 
epistles to the Galatians, and we say. Simply because she 
had nothing to do with the argument which the Apostle 



PT378 

was making. He was endeavoring to show some of those 
Christians that they were occupying a very improper 
position, that they were making believe that it was 
necessary to adhere to all the requirements of the Jewish 
Law, and the Apostle used this argument to show that that 
was a wrong position, that it would have been very 
inappropriate for Isaac to have clung to Sarah, and at the 
same time to have wanted to go out in the wilderness and 
to spend the time with Hagar too. So the Apostle was 
trying to show them that they were not the children of the 
Hagar Covenant, but that they were the children of the 
Covenant of which Sarah was a type. Now, to have brought 
in this New Covenant would only have confused matters 
and would not have served any purpose, it would have 
added to the mistiness of the subject to those whom Paul 
was addressing. But we find frequent illustrations of this, 
and we remember that passage in 

Isaiah 6 1 how our Saviour quoted only a part of the 
passage, only so much as was appropriate in His day. He 
said. The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath 
anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent 
Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the 
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at 
liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year 
of the Lord. There He stopped. Why not go on and 
describe the other things? Because they were not then due. 
In Ephesians 4:3 Paul said. Wherefore he said when he 
ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave 
gifts unto men. Paul was only partly quoting this passage 
from Psalm 68:18. He quoted only just as much as is 
appropriate to this Gospel Age, but there is another clause 
in that verse which refers to the Millennial Age, and Paul 
very properly left that out; he was not talking about the 
Millennial times then, but about our position in this Gospel 
Age. 

It was in perfect harmony with this thought that Paul 
made no reference to Keturah, but we know that the Lord 
never puts anything in His Word without a purpose, and it 
cannot be that this reference to Keturah slipped in here 
without any real significance or object, but when we look a 
little deeper, we are surprised to find how appropriate the 
picture is in this detail also. In Gen. 24:67 it refers to the 
death of Sarah, and then the very next verse, the 1st of the 
25th chapter begins. Then again Abraham took a wife, and 
her name was Keturah. And in the following verses we 



read of six children whom she bore. The construction 
leaves no doubt in one s mind but that Keturah was a wife 
to Abraham subsequent to the death of Sarah. 
Furthermore, if Keturah had lived previous to Sarah s 
death, or during her lifetime, why all those statements 
respecting Isaac, and how he was Abraham s peculiar son, 
and how he was the only son to whom properly Abraham s 
inheritance could go? Yet very few 

PT379 

Bible scholars and students are willing to admit that after 
the death of Sarah, Abraham did take another wife, 
Keturah, as recorded here. 

I will refer you to the Bible dictionaries and other books 
treating upon this as a proof of what I have to say. Almost 
all of them agree, notwithstanding the plain reference of 
this event to the time after the death of Sarah, that Keturah 
must have been a wife who lived contemporaneously with 
Sarah. The reason given for this belief is that Abraham was 
quite aged at the time of the birth of Isaac, and it seems 
miraculous that he should have had a child at all, and God 
had to interfere and work a miracle. 

Then they say, is it possible that Abraham could have 
grown thirty years older, then married, and then had six 
children more? Evidently it is a lack of faith on their part. 
But how well this illustrates the very matter under 
consideration, the New Covenant the very things that 
Bible students have been saying for years and years about 
Keturah, are being said today about the New Covenant. 
They say that it is very unreasonable to think that there is 
going to be such a thing as a Millennium of blessing for the 
world; they say these things seemingly pointing to the 
future really have reference to things contemporaneous 
with the selection of the Church of Christ, that the New 
Covenant does not have to do with anything that will follow 
the development of the wife taken by Abraham after the 
death of Sarah. But we believe that this statement 
respecting Keturah is true, just as the Bible records it. 
Just so, we can have the same assurance respecting the 
New Covenant, of which Keturah is a type, that it is equally 
true. 

We remember, too, the significance of the name, 
Keturah, the word meaning incense. How true it is that 
through this New Covenant such incense and praise and 
universal honour will ascend to the Heavenly Father, 



according to the predictions of the prophets. In Mai. 1:2 
the word incense is from the same root as Keturah. 

CHURCH'S PART IN NEW COVENANT 

We may notice also the share which the Church of Jesus 
Christ was to have in this New Covenant, and we perceive 
that it was not the share of a beneficiary, but rather that of 
being sharers with Jesus in the making of this New 
Covenant. In Isaiah 49:8 we have one statement respecting 
this, and we are right in applying this to the Church, 
because the Apostle Paul quotes it in 2 Corinthians 6:2, 
applying it to the Church, Thus saith the Lord, in an 
acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation 
have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee 
for a covenant of the people to establish (margin, raise up), 
the earth to cause to inherit the desolate heritages. We 
find here that the church was to be given for a Covenant. 
For what covenant? Surely not for the Law Covenant, nor 
for the covenant of special 

PT380 

grace, but we can see that it was to be for, on behalf of, or 
in the interest of the New Covenant, that they might share 
with Jesus in bestowing its blessings upon the world. 

SEALING 

Let us consider the Scripture relating to the making and 
sealing of the Law Covenant, and see how it illustrates the 
making and sealing of the New Covenant. In Exodus, 24th 
chapter, verses 4-8 especially. And Moses wrote all the 
words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and 
builded analtar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according 
to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the 
children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and 
sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord. And 
Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half 
of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the 
book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the 
people: and they said. All that the Lord hath said, will we 
do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and 
sprinkled it on the people, and said. Behold the blood of 
the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you 
concerning all these words." 

The inspired account here tells us of certain oxen which 
were acrificed, and we would understand them to properly 



represent the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
There is reason to believe that there were some goats 
offered, probably at the same time, judging from the 
account given in the book of Hebrews, but they are left out 
of this picture, as though they formed a separate picture. 
We understand that these oxen typified the same thing that 
the passover lamb did, all pointing to the one great sacrifice 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then it tells us how part of this 
blood was sprinkled upon the altar, and the other half was 
put in the basins. The word here translated basins does 
not properly indicate any vessel as large as a basin. It is a 
word that would more properly refer to a smaller vessel, 
such as a cup. As an instance of this, in the Song of 
Solomon 7:2 this same word is translated goblet. We are 
to keep in mind that this was not a yearly ceremony, but 
when the time came for the sealing of this Law Covenant, it 
was done right at that time, and we can readily imagine 
Moses calling to the people to bring their cups, their 
goblets, any kind of small vessels to put the blood of these 
oxen in. We understand that this is the work an ti typically 
which has been going on for these past eighteen hundred 
years, that the Lord Jesus, the great ox, the bullock, was 
slain, and since that time, we have been partaking of His 
blood, we have been receiving of His life, for, as the 
Scriptures express it, the blood is the life thereof. 

These cups and small vessels having been gathered 
together rather hastily, they must have been a peculiar 

PT381 

collection, no two of them exactly alike. Probably some had 
big cracks through them, others had pieces broken 
away some injured in one way and some in another way, 
but that did not matter. 

The important thing was not the cup, but the blood that 
was put in it. Thus it has been during the past eighteen 
hundred years, for we have been receiving the blood of 
Jesus Christ. Those cups had no blood of their own until it 
was put into them. So with us, we had no life until we 
received it reckonedly from Jesus. Jesus was the only one 
who had life, as we read. In Him was life. But Jesus 
poured out His life; He gave up His life there, and we have 
been receiving it, and so the Apostle could say, I live, yet 
not I but Christ liveth in me. (John 1:4; Gal. 2:20; John 
6:53-57.) 



How much blood did these cups add to that which came 
from the ox? Not one single drop. Did they not possess a 
little blood of their own? Not one bit. Thus was illustrated 
how entirely void of life we are of ourselves, how the merit 
or life comes from Christ. But then, why was this blood 
put in these cups? In order that through them it might be 
applied to all the world of mankind, and so in this picture, 
we are told how that blood was sprinkled over the people. 
It could not be the blood that was put upon the altar, for 
that could not be gathered up again, it must have been that 
put into these cups, and we can thus see how that in due 
time through the Church the merit of the Lord 

Jesus Christ is going to reach all and they will all get the 
blessings promised. Just as the blood had to come from 
the oxen and the cups were merely the channel through 
which it reached the people, so today we can see that God s 
people have no merit of their own. They have merit, they 
have worth, but it is this merit which they have received 
from the great bullock which is going to reach the 
remainder of mankind. 

SPRINKLING 

I cannot help but think that this is the real thought 
found in 1 Peter 1:2. Elect according to the foreknowledge 
of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto 
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 
You will notice that the Apostle is not speaking about how 
we have been chosen because of the sprinkling of the blood 
of Jesus. We realize that we need the blood of Jesus just 
as much as the world needs it in the next age, but we 
recognize that we must get the benefit of the blood before 
we would be of the elect, but, after becoming the elect, the 
Lord shows us that we have the privilege of obedience, and 
so today we are trying to be obedient, but there is going to 
be a future work. After this has properly developed us, we 
are then to share, in due time, in the sprinkling of the 
blood of Jesus Christ. Well, one may ask. Has not the 
blood of Jesus Christ been sprinkled upon us? We would 
say, Assuredly. But 

PT382 

we must ever bear in mind that there are a great many 
things true of the Church today that will be true of the 
world in the Millennial Age, but it would not be reasonable 
to say that because such things are true of both the 
Church in this age and of the world in the next age. 



therefore everything that is true of the Church in this age 
would be true of the world in the next age. That would lead 
to some very erroneous conclusions. We know that some 
things which will be true under the New Covenant are also 
true under this covenant of grace, but it would not be 
proper to say that because some of these things are true in 
both instances that it is all therefore the work of the New 
Covenant. We know that, according to the New Covenant, 
the world will be enlightened in respect to the Lord, and we 
have been; and we know that under the New Covenant the 
world will be brought to love the Lord, to serve Him, and we 
have been brought to love and serve the Lord. We are also 
to bear in mind that we need the blood of Christ just as 
much as the world under the New Covenant will need the 
blood of Christ, even though there is some difference in the 
work accomplished in us and later in the world. 

NOT UNDER 

One might be inclined to inquire of us. But are we not 
reckoned as under the New Covenant when we accept 
Jesus Christ as our Saviour, are we not in the step of 
justification counted as under the New Covenant? But we 
answer. No. The New Covenant includes the gradual 
uplifting process that will bring man to a state of human 
perfection, and will enable him to actually remain there for 
ever. 

Note the passage in which our Lord s words to His 
disciples in the upper room are recorded, Matthew 
26:27-28: And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave 
it to them, saying. Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood of 
the New Testament, which is shed for many for the 
remission of sins. Our saviour invited them to drink what 
He here called the blood of the New Covenant. When they 
drank of that cup, they assimilated the wine which it 
contained, and thus it illustrates well how we assimilate 
that which we receive of our Lord Jesus. Furthermore, it 
indicates a participation with Him in that same cup of 
suffering of which He drank. This is also clearly pointed 
out in Paul s reference on this statement in 1 Corinthians 
1 1:25: After the same manner also He took the cup, when 
He had supped, saying. This cup is the New Testament in 
my blood. These words show that the Lord Jesus drank of 
this very cup first, before He gave it to them to drink; and if 
this implies their coming under a New Covenant, it would 
indicate that Jesus came under the New Covenant, but if 
this New Covenant had reference to the benefits that would 
be enjoyed by all imperfect men. 



PT383 

whether in this age or in the next, then it would lead us 
to the contradictory conclusion that the Lord Jesus Christ 
was also an imperfect being, and that He also needed to 
participate in the imputed merit of His sacrifice. But the 
very fact that Jesus was a perfect being, and did not 
require at all the condition of the New Covenant, is an 
evidence and a proof to us that in the drinking of this cup, 
He had no reference to the coming under the conditions of 
the New Covenant, but we see now that the real thought of 
this passage is that, as He had drank of that cup of 
degradation, bitterness, distress and suffering, and that 
this even implied the sacrifice of His very life, and all of this 
was done for the purpose of sealing a New Covenant, then 
we must likewise believe that the share which Jesus had in 
this was to illustrate the share which likewise His disciples 
were to have. If His position was not that of one under the 
New Covenant, but one who was to seal that Covenant, as 
a result of the sacrifice of His life, then they likewise, in 
accordance with the passage already noted in Isaiah 49:8, 
were to share in the sealing of that New Covenant, by giving 
themselves as He had given Himself. The difference was 
that in giving Himself, He was perfect and complete, 
without need of any imputed merit, while with us, we are 
weak and imperfect, and we need the imputed merit of our 
Lord the Master. We must get the reckoned righteousness, 
which comes from the applied merit of our redeemer, before 
we are in a fit condition to sit at our Master s table and to 
participate with Him in the cup which He offers us to drink. 

HOUSES OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH 

In concluding this discourse it might be well to say a few 
words respecting why this New Covenant was to be made 
with the house of Israel and the house of Judah there is 
no reference to its being made with the whole world of 
mankind. 

We know that all of God s arrangements seem to have 
been to the Jew first, and then also to the Gentile. We 
remember that the Apostle Paul said in Romans 9:4, To 
whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the 
covenants, and the giving of the law. 

ccording to the prophetic statements, when the great 
time of trouble with which this age concludes, has drawn to 
a close, there will be only one nation on the face of this 
earth, namely the Jewish nation. The prophecies lead us 



to the conviction that the time of trouble will mean a 
destruction of every nation except the Jewish nation, and 
to that people it will mean a national resurrection. We 
remember that in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, 
the Jewish nation was compared to a man; we remember 
that their national death was represented by the death of 
that rich man, and that as a nation the Jews have been 

PT384 

dead ever since A.D. 70. We recall how in Ezekiel the 37th 
chapter, reference is made to the resurrection of that 
nation. The valley of dry bones here spoken of does not 
refer to the individual Jew, but it refers to them in a 
national sense. Note the explanation of this fact in the 
1 1th verse. Then he said unto me. Son of Man, these 
bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say. Our 
bones are dried, and our hope is lost; we are cut off from 
our parts. 

He does not give us to understand that these bones 
represent men that are actually dead, because these people 
are represented as speaking; they are talking about how 
they were like dried bones, cut off from their parts, their 
hope lost. In what sense was this true? Nationally. Then 
in this passage, we have a picture of the national 
resurrection of Israel. But the same time of trouble that 
will result in the national resurrection of Israel will result 
in the death and destruction of every other nation. In 
Jeremiah 30: 1 1 it says. For I am with thee, saith the Lord, 
to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither 
I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: 
but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee 
altogether unpunished. Here the statement is made that 
the Lord is going to make an end of all nations except the 
Jewish nation, that He would give them a measure of 
punishment, and when that period of punishment was 
over. He was going to restore them and bless them. 

When we speak of all other nations being destroyed, we 
would not have you infer that we mean the individuals of 
those nations, nor would we have you understand us to 
mean that all lines of demarcation will be immediately 
blotted out, that language and facial characteristics will 
immediately disappear; but our thought is rather that from 
their peculiar standpoint as a nation with a government of 
their own, and with an organization of their own, every 
other nation on the face of the earth will lose its national 
individuality and standing in this time of trouble, except 



this Jewish nation, who will gain what the others lose. 
Why will the Jews survive nationally when the others will 
not? Simply because the Jewish nation was the only 
nation established by God; every other nation was 
man-made, and God had nothing to do with their 
organization. However, we see that through the Jewish 
nation that covenant and its blessings will reach all the 
remainder of the earth s inhabitants in due time. 

Note a Scripture to this effect in Isaiah 14: 1, For the 
Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, 
and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be 
joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of 
Jacob. Here we would have you specially notice the fact 
that strangers, those who had been members of other 
nations, were going to be joined at that time to Israel, to 
share 

PT385 

her blessings. The 2nd chapter of Isaiah is quite a picture 
of the same thing. Jeremiah, 3rd chapter, 17th and 18th 
verses, also remind us of the way all other nations of the 
earth will gather about Israel at that time. Notice also 

Zechariah, 8th chapter verses 20-23, Thus saith the 
Lord of hosts; it shall yet come to pass, that there shall 
come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: and the 
inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying. Let us 
go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of 
hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations 
shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to 
pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; in those 
days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold of 
all languages of the nations, even take hold of the skirt of 
him who is a Jew, saying, we will go with you: for we have 
heard that God is with you. 

We have a further confirmation of this in Ezekiel 
16:59-62: First the Lord reminds Israel how they had 
despised that old Law Covenant that He had made with 
them, and then He would have them further remember that 
even though they had been unfaithful. He was not going to 
forget the beautiful things typified in that Law Covenant, 
and in due time. He would establish unto them an 
Everlasting Covenant. Following that in the 61st verse with 
the statement, that when He has made that Everlasting 
Covenant, that New Covenant with the house of Israel, and 
with the house of Judah, then He would give to them the 



people of Samaria, and the people of Sodom, but He 
specially reminds them that He would not give to Israel 
those people by that old Law Covenant, but that it was 
going to be by or through this New Covenant of which we 
find His Word full of references. 

Some might ask why the Lord had determined to send 
this blessing to other nations through the Jews. One 
reason is this: The Lord determined to humble the entire 
human race. There is nothing that will have a more 
humiliating effect upon a large part of the people of the 
earth, and especially those who have professed the name of 
Christ but have really been unfaithful to His teachings, 
than to be compelled to look up to the Jewish people as the 
divinely appointed channel through which they will get 
their blessings. We can well believe many of them at first, 
in that Millennial time, will refuse to accept the blessing 
through the Jews, as much as to say, Lord, I want you to 
bless me, I want to enjoy the blessings of that New 
Covenant, but I am not going to take it through a Jew; you 
must send it through some better channel than that. We 
can imagine the Lord saying. All right, that is the method I 
have adopted; if you do not wish to accept the blessings 
through the Jews you need not accept them at all. We 
realize that in due time man or woman will come to the 
humble attitude of mind that will be ready 

PT386 

to accept the Lord s blessing through what ever channel He 
may be pleased to send it. 

We thus recognize that, beginning with Israel, the 
blessing of the Lord shall reach ultimately to all the world 
of mankind, and thus it will be true that the blessings of 
that time will be to the Jew first and then to the Gentile, 
the same as it is now. 

The secret of the Lord respecting the selection of the 
Church, etc., is with them that fear or reverence Him, and 
He will show them His covenant. (Psalm 25:14.) 

RANSOM AND SIN-OFFERING 

We assume that all who have made a serious study of the 
matter are satisfied beyond all question that the Ransom 
provided for mankind is none other than the man Jesus, 
who presented Himself for this purpose when He came to 



John at Jordan, there to be immersed by him into that 
typical water grave. (Matt. 20:28.) 

Many Scriptures can be found to support this 
conclusion, and none that can be construed to oppose it, 
hence we accept it as sound and incontrovertible. This 
being so we know that Jesus was in no sense inferior to 
Adam before he transgressed: by this we mean that Adam 
possessed no power, no right, no quality of any kind 
whatever, now represented in Jesus, but this could not be 
said of any other man; so that Jesus, and Jesus only, God 
could use to restore all that was lost to the race through 
the sin of its federal head Adam. His sacrifice made 
possible a restoration of all things, spoken of by God 
through all the prophets of old (Acts 3: 19-25). In this 
connection it is interesting to recall that Adam was given a 
partner (Eve) to share with him his privileges and his 
responsibilities, and the experiences of these two were 
almost identical in every way. 

So, in like manner, will the second Adam (Jesus), the 
regenerator of the first Adam s race, have a partner "the 
Lamb s wife" the Bride of Jesus (Rev. 19:7; 21:9.) 

It is clear to all students that the loss suffered by our 
race through Adam s transgression included life human 
life in perfection, enjoyed amidst perfection. A restitution 
of all things must, therefore, include these two conditions, 
with all else rightly attached to them in God s plan. 

How was so wonderful a thing to be accomplished as the 
providing for all those condemned in Adam, an opportunity 
to gain to themselves everything that was lost by original 
sin? It is not necessary to point out that such an 
undertaking would be altogether beyond the skill of man, 
beyond his wit even to devise, much more beyond his 
power to perform. But God so loved the world that He sent 
His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him 
should not perish but have everlasting life. 

PT387 

A JUST SENTENCE 

A reverent mind has no difficulty in appreciating that the 
condemnation, the curse of death, rests quite justly upon 
the whole race; nor is there any difficulty in recognizing the 
wisdom of condemning all in one man, seeing that this 
made possible the redeeming of all by one. To explain the 



philosophy of this redemption requires more than human 
intelligence however, and nothing but enlightenment by the 
Holy Spirit could make it possible. If the Lord can use this 
pen to help make more clear some of the hidden mystery, 
how grateful we all shall be. 

In the first place we would remind ourselves of the 
sentence passed on Adam by God: Cursed is the ground 
for thy sake; in sorrow thou shalt eat of it all the days of 
thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; 
and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy 
face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; 
for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto 
dust shalt thou return. Or in other words: In the day thou 
eatest thereof dying thou shalt die. The matter is summed 
up by the Apostle Paul as follows; The wages of (the) sin is 
death. (Romans 6:23.) 

Seeing the instructions of God were disregarded, and 
Adam willfully transgressed (1 Tim. 2:14), there can be no 
question of the justice of the death sentence, and the only 
hope for a future existence for the race lies in a 
resurrection from the state of death (Rom. 5:18). 

THE PENALTY MET 

The penalty for sin death passed upon all men in that 
all were condemned in the one transgression, the sin of one 
man. (Romans 5: 12.) To make it possible for the race to 
escape this curse of death Jesus died "the just for the 
unjust." His eternal extinction as a man the 
corresponding price meets the original sentence as a 
substitute for Adam and his race. He was delivered up on 
account of our offences "The Lord hath laid on Him the 
iniquity of us all." Had sin never entered into the world 
Jesus could not have died, for the wages of sin is death. 
Now that He has died for us our reconciliation with God is 
possible, and had God so planned the matter the 
resurrection of the human race could have been long since. 

We can see that the death of the man Jesus meets the 
penalty "the wages of sin," thus guaranteeing an 
opportunity of life to all. But to raise humanity to life and 
perfection requires more than this at His hand; they are 
still held in bondage to sin and death; it is His part to 
break the bonds of death and set the captives free in God s 
due time. The only way to accomplish this great work will 
be to give life to the poor captives; that indeed will break 



death s bonds, and set the prisoners free! I will ransom 
them from the power of the grave; I will 



PT388 

redeem them from death" (Hosea 13:14); The gift of God is 
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

When speaking of the Ransom it is necessary to 
remember that it means a price to correspond, just that. 
One man brought condemnation death, and one man, the 
man Jesus, provided the Ransom for all. 

The ransom, provided by Jesus, is the price necessary to 
set men free from the power of death. Mankind has no 
option but to come forth from the tomb in due time (Hosea 
13:14; John 5:29), because the ransom has been provided 
in their behalf. 

As matters stand at the present time we see that not only 
has Jesus voluntarily met the penalty for man s sin when 
He by the grace of God tasted death for every man (Heb. 
2:9) but, additionally, the vast majority of the human race 
have also suffered death on account of the same sin. What 
a contrast is here presented, however! In the case of the 
race a penal death from which they require to be redeemed. 
In the case of Jesus a sacrificial death, providing the 
Ransom, the means of redemption for us, and for all. This 
sacrificial death Jesus spoke of as a baptism "I have a 
baptism to be baptized with," a baptism of death; it was the 
consummation of the bitter cup God poured for Him. 

The sin which made the death of Jesus possible, and 
necessary, was the sin of the poor world of which we all 
formed part "dead in trespasses and sins." (Ephesians 
2:1.) How remarkable it seems that God s plan provides for 
others to suffer this sacrificial death with Jesus, following 
in His steps. Not to provide the Ransom however, for this 
He had already found. To James and John Jesus says. Ye 
shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the 
baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized 
(Mark 10:39). We recall that Jesus was thus baptized for 
the dead; and the Apostle refers to the like experience 
which comes to others when, in commenting upon the 
resurrection of the dead, he says. Else what shall they do 
which are baptised for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? 



Why are they then baptized for the dead? And why stand 
we in jeopardy every hour? (1 Cor. 15:29,30.) 

The explanation why those who are baptized for the dead 
stand in jeopardy every hour can be understood when we 
realize that these form God s first-fruits, who have been 
ransomed and redeemed by Jesus and whose ransomed life 
has been given up to God a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1). It 
is as new creatures in Christ they stand in jeopardy: their 
ransomed life sacrificed, they now have set before them the 
one hope of their calling "the high calling of God in Christ 
Jesus" (Ephesians 4:4; Phil. 3:14): It is a question of 
eternal life or eternal death for them. 

PT389 

The sin for which Jesus died remains upon the race still, 
the curse continues, and this makes it possible for those 
first ransomed by Jesus, and therefore having a living and 
acceptable sacrifice to offer, to be baptized into Jesus 
sacrificial death (Rom. 6:3). They are first passed from 
death unto life (John 5:24) so that they might die with 
Jesus. In John 6:44-58, the Lord sets the matter before 
us; the essence of which can be found centered in one 
verse (verse 53), which should be read in conjunction with 
Lev. 17:10,11 where one feature is typically shown. To eat 
(assimilate) the flesh of Jesus (by faith) means the 
appropriating of His human life, and drinking of the blood 
at the same time makes necessary the laying of that life 
down as part of His great sacrifice for sin drinking the cup 
with Him (Mark 10:39): the cup must not pass, drink ye 
all of it. (Matt. 26:27.) 

ONENESS WITH JESUS 

It is recognized by students of the Bible that we are living 
in the antitypical Atonement Day, a time of sacrificing for 
the purpose of atonement, during which the whole 
creation groaneth and travaileth in pain afflicting their 
souls all the day long (Lev. 16:29,30). The Man Jesus was 
sacrificed, offered up, over nineteen hundred years ago, 
and the continued sacrifices which have followed have 
consisted of those who have denied themselves, and taken 
up their cross and followed Him. 

That there would be further sacrifices following the 
sacrifice of the man Jesus is set forth clearly in the book of 
Hebrews in chapter ten. In chapter nine, verse 23, we 
read: It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things 



in the heavens should be purified with these (the blood of 
bulls and goats); but the heavenly things themselves with 
better sacrifices (plural) than these. Then in chapter ten, 
verses 9 and 10, we read He taketh away the first (typical), 
that He may establish (not fulfill) the second; by the which 
will (purpose) we are sanctified through the offering of the 
body of Jesus Christ once for all. The authorized 
rendering of verse 12 is not complete; the full text can be 
seen in the literal rendering of the Diaglott New Testament 
which reads "He but one on behalf of sins having offered a 
sacrifice for the continuance (Lexicon: prolonged, extended) 
sat down at the right hand of God thenceforth waiting till 
may be placed the enemies of Him a footstool for the feet of 
Him. By one offering He has perfected for the continuance 
those being sanctified." 

He has been waiting for nearly two thousand years and 
waits still, whilst those who are perfected and sanctified 
continue the better sacrifices, which He established for 
the cleansing of the things heavenly (Heb. 9:23). When this 
work of sacrificing is complete, the Lord will begin to deal 
with the world, and will quickly put all enemies under His 
feet. We read: This is the 

PT390 

covenant I will make with them after those days," after the 
days of waiting during which the continued sacrifices are 
completed. God says He will put His laws in their hearts, 
and on their minds will He write them, and adds: And 
their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more, 
then no longer will offerings for sin be needed. 

The Scriptures already referred to make clear that there 
is a oneness with Jesus which His followers experience 
preparatory to the oneness of glory to follow on the spirit 
plane of being. 

How can this oneness be defined? It is a fellowship with 
Him in the sin-offering; a fellowship in atonement; but not 
in the ransom which provides the intrinsic value which 
makes atonement. 

None of the fallen human race shares in this oneness 
when in their fallen state. To have fellowship with Jesus in 
the Sin-offering, we need to receive the grace of God in its 
many aspects and applications, to fit us for so great an 
honour: and even then the fellowship with Him is possible 
only by the righteousness provided in Jesus. When Jesus 



inaugurated this wonderful work, He expressed Himself 
thus: Suffer it to be so now, for it becometh us to fulfill all 
righteousness." Our Lord s words formed a message of 
instruction to a fallen race, of whom none were righteous, 
that God had now appointed that righteousness was to be 
obtained in, and through, Jesus only. 

JUSTIFICATION 

The great doctrine of justification appears to be God s 
appointed way whereby men may be privileged to share in 
the sin-offering. 

It is interesting, and suggestive, to note that wherever the 
expression justified, occurs in the New Testament it 
invariably comes from the Greek word dikaioo. From this 
we gather that some similarity must be seen wherever the 
word is used: a correspondence, but not necessarily an 
exactly similar meaning, because, as Prof. Young tells us, 
to justify means to make, or declare, right. The 
Scriptures say "it is God that justifies (Rom. 8:33). For 
God to make right would mean that the individual would be 
holy perfect: for Him to declare right need not mean a 
state of perfection, but right in intention or action a 
qualified state of rightness. The first thing required by God 
of a sinner is repentance: Repent ye therefore. 

Repentance would appear to be the first stage of 
justification, as clearly taught by our Lord in the parable 
(lesson) He gave for the purpose (Luke 18:10-14). Here 
Jesus teaches us that the man who confessed himself a 
sinner, and cried for mercy, went down to his house 
having been justified (Diaglott literal). 

The next thing God requires is conversion, a change of 
heart "repent ye therefore and be converted." Such a 

PT391 

state indicates a progression in justification, a drawing 
nearer to perfection, and Jesus says: By thy words thou 
shalt be justified ; the good words spoken being an 
indication of the converted state of the heart, as the context 
shows. 

Faith continuing to develop according to knowledge and a 
fuller appreciation of God s plan of salvation in Jesus, 
brings a still further advancement towards holiness, 
perfection, peace, and life. Jesus said. According to your 



faith be it unto you, and the Apostle Paul expresses it 
thus: Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with 
God. (Rom. 5:1.) 

Thus far justification is of a declared character, not the 
end in view, but arranged to convey one to the final stage of 
justification to life a making right. To fail to proceed 
would mean to receive the grace of God in vain the object 
in view not being attained to; but this would not mean loss 
of life for the individual, he never having been justified to 
life. So far he has been declared right, but not made 
right. The next, and final, step of justification is found in 
Romans 5:9, where we read by much more then having 
been justified now in the blood of Him a making right. 
The Scriptures tell us that the life of the flesh is in the 
blood (Lev. 17:11). Hence the expression justified now in 
the blood of Him is a hidden way of saying justified in the 
human life of Him. These are the mercies of God whereby 
it is possible to present to God a living, holy, and 
acceptable (human) sacrifice our reasonable service 
(Romans 12:1). 

THE SIN-OFFERING 

The sin-offering forms the basis for forgiveness of sins 
(Making atonement), thus affecting mankind from the 
moral, or righteousness, point of view. It provides for 
atonement from sin, but does not provide life for anyone. 

In Hebrews 13:10-13, is clearly set forth what the 
sacrifices of the Gospel Age (the antitypical Atonement Day) 
are. We read We have an altar, whereof they have no right 
to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those 
beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the 
High Priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 
Wherefore Jesus also that He might sanctify the people 
with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go 
forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His 
reproach. 

Those spoken of as serving the tabernacle are the 
consecrated, and anointed. Priests, both in type and 
antitype. Which means that those, thus called of God 
today, have an altar whereof they have no right to eat. Had 
Jesus, the first of these favoured ones, partaken of the 
offering. He Himself placed upon the altar for sacrifice. He 
would have been unacceptable to God as an offering for sin. 
The Apostle would remind all who are sharing this 



PT392 

experience with Jesus, that their offering must be wholly 
and totally consumed in like manner for the bodies of 
those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by 
the High Priest for sin, are burned without the gate, let us 
go forth therefore unto Him (Jesus) bearing His reproach. 
If we take back from the altar any part of the offering we 
make to God we shall lose for ourselves the privileges and 
honours of the Christ of God. Precious in the sight of the 
Lord is the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15); It is a 
faithful saying: for if we be dead with Him, we shall also 
live with Him (2 Tim. 2:11). Be thou faithful unto death 
and I will give thee a crown of life (Rev. 2:10). Quite 
clearly the meaning of the references in Hebrews is that the 
offering of the footstep followers of Jesus must be wholly 
consumed upon the altar; and the reason for this is equally 
clear, namely because their sacrifice forms part of the 
sin-offering (Rom. 15:16), the completing of Jesus sacrifice, 
as typically shown by the commingling of the blood of the 
goat with that of the bullock upon the propitiatory. (Lev. 
16:15). 

THE LAMB'S WIFE 

Jesus, the Lamb of God, delighted to do His Father s will. 
The course marked out for Him was a remarkable one. He 

made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the 
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 
and being found in fashion as a man. He humbled Himself, 
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the 
cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and 
given Him a name which is above every name. Let this 
mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, for God 
has predestinated that the Bride of Christ must first be 
conformed to His image (Rom. 8:29). Those who 
demonstrate their loyalty to their heavenly Bridegroom 
under the various tests now upon us, filling up of the 
afflictions left behind of Christ for the Body s sake will be 
counted worthy to form the Bride, the second Eve. O 
glorious prospect drawing near the Marriage of the Lamb! 

They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: 
and the door was shut. When the marriage is 
consummated, and the virgins, the Bride s companions 
that follow her, are brought into the King s palace, with 
gladness and rejoicing, then the regeneration of Adam s 
race, for whom atonement will have been made, will begin, 
and the fathers shall become the children of the Bride 
and Bridegroom, and they shall be made princes in all the 



earth, as co-labourers in the glorious work the restitution 
of all things made possible through the sacrifice of the man 
Christ Jesus. 



A Series of Articles 

written by 

Pastor Charles Taze Russell 

for the 




overls\ndM» 



The "OVERLAND MONTHLY" magazine was a publication started by the 
journalist and author, Francis Bret Harte, and published in San Francisco, California. 

In late 1908 they requested Pastor Charles Taze Russell to write a series of articles on 
"The Divine Purpose" which began to appear in February, 1909. 

The response to this series was so large that his articles on a variety of subjects 
continued to appear monthly until his death on October 31, 1916. 

This book is a collection of these articles. They have been reproduced from Xerox 
copies of the original magazine articles which accounts for the lack or reproduction 
quality on certain pages. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



The Divine Program—The Living and True God 1 

The Divine Program—Why a Mystery? 4 

The Divine Program— Bible In the Light of Reason 9 

The Divine Program— Permission of Evil 14 

The Divine Program— Redemption from the Curse 20 

The Divine Program— Epochs and Dispensations 26 

The Divine Program— Predestination and Election 31 

The Divine Program— Judgment of Great White Throne 37 

The Divine Program-Millennial Kingdom 44 

The Divine Program— Kingdoms of this World Supervised 49 

The Divine Program— Messiah's Second Coming 55 

The Divine Program— Great Day of His Wrath 58 

God's Chosen People-Faith the Foundation of Jewish Character 63 

God's Chosen People-Hope Long Deferred Now Reviving 67 

God's Chosen People-Israel's "Double"-Fact and Theory 73 

God's Chosen People-Chastened "Seven Times "-25 20 Years 79 



God's Chosen People- Jubilee of Restoration 84 

God's Chosen People-Israel's New Covenant 89 

God's Chosen People— Passover of the First-Boms 93 

God's Chosen People— Their Sabbath and Jubilee 99 

God's Chosen People- Great Day of Atonement 103 

God's Chosen People— Zionism is God's Call 108 

God's Chosen People-Must Jews Become Christians 

in Order to Receive Divine Favor 113 

God's Chosen People— Should Jews and Christians Unite? 117 

Pastor Russell's Reply to Cardinal Gibbons' Sermon 121 

Infant One Hundred Years Old to Be Electrocuted 127 

Cardinal Gibbons and Pastor Russell 132 

The Immortality of the Soul 135 

China's Prayer to One of Messiah's Kingdoms 140 

"World That Was," "Present Evil World," 

and the "World To Come" 144 

A Clean Thing Out of an Unclean 149 

Jews Not to be Converted to Christianity 153 

Pastor Russell and the Monitor-Part 1 158 

Pastor Russell and the Monitor-Part II 165 

Civil Baptism in France 171 

The Greatest Thing in the Universe 174 

Songs of the Night 176 

A Joyful Message for the Sin-Sick 179 

Paradise Better Than Honolulu 183 

The Church Militant's Surrender to the Church Triumphant 187 

The Reign of Messiah 191 

The Japanese Complimented 195 

Be Content With Your Wages 199 

Weeping All Night 202 

Every Idle Word 207 

Refrain Thy Voice from Weeping and Thine Eyes from Tears 212 

Pastor Russell Not a "Socialist" 218 

Our Lord's Return 224 

The Golden Rule 229 

Creed Smashings Necessary for Federation- 
Congregational, Presbyterian, Methodist 234 

Changes of Creeds Necessary for Baptists, 

Adventists and Disciples for Federation 238 

Episcopalian, Catholic, Lutheran-What These 

Creeds Surrender to Enter Church Federation 243 

Thrust in Thy Sickle 248 

The Two Salvations 252 

The Great White Throne: Day of Judgment Misunderstood 255 

God in the Home 256 

A Famine in the Land 259 

Pains of Hell Explained to Us 263 

The Battle of Armageddon 268 

The Sabbath Day 278 

The True Church 284 

Man's Fall from Divine Favor 288 

God in the Home 292 

Christendom in Great Danger 294 

Satan's Ambition-Jesus' Ambition 298 

Satan the Murderer-Murderer to Die 303 

Fatal Ambition— Noble Ambition 306 



The Great White Throne: Day of Judgment Misunderstood 311 

How and What to Fight 313 

Messiah's Fast Approaching Kingdom 318 

Imminence of Christ's Kingdom 322 

The Miraculous Birth of Jesus 327 

Three Men and Two Women Whom Jesus Loved 331 

Financial, Ecclesiastical and Social Shakings 336 

World-Wide Theocracy 340 

Exposition of the Justice of the Day of Vengeance 344 

The New Day Dawns 348 

Jesus Died a Human-Raised a Spirit Being 352 

What is a Christian? What His Standards? 356 

Two Escape from Hell—No Torment There! 361 

Value of Ideals to Church and World 366 

Is Christian Science Reasonable? 371 

Is Christian Science Scriptural? 376 

Church's Birth Due Now; 

World's Due Later-During Millennium 378 

Golden Age at Hand 383 

Twenty Billion Slaves to be Freed 387 

Sowing to Self and Sin-Reaping Corruption 392 

Bishop- Apostle's Costly Mistake 394 

Conditions of Acceptable, Effective Prayer 400 

God's Justice and Love Perfectly Poised 405 

Pseudo Apostles of the Present Day-Part 1 410 

Pseudo Apostles of the Present Day-Part II 414 

Pseudo Apostles of the Present Day-Part III 419 

Jehovah's Saintly Jewels 422 

The Church's Hope-The World's Hope 427 

Nations "Weighed in the Balances" 432 

LifeofPastorRussell-byE. D.Stewart 435 

The Late Pastor Russell-by J. F. Rutherford 442 

POEMS 



The Word of Truth 13 

If We Only Understood 25 

The Coming Storm 30 

One Here, One There 36 

Take Heart 48 

Is It For Me? 54 

Lord Jesus, Make Thyself to Me 57 

To Jesus Always 62 

Press On 66 

Only a Little While 72 

Just For Today 78 

The Beam That Shines 88 

What Would Jesus Do? 92 

The Wrath of God 102 

The Rose 112 

Great Truths 126 

The Master's Touch 134 

Patience 148 

Sweet Day of Rest 170 



Build a Little Fence 175 

Sometimes I Almost Wonder 178 

There Are Great Truths 182 

In the Presence of the King 201 

Sometime We'll Understand 206 

If I Could Know 211 

A Little While 221 

Broken Purposes 228 

A Cup of Cold Water 233 

Oh! To be Ready 258 

Amen! Amen! 267 

The Peace of Europe 277 

Father, Take My Hand 287 

Jesus Only 291 

O Love, Our Refuge 293 

The Lord be With You 297 

What a Friend We Have in Jesus 300 

Lead Me 310 

Show Me Thy Face 317 

Endurance 326 

Our Bow of Promise 330 

The Sweet-Brier Rose 335 

This Too Will Pass 336 

TheDay of His Preparation 339 

Trust 343 

Prayer of the Consecrated 355 

Gideon's Army in Antitype 360 

Communion With Our Father 365 

Disappointments 370 

His Will, Not Mine, Be Done 375 

And There Was a Great Calm 382 

Lord, Give Me This 391 

Some Glad, Sweet Day 399 

The Day Is at Hand 404 

The Word of God 409 

Christ Within 413 

O What if We Are Christ's 414 

Whom Will Ye Serve? 421 

How Readest Thou? 426 

How Strong and Sweet My Father's Care 431 

Will His Work Endure 441 

Lights Along the Shore 448 



OVl 



FEBRUARY, 1909 




No. 2 OVERLAND ,^^,, 



QNTHLY 



Vol. IIH 



PLYTiVOUTH-^BETHEL^ 






Tabei^nacle 



THE DIVINE PROGRAM 



This article is the first of a series of twelve on a most important theme by Pastor 
Russell, of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. Pastor Russell is widely known, both as a writer 
and speaker on homiletic themes. --EDITOR OVERLAND MONTHLY. 



/.-- "The Living and True God. " 

THE STRUCTURE of the brain places veneration at the very top, and thus, by 
implication, confirms the statement of the catechism that "Man's chief end is to 
glorify God, and to enjoy him forever." However great the depravity of our race in 
the dark places of the earth, this element of veneration, of an instinctive appreciation 
of a God and a feeling of responsibility toward him constitutes a foundation upon 
which to build, to reconstruct, to reorganize the depraved elements of character. 
Without this fulcrum, missionaries and philanthropists might well lose all heart and 
all hope in respect to the moral and social uplift of the masses and the classes. 
Whoever, therefore, is intelligently a friend to his race must do everything in his 
power to maintain this center of mental balance of mind and to utilize it as an 
essential feature in the Divine arrangement for human well-being. Whoever in any 
manner or degree undermines this element of the mind is surely doing a destructive 
work, instead of a constructive one, whether he realizes the fact or not. But, alas, 
that we must say it! Some of the most intelligent of our most intellectual day are 
rapidly drifting away from the fundamental truth that there is a living and true God. 
These intellectuals are accepting the thought of an impersonal God, which, from our 
standpoint, is tantamount to saying, "There is no living and true God." This is the 
position taken, not only by theosophists and Christian Scientists, but also by many 
scientific and professional thinkers. Rarely is an attempt made to define the 
impersonal God. Rather the term God is used merely as a concession to popular 
sentiment and the "ignorance of the unlearned. " Those who hold this view often use 
the word nature as a synonym for God. Their thought really seems to be that there is 
no intelligent creator in the universe; that our sun 



OV2 

and stars and planets are governed by what they term "natural laws," and that 
humanity prospers and progresses merely as it learns by experience the operation of 
these laws, and seeks co-operation and avoids conflict with them. Christian Science, 
dealing less with the scholastic and more with the ordinary reason, attempts to 
explain that the word God simply signifies Good. And then, with something of a 
play upon words, which confounds the reasoning faculties of the untrained mind, 
they tell us that whatever is useful is good, and therefore is God. Proceeding with the 
explanation, they declare that every tree and rock have good or usefulness in them, 
and hence to that extent have God in them. Elaborating further, they say that God is 
in the air, because of its vitalizing effect; he is in the flower because of its goodness 
and usefulness for beauty and fragrance; he is in the tea-kettle, because of its 
usefulness; likewise in the chair, the table, the floor, the ceiling—everything. 
Whoever entertains such views proportionately destroys his faith in a personal God, 
"The Living and True God," and in the Bible as his revelation. How could an 
impersonal God have a purpose, a will, a plan, a program? And how could he give a 
revelation of that purpose or program in the Bible or otherwise? "He that cometh 
unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently 
seek him." He shall be found of them. He will reveal his true character to them. "He 
that seeketh findeth." But our Christian Science friends meet our objection with the 
assertion that Buddhists and Theosophists hold the same and represent a large 
proportion of the human family. Furthermore, they claim that the same thought of an 
impersonal God is taught in all the principal creeds of Christendom, when they 
declare faith in an omni-present God! Alas, we must admit that the charge is well 
founded; that the seed of error on this subject was planted in our minds and 
confessions of faith long ago. Be it noticed, however, that this inconsistency cannot 
be charged against the Bible, for, although our confessions of Faith were ostensibly 
made to be in harmony with the Scriptures, the truth is, that not one word of the 
Bible from Genesis to Revelation, declares Divine Omni-presence, but every 
utterance on the subject affirms the personality of the Father, and that our Lord Jesus 
is the "express image of his person."-- Heb. 1:3. "God is a Spirit," but he is a being, 
a person. The Scriptures distinctly tell us that a spirit has not flesh and body, as we 
have, but they as distinctly inform us of the Divine personality and use the members 
and qualities of the human body to bring the Creator within the range of our 
apprehension. The Hand of the Lord (his Divine power), and the Eye of the Lord (his 
Divine wisdom) are in every place. The Ear of the Lord is bowed down to hear the 
groaning of the prisoner. And the Heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind. 
Heaven is his Throne and the earth is his footstool. True, these expressions are 
pictorial, figurative; nevertheless they figure not an impersonal Creator, but a 
personal one, who feels, who thinks, who exercises his power; who has displeasure 
with those who are sinful and loves those who seek to do his will; to walk in the 
paths of righteousness. Whoever cultivates this thought of a righteous, personal 
God, assists in establishing his own heart along lines of corresponding character. He 
seeks a further knowledge of such a Creator; seeks his compassion and his protecting 
care, and learns to love him, as he could never appreciate nor love Nature nor any 
disorganized conception of a space-pervading non-entity. He whose mind and heart 
grasps the Scriptural Personality of the Heavenly Father catches the significance of 
our Savior's words, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And not one of them 
shall fall to the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all 
numbered. Fear not, therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows." Such may 
worship in spirit and in truth proportionate to their knowledge of the Infinite One, 
whom they were directed to address, "Our Father, which art in heaven." Thinking of 
the Almighty as everywhere present is entirely unsatisfactory to our comprehension, 
which calls for a God whose throne is in heaven. This was 

OV3 



the same thought that our Savior again impressed on the women who met him after 
his resurrection. To these he said: "I have not yet ascended to my Father, and to your 
Father; to my God and to your God." Thus the general trend of Scriptural testimony 
confirms the thought which we receive by nature, and intensifies and elaborates it, 
by giving location and quality of heart and mind and power. Regardless of the truth 
of the two theories, the Bible presentation is surely the one most helpful to humanity. 
To have no personal God must eventually signify to the reasoning mind no Law- 
Giver, no Judge, no justice, no love, no mercy, no personal relationship, as between 
father and child. Thus would be lost the very basis of Christian faith and doctrine. 
The Scriptural presentation of the Almighty is, therefore, the one most consistent to 
our reason and most helpful to us, namely, that he is a great God, infinite in his 
wisdom, his justice, his love and his power. His personality has heaven for his 
locality, but his influence and powers pervade the universe. We may but imperfectly 
imagine the various channels of his information and the innumerable agencies 
through which he can exercise the Almighty Power. But in the light of present day 
invention, we have at least suggestions of it, for cannot man communicate by 
wireless telegraphy over hundreds of miles? And not only so, but cannot he use the 
Hertz- waves for the transmission of power? And can he not with the telescope 
greatly enlarge his vision, and with the microscope see things otherwise 
indiscernible? And if puny man, imperfect and fallen, "Bom in sin and shapen in 
iniquity and of few days and full of trouble," can thus enlarge his natural powers, 
what limitations might he justly or wisely set upon the intelligence and power of his 
Creator? "He that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that formed the ear, shall he 
not hear?" He that gave to humans our sense of justice, shall we not consider him the 
very Embodiment of Justice? He who gave to us the power of sympathy and 
compassion and love, shall we not consider him, the Author of our powers, as 
infinitely superior to the very highest of our human ideals? For our present purpose 
it is not even necessary that we be believers in the Bible in order to formulate before 
our minds something of the glorious character and attributes of our Maker. True, 
correct views of the teachings of the Scriptures will surely aid us in our conceptions, 
but at this time we are addressing not merely believers in the Scripture, but also 
unbelievers. We urge, then, that rational thought on the subject bids us believe that 
man is the highest type of earthly intelligence, and this teaches us that there must be 
an intelligent Creator as much superior to us as we are to the crawling worm. Yea, 
more than this, that he who gave us our intelligent being must be separated from us 
by a still wider gulf than that which separates us from the worm, because we cannot 
even create a worm. And it is but a logical process of reasoning that the noblest of 
our talents and powers are but feeble reflections of the same qualities in our Creator. 
From this standpoint, how great is the God which our intelligent reason would 
picture! How worthy of our reverence, our devotion, our love, our service! The 
Scriptures assist us by showing that the blemishes which we find in ourselves and 
others are results of disobedience to the Divine instruction~the results of the fall 
from the more particular image and likeness of our Creator. Filled with so noble a 
conception of Deity, we would naturally hasten to worship and bow down, but are 
stopped by the voices from the Dark Ages, which misrepresent the Almighty, 
implying that he is not the embodiment of justice, wisdom, love and power. These 
voices assure us that, although we are commanded to love our enemies, to do good 
to them that hate us and persecute us and say all manner of evil against us falsely, 
nevertheless the Almighty, who gave these commands, does not love or forgive his 
enemies, and does them good but inadequately, and has made preparation for their 
eternal torture. There is something wholly inconsistent between these voices from 
the past and the voice of our reason. It is claimed by many that the Bible 
substantiates the voices of the Dark Ages, the creeds, but we hold that this is a 
mistake, partly attributable to poor translation and partly to misunderstood parables. 
The reasoning mind 



OV4 

surely rebels against the theory which in the Dark Ages held sway and led to the 
Inquisition and the stake. And it is glad that it has gotten rid of so gross a 
misconception of the "Father of Lights." A well-balanced and reverential intellect 
will rejoice to find and to recognize a God that not only is not devoid of justice, 
wisdom, love and power, and on a plane lower than our own, but who, on the 
contrary, is infinite in these attributes and worthy of our reverence and worship. We 
assent that the Divine Word, the Bible, has been greatly misrepresented by us all in 
the past, and deserves reconsideration. If our forefathers read the Bible with 
smoking lamps and blurred vision, and nevertheless got some blessing, what a power 
of God it should be to us now, if, in the light of the electric arc, we should find it the 
store-house of Divine grace and truth, perfectly co-ordinated and surpassing our 
highest ideals! 



OV4 

THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

BY C. T. RUSSELL 

PASTOR BROOKLYN TABERNACLE 

//. WHY A MYSTERY? 

HAVING SEEN in the light of reason that we have a personal Creator, infinite in 
wisdom, justice, love and power, and having claimed that the Bible is the Revelation 
of the Divine Purpose, the question properly arises: Why is it, to so large a degree, a 
Book of parables, symbolisms and dark sayings? Why is it not so open and clear that 
the way-faring man need not err therein? Why is it that Doctors of Divinity find it 
perplexing, mysterious, incomprehensible? What excuse can be offered for mysteries 
in connection with a subject in which all should be interested? The answer to these 
questions opens the outer door to the temple of truth, to a proper appreciation of the 
Bible as the Word of God. And we note at the beginning that the Bible most 
distinctly declares itself to be a Book of Mysteries. The four Gospels of the New 
Testament, supposed to be the simplest and plainest portion of the Book, mainly 
records of our Lord's deeds and words, declare, in harmony with the Prophecies, that 
the Great Teacher himself delivered his message in parables and dark sayings, and 
that "Without a parable spake he not unto the people," that "Hearing they might hear 
and not understand; and seeing, they might see and not perceive."-- Matt. 13:14. 
Wherever we go, whether in heathen or in civilized lands, we find the most 
intelligent people associating themselves in various secret societies. They do indeed 
make prominent certain general objects, which these societies profess to serve—but 
more than this, the public are not to know. Their secrets are carefully guarded by 
grips and signs and pass-words and vows. There is a reason for this secrecy, too. It is 
to prevent the methods and operations of the societies becoming known to those not 
in sympathy with them, who might seek to frustrate them. What shall we say if we 
find that our Creator, for similar reasons, has kept secrets from alienated mankind 
many of his purposes? And would it seem strange if we should find that those in 
fullest harmony with their Maker should proportionately be granted a knowledge of 
the Divine purposes hidden from others? We hold that these are the facts-that the 
Bible so declares. In a word, from the Scriptural standpoint, Jehovah God was the 
organizer of the most remarkable secret society known 

OV5 



to men up to the present time! The Jewish Church was a kind of Junior Order and 
prepared the way for the Gospel Church, which for nearly nineteen centuries has 
constituted the great Divine Secret Society. True, there are many nominally 
associated who are hypocrites and who have neither part nor lot in the Society, its 
privileges, its blessings and its secrets. Then there are others who have taken the first 
step or degree, and who are thus privileged to know the merest rudiments of the 
Divine Purpose. Others have taken the second and subsequent degrees, and have 
grown in grace and knowledge, having become wise with the wisdom which cometh 
from above. Let us prove from the Bible that there are such secrets of the Divine 
Purpose, and that they are revealed to some and not possible to be understood by 
others. Do not the Scriptures declare that "The secret of the Lord is with them that 
reverence him, and he will show them his covenant? "~Psa. 25: 14. Did not St. Paul 
declare: "The mystery hid from all ages and generations is now made manifest to his 
saints?" (Col. 1:26.) Note well that this mystery is not made known to the world, but 
unto the saints -and in proportion as they are saintly. Note again that our Redeemer, 
addressing the Father, said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, 
because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them 
unto babes; even so. Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." (Matt. 1 1:25-26.) 
Hearken to his words again when asked of his disciples why he spoke to the people 
in parables and dark sayings; he responded, "Unto you it is given to know the 
mystery of the Kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all these things are 
done in parables: that seeing they may see and not perceive; and hearing they may 
hear, and not understand. "--Mark 4: 1 1-12. There is one prominent difference 
between the operation of the Lord's Secret Society and the worldly ones. The latter 
have great difficulty in preserving their secrets, while the former has no difficulty. 
While the Lord's people are advised not to cast their pearls of knowledge before the 
swinish, it is not because the latter might understand and thwart the Divine Purposes 
or reveal the Divine Secret, but, as he expressed it, "Lest they turn again and rend 
you." Otherwise God's people may tell anything and everything they please, to the 
extent of their knowledge, respecting the Divine Mysteries, but the while should 
know that none can understand these mysteries except the initiated —the spirit 
begotten. Mark the Apostle's clear expression on this subject: "The natural man 
receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; 
neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." "We speak 
wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world. ...We speak 
the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained 
before the world unto our glory.... God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit: for 
the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." ~1 Cor. 2:6,7,10,14. 
Proceeding, the Apostle shows the necessity for this secretiveness as respects the 
Divine Purpose—shows that if it were generally known amongst men, the Divine 
program would at times be interfered with. He tells us that none of the princes or 
prominent ones of the world understand this wisdom of God~for had they known it, 
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. It is with them, as it was previously 
foretold by the Prophet Isaiah (64:4). "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have 
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love 
him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit.... We have received, not the 
spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that 
are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which 
man's wisdom teacheth, but which the holy spirit teacheth."--! Cor. 2:8-13. We shall 
assume that we have established our point; that there is a mystery connected with the 
Divine purpose, and that it can be understood only in proportion as any shall come 
into harmony with God, and is understood completely only by the spirit-begotten 
and fully developed saints of God. We may proceed to show from the Bible 
additionally that the Revelation of this mystery, even to the "saints" was to be a 
gradual one, whereby the mysteries. 



OV6 

the secrets, would become "meat in due season to the Household of Faith." (Matt. 
24:45.) For instance, our Lord at his first advent declared to his followers: "I have 
many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." (John 16: 12.) In the 
same connection he promised that in the future, as due, these still hidden things 
would be gradually revealed according to the necessities of his followers. A full 
knowledge of the mystery of the Lord was not promised until the end of this Gospel 
Age, when, under the sounding of the seventh symbolical trumpet, "the mystery of 
God shall be finished," which he hath kept secret from the foundation of the world.-- 
Rev. 10:7; Rom. 16:25. Our Lord pointed to this culmination of knowledge, when 
he said to his followers that in the future the holy spirit "should show them things to 
come." (John 16: 13.) It is in full harmony with this that special visions and 
revelations were given to St. Paul, not for the benefit of himself alone, but for the 
blessing and encouragement and assistance of all the members of the Church of 
Christ, God's Secret Society. For although the Apostle tells us that he was forbidden 
to make known the secret things revealed to him, nevertheless by Divine intention 
the knowledge given to him greatly illuminated his writings and made them specially 
helpful to the saints throughout the Age. And St. Paul's writings, be it remembered, 
constitute more than one-half of the New Testament. Thus did God provide a 
storehouse of spiritual food, to be gradually dispensed to the Household of Faith 
throughout the age, as "meat in due season" -dispensed by the holy spirit. We 
remember, furthermore, that the Law and Prophecies given to typical Israel were 
clothed in figurative, symbolical language, and these also constituted "meat" for the 
Household of Faith, the understanding and appropriation of which would be 
possessed gradually, as the holy spirit would guide them and grant the necessary 
enlightenment, that the spirit-begotten ones might understand "the deep things of 
God." Moreover, the writings of St. Paul constitute a key to the understanding of the 
many features of the typical Law Covenant. This principle of keeping secret the 
Divine purpose, yet providing a key to its understanding, which would unlock it in 
due time, reminds us of the time-locks now in common use for the protection of the 
treasures of our banks. The combination will not operate until the due time has been 
reached, and then it will yield only to those who have the combination, and who will 
use it. As an illustration in point, note the statement of Daniel's experience and the 
Divine message to him. The Prophet had been given a vision and a part of it had 
been interpreted to him, but the remainder perplexed him. He plead with the Lord, he 
tells us, with fasting and prayer for weeks, and then obtained a further interpretation 
of a portion of it, but was told respecting the remainder, "Go thy way, Daniel: for the 
words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end (in the time of the end of the 
present order of things.) Many shall run to and from (by steam and electric power), 
and knowledge shall be increased (through compulsory education.) And then the 
wise (with heavenly wisdom) shall understand." (Dan. 12:4,9-10.) As a further 
illustration remember our Redeemer's words to the disciples when they asked at his 
first advent, "Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?" he 
answered and said unto them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons, which 
the Father hath put in his own power." (Acts 1 :6,7.) "Of that day and hour knoweth 
no man, no, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but my Father only." 
(Matt. 24:36.) There is nothing here to intimate that the Son would never know the 
time, nor that the angels in heaven would never know the time, nor that men would 
never know the time; but merely that the time for the knowledge was not yet due. It 
was still in the Father's hands, unrevealed even to the Son. Another illustration of 
this fact that there are great secrets connected with our subject~the Divine Program- 
is shown in the Book of Revelation. That Book itself is full of signs and symbols, 
evidently designed to barricade its mysteries from all except a certain class, the 
saints, and from them, also until the time was due 

OV7 



for the secrets to be revealed. Note the words, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they 
that hear (understand) the words of this Prophecy." (Rev. 1:3.) The very reading of it 
will bring a blessing, and, as its mysteries gradually dissolve, the understanding 
thereof will bring still additional blessing. Note again in the introduction of the Book 
the statement of its mysterious and symbolic character. Its name. Revelation, 
signifies the uncovering, and implies something hidden. The opening sentence is, 
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him to show unto his 
servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified 
it (revealed it in symbolic form) by his messenger. "--Rev. 1:1. We close this 
testimony respecting the mystery, the secret enshrouding the Divine purpose, with 
the account of Revelation, Fifth Chapter. Here a beautiful symbolism represents our 
Creator, Jehovah, upon his Throne of Glory, holding in his hand a scroll of 
manuscript, written within and on the outside, and sealed with seven seals. That 
scroll pictured the Divine Purpose respecting our race. Not a seal had yet been 
broken. This confirms our Redeemer's words that the Father had kept all things 
pertaining to his Divine Purpose in his own hands or power. Then we note the 
proclamation made throughout heaven: "Who is worthy to be granted the custody of 
the scroll, to open its seals, to know its mysteries, and to be entrusted with the honor 
of carrying them to completion?" A hush prevailed—silence in heaven! Apparently 
none was found worthy of so high an honor as to interpret and execute the Divine 
Purpose. The Revelator John says, "I wept much." He had great grief that the wise 
and gracious Program of the Almighty must remain sealed and unfulfilled, because 
no competent agent was to be found. But the scene changed. An angel touching the 
Revelator, said: "Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed to 
open the scroll, by loosing the seals thereof." St. John wiped his tears and looked 
again. A fresh symbolic picture met his eye. He beheld a lamb as it had been slain, to 
whom the scroll was entrusted, and he heard in symbol the united voice of the 
heavenly host declaring the Will of God, "Thou art worthy to take the scroll and to 
open the seals thereof." Here we see, then, that great and honorable as our Redeemer 
had been before he left the glory which he had with the Father before the world was, 
he had not then proven himself worthy of this great glory and service, represented by 
the giving to him of the scroll of the Divine Purpose, with authority and power to 
carry the same to completion. Nor did he reach this climax during his earthly 
ministry. It was after he had finished the Sacrifice, after he had died on Calvary as 
the Lamb of God, after he had ascended to heaven. Then he was highly exalted. In 
the Apostle's language, he was "Given a name above every name, that at the name of 
Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and every 
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."-- Phil. 2:9-1 1. Then all the 
heavenly host hailed him, as he was entrusted with the execution of the Divine 
Program, "Worthy the Lamb. " But he had not yet executed the Divine Purpose, 
which was still immature, undeveloped. He had, however, begun the execution of it 
in the organization of his Church. At Pentecost he sent forth the begetting spirit, 
which since has represented him in the world, and through it he has begotten to 
newness of nature the faithful, consecrated believers throughout this Age. Soon this 
church, which is called the Mystery of God, shall have been finished- when the last 
member shall have been accepted, chiseled, polished and made ready for association 
with himself, as the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, and Joint-Heirs in the Kingdom, which 
Kingdom, by the grace of God, will bless all the families of the earth, by a release 
from the powers of Sin and Death, which now hold it in slavery. 



OV8 

THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

III-THE BIBLE IN THE LIGHT OF REASON 

BY C. T. RUSSELL 

PASTOR BROOKLYN TABERNACLE 



This is the third article in the series by Pastor Russell of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. 
There is no gainsaying the importance of the theme, and, too, in view of the fact that 
Mr. Russell is so widely known, these articles have occasioned wide discussion and 
comment, as has been evidenced by the vast number of communications that have 
come to the Overland Monthly from all parts of the country. 

-THE EDITOR. 



HAVING established to our satisfaction: 

L The fact that there is a supreme, intelUgent, wise, just, powerful and good Creator; 
and 

IL That he had special reasons for keeping certain features of his program secret (a 
mystery) and in revealing some gradually to those in fellowship with himself, we 
now proceed. 

III. To consider to what extent the Bible furnishes reasonable evidence that it is a 
Divine revelation worthy of acceptance by those who are capable of heart accord 
with their Creator and his great program of the ages. The Bible is the only book in 
the world which in a logical and rational manner sets forth the order of creation in 
respect to earth, and shows man as its Lord and ruler and his Divine authority over 
the "beasts of the field, the fowls of the air and the fish of the sea," giving a detailed 
account of the processes of the creative epochs. The Bible alone gives man a proper 
standing as the Son of God, made in the Divine image and likeness as respects 
mental and moral qualities. The Bible alone explains to us how and why sin and 
death prevail amongst mankind and not amongst the angels. We find ourselves "born 
in sin and shapen in iniquity," "prone to sin as the sparks fly upward;" yet the Bible 
only explains to us how and why this is our condition and how and when and what 
relief God has provided for our race. The Bible alone gives an orderly record of the 
first man and his descendants to the flood. The Bible alone gives an explanation why 
the flood came and what purposes it served in the Divine program. The Bible alone 
gives a record of the epoch immediately following the flood and carries a 
genealogical line from Adam to Noah, to Abraham, to the nation of Israel. It is true 
that other so-called sacred books do in some degree effect to give an account of 
creation, but the story they tell is so wildly absurd as to be unworthy of the slightest 
credence. The Chinese, for instance, relate that the elder God and his son in a skiff 
together grounded, and the son in shoving the boat free caught a handful of earth and 
shells which he moulded in his hands and tossed out upon the surface of the water, 
where it grew and grew until it became this earth. Who will compare such an absurd 
statement with the orderly and logical presentations of Genesis? We grant that the 
Genesis account is not as full and complete as we could have wished for, yet later on 
when 



OV9 

we shall take up this subject of creation we shall find a perfect agreement between 
its brief, epitomized statements and the most accurate deductions of the most careful 
geologists of the Twentieth Century. In studying the Bible we should remember that 
it was written neither to the world nor for the world, nor yet concerning the world, 
except as the world is related to the Divine program. From the time of Abraham, the 
Divine program attached itself to him and his posterity, natural and spiritual Israel- 
proposing a blessing for Abraham and his seed and recovery from the sin and death 
conditions, and that these blessings through Abraham's seed shall in due course 
extend to and bless "all the families of the earth." Only from this standpoint can the 
Bible be rightly viewed or judged. While the Bible claims no Divine inspiration in 
respect to the history of affairs from creation to Moses, a Divine supervision of that 
history is unquestionably implied and is explained as proper, necessary, because of 
the relationship between God's dealing through Abraham and Moses under the 
Covenants and his previous dealings with the race, leading up to these Covenants 
and properly making them necessary to man's recovery from the dominion of sin and 
death. Divine interposition and revelation to Abraham is directly claimed and the 
ground therefor is explicitly stated—God's time had come for beginning the work of 
rescue for our race and Abraham's faith marked him as the appropriate one through 
whom the good tidings (Gospel) of Divine mercy should be made known, saying: 
"In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." That promise became the 
basis of hope, the magnet for faith and the inspiration for righteousness to all those 
who foreshadowed, typified the blessings to come through the Abrahamic Covenant. 
The prophets merely foretold certain details connected with the fulfilling of that 
promise made to Abraham and his seed, and encouraged the favored nation to whom 
these promises were made to stand firmly for the Lord and continue to be his typical 
people. It is that Covenant that St. Paul referred to as the oath-bound Covenant, the 
Divine promise of a future blessing to mankind through Abraham's seed, firmly 
bound by the Divine oaths to the intent that all believers might have strong 
consolation in fleeing from sin, in resisting its allurements, in denying self, in taking 
up the cross, in seeking to be affiliated with God, and to be accounted worthy of 
association with the great Messiah promised -the seed of Abraham to bless the 
world. (Heb. 6:10-14.) The Apostle assures us that by it the twelve tribes of Israel 
continually serving God were inspired and held in loyalty to him and separated from 
the nations surrounding them. "Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly 
serving God day and night, hope to come." (Acts 26:7.) We are stating the matter 
simply, just as set forth in the Scriptures. It is for the Evolutionists and Higher 
Critics to explain away their difficulties. Ignoring the Bible account and claiming 
man's origin to have been primordial protoplasm, they trace his ascent by 
evolutionary processes to Adam, the first "monkey-man." The intelligence displayed 
by Moses and the Egyptians of his time they find it difficult to account for, and so in 
defense of their theory they surmise thousands or millions of years, regardless of the 
fact that in so long a period the world would be vastly over-populated. Moreover, 
they have another difficulty, inasmuch as the intelligence displayed by Moses and 
recorded in the Bible is far beyond the intelligence of the masses of today and even 
of broader basis than the most intelligent of today; so that in the most learned circles 
and in courts of justice the words and laws of Moses and Israel are cited as standards 
of wisdom and justice. Indeed, it is safe to say that the laws of the most civilized 
nations of the world today have either been constructed out of the so-called Laws of 
Moses or have been diligently compared and revised in the light thereof Pause for a 
moment to consider some of the features of that Law. Notice that some of its 
accepted provisions have modified Latin laws, much to their advantage, and that 
other neglected features of the Mosaic Law are being cried for by Socialists today, 
and, not being forthcoming, in the estimation of many our present civilization is 
beset with danger from anarchy. 



OVIO 

We refer, for instance, to the Law of Moses respecting debtors and creditors-that a 
debt could not extend beyond fifty years— that the fiftieth or Jubilee year wiped out 
every responsibility, personal and financial, and permitted each estate to come back 
to its original possessors, and each family to recover from its disasters and financial 
difficulties. It is the neglect of this very provision which has been recognized to 
some extent and been offset somewhat by the "Laws of Bankruptcy, " which in the 
last few years have been adopted by all civilized nations-limiting the duration of the 
debt-hindering it from crushing out hope and ambition. Unlike all other 
Governments that instituted by Moses recognized God himself as the ruler, and the 
nation as his people. The "holy of holies" of their Tabernacle was the Divine 
meeting place, and around it circled in order the various tribes. The sentiment of 
personal responsibility to God was maintained in all of their laws, and the spirit of 
the Decalogue is today recognized as the very best statement of human obligation- 
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, being, and strength, and 
thy neighbor as thyself." Thirty centuries have failed to improve upon this statement. 
The Government instituted by Moses was in many respects a model of fairness and 
justice as between brethren, and even the rights of the stranger, the foreigner, were 
stipulated. Israel was in many respects a republic whose officers acted under the 
Divine Commission and law, and so continued for over four hundred years. Then at 
the request of the Elders it was changed to a monarchy by the Lord's permission, but 
without his approval. He said to Samuel who acted as a representative of the people: 
"Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not 
rejected thee, but they have rejected me." Under Divine direction, the prophet 
explained to the people how their Divine rights and liberties would be disregarded 
by the kings and they would lose their liberty in a considerable measure by this 
change.— 1 Sam. 8:6-22. Considering the anxiety of the people to have a king, how 
evidently Moses might have taken that position amongst them without the slightest 
opposition! The judges were representatives of the various families and tribes. 
Respecting them, Moses declared "And I charged your judges at that time, saying. 
Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man 
and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in 
judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the 
face of man; for the judgment is God's. "-Deut. 1 : 16-17. The laws of the most 
civilized peoples of today do not more carefully provide that rich and poor shall 
stand on a level in accountability before the civil law. The Jubilee arrangement, as 
we have seen, is in this order; and all the laws were made public, thus establishing 
the poorest in a knowledge of his rights. Respecting the rights of the foreigner, for 
instance, we read, "Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for 
one of your own country: for I am the Lord your God." (Lev. 24:22.) "And if a 
stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that 
dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him 
as thyself. "-Lev. 19:33,34. The laws protected the weak, the stranger, the servant. 
For instance, "Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were 
strangers in the land of Egypt. Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If 
thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; 
and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall 
be widows, and your children fatherless." (Ex. 22:21-24; 23:9; Lev. 19:33,34.) 
"Thou shalt not oppress him that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren or 
the strangers that are in the land, within thy gates. At his day thou shalt give him his 
hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it, for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon 
it; lest he come against thee to the Lord and it be sin unto thee." "Thou shalt rise up 
before the hoary head and honor the face of the old man." (Lev. 19:13,14,32.) All of 
this, yet not one word of special honor for the priestly tribe. 

OVll 



Note again the equity: "If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou 
shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee, 
lying under his burden, wouldst thou forbear to help him? Thou shalt surely help 
him." (Ex. 23:4-5.) Mark how dumb animals were not forgotten: the ox must not be 
muzzled while threshing the grain, because any laborer is worthy of his food. An ox 
and an ass must not be hitched together, because so unequal in strength and tread; it 
would be cruelty. Their rest was also provided for.-Deut. 25:4; 22:10; Ex. 23:12. A 
priestly tribe was indeed indicated, but so far from being selfishly put into power, the 
reverse was done, in that no political power was given to the priesthood. They were 
to teach the people and to minister holy things, but not to be their rulers. Moreover, 
they were cut off from an inheritance with the other tribes in the land and made 
dependent upon the voluntary offerings of their brethren. Nor was their position 
fortified by threats of present or future calamity. If they were negligent of their 
teachers, the simple exhortation was: "And the Levite that is within thy gates: thou 
shalt not forsake him: for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee." (Deut. 14:27.) 
To say that this arrangement was selfish or that the scheme was concocted by 
"priests and knaves" is to declare one's ignorance of the institutions of Israel. On the 
contrary, if the Bible were more thoroughly studied there would be many to inquire 
with the celebrated attorney who made a study of the Jewish law: "Where did Moses 
get that Law?" The answer surely would be that it was not the product of a "monkey- 
man, " and more, that it gave evidence of a Divine authorship as well as of a highly 
intelligent, humble, patriotic, noble instrument. We must leave for future 
consideration the typical features of Moses' Law, competent understanding of which 
serves an important place in the instruction of spiritual Israel concerning spiritual 
things. This the Apostle declares, saying that the "Law is a shadow of things to 
come," (Col. 2:17), and that as cleansings were made with the blood of bulls and of 
goats, these prefigure antitypical cleansings through "better sacrifices."-- Heb. 9:23. 
Who can reasonably or truthfully say that these laws and regulations were the work 
of crafty, designing men animated by selfish desires? And the same principle applies 
to the historical books and to the prophecies of the Scriptures. Everything tests the 
sincerity of the writers and their loyalty to God and men. The messages which they 
delivered often cost them popular disfavor and sometimes their lives. —Heb. 11:30- 
40. The very fact that the sins and weaknesses of prophets, kings and priests are laid 
bare in the Scriptures, yet without any apparent animosity or any desire to color or 
whiten them, indicates fairness and a loyalty to Truth beyond anything we are 
accustomed to today. Indeed, although many bad men of influence are criticised in 
the Scriptures, there is no evidence whatever of any endeavor to tamper with the 
records. Apparently the sacred writings held the reverence of the people to a 
remarkable degree. Much along the same line could be said for the New Testament 
writings. They are simply told. Unfavorable truths are not ignored. It is freely 
conceded that Jesus died between two thieves; that he was betrayed by one of his 
own disciples; that they all forsook him and fled; that one of them even denied him 
with cursing. The humble origin of the disciples is stated, yet without parade, and in 
narrative form it is innocently declared that even when the apostles Peter and John 
preached under the power of the Holy Spirit their learned hearers could "perceive 
that they were ignorant and unlearned men." (Acts 4: 13.) What biographies or other 
writings of today display as much candor as we thus see at a glance as we open the 
Bible? 



The Bible Itself a Miracle. 

When we consider the fact that the Bible is composed of sixty-six books written by 
thirty-eight different pens, during a long period of nearly two thousand years it is a 
miracle surely that these writers are in full accord, telling the one story. This cannot 
be accounted for except upon the lines which the Scriptures themselves lay down, 
namely: that these various writers 

OV12 

were supernaturally guided in respect to their utterances. To get a view of how 
stupendous this miracle is, let us suggest that an equal amount of writing from any 
thirty-eight men living contemporaneously, members of one denomination, 
influenced by one general shade of thought, would be found widely conflicting and 
contradictory— even if they were the most learned men in the denomination and 
picked for the very purpose of this demonstration. Permit another suggestion along 
this line, namely: that amongst those who reverence the Bible as a Divine revelation, 
we find such dissimilarity of thought that it has developed hundreds of 
denominational creeds which contradict and oppose one another in a most violent 
manner, so that the peace-loving of today are constrained to avoid doctrines as much 
as possible in the interest of unity. More than this, what shall be thought of it if we 
find that all the creeds of Christendom not only antagonize each other and 
antagonize reason, but that they violently antagonize the Scriptures themselves? 
What shall we say to it if we find the Scriptures alone harmonious with themselves 
and with reason? Will not this demonstrate that the Bible is the most wonderful 
Book in the world-assaulted both by friends and foes, it has withstood them all and 
still stands the great Divine monument and record of the purposes which God 
purposed in himself before the foundation of the world? 

Harmony from Genesis to Revelation. 

We hold and shall endeavor to make plain that the Bible is not, as is generally 
supposed, a collection of wise and unwise rules, regulations, statements, etc., but that 
it is a Divine record so arranged that when its various parts and their relationship to 
each other is discerned, it reveals the wonderful outlines of the Divine purpose. 
Notice briefly what we will more particularly outline and develop later, namely: that 
from the opening statement to the closing one the theme is The Divine Program: (1) 
Creation; (2) The Fall; (3) Suggestive promises, intimations and types of recovery 
for the fallen race through the mercy of the Creator. (4) The development of the 
thought that sin is unholiness and that it must be abhorred and repelled and put away, 
in order to approach harmony with the Holy Creator. (5) That this is not possible to 
us because of our inherited weaknesses. (6) That God foresaw this and provided for 
it by sending his Son to be man's Redeemer and Reconciler. (7) That since one 
sinner could not redeem another, the Redeemer must be "holy, harmless and separate 
from sinners," and that to this purpose Christ was peculiarly begotten by the 
transference of his life in a miraculous manner from the heavenly condition to the 
earthly. (8) That he "died, the just for the unjust," that thus the sinner's penalty being 
paid, the sinner himself might ultimately go free. (9) The necessity for co-operation 
on the part of the sinner, if any grace be accomplished in him and for him. (10) The 
call of the Church class to be associated with the Redeemer in the sufferings of this 
present time, in self-denials and sacrifices in the interests of the Cause of Truth and 
righteousness. (11) The incentive, the reward offered to such as will now emulate 
their Redeemer and thus become "copies of God's dear Son," and thus "make their 
calling and their election sure" to a joint-heirship with their Redeemer in his coming 
Kingdom. (12) A trial and testing of the Church as to love and loyalty to the Lord 
and to the brethren and sympathetic love toward mankind in general, yea, even for 
their enemies. (13) With the conclusion of this elective or selective purpose will 



come the resurrection of the Church, their change from earthly to heavenly 
conditions, their entrance into the joys of their Lord, "changed in a moment, in the 
twinkling of an eye," to glory, honor and immortality. (14) The work will end with 
the establishment of Messiah's Kingdom in which he and his faithful Bride, the 
"elect" Church, will supervise all the affairs 

OV13 

of earth to the intent that Satan will be bound and all evil influences will be 
restrained. The knowledge of the Truth will be widely proclaimed until every 
creature shall appreciate it fully. The stopple of death to those who then, during the 
Millennium, shall come into harmony with The Christ and be obedient to the laws of 
the Kingdom. (15) Next in order will come the awakening of the thousands of 
millions who have died, the bringing forth of these, "every man in his own order," 
that they may be brought to a complete knowledge of the Truth, to a full opportunity 
of deciding for righteousness and its reward, eternal life; or contrariwise, the penalty 
of the Second Death. (16) The full restitution of man to his original perfection and 
the bringing of earth to the glorious estate of Paradise restored will be the 
culmination of this Divine program, because by that time "every knee shall bow and 
every tongue confess" the Messiah, and only the wilfully disobedient will have been 
cut off, "destroyed from amongst the people."-- Acts 3:23. (17) Then, at the end of 
the Millennium, the perfected race will be turned over in its completeness and 
perfection to the Father, without any mediatorial interposition or covering of sin or 
weaknesses; then according to Rev. 20:7, the Father will permit a strong temptation 
to come upon the entire human family to prove the loyalty or disloyalty to God and 
to righteousness of these favored people for whom so much will then have been done 
through the operation of Divine Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power. The Book which 
thus teaches in contradiction to the various and varied traditions of men, which for 
centuries have surrounded it, is certainly worthy of universal acknowledgment and 
acceptation as the Divine Message respecting "The Divine Program." 



THE WORD OF TRUTH 

THE Word of Truth is like a stained-glass window rare, 

We stand outside and gaze, but see no beauty there. 

No fair design, naught but confusion we behold; 

'Tis only from within the glory will unfold. 

And he who would drink in the rapture of the view 

Must climb the winding stair, the portal enter through. 

The sacred door of Truth's cathedral is most low. 

And all who fain would enter there the knee must bow 

In deep humility. But once inside, the light 

Of day streams through and makes each color heavenly bright. 

The Master's great design we see, our hands we raise 

In reverent ecstasy of wonder, love andpraisel 



OV14 

THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

IV-THE PERMISSION OF EVIL 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

PASTOR BROOKLYN TABERNACLE 



This is the fourth article in the series by Pastor Russell of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. 
These articles are attracting attention among a wide circle of readers, as is 
evidenced by numbers of letters that have come to the Overland Monthly from 
Pastor Russell's followers throughout the country. In addition, the press has devoted 
considerable attention to the articles in the form of criticism and comment. 

-THE EDITOR. 



NOTHING HAS done so much to foster unbelief in a gracious Creator as the fact 
and persistency of evil~a fact that is indisputable. The reasoning faculties of some 
will exercise themselves and refuse to be stifled, and the possessors of such minds 
are straightway in trouble, unless, under Divine Providence, they have the only 
rational solution of the question from the only possible source~the Bible. The best 
faculties of the best brains idealize the Creator as the very embodiment of Wisdom, 
Justice, Love and Power. They say our Creator's character should be in harmony 
with these lines. Then, looking out upon the world and perceiving the sin and 
suffering everywhere prevalent, they conclude that the evidence is lacking that there 
is such an ideal God as they supposed. They reason that if he were just, he would not 
permit the child to inherit its parents' weaknesses and depravities, and then hold the 
child accountable for its conduct under these influences. They reason that if he were 
wise he would have avoided such conditions as made our race a "groaning creation." 
(Rom. 8:22.) They reason that if he were All-Powerful as they had supposed, he 
would never have permitted present conditions to come upon mankind. They reason 
that if he were All-Loving he would make an end of the present conditions of things 
one way or another. It may seem strange to many that our claim should be the very 
reverse of the foregoing, namely, that it is the very perfection of Divine Character 
that has made possible the present condition of affairs. It is because of the absolute 
perfection of our Creator that he permits evil in the world. Let us demonstrate this 
and show the philosophy of it. Granting an All-Wise Creator, just, loving and 
powerful, it is but reasonable to expect him to exercise his power, in harmony with 
his other attributes, not merely in the creation of inanimate things, but specially in 
the creation of beings of a highly intelligent order, and possessed of qualities and 
characteristics resembling his own. Such beings might properly be called "sons of 
God." The Scriptures declare to us several orders of these sons on various planes of 
existence. While revelation respecting the archangels, the cherubims and a lower 
order of angels is set before us in the Divine Word, comparatively little is told us 
respecting them and Divine dealings with them. However, a sufficiency has been 
told us, as we shall soon see, to enable us to comprehend 

OV15 

the operation of the Divine attributes in dealing with these. The Scriptures inform us 
that man was made subsequently to the above-mentioned spiritual beings, and that. 



because endowed with moral qualities and reasoning faculties, he also, in his 
perfection, was styled a "son of God," made in his image, although at the same time 
declared to have been "made a little lower than the angels. "~Psa. 8:5. Accepting the 
foregoing Scriptural statements, and giving them full weight, it will be admitted that 
for them to be in God's image and likeness would mean that they must have liberty 
to do right or to do wrong-they must be free moral agents. If their Creator is a free 
moral agent and they were created in His image and likeness, this would mean their 
liberty to obey or disobey the Divine command to follow righteousness or sin. As 
their Creator is influenced in his conduct by principles of righteousness, but is not 
bounden or restrained, so with these. Consequently there would always be a liability 
of their falling into error of judgment or personal ambition or other sin, and thus 
stepping out of accord with the Divine Government. This is exactly what has 
occurred. The Creator, by the exercise of his power, could have kept his creatures 
shielded from temptation and continually prompt in obedience and adoration; but to 
have thus limited their sphere of reasoning and liberty would have been contrary to 
his noble designs respecting them. Moreover, "the Father seeketh such to worship 
him as worship him in spirit and in truth." Those who would not serve him loyally, 
intelligently, gladly; those who would develop in any degree a spirit of opposition to 
the Divine standards, and a love for sin should be manifested, should be known, 
should be dealt with accordingly. On the contrary, those found loyal under every test 
should be the more highly appreciated and blessed in their association with their 
Creator in his great Divine Program of the Ages. 

Satan the First Rebel. 

According to the Scriptures, Satan was the first rebel against Divine authority. He 
is represented as being one of the highest order of the angels, a "covering cherub," 
glorious and beautiful. His name was Lucifer, which signifies bright morning star, 
and corroborates the thought that he was one of the chiefest of the angels, who are 
figuratively called stars or bright ones, as when we read, "The morning stars sang 
together." Satan's ambition, which led up to the change of his name, is expressed in 
the words, "I will ascend above the other stars (angels.) I will be as the Most High"-- 
an emperor, a ruler, having separate jurisdiction from that of the Creator. Lucifer is 
represented as first of all entertaining a disloyal and ambitious design, which for 
considerable time lay dormant, merely as an ambition, until in Divine providence the 
time came which seemed to Satan to be opportune for the realization of this 
ambition. Then came the test and his fall. This was when our race was created, 
represented in our first parents. In their innocency and perfection, they enjoyed their 
Eden home, nor even thought of disobedience to their Heavenly Father. Satan beheld 
in them a new feature of Divine creation, such as had not been conferred previously 
upon any of the orders of angels, namely, the power of propagating their own 
species. In them he beheld the highest order of animal creature and animal powers, 
combined with the image of God, moral and intellectual. Here was the opportunity 
for the gratification of his long-cherished ambitions. If he could bring over to loyalty 
to himself the first human pair, he could doubtless establish such a control over them 
as would bring him his longed-for separate empire. The method of procedure was a 
simple one. He would persuade them that he was their friend and benefactor, and 
that their Creator was tyrannical and desirous of keeping them in ignorance. God had 
furnished the opportunity for such a suggestion by putting our first parents upon trial 
for life or for death, the conditions being obedience. One special kind of fruit tree in 
Eden was selected for the testing. They were forbidden to eat of it. Satan, "that old 
serpent," endeavored to show them that the fruit of that tree was the most desirable 
of any in the Garden to give wisdom, to make them as gods. He assured them that 
the Divine Word, "In the day thou eat thereof thou shalt surely 

OV16 



die," was an untruth; that their Creator was a falsifier; that his motive was to deceive 
them, and that it was backed by an ignoble intention to hold them in slavery to 
himself~in ignorance. The sequel is briefly stated in the Divine record. Mother Eve 
believed the serpent and disbelieved the Creator. Thus she became a transgressor. 
Father Adam, perceiving that his wife had come under condemnation, ate of the 
forbidden fruit, knowingly, willingly, that he might die with his beloved spouse, 
without whom life seemed not worth living. Thus the great catastrophe of Sin and 
Death was launched upon our race. We estimate, we believe reasonably, that twenty 
thousand millions of Adam's posterity since born have been overwhelmed by this 
catastrophe and have gone down in sin and degradation and in death to the tomb~the 
hell of the Bible— the sheol of the Old Testament, the hades of the New Testament. 

The Intelligent and the UninteUigent Tested. 

Behold the wisdom of God in the method here pursued: One of the most glorious of 
the angels, long-experienced in fellowship with the Creator, finds his testing, his 
opportunity for sin, and in connection with the newest of God's creatures. And the 
youngest of God's sons found his trial, his testing, his temptation, at the hands of one 
of the oldest and by nature one of the most glorious of his brethren. Note another 
difference. The one of long experience and transgressor against great light was 
merely ostracized as respects heavenly companionship, while the one of little 
experience was subjected to the full penalty of the Divine Law, "Dying thou shalt 
die," "The soul that sinneth it shall die."~Ezek. 18:4. Let us not hastily decide that 
our Creator was unjust in this arrangement, but rather with the poet say: 

''God moves in a mysterious way 
His wonders to perform; 
He plants his footsteps in the sea, 
And rides upon the storm. 

"Blind unbelief is sure to err 
And scan his work in vain; 
God is his own interpreter, 
And he will make it plain." 

The dying processes which from the time of disobedience took hold upon our race 
were not unjust. He who gave life originally had the full right to take it away when it 
was exercised in disobedience to the Divine command. Its infliction was in full 
conformity with the original declaration, "Thou shalt die." The dying began 
forthwith, and was consummated within the thousand-year day. "A day with the 
Lord is as a thousand years" (2 Pet. 3:8.) Since then the same penalty has continued 
with Adam's race. It has indeed been "a reign of Sin and Death"-- and has had many 
sad features, even though entirely just. But our Creator informs us in the Scriptures 
that he purposes that all the present lessons given to our race respecting the 
exceeding sinfulness of sin "and the bitterness of its fruit shall ultimately prove 
valuable, assistful and educational to our race-before the Divine Program shall have 
finally ended. Meantime, in permitting Satan to seemingly thwart the Divine 
purpose in Eden and in permitting him still to live untrammeled, undying, the 
Creator gave opportunity to all the angels of Heaven to doubt the greatness of his 
power— to doubt his ability to cope with one of his highest creatures. We can imagine 
the wonderment of the angels and their queries respecting what their Creator would 
do with the arch-rebel who had thus defied him. Failure to visit condign punishment 
upon him could easily be misunderstood to signify weakness, deficiency of power, in 
the very place where omnipotence was supposed to reside— and really does reside. 



The Angelic Hosts All Tested. 

If only one of the angelic host failed along the lines of unbounded ambition, the 
Creator would extend a testing to all of the angelic hosts along various lines. Not that 
he would delight in the fall of any more, not that he would participate in tempting 
them, but he would permit such a reign of sin and such an apparent over-riding of 
Divine power as would encourage all of the angelic host who had the slightest 
tendency toward disloyalty to manifest themselves. Thus would the Lord test, prove, 
manifest, those who are in 

OV17 

heart obedience of love and loyalty and those whose obedience is of fear or 
ignorance. The occasion of testing of the angels presented itself during a period of 
time in which they were permitted to have free intercourse with humanity, ostensibly 
with a view to helping them back again into full harmony and fellowship with God. 
A part of their privilege was materialization, by which they were enabled to appear 
as men amongst men. The exercise of this power was fully set forth in the account of 
Genesis, Sixth Chapter. It is related that the special angel or messenger of the Lord 
and two others of the Heavenly messengers appeared to Abraham in broad daylight. 
He knew them not from men. They ate with him and talked with him and 
subsequently revealed their identity, the two inferior angels (messengers) going 
down to Sodom for the deliverance of Lot. According to the Divine Plan and Word 
it was not possible for the angels to lift mankind out of sin and condemnation back to 
Divine fellowship. But if the opportunity had not been granted, the angels might 
have supposed to this day that the redemption which God purposes through Christ 
was not the only possible one, but that they, if permitted, might have accomplished 
wonderful results for mankind. God not only demonstrated that they were not 
competent to save mankind, but at the same time He brought a test upon the angels 
themselves, which at first they little suspected. As they beheld sin in humanity and 
realized something of the "pleasures of sin," the test came to them whether they 
would prefer the pleasures of sin for a season or would remain absolutely pure and 
loyal to God -whether they would retain their original state as angels, or, failing to 
appreciate this, would desire to live as men and to participate in human affairs and 
sinful propensities. A considerable number chose to "leave their own habitation"-- 
the spiritual realm—and to live as mankind and with men. These were probably 
emboldened to this step by the example of Satan, whose disloyalty to the Divine will 
had not been punished with death nor with any diminution of his power. The 
suggestion was that there were limitations to Divine power which they had not at 
first suspected, and this belief made them free to exercise their own volition and to 
choose sin. It is in harmony with this that we read, "The sons of God (angels) saw 
the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they 
chose.... There were giants in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God 
(angels) came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same 
became mighty men, which were of old, men of renown." —Gen. 6:2-4. This very 
plain record of the Old Testament is also substantiated by the inspired writers of the 
New Testament. Both St. Peter and St. Jude refer to the matter of those angels 
quitting their own habitation or plane of existence and preferring the lower human 
plane and its intercourse with humanity. Thus we read: "The angels which kept not 
their first estate, but left their own habitation (preferring the human). He hath 
reserved in everlasting chains of darkness, unto the judgment of the great day." (Jude 
6.) "God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus (our 
earth's atmosphere), and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto 
judgment. "-2 Pet. 2:4. 



The Earth Filled with Violence. 

The distinct intimation of Genesis is that the posterity of the angels amongst men 
possessed greater virility than Adam's race, which had been fallen through sin and its 
death penalty for fifteen centuries. Selfish ambition threatened to utterly destroy with 
violence the race of Adam and to leave the earth in full possession of Satan and the 
fallen angels and their human offspring. This would have been going too far-would 
have been frustrating the Divine Program. Every feature of it, however, was 
foreknown and had all been permitted to come to pass of angelic volition and human 
volition at the most appropriate time~at a time when the last of earth's Saturn-like 
rings was ripening for collapse, as a flood of water to destroy every living creature 
on the face of the earth, saving only Noah and his family, who 

OV18 

were specially provided for and cared for in the ark. That flood of waters drowned 
the giant descendants of the angels and the members of the human family who had 
come under their influence willingly and unwillingly. The justice of the destruction, 
so far as the progeny of the angels is concerned, cannot be questioned. They were 
exercising life rights and privileges which the Almighty had never authorized nor 
countenanced. Consequently no provision would ever be made for them no 
redemption, no resurrection. As for those of Adam's race who perished in the flood, 
they were no worse off than if they had perished by some other means, famine or 
pestilence, or what is sometimes designated "natural death." Their lives were already 
under sentence of death. No injustice was done. We shall see, however, in due 
course that the Divine Program includes certain privileges and opportunities of 
blessings for those and for all of Adam's children involved in his condemnation to 
death and subsequently redeemed from the power of death by Jesus the Son of the 
Highest. 

Noah Perfect in His Generation. 

Noah as the son of Adam was partaker of his condemnation and inherited his 
weaknesses. Therefore he was not a perfect man, nor is such the intimation of the 
words used in describing him, namely, "Now Noah was perfect in his generation. " 
His generation or birth is the particular point in this observation. He and his family 
were not polluted, contaminated by the improper, angelic intercourse. Thus we have 
in few words the assurance that our entire race is of Adamic stock, and that we, 
therefore, were of those condemned in Adam, for whom provision was made for 
justification through the sacrifice of Christ. As for those angels who sinned, St. 
Peter declares that they were thereafter restrained of their liberties of materialization 
in chains of darkness—restrained from manifesting themselves to humanity in the 
light, in the open. We have reason, however, for believing that the mercy of God has 
not yet utterly forsaken those fallen angels. The basis of this thought is found in St. 
Peter's words, to the effect that our Lord's death and his resurrection from death by 
the Father's power constituted a sermon to those fallen angels, demonstrating to them 
the power of God and his faithfulness to his obedient Son and his generous mercy to 
sinful humanity in the redemption thus accomplished. This sermon of Divine mercy 
coming to fallen angels would signify that there might be, eventually, mercy for 
them also. This thought was further supplemented by the Scriptural declaration, 
"Know ye not that the saints shall judge angels?" (1 Cor. 6:3.) Since the holy angels 
will need no judging, disciplining or trial, it must be the fallen angels who are thus to 
be judged by God's saints in due time, and judgment or trial implies an opportunity 
for repentance and reconciliation to God. In view of this, we may reasonably assume 
that while all of those disobedient angels are restrained from liberties and separated 
from the holy angels, there are two classes of them— the one desirous of returning to 
harmony with God, the other delighting in sin and under the Prince of Demons, 



Satan, evil workers amongst men, operating through spirit mediums and obsessed 
persons and others less thoroughly given over to their control. 

Walk by Faith, Not by Sight. 

During the four thousand years since the deluge, this earth has been subject to what 
the Scriptures term "A Reign of Sin and Death." Humanity, struggling under these 
adverse conditions, has been subjected additionally to baneful influences from the 
fallen angels, so that the Apostle declares, "We wrestle not with flesh and blood 
(merely), but with wicked spirits in influential positions." (Eph. 6:12.) The 
degradation of man, originally made in the image of his Creator, has been dreadful in 
some quarters of the world, reducing him almost to the level of the brute. All this has 
certainly been a great trial of faith to the holy angels. Well might they inquire, "Why 
does the Almighty permit such conditions of imperfection to continue? What 
purpose has he in this permission of evil?" Meantime Satan has, through various 
agencies, sought to turn the hearts of men away from the Almighty, and from the 
revelation he has made of himself. These 

OV19 

agencies have sought to represent him as base, vindictive, loveless, unjust and 
powerfully vicious. During this time God has, through the stammering lips of 
humanity and his prophets and evangels, proclaimed to the world a time of coming 
blessing through Messiah and a Messianic Kingdom. Nevertheless, all who so 
believed were required to "Walk by faith and not by sight." To outward appearances 
the Divine Program miscarried and Satan won the day. Only those who would 
exercise faith have been enabled to endure as seeing the invisible and believing in a 
grace not yet made manifest in full measure. Doubtless it was a trial to the holy 
angels and to the fallen ones, but specially to humanity. 

Holy, Harmless, Undefiled. 

More than four thousand years after the reign of Sin and Death began, God sent 
forth his Son to be man's Redeemer, to recover him from the fall. Yet here again the 
outward evidences seemed to believe the facts. The Son of the Highest, miraculously 
born, was thought to be illegitimate. Instead of appearing in regal, heavenly 
splendor, he appeared as "The man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," and died 
as a blasphemer and malefactor. Yea, and since then, those who have followed his 
footsteps most closely have corroborated his words that the friendship of God means 
the opposition of the world and the Adversary. What is the secret of Gospel Age, 
since Pentecost obscures Divine dealing? We reply that during this time the Creator 
has been selecting from amongst the redeemed sinners special classes to have 
association with himself and his Only- Begotten One in the work of blessing all the 
families of the earth. The Divine object in requiring all of these to walk by faith and 
not by sight is that thus he may find a select "Little flock" full of faith and zealous of 
good works. 

The Grandeur of the Climax. 

As the century plant develops very slowly its bloom, and then suddenly bursts forth 
most gorgeously, so, we hold, will the Divine Program ultimately show forth the 
Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power of the Creator. The poet caught this poetic thought 
and expressed it in the words: 



"Deep in unfathomable mines 
Of never-failing skill, 
He treasures up his bright designs, 
And works his sovereign will. 

"His purposes will ripen fast. 
Unfolding every hour; 
The bud may have a bitter taste. 
But sweet will be the flower. " 

By the permitted reign of Sin and Death, Divine Justice has been permitted to 
display itself in a manner which would not otherwise have been known to either 
angels or men, and in the Sacrifice of the Cross, Divine Love manifests itself to a 
degree never previously understood nor appreciated. When this age shall have 
accomplished its work of selecting an "elect" church, to be the Bride and Joint-Heir 
with Messiah in his Millennial Kingdom; when that Kingdom reign shall have 
brought blessings and glorious opportunities to all of the human race, and Divine 
Power shall have been manifested, even to the utmost limit of the Resurrection of the 
Dead, the Divine Purpose as a whole will be resplendent with the Wisdom of God. 
In a word, then, evil has been permitted in order to manifest the Divine Attributes to 
obedient creatures and in order to test and prove the loyalty to God and the 
principles of his righteousness of both angels and men. The Grand Outcome will be 
satisfactory to all~that ultimately all not in heart harmony with God and his 
righteousness will be utterly destroyed, while all truly his will share his love and 
blessing eternally. Then every creature in heaven and earth and under the earth shall 
be heard praising him that sitteth on the throne, and the Lamb, forever. 



OV20 

THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

V-REDEMPTION FROM THE CURSE 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

PASTOR BROOKLYN TABERNACLE 



This is the fifth in the series of articles by Pastor Russell of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. 
Interest in these articles goes on apace, and the press generally is giving the 
arguments of Pastor Russell considerable attention. Letters containing comment of 
different kinds continue to pour into this office, all of which tends to show that the 
series of articles is awakening general interest.— THE EDITOR. 



AS IN OLD English the word evil was frequently used in respect to things 
unwholesome or hurtful, as well as things morally bad, so also the word curse was 
used more frequently than now in respect to calamities and the unfavorable condition 
resulting from the Divine sentence against sin and sinners. We have noted that the 
evil or unsatisfactory conditions prevailing amongst mankind are the results of the 
Divine curse or sentence. We have seen that a great mistake was made in the dark 
ages in the assumption that the curse or sentence against sin was one of eternal 
torment; that on the contrary it was a just one, a death sentence; that the Creator 
declares that the life and blessings given to his creatures were forfeited forever 
because of disobedience under trial, and that all of Adam's posterity share his curse 



or sentence in a natural way~because he could not give to his children more than he 
possessed himself. We have seen that the mental, moral and physical imperfection 
prevalent in the world is all directly or indirectly the outworking of the death 
sentence on account of which, as the Apostle declares, "the whole creation groaneth 
and travaileth together in pain," "waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God" 
and the blessings which God has promised shall come to all the families of the earth 
through the "elect" Church, after its glorification as the Kingdom of God's dear Son.- 
-Rom. 8: 19,22. Keeping in mind the scriptural use of the word curse, in its broad 
signification attaching to every quality of mind and body, we now come to the 
consideration of what the Bible teaches respecting the redemption from that curse. 
We find the intelligence of the world hostile to the thought of redemption and 
specially hostile to the thought of redemption through the precious blood of Christ. 
We believe that their hostility results from their having the wrong standpoint of 
view. Their opposition unconsciously perhaps associates itself with the erroneous 
thought that man was cursed to eternal torment on account of Adam's sin; and that 
redemption from the curse would signify God's purchase of a handful of mankind 
out of eternal torment. Human intelligence would assent to no such proposition of 
(1) injustice and cruelty, and (2) a commercial barter in the name of Justice and 
Love. But this is not the Bible presentation of redemption, and those who hold this 
view should lay it aside, should rid their minds of it, that they may approach the 
subject from the standpoint of God's Word and not from 

OV21 

the standpoint of the superstitions and terrors of the dark ages. 

Divine Justice Inexorable. 

When we view our Creator as the Supreme Judge of the Universe and acknowledge 
him absolutely perfect in Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power, we can see that there 
could be no appeal from the decisions of this Supreme Court, and furthermore that 
this court could not reverse or set aside its own decisions. For instance, granted that 
the Divine Law is that no creature may have eternal life except upon the terms of 
absolute obedience to the Divine Law of righteousness; granted also the Scriptural 
proposition that Father Adam, under a fair trial in Eden, was disobedient and came 
under the sentence or curse, "Dying thou shalt die," it will be conceded that no relief 
could reach his case except through a Redeemer, a substitute. That is to say, man 
having lost his life rights and been sentenced to death justly, the Great Judge could 
not justly reverse that sentence. He could not declare his original sentence an unjust 
one. He could not declare Adam worthy of eternal life, nor could he excuse him and 
forgive him, and yet preserve the laws of the Divine Empire inviolate. For God to 
break his own laws and to cancel his own sentence, even once, would establish such 
a precedent as would mar our confidence in his unchangeableness. For instance, if 
God could lie, and, after having pronounced a death sentence were to revoke it and 
clear the guilty one, the changeableness thus manifested would call in question the 
Divine Wisdom which pronounced a sentence which it subsequently desired to 
cancel. It would call in question Divine Justice. For if it were right to sentence Adam 
to death, it would be wrong to cancel that sentence and to give him eternal life. The 
difficulty with us in reasoning on such a subject is, that we, yea, all mankind, 
acknowledge fallibility —liability to err; hence very properly we know very little or 
nothing of Justice in its last analysis, which would be fitting only to the Supreme 
Judge. For four thousand years God exhibited to mankind and to the angelic 
onlookers his unwavering Justice~in that he permitted the reign of sin and death to 
proceed uninterrupted and practically unchecked. Even the giving of the Law 
Covenant to the one nation of Israel worked no cessation of the sentence "Dying 
thou shalt die." Sin and death still reigned from Moses until Christ, and the nation of 
Israel under its Law learned still more thoroughly the lesson that fallen, depraved 
humanity could not keep God's perfect Law and hence could not, under the Divine 



arrangement, make any claim for life eternal. Then came the time for God to 
accomplish in another way the seemingly impossible thing of maintaining the 
dignity and Justice of his Supreme Court, and, at the same time, providing a way by 
which members of the condemned race might be released from the penalty of 
original sin. 

"An Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth." 

This line of strict Justice the Lord inculcated in his Law given to Israel to assist 
them in understanding the great principle of Justice underlying the Divine conduct. 
The lines of the same Justice extended taught that a man's life is the penalty for a 
man's life. Thus our Lord prepared us to see how "he could be just, and yet be the 
Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus," and release such a believer from the death 
sentence which came upon all through Adam's sin. We do not claim that the method 
which God adopted for dealing with our race was the only one open to him, but we 
do claim that the fact that Divine Wisdom selected this method of dealing with 
Adam's race is an assurance that in some respects, at least, it is the wisest method, 
the best adapted to the Divine purpose of developing the race and testing its 
members and their worthiness for life eternal —and also the best method for 
exhibiting the various qualities of the Divine character to angels and man. Jesus was 
the world's Redeemer, and the entire process by which he accomplished that work is 
scripturally styled redemption. It includes the satisfaction of Divine Justice as 
respects original sin and the penalty imposed upon it. It includes also indirectly the 
Redeemer's work 

OV22 

of lifting the redeemed out of their sin and death condition-up, up, up to all that was 
lost in Eden and to all that was purchased back for them at Calvary by the 
Redeemer's sacrifice of himself. 

"Holy, Harmless, Separate from Sinners." 

The exactness and particularity of Divine Justice was exemplified in the fact that 
God could not and would not accept as a redeemer any member of Adam's race. 
Even if one of them could have been found willing to sacrifice in behalf of the others 
he would have been rejected; because, as the Scriptures declare: "No man can 
redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." (Psa. 49:7.) To human 
judgment this would have settled the entire matter and marked man's condition 
hopeless as respects redemption and a future life. But man's extremity became God's 
opportunity. What man could not do for himself God arranged for him~he provided 
a Redeemer, "The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world," Jesus 
Christ the Righteous. But our sense of justice cries out that it would be wrong for 
the Creator to compel one of his creatures to die for another or others. God's Word 
sustains this thought and assures us that no such injustice was practiced; that while 
the Heavenly Father planned a work of redemption, our Lord Jesus was in no sense 
of the word forced or compelled to sacrifice himself to carry out the Divine Program. 
There was another and a better way by which to reach the results desired. God could 
have created another man Adam, and could have allowed him to redeem the first 
Adam and then could have rewarded him with life on a higher plane of being. But 
what assurance would there have been that another newly created Adam would have 
done better than the first? The logic of the situation shows us that there would have 
been two races of sinners to deal with instead of one. But behold the Divine Wisdom 
which offered this service, for humanity to the noblest, the chiefest of all the 
Heavenly Court!~the Logos, the Beginning of the creation of God!~the Beginning 
of all creation! —John 1:1; Rev. 3: 14. With the proposition properly went a promise 
of reward; and so we read that "for the joy that was set before him," our Lord Jesus 
endured the cross, ignored the shame and redeemed us by the sacrifice of himself; 
"wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name. 



that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess." Thus 
did God reward him who was already the beginning of the creation of God, the 
Logos, making him the Prime minister of the Celestial Empire, Associate in the 
Throne and Partaker of his own Divine, immortal nature. Our Lord says: "To him 
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, 
and am set down with my Father in his throne. "--Rev. 3:31. Every step of the Divine 
Program is interesting and instructive. The offering of the opportunity to make the 
greatest sacrifice and to perform the greatest service was made to the chiefest of the 
heavenly hosts. Had he declined the privilege, the offer might have been tendered to 
a subordinate -to Gabriel or others of the heavenly host. Being accepted by the 
Logos, the proposition went no further. He delighted to do the will of the Father- 
even to humbling himself unto Death, the death of the cross. 

Humbled Himself Even Unto Death. 

The redemption was not accomplished by the Logos as a spirit being. It was not a 
spirit being who was to be redeemed, but an earthly being, Adam. Hence the first 
step of our Lord, the Logos, was the leaving of the riches of the heavenly condition 
and humbling himself, debasing himself to the lower plane or state of the human 
nature. But although that was a great stoop, it was not the sacrifice for sin. As the 
Scriptures declare, it was "the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all, 
to be testified in due time."-- 1 Tim. 2:6. Just how the spark of life was transferred 
from the heavenly one to the earthly one may be beyond our power to explain or 
even fully to comprehend, but, all the same, it is a part of the Divine Revelation and 
fully consistent with and necessary to the Divine Program. The Scriptures show that 
it was because this spark of life came to Jesus, not from an earthly father, not from 
human stock, but as a transferred 

OV23 

life, that our Lord Jesus was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." At 
another time we may indicate just how and why it was possible that he could be born 
perfect and yet have an imperfect mother. This is the Scriptural proposition, and can 
be shown to be in fullest harmony with the scientific laws governing progeny. 

"The Man Christ Jesus." 

In consistent harmony with every other feature of the Divine Program he was made 
flesh, "came into the world to save sinners" by the sacrifice of his life, "the Just for 
the unjust." He did not make that sacrifice until thirty years old, because it was not a 
child who had sinned and was to be redeemed, but a man. Promptly on attaining the 
age specified in the Law, Jesus consecrated his life, renouncing all except the divine 
promise of reward. He symbolized that consecration to death by baptism in water at 
the hands of John the Immerser. It was then that he received the anointing of the 
holy Spirit, which constituted him the Anointed One~the Christ~the Messiah. The 
same anointing constituted his begetting of the holy Spirit as a New Creature to the 
Divine nature. Thenceforth for three and a half years he was sacrificing his 
humanity, which was consecrated to death and reckoned as dead and was "dying 
daily," while his New Mind or Will, begotten of the holy Spirit, was developing day 
by day. The outward man was perishing, while the inward man (the spirit begotten 
new creature), was being renewed during the three and a half years of his ministry. 
The end of the duality was reached at Calvary, when, as a man, he died once for all 
and forever. There the manhood which he consecrated and reckoned dead at Jordan 
became actually dead, and the New Creature, begotten of the holy Spirit and 
developed during his ministry, was "born from the dead" on the third day by 
resurrection power from on high. The work which the Father had given him to do 
had been performed, and he who had humbled himself to the human condition, "even 
unto death, even the death of the cross," was highly exalted and made partaker of the 
Divine Nature—glory, honor and immortality. He was put to death in the flesh; he 



was quickened in spirit; he was sown in death an animal body, and raised in 
resurrection a spirit body; sown in death, dishonored, numbered with the 
transgressors; raised in resurrection glory. We see that our Lord's glory of person 
was attained at resurrection, but his glory of office he has not yet fully assumed. He 
awaits the selection of the "elect" Church to be his Bride, his "joint-heir" and 
Associate in his throne in the Millennial Kingdom for the blessing of the world. It is 
written that he shall "see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied." He is not 
yet satisfied, however, nor will he be, thank God, until by his Millennial Kingdom 
reign he shall have triumphed over everything opposed to righteousness and shall 
have delivered from the power of sin and death so many of the human family as 
under full light and opportunity will be glad to obey him and experience his uplifting 
power in that glorious epoch of his reign. The Bible abounds with accounts of the 
wonderful blessings which will accompany his reign of righteousness, assuring us 
that the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth and reach every individual; 
that all the blind eyes shall be opened and all the deaf ears be unstopped; that the 
whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God; that every knee 
shall bow and every tongue confess, and that all who neglect to come into the fullest 
harmony will die the Second Death, from which there will be no recovery. -Acts 
3:23. 

Bought With a Price—A Ransom. 

The Apostle writes, "Ye are not your own; ye are bought with a price." (1 Cor. 
6:19,20.) Listen to St. Paul again, "He gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified 
in due time." (1 Tim. 2:6.) There is one feature of the subject seen by remarkably 
few, even by few Christian Bible students; namely, how the one sacrifice of our Lord 
Jesus could redeem the world of mankind numbering thousands of millions. In their 
confusion some have suggested that our Lord suffered as much in connection with 
his earthly ministry as was due to all mankind as a penalty for sin. Some even go to 
greater absurdity in claiming that all the sufferings of the thousands of millions of 
Adam's race to all 

OV24 

eternity in hell would have been less than our Lord's sufferings during his earthly 
life. We sympathize keenly with the poor souls whose minds can accept such 
nonsense. And we sympathize with intelligent worldly people who, disgusted with 
such nonsense, turn away from Christianity entirely. The Scriptural view of the 
matter is very simple and very reasonable. Its presentation is that Father Adam alone 
was placed on trial for life; that he alone failed: that he alone was sentenced to death, 
and that the payment of Adam's penalty to Justice would effect not only his release, 
but also that of all his children, who share in his condemnation— "born in sin and 
shapen in iniquity." Hence, how beautiful and simple is this Biblical philosophy! 
How thoroughly it is confirmed by the Apostle's words, "By a man came death, by a 
man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as all in Adam die, even so all in 
Christ shall be made alive. But every man in his own order." (1 Cor. 15:21-23.) 
Viewed from this standpoint, God's method in permitting sin to enter by the one 
man, and allowing his condemnation to pass upon the entire race, was in order that 
the sacrifice of one man, "holy, harmless and undefiled, separate from sinners, " 
should fully satisfy the claims of Justice. What a masterpiece of economy, combined 
with Justice and Love, is thus brought to our attention! To catch the full force of the 
matter, we should see that if one hundred, instead of one, had been tried and failed 
and been condemned to death. Divine Justice must have required a hundred Saviors. 
If a thousand had been tried and condemned a thousand Saviors would have been 
required. If a million had been tried and condemned, a million Saviors would have 
been requisite. Let us behold, then, the Wisdom of God in permitting the entire race 
to share the condemnation of their father, that they might also share in his 
redemption through the one Redeemer. No wonder the Apostle, noting these things. 



inquires, "Who hath been God's counsellor?" Who suggested to the Almighty such 
infinitely wise arrangements? We have discussed merely the broad, basic plan of 
redemption which will be available to all mankind through the Resurrection and the 
Millennial Kingdom; there is a still higher plane of redemption and a superior 
resurrection for the church, first. The glorious results at the consummation will be a 
world of humanity perfect in the Divine image and likeness, fully tried and tested 
and proven to be lovers of righteousness and haters of iniquity and worthy, under the 
Divine arrangement, to enjoy life eternal under most favorable condition s~the 
unwilling, recalcitrants, all being destroyed in the Second Death "like brute beasts. "- 
-2 Pet. 2:12. 

"His Loving Kindness Toward Us." 

Every feature of the Divine Plan is wonderful and gracious, but most wonderful of 
all is that of the Divine provision for the Church of this Gospel Age. St. Paul 
beautifully notes this, and declares (Eph. 2:6,7) that throughout ages to come God 
will show forth the exceeding riches of his grace and his loving kindness toward us 
who are in Christ Jesus— members of "the Body of Christ, which is the Church." 
Here again the Divine character is shown by a procedure quite contrary to anything 
men could have expected, and yet superlatively grand in its merciful condescension 
and its strict justice. Those who now accept Christ as their Redeemer and Instructor, 
who turn their backs on sin and fully consecrate their lives, thoughts, words, deeds, 
to the Lord's service are accepted by the Lord as members of Christ, over whom he 
is the Head. This means that such as now willingly, gladly, joyfully take up their 
cross and follow after their Redeemer, suffering for righteousness' sake and laying 
down their lives in the service of Divine Truth and its servants, will be granted a 
share with the Redeemer in all his glories and honors of the Millennial Kingdom— 
and more than this, a share with him in the highest of all spirit natures—Divine 
nature.— 2 Pet. 1:4. It is this elevation of the Church that the Apostle designates 
"Our high calling of God in Christ," and exhorts us to attain to at any and every cost. 
It is this great honor that our Lord compared to the pearl of great price-of great 
value, to obtain which one is well justified in selling 

OV25 

all that he has that he may obtain it. Hence, also, the Scriptures represent that only 
through great tribulation shall the "little flock" enter the Kingdom-obtain this great 
prize. And our Lord declares, "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way (which leads 
to this superlative life now offered), and few there be that find it." The redemption 
through the blood of Christ is general, for all the world. The salvation secured is 
alike to all— the privilege of return to human perfection and earthly inheritance, etc. 
The advantage accruing to the Church of this Gospel Age is the privilege of 
sacrificing those earthly rights and blessings secured by Jesus' death- sacrificing 
them in the service of the Lord and thereupon in turn receiving heavenly blessings, 
spiritual life and glory. 



IF WE ONLY UNDERSTOOD 

COULD we draw aside the curtains 
That surround each other's lives, 
See the naked heart and spirit, 
Know what spur the action gives— 
Often we would find it better. 
Purer than we judge we would; 
We would love each other better 
If we only understood. 

Could we judge all deeds by motives. 
See the good and bad within. 
Often we would love the sinner 
All the while we loathe the sin. 
Could we know the powers working 
To o'erthrow integrity. 
We would judge each other's errors 
With more patient charity. 

If we knew the cares and trials. 
Knew the efforts all in vain. 
And the bitter disappointments- 
Understood the loss and gain- 
Would the grim external roughness 
Seem, I wonder, just the same ? 
Would we help where now we hinder? 
Would we pity where we blame? 

Ah, we judge each other harshly. 
Knowing not life's hidden force; 
Knowing not the fount of action 
Is less turbid at its source. 
Seeing not amid the evil 
All the golden grains of good. 
Oh, we'd love each other better 
If we only understood. 



OV26 

THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

VI-ITS EPOCHS AND DISPENSATIONS 

BY C. T. RUSSELL 

PASTOR BROOKLYN TABERNACLE 

ORDER IS heaven's first law, and whoever would understand the divine program 
must study it in an orderly manner. Irregular and disorderly minds are at a 
disadvantage in Bible study. On the other hand, orderly minds are disadvantaged by 
the misrepresentations of the Bible by many of its friends of disorderly minds. As a 
consequence, those lacking mental order are confused and misunderstand the 
Scriptures, while those of orderly minds, disgusted with the misrepresentations and 
inconsistencies, will not even examine the Bible Revelation. Whoever opens his 
Bible expecting it to describe the ages and dispensations as we shall here attempt to 
portray them will be disappointed. The Lord declares His Plan to be shrouded in 



Mystery and understandable only from the one standpoint of consecration and 
illumination by the holy Spirit. This, of course, refers mainly to the "deep things of 
God." There are also surface truths of great value connected with the Divine 
Revelation. The extent of our ability to understand is dependent upon faith, 
obedience and the observance of order. In proportion as we have or have not this 
ability we may understand or misunderstand the Bible. 

Three Worlds and Three Dispensations. 

The English reader is somewhat disadvantaged by the fact that in our common 
version the word "world" does duty for three distinctly Greek words. Thus, for 
instance, when our Lord mentions the end of the age or dispensation our common 
version Bible renders it "the end of the world." This, to the average reader, signifies 
a general collapse of the earth-its destruction, in fact, or, as a habitation for man. No 
such thought attaches to the Greek word, aeon, however. An aeon is an epoch or age. 
The Lord declared that the present aeon or age would end, ushering in a new age or 
"world to come." As a matter of fact, three different worlds are brought to our 
attention in the Bible— and the Millennium will be in the beginning of the third. The 
Scriptural declaration is that "the earth abideth forever"— "seed time and harvest, 
cold and heat, summer and winter, as long as the sun and moon endure."— Eccl. 1:4; 
Gen. 8:22. These three "worlds" or three dispensations noted in the Bible are so 
distinctly different and so accurately described that none need mistake them. The 
first dispensation or world lasted from Eden to the flood. It was marked as the period 
of the administration of the angels, and in it, as we have already seen, some of them 
fell from their first estate of loyalty and obedience, further corrupting the world of 
mankind. Following the flood a new dispensation began, marked by the fact that the 
fallen angels no longer were permitted of the Lord full liberty of association with 
men. Man was permitted to have control of the earth, and Divine providence worked 
little interference except to prevent sin from going to such extremes as would have 
defeated the Divine plans to be developed later. This period from the flood to the 
Second Coming of Christ is Scripturally designated "this present evil world"-not 
because there has been nothing meritorious during its forty- four hundred years, but 
because God has permitted evil to dominate the earth during this period. As we have 
already seen, God 

OV27 

is not the author of its confusion, sin and disorder, but he has permitted mankind 
liberty within certain bounds. He has permitted Satan to oppose righteousness and 
permitted humanity to become the slaves of sin and of Satan. Satan is Scripturally 
declared to be the "Prince of this world," who now operates in the hearts of the 
children of disobedience. We are not to understand, however, that Satan is exercising 
a Divinely delegated authority to rule mankind, but rather that he has usurped his 
position by taking advantage of humanity's ignorance, fallen tendencies and 
superstitions. Neither are we to think that humanity knowingly and intentionally 
serves "the Prince of this world." Rather, under his delusions they are deceived. 
While thinking to please themselves, to serve their own best interests, to attain 
happiness, they are misled into sin and sorrow and death by paths of ignorance and 
superstition. What St. Paul calls "this present evil world," St. Peter denominates "the 
world that now is," and points us forward to the New World, the New Dispensation, 
in which righteousness will reign, and styles that dispensation "the world to come." 
All three of these "worlds" or dispensations are connected with our planet, the earth. 
Following this figure, the Apostle divides these "worlds" or dispensations into 
heaven and earth, by the heavens referring to the spirit beings and influences, and by 
the earth referring to humanity subjected to those spiritual influences. Thus in the 
"world" or dispensation which ended at the flood, the angels, fallen and unfallen, 
constituted the heavens and mankind the earth of that dispensation. During "this 
present evil world" from the flood to the Second Coming of Christ the heavens 



represent Satan, the "Prince of the power of the air," and reUgious systems amongst 
men, more or less corrupt and more or less representative of Satan and of his 
organization- or rather of human organization more or less under Satanic direction. 
"The world to come" is likewise represented as having a heaven and earth 
classification. The heavens of that new dispensation will be the glorified Jesus and 
his Church, in the Millennial Kingdom. In the first "world" or dispensation the 
corruption of its heavens or angelic class brought degradation and disaster to the 
earth class, humanity. During this "present evil world" the power of Satan and the 
corrupting spiritual influences which he has been able to manipulate have hindered 
the blessing of mankind, notwithstanding God's favor given to Israel under the Law 
Covenant and his still greater blessings to Jew and Gentile through Christ. The next 
"world" or dispensation, to be ushered in at the Second Coming of Christ, is 
Scripturally styled "a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth 
righteousness." (2 Pet. 3: 13.) That new heavens will be perfect, and consist of Christ 
and his "Elect" Church or "Bride" glorified- "called, chosen, faithful." (Rev. 17:14.) 
That new earth will represent mankind under the new conditions of the New 
Covenant, sealed with the precious blood. Not only in the new heaven, but also in 
the new earth righteousness will prevail, even though in the latter it will require the 
thousand years of Christ's reign to fully conquer sin and death and to uplift humanity 
in general back into harmony with God. 

"In the Ages to Come." 

St. Paul mentions "ages to come," though only one of these is specifically noted in 
the Scriptures— the Millennial age. The other ages beyond the Millennium will be 
beyond all the defilements and ensnarements and tribulations connected with sin; 
and are properly, therefore, styled by the poet, "Ages of glory." Looking back, 
however, we may discern clearly-marked ages or epochs, subdividing "this present 
evil world." First came the Patriarchal Age, in which God dealt with Noah, 
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Then came another distinctly different epoch in which He 
no longer dealt with individual patriarchs, but adopted the entire nation of Israel as 
his peculiar people and dealt with them accordingly. He entered into the Law 
Covenant with them and provided them a typical mediator, typical underpriests and 
judges and prophets, so that, as the Apostle Paul declares, the nation of Israel had 
"much advantage every way, chiefly because to them 

OV28 

were committed the oracles of God." That Jewish Age had a distinct beginning in the 
death of Jacob, whose twelve sons were designated the heads of the twelve tribes 
constituting the one nation of Israel. That age had an ending just as distinctly marked 
by the death of Christ, as shown by Jesus' words, "Verily I say unto you, your house 
is left unto you desolate." (Matt. 23:38.) A third age followed, namely, the Gospel 
Age, which began at Pentecost and is to terminate at the second coming of Christ 
and to gather to himself the completed church, the Bride of the Lamb and joint-heir 
in the Millennial Kingdom. The present Gospel Age, which is to end with the 
establishment of the Kingdom, the Church in glory, is the particular and all- 
important age of "this present evil world." Neither of those preceding it brought any 
fruitage to full perfection. The patriarchs received a blessing, but could not enter into 
the Kingdom privileges. The nation of Israel had a blessing through the Law 
Covenant, yet its highest service was the making of types of glorious conditions to 
follow it, some of the antitypes belonging to this Gospel Age and some to the 
Millennium. It is the Apostle who declares of that Age that its Law Covenant "made 
nothing perfect." Nevertheless, the same Apostle points out in Hebrews 1 1 that all 
who were faithful to God from Enoch down to the close of the Jewish Age will 
receive a special blessing, in accord with their faith and zeal— even though they 
lived before the time of the calling and proving of the spiritual Seed of Abraham-the 
Gospel Church, of which Christ is the Head. ("And if ye be Christ's, then are ye 



Abraham's Seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal. 3:29.) Of those faithful 
ones St. Paul declares, "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, 
received not the promise; God having provided some better things for us, that they 
without us should not be made perfect."-- Heb. 1 1:39,40. In a word, the Divine 
Program arranged that the world should be blessed by Messiah-through his death 
and subsequently through his Millennial Kingdom reign. But instead of counting the 
work finished when the Redeemer died, the Divine Program set apart the entire 
Gospel Age for the selection of the Bride of Christ, under another figure spoken of 
as the "members in particular of the Body of Christ." (1 Cor. 12:27.) These are said 
to fill up the afflictions of Christ, to suffer with him, to be dead with him, and are 
correspondingly promised a share with him in his glory, honor and immortality. 

This Age Parenthetic. 

It may help some to grasp the situation if they will consider the Gospel Age from 
Pentecost to the Second Coming of Christ as parenthetic, and in their minds link 
together the Jewish and the Millennial Ages. The Jews, properly enough, were 
expecting Messiah to come to their nation, to establish them as his "peculiar people," 
to sanctify them and to use them in the spread of his dominion world-wide, 
according to the promise made to Abraham that in "his Seed all the families of the 
earth should be blessed." They were right in that expectation, and it will be fulfilled 
at the Second Coming of Christ. What they did not see and what God did not wish 
them to see, but kept a "mystery," is the fact that the Divine Program included a 
Christ of many members, Jesus the Redeemer being the head over all, "God blessed 
forever." (Rom. 9:5.) "This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the 
Church." (Eph. 5:32.) "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from 
generations, but now is made manifest to his saints; to whom God would make 
known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is 
Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Col. 1:26,27.) God will do no less for natural 
Israel than his original promise, for, as St. Paul declares, "The gifts and calling of 
God he will not repent of" —nor change from. The bringing in of the Bible hope of 
this Gospel Age, the selecting of a "little flock" for joint-heirship with the Redeemer 
on the spirit plane, was that much more than God had revealed to Israel through the 
Law and the prophets. Some of natural Israel profited by this~all those who, at the 
beginning of the Gospel Age, were in the right attitude of heart, "Israelites indeed in 
whom was no guile. " Such were received to membership in spiritual 

OV29 

Israel at Pentecost. And then to filling up of the remainder of the predestinated 
number of the "elect," from among the Gentiles began; and this age has been 
devoted to the gathering of these "members" of the Christ, the Messiah, out of every 
land, people, kindred and tongue. 

The Law Covenant-Old and New. 

Continue the thought of this Gospel Age being parenthetic as respects the outward 
features of the Divine Program. Note the fact that the Law Covenant given to the 
Jews failed to secure for them eternal life —because they could not keep so high a 
Law, a Law which commanded love for God with all the heart, mind, soul and 
strength and love for one's neighbor as for himself. Moses, the Mediator of that Law 
Covenant, was unable to make up for the deficiencies of the people and hence 
eternal life was not secured under the Law Covenant. However, through the Prophet 
Jeremiah (31:31) God sent to Israel a message of his love and assured them of a 
future relief under a New Covenant which, in some respects, would be better than 
the one they had. He said, "The days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a New 
Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the 
Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand, to 
bring them out of the land of Egypt (the Law Covenant); which my Covenant they 



brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord."~Jer. 31:31,32. Christ 
and his Bride, his members. Spiritual Israel, surrender their earthly life rights and 
earthly inheritance in favor of Natural Israel, and thus are said to mediate and 
ultimately to seal for Israel a New Law Covenant, which will be far better than the 
old one. Not, however, that the Law of God will change in any respect; for God 
could not give an easier Law than the one given to Israel; he could not give an 
imperfect Law; he could not properly require less than love and obedience with all 
the heart. Wherein, then, will a New Law Covenant be better for Israel than the old 
one? We answer. It will be better in that it will have a "better mediator"~a more 
capable one. Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant; and all those called of God 
and accepted as his "members" during this Gospel Age will be members of the 
Mediator. To this Mediator, by reason of the merit of the Head and his sacrifice, God 
has granted "all power," so that he is able from the plenitude of his grace to make up 
for the unwilling, the unintentional, blemishes of the nation for which he will serve 
as Mediator during the thousand years of his Millennial reign. It is on the strength of 
this merit of the Mediator that all of Israel's sins and iniquities of the past will be 
forgotten and remembered no more. Moreover that Great Mediator will have full 
responsibility in the premises in dealing with all who shall accept that Covenant, 
because the virtue, the merit of Christ's sacrifice, is sufficient to meet, to cover, to 
cancel the sins of the whole world —all that are not willful and deliberate sins. Israel 
will thus become God's people, and all gentiles will be privileged to join them by 
"circumcision of the heart." Thus, ultimately, besides spiritual Israel there will be 
Natural Israel, which will include the willing and obedient of every nation and 
tongue as it is written, "I have constituted thee a father of many nations." During the 
Millennium, therefore, Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and "the church his 
Body," will not only apply the merits of his sacrifice in offset of Adamic sin and 
weaknesses, but will also have the right, power and authority to chastise for every 
misconduct and to reward every good endeavor, to the intent that under that New 
Covenant all Israel may have the opportunity of rising from the dead-rising from the 
condition of sin and death up to the full perfection of human nature and a perfect 
environment. As for the others not rightly exercised by these favorable providences 
St. Peter declares that they "Shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. "~ 
Acts 3:23. 

From Amongst Your Brethren. 

St. Peter explains the nature of the selection of the members of the Mediator, 
saying, "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you from amongst your 
brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear (obey) in all things, whatsoever he shall say 
unto you. (To that Prophet every 

OV30 

knee must bow and every tongue confess.) And it shall come to pass, that every soul, 
which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people"~in the 
Second Death.-Acts 3:22,23. Notice that the Prophet was to be raised up from 
amongst the brethren. In fulfillment of this our Lord Jesus was called and accepted 
and begotten of the holy Spirit, and finally, in his resurrection, became the Firstborn 
from the dead, the Firstborn of many brethren. Meantime, since Pentecost the other 
members under that glorious Head have been in process of raising up- out of sin, 
out of death, out of the world, out of human nature, to glory, honor, and immortality. 
And these have the promise that in the First Resurrection their raising up will be 
completed—they shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The 
raising up and the changing begin with the present life. As the Apostle declares, "We 
are risen with him." And again. We are being changed from glory to glory as by the 
Spirit of the Lord. But still we wait for the grand climacteric change to Resurrection 
glory, honor and immortality. In view of the foregoing all will readily discern the 
value of order in the study of the Bible—the value of noting its dispensational 



features, the object served by the various "worlds" or dispensations and their various 
ages or epochs. The Bible, studied in the light of the Plan of the Ages, becomes a 
new Book. Its various statements, prophetic and otherwise, quietly drop into their 
proper places, so that the study of the Word becomes both interesting and profitable, 
as thousands are continually testifying-many of them rescued from agnosticism. 



THE COMING STORM 

O SAD is my heart for the storm that is coming; 

Like eagles the scud sweepeth in from the sea; 

The gull seeketh shelter, the pine trees are sighing, 

And all giveth note of the tempest to be. 

A spell hath been whispered from cave and from ocean. 

The shepherds are sleeping, the sentinels dumb. 

The flocks are all scattered on moorland and mountain. 

And no one believes that the Master is come. 

He's come, but whom doth He find their watch keeping? 
O where— in His presence— is faith the world o'er? 
The rich, every sense in soft luxury steeping; 
The poor, scarce repelling the wolf from the door. 
O man, and O maiden, drop trifling and pleasure, 
O! hark, while I tell of the sorrows to be,— 
As well might I plead in the path of yon glacier. 
Or cry out a warning to wave of the sea! 



OV31 

THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

VII-THE PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION OF THE BIBLE 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

PASTOR BROOKLYN TABERNACLE 

THE PRESENT generation but little appreciates the awful import of the words 
predestination and election as they were understood by their fathers in connection 
with the Divine Program in respect to mankind. The reason of this is, that these 
doctrines have not been taught to any extent during the last forty years. The 
catechisms which formerly instructed the children, the youth and the gray-haired, 
have now very generally been relegated to the rubbish heaps. A few tell us that this 
is because the public today "will not endure sound doctrine." (2 Tim. 4:3.) Our reply 
is, that the view of predestination and election entertained by our forefathers for 
centuries was neither sound doctrine nor sound reason. It was opposed alike to 
common sense and to the Scriptures. We are glad that the travesties upon the Divine 
Character and Government formerly identified with words predestination and 
election are no longer acceptable to any. True, several of the largest denominations 
still declare that the "Westminster Confession of Faith" is theirs, but we know that in 
private conversation and in their hearts, this feature, at least, of that confession is 
ignored and denied. It speaks well for Presbyterianism that, while still holding to the 
Westminster Confession, it has adopted a new statement of faith for public 
consumption, which, while not denying these features, most happily ignores them. 



The Erroneous View Criticised. 

By way of emphasizing what the Bible does not teach, let us briefly review the 
rapidly- fading error on the subject of Predestination and election; errors which, 
perhaps, did more than almost any others to turn men away from God and from the 
Bible. Let it be understood that we are not criticising men, but doctrines. While 
criticising the doctrines of Brother Calvin, we are glad to admit that he had many 
noble qualities of heart and head, and that, in some respects, his teaching has 
exercised a powerful influence in the world for good. Undoubtedly his views of the 
sovereignty of God—his justice and his power—exercised a marked influence upon 
Christian sentiment along this line, leading to a greater reverence for Divine power, 
though we fear that it did not do much to cultivate love for God. From the 
Calvinistic standpoint, the Almighty, perfect in wisdom and power, mapped out in 
advance an unalterable program represented by the words Divine Predestination. 
According to this theory, everything, both good and bad, was foreordained and in its 
execution unavoidable. This doctrine, applied to humanity, declares that the 
Supreme Creator had from the beginning designed, predestinated, that a little 
handful, a saintly few, should constitute his elect, his favorites and be granted 
glorious things in heaven. The catechism was careful to mark out that this favoritism 
on God's part was "not for any works or worthiness of ours, but of his own sovereign 
will. " Giving these words their full weight would signify that if the sovereign will 
had exercised itself with similar benevolence towards the non-elect, they, too, would 
have shared the heavenly blessings. And since the Divine favor was not assumed to 
be connected with work or worthiness on our part it 

OV32 

follows that the lack of works and the lack of worthiness, on the part of the non- 
elect, need not have debarred them from the chiefest of Divine favors had Divine 
benevolence willed favorably toward them. As for the fate of the non-elect, their 
case was treated with the greatest delicacy possible to the situation by the pen of an 
able man. We were quietly informed that "God passed them by." The doctrine of 
total depravity lay at the bottom of this theory. It was claimed that Father Adam's 
transgression of the Divine Law merited eternal torment as the portion of Justice for 
himself and every child of his that should ever be born. We were told that this was a 
just penalty, and that God through Christ merely released the elect as an exhibition 
of his love and grace— passing the others by— not electing to save them from torment. 
And the doctrine of predestination attached to the doctrine of election by way of 
showing that God's elective preferences for those whom he would favor were 
determined long in advance of their birth, and that with equal deliberation he had 
foreordained that no help, no adequate relief, should be granted to the non-elect; they 
should be thoroughly passed by, and allowed to go to the doom to which they were 
sentenced- eternal torment. And that doom and the numbers of the non-elect were 
fully known to God in advance and approved as his unalterable will, his supreme 
good pleasure. 

Wesley's Heart Rebelled. 

John Wesley was reared under the influence of the above teachings, but, as a 
minister of the Episcopal Church, he felt that he could not so preach. His head 
declined to recognize such a course as loving even if it were just, and his heart 
wholly repudiated the thought that the Divine character and program could be after 
that manner. In his own largeness of heart Brother Wesley promulgated an opposite 
theory, namely, that since God is Love he must be doing all in his power to save our 
race from eternal torment. Brother Wesley urged that the millions who would reach 
eternal torment would get there on their own responsibility and in spite of God's best 
efforts to keep them out of it. Noble soul that he was, he braved persecution in his 
day in his attempt to tell of his love of God and to urge sinners not to consider 



themselves non-elect and doomed to eternal torture, but to hearken to the voice of 
Divine mercy and to turn to the Lord with their whole heart and be abundantly 
pardoned. Wesley's heart-teaching triumphed over Calvin's logic. Not only has it 
resulted in the formation of the enormous bodies of Christians called Methodists, but 
far more than this, it has transformed the views of the Christian world of all 
denominations so that today, regardless of the denominational vows, the membership 
of practically every institution of Christendom holds to Wesley's views. 

Both Right and Both Wrong. 

Having commended both Calvin and Wesley as children of God, and many of the 
followers of their teachings as saints, it might seem to some temerity on our part to 
offer criticism of either, and particularly of both. We are encouraged to do this, 
however, from two reasons: 1. We wish to show that in some respects both of these 
doctrines are right and scriptural, and in other respects wrong and unscriptural. 2. 
We are further encouraged to do this by the fact that denominationally these 
opposing doctrines are about evenly represented in the world, and all will admit that 
they cannot both be right while contradicting each other. 3. If we shall succeed in 
demonstrating that these two opposing systems can be harmonized and that elements 
of both can be shown to be Scriptural and to harmonize with each other, then we 
believe that the advocates of both schools of thought would have reason to thank us 
for the service, and thousands who, through the conflict of these doctrines, have lost 
their faith in the Bible as the Word of God, may be rescued from unbelief. 

Reject the Errors First. 

Before coming to the subject from the Scriptural standpoint, we must tear away 
some of the sophistries and errors connected 

OV33 

with these popular doctrines and must see them in their true light, in order that we 
may properly appreciate the teachings of the Scriptures on the subject. First, then, 
let us note the strong points of Calvinism which must stand, which can never be 
repudiated by God's children with impunity—Divine Sovereignty, Foreknowledge, 
Purpose, Intention, Justice, and Power. "Known unto God are all his works from the 
beginning of the world." (Acts 15:18.) Note his own declaration through the Prophet, 
"So shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me 
void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the things 
whereto I sent it."~Isa. 55:11. We must agree with Calvinism in the Divine 
foreknowledge of whatsoever comes to pass; and, more than this, that nothing could 
come to pass contrary to the Divine permission, although many things do come to 
pass, contrary to the Divine Law—being permitted for wise purposes. But while 
agreeing with Brother Calvin respecting these strong points of the Divine character, 
we must agree with Brother Wesley that love is not only an element of the Divine 
Character, but is, with justice, a dominating element in the Divine Program. We 
must agree with Brother Wesley that neither human justice nor human love could 
predestinate the doom of eternal torment for a majority of our race-nor for a single 
member of it. We must agree with Wesley that the Divine Program is that, 
eventually, God's grace of forgiveness for sin must be free grace, and must extend to 
every member of our race. If our standpoint of the freeness of this grace is broader 
than that of Brother Wesley, it may not signify that our hearts are broader than his, 
but that the due time has come for the lifting of the vail of ignorance and superstition 
and the permitting of the eyes of our understanding to see more clearly "with all 
saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of 

"Love Divine, all love excelling, " 

"and to know the love of Christ, which passeth all knowledge, that ye might be filled 
with all the fulness of God."- Eph. 3:18,19. Having shown that Brother Calvin's 



view recognized God as dignified and omnipotent, but deficient in love, it is 
appropriate that we show that Brother Wesley, while recognizing a God of Divine 
love theoretically, implied his deficiency in wisdom and foreknowledge. Brother 
Wesley admitted with Brother Calvin that only the handful of the saintly believers 
would enter heaven, and he admitted with him also that all the remainder would go 
to an eternity of torture. The difference between the two theories, therefore, had no 
practical bearing upon the sufferings of the lost, but merely upon the Divine 
character, and provision in connection with the suffering. Calvin taught that God 
willed it so. Wesley disputed this. Evidently "the God of all grace" would need to 
embody in himself not only the loving qualities of Wesley's ideal, but also the 
dignity, wisdom and power of Calvin's ideal—between the two we would find the 
God of the Bible and the God of whom our reasons could approve. Fully balanced, 
fully co-ordinated, God's Justice, Love, Wisdom and Power, should be displayed in 
his dealings with humanity. What would it profit us to have the loving God of 
Wesley's teachings, who desired all sorts of good things for his creatures, if, with 
that love, he lacked the wisdom to direct a favorable plan or lacked the power to 
execute the favorable plan approved by his Wisdom and his Love? Let us rest 
assured that the God revealed in the Bible is perfect in all of his attributes. His 
Foreknowledge, looking down the avenues of time, would have foreseen every 
incident connected with the interests of his creatures. And had that Foreknowledge 
perceived that Divine Justice could not grant to the creature eternal life in bliss, but 
must perpetuate the existence in eternal suffering, then Divine Wisdom and Love 
would surely have determined that Divine Power should not be exercised for the 
creation of that being; and Divine Justice would surely have decreed that no being 
should be created whom Divine Wisdom foresaw must spend an eternity of misery. 

Specious Arguments Rejected. 

We are not ignorant of the specious 

OV34 

arguments advanced by Brother Wesley and his coadjutors: 1. That God could 
create a human soul, but could not destroy one. Absurd! Unscriptural! We answer. Is 
it not written "All the wicked will be destroyed?" (Psa. 145:20.) And again, "The 
soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezek. 18:4); "Fear him which is able to destroy both 
soul and body in Gehenna" (Matt. 10:28); "The wages of sin is death."~Rom. 6:23. 
2. The specious argument that God has left the destinies of the heathen in our hands 
and has determined that, dying at the rate of ninety- five millions a day, they should 
be sent to eternal torment if Christian people do not send them word respecting 
Christ and his redemptive work. How absurd! Is it any wonder that infidelity laughs 
to scorn so abominable a misrepresentation of Divine Justice and Love? Surely the 
Heavenly Father's character has been grossly traduced by his own family, his own 
children ! Our hearts and our heads cry out for the living and true God of the Bible, 
who knew what he was doing when he undertook the creation of our race—a God not 
only benevolent in his designs, but thoroughly wise, capable and powerful for the 
carrying out of all his intentions. In the Bible, and in it alone, we find portrayed a 
God of this character, with a Plan of this caliber. 

Election and Free Grace. 

Briefly stated, the Scriptures teach an election in the present age of the "Church of 
the Firstborns, whose names are written in heaven," but it does not teach that the 
non-elect are doomed to eternal torment. It does teach that the dead are really dead, 
but not hopelessly dead, not dead as the brute beasts. It teaches that the sentence of 
death came upon our entire race, and has resulted in our mental, moral and physical 
blemish and decay. It teaches that the death sentence upon us as a race would have 
been an eternal one, had it not been for God's mercy expressed through Jesus and the 
work he has accomplished and will yet accomplish for our race. It teaches that the 



hope of our race is a resurrection from the dead, and a release from the domination 
of imperfection and sin. The Bible does not teach that Free Grace has yet reached 
mankind, but, on the contrary, that an elective process is now in operation, and that 
in due time, after the election shall have accomplished its selection of the Bride of 
Christ, then Free Grace will obtain throughout the whole earth and every creature 
will be brought to a knowledge of the Lord~"all the blind eyes shall be opened, all 
the deaf ears shall be unstopped." That time of Free Grace will be the Millennial 
Age; and throughout that Age the Church of Christ, now being elected, will be joint- 
heirs with Jesus in his Kingdom and its glorious work for human uplifting from sin 
and death conditions. Thus "the elect" of this present time will ultimately be used of 
the Lord as his "Royal Priesthood" under Christ Jesus their Head, their Chief Priest, 
in blessing of all the families of the earth with the fullest and most absolute 
opportunity of attaining restitution to human perfection and life eternal~or, rejecting 
this favor, to die the Second Death, to be as though they had never been. We are 
asked. Do not the Scriptural statements which teach that there will be an "elect" 
Church, thereby imply that the masses of mankind are non-elect? and if non-elect 
surely they cannot go to the same happy abode with the elect, but must be remanded 
to eternal torture! How strange that these evil surmisings respecting the character 
and Program of the Heavenly Father should so persist in our minds! Do we reason so 
falsely on other subjects? The civilized world in our day is accustomed to this word 
election. We elect Legislatures and Congresses. The number chosen to these offices 
is small indeed in comparison to the populace. Thus continually we have before our 
mind's eye an elect little company and the non-elect multitudes-millions. Do we 
reason that those not elected to the Legislature or to Congress, by reason of their 
non-election, must surely suffer some kind of torment? And is it not equally 
preposterous to reason after this fashion in respect to the elect and non-elect of the 
Scriptures? On the contrary, as legislators and judges are chosen from amongst the 
people because of their supposed suitability for special work and as they are 
ordained 

OV35 

in office for the purpose of conserving the interests of the non-elect, so let us see the 
election so prominent in the Divine Program. The Church is being elected to 
membership in the Body of Christ~in the Spiritual Seed of Abraham. And the 
Divine declaration is that in this Seed of Abraham, this elect Church, all the families 
of the earth shall be blessed. Surely this is the only reasonable and sane view of this 
question, the only Scriptural view, the only view which enables us to appreciate the 
character and the Program of our God in dealing with Adam and his race.-Galatians 
3:29. 

Foreknowledge and Predestination. 

Has God predestined or determined in advance just which individuals shall be 
blessed with the opportunities of the High Calling of this Gospel Age to joint 
heirship with Christ? and, correspondingly, has he predestined which members of 
our race may have the Restitution blessings of the next Age? and which shall be 
esteemed unworthy of eternal life on any plane and be remanded to death~the 
"Second Death;" eternal destruction? We reply that nothing in the Scriptures can 
possibly be construed to favor the view suggested. The predestinations of the Bible 
are of a Divine character. The Creator foreknew man's fall into sin and its death 
penalty, and his own plan for redeeming and restoring the race. He fore-knew that he 
would tender the privilege of being the Redeemer, first to his only begotten Son. But 
the matter was open to the volition of the Logos. It was not compulsory, but optional 
with him. Likewise, our Creator foreordained or predestinated that an opportunity 
would be granted to some of the race to become joint-heirs with the Redeemer in his 
Kingdom and nature—such a class was predestinated, foreordained, but no 
suggestion was offered as to the individuals to compose that foreordained class. On 



the contrary, the statement is definitely made, that in harmony with the Divine 
Program many should be called to this high position in comparison to the few that 
would be chosen. And the conditions upon which any of the called ones would be 
chosen are clearly set forth in the Scriptures; and those favored with the call are 
specially exhorted to consider the matter as wholly dependent upon their own 
faithfulness, because "Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do"~all that he 
has promised; hence it remains with the called ones to "make their calling and 
election sure."-- 1 Thessalonians 5:24. St. Paul sets forth this matter of 
predestination in most explicit language, and distinctly points out that Divine 
predestination does not apply to the individual, but to the class and to the 
characteristics of all who will belong to that class. He predestinated that none could 
come into harmony with him or be eligible to this class unless first they believed in 
Christ as their Redeemer, turning from sin— unless first they were justified through 
faith in the precious blood. Next they must consecrate, taking upon themselves holy 
vows of devotion to the Lord, his Truth and his service-even unto death. Not only 
so, but to the best of their ability those consecration vows must be kept, must be 
lived day by day to the end of their period of trial and testing. Meantime, begotten of 
the holy Spirit, these favored ones must cultivate the fruits and the graces of the 
Spirit and become at heart copies of God's dear Son, however blemish and 
imperfection may affect some of their outward conduct and words. This is God's 
predestination; says the Apostle, "Whom he did foreknow (the elect Church), he also 
did predestinate (predetermine) to be conformed to the image of his Son." (Rom. 
8:29.) Whoever of the "called" ones fails to attain the character likeness of Christ 
fails to make his calling and election sure, and will be rejected from membership in 
the same, because God has predestined that none shall be of that glorious elect 
company except such as, by his assisting grace in Christ, shall attain to the glorious 
character likeness of the Redeemer. We hold that from this stand-point, the doctrine 
of God's elections and fore-ordinations in respect to the Church and those who shall 
become members thereof is a glorious one, and one well calculated to develop 
Christian character, to enthuse with apostolic zeal the called ones. And as to the Free 
Grace of the Divine Plan surely it is a most glorious provision from 

OV36 

this standpoint-promising blessed opportunities to every member of the race. As it 
is written, Christ, "the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the 
world."— John 1:9. A beautiful symbolic picture of the Millennial Age and the 
blessings extending to all mankind under Israel's New Covenant, is set before us in 
the Book of Revelation. First the "elect" Church is pictured as "the New Jerusalem 
adorned as a Bride for her husband" descending from heaven to earth, establishing 
the Divine rule amongst men. Then follows a further symbolization: "a river of the 
Water of Life, clear as crystal," is represented as "proceeding forth from the throne" 
of the New Jerusalem, flowing out to bless all the nations of the world. The result is 
Paradise with trees of life by both sides of the River and "the leaves of the trees for 
the healing of the heathen." Then we read the message of Free Grace, so attractive to 
Brother Wesley and to us all- "And the Spirit and the Bride say. Come. And let him 
that heareth say. Come. And let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him 
come and take of the Water of Life freely."— Rev. 22: 17. 



OV37 



ONE HERE, ONE THERE 

OF all we meet in life 's great stream, 

There's but one here and there 
Who treasures most the better things; 
Each man to self most tightly clings, 
For self he toils, for self he sings. 

Except one here, one there. 

The world would be a desolate place. 

But for one here and there. 
Whose heart with self hath not been filled. 
Whose love for God hath not been killed. 
Whose thankful praise hath not been stilled; 

There's one such here and there. 

And this hath been the Lord's wise will. 

To find one here, one there. 
Who counting earthly gain but dross. 
Would daily take the Christian's cross. 
E'en at the risk of any loss:— 

God finds one here and there. 

'Tis not the numbers that He seeks. 

But just one here, one there; 
He seeks not souls, but jewels fair. 
For those who will His sujfring share. 
And for His sake reproaches bear; 

They're few; one here, one there! 

But oh! the grandeur of the work 

For this one here and there. 
To join in lifting up our race. 
To wipe away of sin each trace. 
To make of earth a perfect place. 

Put glory everywhere! 



THE DIVINE PROGRAM 



VIII-THE JUDGMENT SCENE BEFORE THE GREAT WHITE THRONE 

BY C. T. RUSSELL 

PASTOR BROOKLYN TABERNACLE 

ST. PAUL DECLARES that Christian beUevers, when they receive the Holy Spirit, 
"Receive not the spirit of bondage and fear, but the spirit of a sound mind." For the 
long centuries of the dark ages, however, Christianity was merely a nominal affair, 
except with the very few. Instead of the Holy Spirit, instead of the spirit of love and 
of a sound mind, the world was at that time dominated by a spirit of fear. To some 
extent this is still true. Nevertheless, increase of knowledge is taking some of the 
shackles of fear from off of the intellects and permitting us to look at everything 
more honestly, more logically, more with the spirit of a sound mind than ever before. 
We are glad of this, and purpose now to examine our subject in the light of the 
Scriptures and with the spirit of a sound mind, divesting ourselves, so far as possible. 



of the "fear which bringeth a snare." The Day of Judgment, or, as it once was called. 
Doomsday, had an awful significance to our forefathers. To them it brought pictures 
of Christ upon his throne of judgment surrounded by myriads of holy angels intent 
upon executing his decrees, good or bad, and to the vast majority of those decrees 
were supposed to mean eternal torment. A once famous preacher of this famous city 
of churches pictured the Judgment scene most grotesquely as represented in the 
public prints of about thirty years ago. He pictured the Second Coming of the Lord 
Jesus in his power and great glory, seated upon a cloud in mid-heaven, surrounded 
by angelic hosts. Before him appeared the world of mankind, brought back from 
heaven and hell and the dust of the earth. In grandiloquent language he pictured the 
earth turning upon its axis during a period of twenty- four hours, so that the entire 
worldful of people could see the Judge on his cloud-throne. The Judgment picture 
was a mere farce, for the Judge merely said to those who had come from heaven. Go 
back. Resume your crowns and harps. And he said to those who had come from hell. 
Go back to your eternal torment. This and other very similar misrepresentations of 
the Day of Judgment have so repulsed the intelligence of many as to turn their minds 
away from the Bible toward Agnosticism. It is our purpose on this occasion to, if 
possible, set forth the Bible presentation of Divine Truth on the subject of God's 
Judgments so clearly, so self-evidently, that none possessed of a sound balance of 
mind could possibly object thereto. 

A Judgment Day in Eden. 

A totally wrong thought seems to have gotten possession of all of our minds in 
respect to the meaning of the Day of Judgment. It is generally understood to signify 
a day of condemnation. However, the expression in the Scriptures really signifies a 
day of crisis, a time of decision, a period of trial;~not a day of inflicting 
punishments for crimes previously adjudicated. The Greek word crisis translated 
judgment has been so frequently used in our English language that it has become an 
English word as well. Hence its meaning, the same in the Greek as in the English, is 
well known to us all. For instance, 

OV38 

if in our home we have a patient who has taken the fever and a doctor calls, we may 
inquire how soon recovery may be expected. The doctor asks the date the fever 
began, and answers that its crisis will come on the seventh, fourteenth, twenty-first, 
twenty- eighth, or some other day a multiple of the seventh day from its 
commencement. His meaning is, that then the testing will come, the trial, the 
determination whether the person will sink into death or recover from the fever. This 
gives us the proper thought connected with this word crisis or judgment; the proper 
thought, therefore, connected with the expression. Day of Judgment. For instance, 
there was such a Day of Judgment in Eden when God forbade our first parents to eat 
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. At that moment their testing, their 
trial, their judgment, began~to demonstrate their obedience or disobedience, and 
thus in turn to determine their worthiness or un worthiness of life eternal. In that 
Judgment Day, as we have already seen, our first parents were disobedient and a 
death condemnation came upon them, which has been inherited by all of their 
children in a natural way. Partaking of their flesh and blood, we partook also of their 
weaknesses, mental, moral and physical; hence we are a dying race—dying because 
our first parents failed in the first Day of Judgment or trial. 

The Jewish Judgment Day. 

While God foreknew that the Law Covenant made with the nation of Israel through 
Moses would not effect a deliverance of the nation from the effects of original sin, 
he nevertheless, for good reasons, gave that nation a trial or judgment or testing 
under the provisions of that Law Covenant. It was a life or death agreement. Any 
who could keep the requirements of that Law Covenant might under it claim eternal 



life. Whoever failed of keeping the requirements of that Law Covenant would die. 
This trial or test came upon that nation at the time of its deliverance from Egypt, 
when they passed through the Red Sea and were baptised into Moses in the sea and 
in the cloud~the sea on the one hand and the cloud overhead. They were baptized or 
buried into Moses. For nearly fifteen centuries that nation was on trial or judgment, 
yet the results of the judgment were not decreed until our Lord's Second Advent, 
when he was declared of the Father to be the One, and the only One bom under the 
Law Covenant who inherited its blessings of eternal life by absolute obedience to its 
every requirement. Not only so, but the remainder of that nation were all adjudged 
unworthy of any further trial, as our Lord himself expressed the sentiment, saying: 
"Your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you. Ye shall not see me 
henceforth, till ye shall say. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord~at his 
Second Advent. -Matt. 23:38,39. The Apostle Paul, reviewing the results of those 
fifteen centuries of their judgment or trial, tells us that the Law Covenant made 
nothing perfect; that it merely showed to be perfect the Perfect One who had left the 
heavenly Courts and become a man, in order to redeem Adam and his race. St. Paul, 
however, shows us also that, throughout that Jewish Age of trial some were found 
possessed of faith far beyond their fellows. He enumerates many of these, and then 
calls attention to the fact that they died without having received the things promised 
to them, but that they did receive Divine approval in that the Lord declared that they 
pleased him—not by perfection of works and obedience to the Law Covenant, but 
that he was pleased with their faith: they demonstrated that if they had been free 
from the blemishes of the fallen condition, blessed with perfect bodies and minds, 
they would have delighted to have kept the Law perfectly. 

Spiritual Israel's Judgment. 

The Gospel Age is represented as an epoch of trial or testing or judgment for the 
Church of Christ~the Body of Christ -those to be joint-heirs with Christ in his 
nature and his throne-"the Bride, the Lamb's Wife." The Scriptures point out to us 
that during this epoch God is drawing and calling from the world of mankind a "little 
flock," and that he is permitting the way of response to his call to be made a narrow 
one and a very difficult one. This 

OV39 

is to the intent that the class that will hear, obey and walk in the footsteps of Jesus in 
this narrow way may be a very special class, a "little flock, " each one of them copies 
of God's dear Son, the dear Redeemer. It will be seen, then, that in a very special 
sense there is a trial, a testing, a judgment, in progress— not a judgment in respect to 
the world, but of those who have accepted the "call" and made living sacrifices of 
themselves in the Lord's service, to the knowing and doing of the Lord's will. These 
are required to make their calling and election sure by demonstrating their loyalty to 
the Lord and his Word and the brethren, under various trying conditions, of which 
the Apostle Peter says, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which 
is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you." (1 Pet. 4:12.) The 
trials are necessary for the development of character and for the proving of the 
faithful ones; hence the overcomers in this trial must be found faithful, not only in 
reaching the mark of perfect love, but in maintaining their stand there, resisting the 
various attacks of the flesh and of the Adversary. Such "conquerors" will be granted 
"the crown of life," which God has in reservation for them that thus love him. With 
the end of this age, the trial or judgment will be completed, finished. The "little 
flock" of overcomers will receive the reward of joint heirship with their Lord and 
participation in Divine nature; while those not counted worthy of this glory, yet 
faithful in many respects, will receive blessings of spiritual nature without the 
"crown." Others still, failing entirely in the trial, will be accounted unworthy of 
eternal life on any plane, and will die the Second Death, as says the Apostle: "For it 
is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly 



gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of 
God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them 
again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and 
put him to an open shame." (Heb. 6:4-6.) Again, "For if we sin wilfully after that we 
have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 
but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall 
devour the adversaries. "--Heb. 10:26-27. 

The World's Judgment Day. 

The Apostle declares: "God hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world 
in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given 
assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. "--Acts 17:31. It 
will be noticed that this cannot apply to the original Judgment Day, in which our first 
parents failed in Eden; neither can the words apply to the judgment or trial which 
came to Israel under the Law Covenant, nor to the church on trial during this Gospel 
Age; because it is put in the future tense. The Apostle used these words in the 
beginning of this Gospel Age and the words apply beyond this Gospel Age to an 
appointed day or epoch future. The day referred to is "the day of Christ" -the 
Millennial Age -the thousand year day of the reign of righteousness, when Messiah 
shall be King over all the earth, to rescue it from the reign of sin and death and to 
bless all the captives of sin and death~the entire human family, already redeemed by 
the precious blood. The Apostle's words clearly state that he refers, not to the 
church's trial period, but to the world's. Certain things are necessary to a righteous 
judgment or trial of the world. 1. They must all come to a knowledge of the Truth. 
(1 Tim. 2:4-6.) They cannot be saved in ignorance and superstition and vice. They 
must all be brought to a knowledge of the redemption accomplished by the sacrifice 
of Christ; to a knowledge of God's willingness to receive them back again into his 
fellowship. They must all be proffered assistance out of the degradation which came 
upon them through the disobedience and fall of our first parents, in the first trial or 
judgment. 2. They cannot be on trial for life everlasting without first having been 
judicially set free from the original condemnation -the original death sentence 
pronounced upon our first parents in Eden and inherited by all of their children. 
These conditions have not yet been met, 

OV40 

and hence the world is not yet experiencing this trial or judgment or testing which, 
the Apostle tells us, God has appointed for them. It will come to them, however, in 
the time appointed of the father, called in the Scriptures "God's due time." 
Furthermore, the time for the world's judgment or testing cannot come until the trial 
or testing of the church shall have been completed and the worthy ones been found, 
because it is the Church that is now on trial, and that is to furnish the judges for the 
world's trial day. Mark the Apostle's words to this effect: "Know ye not that the 
saints shall judge the world?" (1 Cor. 6:2.) Nor is this thought out of harmony with 
the other text, "God hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in 
righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. " On the contrary, we have 
already seen that "the mystery" of this Gospel Age lies in the fact that Jesus, the 
Redeemer of the world, is the Head of the Church, which is his Body, and which is 
now being selected or tried or judged for its position in glory, only the faithful 
receiving the reward, or membership, in the glorious Prophet, Priest, King, Messiah, 
beyond the veil. 

The wrong thought respecting the Day of Judgment has made of it the day of terrors 
to the Church and to the world— all who have heard of it. It has been supposed to 
seal the doom of humanity: that thenceforth the Lord will have no pity and show no 
mercy. But the Scriptures, consistent with themselves, point out that the coming 
Judgment Day of the world signifies, to it, a great day of judgment, trial and 



blessing; just as the Church's judgment day signifies a great blessing to us; the 
privilege of becoming heirs of God and joint heirs with the Redeemer in his 
Kingdom glory. As to these facts, notice the words of inspiration by the Prophet 
David. Prophetically looking down beyond this time to the Millennial Age, the 
Prophet declares: 

"Let the heavens be glad. 
And let the earth rejoice; 
And let men say among the nations, 

Jehovah reigneth. 
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; 
Let the fields rejoice, and all that are therein. 
Then shall the trees of the wood sing aloud 
At the presence of Jehovah; 
BECAUSE HE COMETH 
TO JUDGE THE EARTH. 
O give thanks unto Jehovah, for he is good; 
For his mercy endureth forever. " 

To the same day the Apostle also points, assuring us that it will be a glorious and 
desirable day, and that for it the whole creation is groaning and travailing in pain 
together- waiting for the great Judge to deliver and to bless the world as well as to 
exalt and glorify the church.-- Rom. 8:21,22. In John 5:28,29, a precious promise 
for the world of a coming judgment-trial for life everlasting is, by a mistranslation, 
turned into a fearful imprecation. According to the Greek text, however, they that 
have done evil- that have failed of Divine approval-will come forth unto 
resurrection (raising up to perfection) by judgments, "stripes," testings, disciplines. - 
See the Revised Version. 

The Great White Throne. 

The Book of Revelation is recognized by God's people to be a book of symbols. 
One of its beautiful pictures relates to the Judgment Day. We read, "And I saw a 
great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven 
fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and 
great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, 
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were 
written in the books, according to their works. "-Rev. 20: 11-13. This is one of a 
series of pen pictures of the Millennial Kingdom of Christ and the blessings it will 
bring to mankind- the blessed privilege of a fresh judgment or trial for everlasting 
life. The first judgment of the race in Adam resulted in failure and condemnation of 
our first parents, and we were merely included in its losses, its disasters. By Divine 
arrangement, our Redeemer has died, the Just 

OV41 

for the unjust. The application of his merit to father Adam will extend a blessing 
eventually to every member of his race, securing to them all a full release from the 
original condemnation or sentence and from all of the blight which came upon our 
race as a result. Setting aside the original penalty does not give either Adam or his 
children eternal life, but merely provides for all a new judgment or fresh trial for 
eternal life. Adam had perfection of life and held it tentatively on condition of his 
obedience. The redeemed race will come back again to Adam's position of trial and 
testing, as respects worthiness of life everlasting. However, instead of bringing 
mankind back by instantaneous process from the tomb and from our present fallen 
condition of mind and body to the full perfection of human nature, which Adam 
enjoyed, God proposes a still better way. He will give his fallen creatures through 
Christ an opportunity to climb up out of the sin and death conditions into which 
Adam's transgressions brought all. Some are more fallen; some less so. None could 



be recovered except by the Redeemer, whose death provides the ladder, so to speak, 
by which mankind can be raised up to full human perfection and Divine favor and all 
that was lost in Adam. The opportunity for thus rising up by their own exertions and 
by the assistance of the glorified Redeemer and his glorified Church will be during 
the Millennial Age. That opportunity will constitute the world's trial or judgment. 
Various offices are attributed to our Lord, in connection with his great work for the 
world of mankind. Thus we read that he is to be the great Prophet, the great Priest, 
the great Mediator and the great Judge. We have already seen that the foundation for 
this great Kingdom and Judgship was laid in our Redeemer's sacrifice of himself; but 
the execution of the great Plan of God, the Divine Program, was delayed to permit 
the selection of the Church, the "little flock," the Judge and associate judges. A 
gradual testing of the world by uplifting processes, by the binding of Satan and the 
making of the knowledge of the Lord to fill the whole earth, etc., will be much better 
for all concerned than if they were instantly made perfect and then put on trial as 
Adam was. The thousand years of uplifting influences and the striving against sin 
and the forming of character according to the Divine will will be helpful to the world 
and enable them to overcome, in the trial which will come to them in this gradual 
way. Help at each step and assistance out of every unintentional blunder is provided 
until at last all the willing and obedient shall have reached the full perfection of 
human nature-all that was lost by Adam and redeemed by Jesus or, refusing it, will 
have been destroyed in the Second Death. The "great white throne" represents the 
powers of the Government and the purity or fairness of the trial which will be 
granted to the world of mankind. When we read that heaven and earth fled away 
from the presence of him upon the throne, it identifies that throne with the end of 
this age, and the opening of the Millennial Age. Present institutions are represented 
thus: the heavens, the church, etc., and the earth the political and social interests of 
"this present evil world." As St. Peter tells us, present institutions shall "pass away 
with a great noise," and instead the Lord will reveal a new heavens and a new earth- 
that is to say, new spiritual powers, the Church in glory; and new earthly powers, the 
new political and social conditions-along better lines than those which now control: 
along lines of Justice and Love. The judgment or trial is before God in the sense that 
it will be along the lines of the Divine Law, though the Law Giver in this trial will be 
represented by the glorified Mediator. The judgment will not be along new lines, but 
along old lines, as our Lord Jesus declared: "My Word shall judge you in the last 
days." However, so far as the world is concerned, our Lord's words are as yet hidden 
mysteries, words not understood. Only the Church, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, 
has been able to appreciate the Divine Word clearly. But when the world's judgment 
or trial will be on, during the Millennium, the books will be opened— the books of the 
Bible-and the dead will be judged, will be tried, will be tested along the lines of 
teaching found in those books of the Bible. Those who give 

OV42 

heed to the message of the Lord, its doctrines, its precepts, will make progress from 
grace to grace, from knowledge to knowledge, from strength to strength. Their 
Restitution or Resurrection will gradually progress as the Truth tries or judges them 
and finds them responsive, obedient to the voice which speaketh from heaven. St. 
Peter tells us that it shall come to pass that the soul that will not obey that Prophet, 
that Teacher, that King, will be destroyed from amongst his people. (Acts 3:23.) On 
the contrary, all who do obey the Lord's Word will, by the close of that Millennial 
period, have reached a full human perfection, mental, moral and physical. They will 
be as perfect as was Adam, and additionally possess a wider range of knowledge, 
and many of them, we trust, a firm texture of developed character. Still, however, at 
the close of the Millennial Judgment Day a great final test will be provided, which 
will thoroughly demonstrate the heart loyalty or disloyalty of each one. And all the 
disloyal will be utterly destroyed in the Second Death, without hope of recovery of 
any kind. 



The Sheep and the Goats. 

Our Lord gave one of his parables to illustrate the world's judgment during the 
Millennium, the parable of the sheep and the goats. Its location is definitely fixed by 
the context, which shows that it will find its fulfillment during the Millennial Age- 
after the present age shall have closed. We read, "When the Son of Man shall come 
in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his 
glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one 
from another, as a shepherd dividethhis sheep from the goats." (Matt. 25:31,32.) 
This parable corresponds exactly to the "great white throne" picture of Revelation. It 
shows all nations, all peoples gathered before that throne, which will be established 
in power and great glory. The Son of man who will come in his glory and who will 
sit upon the throne has given us numerous assurances that the elect church shall sit 
with him in his throne. The church will not be amongst those sheep and goats before 
that throne, but, glorified as the Lamb's Wife, the Church will be with her 
Bridegroom in his throne judging all nations—judging them, proving them; which are 
of the sheep nature and which are of the goat nature. The former will be blessed. The 
latter will be destroyed. At the end of the thousand years of the Judgment Day, the 
sheep found at the right hand of favor will receive the blessing: "Come, ye blessed of 
my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world"- 
an earthly kingdom, different decidedly from the heavenly kingdom, which will have 
previously been given to the church in association with her Lord. Then the unworthy 
will also be dealt with. As we read. He who sat upon the throne said to the goat 
class, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and 
his angels"- his fellows, all who are of his character likeness, and who are in 
sympathy with him. These will include all of Adam's restored race who, after 
enjoying the knowledge and favor of God, shall maintain any sympathy for sin and 
discord. The everlasting punishment, be it remembered, will be administered; but 
this does not signify everlasting torments, because the punishment for sin is not 
torment, but death-everlasting death will therefore be the punishment of the goat 
class with Satan the great adversary. From this death there will be no redemption, no 
resurrection, no recovery of any kind. As St. Peter declares, "They shall be like brute 
beasts, made to be taken and destroyed." The everlasting fire is as symbolical, as 
parabolic, as the sheep and the goats. Fire is a symbol of destruction, and everlasting 
fire a symbol of everlasting destruction. An everlasting fire is one not quenched, one 
which burns until it shall have accomplished its purpose of complete destruction. 

More and Less Tolerable. 

Our Lord had considerable to say about this great Day of Judgment, by and through 
which, in the Father's Plan, he was to extend the blessings of his sacrifice to the 
entire race. Jesus upbraided the people of Bethsaida and Chorazin, declaring that 
Sodom and Gomorrah would have represented with contrition in sackcloth and 

OV43 

ashes, if they had enjoyed their opportunities. He assured them that, in the Day of 
Judgment, the day of trial, the day of testing, the Millennial Judgment Day, matters 
would be more favorable for the Sodomites than for the people of Chorazin and 
Bethsaida.- Matthew 1 1:21-24. This may give a new thought to some- that the 
Divine arrangement for dealing with the Sodomites during the Millennium will be 
quite tolerable-less severe, less of an ordeal than for some of the Jews who lived in 
our Lord's day. Nor are we to think of those Jews as being specially wicked and 
reprehensible, because they crucified the Lord of Glory. St. Peter declares, "I wot 
that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." (Acts 3:17.) Of those same 
Jews we read that the Lord will "pour upon the house of David, and upon the 
inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look 
upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one moumeth 



for his only son."~Zech. 12: 10. But glance at the case of the Sodomites. Our Lord 
shows that he had reference to those persons who lived in the days of Lot. He says, 
"But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from 
heaven and destroyed them all." (Luke 17:29.) Those Sodomites had no share in any 
day of judgment, except in the sense that they were children of Adam, and by 
heredity they were condemned in him and shared in his death sentence. They sinned, 
doubtless, against a measure of light, yet not against full light, because the Gospel 
lamp was not lighted and did not shine upon any until Jesus' day. Thus it is written 
that Christ "brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel;" and, again, 
that this great salvation "began to be preached by our Lord." (2 Tim. 1:10; Heb. 2:3.) 
The death of the Sodomites, therefore, was merely the Adamic death, hastened; not 
the Second Death. They would have died anyway. They were taken in a manner 
which furnished an example for those who afterwards should live in extreme 
ungodliness, as they did; whether with or without the Gospel light. If we turn to 
Ezekiel 16:46-63, we see how the Lord reproved Israel for unfaithfulness, under 
great privileges and blessings. He reminds them of how, in the days of their 
prosperity and pride, they disdained their sister nations, the Sodomites and 
Samaritans. After telling them that they were worse than either of these, he further 
informs them that when he fulfills his promise to them to regather Israel, to restore to 
Israel his favor and the light of his countenance and to make with them the New 
Covenant, he then will also bless the Samaritans and the Sodomites. We read, 
"When I shall bring in their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and 
the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of 
thy captives in the midst of them.. ..When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall 
return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their 
former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to their former estate. 
...Nevertheless, I will remember my Covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and 
I will establish unto thee an everlasting Covenant. "--See Jer. 31:31; Rom. 11:27-32. 
We see, then, that a Divine Program, which has provided that the world shall have a 
Judgment Day or Epoch, as the result of Christ's redemptive work, has set apart for it 
the Millennial Age, with amplest provisions that each member of Adam's race may 
have a full, fair and impartial trial for eternal life or eternal death. The Divine 
Program is surely a good one—ten thousand times better than the miserably confused 
and confusing ideas of the Judgment Day which came down to us from "the dark 
ages," filling us with fear and dread as respects God and his gracious arrangements 
for the blessing of all the families of the earth through The Christ, Head and Body. 



OV44 

THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

IX— The Millennial Kingdom 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

AS IS WELL-KNOWN, the basis of the word Millennium is Mille, which signifies a 
thousand. For long centuries, God's people have looked forward to times of 
refreshment, when the curse imposed upon the world because of Adam's sin would 
be lifted by reason of the Redeemer's sacrifice. It has been the theory that he who 
redeemed mankind is to come a second time, not as a sin-offering, as at the first, but 
as the great Deliverer, to release mankind from sin and death conditions, and to 
restore the willing and obedient to close harmony with God, and, indeed, to all that 
was lost in Adam. Those "restitution times" or years, as St. Peter says, have been 
declared by "all the holy prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:19-21.) In other 
words, as the heathen have had their theory of a coming Golden Age, the Israelites 



had the direct assurance of God that such a period of general world-wide blessing 
would surely come. This hope was associated with Israel's anticipation of worldly 
greatness under the Head Shepherd, the expected Messiah. Foundation for the hope 
lay in the Divine promise to Abraham, "In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth 
be blessed." Israel hoped and prayed for the fulfillment of this promise, which meant 
special honor and exaltation to them, as well as refreshment to others. They 
understood that Messiah would come first, and that it would be under his direction 
and ministration of affairs that his Kingdom would be established—in their nation for 
the blessing of all nations. These ancient hopes of Israel will shortly have realization 
very nearly as anticipated. The difference is that Messiah, instead of being one 
person, is to be composed of the chosen "little flock" of one hundred and forty-four 
thousand selected in part from Israel in the end of their age, and, since then, the 
remainder from all nations. As soon as this great Mediator shall be completed his 
work will begin —the New Covenant will be sealed between God and Israel, and 
Messiah, Head and Body, will be its Mediator. (Jer. 31:31; Rom. 11:1,27,31.) The 
blessing will extend to all nations, in that all nations will be welcome to become 
"Israelites indeed" and sharers in the blessings of that New (Law) Covenant. As they 
thus come into line with the Divine provisions, they will, as foretold, become 
children of Abraham. As it is written, "Abraham, I have constituted thee a Father of 
many nations." But the chief hope of salvation for the Millennium is usually based 
upon the statements in Revelation 20th, which assure us that in the end of this 
Gospel Age the Divine power will restrain Satan, hindering the further deception of 
humanity during that period. Meantime, Christ will take unto himself his great power 
and reign- control, order, rule, bless. This same period is elsewhere called "the day 
of Christ" -the epoch during which The Christ, Head and Body, shall hold the sway 
of earth. (Rev. 20:4-6.) The same period is referred to by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 15:22,23, 
when telling us that, "as all in Adam die, so all in Christ will be made alive," but, he 
assures us, "every man in his own order, " for he, Messiah, "must reign until he shall 
have put all enemies under his feet"— until he shall have subdued everything that is 
not in harmony with the divine arrangement. The suggestion of Revelation that not 
only Satan shall be bound for a thousand 

OV45 

years, but that the Church shall reign with Christ, etc., is in full harmony with what 
we know respecting the Lord's dealing with our race in the past. If we count the six 
thousand years as six days of evil-six days of the reign of sin and death-and then 
speak of the thousand-year "day of Christ" in which righteousness shall reign unto 
life eternal, we thus have in mind the week of seven-thousand year days. And a 
week, a cycle of sevens, stands for completeness. It might be urged that as Sin and 
Death reigned for six thousand years the reign of righteousness and light for a period 
of one thousand years would be insufficient for the uplift of humanity. But we hold 
to the contrary that it is abundantly sufficient and really what might have been 
expected. Some of us with the light of Present Truth, being by the grace of God 
transformed by the renewing of our minds, can well realize a great work 
accomplished in our own hearts in ten, twenty or thirty years; and we wonder what 
marvelous transformations might be effected in mankind during a hundred years or a 
thousand. We remember that the work of grace in our hearts has had our willing co- 
operation and that we thus have much advantage over such of the world as might 
prove unwilling and rebellious. But we remember also that we now are in conflict 
with oppositions from the world and from the Adversary, and that the Divine 
program is that neither of these oppositions shall hinder the progress of mankind up 
the highway of holiness toward the mark of human perfection during the 
Millennium. To rightly understand the condition which will prevail during the 
Millennium we must keep distinctly in memory the fact that there will be two 
Kingdoms, a heavenly, invisible one, and an earthly, visible one. Our Lord and his 
Church, his Bride, will be like unto the angels, spirit beings, and their rule or 



dominion will be only through the earthly Kingdom class, their earthly 
representatives. As the "kingdom of darkness" now operates through the servants of 
sin along lines of ignorance, superstition, sin and death, the Kingdom of Light will 
operate through earthly agencies, in harmony with its principles of righteousness, 
truth, knowledge, etc. Thus the assurance of the Scriptures is that during Messiah's 
Kingdom nothing shall be permitted to hurt or do injury, but on the contrary, it shall 
cause the light of the knowledge of the glory of God to fill the earth. -Isaiah 11:9; 
Habakkuk 2: 14. The earthly agents of Satan and the other fallen angels (the present 
powers of spiritual control) are evil men and evil women and the whole array of sin 
and error, superstition and anarchy. Many of these agents of sin are themselves 
deceived and know not whom they serve. Nevertheless, as the Scriptures declare, 
"His servants ye are unto whom ye render service." The servants of the Kingdom of 
God, on the contrary, will be glad, willing, intelligent servants of God and 
righteousness, as we shall now show. The Scriptural presentation is that Abraham, 
Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets, together with others who developed similar 
faith and character, in the period preceding our Lord's First Advent, will constitute 
the earthly phase of the Kingdom of Heaven. St. Paul calls our attention to this in 
Hebrews 1 1, and declares that "all these died in faith, not having received the things 
promised to them"-- earthly inheritance, dominion—and "that they without us should 
not be made perfect." In other words, the church of this Gospel Age must first be 
exalted with her Lord to the heavenly dominion before the Ancient Worthies will be 
called forth from the sleep of death to full human perfection, to constitute the earthly 
representatives of the Heavenly Kingdom and its laws and regulations. Moreover, 
each of these Ancient Worthies will in himself be a pattern or sample of perfect 
manhood -of all that the race as a whole may attain to by obedience to the laws of 
the Kingdom and its uplifting influences. The bringing forth of the Ancient Worthies 
from the tomb to instantaneous perfection will be, as the Apostle explains, because 
of their having stood certain trials and testings of faith, which brought to them the 
Divine approval as worthy to be used as the earthly seed of Abraham, in the great 
work of Messiah-the blessing and uplifting of all the families of the earth. Those 
Ancient Worthies were once 

OV46 

styled the "fathers." But as the Scriptures point out through the further development 
of the Divine Plan their relationship to Christ and the Church will alter. As we read, 
"Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all 
the earth." (Psa. 45:16.) In other words, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, David, et al., 
were the forefathers of Messiah according to the flesh; but Messiah's sacrifices of the 
flesh and his attainment by resurrection to the Divine nature— gave him a valuable 
asset of human rights, which he is at liberty to dispense to humanity. The giving to 
men of those human rights, earthly restitutions, includes the giving of life rights: 
thus the Mediator became "the age-lasting Father" of the whole world of mankind- 
or so many of them as ever shall attain to eternal life.— Isaiah 9:6. The Ancient 
Worthies will receive this earthly life or restitution to human nature in common with 
the world; hence they, as well as all the remainder of the human family, will occupy 
to Messiah the relationship of children, offspring-those who receive life from 
Messiah at his expense— and the result of his sacrifice of himself. The superiority of 
the Ancient Worthies in station and honor and ruling power above the remainder of 
mankind will be based upon the fact that they will be perfect men, while the 
remainder of the world will be imperfect. As we have already seen, their 
instantaneous resurrection to perfection will be the result or reward of their fidelity 
to the Lord under severe trials during their time of contact with sin. As we have 
already seen, the world of mankind will experience gradual resurrection from death 
conditions to life conditions. First will come the awakening, "Every man in his own 
order," and then during the thousand years a gradual raising up (resurrection) out of 
degradation and sin and imperfection, to righteousness and perfection in proportion 



as each individual shall heartily avail himself of the knowledge and opportunity 
which he will then possess. All who refuse to progress will die the Second Death. 

The Day of His Preparation. 

As already seen, the world has been for more than a century in what is termed "The 
day of his preparation "--for the Millennium, the time in which the Lord's blessings 
will fill the earth. The wonderful inventions of our day are already making the world 
rich. But what will a thousand years of progress signify in the way of accumulated 
wealth? If, as inventors assure us, we are merely on the edge, as it were, of still more 
wonderful inventions and devices for human comfort, what may we reasonably 
expect the world will have before the close of the thousand years of Christ's 
Millennial reign? If present inventions are but preparations for that glorious day, and 
the work of imperfect men, what may we not expect in the day itself at the hands of 
a growingly intelligent race and under the special supervision of the Ancient 
Worthies perfected in human nature, and under the further supervision of the great 
Messiah, Prophet, Priest, King, Judge and Mediator for the race? If any are disposed 
to fear that the great wealth of the world at that time would inure to the comfort and 
blessing of only a wealthy few and not to the general prosperity of the race, let such 
reflect upon the fact that the great Messiah, Emmanuel, has given us assurances, not 
only in his own character and teaching, but also directly through the prophets, that he 
will lay righteousness to the line and justice to the plummet. Let such remember, 
also, the distinct promise that he will remember the poor and needy. Note the 
prophecy: "He shall judge the poor of the people; he shall save the needy children, 
and shall break in pieces the oppressor. In his day shall the righteous flourish, and an 
abundance of peace." (Psalm 72.) Let us remember, also, the figurative promise of 
the Scriptures respecting the Millennial Day, that "every hill shall be brought low 
and every valley exalted." Let such remember also the Scriptural assurance that "the 
meek shall inherit the earth;" that "the righteous shall be exalted and that evil-doers 
shall be cut off." Surely there is abundant evidence that during the Millennium the 
blessing of life will be justly, unerringly distributed. The Divine promise is that the 
great King will lay justice to the line and righteousness to the plummet and sweep 
away all 

OV47 

the refuges of lies. The high ones will all be brought low and the lowly ones will be 
exalted. This will mean more than a fulfillment of socialist dreams. Their well-meant 
scheme is a thoroughly impracticable one; first, because if they could effect such a 
change as they desire, it would be only a question of time when the selfishness of the 
human heart would re-distribute the wealth of the world much after the manner of 
the present; secondly, their view is impracticable because the wealthy and favored 
class, believing that they are justly possessed of their wealth, would see the streets 
run with blood rather than permit distribution of their wealth and special privileges. 
We are not discounting the benevolence and goodness of the wealthy, but neither are 
we discounting the innate selfishness of all classes. The Divine program has taken 
into consideration every feature of the situation in its providence, and the results will 
be glorious. The wreck of the present social system in anarchy, shortly, will teach 
humanity the necessary lesson that it cannot trust itself under present conditions. The 
help necessary must come from the Lord. The new Kingdom will be a strong one 
and its judgments, its decisions, its rewards, its punishments, will be world-wide. 
The righteous will be blessed with the true comforts of life- health, strength and 
earthly blessing. The unrighteous will be made to feel the unprofitableness of their 
course-that the way of transgressors is hard. Gradually, this system of rewards and 
punishments- or, as the Scriptures put it, these "judgments of the Lord"-will teach 
the right lesson of the sinfulness and un desirableness of sin in its every form and of 
the blessedness of righteousness and equity, "when the judgments of the Lord are 
abroad in the earth and the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness."— Isa. 



26:9. The condemnation of Divine Justice will be lifted immediately at the 
beginning of the millennium, when the great Mediator shall apply the merit of his 
sacrifice on behalf of the world (as he applied it to the household of faith at 
Pentecost.) Nevertheless the "curse," the imperfections, the blemishes, of humanity 
and the earthly home will be gradually recovered. The promise of the Lord that the 
whole earth shall be brought to a Paradise condition will be gradually effected 
during the thousand years, just as human restitution to Adamic perfection will be 
gradually attained. The blessings which will then prevail, the comforts, the leisure, 
will be for all, because all will be rich and under the supervision of the Millennial 
Kingdom. This leisure will not be permitted to be used for sinful or depraved 
pleasures, but merely in accord with the highest interests of all. Love, joy and peace 
will be the characteristics of that time. By the close of the Millennium God's will 
shall be done on earth, even as it is done in heaven, and every human creature shall 
have attained to full perfection~the rebellious being cut off in the "Second Death." 
The loss incurred through Adam's transgression will have been fully retrieved. The 
race, so far from being injured by the experiences of sin, will really have been 
blessed; because of their greater appreciation of Truth and righteousness and their 
experiences under the reign of sin and lessons that will be learned during the 
Millennial period of reclamation from the influences of the curse. All refusing these 
gracious provisions, after trial, the Scriptures assure us, will be utterly, hopelessly 
destroyed in the Second Death.-- Acts 3:23. When the Mediatorial Kingdom of 
Christ shall have accomplished its design of blessing all the families of the earth, by 
uplifting of the willing and obedient out of sin and death conditions, that special and 
provisional Kingdom will terminate. As the Apostle says, Christ shall give up the 
Kingdom to God and he will be all in all. Meantime by his Millennial Kingdom he 
shall have put down sin and all opposed to the Divine Government and everything in 
opposition to the highest interests and welfare of the race. Love and mercy having 
done everything possible, their utmost, for the race during the Millennium, the 
regenerated race will be handed over at its close to strictest Justice. Thenceforth, no 
allowance will be made for imperfections, because no imperfections will exist. 
Ignorance and superstition having been done away with, destroyed, 

OV48 

Divine Law, absolute Justice, will be enforced.-- 1 Cor. 15:24,28. The Scriptures, 
properly enough, then, show us that immediately following this turning over of the 
Kingdom by Messiah to the Father, the reign of Mercy, giving place to the reign of 
Justice, will be followed by a period of trial to the race. For a brief period, Satan will 
be loosed, and an opportunity for sin will be permitted, with a view to testing the 
loyalty of those who had been rescued from the reign of Sin and Death. A conspiracy 
of self-will against agents of Divine authority will be permitted~to test, to prove, all 
dwelling upon the face of the whole earth, whose members will then be as the sands 
of the seashore-innumerable. How many of these will succumb to the temptation 
and thereby prove their hearts disloyal, is not stated. But all who do thus yield to the 
temptation will be accounted worthy of the Second Death and will be utterly 
destroyed. By such strenuous tests the Lord will prove, test, the hearts of men and 
blot out of existence all who with full knowledge and opportunity to the contrary still 
entertain any disloyalty to the principles of truth and righteousness. It is because of 
these strenuous tests which will be applied to every creature that the Lord is able to 
guarantee to us that "there shall be no more sighing, no more crying and no more 
dying," because there shall be no more sin. There may be some unwilling to believe 
in the Millennial Kingdom, because unable to grasp by faith so remarkable a Divine 
supervision of human affairs for the uplifting of our race from sin and death 
conditions. These are not to be specially blamed, for, as the Apostle says, "All men 
have not faith." (2 Thess. 3:2.) All men, however, who have faith to believe in the 
Divine promises can realize the justice as well as the love and mercy connected with 
the Divine scheme of redemption. It began with our Lord's giving himself as a 



ransom for all, to be testified in due time. It has continued during this Gospel Age in 
the selecting of the "little flock," the "jewels" to be Messiah's associates in the work 
of the Millennial Kingdom. It will operate during the Millennial Age most 
gloriously, and the results will be all that can be desired. Then shall come the time 
when every creature in heaven and earth and under the earth shall be heard praising 
and honoring the great Prophet, Priest and King, whose righteous dealings will 
finally have been made manifest, and whose creatures will have been brought to the 
highest degree of blessing—the "little flock" on the heavenly plane, mankind on the 
earthly plane, and the incorrigible to Second Death— destruction. 



TAKE HEART 

LET me take heart! the present scene shall soon be o'er; 
The clustering clouds shall hide the sun at noon no more. 
The tears now dropping from mine eyes shall be forgot; 
And joys, undimmed by sin and misery, my lot. 

The storm now sweeping through the troubled sky be past; 
The longed-for morning without clouds arise at last. 
The hindmost shadow soon shall utterly depart; 
Then let me watch and wait, and hopefully take heart. 



OV49 

THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

X--The Kingdoms of this World Supervised 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

THE CIVILIZED portion of the world, about one-fourth, according to population, is 
styled Christendom, which signifies Christ's Kingdom. The coined gold and silver of 
Christendom bears similar witness to God as the recognized ruler of earth. Upon our 
own coins we read "In God we trust." Upon the British coins we read that the King 
or Queen, whose image it bears, reigns over the kingdom or empire by the grace of 
God; and so with the German, the Russian, the Austrian and other coins. These 
legends have so long prevailed that they attract little notice and rarely are 
questioned. However, as soon as we begin to exercise the gray matter of our brains 
on the subject, we are in trouble. We ask. Are the great armies of Christendom 
maintained as a protection against the heathen world? Are the great navies for the 
repulsion of heathen foes? Are the mighty Dreadnaughts costing approximately 
$10,000,000 each for construction and millions more for maintenance, necessary for 
the protection of these Kingdoms of God against the heathen kingdoms not yet 
subjugated to his law? The answer comes: No! all these armaments and military 
preparations by land and by sea and through the air and under the sea are costly 
methods used by Christian nations to protect themselves from each other! We ask: 
How long has it been thus? Is this a new field of ungrounded fear that has seized 
upon the world? The answer is: No, it has ever been thus: for fifteen centuries the 
nations of Europe have been calling themselves "Christendom," yet their lands have 
been soaked with Christian blood, in fearful carnage. Christian nation fighting 
against Christian nation by every devilish means and missile conceivable, inventible, 
is the customary thing. What we now have is superior to what we had in the past, 
merely because the inventive genius peculiar to our day has had its influence along 
martial lines, as along the avenues of peace. The situation is inexplicable, except 



from one standpoint—the Bible standpoint —the Divine Program, which solves this 
and every other mystery and query. From this standpoint, the explanation is, that 
Christendom is laboring under a great delusion. It is not Christ's Kingdom. Instead, 
according to the Scriptures, the civilized as well as the uncivilized portion of 
mankind are under the secret domination of "The Prince of this world"~Satan. The 
great Adversary has deceived the world, putting light for darkness and darkness for 
light. Whereas, through the prophets and apostles, and by our Lord's own words, the 
hope of the world centers in the establishment of the Divine rule or reign of 
Righteousness, yet the time for the fulfillment of those gracious promises and ardent 
hopes is still future. It is still appropriate for God's people to pray, after the example 
given us by our Redeemer in the words, "Thy Kingdom come; thy will be done on 
earth as it is done in heaven." The hope of the early Church, voiced in this prayer, 
should still be the hope of God's people. They should all know that the reign of Sin 
and Death, which has prevailed on earth for these many centuries, will continue to 
prevail until the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power and great glory. 
When he shall "take unto himself his great power and reign, " he will put down sin 
and error in their multitudinous forms and establish righteousness 

OV50 

and Truth, peace, love and joy. And this glorious event, the Second Coming of 
Christ in Kingdom glory, must await the Divine "due time," when the elect Church 
shall have been completed, tested, proven, found faithful, glorified. This is the 
thought before the Apostle's mind when he graphically declares, "The whole creation 
groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now... waiting for the manifestation of 
the sons of God." The great Son of God, Captain of our Salvation, and all of his 
brethren under him, soldiers of the cross, are soon to be glorified together on the 
spirit plane by the First Resurrection, as a Royal Priesthood ~a Priest with regal 
power. 

A Masterpiece of Deception. 

Fidelity to our subject demands that we inquire how, when and where this 
deception was foist upon God's people and the entire civilized world. Who fabricated 
this story, that the nations of the civilized world are the kingdoms of Christ? The 
answer is, that this great deception is from Satan, our great Deceiver, of whom the 
Apostle said, "The God of this world hath blinded the minds of all them that believe 
not." It is safe, also, to assume that to some extent this great Adversary has partially 
blinded the minds of believers. This is the sentiment in the prophecy, "Darkness 
covers the earth; gross darkness the heathen." Again the Apostle says, I pray God for 
you (The Church) that your eyes being opened, ye may be able to comprehend with 
all saints the length and breadth and height and depth, and to know the love of God, 
which passeth all understanding (Eph. 3:18.) The intimation here, again, is that the 
opening of the eyes of understanding of Christians is gradual and proportionate to 
their saintliness and holiness of heart. That the deceptions of Satan are world-wide 
and include all classes is set forth in the assurance given us that when he shall be 
bound by Christ for the thousand years of his Millennial reign, it will be that "he 
shall deceive the nations no more until the thousand years are finished." In seeking 
for the truthful answer to the query, we must not feel aggrieved if, perchance, we 
find that our own ancestors were amongst those whom Satan deceived and who 
ignorantly became his servants and tools in the establishment of the thought that the 
civilized kingdoms are the Kingdoms of Christ- "Christendom." 

The Deception Gradual and Logical. 

Those who claim that the present condition of things was concocted by priests and 
knaves who premeditated the deception with which we have since been struggling 
are mistaken. Those who elaborated these views were undoubtedly as honest and 
sincere as ourselves. They were the victims of circumstances, and, more particularly. 



the victims of the great Deceiver's plot whereby he continually lay in wait to deceive 
the Lord's people, as St. Paul foretold. (Eph. 4: 14; 2 Cor. 2:1 1.) Truly the Apostle 
has declared that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood," but with wicked spirits in 
influential positions. —Eph. 6:12. The method by which the Adversary misled our 
forefathers was a cunningly deceptive one. A century after the Apostles fell asleep in 
death, persecution was still raging, and the looked- for Second Coming of Christ to 
glorify his Church, and to establish her as his Bride and joint-heir in his Kingdom, to 
bless the world, had not yet come. The strain of tribulation was telling upon the 
hopes of the Church. There were queries as to whether or not a mistake had been 
made in the understanding of the promises respecting our Lord's Second Coming, the 
end of this age and the inauguration of the New Kingdom Age. Now was the time 
for the Adversary to gradually and persistently work in the erroneous thought and 
becloud and obscure the Truth and cut off the Church from the real Scriptural hope 
and give to her another hope, through which the great Deceiver could more 
particularly lead her astray on other doctrines and practices. The subtle suggestion 
was that it was not the Divine intention that Christ should come a second time in the 
flesh. This conclusion was quite correct; but to it was added the further suggestion 
that Christ intended that his faithful followers under his direction should first convert 
the whole world—should first accomplish all 

OV51 

the work of the Millennial Kingdom. The further suggestion was, that the Lord 
himself would not participate in this Millennial reign, except through a substitute or 
vicar, who would represent him in all the work of the Kingdom and fulfill all the 
prophetic promises of blessing the earth, uplifting mankind, etc. At the same time, 
the dominion of earth was so manipulated by the Prince of this world (God not 
interfering) that the persecutions of the Church by the civil Government of Rome 
ceased; and the Roman Government gradually decayed. At the same time, 
formalism, going hand in hand with worldly prosperity, lifted up the Church nominal 
in the eyes of the world and in its own eyes. Gradually the Church seemed to be 
nearing the point where she could reign over the kings of the earth. The Church's 
power increased as the civil power weakened, until finally the Church nominal was 
the mightiest organization in the world. Then possessed of the reins of spiritual 
control, she asserted her authority, and told the civil kings of the earth that her 
superior control was as the representative of God and his Kingdom, which it was 
foretold would rule the world. She called upon kings to recognize her authority and 
to conduct their kingdoms in accordance with her decrees. She threatened their 
princes and nobles and kings that, if they did otherwise than obey her commands, 
she would exercise her suzerain authority. She told the civil kings of earth that if her 
commands were not obeyed she would inform their peoples that they were no longer 
bound to support them, and would indicate others to be their rulers instead- others 
who would hearken to the voice of the Church, to the voice of Christ speaking 
through the Church. Meantime, slowly, gradually, artfully, under the great 
Deceiver's seductions and temptations, the simplicity of the apostolic order was lost, 
or, rather, it was merged into a larger system, believed to be necessary, and in Divine 
order, for the new conditions prevailing. The Elders of the various congregations of 
the Lord's people, the pastors and teachers, were no longer styled overseers or 
bishops, but this term was applied from a loftier standpoint of one commissioned to 
have an apostolic oversight of many congregations. Gradually, too, a still higher 
order was recognized, called archbishops or higher bishops, and still another higher 
order styled cardinals. And to perfect the system, a Head was demanded by the 
Church -an elected Head, called a pope, a papa, a father. Whoever occupied the 
office of pope was recognized as the personal representative of Christ, so that similar 
honor was demanded for the popes as was recognized as due to Christ; and the 
pope's ex cathedra utterances were recognized as the infallible utterances of Christ. 
He was styled "the vicar of Christ," or Christ's substitute on the throne of earth. In 



the triple crown worn by the popes, emblazoned with jewels, was his title, Vicarius 
Filii Dei, Substitute Son of God. When we remember that all this came about 
gradually, during a period of long centuries, we cannot wonder that our forefathers 
in all of these arrangements verily thought that they were doing God service and 
fulfilling his will, as foretold in the prophecies. We cannot, therefore, chide or 
censure them specially for accepting and handing down to us this wrong theory, that 
then and there God's Kingdom was set up in the world. Rather we must sympathize 
with them and with ourselves and be the more on guard against the deceptive 
influences of our Great Adversary, Satan. So that, while getting rid of some of those 
errors, we may not be misled by our foes into other pitfalls and snares. Our only 
safety is, as the Scriptures point out, in a closer walk in the footsteps of our 
Redeemer, in humility, in love, in devotion to God and to each other, waiting for the 
true Kingdom of God's dear Son, the promised Kingdom, which shall be established 
at his Second Coming. That Kingdom shall bless all the families of the earth; that 
Kingdom shall put down all sin and disorder and bring in everlasting righteousness, 
and, to the willing and obedient, everlasting life. 

Both Protestants and Catholics Deceived. 

We are not to think of this matter as being a deception upon the Catholics merely. 
Indeed, in former days we, represented by our forefathers, were practically all 
Catholics. When the so-called 

OV52 

"Reformation" took place in the fifteenth century, those who then protested, 
represented by Luther, Zwingli, Melancthon, Calvin and others, accepted the same 
general teaching, namely, that God's Kingdom was established in the earth and was 
to conquer the world. These reformers merely disputed that the pope and his 
associates were the Head of the Church and representatives of Christ. Certainly 
Luther did, even if it were but jocularly, say of himself, "Here goes the German 
pope." Henry VIII, as the Head of the Church of England, surely set himself forth as 
the Head of that religious system or Church. Surely in similar manner, the Czar of 
Russia is the Pontifex Maximus of the Russian or Greek Church. The 
"Reformation," therefore, was not a recognition of the deception which Satan had 
forced upon our forefathers, but, instead, it meant a splitting of the one so-called 
Kingdom of God, Papacy, into numerous Kingdoms of God, or sects, which between 
them recognize the various royal families of Europe. The root evil still persists to 
this day. It is high time that, in the light of our day, we should see clearly that all the 
so-called kingdoms of Christendom are merely "kingdoms of this world," which, 
deceptively and under delusion, are claiming to be the kingdoms of God's dear Son. 
Only those who recognize these facts are properly prepared to appreciate and to 
rejoice in the prospect of the soon-coming of the Kingdom of Christ and its reign of 
Righteousness under the whole heavens, in fulfillment of the Word of the Lord "by 
the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." -Acts 3:19-21. 

Present Conditions Foretold. 

Looking back we find in Daniel's prophecy delineations which prophetically 
foretell in brief outline the history of the world empires, showing us what has been; 
what is, and what is to come; portraying the fact that all the "kingdoms of earth are 
kingdoms of this world," and that the great Kingdom of God's dear Son will be 
established upon the ruins of present institutions. The ruin of present empires is 
clearly indicated as due in the near future, and as coming to pass as the result of 
increased knowledge and increased ambition, operating in conjunction with the 
selfishness of fallen human nature. Of that "day of wrath," its character and its place 
in the Divine Program we shall have more to say anon. 



God's Kingdom in Israel. 

True, there was a time when God had a Kingdom or dominion in the world, as we 
read David, King of Israel, "sat upon the throne of the Kingdom of the Lord." And 
"Solomon sat upon the throne of the Kingdom of the Lord, in the room of his father 
David." But that Kingdom is not the one for which we wait and for which we pray, 
"Thy Kingdom come." That was merely a figure, a picture in some respects of the 
coming Kingdom. David, the beloved Prophet, represented typically The Christ; and 
Solomon, the wise, the rich, the great, typified Messiah and his Kingdom in other 
respects. When the time came to abolish the typical Kingdom of Israel, the Lord 
indicated that his promise that Messiah should sit upon the throne of Israel would 
nevertheless be fulfilled, though the delay would be considerable. To the last regular 
king successor to David's throne the words were addressed, "O thou profane and 
wicked Prince whose time has come that iniquity should have an end! Remove the 
diadem! Take off the crown! This shall not be the same! I will overturn, overturn, 
overturn it, until he comes, whose right it is, and I will give it unto him." That 
Davidic crown has been overturned ever since. No rightful heir of David has ever 
worn the crown. The nation was under other rules and subject to other empires until 
its final destruction in A.D. 70. For instance, the Herods of our Lord's day were not 
Israelites, but of the family of Esau, and even then they had only a provisional 
Government, the real control being vested in the Roman Emperor. The lesson then 
is, that when Messiah's Kingdom shall be established, it, under the terms of Israel's 
New (Law) Covenant, shall be established with Israel and not with other nations. All 
nations will then approach the Lord by coming under the terms of his grace, and 
mercy embodied in that New (Law) Covenant, 

OV53 

which will then operate towards Israel. All peoples, when exercising faith and 
obedience to the regulations of the Millennial Kingdom, in so doing will become 
"Israelites indeed," circumcised in heart and be counted children of Abraham, as it is 
written, I have constituted thee a father of many nations. The facts, then, are that 
Zedekiah's crown, removed six hundred and six years before Christ, has not yet been 
accepted by Messiah. His dominion has not yet been established in the earth! The 
long intervening period of twenty- five hundred and fifteen years marks a period in 
which God has had no Kingdom in the earth, no special dominion of an outward 
kind, such as mankind could recognize, and such as they have been called upon to 
honor and obey. Notice further, that God had stated to the Jews that if they would be 
disobedient to his Divine arrangements, he would punish them "seven times" for 
their sins. This is repeated over and over again. The "seven times" may properly be 
understood to be seven years (symbolical) three hundred and sixty years long. The 
seven times thus reckoned would total twenty- five hundred and twenty years as 
Israel's period of Divine disfavor without a king. We have seen that twenty-five 
hundred and fifteen years of this period have already elapsed, and thus five years 
remain before they can have earthly dominion. As the time draws near, what do we 
see—the Jews and the whole civilized world standing up and looking to Palestine and 
requesting for reinstatement as a nation. (This same presentation has been set forth 
orally and in print for more than thirty years: long enough before the Zionist 
movement.) Their hopes will be more than realized, but not entirely in the manner 
anticipated. The Kingdom that is coming to them at the close of their period of 
waiting will be a blessed Kingdom- that of Emmanuel the seed of Abraham, 
Messiah. 

2520 Gentile Times 2520. 

But now behold! When the crown was taken from Israel in Zedekiah's day 25 15 
years ago, God declared through Daniel the Prophet that the dominion of the earth 
under certain limitations would be left in the hands of the Gentiles, and that they 



would rule the world until those times or years would be fulfilled. Our Lord Jesus 
called attention to this prophecy and foretold that "Jerusalem shall be trodden down 
of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke 21:24.) As 
Jerusalem is still thus trodden down of the Gentiles, it is evident that the "Gentile 
times" are not yet filled full. In God's revelation on the subject to Daniel and to 
Nebuchadnezzar, he indicated that the Dominion of the Gentiles began with 
Nebuchadnezzar, the great image of Gentile power, and that this image would 
control was shown in brief. Nebuchadnezzar's Government was the Head. Following 
it came the universal empire of the Medes and Persians, Cyrus being one of these. 
Next in turn came the Empire of Greece, Alexander the Great being its principal 
representative. Next in turn came the legs of iron, representing the strength of the 
Roman Empire; next in turn came the feet and toes of the image, of iron and clay 
mixed, representing the rule of Christendom, a commingling of the civil power as 
represented by the iron, and the ecclesiastical authority, as represented in the clay. 
The whole period of the domination of this great image was symbolically pictured in 
the seven years of Nebuchadnezzar's madness, at the conclusion of which he praised 
the God of Heaven and acknowledged him as the Emperor and Ruler of earth. The 
madness of the man is a fitting picture of the madness of the universal Gentile 
Governments and the carnage which they wrought in the earth. The seven years or 
seven times, namely, twenty- five hundred and twenty years, correspond exactly to 
Israel's "seven times." Thus we see that "the times of the Gentiles" will be fulfilled 
and they will lose their empire, at the same time that Israel's seven times of 
tribulation and down-treading will terminate, and they shall come into favor and 
association with Messiah and his Kingdom. -Daniel 2 and 4. In conclusion, we may 
all thank God that the Divine Program contains a blessing for humanity under a 
heavenly rule and Government, for their uplifting out of sin and death conditions, 
that is far 

OV54 

more hopeful, far more blessed, than anything that we have at present or that could 
possibly come to us through the Governments which ignorantly style themselves the 
Kingdoms of God, the Kingdoms of Christ— "Christendom." We are not in this 
finding fault with these earthly Governments. On the contrary, we believe that poor 
humanity in its fallen condition is doing as well as it can do. It is struggling against 
the world, the flesh and the Adversary and against the ignorance, superstition, etc., in 
which they were immersed and against their own weaknesses and imperfections of 
mind and morals and selfishness. God would have humanity learn the lesson that our 
very best efforts to rectify the great disaster of sin and death, which came upon us 
through Father Adam's disobedience, must prove futile. Our help cometh from God. 
Thank God for the provision for our assistance -that it has already been made by the 
death of Jesus, who died the Just for the unjust, that he might bring back to the 
Father in due time, through this Kingdom of Righteousness, all who will. We 
rejoice, moreover, that the Church now being called out to joint-heirship with their 
Redeemer in that Kingdom is to be so highly honored and used in connection with 
the great Divine Program, and we exhort all those who have heard the "call" to 
accept it, and all those who have accepted it to strive to "make their calling and 
election sure." 



IS IT FOR ME? 

IS it for me, dear Savior, 
Thy glory and Thy rest? 

For me, so poor and humble. 
Oh! shall I thus be blest? 

Is it for me to see Thee 
In all Thy glorious grace. 

And gaze in endless rapture 
On Thy beloved face ? 

Is it for me to listen 
To Thy beloved voice. 

And hear its sweetest music 
Bid even me rejoice ? 

A thrill of solemn gladness 
Hath hushed my very heart 

To think that I may really 
Behold Thee as Thou art; 

Behold Thee in Thy beauty; 

Behold Thee face to face; 
Behold Thee in Thy glory 

And rest in Thine embrace. 



OV55 

THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

XI. Messiah 's Second Coming 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

THE SECOND Coming of Messiah is extremely unpopular for three reasons: 1. It is 
supposed to mark the end of all hope of salvation. 2. It appears needless, because of 
the general opinion that all mankind go to Christ at death~to be adjudged for eternal 
life or eternal torment. 3. It seems inconsistent to the degree of absurdity that Christ 
should ever sit upon an earthly throne and exercise thus an earthly dominion. 
Without fear of successful contradiction we assert that all three of these objections 
are based upon fallacious views and misunderstandings of the Divine Program. On 
the contrary, we hold, not only that the Second Coming of Messiah is well attested 
by the Scriptures, but that it is every way logical, reasonable and consistent with the 
Divine Program, as outlined. Let us consider the objections in the order given: 1. We 
have already shown that instead of Messiah's Advent being the end of the world, it is 
really the beginning of the glorious epoch of Millennial blessings, which shall bring 
opportunities of uplift, mental, moral and physical, which will, if responded to, result 
in eternal life in Paradise. The entire theological fabric became so twisted during 
"the dark ages" that practically its entire teaching was one of long Purgatorial 
torture, and later we Protestants made a bad matter worse, by throwing away 
Purgatory, and assigning all except the saintly to eternal torture. St. Paul worthily 
named these errors "Doctrines of devils. "~1 Timothy 4:1. Not only was the 
Millennial hope taken away and mankind told that at the moment of death they 
would be launched into torments, except the few but additionally the Scripture 
references to a Second Coming of the Lord and a resurrection of the dead were made 
a still further terror to mankind. Poor humanity was told that, after suffering untold 



agonies in some kind of a bodyless condition, the Second Coming of Christ would 
mean a resurrection of their bodies and the means whereby their tortures would be 
increased, the bodies being left with all their present nerves and sensitiveness, but 
made fireproof. No wonder, from this standpoint, the Second Coming of Messiah 
would be feared, would be dreaded! No wonder poor humanity would shrink from it, 
and wish that it would never be! 2. When rightly studied, the Bible distinctly 
contradicts popular theories that mankind at death become more alive than when 
they were alive. As already shown, the Bible teaching is that death is death; that "the 
dead know not anything;" that "their sons come to honor and they know it not; and to 
dishonor and they perceive it not of them;" that "there is neither wisdom nor 
knowledge nor device in sheol (the grave-hell) whither all go;" that the Scriptural 
hope is "the resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust." Hence, as our 
Lord said, "The hour is coming in the which all that are in their graves shall hear the 
voice of the Son of man and come forth"~the well-doers to eternal life and those 
who have done evil to a resurrection by judgments, by disciplines, by which all the 
willing and obedient may ultimately be lifted up to life by the close of the Millennial 
Age. How strange that we all of us misunderstood these Scriptures and prophecies 
and accepted theories which are inconsistent with our reasonable concepts and 
thoroughly out of harmony with God! 3. We agree that it is thoroughly inconsistent 
and thoroughly absurd to suppose that our Lord should return to earth 

OV56 

for the purpose of assuming an earthly throne with an earthly court and courtiers and 
earthly dominion ! This would be coming from a higher dominion to a lower one, and 
is consequently inconceivable to reason. But this is not the kingdom which the Bible 
informs us Messiah shall establish in the earth. On the contrary, the clear teaching of 
the Scripture is that our Lord will never more be known as a man. He took upon him 
the form of a servant, and the nature of a man that he, "by the grace of God, might 
taste death for every man." This was because a perfect man had sinned, and a perfect 
man's life must be substituted for his to meet the demands of Divine Justice. Since 
our Lord arose from the dead, he is no longer a man, but a spirit being; as the 
Scriptures declare, "He was put to death flesh, but was quickened (made alive) 
spirit." "Now the Lord is that spirit" --"highly exalted, far above angels, principalities 
and powers, and every name that is named-glorified and "made partaker of the 
divine nature." In harmony with this, the Scriptures show that our Lord's 
appearances after his resurrection were different entirely from his presence with his 
disciples before his death. Before his death he was the man Christ Jesus, and after 
his resurrection he was a spirit being, and manifested himself in various fleshly 
bodies-as a gardener; as a stranger; in a body similar to the one in which he was 
crucified, etc. These manifestations convinced the apostles: (a) that he was no longer 
dead, but alive; (b) that he was no longer a man, but "changed," invisible to them 
most of the time; seen during forty days only a few times at intervals. It is the 
glorified Messiah who is to come a second time, "in power and great glory" - 
heavenly glory. His Kingdom will be an invisible one as far as mankind are 
concerned. As our Lord said to the Jews: "A little while and the world seeth me no 
more." The reason for this invisibility is plain to all Bible students. All spirit beings 
are invisible to mortals. "No man hath seen God at any time." We are told that "the 
angel of the Lord encampeth around about those that are his and delivereth them," 
and that they are "all ministering spirits, sent to minister to those who are to be heirs 
of salvation." We see them not, because they are on one plane of existence and we 
on another. The time was that more faith was required to believe in invisible things 
than is now necessary. Can we not now hear one another speak at a distance of 
hundreds of miles by telephone? Have we not wireless telegraphy and the X-Ray? 
Note our Lord's description of his own Kingdom. We read that when it was 
demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would appear, he answered 
and said unto them that it would not appear at all. His words were: "The Kingdom of 



God doth not come with observation (outward show, visibihty); neither shall ye say, 
Lo, here! or Lo, there! for the Kingdom of God shall be in your midst"~mling, 
everywhere present, invisible, except as the eyes of understanding shall recognize 
the operation of its laws through its earthly channels and servants. Nor should this be 
difficult to be grasped by any who believe the Scripture records; because is not Satan 
now such an invisible prince, and are not his angels equally invisible, and does he 
not exercise a great power directly and through his agents, the fallen angels, or 
demons, and through deceived earthly agents? "His servants ye are to whom ye 
render service." Likewise the spiritual empire of Christ and the Church will have 
spiritual agents operating amongst men, and human agents also~the Ancient 
worthies- Abraham, Isaac and all the prophets, declared of the Lord to be worthy of 
eternal life, perfection. These will constitute the earthly phase of the spiritual 
Kingdom, executing the will of the King immortal and invisible. —Hebrews 
11:39,40; Psalm 45:16; Luke 13:28. From this, the Scriptural standpoint, the Second 
Coming of our Lord, Messiah, is most consistent. He came at his First Advent to lay 
down the redemption price and to start in operation the blessed conditions of grace, 
by which, during this Gospel Age, he has been gathering his "elect class," his Bride, 
out of every nation, kindred and tongue. It was thoroughly consistent with this that 
he should come a second time, as promised, to receive his church to himself, to seat 
her as his Bride 

OV57 

in his throne, and to accomplish through her and through the Ancient worthies, 
representing Israel in the flesh, the great promise of God made to Abraham and 
confirmed to Isaac and Jacob, namely, "In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth 
be blessed." To count out of our hopes Messiah's Second Coming and the Millennial 
Kingdom would be to destroy all the glorious prospect set before us in the 
Scriptures. He who redeemed the world with the sacrifice of his life; he who has 
gathered the Church during this Gospel Age; he will surely not fail to fulfill the 
gracious promise of God to bless the world-granting Millennial opportunities to the 
redeemed world of mankind. "He (Christ) shall see the travail of his soul and be 
satisfied." The church, his Joint-Heirs, who now share his travails, will also share in 
his glory, and in his blessed work of uplifting the world of mankind. It is not 
necessary for us to present the Scripture testimony, respecting the fact of our Lord's 
Second Coming. The Scriptures on the subject are well-known to all Bible students. 
The celebrated evangelist, D. L. Moody, after studying the subject, declared that no 
other subject is so extensively treated in the Bible. However this may be, all who 
take the Scriptural viewpoint must admit that without the Second Coming of Christ 
the entire Divine Program would come to naught- would fail to bring the blessings 
needed. Our Lord came the first time to redeem. He comes the second time to deliver 
the redeemed ones. "Every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him," is a 
statement not inconsistent with our Lord's declaration that "the world seeth me no 
more." There are two ways of seeing: For instance, the blind sometimes say, "I see." 
There are eyes of understanding, as well as eyes of physical sight. Many who have 
the latter have not the former. "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them 
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of 
God, should shine into their hearts."— (2 Cor. 4:4.) The world in general is blind. 
"Darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the heathen." Only the Lord's saints 
see in the true sense of the word, with the eyes of their understanding. Thus it is 
written, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear." (Matt. 
13:16.) The Apostle writes to the Church, I pray God for you that, the eyes of your 
understanding opening, ye may be able to comprehend, with all saints, the length and 
breadth and height and depth and to know the love of God which passeth all 
understanding. (Eph. 3:17,18.) The promise is that "all the blind eyes shall be opened 
and all the deaf ears be unstopped." (Isa. 35:5.) This will be during the Millennial 
Kingdom; and the result will be that all shall know the Lord, from the least to the 



greatest. Not seeing with the natural sight, but clearly seeing with the eyes of 
understanding, all will appreciate his character and rejoice therein. We sometimes 
express this thought poetically in the words, 

"Sun of my soul, my Father dear, I know no night when thou art near. O! may 
no earth-born cloud arise. To hide thee from thy servant's eyes." 



LORD JESUS, make Thyself to me 
A living, bright reality! 
More present to faith's vision keen. 
Than any outward object seen; 
More dear, more intimately nigh. 
Than e'en the sweetest earthly tie. 



OV58 



THE DIVINE PROGRAM 

Xn. The Great Day of His Wrath 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

OVER AND OVER again the Bible tells us of a great day of wrath impending upon 
the world~a day of general settlements of accounts~a "day of fierce anger of the 
Lord," a "day of wrath," a "time of trouble such as never was since there was a 
nation." Various are the descriptions of this day of trouble. It is also described as a 
whirlwind of devastation; as a flood of destruction; and as a fire consuming 
everything before it. It is located at the end of this age, as a dark cloud on the 
dawning of the new dispensation. In it will come, first, trials upon the Church, the 
saintly; and secondly, the tribulations of the world in general. A description of some 
of these judgments and trials has been misunderstood by some to signify eternal 
torment, because their symbolical character is not fully recognized. In evidence that 
these statements respecting the "fire" are symbolical, we quote one passage. We read 
in Zephaniah 3:8, "Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the 
prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the 
kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the 
earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy." We could not find a passage to 
more distinctly tell of the trouble and fire of that day: but notice that it is the fire of 
God's anger and not literal fire. Notice again, that after the fire shall have burned 
itself out —after the great conflagration of trouble -mankind will still be in the earth- 
-and will be blessed. The succeeding verse says: "Then will I turn to the people a 
pure message, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with 
one consent." Thus briefly are we shown the result of the terrible burning. The day 
of wrath will come in a financial, political, social and religious convulsion, in which 
the present earth (social order) will pass away with a great commotion, and the new 
heavens (spiritual powers), and the new earth (social arrangement) will come into 
permanent control under Emmanuel's Government. The confusion, jargon. Babel of 
the present, so bewildering to humanity, will give place to the pure message of 
Divine Truth, emancipating the world from the grievous errors which have 
intoxicated and bewildered it. Severe will be the cost in the destruction of prevalent 
institutions, but the results will be well worth it all. So vivid are the descriptions of 
this day of wrath that "Second Adventists" have built upon them the theory that the 
earth will be burned to a cinder and require a thousand years to cool off, at the end of 



which Christ and the Church, they say, will return to earth and make Paradise out of 
the ashes. Nor are Adventists alone guilty of this misinterpretation; nearly all the 
creeds of Christendom mention this great day or epoch with which the Gospel Age is 
to end, and describe it as a period of literal burning of the earth. The proper 
interpretation of the matter is, that these various descriptions are symbolical, instead 
of literal. They describe God's time of reckoning with the world, in which Justice in 
many respects will be squared and retribution demanded of those who have 
knowingly transgressed the laws of righteousness, or who had sympathized with and 
profited by such doings on the part of others. This is the "day of vengeance" 
mentioned in the Bible, respecting which the Lord says, "Vengeance is mine; I will 
repay, saith the Lord." (Rom. 12:19.) Nor will the recompense coming upon the 
generation then living be merely for its own injustices 

OV59 

and failure to apply righteous principles. Evidently the Lord intends to hold the 
present generation responsible for the transgressions of preceding times, because, 
instead of properly reprobating the past and denouncing the doctrines and practices 
of the "dark ages," the present generation has measurably re-endorsed them and 
maintained them in their creeds, although, present advantages considered, there is no 
excuse for this. Amongst the injustices and inequities for which the Lord will 
require an account are the atrocities of "the dark ages," when for conscience sake 
men and women were tortured and many of them burned at the stake. In Scriptural 
language the blood of the martyrs still cries for vengeance, and the present 
generation will, in the great day of trouble, be required to make amends. To some 
this may appear an injustice on the part of the Divine Government, yet we may be 
sure that the Judge of all the earth will do right, and that when we come to see the 
matter clearly, all lovers of righteousness will be able to endorse his course. If it be 
granted that the persecutions of the dark ages were done in a considerable measure 
of blindness, darkness and superstition, it may also be admitted that in the light of 
present opportunities the honest-hearted have no excuse for continuance in those 
theories and superstitions, but have every opportunity for coming to the light of the 
knowledge of the glorious Gospel, and to an intelligent understanding of the 
teachings of God's Word. These responsibilities are being shirked by the majority, 
while many who do see clearly are derelict as respects their duty, and unwilling to 
take their stand for the Truth and against the error, because of what it would cost 
them in the way of honor of men and position and "bread and butter." These 
principles operated similarly in the end of the Jewish Age, and we are in this 
argument clearly following leadings of the great Teacher, who said to the Jews in the 
harvest time of their age that God would require of that generation all the righteous 
blood shed upon the earth from the time of righteous Abel. "That upon you may 
come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel 
unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple 
and the altar. "--Matt. 23:35. The generation addressed by our Lord had much 
advantage every way over all its predecessors, and failed to profit thereby. As he 
said to them, "Ye garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say. If we had been in 
the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of 
the prophets." (Matt. 23:29,30.) Nevertheless, our Lord and the apostles were treated 
worse by them than were the prophets by their fathers. How terrible was the 
visitation of Divine judgment upon the Jewish nation is well known to all familiar 
with their history. The record is that nearly 2,000,000 perished at the siege of 
Jerusalem after the internecine war or period of anarchy. Those experiences which 
befell Natural Israel and resulted in the utter overthrow of that nation in A.D. 70 
were, perhaps, the most awful experiences which ever came to any nation. They 
were a type or foreshadowing of the still more terrible experiences which are to 
come upon Christendom-Nominal Spiritual Israel- in the "harvest" time of this age. 
It is not for us to seek to combat with the world to hinder this impending trouble, this 



day of wrath. Indeed, the Scriptures assure us in connection with the announcement 
of this day of trouble that "none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall 
understand."-- Daniel 12:1,9,10. The Divine Revelation respecting the time of 
trouble is only to a portion of the world—the Church; for her admonition, her 
instruction, her guidance, "that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished" and 
that "ye, brethren, should not be in darkness," when "that day shall come as a snare 
on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." (1 Thes. 5:2-6; Luke 21:35.) 
This article, therefore, is not expected to be appreciated by the general reader, except 
in the sense that some may be amused with what they consider to be the folly of 
giving heed to the predictions of the Word of God. The Scriptures indicate most 
distinctly that the trouble of this "day of wrath" will be anarchy- "every man's hand 
against his neighbor." It is quite true, on the contrary, that the tendency of our day 

OV60 

is in the very reverse direction, away from individualism and in the direction of 
unions, trusts and combines. This is manifest in every direction— ecclesiastical, 
political, social and financial. And just such a tendency of confederacy or federation 
is distinctly brought to our attention, for, as there were giants in the earth before the 
flood, so there are to be giant institutions and systems before the great time of 
trouble breaks into cataclysm. The Scriptures say to the Lord's people, "Say ye not, 
A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither 
fear ye their fear, nor be afraid." -Isa. 8: 12. No one of observation has failed to note 
that while unions of capital and labor are in progress, there is a distinct dividing line 
on one side of which are the rich trusts and the kings and their armies, financial, 
religious, political; on the other side are the masses. Both parties are aggressive. 
Both are growing in numbers and in strength daily. Both are becoming more than 
ever determined that they are in the right, and both are more than ever realizing that 
the trial of their strength in the mighty conflict cannot be far distant. The Scriptures 
alone foretold these conditions and the outcome. Neither party will give in. The 
conflict will be the most severe of the world's history— the more so because both 
parties at the beginning of the struggle will feel confident of the justice of their 
cause, and of their strength, and of the sureness of their victory. Hence the conflict 
will be to the knife, and the knife to the hilt. Peaceable means on both sides will be 
expected to conquer, but both parties being governed by pure selfishness, judgment 
will be beclouded and the results will be awful beyond description. Those committed 
at first to peaceable methods in their disappointment and desperation will become 
anarchistic. The result will be that the organized system of civilization which now 
prevails will work its own destruction at the very moment when, in many respects, it 
will appear to be reaching the climax of prosperity. It will thus furnish an everlasting 
lesson for men and angels of the destructive tendency of selfishness, the outgrowth 
of sin. And while it is termed "the day of the Lord's wrath," it would appear to be the 
natural outworking of violation of Divine Law, rather than a direct interference by 
the Almighty in human affairs. The Scriptures tell us that God hardened Pharaoh's 
heart by promptly hearing his prayer and releasing him from one after another of the 
various plagues or chastisements which he brought upon himself. In other words, the 
goodness of God, which should have guided him aright, produced the reverse effect, 
hardening, instead of softening his heart. So it appears to be in our day. The Lord 
during the past century has been lifting from the eyes of mankind a veil of ignorance. 
He has been permitting to shine in upon the human mind great intelligence, 
previously kept secret. The result is inventions of every kind, bringing to humanity 
comforts, luxuries, conveniences and wealth beyond the fondest dreams of avarice, 
and discounting the tale of Arabian Nights, as the arc light discounts the tallow dip. 
What might be reasonably expected of God's creatures under such favor, such 
blessings, from his hands?— what reverence; what faithfulness; what generosity 
toward fellow-men; what contentment; what peace; what inquiring after the will of 
God; what endeavor to do his will and to glorify him in body and in spirit! But have 



these blessed conditions existed in any considerable measure? Alas, no! The very 
contrary conditions have resulted. Discontent, irreverence, unfaithfulness, 
selfishness, are more prevalent to-day than ever before. Instead of inquiring. What 
shall I render unto the Lord my God for all his benefits? the scientific world are 
endeavoring to get rid of the Almighty entirely, -his personality. These savants tell 
us~that all we have received is the result of natural processes-that nature is our 
God; that an intelligent Creator was not even necessary; that the first part of 
protoplasmic life was generated from the alkalies of the sea, and that man is merely 
the highest development thus far of this evolution of matter- that he needed no God; 
had no fall into sin; needed no Redeemer from sin and no Millennial Kingdom with 
restitution powers to uplift him. Practically all the college-bred—professors and 
graduates, hold to this godless theory-this theory that we need no intelligent, 

OV61 

supreme Creator, but a blind force in operation-that all speculation respecting 
Divine Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power are foolishness; that each cranium makes 
its own God according to its own development in these qualities. In other words, 
man is his own God. "The fool hath said in his heart. There is no God." ~Psa. 14:1. 
It should not surprise us that where the professors lead the public will follow. Hence, 
under the guidance of the colleges and pulpits of the land gradually, inch by inch, 
cautiously, faith in God and in the Bible as his Revelation are gradually being 
undermined. In this fact centers the horrible atrocities which will soon envelop 
Christendom; just as, a century ago, atheism in France led to the reign of terror there. 
And, by the way, the French Revolution is significantly intimated in the Bible to be a 
foreshadowing of the worldwide terror soon to be expected. That God foreknew 
present conditions and foretold them more than two thousand years ago is clearly 
shown in the statements of Daniel 12. The prophet had received a message for the 
people of Israel, which was plainly explained to him, but very interesting details, not 
pertinent to his nation, but to the end of this age, were withheld from him. He prayed 
earnestly for them and got the answer from the angel, "Go thy way, Daniel; for the 
words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end... in the time of the end many 
shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be in creased.. .and the wise shall understand 
...and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation." 
Notice this prophecy carefully. Its statements are beautiful in their simplicity; yet the 
present day cannot be better described in the same number of words. The first item 
marks our day of rapid transportation and those traversing sea and land in every 
direction— "running to and fro." There never was such a day before. Less than a 
century ago there was not a steam engine on earth-not a railroad train, nor a rail. 
Suddenly, as if touched by magic wand, railroads cover the civilized earth and 
humanity rushes pell-mell in every direction, as if solely intent upon the fulfillment 
of this prophecy, of which the majority are in total ignorance. Nevertheless the great 
Christian astronomer, Newton, studying this passage long before railroads were 
thought of, declared his belief in its fulfillment, surmising that a mode of 
transportation would be discovered which would carry people safely at the rate of 
"fifty miles an hour." Here we see the wisdom of the man who takes heed to the 
Word of God. Correspondingly we see the folly of the man who neglects God's 
Word; for the great Voltaire, making light of the Bible, called attention to Sir Isaac 
Newton's comment, and called him a "poor old dotard," misled by that foolish book, 
the Bible. The contrast is accentuated when we remember that Voltaire died only a 
few years before the locomotive was invented, while the Christian philosopher was 
dead nearly three centuries. Note also that the second feature of this prophecy has 
been fulfilled with equal carefulness. A fever of general education has broken out in 
the world-public schools have been established in all parts of Christendom. Not 
only is education now supplied free of charge, but as though to assure a fulfillment 
of this prophecy, education has been made compulsory by those who know not that 
there is such a prophecy. Who will tell us that these matters are purely of chance? If 



they be of chance, then, indeed, "truth is stranger than fiction." We come now to the 
third feature: "The wise shall understand"~not the worldly-wise; but those of whom 
the Scriptures say, "Not many learned; not many great; not many rich; not many 
wise hath God chosen" to be of his elect Church. Most evidently the intention here is 
to mark out those of the church who are wise toward God~"the wise virgins." These, 
and these only, may fully understand the present situation, the time in which we are 
living, the fulfillment of these prophecies and their culmination in the great time of 
trouble, "the day of vengeance," with which this age will end, giving place to the 
new dispensation under Emmanuel's Government. Next we note the fourth feature 
of prophecy, "There shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a 

OV62 

nation." This fits our topic exactly. We had already portrayed some of the troubles 
coming and their cause. Here we simply note their connection with the other parts of 
this prophecy. As world-wide education came as a result of the intermingling of 
peoples by interchange and traffic and aroused ambition, so the general education of 
the world is preparing it for the cataclysm of trouble. The world's greatest blessing- 
knowledge~is becoming its greatest bane. The education that should be bringing all 
mankind more peace, pleasure, joy, appreciation of the Creator and of each other is 
producing the reverse effect -discontent, which soon will reach its more aggravated 
form. Selfish ambition will soon work its own destruction. In view of these things, 
what is the Scripture counsel to the saintly and to the world in general? To the 
former it is. Have full confidence in God, and let patience have her perfect work; 
wait upon the Lord. Have confidence that his methods are best in every way. Seek 
the heavenly kingdom—seek to make your calling and election sure at the sacrifice of 
every earthly interest. To others who have some ear to hear, the message is, "Seek 
righteousness, seek meekness. It may be that ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's 
anger."-Zeph. 2:3. 



During the past year the Overland Monthly has been running a very instructive 
series of articles by C. T. Russell, Pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle, New York. These 
articles have created widespread attention, calling forth columns of newspaper 
criticism in a way which seems most remarkable. As a writer, Mr. Russell's books 
have enjoyed a larger circulation than any English work. Of his work entitled 
"Studies in the Scriptures," the average output is two thousand three hundred copies 
for each working day. We regret the records of 1909 are not yet complete, but in 
1908 seven hundred and twenty-eight thousand, four hundred and seventy-four 
volumes were sold. Since publication, three million five hundred and thirty-four 
thousand volumes have been circulated. Last year, in addition to these there were 
three hundred and eight million pages of his tracts circulated. In all literature the 
Bible is about the only book that has had a larger circulation. The Chinese Almanac 
printed at the Imperial Press has a circulation of eight million. The Bible is way 
ahead of this. One society having circulated over one hundred and seventy million 
copies. But in American literature, Mr. Russell stands first. In the literature of the 
world, the order would probably be as follows: The Bible, the Chinese Almanac, the 
"Studies in the Scriptures," "Don Quixote," "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and Hubbard's 
"Message to Garcia." 



TO JESUS ALWAYS 

I ALWAYS go to Jesus, 

When troubled or distressed; 
I always find a refuge 

When I with Him can rest. 
I tell Him all my trials, 

I tell Him all my grief; 
And while my lips are speaking 

He gives my heart relief 

When full of dread forebodings. 

And flowing o 'er with tears. 
He calms away my sorrows. 

And hushes all my fears. 
He comprehends my weakness. 

The peril I am in. 
And He supplies the armor 

I need to vanquish sin. 

When those are cold and faithless. 

Who once were fond and true. 
With careless hearts forsaking 

The old friends for the new, 
I turn to Him whose friendship 

Knows neither change nor end: 
I always find in Jesus 

An ever faithful Friend. 

I always go to Jesus; 

No matter when or where 
I seek His gracious presence, 

Fm sure to find Him there. 
In time of joy and sorrow, 

Whate 'er my need may be, 
I always go to Jesus, 

And Jesus comforts me. 



OV63 



THE DIVINE PROGRAM 



GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE 

I.—Faith the Foundation of Jewish Character 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 



THE RESURRECTION of Jewish hopes as represented in Zionism is amazing, not only to 

well-informed Gentiles, but also to the more learned of the Jewish peoples. Seventeen years ago the writer visited 

the Holy Land to note the evidences of rejuvenation resulting from the increase of rainfall in that region, in 

harmony with certain prophecies of the holy Scriptures to which he then had been calling attention for more than 

fifteen years. On that occasion he endeavored to awaken Jewish interest in the prophecies relating to their 

reestablishment as a nation in their own land, and the Divine blessing then to be poured out upon the Promised 

Land and the chosen people. But no Jew at that time seemed to have a hearing ear. 

Amongst the poorer classes of them there was indeed a temporary animation of countenance, but the dejected look 

returned as they replied that the prophesied blessing could not come until after the year 6,000 A.M., and that their 

chronology showed this to be about 150 years off. We attempted to show them from their own Scriptures that 6,000 

years had already elapsed, and that the "Times of the Gentiles" would soon expire-in 1915~and that, according to 

the Scriptures, great blessings would then be poured upon them as a people. But they merely sighed, and by looks 

and actions said, "A Gentile cannot tell us about our own Scriptures; surely our rabbis are more wise and would 

give us such consolation, if it were true. " 

On our return from the Holy Land our report of prevailing conditions was quite widely published in America and 

Great Britain, and we sent special copies of it to the managers of the Jewish Colonization Committee, representing 

Sir Moses Montefiore's bounty; also to the managers of the Baron de Hirsch Jewish Colonization Fund. The latter 

Association was then expending millions of money in endeavoring to establish Jewish colonies in Argentine 

Republic, while the former was laboring in Palestine. We called the attention of the latter Association to the 

Scriptural declaration that Israel would be regathered to its own land, and that efforts expended elsewhere would be 

comparatively fruitless~as they have since proven. 

We do not claim that our influence has contributed in the slightest degree to the marvelous awakening of the Jewish 

people in respect to the rehabilitation of their land and their nation. We are merely noting how marvelous the 

change that has come over that people since that time! Now Jews voluntarily inform us that they read regularly our 

weekly discourses, and are specially interested in the items which touch upon Jewish welfare and coming 

national glory. And, we have been invited by Hebrews to lecture before them on the prophecies of the Hebrew 

Scriptures, in which they are evincing a deep and a growing interest. 

When Zionism first made its appearance it appealed only to the "poor Jews." The rich and prosperous Jews very 

generally sneered at Zionism as impracticable, foolish, etc. Prominent Rabbis preach against it, declaring that 

America is the promised land of the Jew, from which no Palestine prospect could attract him. They declare 

themselves unorthodox— Jews by 

OV64 

race and not by faith-iconoclasts, agnostics. Editors of Jewish papers expressed similar views, evidently feeling 

that the Zionist movement would bring discredit on their race in the eyes of the Gentiles. Meetings were held in 

which Zionism was decried and made sport of, and American citizenship held up as the ideal for the Jewish youth, 

etc. 



Gradually Jewish sentiment has veered more and more toward Zionism, until to-day Jewish journals find it 

advantageous to have a Zionist Department. And rabbis and editors find it not wise to run counter to the steadily 

increasing current of Zionist sentiment. Now they admit that a rejuvenation of Palestine is in progress, 

that Zionism has a hold upon the hearts of the poorer Jews in every land, and particularly in Russia. Now they 

admit that the poor of their race have heart-longings for Palestine, which impulse them toward it rather than 

elsewhere. 

Now they admit that the rehabilitation of Israel in her own land would not only be advantageous for their poorer 

brethren, but possibly add to the influence of the less orthodox, who would not think of leaving this and other lands, 

where they are enjoying so great financial prosperity that they are not thinking particularly of the future nor of the 

past. 

The Power of Jerusalem's Hope. 

Do we consider it strange that an influence, a hope, should so quickly spread abroad over all the earth amongst the 
eight millions of the Hebrew race? Do we consider it "extraordinary patriotism" that, after eighteen centuries of 
absence from their fatherland, the thought of returning thither should so pulsate the hearts of their whole nation? Do 
we marvel still more, when we consider that they have been a longer period out of that land than ever they were in 
it? If these are the interrogations of our mind, they merely prove that we do not comprehend the sentiment which 
now for nearly thirty-eight centuries has influenced Abraham and his seed! 

The fact is, that the Jew is not well known even amongst his most intimate Gentile acquaintances. And he cannot be 
broadly and intimately understood, except from the standpoint of his religion, which few Gentiles comprehend, and 
which with the majority of Jews, even, is a matter of prejudice and pride, rather than of clear understanding and 
religious conviction. 

Originally isolated from other nationalities by Divine command, and in accordance with his religious convictions, 
the Jew became a stranger and an alien to the world at large; and it, resenting his claim of Divine favor and religious 
superiority, has disdained the Jew and ostracized him—yea, and persecuted him even, in a most un-Christian 
manner. Cut off thus from social intercourse with Gentiles -shut up by himself, the Jew has cultivated a spirit of 
social resentment. Crowded in upon himself, he has had the ambition to cope with the Gentiles in every field of 
progress in a competitive and not a fraternal spirit. For a long time forbidden to own and till the land, he abandoned 
agriculture and confined himself within certain limits of cities of the old world, and has distinctly marked his 
"Jewish Quarter." Finding that the Gentile came to him generally under stress, if at all, he has engaged in 
pawnbroker businesses, and applying to it his natural energy, he learned how to make that business profitable—but 
thereby frequently increased the animosity of his Gentile neighbors. Gradually his strong character has 
become chiefly enlisted in money-making —and in this he has a large following amongst the Gentiles, though the 
latter are comparatively less successful in the strife. 

Not until our day, since the overthrow of Jerusalem, has the Jew really had full, fair treatment and equal opportunity 
with other nationalities in certain parts of Europe and in this land. Now his persevering energy places him in high 
positions of influence in banking, in merchandising, in newspaper work and in literature Yet, however great his 
achievements, however wealthy he may be, there is a great gulf socially between him and his Gentile neighbor. Nor 
can we claim that this is purely an objection to his religion, for many Gentiles of high social rank hold to very 
similar religious tenets -Unitarians and others. This social chasm the Jew admits and resents, but does not 
understand. It would appear to be due largely to the fact that his commercial 

OV65 

instincts have in these long years gained such an ascendancy as to dominate him in whatever field he may exercise 
himself. The money sentiment, the cash value. How much is it worth? How much can I get? What will it profit? are 
sentiments which, to a lamentable degree, afflict all of humanity— some more, some less. But with the Gentiles there 
are sentiments, there are occasions, there are things and circumstances, into which he enters quite separate and apart 
from commercialism. This super-commercial sentiment our Hebrew friends generally find it difficult to appreciate 
and impossible to attain. 

What can be the foundation from which proceeds the irrepressible hope and courage of the Jew, which have carried 
him through bloody seas of persecution, through social ostracism, against the current of prejudice and superstition, 
to his present lofty stand in the world? Why has he not been crushed, as have other people? Why has he not 
disappeared from the face of the earth as a race, as have other races? Why is it that to-day, after thirty-eight 
centuries, he is such a force, such a power in the world financially, that the wealthiest Governments 



are indebted to him and dare scarcely undertake a war without his co-operation in raising the funds? What is the 
secret of Jewish hope, courage and pride? 

The Chosen Seed of Abraham. 

The key of the situation is given us in the Bible, and nowhere else. The relationship of Jewish people and the land 
of Palestine and the Bible, rightly understood, constitute a proof that there is a God: that he has a great and 
wonderful Plan or method by which he is dealing with mankind; that his Plan is connected with the Jewish nation, 
and that the Bible is the record of that Plan. But here we must remember the truthfulness of the poet's expression: 

"God moves in a mysterious way 
His wonders to perform. " 

It is a mistake to suppose that the Bible was written for the world or intended to be understood by the world. Its own 
testimony is to the contrary of this-that the Divine purposes are intended to be concealed from mankind in general 
and to be understood only by those who come into heart harmony with the Divine intention, and who from this 
standpoint "search the Scriptures." It should not surprise us, therefore, that our Jewish friends have not 
comprehended clearly the Scriptures, which they so reverently and painstakingly preserved from Moses until Christ. 
And may we not truthfully say that the same lack of understanding very generally prevails, even amongst 
Christians? Is not the fact that comparatively few of the Lord's people have been privileged to comprehend 
the length and breadth and height and depth of the Divine Plan, fully in agreement with the Scriptural declaration 
that such knowledge has been intended throughout the Age only for a very small minority? The hindrances which 
have blinded so many are the creeds, traditions and Talmud. "The secret of the Lord is with them that reverence him 
(and His Word) and he will show them his covenant. "~Psa. 25: 14. 

The Scriptures seem to indicate, however, that the time is at hand when "The mystery of God shall be finished," and 
when the understanding of the Divine Plan may be comprehended by increasing numbers, and amongst these the 
reverential Jews. Indeed, the Jew should be specially attracted by the outlines of the Divine Plan set forth in the 
prophecies of his own Scriptures. They explain the experiences of Israel while still in God's favor, and the 
experiences of the past eighteen centuries of their disfavor, and show how both of these will work together 
eventually for the blessing of Israel and through Israel for the blessing of the Gentiles. 

The Divine Promise to Abraham's Seed. 

As the very foundation of Israel's every hope, the mainspring of that people's courage, the motive power of their 
energy, their perseverance and their pride, has been the Divine promise made to Abraham, their illustrious ancestor, 
"the friend of God." To Abraham, after certain tests of character-obedience, loyalty, faith-God made a Promise 
which constitutes the hope, both of Israel and the Gentiles. It reads, "In thy Seed shall all 

OV66 

the families of the earth be blessed." (Gen. 22:18.) Abraham's son Isaac was indicated by the Lord to be the channel 
through which this blessing should proceed. Later on, Isaac's son, Jacob, was indicated as a further channel. At 
Jacob's death the Divine blessing passed, by Divine direction, not to a single one of his posterity, but to them all as 
a whole nation. 

Jacob's name was changed to Israel, which signifies a prince influential with God-in Divine favor. This name 
Israel, indicative of so much of honor and Divine favor, was subsequently applied to the whole nation of Jacob's 
descendants, who became known as Israelites, or Children of Israel. It was understood by that nation that they were 
the seed, the posterity mentioned in the promise made to Abraham-in whom "all the families of the earth 
should be blessed." They correctly understood that this would signify a great exaltation for their little nation. They 
had full confidence in that great Promise, because the Lord had secured it to them in a most remarkable manner-he 
made oath to it. Since he could swear by none greater than himself, he said, "By myself have I sworn, saith the 
Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son; therefore, I will greatly bless 
thee and I will exceedingly multiply thy Seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand upon the sea-shore ...and in thy 
seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."-Gen. 23:16-18. 



This hope in God— that they were his chosen people whom he would use as the channel of Divine favor to all 
nations-has ever been the mainspring of Jewish courage and pride. Not all Jews have inordinate self-conceit as the 
basis for success. Some of them are fearful and some deficient in self-esteem; but they are nerved by the conviction 
that God was specially interested in them, and the hope that he will yet fulfill to them his Oath-Bound Covenant. A 
faith so persistent (for thirty-eight centuries) must surely be pleasing to God, and must challenge the 
admiration even of their enemies. Christian Bible students well know that much of the Bible consists of Israel's past 
history and prophecies of their coming glory. The past eighteen centuries have been merely a parenthesis in which 
spiritual Israel has been in process of selection from every nation. The speedy return of Israel 
to God's favor marks another onward step in the Divine Plan of the Ages. According to the Scriptures, their coming 
uplift to Divine favor marks the Millennial epoch of blessings so long promised by God through the Hebrew 
prophets and attested also by our Lord and his apostles, mark the words of Peter— "Times of Refreshing shall come 
from the presence of the Lord, and He shall send Jesus Christ, whom the heavens must retain until the Times of 
Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began!" 
(Acts 3:19-21.) Jewish Restitution is the first item of the many blessings then to be poured upon mankind by a 
gracious Creator. 

As in future articles we shall outline various Scriptural prophecies in which the Jew is vitally interested, it is our 

hope that not merely our Hebrew friends will be interested, but also Christian Bible students and non-professors. 

The coming blessings will be abundant to the blessing of all mankind, but the Jew first, for "God hath not cast away 

his people whom he foreknew"; "For the gifts and calling of God he never repents of."— Romans 1 1:2,29,32. 



PRESS ON 



BUILD thee more stately mansions, O my soul, 

As the swift seasons roll! 

Leave thy low-vaulted past! 
Let each new temple, nobler than the last. 
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast. 

Till thou at length art free. 
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea. 



OV67 




II.--Hope Long Deferred Now Reviving 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

ONE OF THE MOST remarkable things in history is the perseverance of Jewish 
hopes; and this confirms the inspiration of the Bible, which sets forth that hope, tells 
of its long-delayed fruition and assures us that Israel's hope will persist until its 
realization. In subsequent articles we will consider the Jewish prophecies and types, 
which show that the Israelitish dreams of world-wide influence as God's peculiar 
people are speedily to be realized. We will also show from the Hebrew Scriptures 
why the fulfillment of the glorious promises made to Abraham and his posterity have 
been so long delayed—the necessity for the delay and the advantages accruing 
therefrom. For the present we content ourselves with the bare statement that, 
according to the Bible, Palestine will be flourishing with a large population of Jews 
at the close of the year 1914. The Scriptures indicate that the gathering will be "out 
of all nations," and with considerable wealth and general prosperity. We are not to 
understand that this means that all the Jews of the world will go to Palestine, but that 
some of the most pious and zealous from every quarter will gather there. At that time 
will occur what the Bible terms "Jacob's Trouble," in conjunction with a world-wide 
trouble, financial, religious, political, social, eventuating in anarchy, and, later on, in 
Israel's exaltation as the earthly exponent of Messiah's spiritual Kingdom. Let none 
think of us as prophesying, but merely as announcing our interpretations of 
prophecy, which we have been presenting to the public for the past thirty-four years. 
In 1874, Socialism had scarcely been born, and Zionism was not dreamed of until 
twenty years later. Now Socialism is the great menace of all the Governments of the 
civilized world, including Japan, and Zionism is forging ahead with great strides. In 
God's province the doors to Palestine as a home have been barred against the Jews 
for the past sixteen years. And it is during this period that the Jews have begun to 
specially long for their home land. The Zionist movement is their cry to Heaven, and 
to each other and to the world. The barring of the doors to Palestine undoubtedly 
made the Jews more anxious to re-enter it. The embargo was not lifted until Turkey's 
peaceful revolution put into power men of more modern thought, who have canceled 
the prohibition and made the Jews welcome to Palestine on the same terms as other 
peoples. Six months passed under the new privileges with apparently small results, 
causing 



OV68 

astonishment to those who had expected a speedy influx of the exiled people to the 
Land of Promise. The Zionist Congress, which closed its session in Hamburg, 
Germany, on the last day of 1909, disclosed the secret of the delay of the Jews to 
avail themselves of the opened door. It appears that Dr. Max Nordau, the great 
leader of the Zionists and President of the Association, has been exerting all of his 
great influence to hold back the Israelites from entering Palestine, until he could 
bring pressure to bear upon the new Turkish Government to secure from it Charter 
rights making of Palestine a Jewish State. Dr. Nordau reasoned that the Turkish 
Government would be greatly advantaged by the establishment in Palestine of a 
Jewish Government tributary to Turkey- autonomous, but under the Turkish 
suzerainty. Such a charter the Turkish Government has continued to refuse, 
reiterating, however, its Welcome to the Jews, to all parts of the empire including 
Palestine, with the general privileges of Turkish citizenship. Moreover, they 
reminded the Jews that Turkey is one of the few nations which had never persecuted 
the children of Abraham. 

The Pent-Up Hopes Irresistible. 

At one time it was feared that the Zionist Congress just closed in Hamburg would 
mark a breach in the society, because Dr. Nordau, its President, with many of its 
influential members, insisted that the Zionist movement must halt until its demands 
of an autonomous Government for Palestine should be granted, and because the 
masses of the Zionists were restive and insisted that the opened door should be 
promptly entered, leaving the results to God's providence. They reasoned that God, 
who had promised the regathering of Israel, and who had opened the way, is 
abundantly able in his own time to fulfill all the other provisions of the great promise 
made to Abraham- that his seed, his posterity, should yet bless all the nations of the 
earth. Sentiment ran high at the Congress, and, notwithstanding the love and esteem 
in which the Society's President was held and the weighty influence of other leaders 
under him, the Congress with kind preambles and resolutions of respect for its 
leaders, passed over their heads a resolution ordering the gradual transfer of all the 
interests of the Zionists to Palestine. Thus the future center of Zionism is decreed to 
be the Holy Land. The funds which have been in process of collection for banking 
purposes, etc., are to be centered there- the words "gradually transferred" are 
understood to signify as prompt a transfer as wisdom could sanction in dealing with 
the various interests and assets of the institution. Witnesses present at that last 
Zionist Congress tell of the earnestness and intensity of manner manifested by the 
delegates representing Israelites in all parts of the world. America, by virtue of 
donations, membership in Zionist Societies, etc., would have been entitled to a 
sufficiency of representatives in the Congress to have constituted a majority. But the 
representation was comparatively small, the cost of travel, no doubt interfering- 
perhaps, also, a desire to save the expense in favor of further donations to the work. 
It is remarkable that so few wealthy Jews have contributed either their influence or 
money to further the patriotic efforts of their poorer brethren, some of whom so 
greatly need just such a homing place. However, since the Scriptures indicate the 
accumulation there of wealth, we have no doubt that during the next few years 
circumstances will be so shaped providentially that wealthy Jews, as well as poor 
ones, will congregate there. Meantime, in full accord with prophecies, the climate of 
Palestine is greatly improving, by reason of greater rainfalls. And a Hebrew named 
Aaronson has discovered a new kind of wheat, similar to our own, but specially 
adapted to the soil and climate of Palestine. Coin ciden tally, Turkish despatches 
inform the world that the Turkish Government has commissioned Sir William 
Wilcox, of the Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain, Chief Engineer of the 
Survey of the Tigris-Euphrates Delta, to proceed with the reclaiming of 
Mesopotamia, the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, presumably the site of 



the Garden of Eden, the cradle of the race, and the home land of Abraham before he 
removed to Canaan. This considerable work, it is estimated, can be accomplished in 
about 

OV69 

three years. It will tend to bring modern civilization and wealth to that quarter, and 
will doubtless co-operate in the rejuvenation of Palestine. Thus, gradually, the 
geographical center of the earth, the Jerusalem vicinity, is resuming importance in 
the eyes of the world. Those who view the matter through the prophetic telescope 
foresee the time when "the Law shall go forth from Mt. Zion (spiritual Israel on the 
heavenly plane) and the Word from Jerusalem, the To-Be Capital of the world under 
the Millennial Kingdom arrangements. Thither all the nations of earth will send their 
ambassadors and from thence take their laws. Upon such as will conform to these 
arrangements the Divine blessing will rest, uplifting them gradually from sin, 
ignorance and superstition to mental, moral and physical perfection. Thus, according 
to the Scriptures the whole earth will gradually become the Garden of the Lord- 
Paradise. And those times or years of restitution will bring the willing and obedient 
of mankind back again to the full perfection of being, mental, moral and physical, 
which God intended and exemplified in Father Adam. Thus eventually all the 
terrible results of Adam's disobedience and fall will be blotted out through the long- 
promised Kingdom of Israel, the Kingdom of God under Messiah the Mediator of 
Israel's New Law Covenant, whose gracious provisions will be open to all the 
nations of the earth.- Acts 3:19-23; Jer. 31:31; Zech. 14:1-6,14-20. 

World Empire Ambitions. 

Everybody knows that since the days of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, many 
of the nations of earth have cherished the ambition that the fates had decreed their 
superiority above other nations, and that all other nations should submit to their rule 
for their own advantage. This conceit prompted Nebuchadnezzar to be the first 
conqueror of the world. Cyrus the Mede concluded that he was still more fit to be the 
world's emperor and established the dominion of the world-wide Empire of the 
Medes and Persians. A little later the conceit was grasped by a young man scarcely 
out of his teens, and Alexander the Great conquered the world and gave its scepter to 
Greece. Later on the Caesars wrested the power and made Rome Empress of the 
world. Still later, the Popes became the virtual rulers of earth, under a claim of 
spiritual authority. Napoleon ended the papal empire of earth and sought to 
appropriate the honors of world domination to himself and France. History shows us 
that he almost accomplished his designs. The Bible explains that he failed, not 
because of incapacity, but because of the Divine foreordination that the fifth 
universal Empire of earth will be that of Messiah— a spiritual and invisible reign of 
Christ and the saintly elect members of the church, his Bride, operating through 
fleshly Israel, then to be restored to Divine favor and made chief of the nations of 
earth and the channel of Divine blessing. It is not so generally known, even to 
Christian Bible students, that the Jews entertained this idea of world empire long 
centuries before Nebuchadnezzar grasped earth's scepter. Fourteen hundred years 
before Nebuchadnezzar became the world's Emperor, God promised this honorable 
station to Abraham and his seed-to a nation from his loins. For Abraham's assurance 
and for the assurance of all afterward interested in that promise, God made oath to 
him, so that by two immutable things. His Word and His Oath, we and all in accord 
with the Divine Purpose might know of a surety that the promise or Covenant is not 
a conditional one-that it could not fail, that the fulfillment, though long deferred, 
would be sure.— Hebrews 6:18. Those who have wondered at the indomitable spirit 
of the Jew which has preserved his nationality for more than thirty centuries, while 
other nations in many lands have bloomed and faded and died. The Chinese, indeed, 
do show a great persistency, yet they have no acceptable history connecting them 
definitely with the remote past and with creation, as have the Jews alone. The secret 



of this history and national persistency is found in the relationship between Israel 
and God. And the beginning of that relationship and dominating hope is marked by 
God's promise and oath to Abraham, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be 
blessed." The thought of blessing the 

OV70 

world was not with Israel, as with other nations, merely a dream of imperial power, 
dignity and rich revenue. Their ambition based upon this promise made to Abraham 
was that they as a nation consecrated to God and accepted by God as his peculiar 
people would be used by the promised Messiah as his agency or channel for bringing 
the whole world into subjection to the Divine Law~for their moral as well as their 
physical blessing and uplifting out of sin and death conditions. And this hope is soon 
to be realized. This hope, this ambition to be God's people, to be God's servants, to 
be God's channels of blessing to the remainder of mankind, attached itself to the 
Hebrew mind in its every contact with the promises of God, the Law and the 
prophecies, and with all their experiences under Divine provisions, which were 
accepted as necessary instructions of God to qualify them for their foreordained 
service to mankind. Thus their early experience in reaching Canaan through the 
wilderness were accepted as lessons necessary for their development. Their 
experiences under the Judges were disheartening, but accepted as necessary 
instructions and preparations. Then came the Kingdom Epoch in their history, when 
the reign of Saul, David and Solomon marked periods of progress in the direction of 
their long-cherished hopes. Especially in Solomon's day they felt that the promises to 
Abraham was about to be fulfilled. Notwithstanding the fact that Solomon 
conscripted the labor of the people for the construction of his great temple, and 
notwithstanding the fact that he taxed them heavily for internal improvements, etc., 
they submitted in a measure of cheerfulness, because the wisdom, the riches and the 
greatness of that king attracted world-wide notice and seemed to be leading on to the 
grand climax of their hopes~the establishment of the seed of Abraham as the chief 
nation of earth, from whose capital, Jerusalem, the Law would go forth to every 
nation, people, kindred and tongue. Indeed, it is quite probable that Israel's boast of 
Divine promise of the rulership of the world spread abroad amongst the other nations 
and awakened in them a rival ambition. It should be noticed, however, that Israel 
sought its dominion of the world under Divine supervision and not through 
conquering armies and ambitious generals. Solomon extended the boundaries of his 
kingdom merely to the limitations which had been outlined in the Divine assurances 
and, instead of seeking to conquer the world, his was known as the "kingdom of 
peace." From the time of Solomon's death, Israel's history is a record of 
disappointments as respects their great hopes of world domination. The division of 
the nation into two parts, Judah and Israel, and subsequently their overthrow by 
Syria and Babylonia shook the conceit of many in respect to the Divine Promise, so 
that when in the days of Cyrus, in harmony with Divine Providence, the millions of 
Israelites who had gone into captivity as settlers in other lands, preferred to remain 
where they were, when given the opportunity of returning to the promised land. Less 
than fifty- five thousand out of the many millions had so great a love for God and so 
strong a hope in the Abrahamic promise as to brave a return to the desolated land 
from which their fathers had been forcibly removed. And just so, we believe, it is to- 
day. The Jews who would regather to Jerusalem now, according to Hebrew 
prophecy, will be the devout, the faithful, who still trust in that Abrahamic promise. 
The masses now will prefer to remain in symbolical Babylon, as the masses in the 
day of Cyrus preferred to remain in literal Babylon. During the 536 years from the 
time of the return of the faithful fifty thousand under the decree of Cyrus, down to 
the time of the building of Herod's Temple, more gorgeous than that of Solomon, the 
Israelites had a variety of trying experiences, all of which should have tended to 
keep them very humble and near to the Lord. As a matter of fact those trying 
experiences did make of the Jews a peculiar people, a religious people, more 



advanced along moral and religious lines than any other nation on the earth. But, 
naturally enough, the religious nation was not composed of the pure in heart only. 
Their priests became to a considerable degree Higher Critics and politicians of the 
sect known as "Sadducees" or Reform Jews who believed merely in the present life 
and doubted the fulfillment of the Abrahamic 

OV71 

promise-hoping vaguely that possibly Israel might some day attain an influential 
position, not by Divine interposition, but by human wisdom and politics. On the 
other hand, there was a strong holiness party at that time amongst the Jews known as 
the Pharisees, who went to the opposite extreme and magnified the letter of the Law 
to such a degree that they entirely lost sight of its real spirit or intent. Nevertheless as 
between these two great extremes there was then, as we should expect, a minority in 
heart-harmony with the Lord and his Promise, and still "waiting for the consolation 
of Israel," --"Israelites indeed" in whom was no guile. 

Natural Israel -Spiritual Israel. 

It was at the climax of Israel's second attainment of national importance and dignity 
as a subordinate kingdom, under the Roman Empire in the days of Herod, that a 
great transaction occurred, which few of the Jews then understood and which few 
since understand, and which few even of Christians understand Scripturally. The 
Divine Purpose contemplated a greater Kingdom and a greater blessing of all the 
nations of the earth than the most hopeful of the Jews had even dreamed of ~a 
blessing and uplifting to perfection and harmony with God and eternal life. They did 
not see that their sin-offerings were merely typical, and that, according to the Law, 
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, signified that a man's life would be 
necessary to redeem a man's life —to redeem Adam and his race from the sentence of 
death. They did not see that before Messiah could legally bless the world and 
emancipate them from sin and death and secure to them eternal life, he must first 
redeem them through the sacrifice of himself-typified in various of the typical 
sacrifices of their law. Hence they expected Messiah's manifestation in power and 
great glory (now soon to be revealed), and this hindered them from accepting as him 
the lowly One who submitted himself to a death and crucifixion—although he was 
holy, harmless and undefiled, separate from sinners, the anti-typical Passover Lamb. 
The intervening period of nearly nineteen centuries has greatly perplexed the Jews. 
They perceive their cast-off condition -that they have been without prophet or priest 
or other mark of Divine favor all these centuries, subject to persecution. Had they 
seen what we are now about to relate the situation would have been clear and easily 
understood; but God did not wish to have it understood until his "due time." The 
Jews perceived nominal Christendom confused in doctrines and practices, "a cage 
for every unclean and hateful bird." (Rev. 18:2.) They could not believe that God 
had cast off their nation and had accepted instead as his peculiar people the nations 
styled Christendom. They reasoned that much of the theology and many of the 
practices of nominal Christendom were heathenish, pure and simple. They did not 
see that in that great mass of nominal Christians there were here and there saints of 
God, and that these alone from the Divine standpoint composed the spiritual 
Israelites— a little flock, containing not many rich, not many great, not many wise, 
not many learned, not many noble, according to worldly estimation. The 
explanation of this matter, which the Scriptures term the "mystery hidden from past 
ages and dispensations," is this: It is the Divine Purpose to have two Israels -both of 
them specified in the promise to Abraham. First, a spiritual Israel whose destiny is to 
share in the "first resurrection," and be like unto the angels, spirit beings invisible to 
men. As Messiah was typified by Isaac, Abraham's son, this spiritual class, intended 
to be his joint-heirs on the spirit plane, were typified by Rebecca, Isaac's wife. This 
spiritual Messiah, Jesus and his Church exalted through suffering and as a reward for 
faith and obedience and self-sacrifice, must first be completed and exalted to the 



heavenly condition before the earthly blessing can come to natural Israel, fulfilling 
to her all the gracious promises which have encouraged the hearts of her children 
these many centuries. And the fulfillment, when realized, will far exceed all 
anticipation. Thus the promise to Abraham was divided into two portions; for God 
said to him: "Thy seed shall be (1) as the stars of heaven (spiritual Israel), Messiah 
and his elect Bride," and (2) "Thy seed shall 

OV72 

be as the sand of the sea shore"~natural Israel and the multitudes of mankind who 
shall receive the Divine blessing through both spiritual and natural Israel. For the 
Scriptures indicate that as all nations are privileged to come to the United States and 
become citizens, so during the reign of Messiah all nations will be privileged to 
become Israelites and thus to share in the blessings of Israel's New Covenant. (Jer. 
31:31; Rom. 1 1 :27.) Thus ultimately all the willing and obedient of the human 
family will be adopted into Abraham's family. At the conclusion of Messiah's reign 
of a thousand years, the whole earth will be filled with Abraham's seed or posterity, 
and lifted up to full perfection and harmony with God; because all the unwilling and 
disobedient will ere then have been utterly destroyed by Immanuel in the Second 
Death. 



ONLY A LITTLE WHILE 

ONLY a little while to walk with weary feet, 
Only a 
Only a 
Only a 



Only a 
Only a 
Only a 
Only a 

Only a 
Only a 
Only a 
Only a 

Only a 
Only a 
Only a 
Only a 

Only a 
Only a 
Only a 
Only a 



ittle while the storms of life to meet, 
'ittle while to tread the thorny way, 
ittle while, then comes the perfect day. 

ittle while to spread the truth abroad, 
ittle while to testify for God, 
ittle while, the time is fleeting fast, 
'ittle while, earth's sorrows all are past. 

ittle while, then let us do our best, 
ittle while, then comes the promised rest, 
ittle while, oh, what a word is this! 
ittle while, then comes the perfect bliss. 

ittle while, then death shall be withdrawn, 
ittle while, then pain and tears are gone; 
'ittle while, then by the Crystal Sea, 
ittle while, then we shall dwell with Thee. 

'ittle while. Lord, let Thy Kingdom come! 
'ittle while. Thy people sigh for home; 
ittle while, the City bring to sight, 
'ittle while, come end earth's dreary night! 



OV73 




Ill.-Ismel's "Double" -A Fact and a Theory 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

IT IS A FACT that the history of the Hebrew people divides itself naturally into two 
equal parts- 1845 -1/2 years of favor, followed by 37-1/2 years of trouble and 
disruption, and 1845-1/2 years of disfavor, followed by 37-1/2 years of returning 
favor and arising from the dust. It is a fact also that this division of Israel's 
experiences is distinctly shown in the Bible—in their own Scriptures. So remarkable 
a fact would be worthy of deepest attention by both Jews and Christians, even if it 
were not noted in the Scriptures. But when it is found clearly outlined in the inspired 
prophecies this secondary fact bids all take notice who have respect to the Bible as 
the Divine message. If our Hebrew friends would investigate and see this, it would 
add impetus to the Zionist movement, and, in general, to all the reviving hopes of 
God's Chosen People. Surely such remarkable facts cannot be considered accidental! 
Surely they show design on the part of the Great Supervisor of earth's affairs! Surely 
they indicate that he who called Israel to be his Chosen People is the same who 
scattered Israel as the prophets foretold; and the same who promised that in his own 
due time He will not only regather a remnant of that people to the promised land, but 
return to them Divine favor. Under that influence they will become the great nation 
of earth to which all other nations will flow, and from which, according to the 
original promise God's blessing will flow to every nation, people, kindred and 
tongue, during the thousand years of Christ's reign-the Millennium. But we must 
not be content with assertion. We must prove these facts. 

Israel's 1845-1/2 Years of Favor. 

There is no question as to when the nation of Israel had its beginning. It was at the 
death of Jacob, when he called his twelve sons to his bedside and gave to them 
collectively his blessing-their participation in the great promise which God made to 
Abraham and confirmed to Isaac and to Jacob with an oath. (Psa. 105:9,10.) We are 
not to expect the Word of the Lord to state the period of time from the death of Jacob 
to the spring of A.D. 33, when unwittingly the Jews crucified the Lord of Glory. 
(Acts 3: 17.) Rather we are to understand that the Divine method has been to secrete 
the various features of the Divine Plan and to permit them to be understood only as 
they become due of fulfillment, as a proof to us of Divine foreknowledge. 
Accordingly it is not surprising that the exact date of Jacob's death-the exact 
beginning of the Jewish 



OV74 

nation, is left in a degree of obscurity; yet fully revealed by a circuitous route. St. 
Paul, once a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, and therefore well-versed in the 
traditions of his day, and further, we believe. Divinely inspired in his utterances, 
furnishes the statement that the giving of the Law was 430 years from the making of 
the Covenant with Abraham. The first feature of the Law was the Passover on the 
night preceding the exodus from Egypt. This being fixed, we have merely to 
ascertain the time between the coming of Abraham into the land of promise, when he 
became heir of the Covenant, and the death of Jacob, which, we will demonstrate, 
was 232 years. Abraham was seventy- five years old when the Covenant was made 
with him at the death of Terah (Gen. 12:4), and Isaac was born twenty-five 
thereafter.-- Gen. 21:5. 

Thus, from the Covenant to the birth of Isaac 25 years 

From the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob (Gen. 25:26). 60 " 

From the birth of Jacob to his death (Gen. 47:28) 147 " 
Total years from the making of the Covenant with Abraham to 

the death of Jacob, the beginning of Israel's national history was 232 " 

From the Abrahamic Covenant, the day Abraham entered 
Canaan, to the day Israel left Egypt (Ex. 12:41), at the Passover 430 " 

Deduct the period from the Covenant to Jacob's death, 
as above 232 " 



Thus we have what we seek, the length of time between 
Jacob's death and the exodus of his posterity, which was 198 " 

To this add the period of the wilderness 40 " 

The period in Canaan until the division of the land between 
the tribes *6 " 

The period of the judges *450 " 

The period of the Kings of Judah *5 13 " 

The period of the Desolation. *70 " 

The period from the Desolation by Cyrus the Median King 
toA.D.l *536 " 

Total years from Jacob's death to the beginning of the period 
known as Anno Domini 1813 " 

From A.D. 1 to the crucifixion of Jesus at the Passover in the 
Spring of A.D. 33- Jewish reckoning 32-1/2" 

Total period of Israel's waiting for the Kingdom under Divine 
favor and recognition. 1845-1/2" 

(* Space does not permit our giving the details respecting the various periods above 
mentioned, but we have it clearly demonstrated in print and will be pleased to loan 
the book of evidences to all who will send post card request (with a promise to return 
the book by mail. Address the writer at Brooklyn, N.Y.) Our Hebrew friends may be 
disposed to question our fixing the date of the end of their favor in the Spring of 
A.D. 33, because that date is identified with Jesus and his death. But in his 
prediction five days before death he said as he wept over the Holy City, "O 
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets and stoneth them that are sent unto 
you. How often would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathereth her brood 
under her wings, and ye would not! Now I say unto you. Your house is left unto you 
desolate. Ye shall see me no more until that day when ye shall say. Blessed is he that 
Cometh in the name of the Lord." (Matt. 23:37-39.) However, all reasonable people 
should be amenable to facts. The death of Jesus is a fact witnessed to by the millions 
whose faith has been built contrary to ordinary logic upon the vicarious death of one 
who was executed by his countrymen, not for claiming he was Jehovah, but because 
he declared himself- "the sent of God"-- "the Son of God"~"the Messiah." Interpret 



the fact how we may, it is there, and deserves consideration. History tells us that 
Israel's national 

OV75 

troubles began shortly after the death of Jesus. The history of the 37-1/2 years 
between the death of Jesus and the utter destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and his 
army (A.D. 70) is so elaborated by the Jewish historian Josephus as to need no 
comment from us. Josephus shows that during that period insurrection broke out and 
increasing turbulence, until, at the end, practically nothing remained to be done but 
for the Roman authority to assert itself, and then it was futile. Israel as a nation, as a 
Kingdom, perished in A.D. 70, as many of the prophets had foretold. Now the 
remarkable fact is to be noted that a corresponding period of 1845-1/2 years from the 
death of Christ A.D. 32-1/2 brings us to A.D. 1878, a year memorable for the 
meeting of the Berlin Conference of Nations, at which a Hebrew, Disraeli, as the 
representative of Great Britain, was accorded the place of chief honor as the leading 
spirit. Moreover, the decisions of that Conference had a weighty influence in the 
affairs of God's Chosen People. Under the ruling of that Conference of the Great 
Powers of Europe the various Balkan States, divisions of the Turkish Empire, were 
placed under the supervision of the Governments whose interests were contiguous. 
By that division of responsibility for peace in the Turkish provinces, Egypt and 
Palestine, as portions of the Turkish Empire, come under the protection of Great 
Britain and France. The French made only a partial success of their venture in 
digging the Suez Canal and in the turning over of that canal to the British, the French 
abandoned their responsibilities in Egypt and Palestine, to the British, although the 
Egyptian Government and the Turkish authority are both recognized. The effect has 
been the considerable opening up of Egypt, which the British found to be to their 
financial interest to exploit. Palestine nearby was too poor to be worthy of 
exploitation, but nevertheless profited greatly by the British influence in Egypt. The 
greater peace and security prevailing under the lee of the British flag has been 
beneficial to the land during the intervening thirty-two years. Meantime, God's 
blessing has been returning in a remarkable degree to the Hebrew people in the 
various lands to which they were scattered. In this time they have risen to 
prominence not only financially, but also in literary and scientific circles. In a word, 
ever since the Berlin Conference in 1878 Israel's star has been in the ascendant. 
Even the persecutions permitted by providence in Russia (and other persecutions the 
Scriptures indicate may yet be expected) have had a beneficial influence in arousing 
that nation and making many of them long for the home land, one result of which is 
the Zionist Movement, which more and more is captivating the hearts of patriotic 
Israelites: especially such of them as still have reverence for the Promise and Oath of 
God to father Abraham, "In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be 
blessed." From an entirely different line of prophecy we will later show that 
according to the Scriptures Israel is to be rehabilitated as a nation in the near future- 
about the year 1915. The Scriptures, however, indicate that at that same time they 
will have great distress as a people. "It is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be 
delivered out of it." (Jer. 30:7.) The deliverance will be so marked, so notable, that 
the whole world will begin to realize that Israel's outcast period, cut off from Divine 
favor, was not designed to be forever, but merely for an equal period of time to that 
in which they enjoyed God's favor. Some may be inclined to remind us that Israel 
experienced various captivities and despoliation prior to A.D. 32-1/2. We assent to 
this, but call attention to the fact that in all those trying experiences they still had 
special evidences of the Divine supervision and that their tribulations were designed 
for their purification and blessing. On the other hand, the period since A.D. 32-1/2 is 
particularly marked by the prophet as being without Divine favor. "I will scatter you 
into all lands, where I will show you no favor." The prophet Isaiah, referring to this 
period of cutting off from Divine favor, declares: "Unless the Lord of hosts had left 
us a remnant ever so small, like Sodom should we have been, unto Gomorrah should 



we have been compared." (Isa. 1:9.) Isaiah (53:1) again prophesied respecting the 
failure of 

OV76 

Israel to hear the Divine message, saying: "Lord, who hath believed our report." And 
again he writes prophetically of their rejection of Messiah: "I will destine you to the 
sword, and all of you shall kneel down to the slaughter; because when I called, ye 
did not answer; when I spoke, ye did not hear; but ye did what is evil in my eyes, 
and that wherein I had no delight did ye choose. Therefore, thus hath said the Lord 
Eternal, Behold, those who serve me shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, those 
who serve me shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, those who serve me shall 
rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed; behold, those who serve me shall sing for joy of 
heart, but ye shall cry out from pain of heart, and from a broken spirit shall ye howl; 
and ye shall leave behind your name for an oath unto my elect ones, when the Lord 
Eternal will slay thee; but his servants will he call by another name." ~Isa. 65: 12-15. 
Many Jews realize the fitness to them, during this long period in which they have 
been outcast from God's favor, of not only the above prophecies, but others which 
declared that the Lord would make them "a by- word and hissing amongst the 
nations" where he would scatter them. And again, that they should be without 
prophet and without priest many days— without any communication with God 
whatever. When noting the fulfillment of these prophecies against Israel we must not 
forget the equally strong testimonies of God through the prophets, that "he who 
scattered Israel will gather them again." "Behold, the days are coming, saith the 
Lord, when it shall not be said any more. The Lord liveth, who hath brought up the 
children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, as the Lord liveth, who hath brought 
up the children of Israel from the land of the north (Russia, where nearly one-half of 
the Jews reside), and from all the countries whither he had driven them; and I will 
cause them to return unto their land which I have given unto their fathers"-- Jer. 
16: 14-15. Moreover, it is explicitly declared that the Lord will no more forever after 
that scatter his people, but, on the contrary, that at that time he will enter into a New 
Covenant with them, providing for them a better Mediator than Moses-Messiah- of 
whom Moses wrote: "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your 
brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto 
you. And it shall come to pass that every soul, which will not hear that (obey) 
prophet, shall be destroyed from amongst the people."— Deut. 18:15,18. (Acts 3:22- 
23.) The completeness of their scattering and the apparent hopelessness of their case 
must be apparent to every thinking Hebrew. They not only have no king, but they 
have no priest. The demoralization incident to their scattering was so great that not a 
Jew in the world can positively affirm to what tribe he belongs, and consequently 
none is able to trace his lineage to the tribe of Levi and Aaronic ancestry. Having no 
priest, they can have nothing even simulating the Day of atonement and its typical 
sacrifices for sins. According to the rationale of their own teachings they are entirely 
cut off from fellowship and relationship with God, except as that relationship 
subsists in the original Covenant which God made with Abraham and confirmed 
with the Divine oath. 

This Double, or Parallel, Foretold. 

If we now have the facts of history before us clearly; if we see that Israel was in 
Divine favor from the death of Jacob to the death of Christ, and that there their 
decline began, and that a similar period of time from the death of Jesus brought them 
to a revival of Jewish hopes in A.D. 1878; And if we see that the 37-1/2 years of 
failing then are paralleled now by 37-1/2 years of rising to favor and influence, let us 
rejoice in what we see and look further. We shall next look to the prophecies which 
distinctly foretold this "double" or parallel of Israel's favor with a like period of 
disfavor. After the declaration, "Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land 
that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods 



(rulers) day and night, where I will not show you favor." (Jer. 16:9-13.) then we read 
verse 18, "And first (before the return of favor) I will recompense their iniquity and 
their sin double," literally "two-fold," from the Hebrew word mishneh. What could 
be plainer than this? 

OV77 

The prophet declares that from the time of Israel's casting off from all favor until the 
time of their return to favor would be a repetition or duplication in time of their 
previous history, during which they enjoyed Divine favor. We have already 
indicated this double or "two-fold" feature of Israel's history and that the turning 
point was at the time of their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah when they cried to 
Pilate against him, saying, "His blood be upon us and upon our children." The Lord 
took them at their word, and they have endured a severe retribution. Meanwhile their 
hearts and minds have been blinded by prejudice for four substantial reasons: 1. The 
teaching of some that Jesus in his one person was both the Father and the Son, both 
the Almighty and the Messiah. This erroneous teaching the Jewish mind properly 
rejects as both unscriptural and irrational. 2. They did not realize how great their 
Messiah must be—that in order to give them eternal life as human beings, and 
through them to extend the same opportunity or blessing to others, the Messiah must 
first die, must first sacrifice his earthly life, that he might give it to Israel and to the 
world, while the Father, Jehovah, exalted him to the heavenly plane as a reward for 
his obedience and self-sacrifice. 3. Another matter which they did not perceive, and 
which they are not to be specially blamed for not discerning, was the fact that God 
proposed the selection of a small handful of humanity, to be associates with Messiah 
in his glorious Kingdom work of blessing Israel and the world in connection with the 
New Covenant promised to Israel in Jeremiah 31:31 and elsewhere. This fact, that 
the Messiah would have a Church or "Body" associated with himself and on the 
spirit-plane is nowhere specified in the original Abrahamic promise, although it is 
implied. When the Lord said to Abraham, "Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven 
and as the sand of the seashore," the star feature of the illustration represents the 
higher or spiritual or heavenly seed of Abraham, the Church. The nucleus of this 
spiritual "seed of Abraham" was selected from amongst the Jews, and the remainder 
is being gathered since from amongst the Gentiles. This spiritual seed is being 
gathered out during the second half of Israel's mishneh, "double" or "two-fold" 
experiences. 4. Another matter which has confused our Hebrew friends on this 
subject is the fact that they do not discern as between the nominal Christian Church 
numbering hundreds of millions, and the saintly few lost to human sight in this great 
mass— the saintly few who constitute the "Church of the Firstborn," the antitypical 
Levites and priests. Even to Christian people, as the Apostle declares, this election or 
selection of the saints of this Gospel Age as the spiritual seed of Abraham is a 
"mystery." -Col. 1:26,27. 

The Very Turning Day Indicated. 

Next we notice God's testimony through another prophet which indicates the very 
day on which Israel's "double" turned- the very day on which the first-fold or 
division of Israel's experiences of favor ended, and on which the second-fold or 
division of Israel's disfavor began. Before we quote the prophecy we call attention to 
the fact that different prophecies take different standpoints, and then speak as though 
the prophet stood at that particular time and place. For instance, Jeremiah stood in 
his own day and said, "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, when I will do," thus 
and so, and render unto you "double." The prophecy we are now quoting is different. 
Zechariah (9:9-12) in prophetic vision took his stand at the end of Jewish favor on 
the very day when their "double" or mishneh turned, on the very day when Jesus 
fulfilling his prophecy, rode on the ass to the brow of the Mount of Olives and there, 
overlooking Jerusalem, wept over it and declared "Your house is left unto you 
desolate." Note the proof of this. The prophecy says: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter 



of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee. 
Righteous and victorious is he; lowly and riding upon an ass, upon a colt the foal of 
a she-ass." (This is the same one who ultimately shall cut off the battle-bow and 
speak peace unto the nations, and whose dominion shall be from sea to sea and from 
the rivers to the ends of the earth.) 

OV78 

But first national power was to pass from the Jews for a time, and thus we read (V. 
12), "Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope!" This is the invitation of 
Messiah "to the Jew first." But foreseeing the rejection of the invitation by the nation 
as a whole, the Lord through the prophet adds, "Even to-day do I declare that I will 
recompense two- fold unto you." Or, as in our Common Version, "Even to-day do I 
declare that I will render double unto thee." Reputable Jewish witnesses in the New 
Testament show that Jesus thus offered himself to Israel as their King, and at the 
same time as their Passover Lamb, on the 9th day of the first month A.D. 33~five 
days before his crucifixion as the Passover Lamb—on the very day when the 
Passover Lamb should have been taken into the houses of those who would be 
protected by its blood of sprinkling and nourished by its flesh. We are not faulting 
Israel in general for not being sufficiently spiritual to discern the blessed 
opportunities that were theirs, for we find that similar conditions have prevailed in 
the meantime and prevail to-day all over Christendom. Only a small number, either 
of Jews or Gentiles, have been sufficiently saintly to be accounted members of this 
elect, select, spiritual seed of Abraham, or even to understand this "mystery." Yet, 
shortly, as members of the Great Messiah and under the headship of the glorified 
Jesus, the saintly, spirit-begotten church will begin to perform to Israel, and through 
Israel to all nations, the glorious promise to Abraham, "In thy seed shall all the 
families of the earth be blessed." 

"She Hath Received Double." 

Let us now notice a third Scripture which speaks of Israel's "double." (Isa. 40:1-2.) 
As Jeremiah looked at the matter from the far past, and told what would come; and 
as Zechariah stood at the turning point and told of the very day when the second half 
of Israel's experiences began, Isaiah took a still different standpoint. Coming down 
prophetically to the end of the "double" in 1878, he cries: "Comfort ye, comfort ye, 
my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to the heart of Jerusalem and call 
out unto her that her time of sorrow is accomplished, that her iniquity is atoned for; 
for she hath received from the hand of the Lord double (the second half of her 
experiences, outcast) for all her sins." Slow, indeed, to comprehend all the things 
that are written would be the heart that could see nothing in these wonderful 
coincidences, and, to such, it would be useless to multiply evidences or to exhort to 
faith. An appreciation of the Divine Word necessitates first of all a right and 
teachable attitude of mind. Those who have not yet attained that condition of heart 
must needs wait. If they cannot receive instruction by the eye or ear or heart of Faith 
they must needs wait until the actual demonstrations of the "time of trouble" coming, 
and the subsequent uplifting of Israel, in harmony with these prophecies, shall be 
fulfilled. The proof that Israel's disfavor will completely terminate in A.D. 1915 and 
thenceforth their national polity be reestablished, we leave for a future article. 



OV79 




IV-Chastened "Seven Times. "A Period of 2520 Years 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

WHEN ENTERING into Covenant relationship with the nation of Israel, God of 
course foreknew that the nation whose fathers courageously shouted "All the Lord 
our God hath commanded will we do," would really not do those things, but, like the 
remainder of the world, would be swayed by the forces of sin and the weakness of 
heredity. Consequently, when setting forth to the chosen people the blessing which 
the Lord their God would give unto them, if they would be obedient to his Law and 
walk in his statutes, God also set forth what they might expect in the event of their 
failure so to do. And incidentally, in connection with the outlining of their 
punishments for transgression, the Lord prophetically in a hidden and covered 
manner, supplied information as to how long his chosen people would be under the 
hand of a chastening providence before being restored to Divine favor. The period 
of their chastening is told in the expression, "Seven Times." The Lord's words are: 
"And if, even with these things, ye will not hearken unto me, then will I give forth 
correction. Seven Times, for your sins. So will I break your pomp of power and will 
set your heaven as iron and your land as bronze; and your strength shall be spent in 
vain and your land shall not yield her increase; and the trees of the land shall not 
yield their fruit. "If, therefore, ye will go in opposition to me, and not be willing to 
hearken unto me, then will I yet further plague you Seven Times, according to your 
sins.... And I, even I, will plague you Seven Times, for your sins, and will bring 
upon you a sword that shall inflict the covenanted avenging... .And I, even I, will 
correct you Seven Times for your sins; and ye shall eat of the flesh of your sons 
....And I will give your cities unto desolation, and make your holy places dumb, and 
I will find no fragrance in your satisfying odour; and I will make the land dumb, and 
your foes that dwell therein shall regard it with dumb amazement; when even you I 
scatter among the nations, and make bare, after you, a sword. Then shall your land 
become an astonishment, and your cities a desolation. Then shall the land be paid her 
sabbaths, all the days she lieth desolate, while ye are in the land of your foes; then 
shall the land keep sabbath, and pay off her sabbaths; all the days she lieth desolate 
shall she keep sabbath~the which she kept not as your sabbaths, while ye dwelt 
thereupon. For the land shall be left of them 



OV80 

and shall be paid her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them. They also 
accepting as a payment the punishment of their iniquity, because, yea, because my 
regulations they refused, and my statutes their soul abhorred. "--Lev. 26:18-46. We 
have made but a brief quotation from this remarkable prophecy which has been so 
accurately fulfilled—especially since the time of the rejection of Jesus. However, be 
it noted that the prophecy distinctly intimates that this Divine disfavor is not to last 
forever, but to be for "Seven Times." In our next article we will show what their 
Sabbaths have to do with the matter and how the prophecy of the desolation of the 
land, the paying of her Sabbaths, has already been fulfilled. Here we want to notice 
the "Seven Times" or seven symbolic years of chastening— where they began; where 
they will end; and the fact that they are symbolical and not literal years. Evidently 
the various translators who have handled these verses have been perplexed, and 
therefore have caused our Common Version improperly to read Seven Times more. 
This could not mean Seven Times more than the sins would deserve, for God would 
not be thus unjust; neither could it mean Seven Years more, because Israel's 
punishments, for sin were not marked off in periods of seven years. As a matter of 
fact, on account of idolatry, the nation went into captivity to other nations round 
about some eighteen times, the periods varying from a few months to eighteen years. 
Even the captivity which came upon them in the days of Zedekiah, and which lasted 
for seventy years would not wholly fulfill the spirit of this prophecy. Besides, could 
we suppose that God would specifically mark out the little captivities, etc., and 
absolutely ignore Israel's great period of disaster and desolation of the land and 
scattering of their people among all nations? The Seven Times here repeated with 
such emphasis evidently marked the great indignation of God against Israel; and the 
prophesied restoration of his people to Divine favor is evidently to be at the end of 
those Seven Times. Then God will remember his Covenant and fulfill all of its 
gracious provisions. St. Paul foretold this, saying, "Hath God cast away his people? 
God forbid!. ..God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew! ...Blindness in 
part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.. ..For this is 
my Covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the Gospel 
they are enemies for your sakes; as touching the election, they are beloved for the 
fathers' sakes."- Rom. 11:1-2,25-28. 

Note the facts before us: 

(1) God foreknew and foretold the rejection of Israel for a time, but not forever. 

(2) He declared and reiterated that the period of their rejection would be Seven 
Times. 

(3) Those Seven Times or years cannot be understood literally, because Israel's 
rejection has lasted many times seven years. 

(4) Whatever period those Seven Times signifies, that period is not yet fulfilled. 

(5) There will be two possible places for the beginning of those Seven Times. 
Surely it was as far back as the time of the destruction of Jerusalem A.D. 70, 
following the rejection of Messiah and his message. Yes, it was further back 
than that event; for at that time they were under the Roman yoke, and even their 
great King Herod was not a Jew, but an Edomite of the family of Esau. This fact 
would carry us several centuries further back to the time when the last Jewish 
King was on the throne. Apparently those "Seven Times" of Israel's disfavor 
began with the dethronement of Zedekiah, the last King of Judah. 

"Take Off the Crown"--"I Will Overturn It." 

As a matter of fact, we find that Israel's Seven Times of disfavor began on that fatal 
day of which the Prophet wrote respecting their last king, Zedekiah, "O thou profane 



and wicked prince, whose time has come that iniquity shall have an end; remove the 
diadem and take off the crown; this shall not be the same! I will overturn, overturn, 
overturn it; and it shall be no more; until he come whose right it is, and I will give it 
him. (Ezek. 21:25-27.) "The Seven Times," which began on that day, are due to end 
October, 1914~Seven Times or seven symbolic years, according to Jewish counting. 

OV81 

The lunar year of three hundred and sixty days is scripturally used as a symbolic 
"Time" or year, in which each day represents a year. (Ezek. 1:6.) Hence, Seven 
Times would represent symbolically (7 x 360) 2520 years. We therefore have from 
this standpoint the Divine prophecy or prediction that God's disfavor upon his 
chosen people would last Seven Times, or 2520 years. We have already shown what 
overturning the crown indicates. We have demonstrated that this period of disfavor 
began at the dethronement of Zedekiah, the last Jewish king. We have already 
quoted Ezekiel's prophecy respecting the incident-that the kingdom would be 
overturned, overturned, until Messiah would accept it and raise up Israel out of the 
dust to fulfill to her, and through her to all nations, the glorious things prophesied to 
Abraham and confirmed to Isaac and to Jacob by the Divine oath- "In thee and in thy 
Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. "--Gen. 12:3. Our space forbids 
that we should enter into the details of the chronology; but those desirous of 
obtaining it we will be glad to serve, if advised. Briefly, the chronology from 
Zedekiah's dethronement runs thus: Captivity to Babylon lasted seventy years; 
restoration to the land, but not to kingly power and honors, was proclaimed to the 
Jews A.D. 536 by Cyrus the Persian King. Thus the period from Zedekiah to A.D. 1 
was (70 plus 536) 606 yrs. Deduct 606 from the total of 2520 years, and the 
remainder shows a balance of 1914 years of Israel's disfavor during the period which 
we term Anno Domini. In other words, by the full end of the year 1914 (Jewish 
reckoning, October), Israel's Seven Times of chastisement and correction from the 
Almighty will have been fulfilled. Then will begin toward Israel Divine favor, 
forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to God, uplifting from the dust, and all the New 
Covenant privileges and blessings declared by Jeremiah (31:31.) The terms will be 
the same as under the Law Covenant instituted by Moses. But the New Covenant 
will be better for Israel because of its better Mediator ~Messiah~The Christ—The 
Antitype of Moses-Jesus the Head and the Church which is his Body-the Spiritual 
Seed of Abraham through whom all of God's blessings are about to come upon the 
natural seed of Abraham.— Gal. 3:29. Is it not very wonderful that this period is 
ending now, and that Zionism is blowing its bugle note around the world, calling 
upon God's chosen people to go up and reclaim the promised land and to hope again 
for Divine favor? It is more than remarkable. It is in keeping with all of God's 
dealings with his chosen people. "God hath not cast away his people whom he 
foreknew." "The gifts and callings of God are things he does not repent of." All of 
his gracious promises which belong to Israel in the flesh must yet be fulfilled to 
them. True, they are being re-gathered without a knowledge or appreciation of 
Messiah. But this also is in accord with the Scripture account, which shows that the 
opening of the eyes of that nation to discern the Redeemer will take place in 
Jerusalem at the time of their return to considerable prosperity, when they will be in 
the midst of their final struggle with the Gentiles. Then, says the Prophet, "They 
shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and mourn." Then will God pour upon 
them the spirit of prayer and supplication and acknowledgment of Jesus. "-Zech. 
12:10. 

"The Times of the Gentiles." 

Now let us look at the subject from a different angle. Let us note that God through 
Israel's prophets foretold that the world would be given into the hands of the 
Gentiles; and that Israel, both natural and spiritual, would be subjugated and more or 
less oppressed by the Gentiles. And wonderful, too, is the fact that this period of 



Gentile domination is likewise stated to be "Seven Times." And the wonder 
increases when we find that these Gentile "Seven Times" began and will end at 
exactly the same dates which mark the Jewish "Seven Times" of disfavor. This is 
certainly remarkable to the extent of being astounding. Yet it should not astound us 
that the God of all Grace would hide or secrete this information in the Bible until 
about the time of its accomplishment, and then make it known only to those, both 
Jews and Gentiles, who have "a hearing ear" and who "hunger and thirst after 
righteousness." 

OV82 

Now for the prophecies. King Nebuchadnezzar's army overturned the Jewish 
Kingdom in the days of Zedekiah. As the Scriptures show, this overturning was done 
by Divine decree. The Jewish prophets tell that God gave Nebuchadnezzar 
permission to control the world, in very much the same language that the 
commission was first given to Adam. During the time that God's Kingdom was 
established in Israel-during the reigns of David and Solomon and others down to 
Zedekiah' s day-it was the only Kingdom recognized by God in the whole earth. As 
we read, "Solomon sat upon the throne of Jehovah in (the room or) stead of his 
father, David." (1 Chron. 29:23.) The authorization of Nebuchadnezzar, therefore, 
paralleled exactly the withdrawal of the Divine favor and the crown from Zedekiah 
and from Israel, the holy nation. Following this, Nebuchadnezzar's Government 
increased and became universal; and it was followed by other Gentile Governments 
exercising universal power— the Medes and Persians, the Grecians, the Romans. A 
lease of earthly dominion was made to these Governments, which cover this interim 
of time from the overthrow of the typical Zedekiah until the establishment of 
Messiah's Kingdom in 1915. Two pictures of this period of Gentile domination of 
the earth are given; first, a picture from the human standpoint; and second, a picture 
from the Divine standpoint. The view from the human standpoint was given to 
Nebuchadnezzar by the Lord in a dream which, by Divine power, repeated and 
interpreted by the Prophet Daniel. (Dan. 2:29-45.) Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of a 
great image representing earthly power during this period known as "the times of the 
Gentiles." His own Government was represented in the head of gold. The universal 
empire of the Medes and Persians, which followed Nebuchadnezzar, was symbolized 
in the arms and breast of silver. The universal rule of Greece under Alexander the 
Great was symbolized in the belly and thighs of brass. The Roman empire was 
pictured in the legs of iron. The entire arrangement made it possible that if Israel had 
accepted Jesus as King, the Messianic Kingdom might have been established there. 
But foreseeing that Israel would fail in the day of her visitation, God pictured the 
extension of Gentile supremacy in the feet of the image, which from iron gradually 
merged into a combination of iron and clay, dividing into ten toes. The commingling 
of the iron and clay represented that blending of Church and State known as the 
Holy Roman Empire. This commingling of civil and religious authority amongst the 
nations in the exercise of Gentile rule still continues; and to-day we have the division 
of the nations known as Christendom, Protestant and Catholic, as represented by the 
toes of the image. The image has stood nearly as long as was Divinely intended- 
seven symbolic times or years-2520 literal years, expiring in October, 1914. What 
will happen then? Let the same prophecy continue to tell its story to a 
consummation. It tells that the glorious image of autocracy and worldly empire, 
which God has permitted to be in the hands of the Gentiles, will fall a mass of ruins 
at the end of the Gentile times-in 1915 A.D. It tells that the God of Heaven, who 
gave over the dominion of earth for "Seven Times" to the Gentile governments of 
this image, purposes that at the close of those "Seven Times" he will wipe them out 
of existence. During the period of their domination, under Divine guidance, a Stone 
has been cut out of the mountain, without human hands, without human authority or 
power. That stone is the Church of which Jesus is the Head and the Apostle and all 
the saints of this age of every denomination are members. The cutting of it out will 



soon be completed. That Stone represents Messiah on the larger plane, Jesus the 
Head and the Church His body; for we are all members in particular of the Body of 
Christ, which is the Church. Not until the Church shall have been completed, not 
until the last member shall have been changed from earthly to heavenly conditions; 
not until the glorified Christ shall have taken unto himself His great power to reign; 
and not until the end of Gentile times, will this heavenly power be hurled against the 
image. It will not strike the image in its head or breast or loins or legs; for these have 
passed long ago. It will smite the image 

OV83 

on its feet-its present development- "Christendom" so-called. That impact is 
prominently noted throughout the Scriptures as "a time of trouble such as never was 
since there was a nation." The Scriptures give vivid pictures of the Gentile 
Governments in the world, then "the gold, the silver, the brass, the iron and the clay, 
became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, and the wind carried them 
away and no place was found for them.-Dan. 2:35. Such is the graphic description 
given us of the end of Gentile Governments, in which to-day many of us take such 
pride, and which have their good intentions and good qualities. But these also, be it 
remembered, were recognized and authorized by God to occupy the seat of 
Government and to hold in check human affairs— "until he comes whose right the 
Kingdom is," and to whom it will be given— The Christ —the Head and the Elect 
Church his members; the Kingdom for which we pray, "Thy Kingdom come; thy 
will be done on earth as it is done in heaven"— the Millennial Kingdom, which is to 
bless all the families of the earth through the channel or medium of Israel-God's 
chosen people. 

Great Ravenous Beasts. 

We have intimated that Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great image represented 
autocracy and world sovereignty from the human viewpoint of grandeur. We now 
come to examine the same governments as seen from the Divine viewpoint. How 
different! Now, instead of appearing great, noble and wise, these are pictured as 
ravenous wild beasts, which tread down and devour the earth. In this picture, which 
was given to Daniel for himself and for all of God's people, the symbolisms are 
these: 

(1) Babylonia, the head of the image, is symbolized by a lion; 

(2) Medo-Persia, the breast and arms of the image, is symbolized by a bear; 

(3) Greece, the belly and thighs of brass in the image, is here symbolized by a 
leopard; 

(4) Rome, the iron legs of the image, is here pictured as a great and terrible beast, for 
which no name could be found, and the like of which had never been known in the 
earth before. "It brake in pieces and devoured" everything. Nothing could withstand 
its power. How wonderful a figure, illustrative of the ferocity which has marked the 
kings and Governments and wars of these Gentile times! 

(5) The feet and toes of the image, representing the Papacy and the commingling of 
State and Church domination, we find pictured in the ten horns of the terrible beast. 
These beasts are to rule the world until the end of Gentile times of world domination, 
October, 1914, which will also be the end of the Jewish times of Divine disfavor. 
Then the dominion will pass from these beasts, and their bodies or organizations as 
Governments will be given to the burning flame— turned over to destruction. The 
Prophet pictures the end of Gentile times and the manifestation of the Ancient of 
Days, whose throne was like a fiery flame and who caused the judgment to sit. It was 
at that time that the words of the last beast came into judgment -the great words 
uttered by the horn that had eyes and a mouth and that spake great, swelling words, - 
claimed by nearly all expositors of the past to represent Papacy and its boast of 
infallibility, etc. Then the beast was slain-the great and terrible beast, and his body 



was given to the burning flames. This is still future and therefore prophetic, and we 
may not too positively declare how it will be fulfilled. Apparently it signifies the 
overturn of the civil and religious systems of our day, especially of Europe. It seems 
to symbolize the destruction of all earthly government and authority. This would 
mean anarchy, the most terrible curse upon society imaginable. Then it was that 
Daniel was given a vision of the Son of man in glory, receiving the authority of the 
dominion of earth. "And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom 
that all people, nations and languages should serve him; his dominion is an 
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his Kingdom that which shall 
not be destroyed." -Dan. 7:14. 



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V. The Jubilee of Restoration 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

GOD GAVE his chosen people two distinct sets of Sabbaths or rests. Not only was 
the seventh day appointed to them for resting from earthly toil as profitable to their 
physical well being, but additionally those Sabbath days were types, which pointed 
forward to a future rest of heart and mind. At the beginning of each year a cycle was 
marked--? x 7 days. Following this multiple, early in the ecclesiastical year, after the 
passover and the waving of the "sheaf of first fruits," which typified our Lord's 
resurrection to the heavenly plane, came the fiftieth day. On this day there came a 
great blessing to all of the Children of Israel who were in the proper condition of 
heart. It typified the beginning of the real rest of heart and mind which was thus 
foreshown. It was participated in by all the chosen people who were in heart 
readiness and who accepted Jesus as Messiah. Subsequently, after all of the saintly 
ones of the chosen people had entered thus into a rest or Sabbath keeping in their 
hearts, the door to this privilege was opened to a similar class from amongst the 
Gentiles. This rest of mind and heart, typified in the Pentecostal day and its 
blessings, was but the earnest or foretaste of a still greater blessing and rest to be 
entered into by the faithful at the end of the race set before them. ~Heb. 12:1. But 
the chosen people had not merely day Sabbaths. They had also year Sabbaths; for 
every seventh year was a Sabbatic year. And these Sabbatic years had a cycle similar 
to that of the Sabbath days. Seven times seven years brought them to the fiftieth 
year, which was a special Sabbatic year, just as the fiftieth day was a special 
Sabbatic day. As the Sabbath days could be observed by the chosen people anywhere 
and everywhere, so the rest which they typified may be enjoyed by the consecrated 



everywhere under all conditions. But the Sabbath years were not so! These could be 
observed only while in their own land; for these related to that land.~Lev. 25:1-55. 



Israel's Jubilee Year. 

Undoubtedly the Jubilee year was a wise and beneficent arrangement for God's 
chosen people by Jehovah, their great King. It was more than merely an economic 
arrangement for the prevention of the accumulation of property in the hands of the 
few. It was also typical of the great "Times of Restitution of all things which God 
hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began."-- Acts 
3:19-21. Let us first examine the Jubilee as a social and financial safety arrangement 
for the preservation of the rights and interests of the less successful of the people of 
Israel. Every fiftieth year was to be a jubilee 

OV85 

year in which property that had been mortgaged or liened for debt would revert to its 
original owner free from all encumbrance. Similarly, if a family had gotten into 
straits and not only had lost its homestead but had gone into servitude, in the fiftieth 
year not only the estate would be free, but all obligations of service would terminate. 
In the Jubilee year every man returned to his original rights and possessions. Nor 
was this unjust to anybody. Every one knew in advance that a loan or debt or 
contract for the property of another could last only to the fiftieth year. Hence all 
valuation of property and of service rendered was based upon this arrangement, and 
the valuation was greater in proportion as the Jubilee year was afar off, and less as it 
drew near. Thus, under Divine arrangement, it was impossible for the land of Israel 
to get into the hands of great landlords, trusts, etc. The property right inhered in the 
family. But Israel did not particularly care for this arrangement, and it gradually fell 
into disuse. The Almighty did not insist upon its continuance. Its chief value was that 
of a type pointing forward to a greater time of Restitution, when Adam and all of his 
children would be permitted to come back from the "land of the enemy," (Jer. 
31:16), from the power of the grave and from under the dominion of sin and death- 
back to harmony with God, to perfection of human nature, to inheritance of the land 
and all the blessings and rights and privileges which originally belonged to Father 
Adam. The human family is to come into all these rights and privileges lost in Eden 
and redeemed at Calvary, when the great Messiah shall come in power and great 
glory to establish in the earth his Millennial Kingdom. The first to be blessed under 
that Kingdom arrangement will be God's chosen people; and subsequently, all 
nations will receive a similar share by coming under the same conditions and 
participating in Israel's New (Law) Covenant. ~Isa. 2:3,4; Zech. 14:16,17. The 
Restitution blessings outlined by the prophets include the restoration of Israel to 
Divine favor, their re-possession and control of Palestine, and the sending forth of 
the Abrahamic blessings through them to all people. The Restitution will include the 
bringing of the earth to full perfection, as was symbolically represented in the 
Garden of Eden. It will include the lifting of humanity out of mental, moral and 
physical imperfection up, up, up, to the grand heights of human perfection in the 
image and likeness of the Creator, to the original estate which Father Adam lost and 
which is to be restored to him. The Millennial Age, the reign of Messiah, will be the 
anti-typical Jubilee time, in which gladness and rejoicing will come to earth, and 
come to stay; for all who refuse the gracious privileges and opportunities of that time 
and do despite to the favor of God knowingly, willingly, intentionally, will be cut off 
from life in the Second Death, from which there will be no recovery. 

Blowing Silver Trumpets. 

At the opening of the Jubilee year it became the duty of the priests to blow upon the 
silver trumpets the note proclaiming "liberty throughout all the land unto all the 



inhabitants thereof." (Lev. 25:9,10.) The bugle note sounded by the priest was 
repeated everywhere upon ram's horns and everything that would make a joyful 
sound proclaiming liberty. Doubtless some of those who heard might have been 
ready to dispute the correctness of the message, claiming that there was a mistake. 
Doubtless some who heard the proclamation of liberty were boisterous and extreme 
in their jubilation and unwise in their conduct. Certainly the Jubilee year in its 
beginning must have been a time of general tumult and rupture. The holders of the 
land and the beneficiaries of services rendered may have been slow to surrender 
them, while those to whom they belonged by Divine right might often have been 
impatient because of delay and thus become unreasonable in their demands for 
immediate possession. We are about to show that the Divine Word teaches that this 
great anti-typical Jubilee period of one thousand years is already upon us; that we are 
now in the time when the priests are blowing the silver trumpets—the Truth of God's 
Word —and when the common people everywhere are waking up and vociferously 

OV86 

shouting for freedom and for their rights —sometimes unwise in their impatience and 
rude in their haste. It is right that humanity should enter into all the blessings of this 
Jubilee period which has been Divinely provided. But Divine Providence should be 
noted and its leadings should be followed. The people should understand that as 
surely as it is God's arrangement that the Jubilee Restitution shall be ushered in, so 
surely it will come to pass; for all of God's purposes shall be accomplished. (Isa. 
55:1 1.) There should be no breathless haste, but a quiet, patient, faithful waiting on 
Jehovah. The Lord, however, tells us that many will be impatient; that, as a result, 
there will come upon the world "a time of trouble such as never was since there was 
a nation," and that the trouble time will serve as the opening of the door to the 
Jubilee procedure of Restitution. Hear the exhortation of the Prophet, "Wait ye upon 
me, saith the Lord, until the day when I arise to the prey; for my determination is to 
gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them mine 
indignation, even all my fierce anger; for the whole earth shall be devoured with the 
fire of my jealousy," zeal, anger. Nor are we to understand that this will be a literal 
fire, but terrible trouble causing great distress, for the next verse shows that the 
people survive the trouble. There we read, "Then will I turn to the people a pure 
message (the pure Gospel of the Love and the Justice of God) that they may all call 
upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent."- Zephaniah 3:8,9. 
Echoing the voice of God through the holy Scriptures, we warn all who have an ear 
to hear this message, that they desist from any attempt to bring in the great Jubilee 
too hastily. The great leveling of humanity, rich and poor, is coming, and coming 
speedily, because the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. The great Jubilee with its 
restoration of human rights to every child of Adam is already upon us. Blessed will 
those be who, recognizing the fact, shall most speedily and most heartily join in and 
co-operate with the Divine arrangement. Let the rich exercise benevolence of heart 
and rejoice to turn their millions into channels of usefulness for the people, and let 
them do it speedily, whether along the lines of Mr. Rockefeller and Mr. Carnegie, or 
along other lines of their own choosing. Let them not delay. Let them not think that 
all things will continue as they have been in the past. The anti-typical Jubilee has 
come. Its silver trumpet is now sounding in our ears. Already the rabble are 
clamoring and restless. Scarcely can they be persuaded to bide their time and wait 
for Divine Providence to give them the promised blessing. Indeed, they know not 
God; they discern not that this Jubilee is of his provision and is coming in its due 
time, appointed of the Almighty. They vainly think that they are bringing it to pass 
themselves; and that they must force the issue and grasp the coveted prize of equal 
rights, wealth and leisure. Only in the light of the Scriptures can the peculiar 
condition of things now at our doors be understood or appreciated. From God's 
Word comes the soundest of advice. But, alas! the great intellects of the world have 
discarded the Bible and have gathered to themselves other teachers, who set forth as 



worldly wisdom, doctrines of Evolution and of the wonderful progress of the race. 
These doctrines, the Bible tells us, will speedily come to naught, and prove the 
wisdom of the world's wise men to be foolishness. ~Isa. 29:14,15; 1 Cor. 1:19; Prov. 
14:8. 

Humility and Righteousness Necessary. 

The exhortation of the Bible respecting the present hour is profitable to both rich 
and poor. But alas! few of either class are in the attitude of mind to hear. The 
message is, "Seek righteousness; seek meekness: it may be that ye shall be hid in the 
day of the Lord's anger." (Zeph. 2:3.) "Be wise, therefore, ye kings of the earth 
(including the financial kings.) Kiss the Son (salute, recognize the great King of 
Glory, whose Millennial Kingdom is at hand with its anti-typical year of Jubilee for 
Israel and for all the families of the earth) lest he be angry, and ye perish from the 
way, when his anger is kindled (in the very beginning of this day of anger) but a 
little" (against you.) --Psalm 2:10-12. 

OV87 

The Anti-typical Jubilee Begun. 

Having shown that the great Jubilee of a thousand years will begin by a terrible 
time of trouble incidental to the returning of mankind to their long-lost inheritance, 
we will offer some harmonious prophecies based upon the Jubilee type. These show 
that the Jubilee chronologically began A.D. 1875. Since then the masses have been 
struggling for their "rights," sometimes by wise, and at other times by unwise 
methods. Everywhere the anti-typical ram's horns are being blown and "rights" is the 
watch-word! Meantime, capital and vested interests, not realizing that the Jubilee 
"Times of Restitution" are at hand, are perplexed at the situation, alarmed! Legal 
talent and all worldly wisdom have been summoned in the endeavor to hold fast 
every point that has been gained, and to relinquish and restore-nothing ! The Times 
of Restitution shall not come if the Trusts can possibly bar the way. Elated at their 
success, they believe themselves stronger, more thoroughly entrenched than ever in 
the control of the money power and of the earth. They hold that everything is 
purchasable with money- "that every man has his price." The great struggle, the time 
of trouble, will be precipitated as a result of the extreme confidence entertained by 
both sides of the question. Organized labor and organized capital, each self- 
confident, are about to precipitate the most terrible disaster that has ever befallen 
Christendom-world- wide anarchy. Neither will hear; neither can understand the 
situation. It remains for such as have the hearing ear to heed the message of God's 
word, "Seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the 
Lord's anger. "-Zeph. 2:3. 

The Mathematical Calculation. 

We have already noted the fact that the multiple system applies in connection with 
the day Sabbaths and the year Sabbaths, culminating in a fiftieth or Jubilee. We hold 
that this fact furnishes the Divinely intended key to show the date at which the anti- 
typical Jubilee will be ushered in. It will be the great Jubilee of Jubilees, reached by 
the same method of counting, 50 x 50 years, or, in all, 2,500 years. The question is. 
When should we begin the counting of this cycle? The reply is, that where the type 
ceased to be observed the great cycle began. In other words, God preserved the type 
until the proper time for the anti-typical cycle to begin to count. We know that the 
Hebrew people maintained their Jubilee system very imperfectly and with more or 
less dissatisfaction until the overthrow of their polity. When Zedekiah's Government 
was overthrown and the people were taken into captivity for seventy years by 
Nebuchadnezzar, during this period the typical Jubilee must have ceased, because it 
could be observed only while in their own land. Prior to that time, although 
repeatedly delivered into captivity to their enemies, they were never out of their land 



long enough to prevent the celebration of the Jubilee. And so far as any record 
shows, the Israelites have never observed a Jubilee year since their return from 
Babylonish captivity. Moreover, the Lord, through the Prophet Jeremiah, distinctly 
tells us that Israel's observance of the Jubilee Sabbath years was unsatisfactory, and 
that he made desolate their land during those seventy years in order that it might 
have the full number of Sabbaths, which he had designed, and which the people had 
selfishly neglected to observe. All of those seventy years of captivity were Jubilee 
years and the land had rest-none being observed subsequently. We quote the 
Scriptures on this subject: "Them that had escaped from the sword he 
(Nebuchadnezzar) carried away to Babylon, where they were servants to him and his 
sons, until the reign of the Kingdom of Persia: To fulfill the Word of the Lord by the 
mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths: for as long as she lay 
desolate she kept Sabbath to fulfill three score and ten years." (2 Chron. 36:20,21.) 
Thus we know when the seventy years desolation began; namely, A.D. 606. But how 
may we determine just when Israel observed their last Jubilee? To answer this 
question, we must reckon from the time when the Jubilee system of counting began 
down to 606 B.C., the beginning of the 

OV88 

captivity, and then divide that total of years by 50. This would show us how many 
Jubilees Israel had already kept unsatisfactorily; and the remainder would represent 
the number of years which had elapsed between the last unsatisfactory Jubilee and 
the carrying into captivity. The Scriptures distinctly inform us that the counting of 
the years of Jubilee began when Israel entered Canaan under the leadership of 
Joshua. There were 6 years from the crossing of Jordan until the division of the land; 
then a period of judges, 450 years; and a period of kings, 513 years; total 969 years, 
to the desolation of the land at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. This number, divided 
by 50, would show that 19 Jubilees had passed, and that the last one occurred 19 
years before the captivity. Understanding that where the type ceased, the anti-typical 
cycle began to count, we add thus: 19 years from the 19th Jubilee to the desolation; 
70 years of desolation; from then until A.D. 1, 536 years; from A.D. 1 to A.D. 1874; 
the total would be the sum of 19, 70, 536 and 1874, namely 2499 years. As the 
Jubilee of Jubilees would come in the 2500th year, it follows that the year 1875 
would correspond to that year. Since the anti-type, however, was not to be one year, 
but a thousand years, we understand that it was the thousand-year Jubilee which 
began in 1875. This seems comparatively strong and clear as a Scriptural argument, 
and certainly comports well with the facts of history, and is just what we should 
expect in this day of blowing the anti -typical trumpet and general commotion on the 
part of those desirous of getting quickly into their Jubilee rights. 

The Jubilees According to Prophecy. 

The Law sets things forth exactly as they should be. The great cycle, 50 x 50- 2500 
years-should begin just where the typical Jubilee ceased, as we have just seen. But 
prophecy shows matters from another standpoint; it foretells matters just as they will 
occur. Thus, through the Prophet Jeremiah, the Lord informs us that the total number 
of Jubilees would be seventy. The total number may thus be counted in two different 
ways. We have seen that nineteen Jubilees were observed unsatisfactorily. These, 
deducted from 70, would leave 51 of the 7 x 7 cycles to be fulfilled. But since the 
Jubilees were not observed, these cycles only, without the 50th year, should be 
counted, and these were 49 years each. 5 1 x 49, or 2499 years, would therefore 
represent 51 cycles without Jubilees; and as there were 19 cycles with Jubilees, this 
would make 19 x 50—950 years. Thus we have the full 70 cycles shown; and 2499 
plus 950-3449 -which is the number of years from their first Jubilee on entering 
Canaan, to the close of the year 1874 A.D. So we reach the same date as by the Law 
method of counting. The whole world, as well as Israel, has an interest in the Jubilee 
and its "Restitution of all things which God has spoken by the mouth of all the holy 



prophets." (Acts 3:20.) But to Israel the Restitution blessings will come first, after 
the stress of the great time of trouble, in which the chosen people will have their 
share~"the time of Jacob's trouble." The Millennial blessings will begin with Israel. 
Their law-givers will be restored as at the first, and their judges as at the beginning. 
(Isaiah 1:26.) The Lord will assume the guidance and control and blessing and 
uplifting and restitution of all the willing and obedient~to the Jew first, and also to 
the Gentile. --Romans 11:25-31; 1:16. 



THE beam that shines from Zion's hill 

Shall lighten every land; 
The King who reigns in Salem's tow'rs 

Shall all the world command. 



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VI--Israel's New Covenant 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

THE CHOSEN PEOPLE look back to the great Covenant which God made with 
Abraham, their progenitor—the Covenant confirmed by Almighty God with an oath 
that his people might have full assurance in respect to its ultimate fulfillment. But 
Israel recognized that, incidental to the blessing of the world, the Divine Law must 
be established and mankind must be blessed legally. Hence they point back to Moses 
and the Covenant which God made with their nation through him. True, there were 
disappointments connected with that Law Covenant. As a people they had expected 
much more from it than they ever obtained. They had expected that by obedience to 
its requirements they themselves would become possessors of everlasting life. They 
expected additionally that Jehovah God would then use their nation for the blessing 
of other nations by bringing all the world of mankind under the dominion of the Law 
of God, that the whole world might receive blessing, restitution and everlasting life 
through that Law Covenant. Notwithstanding their great disappointment in that they 
did not gain eternal life themselves~nor national exaltation —they still maintained a 
hold upon that Covenant and trusted for its blessings yet to come. When in their 
perplexity they cried to the Lord for relief and for explanation why the blessings 
hoped for did not come, they received answer from him through the prophets that 
before those promised favors could be fulfilled, the great Messiah must come. He 
would be a great Teacher and Ruler like unto Moses, but much more powerful. He 
would embody in himself all the qualities of Judge, Priest, Mediator, Law-giver and 



King. Under his superintendence Israel would yet be blessed and become the 
channel of Divine blessing to every nation. Moses foretold this greater Prophet, 
saying, "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like 
unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it 
shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed 
from among the people." (Acts 3:22,23; Deut. 18:15,19.) Hence the hearts of Israel 
waited for the Messianic Priest and Kingly Mediator who would do for them 
abundantly more than Moses had been able to accomplish, though they had profited 
much through the ministry of their great Law-giver. This antitypical Moses, 
Messiah, is referred to by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, I will send 
my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek, 
shall suddenly come to his temple, even the Messenger of the Covenant, whom ye 
deUght in."--Malachi 3:1. 

OV90 

A New Mediator. 

This sending of the New Mediator implied a New Covenant, or at least a renewal of 
the Law Covenant under the more efficient Mediator —Messiah. This renewal of the 
Sinaitic Covenant at the hands of Messiah, the superior Mediator and Helper of the 
chosen people, is specially referred to in Jeremiah 31. This Prophet was the one 
through whom the Lord prophetically speaks as though in our day, at the close of 
Israel's long period of exile from Divine favor. The time is indicated by the words of 
verses 28-29, which read: "It shall come to pass that like as I have watched over 
them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to 
afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord. In those days 
they shall say no more, "The fathers have eaten a sour grape and the children's teeth 
are set on edge, but every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man that eateth 
the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge." This preface was sufficiently explicit! 
It indicated, not any period in the past of Israel's history, but the period that is 
immediately at hand, about to be inaugurated. The "sour grapes" refer to the evil 
influences of heredity~to the fact that the sins of the parents have influenced and 
affected the children of all humanity, so that all are sinners in fact, regardless of their 
intention; for we were all "shapen in iniquity; in sin did our mothers conceive us." 
(Psalm 51:5.) But the great time of dispensational change is at hand. This condition 
of heredity shall no longer prevail against the race. Instead of falling further, the 
rising up, the restitution, shall begin, and only those who willingly and wilfully and 
knowingly transgress the Divine Law shall be held responsible, and receive the 
penalty of sin, "Dying, thou shalt die." These prefatory words sufficiently introduce 
the main feature of this message respecting the New Covenant. We read, "Behold, 
the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a New Covenant with the house of 
Israel and the house of Judah; not according to the Covenant that I made with their 
fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, 
which my Covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord. 
But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those 
days, saith the Lord, I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their 
hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no 
more every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying. Know the Lord, for 
they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the 
Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sin no more."-- Jer. 
3 1 :3 1-34. The superiority of this New Covenant to the old one is clearly indicated. 
The old one was written merely on tables of stone. The new one the Lord will cause 
to be gradually written in the hearts of all who come under the beneficent influences 
of his Kingdom. The old Law needed to be impressed upon them continually, every 
Sabbath day and oftener; but the New Law would not need to be referred to; for all 
would know it, since it would be written in the heart and conscience of all, from the 



least to the greatest. The Old Law Covenant under Moses as Mediator needed to be 
revived by a repetition of its sacrifices of bulls and goats every year, in order to 
cleanse away the sins of the people and to bring them Divine forgiveness for another 
year. But the New Law Covenant would be exceedingly better in that, by better 
sacrifices, it would forever do away with the necessity of the yearly repetition of 
Atonement Day. The sins and iniquities of the people would then be so thoroughly 
eradicated as to need no further sacrificing. 

Waiting for the Great Mediator. 

For more than three thousand years Israel has waited for its better Mediator- 
waited and hoped and prayed. Thank God! we can now proclaim that his advent is 
nigh at hand; that his power and glory and honor and dignity will be all that they 
have ever expected—and much more. But he will be a spiritual Mediator, invisible to 
men. His power and glory will be seen on earth only through their 

OV91 

operation as he shall cast down the unfit and lift up the worthy, the down-trodden. 
This great Mediator will take to himself his great power and reign, as soon as the 
time appointed by Jehovah shall have arrived. And we have reason to believe that 
the time of his establishment of his Empire on earth will be at the close of Israel's 
Seven Times of disfavor, during or shortly after A.D. 1915, in or just after the great 
time of world-wide trouble which will then be upon the earth. This great Priest 
referred to in the Scriptures "the King of Glory," will be as invisible to men as is the 
Prince of Darkness, Satan, whom the Scriptures recognize as being now the "Prince 
of this World. " In connection with the time of trouble, the Prince of Glory will bind 
the Prince of Darkness, restraining him from every power to further deceive 
mankind throughout the glorious Millennial period which will then be inaugurated. 
And of course this great spiritual King must have earthly representatives and agents 
amongst men, even as the Prince of Darkness has used sons of Belial as his servants 
—many of them unwittingly, ignorantly, serving him. But the Prince of Life will use 
only the pure, the holy, the reverent, the godly. And none of his servants will be 
under restraints of ignorance or bonds of superstition. On the contrary, the righteous 
will then flourish and the evil-doers shall be cut off —Proverbs 11:28; Psalms 37:9. 
God has already made selection of those wonderful personages who shall represent 
Messiah to Israel and to the world. They were selected long ago according to their 
trials of faith and obedience and patient endurance for righteousness' sake. They are 
a noble band. They are all Hebrews- select members of the chosen people, 
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and all the prophets, besides others too 
numerous to mention, who through trying ordeals of faith and patience and loyalty 
demonstrated their love for righteousness, for Truth and for God. These are worthy. 
These are God's "elect" for this great purpose. Nor will it serve the Divine purpose 
that these should be awakened from the tomb in the condition in which they went 
down into death. Nay, by their faithfulness under trying conditions they proved to 
the Divine satisfaction their loyalty to the core. And their reward shall be that they 
will come forth from the tomb under more favorable conditions than do their 
fellows. They will come forth perfect in mind and in body, glorious specimens of 
perfect manhood, such as God approves. They will be examples to Israel and to all 
the nations of what each member of Adam's race may attain if he will be obedient to 
the terms of the Covenant. 

The Advantages of the New Covenant. 

We have already indicated some of the advantages of the New Covenant. For a 
thousand years the great Mediator will stand between Divine Justice and Israel to 
give to all the willing and obedient the blessings of Divine favor-blessings of which 
they would not be worthy themselves, because imperfect through the fall —blessings 
intended in God's Providence to afford them the opportunity of gradually rising up. 



up, up, to the full perfection of manhood in the likeness of the Ancient Worthies, 
their instructors and guides, the representatives of Messiah amongst men. Ah, that 
will be a glorious day for the chosen people! All that they ever dreamed of, and far 
more, will be their glorious portion. Nor will these wonderful privileges be theirs 
alone, for, although the Covenant will be made with Israel, the privilege of coming 
into that Covenant relationship with God will be extended to all nations, permitting 
all to become Israelites, through faith, through obedience to that Law of the New 
Covenant. The difficulty with the Mosaic Covenant was that Moses, in important 
respects, was incompetent as a Mediator. But Messiah will be far more competent to 
carry out the requirements of the office of Mediator, and will succeed in the great 
work which Moses undertook but in which he failed. Moses' work at very most, 
however, was typical of the perfect work of the Messiah-Mediator. The basis of 
God's arrangement with Israel to be his Covenant people was the sacrifices of the 
Day of Atonement -the blood of bulls and goats. But these at most made satisfaction 
for only a year. Messiah as the more competent Mediator, in a greater Day of 
Atonement, 

OV92 

has offered more acceptable sacrifices to the Father which can and do effect a 
cancellation of sin for all time and for all people who will come under his New 
Covenant arrangement. Is it asked how the New Covenant will go into effect with 
those who are under the Sinaitic Covenant? We answer that the Law feature in both 
cases is the same; but that the difference between the old Law Covenant and the 
New (Law) Covenant will be merely the substitution of the new Mediator and his 
more efficient work for Moses and his typical, insufficient work. The chosen people 
have had some sad experiences while waiting for the great Messiah-Mediator of their 
New Covenant. But the glorious results will more than compensate for all 
disappointments in respect to the delay. Instead of merely living as a nation under 
Divine favor for a few years and then lapsing into death, as under the Law Covenant, 
they will, under the arrangements of the New Covenant, obtain life eternal and full 
human perfection, in which it will be possible for them absolutely and continuously 
to have approval of the Divine Law. More than this, their mission as the agents of 
God under the New Covenant, for the blessing of all the Gentiles, will mean the 
bringing of the Gentiles up to the same glorious standards of human perfection and 
eternal life under the blessed arrangement of the Messiah-Mediator. Surely, then, all 
who love the Divine promises to the chosen people and the New Covenant through 
which those promises will be fulfilled, may well pray, O Lord, thy Kingdom come! 
Messiah, come quickly! End the reign of sin and death! Exalt thy chosen people and 
bless all the families of the earth! 



WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? 

WHEN the morning paints the skies, 
And the birds their songs renew, 

Let me from my slumbers rise. 

Saying, "What would Jesus do ? " 

When I ply my daily task. 

And the round of toil pursue. 

Let me every moment ask, 
"What would Jesus do?" 

Would the foe my heart beguile. 

Whispering thoughts and words untrue ? 
Let me to his subtlest wile 

Answer, "What would Jesus do ? " 

Countless mercies from above 
Day by day my pathway strew. 

Father, I would prove my love 

Asking, "What would Jesus do ? " 

Ever let Thy love, O God, 

Fill my spirit through and through. 
While I tread where He hath trod. 

Whispering, "What would Jesus do ? " 



OV93 




VIL The Passover of the First-Borns 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

A MEMORIAL of first rank with the Israelites is the Passover. It celebrates one of 
the most momentous chapters in their history. It stands at the beginning of their 
ecclesiastical year, as the Day of Atonement stands near the beginning of their civil 
year. It is associated with their national birth. The Scriptures declare that God at that 
particular time had brought to the throne of Egypt a Pharaoh of indomitable will. 
The Scriptures declare that whereas other persons might have been in line for the 
throne, God specially favored this man's attaining it in order that through his natural 
stiffneckedness and obstinacy Divine power might be manifested in one after 
another of the plagues which his course would make necessary and proper. We read. 



"For this very purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show forth my power in 
thee." (Ex. 9:16.) The ten plagues sent upon the Egyptians were manifestations of 
Divine Justice in opposition to their unjust treatment of God's Chosen People. The 
last of the ten stands related to our subject, The Passover. The edict sent forth was 
that all of the first-born of the Egyptians should die, and that the first-born of the 
Israelites should not die. And the Chosen People residing in Egypt were directed to 
take special steps whereby to mark themselves as separate and distinct from the 
Egyptians. They were to take for each family a lamb without blemish and bring it 
into the house on the tenth day of the first month. They were to cherish it and care 
for it until the fourteenth day, and then to slay it. Its blood was to be sprinkled on the 
outside doorpost and lintels while its flesh was to be roasted in the fire without a 
bone of it being broken. It was to be eaten in the night of the fourteenth with bitter 
herbs and with unleavened bread. On the morrow, in the strength of this food, they 
were to march forth out of Egypt to go to the Land of Promise for an inheritance 
under the Covenant made with Abraham. 

The Destroying Angel Passed Over. 

The results were as the Lord by the mouth of Moses had foretold. The first-borns of 
the Egyptians died in that night, but the first-borns of the Chosen People were passed 
over or spared. This notable miracle was memorialized by Divine direction, and 
every year at the appropriate season a lamb was taken on the tenth day into each of 
the houses of the Israelites, one for each family or group. All leaven was put away 
from their dwellings. Everything representing corruption was burned, and 
unleavened bread alone was eaten with the lamb. The annual celebration of the 
Passover was for eight days, the first and the eighth day being high days, or to be 
specially commemorated. On the occasion of our recent visit to Jerusalem we 
gauged the time so as to be present in Jerusalem at the Passover season, knowing 
that it is not only the oldest Jewish institution, but the most joyous festival of the 
Chosen People. It celebrates one of the earliest manifestations 

OV94 

of Divine favor toward them, and reminds them of the prophecies which declare that 
at some future time God will manifest himself in their favor still more markedly; as 
it is written, "It shall no more be said. The Lord liveth that brought up the Children 
of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but. The Lord liveth that brought up the Children 
of Israel from the land of the North, and from all the lands whither he had driven 
them." (Jer. 16:14,15.) Again, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will 
make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not 
according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them 
by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my Covenant they brake, 
although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord." (Jer. 31:31,32.) The 
intimation here again is that this deliverance from Egypt at the Passover time, the 
most notable event in the past history of the Chosen People, will be cast entirely into 
the shade when the due time shall come for establishing with Israel the New 
Covenant—old in respect to the Law and the Divine requirements, but new in the 
sense that it will be based upon better sacrifices and have a better Mediator, able to 
do for Israel exceedingly better things than Moses, the Mediator of the Sinai 
Covenant, was able to accomplish—noble as he was in his every endeavor to serve 
the people as their Mediator. It is of this better Mediator and the better Covenant 
which he would accomplish for them that Moses spoke, saying, "A Prophet shall the 
Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me (but greater- 
antitypical of me); him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you. 
And it shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that Prophet, shall be 
destroyed from among the people."-Acts 3:22,23; Deut. 18:15. 



The Passover at Jerusalem. 

On the eve of the Passover, every Jewish family was in preparation for it. As the 
tenth day of the first month of the Jewish calendar had passed before our arrival, we 
did not witness the selection of the lambs for the families. The lambs had already 
been taken into the homes. We were in time, however, to note the various 
preparations for the feast. Each householder cleaned house for the occasion and 
searched every nook and corner for old bones or anything decaying and malodorous, 
and everything of food containing any corruption; and all such refuse was burned. 
Not only so, but after the actual cleansing had taken place a ritualistic or formal 
procedure was practiced. The head of the family, with a lighted candle, followed by 
the members of the household, made an inspection of the entire house. The killing 
and roasting of the lamb was quite a procedure. A stick was run through the entire 
length of the animal and also another stick crosswise, was used by some, thus 
unintentionally giving the suggestion of a cross, for nothing is at present further from 
the minds of the Chosen People than that their lamb represents Jesus, the Crucified 
One. The family gathered around the common dish, and while many now use knives 
and forks and spoons, others of the people seem to preserve the custom of early 
times and use their fingers to a considerable extent. Some had the modern matzos, 
but very many appeared to use the old style of unleavened bread, which more 
resembles thick pancakes. These are rather tough and pliable. One of them bent in 
the fingers serves fairly well as a spoon, which is consumed in the usage, sometimes 
being saturated in the juices for a specially tasty bite. The eating is supposed to be 
done in the manner to remind one of the original occasion, when the Israelites ate 
with their outer garments on, ready for immediate departure for the Land of Promise. 
In every family the householder, as directed by Moses, explained to the family the 
meaning of the feast—its origin as connected with the beginning of the Jewish 
national life. This eating of the lamb, according to the Law belonged to the 
fourteenth day of the first month. Following it on the fifteenth day began the festival 
of rejoicing celebrating the grand deliverance from the power of Pharaoh and the 
Red Sea. It was not our privilege to continue in Jerusalem for the eight days. But the 
first great day of the feast certainly saw 

OV95 

the Holy City at the time of its greatest exhilaration. Not only was the occasion one 
of special interest to the Jews who constituted a majority of the population, but 
likewise it was a time of general prayer and holiday with the Greek and Armenian 
Christians and the Mohammedans who together constitute a considerable proportion 
of the population. The old Christian communions still celebrate the date of our 
Lord's death and resurrection, after the manner of the early church, according to the 
Jewish style of calculation, from which the Roman Catholic and daughter systems 
slightly departed long centuries ago. This accounts for the fact that this year the 
Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutheran Churches celebrated Good Friday and 
Easter Sunday-March 25-27- while the celebration which we witnessed was a 
month later, April 22-24. We therefore had the pleasure of noting the Greek and 
Armenian celebration of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. 

The Meaning and Interpretation. 

For thirty-five centuries God's Chosen People, obedient to the Divine Direction, 
have celebrated the memorial "Passover," seeing merely its outward signification 
and not for a moment realizing the true significance of the grand fact which they 
celebrate— that it typified a grand feature of the Divine Program of great value to 
them and to all mankind. The lamb they slew typified "the Lamb of God," Jesus, 
whose death constitutes the Ransom-Price for the sins of the whole world. His death 
was necessary before the promise to Abraham and through him to the Chosen People 
could possibly have fulfillment. A redemption from sin, to be everlastingly 



efficacious, must be based upon a better sacrifice than the literal lamb repeated 
annually. It was not only necessary that Jesus become a man in order to give his life 
a sacrifice for mankind (Adam and his race), but it was necessary, additionally, that 
having finished the sacrificing work he should ascend up on High to Jehovah's right 
hand, to be the Spiritual Messiah, who in due time will accomplish for the Chosen 
people all the gracious promises made to them in the Covenant with Abraham, in 
which they trust, and in harmony with which they will be used of the Lord in 
conveying His blessings to all nations, peoples and tongues. A sin-condemnation 
was on the world~"The wages of sin is death." Man's penalty must be met before 
this condemnation of death could be fully and forever set aside—before man could be 
entirely and forever lifted out of death conditions back to eternal life and into 
harmony with his Creator. In harmony with the Divine arrangement, Jesus first 
offered himself to Israel as their King. But Israel saw not how he could be their 
Messiah, because he had neither wealth nor armies nor influential friends: they 
disdained him as a deceiver. When he declared himself the Son of God and their 
Deliverer, they thought him an impostor and blasphemer, and worthy of death. After 
sentencing him in their own Sanhedrin Court, not having the authority to execute 
him themselves, they charged him with the only crime which the Roman Governor 
would hear-treason to the Roman Emperor. By threatening Pilate that they would 
associate him with Jesus in treason, they finally effected the crucifixion of the 
Antitypical Passover Lamb. He was stretched upon the cross much after the manner 
in which they impaled their Passover lamb for its roasting. 

"On the Tenth of the First Month." 

Additionally, let us note the fact that just at the appropriate time, namely, the tenth 
day of the first month, when the Chosen People were taking up their lambs for the 
Passover, Jesus presented himself as the Lamb of God, and was rejected. His 
presentation was on the exact day and in exactly the manner prescribed by the 
Prophet Zechariah, "Behold thy King cometh unto thee; he is just, and having 
salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass ...He shall speak peace unto the heathen; and 
his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the 
earth." (Zechariah 9:9,10.) This was fulfilled to the very letter, as we have already 
seen. It was fulfilled as the Prophet foretold, on the very day that Israel's "double" of 
experiences began. The Chosen People were blinded with self-satisfaction and 
repudiated the lowly King and refused to accept him as their Lamb and to receive 
him into their 

OV96 

hearts and homes. Nevertheless, he proceeded to fulfill this wonderful type. As the 
antitypical Passover Lamb, he died on the fourteenth day, exactly in accord with the 
type. Forthwith, some of the Chosen People received a great blessing through him~ 
the Apostles of Jesus and others of the people whose hearts were in a humble, 
obedient and faithful condition. These fed upon the Lamb and the unleavened bread 
of God's Grace through him. These recognized the blood of Jesus as sprinkled upon 
the door-posts and the lintels of the hearts of the "household of faith." These, very 
shortly afterward, were enabled to celebrate, and they still commemorate, the death 
of the Lamb of God as being the foundation for all their hopes and joys and 
blessings. These have therefore a continual season of refreshing in the favor of the 
Lord, whether they be poor or rich, whether their honors be many or few as respects 
earthly things. These were recognized by the Father on the fiftieth day after Jesus 
became by resurrection "the Sheaf of the first fruits"~on the Day of Pentecost. He 
received them to a higher plane, begetting them of the Holy Spirit and engaging with 
them that if faithful in following in the footsteps of Jesus, they may be sharers with 
the Lamb of God in his great triumph and Spiritual Kingdom, through which the 
earthly blessings will very shortly begin to come to God's Chosen People-Israel. 
Not only will Messiah be King of the Jews, but, as the prophecy of Zechariah 



declares, "His Kingdom shall be from sea to sea (world-wide.) All nations shall 
recognize his power and glory, and unto him every knee shall bow and every tongue 
confess, to the glory of Jehovah. Israel will receive the glorious Messiah promised to 
them, when in power and great glory he shall be revealed in the end of this age. 
They, meantime, will have missed (except the remnant of Isaiah 10:21-23) the honor 
offered to them first of constituting his Spiritual Bride. (Psalm 45:9-14.) But, then, 
God foreknew and through the Prophets foretold this. (Isaiah 10:22; Isaiah 1:9.) 
And, anyway, Jehovah kept hidden the fact that Messiah's Kingdom would be a 
spiritual one. Not one promise of a Spiritual Messiah was given either in the Law or 
the Prophets. Every promise from Genesis to Malachi is earthly. Even to Abraham 
the promise reads, "All the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it and to thy 
seed after thee." Israel has not lost this promise. Not only are the Chosen People 
represented in the Spiritual Seed of Abraham most prominently, but now shortly 
Abraham and all their faithful prophets are to be made "Princes (rulers) in all the 
earth." (Psalm 45: 16) -then the seed of Abraham will be uplifted and made the 
channel of Divine blessings to all peoples. "God has not cast away his people whom 
he foreknew." He is about to fulfill to them every good promise under his New 
Covenant of Jeremiah 31:31 -under its greater Mediator and grander antitypical 
priesthood symbolized by Melchizedek (Psa. 110:4) and foretold by Malachi 3:1-3. 

Like Unto Moses, but Greater. 

According to Jehovah's Plan, the Messianic King will stand as Mediator between 
God and Israel~as the antitype of Moses~the antitypical Priest, King, Messiah, long- 
promised. The fact that he will not be in the flesh, but a spiritual Messiah, instead of 
decreasing his glory and power, will augment them. Earthly glory the Israelites will 
have—earthly blessings beyond their fondest dreams, from the hand of him whom 
Jehovah has highly exalted as "the Son of David the King of Israel." Thus from 
Israel, under the New Covenant through Israel's Mediator, a way of approach to God 
will be opened up for all the Gentiles. Thus it is written, "Many people shall go and 
say. Come ye, and let us go up to the Mountain (Kingdom) of the Lord, to the house 
of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; 
for out of Zion (the Spiritual Kingdom) shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the 
Lord from Jerusalem" (the earthly Kingdom of Israel restored.) (Isaiah 2:3.) And it 
shall come to pass that the nation that will not thus recognize Jerusalem as the 
Government of God then and there established—upon that same nation there shall be 
no rain (no special blessing.)-Isaiah 2:3. Notice how this item respecting the 
blessing of the Gentiles is mentioned by 

OV97 

the Prophet Zechariah. We read: "Messiah shall speak peace to the Gentiles." But 
this blessing of peace will come primarily to God's Chosen People and proceed 
through them to the Gentiles. Not only so, but the same holds good in respect to the 
selection of Spiritual Israelites. We have already noticed how some of the Chosen 
People, a "remnant," as the Prophet declares, were ready for Messiah and did receive 
Jesus and received the Pentecostal blessing. These, as we have noted, were the 
Apostles of the Christian Church and the earliest representatives of the same; but 
after giving the first opportunity for the spiritual blessings to the Chosen People, 
Messiah favored and spoke peace also to the Gentiles in respect to the Spiritual Seed 
of Abraham. And so the Gospel of Grace, or invitation to become members or 
associates with Messiah on the spirit plane, has been, in God's Providence, extended 
to the Gentiles throughout this Gospel Age— to whomsoever of them has had the 
hearing ear and the understanding and obedient heart. Thus of both Jews and 
Gentiles Jehovah has been selecting worthy individuals for association with his Son, 
the Redeemer. These are but a "little flock" out of nominal millions. To this "little 
flock" the Redeemer said, "Fear not, little flock; it is your Father's good pleasure to 
give you the Kingdom"-the Kingdom that is to bless Israel, and, through Israel, to 



speak peace to all Gentiles~to every member of Adam's race-to afford all a full 
opportunity of return from sin and death conditions to harmony with God and 
everlasting life. Ah, yes, there are precious lessons and blessings in the Passover 
type, and in its antitype, for God's Chosen People, when God's due time shall come. 
He declares that the condition of blindness and being outcast from his favor which 
has prevailed with the Chosen People for more than eighteen centuries is not to 
prevail forever, but merely until he shall have gathered, first from Israel, and 
subsequently from the Gentiles, his "elect" associates on the spirit plane. Then all 
Israel shall be recovered from this blindness, and blessings shall come to them in 
abundant measure. Their casting off and blinding as a nation are intended of God to 
work out for them a national blessing. Under adverse conditions they have been held 
together as a people condemned as a whole, that they might receive mercy as a 
whole.-Romans 25:30-32. 

"The Church of the First-Born." 

Be it remembered that not all of the Israelites were in danger that night in which the 
Passover lamb was eaten-only the first-born of the Chosen People were passed over. 
A little later, God exchanged the first-born of every family for an entire tribe—the 
tribe of Levi. Hence that one tribe thereafter represented those saved by the passing 
over of the destroying angel-saved by the blood of the lamb and the eating of its 
flesh with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. Two types blend in this: (1) The 
spiritual Israelites to whom we have already referred constitute the primary type: Of 
these the glorified Messiah is the great High Priest-the antitype of Aaron who 
sacrificed, and of Melchizedek, who sat a priest upon his throne. Aaron's sons 
typified the saintly few who, through evil report and good report, have followed their 
Master in sacrifice faithfully unto death. As we have seen, the first of these were 
called out from God's Chosen People. When not a sufficient number of these were 
ready, the remainder were accepted from among the Gentiles, because these were 
actuated by the faith and obedience of Abraham. (2) Additionally, there is a class of 
faithful but less zealous followers of Jesus who have done noble work of service, but 
have failed to some extent of the proper sacrificing spirit. These, who correspond to 
the Levites, are similarly called from both Jews and Gentiles. Unitedly these two 
classes, typed in the Priests and Levites, constitute "the church of the first-borns 
whose names are written in heaven." They are "a kind of first-fruits unto God of his 
creatures." (James 1:18.) These, together, selected primarily from God's Chosen 
People and secondly from the Gentiles, were typified in the first-bom of Israel who 
were passed over in that night, when the first-born of Egypt were slain. Thus we see 
that this Gospel Age, from the time of the first Advent 

OV98 

of Jesus to the time of the setting up of the Messianic Kingdom, is the nighttime 
when darkness covers the earth (the civilized earth) and gross darkness the heathen. 
The blood of Jesus, the Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7), is sprinkled upon the door-post 
by the household of faith and they are under its protection and may share in the 
unleavened bread of Truth, and in the strength and blessing freely provided by the 
Sacrifice and accepted and incorporated by the believer. 

After-Borns as Well as First-Borns. 

A great mistake has been made by many of us in the past in supposing that only the 
first-born passed over by God's Providence-passed from death unto life -during this 
Gospel night, are to be saved. A glance at the picture or type given to us through 
God's Chosen People in their Passover shows us clearly to the contrary. Instead of 
the first-born of Israel being the only saved ones, the narrative shows that following 
the dark night came a morning of blessing and joy and going forth from bondage- 
not merely for the first-born, but for all Israel. As in the type the first-born became 
the Priests and Levites, the religious leaders of the people out of darkness and 



slavery into emancipation and light, so the Church of Messiah, elected during this 
Gospel Age from Jews and Gentiles, will lead forth Israel-all the tribes of God's 
Chosen People, from the power of Sin and Death, in due time-in the morning of the 
New Dispensation, the Messianic Kingdom. Moses, who led forth God's Chosen 
People in type represented this great Messiah on the spirit plane, who will shortly 
lead forth his people Israel and grant to them all the blessings and privileges and 
favors included in the Abrahamic promise-and more, doubtless, than we have yet 
appreciated. The fact that only God's Chosen People were delivered from Egyptian 
bondage -that only they crossed the Red Sea dry shod-that only they had the 
special Divine providences of the Wilderness, should not be understood to signify 
that the Messiah will bless the natural seed of Abraham only. The blessing will come 
first to God's Chosen People, who for the fathers' sakes are beloved still and who are 
to be brought into Covenant relationship with God. Other nations are not included in 
the type because in order to come into fellowship and relationship with God through 
the great Mediator, the Messiah, they will needs become citizens of Zion, members 
of God's Chosen People. This may astonish some noble Christian people, some 
well-versed Bible students, because many of these have evidently overlooked certain 
features of the Divine Promise respecting the New Covenant. That Covenant, we are 
distinctly told, is to be made between God and His Chosen People, and not with any 
other nation. And thus it will be that according to God's Covenant and oath to 
Abraham, "All the families of earth shall be blessed" through Israel. The making of 
the New Law Covenant with Israel will bless the other nations because the 
opportunity will be granted to every nation and people to come under the terms of 
that New (Law) Covenant mediated by the Greater than Moses. To come under that 
Covenant will mean a full subordination to the Divine Law as expressed in the Law 
of Moses and the high interpretation of the same— Love the fulfilling of the Law. 
The Great Messiah, who will thus bless God's Chosen People first, will be pleased to 
serve all nations and peoples as they shall prove willing to accept his favors and to 
conform to the Divine Laws. Thus all nations will gradually become of the seed of 
Abraham during Messiah's reign. And thus in the end of Messiah's reign, the promise 
of God to Abraham will have fulfillment. "Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven 
and as the sand of the sea for multitude." Here the two seeds are clearly set forth-(l) 
The Spiritual or Messianic Seed, the Antitypical Priests and Levites on the spirit 
plane, symbolized by the stars. (2) Israel absorbing the obedience of all the nations 
of earth through Messiah's mediation of the New Covenant will swell the seed of 
Abraham until, at the close of Messiah's Kingdom, all mankind will be in and of 
God's Chosen People; because all who will refuse to hear, to obey that Prophet, 
Priest and King, Greater than Moses, will be cut off from life in the Second Death- 
everlasting destruction. 



OV99 




VIII. Their Sabbath and Jubilee 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

THE KEEPING of the seventh day in conjunction with the right of circumcision 
specially marked the Jew, and, in their own estimation, separated them from all other 
peoples; for to none other did God give either of these institutions. The assumption 
of Christians that the Sabbath Day was given to them or an obligation to keep it 
imposed upon them, is a mistake. Nothing in the Word of God warrants it. It is, 
however, evidently fitting that Christians should observe a weekly day of rest, and 
very properly custom so has it. And the first day of the week is observed 
appropriately instead of the seventh, the Jewish Sabbath. The first day of the week is 
The Lord's Day in the special sense that— 

(1) It marks the new order of things as beginning. 

(2) As a memorial of the resurrection of the Redeemer it symbolizes all the 
Christian hopes founded upon the death and resurrection of the Savior. The 
Sabbath Day was commanded to the Jew, while no command respecting a day 
of rest has been given to the Christian. With the latter, the matter was left open 
and optional, so as to prove a test to their devotion and appreciation of their 
privileges. The observance of the Sabbath Day on the part of the Jews was not 
optional, but mandatory, because, like all other features of their Law, it was a 
type foreshadowing a great antitype. God designed that the type should persist, 
at least until the antitype arrived. 

Jewish System of Sabbaths. 

It has not been very generally observed either by Christians or Jews, that Israel's 
seventh day Sabbath was only one feature of a system of Sabbaths. Seven such 
Sabbaths, representing forty-nine days, brought them to the fiftieth day or Pentecost, 
an occasion of special sacredness and blessing. Nor was this all. They had a similar 
Sabbath system in years. Every seventh year was commanded as a Sabbath year. 
Following seven of these Sabbath years came the fiftieth year, otherwise known as 
the Jubilee Year. The basic thought connected with all of these Sabbaths was rest- 
abstention from labor, the implication being that God would provide an eternal rest. 
And the thought connected with the Jubilee or Pentecost day and the fiftieth or 
Jubilee year was that the perfection of rest would be attained therein~not by 
anything that the Sabbath-keeper himself would accomplish, but by Divine 
arrangement for his blessing. God's Chosen People have striven faithfully to observe 
their Sabbath Day and to ignore the financial losses resulting. But it has been a hard 
task for them, especially in view of the fact that the Christian Sabbath is generally 



observed, and that their faithfulness generally signifies the loss of two-sevenths of 
their time from money-making. Instead of twitting them about their Sabbath, 
Christians should admire that loyalty to God's command which prompts the orthodox 
Jew to keep his Sabbath obligations at financial loss. It requires principle to do this, 
and principle implies character. And loyalty to God should be appreciated and 
commended wherever it is found. What a stretch of faith in God's providence was 
implied in the attempt of God's Chosen People for a time to keep not only the 
Sabbath Days, but also the Sabbath 

OVIOO 

Years~to allow the land to rest absolutely every seventh year; also on the fiftieth 
year. To have it lie idle two years in succession must have been a trial of patience, as 
well as of faith. Faithfulness to that command would surely have brought to God's 
Chosen People a decrease of selfishness and an increase of faith. The lesson 
persisted in would undoubtedly have had a moulding and transforming influence 
upon the entire nation. But they did not continue it. In a half-hearted manner they 
pretended obedience to this Law for 969 years-nineteen Jubilees and nineteen years 
beyond the last one. Then God declared that their observance of the year Sabbaths 
and Jubilee was unsatisfactory to him, and He gave them all their Jubilee years at 
once. Since then they have made no pretense of observing the Jubilee Years and 
their cycles of 7 x 7 years. The seventy years desolation of the land of Israel, 
accomplished by Nebuchadnezzar, fulfilled the entire number of typical Jubilee 
Years divinely foreordained. As we read, "Therefore He (God) brought upon them 
the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of 
their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him 
that stooped for age; He gave them all into his hand. And all the vessels of the house 
of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures 
of the king and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. And they burnt the 
house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces 
thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. And them that had 
escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; ...to fulfill the word of the Lord 
by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths; for as long as she 
lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill three score and ten years."-- 2 Chron. 36:17- 
21. While Israel's Jubilee Year was a wise arrangement which cancelled all debts 
and restored all the people to their original inheritance in the land, it would be a 
mistake to suppose such a restitution, such a release, to be the whole sum of God's 
provision for the blessing of his people. Wise, generous, beneficial as it was, it was 
merely a type or foreshadowing of a greater blessing. Its release from debt 
foreshadowed the release of humanity from the great debt of sin and its penalty of 
death, respecting which we read that Adam and all of his race were "sold under Sin." 
(Rom. 7:14)~sold into slavery to Sin and death. The antitypical cancellation of death 
and release of debtors and slaves signifies the deliverance of all who will be God's 
people from all the imperfections inherited from Father Adam- back to full 
fellowship with God, full liberty of the sons of God and the full enjoyment of life 
eternal. If the type was glorious and blessed, the antitype will be a thousand times 
more so, and will bring eternal release from all the weaknesses, imperfections, 
slaveries to sin and appetite which now hold mankind in bondage. Each time, 
therefore, that God's Chosen People observed a Jubilee Year they pictured forth on a 
small scale the blessings to come to them, and through them to all people under the 
beneficent reign of righteousness of the great Messiah. 

The Jubilee Type and Antitype. 

We know where the counting of the Sabbath cycles began, namely, when God's 
Chosen People entered the land of Canaan. The record is that their first year was a 
Sabbath Year, during which they neither sowed nor reaped, but "ate the old corn of 
the land." In the above quotation the Lord distinctly tells us that the entire number of 



Jubilee Years they would have had is seventy. So we can easily count when and 
where the anti typical Jubilee would be due to begin. Each cycle was forty-nine 
years, and its Jubilee, the fiftieth year. Seventy times this number would be 3,500 
years. And this period measured from the time Israel entered Canaan marks the year 
1925 as the time when the antitypical Jubilee will be due to begin. However, there is 
still another method of reckoning the matter, which, we believe, is the proper one, 
namely, to count nineteen cycles with their Jubilees partially observed totaling 950 
years, and then to count the remaining fifty-one cycles as forty-nine years each, 
because the Jubilees were omitted. This would total 2499 

OVIOI 

years plus 950 years with Jubilees totaling 3449 years. This period of 3449 years 
reckoned from the entering of Canaan ends October, 1874. Thus: Period from 
entering Canaan to the division of the land, six years. Period of Judges to King Saul, 
450 years. Period of the kings, 513 years. Period of desolation while the land kept 
Sabbath, 70 years. Period from the restoration at the end of the 70 years, by Cyrus, to 
our date known as Anno Domini, 536 years. Total years of A.D., to complete the 
above period of 3449 years, 1874 full years, which would end, Jewish time, October, 
1874. It was about that time, 1875, that favor began to return to God's Chosen 
People—of course then, as yet, only in a limited manner and so differently from what 
many of them had expected it that few of God's Chosen People yet recognize that 
Divine favor toward them is returning. It is our understanding that the period of time 
from 1875 to 1915, forty years, will witness the full return of Divine favor to that 
people. Foregoing we have outlined the Jubilee reckoning from the standpoint of 
prophecy, telling how the matter really will work out: a portion of the time with the 
Jubilees added and a portion of the time without them. Now let us take another view- 
-from the standpoint of the Law. The Law requires that where the typical system 
ended, the antitypical counting should begin. As the typical Jubilee was reached by 
multiplying 7 x 7, so we should count 50 x 50 to secure the date of the antitypical 
Jubilee, the dawn of the glorious epoch. As only nineteen Jubilees were observed 
even partially, it follows that the cycle for the great Jubilee should begin counting 
there. 50 x 50 years is 2500 years. This number measured from the last typical 
Jubilee should bring us to the antitype. The last of the nineteen Jubilees observed 
was the year 950 from the date of Israel's entering Canaan. The antitypical Jubilee 
cycle, 2500 years, added to 950 years gives us a total of 3450 years and indicates the 
year 1875 as its culmination -the place where the antitypical Jubilee should begin- 
exact harmony, it will be observed, with the preceding testimony on the subject from 
the standpoint of prophecy. In other words, the Law and the Prophets agree that 1875 
A.D. marks an important epoch in the history of God's Chosen People—a time when 
some great restoration blessing towards them was due to begin. 

The Great Antitypical Jubilee. 

Some one will say, perhaps. What evidences have we that Israel's Antitypical 
Jubilee has begun to be fulfilled? We answer that the signs are all about us and 
rapidly multiplying. The Jubilee is not Israel's only, but the Jubilee of the whole 
world of mankind— God's Chosen People will merely be the first fruits of the nations 
to be blessed in that Jubilee period of a thousand years, the spiritual reign of 
Messiah. Whatever signs we see of general restitution amongst mankind are signs of 
the Jubilee. We are not to expect anything to happen suddenly. Rather by gradual 
processes will come to mankind the "times of restitution of all things spoken by the 
mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began." Such restitution blessings are 
to be noted in the wonderful inventions which are bringing easement of the burdens 
of mankind— a measure of deliverance from the grind of necessity. These blessings 
will continue to bring to God's Chosen People and to the world in conjunction with 
them blessings of earthly perfection such as the prophets describe, but such as few of 
humanity dared to believe. Looking back at the type we remember that the Jubilee 



year was announced by the priests blowing the Silver Trumpets, proclaiming liberty 
throughout all the land. We remember that, following the example of the priests, all 
the people blew on ram's horns and with every other conceivable kind of clarionet. 
The antitype of this blowing upon the trumpets we have. Ever since 1875 there has 
been special promulgation of this very message of the Jubilee-blowing on the silver 
trumpets of Truth, proclaiming the Truth, making known the fact that the time of 
God's blessing for Israel and for the world is at hand-that the great Antitypical 
Jubilee period of a thousand years has begun. The spirit of liberty is blowing 
everywhere and being proclaimed by every kind of couth and uncouth argument and 
trumpet, newspaper and magazine, world-wide. 

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The people, the masses, are about to come into possession of their own. Human 
rights long ignored are rapidly coming back to the masses. There is no more 
remarkable manifestation of this than in the recent revolutions in Russia and in 
Turkey, and the gradual socialization of Great Britain and Germany. Well would it 
be for the world if thus gradually the great antitypical Jubilee would usher in a reign 
of righteousness and become generally recognized. But other Scriptures show us that 
this will not be the case- that beyond a certain point the favored classes will refuse 
to yield, and beyond a certain point the masses will be unreasonable and hasty in 
their demands, and that the result will be "a time of trouble such as never was since 
there was a nation. "-Dan. 12:1. But even that period of trouble will prove to be 
merely a part of the tribulation incidental to the full inauguration of the Jubilee. At 
that time, the Prophet declares, Messiah will stand forth in power and great glory for 
the deliverance of Israel first, and subsequently of all the families of the earth from 
every vestige of bondage, including eventually the bondage of death. 



THE WRATH OF GOD 

THE wrath of God is love 's severity 
In curing sin— the zeal of righteousness 

In overcoming wrong— the remedy 
Of justice for the world's redress. 

The wrath of God is punishment for sin, 
In measure unto all transgression due, 

Discriminating well and just between 
Presumptuous sins and sins of lighter hue. 

The wrath of God inflicts no needless pain. 
Merely vindictive, or Himself to please; 

But aims the ends of mercy to attain. 
Uproot the evil, and the good increase. 

The wrath of God is a consuming fire. 
That burns while there is evil to destroy 

Or good to purify; nor can expire 
Till all things are relieved from sin's alloy. 

The wrath of God is love's parental rod. 

The disobedient to chastise, subdue. 
And bend submissive to the will of God, 

That love may reign when all things are made new. 

The wrath of God shall never strike in vain. 
Nor cease to strike till sin shall be no more; 

Till God His gracious purpose shall attain. 
And earth to righteousness and peace restore. 




OV103 



IX--The Great Day of Atonement 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

THE JEWISH civil year precedes our calendar about three months. Regulated by 
lunar time it usually falls near October 1st. And yet they style their first civil 
month, their seventh month—their first month beginning their religious year at the 
Spring Equinox. In the Divine arrangement meted out for Israel, religion always 
stood first. These two beginnings of their year were prominently marked by their 
two chief religious ceremonies. We have already considered the Passover Memorial 
celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month: let us now consider the 
Atonement Day and its sacrifices celebrated on the tenth day of the seventh month. 
Its annual repetition celebrated the inauguration of Israel's Law Covenant by 
Moses, its Mediator—between God and the people of Israel. But it was more than a 
commemoration— more than a mere reminder. The provisions of the Law 
Covenant were that any person of the seed of Abraham who would keep that Law 
perfectly would have the Divine favor and blessing to the utmost— including life 
eternal. But the Almighty, well knowing that it would be impossible for any 
imperfect being to fulfill the requirements of the Divine Law made provision that 
the nation might remain in Divine favor from year to year by repetitions yearly of 
the Atonement Day sacrifices. In the original institution of the Law Covenant, with 
its sacrifices, the whole nation of Israel in accepting that Covenant came under 
Divine favor as God's people for a year-and no more. The Covenant would 
continue, but the justification of the people would not continue. The sacrifices by 
which the Law Covenant was instituted were the same that were repeated annually 
thereafter. At the close of the year the Covenant did not cease, but the people were 
all under special condemnation and Divine disapprobation as sinners until a new 
Atonement Day made satisfaction for the people's sins and extended the Divine 
favor toward them for the new year— until the next Atonement Day. Thus the 
people of Israel had a trial, a year at a time, continued with them for centuries. But 
during the entire period of their favor with God, not a single Jew was found able to 
keep fully the Divine Law— not one was counted worthy of eternal life. Nor could 
Abraham or anybody else have attained more under the Law Covenant, because 
imperfect— for the Law is the measure of a perfect man's ability. This manner of 
continuing sin-forgiveness with annual repentance and repetition of the sacrifices, 
and the procurement thus of fresh trials for each new year, lasted for sixteen 
centuries and more, until the miraculous birth of Jesus. His transfer from the 
heavenly glory produced the one man who could and who did keep the Law 
perfectly— "The man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom price 



OV104 

for all, to be evidenced in due time"-- when in the end of this age he shall apply the 
merit of his sacrifice on behalf of Adam and his entire race, and shall seal the New 
Covenant with Israel (Jer. 31:31-34.) for the blessing of every nation. 

No Jot or Tittle of the Law Shall Fail. 

It is the boast of Israel and of Christians that not one jot or tittle of the Divine 
Law given through Moses could fail. That is to say, each little particle of the Law 
must have its fulfillment. Moses himself was a type of the great Mediator or 
Atoner for sins, as he declares, saying, "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up 
unto you from amongst your brethren, like unto me: him shall ye hear in all things, 
whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which 
will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people." (Acts 
3:22,23; Deut. 18: 15.) As there is to be a greater Mediator for the New Law 
Covenant yet future, so there is to be a greater Day of Atonement than the one 
which Moses inaugurated. And that Day of Atonement will have "better sacrifices" 
than the one which Moses instituted as a type. But now notice that no type could 
pass away, fail, without reaching its antitype. Next notice that Israel's Atonement 
Day has passed away! This means one of two things: 

(1) That the Law has failed; or, 

(2) That the antitypical Atonement Day has come without Israel knowing about it. 

Ah, says our Jewish neighbor, Israel's Atonement Day has not passed away— we 
observe it every year, just as our fathers did. For more than three thousand years 
we have kept it up! not one jot or tittle of our Law can pass without fulfillment. 
But our Jewish friends are mistaken. However honest they may intend to be in 
making their claims, we can disprove them from their own Law. And the sooner 
they realize the true state of the case the sooner will they be ready to rectify the 
mistake —for surely there are honest and sincere Hebrews and many of them. 

No Priest-No Sacrifice-No Atonement Day. 

No Jew will dispute that the Scriptures declare that there is no remission of sin 
except by a blood atonement. (Lev. 17:1 1.) No rabbi amongst God's Chosen People 
will deny that the Day of Atonement sacrifices could be offered only by a priest. 
And not one of them surely will deny that in the eight millions of their race to-day 
there is not one who could authenticate himself as a priest~as a son of Aaron. 
There is not one of the race, therefore, who would attempt a reproduction of the 
Tabernacle or Temple, with its Court, its Holy and its Most Holy, and its 
Atonement Day sin-offerings. Even if they had the land of Palestine completely in 
his possession. And if a Tabernacle or Temple were restored on the sacred Mount 
Moriah, not one of Israel's eight millions would venture to offer the Atonement 
Day sacrifices—knowing, according to the Law, that it would mean death for him to 
pass into the presence of the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy-Seat where the 
blood of atonement must be sprinkled "To make atonement for the sins of all the 
people." What means it, then, some one may ask, that the Jews all over the world 
observe most sacredly the tenth day of the seventh month of their year as the Day 
of Atonement! What means it that those who would even do business on the 
Seventh Day, in violation of the Law, will religiously abandon all business and all 
pleasure on his Day of Atonement? What means all this, if God's Chosen People 
no longer have a Day of Atonement! Ah, well, if Christian people could really 
appreciate the situation their hearts and eyes would overflow with sympathy 
towards God's Chosen People! They know that there is such a thing as sin. The 
Jewish masses still have some confidence in Abraham, in Moses, the Law and the 
Prophets. Whatever may be the motives of sin in their flesh, whatever may be their 
selfish propensities in common with other men, and perhaps cultivated to a greater 



intensity, nevertheless they know the meaning of reverence and veneration. The 
intelligent Jews realize the situation. Yet if they mention it at all, it is with bated 
breath, with fear, with the realization that this really explains why they have had no 
favor from the Almighty as a people for eighteen centuries. They try to forget the 
marks of divine disfavor 

OV105 

-the fulfillment of the prophetic declaration that they would be without priest and 
without ephod many days-many years.-- Hosea 3:4. If at any time Christians 
should have the opportunity of speaking to God's Chosen People respecting this 
great matter and the fact that his annual celebration of the Atonement Day for more 
than eighteen centuries has been a farce~the matter should be mentioned in full 
sympathy and solely with the desire to call attention to the fact that where the type 
ceased the antitype had begun. In other words (as their Talmud instructs them, as 
well as the Bible), everything that Israel possessed in the way of a Priesthood and 
Sacrifices and a Holy and Most Holy have higher and spiritual antitypical parallels 
or duplications. Not one jot or tittle of the Law failed. The priesthood did not 
cease~it merely passed from the typical Aaron to his great antitype, Messiah, of 
whom God said through the Prophet David, I have sworn with an oath, I will not 
repent. Thou (Messiah) art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedek (not after 
the order of Aaron. )~Psa. 1 10:4; Gen. 14: 18. Until recently Christians have not 
been able (and only a few now) to give to God's Chosen People any help along 
these lines. Rather they have hindered them. So-called Christian nations, devoid of 
the Spirit of Christ, have black-listed and tabooed and defrauded and persecuted the 
Jew in nearly every nation of Europe. They have called them Christ-killers and told 
them that God would everlastingly torment them, unless they ceased to be Jews and 
joined some Christian sect or party. Is it any wonder that the Jew classes the 
Christian as his enemy? Is it any wonder that he is suspicious, and prefers to 
believe that the unfulfilled promises and Oath of God must yet be fulfilled to his 
nation? It is no wonder. The true explanation of matters, however, is this: As not 
every one who is circumcised in the flesh and calls himself a Jew is really 
recognized of God as such, so likewise not every Christian who names the name of 
Jesus is accepted of the Father. On the contrary, the Scriptures assure us that the 
true Church of Christ is not any of the sects of Christendom; they tell us that the 
Church of the First Borns have their names written in heaven. Hence the Church 
rolls furnish no criterion whatever as respects saintship or relationship to God. The 
majority of Christendom is properly styled by some, "The Christian world." To 
them the word Christian is a misnomer. The Cause of Christ would be far better off 
without their adherence or support. They have helped to deceive both the Jews and 
the heathen as respects the true Christianity set forth by Jesus and his Apostles. 
They are of the world, and have neither part nor lot with Christ. We are glad, 
however, that neither they, nor the Jews whom they denounce are destined to 
eternal torment, but, on the contrary, that for them God's great provision is a full 
opportunity for eternal life as perfected human beings in a world-wide Eden. All of 
these blessed opportunities will be secured to mankind through the antitypical Day 
of Atonement and its higher priest and better sacrifices for sin. 

Typical and Antitypical Sin Atonement. 

The worldly-wise of to-day. Christians and Jews, are aligning themselves with the 
Higher Critics and Evolutionists, telling us that if there was an Adam and Eve, at 
least there has been no fall and that we should put our trust in Evolution. We 
should believe neither in the Atonement Day for sin nor in a coming Messiah and 
his glorious Empire of Righteousness, nor think it necessary to have such aid. 
Indeed, they doubt if there is a God, or, perchance, acknowledging one, they deny 
his love for mankind or his interest in human welfare—except as blind laws of 
Evolution shall, through Trust, Syndicate and Labor Unions, decree the survival of 



the fittest~the more able in crushing out the happiness and life of the less fit, 
instead of helping them. But the word of God stands sure. There is a great 
malevolent influence at work amongst mankind. Sin and Death are reigning. 
Constitutional hereditary influences are increasing instead of diminishing. Statistics 
show us that despite all the acknowledged increased skill of humanity along the 
lines of medicine and surgery, nevertheless the death rate amongst infants is not 
diminishing. The 

OV106 

records of insane asylums show that insanity is rapidly increasing. Prison records 
and newspaper records show that crime and immorality are increasing. Every fact 
agrees with the declaration of Scripture that our race is under the dominion, under 
the rule of Sin and Death, and not under the reign of righteousness and Life- 
everlasting, its reward. We therefore should be deeply interested. Christians and 
Jews, in Sin-Atonement. If anything can be devised or done to release our race 
from present conditions of sorrow, pain and death- to joy and harmony with God 
and everlasting life, surely every member of the race is deeply, intensely interested 
therein. The Bible, that wonderful Book so sadly misunderstood and 
misrepresented, both by friends and foes, gives the only key of hope. It tells us of a 
great Day of Atonement in which, by Divine provision, better sacrifices for sins 
will make complete atonement for the original sin of Adam and grant complete 
relief from its death sentence- "Dying thou shalt die." Israel's great Atonement 
Day and its sacrifices and the Covenant with which they were connected and the 
Priests and Levites who served, and the people who thereby were blessed, were all 
typical of this great arrangement which "God has purposed in himself from before 
the foundation of the world"-that all the families of the earth shall be blessed 
through the seed of Abraham -the Spiritual Seed, as the stars of heaven, the 
glorified Messiah and his Bride-and also through the earthly seed, natural Israel, 
who ultimately joined by all the nations, will become as the sand of the seashore for 
multitude. Let us look first at 

The Type and the Antitype. 

In the type first came the consecration of the priests-the bullock, representing the 
High Priest, was slain and subsequently the Lord's goat, representing the under- 
priests, was also slain. Thus was indicated the great fact that the sacrifice of Christ 
and of his followers— their renunciation of the earthly nature— was necessary in 
order to their attainment of the kingly priesthood typified in Melchisedek, who was 
a "priest upon his throne." -Lev. 9:23; Psa. 1 10:4. Next in turn the Atonement 
Day sacrifices show the same bullock and the same goat; typical of The Christ, 
Head and Body, whose sacrificial death not only served for the consecration of the 
real priesthood, but also will be acceptable by Jehovah as the price of the world's 
At-one-ment with God. These "better sacrifices, " fully rewarded and more in the 
exaltation of the sacrificers to glory, honor and immortality in the Kingdom, are 
applicable for the sins of the whole world-"all the people." Thus did Israel's 
bullock of the Day of Atonement and bullock of the priest's consecration represent 
the consecration and death of Jesus the great Sin-bearer, who died, the Just for the 
unjust, to bring us back into harmony with God. His high exaltation by resurrection 
to the highest plane of spirit being has been a reward not only to his own sacrifice, 
but has qualified him to be the great King of kings and Lord of lords. Through him 
Jehovah God will fulfill all the gracious promises made to Abraham and reiterated 
to Isaac, Jacob and through the prophets -"In thy Seed all the families of the earth 
shall be blessed." As the Lord's goat was taken from the people, so the Little 
Flock, the Royal Priesthood, the followers of Jesus gathered from every nation, Jew 
and Gentile, will constitute Messiah's associates on the spirit plane. As the Lord's 
goat in the type underwent all the experiences of the bullock, so of the footstep 
followers of Jesus it is declared that they must walk in his footsteps, must suffer 



with Christ, must be dead with him, must go with him "outside the camp," must 
with him bear the reproaches of those whose eyes of understanding are still blinded 
by the great Adversary and who therefore know them not, even as they knew him 
not. The sacrifice of the antitypical bullock was accomplished more than eighteen 
centuries ago. The sacrifice of the antitypical goat class has been in process from 
the Day of Pentecost until now. According to our understanding of the Scriptures, 
therefore, this Gospel Age has been the antitypical Day of Atonement in which "the 
better sacrifices" have been offered. —Romans 12:1; Heb. 9:23. The privilege and 
opportunity of joining 

OV107 

in this sacrificial work is limited to a certain number who must have certain 
characteristics-character-likeness to the Great High Priest. We understand that this 
elect Church and saintly few is almost complete, and that the nominal Church 
systems have neither part nor lot in the matter, being unrecognized of the Lord, 
unauthorized. In all of them there have been saints and proportionately as these 
saintly ones were therein, the light of the world was in them, and proportionately as 
these were fewer there was grosser darkness. All the time, however, God 
recognized the few, and not others, as his Church, saying, "Fear not. Little Flock; 
for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom." (Luke 12:32.) 
"Gather my saints together unto me, those who have made a Covenant with me by 
sacrifice." "They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make 
up my jewels. "~Psa. 50:5; Mai. 3:17. As we have already seen, two different 
classes have been elected, the one during the Jewish Age of Favor, the other during 
this Gospel Age. And these are to co-labor during the reign of Messiah for 1,000 
years for the blessing of Israel and all the families of the earth. The non-elect, 
instead of being doomed to an eternity of torture, are to have glorious privileges 
and opportunities for attaining eternal life and eternal harmony with God under the 
reign of the elect—the Kingdom of Heaven primarily spiritual, secondarily the 
earthly, its agency or channel. 

The Atonement is Two-Fold. 

The word At-one-ment refers to two parties out of harmony becoming reconciled. 
Original sin brought humanity under the condemnation of the Divine sentence of 
death. The real Atonement Day sacrifices will fully accomplish the satisfaction of 
Divine Justice, but still more will remain to be done. And it is for this great work 
that Messiah's Kingdom has been promised and will be inaugurated. Man will still 
needs to be reconciled to God. Not that man has any real grievance against his 
Creator, but because his fall brought him into a condition of "enmity against God" 
and righteousness. Instead of love, peace, joy and goodness which were originally 
part of his character when created in the image and likeness of his Maker, man now 
finds himself full of an opposite spirit— selfishness, envy, hatred, strife— works of 
the flesh and of the devil. Man now needs to be reconciled to God-to be brought 
back again to the place where he cannot only properly appreciate Divine Justice, 
Wisdom, Love and Power, but to the place where he can live in full harmony with 
that high appreciation-live acceptably to God and therefore to be permitted to live 
forever and to enjoy his Creator's blessings as fully as do the holy angels. The 
great work of the Day of Atonement, therefore, may in this sense of the word be 
considered as including the thousand years of Messiah's reign, during which he will 
make atonement with the Lord for all the willing and obedient of Adam's race, 
assisting, encouraging, uplifting, correcting, reproving, blessing every nation, 
people and kindred. Ultimately we are assured that all who decline this free gift of 
God's love will be completely and everlastingly destroyed, annihilated in the 
Second Death, from which there will be no recovery. In the type the blessing of 
the world was represented as accomplished by the high priest on the Day of 
Atonement after he had made satisfaction to Justice. Then coming out of the Most 



Holy he laid aside the sacrificial garments and put on the robes of glory and beauty, 
which foreshadowed his great work as the Mediator of the New Covenant between 
God and the World. Proceeding to the altar of sacrifice, the high priest lifted up his 
hands and blessed the people, who lay prostrated before him in sackcloth and ashes. 
No wonder that the people rose up and gave a shout of thanksgiving for the 
cancellation of their sins for a year, in the type. In the antitype they will rise up 
from the dust of ignorance and superstition and sin, and arise from the tomb, to 
praise God and by his grace to attain unto the glorious perfection he has designed 
for mankind in an earthly paradise, world-wide. Ah! there is a wonderful force and 
beauty in God's Plan, and nothing illustrates it better than the Day of Atonement 
and its sacrifices and ultimate blessings as God gave these in a typical way to his 
Chosen People. 



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X. Zionism is God's Call 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

THOU SHALT arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favor her, yea, the 
set time, has come; for thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favor the dust 
thereof Then shall the Gentiles fear the name of Jehovah and the kings of the earth 
thy glory. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory."-- Psalm 
102: 13-18. The above Psalm is recognized as prophetic, both by Christians and 
Jews, each applying the matter to himself We agree that there is a spiritual as well 
as a natural Israel. But we hold that Christian people have erred in applying all the 
Scriptures to themselves and in not discerning that a large proportion of the 
promised coming blessings belong to natural Israel. Failure to recognize this has 
worked injury and confusion to the minds of many Christian Bible students. 
Appropriating to themselves promises that belong to natural Israel, Christians have 
been led to turn and twist and spiritualize the Word of the Lord, until they have 
destroyed much of their own faith in it, as, for instance, the Scriptures declare that 
in Messiah's Day the wilderness shall blossom as the rose and the solitary place be 
glad and that the people shall build houses and inhabit them and plant vineyards 
and eat the fruit of them, and long enjoy the work of their hands; and that "they 
shall sit, every man under his vine and under his fig tree and none shall make them 
afraid. "--Micah 4:4. An attempt to spiritualize these promises and make them 
appear to apply to spiritual Israel has been robbing natural Israel of his portion of 
God's favor, and has caused darkness and perplexity amongst Christian Israelites in 
their endeavor to harmonize these Scriptures with others which assure us that 
"Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 15:50), and that ours 



is the heavenly calhng and that the saints must be changed in a moment from 
human conditions to spiritual conditions, in order to enter into their reward. St. 
Paul urges upon followers of Jesus that they "Rightly divide the Word of Truth." (2 
Tim. 2:15.) This admonition we have neglected, to our loss. From Genesis to 
Malachi, the Jew found not a suggestion of a change of nature from earthly to 
heavenly, from fleshly to spiritual. To whatever extent he has learned to spiritualize 
the teachings of the Law and the Prophets he has been swerved by outside 
influences. For instance, God's promise to Abraham was, "Lift up now thine eyes 
and look to the East and to the West and to the North and to the South. All the land 
that thou seest will I give to thee and to thy seed after thee." Abraham must get that 
land first, and from him it must pass to his posterity. He never possessed 

OV109 

one foot of it, according to the Genesis account, which is confirmed by St. Stephen, 
who declared (Acts 7:5) that Abraham received not so much of the land as to set his 
foot upon. This promise contains nothing whatever respecting a spiritual land or a 
change of nature, either to Abraham or to his posterity. This promise and others 
like it belong to Abraham's natural seed, and properly they should wait and hope 
for its fulfillment. It will be fulfilled when, shortly. Father Abraham and the other 
saintly ones of the Jewish family shall, with him, be resurrected from the dead to 
the glory of human perfection. Thus is it written, "Instead of thy fathers shall be 
thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. "~Psa. 45: 16. These 
princes amongst mankind will be the visible rulers and teachers of the world. To 
them first will be drawn the Jews. Then, as the remainder of the world will 
perceive the blessings resulting to Israel they will realize that this new order of 
things is advantageous for all, and will submit themselves to this Semitic 
government. The Jews are gradually coming to see that no human being could 
possibly fulfill all the glorious predictions made respecting their Messiah. They are 
quite prepared, therefore, to note the force of Daniel's prophecy (12:1) that Messiah 
will be one like God. It will not be difficult, therefore, for the Jew to comprehend 
that this God-like Messiah, who will combine in himself the qualities of Moses, the 
great teacher and law-giver, of David and Solomon the great kings, and of 
Melchisedek, the great priest-all on a bigger scale~antitypical~must be a spirit 
being and not a human being. And if a spirit being like unto the angels, his Throne 
and glory will not be earthly nor visible to men except by the eyes of their 
understanding. Abraham, Moses, David, the Prophets, etc., will be the earthly 
representatives of this great invisible spiritual Prince- Michael- who as God shall 
rule the world in righteousness and lift up the poor and the needy and humble the 
proud and dispel ignorance and superstition and cause the light of the knowledge of 
Jehovah to fill the whole earth as the waters cover the sea. 

Dominion of Sin to Be Overthrown. 

Satan is Scripturally designated the Prince of this age who now worketh in the 
hearts of the children of disobedience. (Eph. 2:2.) The promise of the Scriptures is 
that his usurpation of earth's dominion will cease. It has been carried on through 
ignorance, superstition and deception. Because of it we read, "Darkness covers the 
earth and gross darkness the people." The distinct promise is that when Messiah's 
reign shall begin, Satan shall be bound and the reign of sin and death shall be at an 
end. Instead, Messiah and his saintly Bride on the spirit plane shall reign, 
promoting righteousness and everlasting life. Abraham and the other ancient 
worthies will be the honored earthly representatives of this glorious spiritual 
Empire. The object and work of Messiah's reign will be not only to estop the reign 
of sin and death, but, more than this, to lift up poor, fallen humanity out of 
ignorance and superstition, out of sin and death, out of weaknesses and frailties. 
Messiah's Kingdom, therefore, is properly termed the times or years of restitution 
(Acts 3:19-21) and it is properly symbolized by Israel's Fiftieth Year of Jubilee. 



The Hindrance Will Be Removed. 

The question properly arises~If God intended so glorious a future for His Chosen 
People, why was it necessary that there should be so long a delay? Why did he not 
at once exalt them in the days of Moses or in the days of David or Solomon? Why 
did he not at once bring in these great blessings which the Scriptures foretell? The 
answer is a simple one which meets all requirements: 

(1) Nearly two thousand years was consumed in finding the saintly few of Israel 
who with Father Abraham would be worthy to be Messiah's Princes in all the earth 
during his reign of a thousand years. 

(2) Additionally, God purposed that Messiah should have companions on the spirit 
plane with himself and sharers of his nature, glory, honor and power—his Bride, 
even as Abraham sought a bride for the typical Isaac to be associated with 

OVllO 

him in conferring the blessing. For nearly two thousand years this "little flock" of 
saintly people from every nation, people, kindred and tongue, Jews, French, 
Swedes, British, Germans, etc., a saintly few, will by a share in the First 
Resurrection be changed from earthly nature to heavenly. Thus we see that God's 
great Plan for the world's salvation by Messiah's Kingdom has been in preparation 
ever since the flood, but the preparation is not yet quite completed. The Princes of 
Israel have been found, have been approved, and are merely sleeping in the dust of 
the earth (Daniel 12:2), waiting until the other small elect class shall be completed, 
whom we shall designate the spiritual Princes or Messiah's Bride. This work 
complete, the blessing of all the families of the earth will be ushered in with power 
and great glory. And although its introduction, it is declared, will come through a 
great time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, nevertheless that 
trouble cloud has such a glorious silver lining of hope and joy and blessing for 
Israel and for the world that all who see it in its true character may really welcome 
it. Short, sharp and decisive, it will make the rough places smooth. It will 
overthrow the pride and arrogance of man. It will humble all. It will break many 
hearts and overthrow many ambitions, but the eventual results will be "The desire 
of all nations. "--Hag. 2:7. 

"Yea, the Set Time is Come." 

So many are haphazard and thoughtless themselves that they naturally think of 
the Almighty from their own standpoint— as conducting a haphazard plan of 
dealing with humanity-a plan devoid of wisdom, justice, love and power-a plan 
which would reflect dishonorably on any human architect, on any human ruler, on 
any human statesman. Let us be through with such childish misconceptions of 
God. Otherwise, like the Higher Critics, we would soon esteem ourselves superior 
to the God of the Bible, and, correspondingly, our reverence, our worship, our 
obedience to Him would diminish. It is when we begin to get the proper focus 
upon the Holy Scriptures that we begin to realize our own littleness and the 
greatness of the Creator-the insignificance and absurdity of our human theories 
and creeds and the sublime majesty of the Divine arrangement for the children of 
men. We have just seen the selection of two companies of saintly characters for the 
Divine purpose of the world's blessing. Should it surprise us to find that the 
Almighty has set time ordained from before the foundation of the world controlling 
every feature of his great Plan of the Ages? It should not. Should we expect that 
fallen and imperfect humanity will see the advisability for chronological exactness 
and that the Almighty God should ignore such a matter? Have men manufactured 
clocks and watches so that they regulate the affairs of life to the very moment in 
respect to the starting of a train or in respect to the hour in which a timelock would 
release the treasures of a safe, and shall we, then, be surprised to find that the 
Almighty Creator has times, yea, set times, connected with the ordering of his great 



Plan of the Ages? Surely not. Hence our text is quite reasonable in this declaration 
that God has the time, yea, the set time, for remembering his promises to Israel and 
for bringing about their fulfillment? Rather this should encourage us, should 
stimulate our faith and make us more and more obedient to him who speaks from 
heaven and who tells us that the great clock of the universe is about to strike the 
hour which will end this present age and introduce the reign of righteousness, the 
Kingdom of God's dear Son. 

Zionism the First Call. 

It is not by accident, but of Divine foreknowledge and clearly foretold in the 
prophecies that the nation of Israel has suffered shamefully at the hands of many 
Christian nations. And, alas, to our shame it must be said that many of the 
atrocities practiced against them are by Christians falsely so-called-Christians in 
name, but not in fact. Note, for instance, the recent disorder in Roumania, which, 
fortunately, did not result to the Jews in great loss of life. But note its malevolent 
misrepresentation of Christ and his teachings; the so-called Greek Catholic 
Christians 

OVlll 

went to the cemetery ghoulishly, dug up recently interred Jews, and flung the 
corpses on the doorsteps of their relatives. Alas, that such things are possible in the 
name of Christ! Alas, too, that there is no general protest from so-called Christian 
nations against such disorders, nor against the pogroms so common of late in 
Russia! But what does this prove? It demonstrates what all sensible people should 
know, namely, that there are no Christian Governments in the world— that the name 
Christendom is a sad mistake! When Christ's Kingdom shall really be established 
amongst men no such brutalities will be permitted in any name or under any 
pretext. By the permission of these severe trials upon the Chosen People, God has 
not only, we believe, been chastening them, but, additionally, he has been keeping 
them together as a people, separate from all others. Had they been without 
persecution, doubtless they would have been swallowed up like the other peoples of 
the world. As it is, they are a living monument to the truthfulness of God's Word— 
they are a miracle. And now when prophecy shows that God's time has come for 
remembering and executing his gracious promises to Israel, his first move toward 
their recovery to his favor comes through Zionism. Not that Zionism was started as 
a religious movement; quite the contrary. It is a spasm of national pride, however 
commendable such a pride may be. Weary with the persecutions of centuries, the 
Jew hoped that by their re-establishment as a nation they would command a greater 
respect throughout the world and be saved from racial hatred and persecution. 
They hoped, also, that the land of their fathers would furnish an asylum for the 
Russian outcasts of their race. The enthusiasm of Zionism spread, especially 
amongst the poorer Jews. Meantime other hopes and aims were set forward. Some 
said that Mesopotamia was the proper place, and the British gave rights of 
colonization; others urged Argentine Republic, and millions of dollars were spent 
in seeking to place Russian Jews there. Others thought to make Jewish colonies in 
New Jersey, and still others favored similar schemes in Texas. But none of these 
flourished. Colonies in Palestine alone seemed to prosper even moderately. 
Meantime other hopes arose-the Russian douma promised to be favorable to the 
Jew and to permit his maintaining his home in Russia, inducing bands of Russian 
Jews to remain in the land of their adoption. But this hope has also failed them. 
Persecution and evictions in Russia continue as before. The Jew is, therefore, more 
heart-sick than ever. His greatest prosperity has been in London and in New York 
City. In the latter place reside twelve hundred thousand of them. Now fear is 
taking hold upon their hearts that even in this land of liberty and enlightenment 
they may not be safe from accusations and persecutions leveled against them on 
account of race prejudices. Alas, poor Jews! 



The Voice--"Die Stimme." 

It is at this juncture and under these conditions that God's Chosen People to-day 
are awakening and Ustening to the voice of prophecy, which the writer has had the 
privilege of bringing to their attention. Zionism, we believe, is about to take on a 
new form. Instead of being any longer a movement of race pride and for race 
protection it seems evident that it will shortly be a religious movement. Back to the 
prophecies ! Back to the Word of God! Back to the promise made to Abraham and 
repeatedly confirmed! Back to the oath-bound promise that Abraham's seed shall 
yet bless all the families of the earth! The tide of Jewish sentiment is turning, and 
swiftly, too. Long centuries of training in religion have marked the Jew as a 
religionist as well as a money-lover. He loved his money and labored for it, 
because his heart had no spiritual ideal for which to labor. But the message of the 
prophets is now ringing in the hearts of many: "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, 
saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her 
appointed time is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received 
of the Lord's hand double for all her sins."-- Isa. 40: 1-2. At first, of course, the 
movement will only be amongst the poor, those not saturated with unbelief. Higher 
Criticism, 

OV112 

Evolution, etc. Gradually it will take hold --we believe—upon those more 
intelligent and those of wealth. When that moment shall arrive, there will be a 
sufficiency of funds to forward a great movement Zion-ward. Not that all Jews, nor 
that even the majority of them, will go to Palestine, but surely the sympathy of all 
who are Jews indeed must shortly go thither, and that will mean the aid and comfort 
of co-religionists who will be seeking an asylum. Moreover, the great time of 
trouble which is nearing will be recognized by the Jews as soon as by others, and 
Palestine will be considered one of the best places of safety for personal property. 
Moreover, the Scriptures indicate that the persecutions of the Jews are not yet 
ended. These also will tend to drive them home. This great time of trouble will not 
only prepare Israel, but all the nations, to welcome Messiah's glorious Kingdom of 
righteousness, joy and peace. 



THE ROSE. 

WITHIN my hand I gently hold the Garden's Queen, a rose,-- 

The softly-sighing summer wind about it faintly blows, 

And wafts its wondrous fragrance out upon the evening air. 

And as I gaze upon the rose, so perfect and so fair. 

In memory 's halls there wakes, the while, a legend, quaint and old. 

How once upon a time, one day, a sage picked up, we're told, 

A lump of common clay, so redolent with perfume rare. 

He marveled, and the question wondering asked, "Whence dost thou bear 

Such fragrance, O, thou lump of clay?" In tones of deep repose 

There came the sweet reply, "I have been dwelling with the rose. " 

The while the legend stirs my soul, within my hand still lie 

The petals of the rose, and from my heart of hearts I cry, 

"Thou lovely Rose of Sharon, may I ever dwell with Thee, 

So closely that the fragrance of Thy love shall cling to me! 

Oh, fill me with the spirit of Thy sweet humility. 

Then all shall see and know, dear Lord, that I have learned of Thee; 

And let mine earthly pilgrimage, until its blessed close. 

Each day and hour bear witness, I've been dwelling with the Rosel" 



OV113 




XI. Must Jews Become Christians in Order to Return to Divine Favor? 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

USING THE WORD Christian after the ordinary manner as applied to the various 
sects, Catholic and Protestant, we answer No! Such is not their future course as 
outlined in the Bible. We are not forgetting that those first called Christians at 
Antioch were all Jews. Neither are we forgetting that the "high calling" to be 
Spiritual Israelites, "saints," is open to people of every kindred, nation and tongue, 
and hence to Jews as well as to others. We are, however, making a wide distinction 
between the Christians of the Apostles' days and the nominalism which goes under 
the title of Christian to-day and for centuries past. We know of no reason why a 
saintly Jew might not with full credit to himself and with full respect to the Jewish 
religion, accept the Gospel invitation to become a Spiritual Israelite. Spiritual 
Israelites are really saintly Jews who recognize all the promises of God made to 
Abraham and his seed and who recognize the Law Covenant made with God's 
chosen people at Mt. Sinai, and who recognize not only the types of the Heavenly 
things (the higher things), but their antitypes, the spiritual realities. It is the 
accretions of error which have become associated with the name Christian which 



make the name and the system of doctrines which it represents repulsive to the Jew, 
repulsive also to more than the Jew, to many thinking people both inside and 
outside the various sects of Christendom, so called. 

Some of the Jews' Differences. 

The long training of the Jew in monotheism is his first hindrance. He reads in the 
Law, "Hear O Israel, the Lord thy God is one- Jehovah. Thou shalt have no other 
Gods before him." With this definite command continually sounding in his ears as 
the first and chiefest statement of the Decalogue, is it any wonder that the Jew 
rejects the doctrine of the Trinity? It is an absurdity to him, indeed, that there are 
three Gods in one God, or, as some others state it, three persons or representations 
of one God, or as others state it, three Gods equal in power and in glory with a 
oneness of purpose. To join Christendom, the Jew would be required to accept this 
proposition against which not only his moral sense but also all his common sense 
rebel. He promptly resents as contrary to all of his holy Scriptures the thought that 
there is more than one God. When others approach the Jew from a different 
standpoint and say. We agree with you, there is only one God, but he has made 
three different manifestations of himself, and Jesus was one of these, the Jew 
replies. Would you have me believe that Jesus was Jehovah God, and that when he 
died, the great king of the universe expired on Calvary? I can never believe such 
an absurdity! The Trinitarian replies. You must believe this or be damned to 
eternal torment —nothing less can save you. You must believe that Jehovah God 
appeared in the form of a man, and that the death upon Calvary was essential to 
human salvation. You may take either of two views of the matter as we Trinitarians 
are divided: You may say that when Jesus died on the cross Jehovah died, and that 
we were without a God until the third day thereafter, when he rose from the dead; 
or, you may say as other Trinitarians say, 

OV114 

that when Jesus died upon the cross Jehovah did not die, but merely disassociated 
himself from the body with which he had been associated for thirty-three and one- 
half years. With these Trinitarians you may say that Jesus merely pretended to pray 
to Jehovah, calling upon him as his Father-pretended (as a part of the general 
scheme all of which was a deception) that God for a time appeared to be a man, 
appeared to have human weaknesses and necessities— sorrowed, wept, ate, drank, 
slept— to carry out the delusion. Is it any wonder that the Jew refuses to believe 
such irrational, such unscriptural presentations respecting Jehovah God? We 
believe that it is to the credit of the Jew that he has rejected such unreason, and that 
for centuries he has clung to the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. We hold that to 
bring the Jew under such misconceptions of the truth, and to thus fetter his reason 
and his conscience, would be to do him an injury. 

The Jews Should Not Be "Christianized." 

These very teachings already have done incalculable injury to Christians, causing 
needless confusion of thought and driving many to agnosticism. So far from 
assisting Jews into such misbeliefs, contrary both to the Old Testament and to the 
New Testament, we should help Christians out of the entanglements of these hoary 
errors, back to the simple teachings of Jesus, the Apostles and Prophets. How 
plainly the Apostle states the matter, saying, that to the heathen there be Lords 
many and Gods many, but "to us there is one living and true God of whom are all 
things; and one Lord (Master, Rabbi) Jesus Christ by whom are all things." (1 Cor. 
8:5,6.) Hearken again to a correct translation of John 1:1-3,5: "In the beginning 
was the Logos and the Logos was with the God and the Logos was a God. The 
same was in the beginning with the God. All things were made by him, and 
without him was not one thing made that was made.. ..And the Logos was made 
flesh and dwelt amongst us, and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only 



begotten of the Father full of grace and truth." How beautifully simple and clear 
the matter is when we take this inspired explanation of the relationship between 
Jehovah the Father and Creator of all things who was without beginning, "from 
everlasting to everlasting, God"~and the glorious Son of God who was his first 
creation and through whom he exercised the power which created both angels and 
men. Nor are these passages which we have quoted isolated ones, contrary to the 
general sentiment of the Old and New Testaments. On the contrary, they express 
the very essence of all their teachings. Jesus himself declared that he came not to do 
his own will, but the will of the Father who sent him. He again declared: "The 
Father is greater than I~greater than all." He declared that he came from God to 
obediently do the Divine will, and that he came under the promise that he would be 
again exalted to the spirit plane after finishing the work which the Father gave him 
to do, in the which he was stimulated by the "joy which was set before him."~Heb. 
12:2. He did, indeed, declare that he and the Father were one; but he showed that 
he meant not one in person but one in harmony, because he did not his own will, 
but the will of the Father. He showed this by praying in the same connection for 
his disciples "that they may be one even as thou Father and I are one," not one in 
person, but one in unison of heart in fellowship with the Father, sharers of his 
spirit. -John 17:11. 

Earthly and Heavenly Promises. 

Not a single Scripture from Genesis to Revelation mentions the Trinity or even 
hints that we have three Gods equal in power and in glory. Because there was no 
Scripture one was manufactured in the seventh century by adding certain words to 
1 John 5:7,8. All Bible scholars know of this addition, and that it was not found in 
any manuscript of earlier date than the seventh century. Why do they not inform 
the people of the truth? Is it because the doctrine is so ingrained in all of the creeds 
that they fear that to tell the truth on this subject might cause a general investigation 
on the part of some? We answer that thousands are falling into infidelity because of 
this doctrine and the doctrines of Purgatory and Eternal Torment. We urge that the 
more intelligent of Christian people are losing all faith in the Divine Word because 
of these absurdities which they are taught to believe 

OV115 

are the most important teachings of the Bible; whereas, rightly understood, the 
Holy Scriptures teach none of these things, but on the contrary present a most 
reasonable, sound, consistent presentation of the divine plan for human salvation 
that could possibly be asked for. Assuredly we must not try to bring the Jew into 
the darkness and inconsistencies that we are endeavoring ourselves to get out of, 
and endeavoring to help others out of. But if we did endeavor to proselyte the Jew 
to these inconsistencies, would the endeavor succeed, has the endeavor succeeded 
during the past seventeen centuries since these errors were received by 
Christendom? Were not practically all the Jews ever reached by the Gospel 
reached by that pure message which Jesus and the Apostles preached, and which to- 
day is obsolete in Christendom so far as our "orthodox" creeds are concerned? 

Jesus Honored as a Great Jew. 

Not merely one but many Jewish Rabbis have attempted to give the Jewish 
conception of Jesus. They have spoken of him in highest terms as a great teacher 
who discussed great truths beyond the ability of his day to comprehend. Thus they 
account for the opposition which he aroused, and which led to his death. Why ask 
them to admit more than this? Why endeavor to make them believe an absurdity 
contrary to the Master's own words? The absurdity, the untruth, is what acts as an 
emetic upon the Jew and causes him to reject Jesus of Nazareth entirely. On the 
contrary, the true presentation of the claims of Jesus as he made them and as his 
Apostles made them would evidently be as unoffensive to the Jew as to the 



German, the Italian or the Briton. Suppose, for instance, we were to tell him the 
truth as follows: Your Scriptures teach that your nation is to be used of God as his 
instrumentality in dispensing Divine favor to all nations. You agree that Moses was 
not the great leader intended to accomplish this, for he died without accomplishing 
it. He himself pointed out the coming of a greater Prophet and greater Teacher and 
greater Law-giver, the Mediator of a greater Covenant. That greater Covenant is 
mentioned by your prophets as a "New Covenant" which God will make with you 
"after those days, saith the Lord." (Jeremiah 31:31-34.) The law of that New 
Covenant will be written upon your hearts instead of upon tables of stone. Does 
not this imply that the antitype of Moses, the greater Prophet than he, will be 
exceeding great? Look also to your Prophet- King David and your wise King 
Solomon. Call to mind the prophesies that Messiah shall come from this line, but 
that he shall be immensely greater than either David or Solomon. Point the Jew to 
the fact that Melchisedec was a priest as well as a king, and that of him God 
declared: "I have sworn and I will not repent. Thou (Messiah) shalt be a priest 
forever after the Melchisedec order~a reigning priest." The Jew would have no 
difficulty whatever in identifying a Messiah the antitype, the greater, more glorious 
Prophet, Priest and King, and that all of those great Jewish characters of the past 
merely foreshadowed or typified the Messiah of glory. If then we call their 
attention to the prophecy of Daniel (12:1) they are ready to identify that prophesy 
also with the same Messiah. They will freely admit that he must be very great to be 
called, "who as God"~one like God. Call their attention then to Daniel's prophesy 
(7:13,14) in which Messiah is represented as receiving his kingdom at the end of 
the Times of the Gentiles. All these things the Jewish mind can grasp, does grasp- 
-rejoices in. This testimony brings to them fresh hope, fresh courage. If, therefore, 
the errors of so-called Christendom were out of the way it would be a very simple 
matter indeed to show the Jew that Jesus, the Great Teacher of the past, who died, 
did not die by accident but of Divine intention, and that his death was of Divine 
foreordination as necessary for the forgiveness of Adamic sin and the recovery of 
the race from the death sentence. It surely would not be difficult for the Jew to see 
that sacrifice as the antitype foreshadowed by the sin offering of their Day of 
Atonement, and that without the atonement for sin on this grand scale, Messiah 
could not bless the race of sinners. The Jew has a keen sense of justice, and could 
readily see (1) that God, having pronounced the sentence of death against the sinner 
could not rescind his own decision. (2) They could also see that the teaching of the 
Law, "an eye for 

OV116 

an eye, a tooth for a tooth," implied that to redeem the sinner would require a man's 
life for a man's life~the death of a holy one as the redemption price of our father 
Adam and his race, which lost life-rights through him. 

What Say the Scriptures? 

God's Chosen People have been under Divine supervision and care for thirty-five 
hundred years so that they have been kept separate from all the nations of earth and 
are thus a standing miracle testifying to the truthfulness of the holy promises of the 
Scriptures. This teaches us to look to the Scriptures respecting their future. The 
same Scriptures which testify to their solidarity as a people inform us that they will 
become a nation at the close of this Gospel Age when "the set time" for God to 
remember Zion shall come. St. Paul explicitly points out that Divine favor will 
return to natural Israel just as soon as the "call" of this Gospel Age to the Heavenly 
Kingdom class shall have reached fulfillment. Then "they shall obtain mercy 
through your mercy" —through the saintly few who, during this age, become 
identified with the glorified Messiah as his Bride and joint heir. Hence it was 
evidently not the Divine intention that the Jew should be amalgamated in the 
Christian systems of to-day. Indeed, this separateness from the masses of 



Christendom is to work to the advantage of the Jew in that he will be the better 
prepared for the earthly blessings that are then to come to him.-Romans 1 1:25-32. 
The blessings of the new dispensation about to be ushered in will be earthly 
blessings, and the Jew knows that all of the promises of God contained in the 
Mosaic law and writings of the holy prophets of old tell of earthly blessings—not of 
heavenly or spiritual favors. The Jew will be more ready to respond to the new 
order of things than his Christian or Gentile neighbors will be. Moreover, 
according to the Scriptures, the princes or rulers seen amongst men will be of 
Jewish stock, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets raised from the dead 
in full human perfection to be the "princes in all the earth" and representatives of 
Messiah's invisible spirit Kingdom. That the Jew will be in much better condition 
of mind to receive the teachings and requirements of those new princes needs no 
discussion. -Psalm 45: 16. Before leaving this subject, we note the prophesy of 
old which tells that at the time Messiah will manifest the glories of his power and 
begin his intervention in human affairs in favor of the right and against the wrong, 
will be a time of "Jacob's trouble," a time when the Jews will be in special 
tribulation from their foes. Then the Lord shall manifest his power on their behalf 
as in olden times, giving them a miraculous deliverance which they will recognize. 
In consequence the Prophet declares they shall look upon, discern, "recognize Him 
whom they pierced"— not by seeing the glorious Messiah (Daniel 12:1), with their 
natural sight, but they will recognize Him with the eyes of their understanding.— 
Zechariah 12: 10. At that time of favor toward them on the part of Messiah, "the 
great Prince which standeth for the children of Daniel's people," they shall discern 
that the glorious time of opportunity and blessing for which they so long waited has 
come. Then their sorrow will be great, as they will recognize to the full their 
national mistake in the rejection of Jesus, but "the Lord will pour upon them the 
spirit of prayer and of supplication," and their mourning will be but the beginning 
of their blessing and time of rejoicing. All the same, this prophesy proves 
decidedly that it is not the Divine intention that the Jews as a race shall become 
Christians, or become associated with the Christian systems of this age, which, alas, 
so seriously misrepresent the Great Teacher and the glorious truths which He and 
his Apostles taught. Let us leave the Jew in the future to his God, that he may in 
due time receive the blessing which God has promised him. Let Christendom in 
general go on in its blindness as the Scriptures also foretell, to its destruction, but 
let those of God's people, sanctified in Christ Jesus, walk circumspectly, not after 
the flesh, but after the spirit. Let them seek as spiritual Israelites the heavenly 
things and joint-heir ship with Messiah on the spiritual plane; not begrudging to the 
Jew the first place in the earthly phase of Messiah's Kingdom through which all the 
families of the earth will be blessed. 



OV117 




XII. Should Jews and Christians Unite? 
BY C. T. RUSSELL 

Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 

AMONG THE MORE than a million Jews of New York City quite a commotion 
has been raised by the celebrated Rabbi Wise of the Free Synagogue. His 
congregation has recently been holding union services with some Unitarian 
congregations. This has opened a discussion in every quarter, not so much amongst 
the Unitarians as amongst the Jews. The question is asked: What does this signify? 
Should it be encouraged or discouraged? Is it a step in the right or in the wrong 
direction? Naturally, "orthodox" Jews object to it; yet they scarcely know what 
argument to use against it. They believe in progress, but feel that this is illegitimate 
progress. But in what respect would it be wrong for Jews who believe in the one 
God, Jehovah, to meet with Christians who believe in one God, Jehovah, they do 
not know; especially as the Unitarians and the Jews both believe that Jesus was 
merely an imperfect man, had no pre-existence, and accomplished no salvation ~ 
that he was merely a prominent Jew of his time whose teachings have made a great 
impress upon the most progressive peoples of the world. We have been asked to 
discuss this subject and to give the reason for such opinions as we may express. 
We are pleased to do so. Without intending the slightest disrespect to Rabbi Wise 
and his congregation, nor to the Unitarians, we must frankly state that we see 
nothing that either of them can ever gain or lose by the kind of "union" services 
they hold; nor by the admixture of what they would designate as their several 
"faiths." As we understand. Rabbi Wise is an agnostic, and has no Jewish faith. As 
we understand, he is a "higher critic," an "evolutionist," who rejects the inspiration 
of the Holy Scriptures and relies entirely upon his own wisdom and the wisdom of 
other scholarly men of our day. And to our understanding, the faith or lack of faith 
of the Unitarian denomination is exactly the same. Hence we say, that union 
between these people who are purely agnostic moralists could neither help nor 
injure either party to the union. People who have no faith have nothing to lose 
along theological lines. And does not this truthful and not unkindly criticism apply 
to thousands of Jews and Christians who are not affiliated with either Unitarianism 
or Rabbi Wise's Free Synagogue? Alas, it is too true that the majority of those who 
profess the names of Jews and Christians are really neither; because they have 
abandoned the faith and hopes which those names represent. 



Christian Hopes Not Jewish Hopes. 

If Christians and Jews rightly understood 

OV118 

each other's hopes, according to the Scriptures, the conflict between them would 
instantly cease; because their hopes are totally different. The hope of the Jew is the 
hope of mankind in general—an earthly hope~a hope of restitution, restoration to a 
Paradise condition and perfection. The hope of the Christian is not the hope of the 
world, but a very different one-it is the hope of an "elect" or select class which 
God is gathering out of the world from every nation-English and Irish, French and 
German, Scotch and Scandinavian, Jewish and Italian. All through the Bible from 
Genesis to Malachi, search as we will, we find not an invitation to the Jews or to 
the world to become spirit beings like unto the angels. Every promise, every 
invitation, every hope held forth, on the contrary, is earthly; the desert is to blossom 
as the rose; solitary places are to be glad; springs are to break forth in the desert; 
the earth is to yield her increase; every man is to sit under his own vine and fig tree 
with none to make him afraid. They shall not build houses and another inhabit; 
they shall not plant vineyards and another enjoy the fruit; but they shall build 
houses and plant vineyards and perpetually enjoy the work of their hands in 
Paradise restored. This is the testimony of the Prophets. This testimony, given 
particularly to the Jew, informs us that he will be first in prominence in the world in 
the time when the Lord will do this— in the time when the Lord will "pour out his 
spirit upon all flesh"— in the time when "every knee shall bow and every tongue 
confess to the glory of God." Israel's blessing, therefore, implies the blessing of all 
nations, the seed of Abraham being first among those nations in the Divine favor 
which will be brought to mankind by Messiah's Kingdom. The Law of Moses 
tells the same story, namely, that the Divine arrangement is that Israel shall keep 
the Law and become instructors of the world in respect to the keeping of the Law; 
and that he that keepeth the Law shall live thereby— everlastingly enjoy all of the 
blessings of God for his portion. The Covenant given at Mt. Sinai did not secure 
these glorious results promised; because it was merely typical of a new and better 
Covenant to be established through Messiah (Jeremiah 31:31.) The sin-offerings 
which were the basis of the Law Covenant never really cancelled sin, but were 
typical of the better sacrifices which the Mediator of the New Covenant, Messiah, 
offers. Moses himself, the Mediator of the Law Covenant, was only a type or 
foreshadow of the greater Prophet, Messiah, who will be the Mediator of the New 
Covenant, under which all the blessings foreshadowed will become accomplished 
facts. The Jewish Sabbath Day commanded by the Law brought blessings indeed; 
but that rest was merely typical and prophetic of the coming restitution and peace 
and blessing which Israel and the whole world will be privileged to enter into and 
to enjoy during Messiah's reign. And for all the faithful ones, who keep that 
Sabbath, there will be an eternal Sabbath to follow. The Jubilee Year established 
by Moses, the Mediator of the Law Covenant, was merely a type or picture of the 
great Jubilee of the world to be inaugurated by the antitypical Mediator, Messiah, 
during the period of his Messianic reign, the world's great Jubilee. Ah, yes! the 
whole world will be full of jubilation, as every man shall return to his former estate, 
to his original patrimony, to Edenic conditions, to human perfection-to all that was 
lost through Father Adam's disobedience, and all that was redeemed through the 
obedience of the great Second Perfect Man, who has since been highly exalted, a 
"Prince" and a Deliverer— Messiah. —Isaiah 9:6; Dan. 9:25. These earthly 
restitution blessings are so tangible and so glorious that many noting them have 
said to us. Why tell us of the intangible, heavenly things? The earthly blessings 
described in the Bible more fully meet and satisfy the cravings of our hearts than 
could anything of the intangible and spiritual kind, which must be received wholly 



upon faith. We answer that this is so, that the Divine blessings promised to the 
Jew, and, later, to all nations, as they will come into Covenant relationship with 
God through Messiah, are the most wonderful that the natural heart and mind can 
possibly conceive. Undoubtedly mankind, after receiving the Divine provision 
through Messiah, will be 

OV119 

more than satisfied. But the Christian's hope is different from this. It is 
intangible, indescribable. It can be received only by faith. "Eye hath not seen, nor 
ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath in 
reservation" for the spiritual class~the saintly few now being called and selected 
from Jews and Gentiles of every nation. The blessings promised to this saintly 
class are all spiritual. They are to be like unto the angels and like unto Messiah 
himself, invisible to men through the First Resurrection "change" which they all 
will experience. They know not, because as the Scriptures declare, it is impossible 
to explain to them the character of the blessings which shall be the portion of this 
faithful few. What to them will take the place of beautiful flowers and luscious 
fruits, hills and valleys, brooks and mountains, clouds and sunshine and rainbows, 
they know not. They cannot understand. It is kept a "mystery." They are required 
to "walk by faith and not by sight." This class, typified by Aaron and his tribe of 
Levi, will have no inheritance in the land—no inheritance in the earth. They must 
sacrifice all earthly things and gladly, too, if they would be accounted worthy of the 
heavenly things. Theirs is a great test of faith. No wonder that few are attracted by 
this invitation when properly set forth and informed that it means a life of sacrifice 
and self-denial, faith and obedience even unto death, in order to be accounted 
worthy to enter into the heavenly glories to follow. From what we have said, it 
must be manifest that we are not holding up any denomination of Christendom as 
being this spiritual class, the Royal Priesthood. Rather, as the Scriptures do, we 
hold up this class to view as gathered to the Lord and not into sectarian systems 
from every nation, kindred and tongue. Thus is it written of these: "Gather together 
my saints unto me; those who have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice." (Psa. 
50:5.) "They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my 
jewels." (Mai. 3:17.) It will be after the selection of this jewel class for the spirit 
plane that the Divine blessings under the New Covenant with Messiah as Mediator 
will be poured out upon Israel and through Israel, represented in their ancient 
worthies, "princes in all the earth," (Psa. 45:16) upon all people. 

No Competition in This. 

To those who thus see the Divine program, there is no room for competition or 
strife. The saintly few will get their exalted blessing first, and such Jews and 
Gentiles as have appreciated the privilege will participate in the glories of that 
class. Then this class, as the "Bride" of Messiah (Psalm 45:10-16) will share with 
him his spiritual nature and exaltation and Kingdom. Then will come the earthly 
blessings to Israel first through the patriarchs, and through them it will extend to all 
of the earth-to every creature. Thus the blessing of the Lord will "fill the whole 
earth as the waters cover the great deep." Where is there room for competition 
here, when once we rightly understand the matter? Those who choose the heavenly 
portion and the sacrifices necessary to obtain it should be admired by all mankind. 
The Scriptures declare that ultimately this will be the case. "He (Messiah-Head 
and Body) will be admired by all them that believe in that day." Nor need the 
Christian envy the Jew his share in God's favor and blessing and promises. We 
have failed in the past to rightly divide the Word of God-failed to see its different 
parts and different classes; hence the strife of words and persecutions unto death. 
The saintly class, grasping its heavenly promises by faith, prefer not the earthly 
good things. The earthly class prefers the blessings to be accomplished through 
restitution and desire not the heavenly things. Thus all strife between intelligent 



Jews and intelligent Christians should be at an end. Their hopes are different and 
yet they interlock and intertwine. The fulfillment of the one is vitally connected 
with the fulfillment of the other. 

Avoid Christian Sects. 

Jews in the past have avoided Christian sects, chiefly the Catholics, because they 
counted them their enemies and recognized that much of their persecution came 
from professed Christians. Slowly they are coming to realize that the civilizing 

OV120 

influences of the past century are accomplishing changes with the rising generation 
and thus destroying, to some extent, the ground for their former bitterness against 
Christians. This is proper. Superstition and bitterness and strife, based upon the 
things of the past, should be set aside. No one can afford to nurse either the 
superstition or the bitterness of the past. Would it, then, be proper for Jews, now 
forgetting and forgiving the past, to intermarry with Christians and to participate in 
"union" services or to become members of Christian sects. Catholic or Protestant? 
We answer that such a course would assuredly be wrong: because Christian sects 
neither represent the Christian hope nor the Jewish hope. Here and there (in all the 
denominations of Christendom, so far as we may know) are members of the saintly 
class, the Bride of Messiah. But they are out of sympathy with the institutions with 
which they are connected. Even while attending their services, their hearts are on a 
higher plane than the masses. These nominal Christian sects are merely the 
outside; the saintly few are the kernel of the inside. The saintly few would be far 
better separated from the sects and would make much better progress in the study 
of God's Word and in the development of saintship if they stood entirely free from 
human institutions. This being the case, we assuredly would not advise the Jews 
to join these institutions nor to accept their confusing doctrines, which the 
Scriptures symbolically refer to as Babylonish-confused. God has separated the 
Jewish nation from the remainder of the world that they may be his witnesses to 
men. Their national preservation for more than thirty centuries, in harmony with 
the Divine promise is itself a miracle. God has indeed led them by a way which 
they knew not, even as he foretold. Their very perversity, as he foretold, will in the 
end witness to his Divine supervision of their affairs. Their stubbornness, or, as the 
Scriptures say, their stiff-neckedness, will eventually show the mercy of God 
through his dealing with them. He has not brought them down through the long 
period of three thousand years of separation with a view to their now amalgamating 
with either Christians or Gentiles, with either Catholics or Protestants. Israel's 
promises are not only earthly but Jewish-they are to be the first of the earth or 
world peoples to experience the blessings of restitution favor. In order to be ready 
for that favor, they must continue Jewish up to the time of the manifestation of 
Messiah, as the Scriptures foretell. As the elect, saintly few gathered out of all 
nations to be Messiah's Bride are a people for a purpose, so also the small nation of 
Israel in an earthly people for the Divine purpose and to show forth the praises of 
Jehovah and of Messiah in due time. The few of their number who, by saintly and 
sacrificial lives, will become members of Messiah's Bride, will in no way invalidate 
the blessings that are subsequently to come to the bulk of their nation, if they 
continue Jews indeed-inspired by the faith of Abraham and the Messianic hopes of 
the Prophets. But if they abandon Abraham's faith and their share in the 
Abrahamic promise and their hopes set forth through the Prophets, then, whatever 
their lineage, they are not Jews in the Scriptural sense of the term; and their practise 
of circumcision is merely a farce. And the perpetuation of a worship in which they 
no longer believe is sacrilege. Thus, Jews who believe nothing of the Divine 
testimony- who have repudiated Abraham and the Prophets, Moses and the Law, 
and who are agnostics and who merely observe forms and ceremonies called Jewish 
in a hypocritical manner, might just as well, and without any greater hypocrisy, join 



any of the different Christian sects, with which they are just as much in harmony 
and just as much out of harmony as with the Law and the Prophets. But those Jews 
who beUeve in the Abrahamic promise, in God's testimony through the Prophets 
and in the message of Moses and the Law, must not, cannot, identify themselves 
with any other nation or with any other religion. To do so would be to stultify 
themselves and to discredit themselves as Jews, and to cut themselves off from 
those special earthly promises which, in the Divine arrangement, have been theirs 
since Abraham's day, and which are now about to be fulfilled. 



OV121 

PASTOR RUSSELL'S REPLY TO 
CARDINAL GIBBONS' SERMON 

CARDINAL GIBBONS' sermon, widely published, attracted a great deal of 
attention amongst Protestants as well as Catholics. What will Protestantism say to 
this? was the query. We have heard but one Protestant response, and that, properly 
enough, from the pen of the best and most widely known Protestant minister in the 
world- Pastor Russell of Brooklyn Tabernacle, New York. We place his reply 
immediately following Cardinal Gibbons' presentation, assured that it will be 
interesting to our Protestant, as well as our Catholic, readers: 

Pastor Russell Congratulates the Cardinal. 

It falls to my lot to respond to Cardinal Gibbons' sermon on "A Plea for United 
Christendom, " in which he urges very forcefully that there is but one Church, and 
that, therefore, all Protestants should abandon their sectarian attitude and join the 
Roman Catholic Church. The reply falls to my lot, because, although I stand free 
and independent of all Protestant sects and parties, my brethren of the ministry in 
various denominations of Protestantism would find it rather awkward and difficult 
to acknowledge that there is but one true Church, and, in the same breath to 
acknowledge that their denomination is no more that one Church than is any other 
sect. I am very pleased with Cardinal Gibbons' kindly moderation in the handling 
of the subject. It contrasts very forcibly with the terrible times of the past, when 
Roman Catholics on the one hand and various Protestant sects on the other, waged 
an indirect and internecine strife to the death in the name of God and of our 
Redeemer and of righteousness. Surely what all intelligent people need is to 
abandon foolish prejudices, hypocrisies and superstitions of the past, and to come 
together as true followers of the Nazarene. Everything which points in this 
direction is to be appreciated, whether coming from the lips of Cardinal Gibbons or 
from others. Surely we should all desire the Truth, and desiring it, should seek it in 
God's Word, of which the Master said, "Thy word is Truth." 

Agrees with Cardinal Gibbons. 

I am pleased to say that I agree most heartily with Cardinal Gibbons' presentation 
in almost every particular. Unquestionably sectarianism is wholly out of accord 
with the teachings of the Scriptures. Assuredly St. Paul rebuked the Corinthian 
brethren because they presented a divided front, saying, I am of Paul; I am of 
ApoUos; I am of Peter, etc. St. Paul's reply to this was that it was proof of 
carnality, of fleshly minds and proof of an unspiritual state. All Christians are 
coming to realize this-Catholic and Protestant -although it is but a few years since 
some claimed that sectarianism was a positive advantage; that it led to a greater 
zeal and energy in the Divine service than if all were agreed. All who are 
conversant with history understand what I mean when I say that God has been 
pleased to permit an illustration of— first, a united Christendom, and, secondly, a 



divided Christendom. For long centuries there was practically but the one Church 
in Europe, the Roman Catholic. The results were surely not all that could have 
been desired. That unity of Church brought neither secular nor religious education, 
nor did it bring to the world the Millennium promised as the great desireratum of 
humanity. Rather in that long period we see that ignorance and superstition held 
the reins. During the last few centuries we have had the opportunity of testing the 
division of Christendom into various sects and parties. While the results are not 
satisfactory, while the condition is not what God's Word prompts us 

OV122 

to desire and expect, this divided condition has certainly tended toward greater 
freedom of thought, greater liberty from ignorance and superstition. So, then, 
when we think of the Church, both Catholics and Protestants agree that we should 
not desire such a unity as prevailed during the period in history known as "the dark 
ages." The unity we seek and pray for is a knowledge-enlightened and more 
sanctified unity, which will not require to be maintained through the arm of 
civilized power, and the rack and thumb-screw and stake. Our prayers and desires 
should go up for the kind of liberty mentioned in the Bible~"the liberty wherewith 
Christ makes free"~"the liberty of the sons of God." 

The Perplexing Question. 

So, then, dissatisfied with the sectarian divisions, and strife, and equally 
dissatisfied with the compulsory union of the past, and, convinced, nevertheless, 
that the Bible teaches the unity of the Church, we ask: How may this scriptural 
unity be attained—the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace and love, which 
maintains its own liberty and grants the same to others? Where shall we find; How 
shall we obtain; by what process shall we accomplish this unity? We agree with 
the Cardinal that our Lord speaks of himself in the Scriptures as the one Shepherd 
of the one flock of this Age and the Supervisor of the one fold. We agree that there 
is but the one Church, for whom the Master prayed during his dying hour- "That 
they all may be one in us." We agree also that the Apostle speaks of the one 
Church, likening it to a human body, over which there is the one Head, and of 
which all are members. We agree that there are not many bodies, but one; not many 
heads, but One. We agree, also, that there is but the one true Vine of the Father's 
right hand planting, and that this refers to Christ, the parent stock, and to his true 
members, the branches. We agree, also, that as there is only one Lord, so there is 
but one faith, and, additionally, that there is but one baptism. Agreeing with all 
these Scriptural premises laid down by Cardinal Gibbons, we must, nevertheless, 
dispute his conclusion, that this one Church which Christ declared he would build 
upon the rock of Truth, and which would grow to a glorious temple composed of 
living stones, of which St. Peter was one, is the Roman Church, just as we disagree 
with our Baptist friends when they tell us that the Baptist Church is the one Church. 
Equally we disagree with our Presbyterian and Methodist, Lutheran and 
Congregational systems when they each protest that they fill these requirements- 
that they are the one Church. Our contention is that every one who turns his back 
upon sin; who accepts of Jesus as his Redeemer and Savior, and who approaches 
the Father in full consecration through Jesus, and who receives the beginning of the 
holy spirit of God— all such are the brethren of Jesus and sons of God whether they 
join the Roman Catholic, the Congregational, the Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian 
or other human systems. Our contention is that none of these human systems. 
Catholic or Protestant, is recognized by the Bible—none of them is recognized of 
God. They are all human institutions -originated by men and maintained by men- 
sometimes good men and sometimes bad men have had to do with their 
organization and its maintenance. Indeed, we hold that such a reformed, 
consecrated believer is equally a child of God in whatever denomination he may be, 
or if he be outside of all denominational walls or creeds. It is our contention that 



the various creeds of Christendom have been so many stumbhng blocks and 
hindrances to honest souls who sought their God and the light of his Word. True, 
they may have assisted in some particulars, as well as they may have done injury in 
other respects. All the same, none of these institutions has Divine authority. None 
of them is sanctioned by the Word of God, the Bible. They are one and all built 
upon false assumptions. 

Which is the True Church? 

According to the Bible we may all find the answer we are seeking—an 
explanation of what and where is the true Church. In the Scriptures it is described 
as "the Church of the Firstborns, whose names are written in Heaven." (Heb. 
12:23.) Will our Protestant friends claim that their Church roll corresponds to that 
written in 

OV123 

Heaven in the Lamb's Book of Life? Would Christian friends of any denomination 
dare to make such a claim? Most assuredly. No. We all realize that at very most 
the various sects and parties of Christendom are composed of wheat and tares, and 
that, so far as human judgment can discern, the tares are vastly in the majority. 
The Scriptures declare that the Lord knoweth them that are His! The intimation is 
that no one but the Lord certainly, truly, knows which are the true sheep and which 
are the goats in sheep's clothing. We are exhorted not to judge one another. 
"Condemn not that ye be not condemned." Each heart is Scripturally exhorted to 
have its own fellowship with God, not through synods or presbyteries, not through 
priests or popes. Every branch is to be vitally united to the Vine; every Christian, 
every member of the true Church, is to be vitally united to Christ. In that very 
parable our Lord declares that every branch in him that bears not fruitage of the 
Spirit in love, the Father will cut off in membership. Thus from the standpoint of 
Divine wisdom and knowledge, the Church of Christ in the earth is composed only 
of saints—only of those who have fled away from sin, who by faith have laid hold 
upon the Redeemer and who have consecrated their lives unto death in the Divine 
service-and of these only such as maintain this standing and bring forth the 
peaceable fruits of righteousness. So, then, without attempting a personal 
identification of the branches of the Vine, we may surely know that they are very 
few. We may surely know that the nominal membership of the various sects 
contain comparatively few of these saintly ones, who alone have Divine recognition 
as being "the Church of the Firstborns whose names are written in heaven"— fruit 
bearing branches in the true Vine— living stones in the temple of God imbued with 
the Holy Spirit-active members in the Spirit-begotten Body of Christ. To this 
conclusion the words of Scripture agree, assuring us that "strait is the gate, and 
narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that go in thereat." 
They assure us again that these favored few number not many great, not many rich 
or learned, but chiefly the poor of this world, rich in faith, heirs of the Kingdom. 
They assure us that this Kingdom class must all be footstep followers of Jesus; as 
he said, "If any one would be my disciple, let him deny himself and take up his 
cross and follow me, that where I am, there shall my disciple be. " And again He 
said, "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the 
Kingdom." 

Christian Union Never Lost. 

From this standpoint we perceive that the great masses. Catholic and Protestant, 
are not, and never were, the Church of Christ— they deceived themselves. They 
have been children of this world, not spirit begotten New Creatures in Christ; they 
have not been living stones in the temple, not branches of the true Vine, not 
members of the "little flock." They have been worldly people with religious 
sentiments and good desires who misunderstood that great teaching of the Bible- 



that only the sanctified are in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. What has been done 
by these large numbers of well-meaning but mistaken people in the way of 
organizing churches, lodges, banks, etc., had nothing whatever to do with the great 
organization which God effected eighteen centuries ago, and which has persisted as 
a unit in the world ever since. The true Church has never been divided, because 
each member of it is united with the Lord, the Head, and, through Him, united to 
every other "member of his Body, which is the Church," the "little flock." In this 
one Church, there has always been maintained one Lord Jesus, one faith. His Word 
of promise, one baptism- the baptism of consecration into His death -to suffer 
with Him that, by and bye, we may reign with him. 

The Hidden Mystery. 

Does some one say. Where is the history of this Church? We answer, in the 
language of the Apostles, that "the world knoweth us not, even as it knew Him 
not." The world of Jesus' day were the professed religionists; yet they knew not the 
great religious Teacher and Redeemer whom God had sent, and they crucified Him. 
Similarly all the way down, the great religious teachers of the various systems have 
not 

OV124 

known, have not recognized the "members of the Body of Christ" a bit more than 
the Jews recognized the Head of that Body. This is the very point which St. Paul 
emphasized. He declares that the fact, as well as the philosophy, of the Church 
being members of Christ is to the world- both the religious and the irreligious 
world -a hidden mystery; it is outside of their philosophy, their theory, their 
understanding. Hence it is that the most saintly characters, both in Catholicism and 
Protestantism, have been martyrs, as Jesus was, as St. Stephen was, as all the 
Apostles were, and all the faithful during the intermediate centuries were, and as 
some may yet be if an outward union be effected such as once prevailed— in the 
"Dark Ages." 

Counterfeiting the True Church. 

If now we declare that, to a certain extent, the true Church has been counterfeited, 
both by Catholics and Protestants, let no one take offense and suppose that we are 
wishing to speak unkindly. We do not charge that these counterfeits of the true 
Church were made knowingly or intentionally, but merely that the Church, coming 
under the control of brilliant minds not spirit-begotten, not heaven-enlightened, 
misread the Word of God, misinterpreted it, and followed their misinterpretations. 
Notice, for instance, the Roman Catholic Church. The average Roman Catholic 
does not know that he is not a member of the Church. But Cardinal Gibbons will 
not deny it, nor will any of the ecclesiastics. Their teaching, most explicitly, is that 
the Church is composed of the Pope and the other religious instructors, and that the 
common people are not members of the Church, but, as they style them, "children 
of the Church." Thus, the Catholic Church appropriates to itself the words of 
Jesus respecting the "little flock," etc.; they apply those Scriptures to the clergy, 
and not to the congregation. This is the secret of Papacy's great mistake. In their 
ecclesiastical system they have a counterfeit of the true Church. And because the 
Scriptures declare that the Lord's faithful "little flock," "the Church of the living 
God whose names are written in Heaven," will remain with Christ, therefore 
Papacy claims, on the strength of that promise, the right to reign with imperial 
power and Heavenly authority over its kingdoms of earth. And it has been Papacy's 
endeavor to carry out this erroneous reasoning, and to make good its counterfeit of 
the true Church and her work, that has led to so many grievous difficulties, 
persecutions, wars, turmoils. 



The True Reign of the Saints. 

If Papacy has the counterfeit of the true Church and the counterfeit of the true 
reign, what does the Bible teach respecting the genuine? This: That the faithfulness 
of the unknown, disesteemed, rejected of men, saintly followers in Jesus' footsteps, 
constitutes their schooling, testing, preparation for a share in the Kingdom with 
Christ their Lord. When the full number of the elect Church, predestinated of the 
Father, shall have been thus gathered out of the world and finally glorified—then the 
Kingdom to which they are heirs will be established, and they shall be joint heirs 
with Jesus Christ their Lord, King of kings and Lord of lords. His Kingdom will 
rule the world, not by guns or swords, not by racks or burning at the stake and 
inquisitionary torments, but by heavenly power, which then will have full control of 
earth's affairs. 

Children of the Church. 

What our Catholic friends have is merely a foreshadowing~or, shall I use the 
harsher word counterfeit~of the Truth respecting the Church as a mother and 
certain children. The Scriptures teach that, in the new order of things, when Christ 
shall take to himself his great power and institute his Millennial Kingdom for the 
blessing and uplifting of mankind, he will have a Bride—the Church— "The Bride, 
the Lamb's Wife." (Rev. 21:9.) And the Scriptures further represent that the 
glorified Jesus, who is the heavenly Bridegroom, and the glorified Church, who is 
the heavenly Bride, will, figuratively, beget children. That is to say, all through the 
thousand years of the reign of righteousness the glorified Jesus will be the 
everlasting Father, or Giver of everlasting life, on the earthly plane to Adam, and 
all of his children who will accept it on the 

OV125 

terms of the Kingdom. Then the Church will be the mother or nourisher and 
caretaker of all mankind to uplift them, instruct them, develop them, in the ways of 
righteousness— to bring as many as will prove willing up to the full perfection of 
human nature and life everlasting. All refusing this uplift and rejecting the grace of 
God will be destroyed in the Second Death. St. Peter tells us that their destruction 
will be similar to that of the brute beast that perisheth.-2 Pet. 2: 12. 

Are There Protestant Counterfeits? 

Although Protestants repudiate the Roman Catholic idea that the clergy alone 
constitute the Church, and that the people are the children of the Church, 
nevertheless in many denominations we see this insidious error in a slightly 
different form. This is notably true of the Episcopal Church, which puts everything 
in the way of government into the hands of the clergy and treats the laity, to a 
considerable 

OV126 

degree, as though they were children unable to comprehend spiritual things. The 
Methodist-Episcopal Church follows closely in the same line of procedure. The 
Presbyterian and Lutheran systems also quite particularly differentiate the clergy 
from the laity, even though the laity be given some apparent recognition in the 
ecclesiastical boards. This is done usually for a reward or for the purpose of 
securing financial or legal advice. But the laity is not supposed to have an equal 
standing with the clergy in respect to spiritual things. 




C. T. Russell, Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle 



Congregationalists and Baptists and Disciples most nearly recognize an equality 
between the clergy and laity and that the entire Church of God, whoever they may 
be, are a Royal Priesthood. Yet even with these congregational bodies there is an 
attempt made to separate between clergy and laity, and to hold all the spiritual 
power and authority in the hands of the clergy. This is done along financial lines in 
the Congregational Church through the so-called Congregational Union. In the 
Baptist Church the ministers combine in what is known as a Baptist Ministers' 
Association, which holds the reins over the people as parents over children, and 
tells them whom they may call for a Pastor and whom not— whom they are willing 
to ordain as their Pastor and whom they will refuse. Thus the same spirit is 
manifested in all these earthly systems, and by it they are all distinctly 
differentiated from the true Church and her Scriptural regulations which declare. 
All ye are brethren~and One is your Master, even Christ, and One is your Pope, or 
Father, even God. 

So, then, we ask Cardinal Gibbons to consider with us the Scriptural teaching 
which we have presented, namely, that the Royal Priesthood is composed 
exclusively of saints, regardless of whether they belong to their clergy or laity, or 
are to be found elsewhere. "The Lord knoweth them that are His." We ask the 
Cardinal to consider that this one Church is indivisible; that the Heavenly Father is 
the husbandman of this true Vine; that he does not suffer any to remain as branches, 
members, of the true Church unless they bring forth the true fruit of the Vine. We 
ask the Cardinal to consider the Scriptural teaching that this saintly class, already 
vitally united with Jesus, are now the espoused virgin class mentioned by St. Paul 
(2 Cor. 11:3), and that they are waiting for the completion of their number when the 



Heavenly Bridegroom, at his Second Coming, will receive them to himself in glory. 
By the power of the First Resurrection they will be changed in a moment, in the 
twinkling of an eye, and be with their Lord, and like Him. Then, as the Scriptures 
declare, will come the marriage of the Lamb, "for his Wife hath made herself 
ready. " And shortly after that will come the Millennial Kingdom and the times of 
regeneration mentioned by our Lord, when his faithful will sit with him in the 
Throne and the regeneration of Adam's race, the giving to them of new life from 
the Life- Giver, will begin. 

As for the great and prosperous human institutions which are more or less 
duplicating the Lord's Kingdom all over the world, these also, in the Scriptures, are 
called vines—the vine of the earth, in contrast with the Vine of the Heavenly 
Father's right-hand planting. It is not for us to determine how much good and how 
much harm these earthly churches, vines of the earth, have accomplished. That the 
Lord will declare in his own season, but he tells us that the grapes borne by these 
vines—anger, malice, hatred, envy, strife, evil-speaking, etc.— will overflow the 
wine-press of the wrath of God in the near future, and bring upon the world that 
great time of trouble, which all may see upon the horizon and which the Lord 
declares will be such a time of trouble as the world has never before known. 
(Daniel 12:1; Matt. 24:21.) So, then, in some respects, we agree with Cardinal 
Gibbons' discourse, and, in other respects, we have a certain view of the situation, 
as just related. 



OV127 

AN INFANT ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD 
TO BE ELECTROCUTED 

PASTOR RUSSELL EXPLAINS 

ISAIAH 65:20 

"THENCEFORTH there shall be no more (death of) an infant of days, nor of an old 
man who hath not filled his days: for the dying one shall be but a child at a hundred 
years old-a sinner a hundred years old he shall be accursed"-cut off from life. 
These words have long puzzled Bible students. And they still puzzle such as have 
not recognized that as the present age is devoted to the gathering of a saintly and 
elect class, the coming age will be for the blessing of the world in general through 
the elect church. Human conditions, as well as conditions prevailing in the 
physical earth under Messiah's reign, will be very different from what they are at 
present. The Scripture under consideration cites us to one of the peculiarities of the 
new age, the increased length of life. Then every one who will conform to the laws 
of the Kingdom may live at least a thousand years. And if then he shall stand the 
tests of Divine requirement he may be granted eternal life. On the other hand, the 
willfully rebellious continually needing to be curbed and restrained will be cut off 
at the close of a hundred years' probation. Even then they will be but as children as 
compared to the remainder of the race. Was it not thus in the days of Adam 
before sin and depravity had reduced the average of human life to its present low 
ebb? And should it surprise us to find a restoration to this condition in the future? 
Should we not remember that the coming age is styled the "times of restitution of 
all things. "-Acts 3: 19. It was common in Father Adam's day that a father should 
have his first child at a hundred years or over. In other words, at about the century 
mark, childhood ceased and the period of maturity began. With the weakening of 
the race we have had much experience crowded into few years; yet we all 
sometimes recognize that if we lived to be a hundred years old all of the past 



experience would be but a schooling of preparation for future centuries of maturity. 
No end of confusion has been created by the intent of well-meaning people to apply 
these prophecies as the reward of the Church in heaven. Nothing in the Scriptures 
warrants us in thinking that there will be spiritual, heavenly sheep and oxen, wolves 
and lions, vines and houses, planting and building. Those who reject the clear 
Bible teaching respecting a Messianic reign of righteousness cannot understand the 
Bible at all. Not a single passage of the Old Testament tells of heavenly hopes or 
promises. Only a few of them teach heavenly things at all, and then indirectly. As 
for instance in the types of the Old Testament the garments of the High Priest, 
glorious and beautiful, symbolize, we believe, the heavenly grandeur, honors and 
glories of Messiah during the period of His reign. Similarly, God's promise to 
Abraham declares that His seed. His posterity, should be as the stars of heaven and 
as the sands of the seashore. Nothing in this statement would necessarily teach a 
heavenly state or condition. Only by the aid of the New Testament and the Holy 
Scriptures' illumination can we see that two seeds of Abraham are distinctly 
referred to, the stars indirectly implying the spiritual seed, while the sands of the 
seashore refer to Abraham's natural seed. As it is written: "I have constituted Thee 
a father of many nations like unto God." So the spiritual seed of Abraham is now 
being developed. With its completion this age 

OV128 

will end, and the natural seed of Abraham will return to special favor and become 
the leading nation of the world under the guidance and direction of the spiritual and 
invisible, yet all-powerful Kingdom, of Messiah. The blessing through natural 
Israel, will gradually extend to every nation, in that the door will be opened by 
which all nations may come into and become a part of Abraham's seed, and thus 
into harmony with Messiah's Kingdom. Whosoever refuses this great privilege and 
blessing of Messiah's Kingdom will be destroyed from amongst the people in the 
Second Death. Consequently by the close of Messiah's reign of righteousness, not 
only will all the willing and obedient have been lifted up to perfection of human 
nature, but they will all, of every nation, have become the seed of Abraham. And 
the earth, their perpetual inheritance, will have been rescued from the curse and 
thenceforth forever be the Paradise of God-Eden restored. 

Hundred Year Old Children. 

Centenarians of the present time are few, and they by no means are like children. 
Usually they are wrinkled and haggard. We are to remember, however, the Bible 
record that several of the earlier members of Adam's race lived nine hundred years, 
or, rather, they were more than nine hundred years in coming fully under the 
sentence against sinners. "By one man's disobedience sin entered into the world, 
and death as a result of sin. And thus death passed upon all men, because all are 
sinners." (Romans 5:12.) Gradually, and especially since the flood, when a great 
change took place in our cosmogony, human longevity has decreased, while 
mental, moral and physical ailments have increased. In confirmation of this, and 
correspondingly in contradiction of the Evolution theory, we find that the ancients 
were stronger than we mentally as well as physically; for they intermarried brothers 
with sisters and cousins without injury, whereas to-day the mental weakness of the 
race is such that one out of every one hundred and fifty adults is in an insane 
asylum, and the marriage of brothers and sisters is prohibited, and even the 
marriage of second cousins is disapproved and held responsible for increasing 
weak-mindedness. We see, then, that our text describing Messiah's Kingdom 
merely explains that restitution blessings will recover mankind from the effects of 
the fall, so that it shall then be as it was in Adam's day~that full human rightness, 
maturity, will be reached in a century, and that a man dying then would be dying in 
childhood as compared with the remainder of the race. The further guarantee that 
none will die even at a hundred years of age, except willful sinners who, refusing to 



submit themselves to the regulations of Messiah's Kingdom, will then be cut off 
from life as unworthy of any further favor at the hands of the great Redeemer- 
Messiah- all of whose dealings will represent Divine Justice, Wisdom, Love and 
Power. 

Man's Years as a Tree's. 

The Scriptures tell us that under Messiah's Kingdom the days of a man shall be as 
the days of a tree. And it is believed that some trees live to be at least a thousand 
years old. This is God's provision for every man— every member of the human 
family after He shall have accomplished the work of this Gospel age-the selection 
of the spiritual seed of Abraham, typified by the priests and Levites, "The Church 
of the Firstborn whose names are written in heaven." Messiah's Kingdom is to 
dominate the earth for a thousand years, with a view to blessing Adam and all of 
his posterity -with a view to uplifting them from sin and degradation and death. 
The uplifting influences will begin at once following the great time of trouble with 
which the Kingdom will be inaugurated. The judgments of the Lord will be abroad 
in the earth and the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. None shall 
longer need to say to his neighbor or his brother, "Know thou the Lord; for all shall 
know Him, from the least unto the greatest of them," for "the knowledge of the 
Lord shall fill the whole earth. "-Isaiah 1 1:9. Whoever, then, by obedience to the 
laws of the Kingdom will avail himself of the blessed privileges of restitution (Acts 
3:19-21) will not only be helped upward out of mental, moral and physical 
imperfection, 

OV129 

step by step toward perfection, but so long as he progresses, he may live- clear 
down to the end of that blessed thousand years. If we had never seen trees; if our 
own experiences had been with vegetation such as perishes within a year, we might 
have difficulty in believing some one who would tell us of having seen trees 
centuries old. Such a statement would seem as unreasonable to us as to tell us that 
humanity could live for a thousand years or forever. Have we not indeed seen 
children old and wrinkled looking, yet only in their teens? And have we not seen 
others cheerful, fresh and comparatively young-looking at sixty and seventy? Let 
us assure ourselves that every good promise of the Holy Scriptures will surely have 
fulfillment. Not one jot or tittle of the Divine promise shall fail. It will surely be 
true then that when Messiah's Kingdom shall have fully taken control of earth's 
affairs, a person dying at a hundred years of age would be dying in infancy, 
because, according to the Divine arrangement, obedience on his part would enable 
him to live to the very close of the Millennium. 

All Unrighteousness is Sin. 

At the present time, God "winks" at much of the wrong-doing that there is in the 
world. He does not interfere with it. But of course every transgression carries with 
it naturally more or less of a depraving influence on the transgressor's mind and 
body. The conscience is the most tender and the most important element of our 
human nature. Whoever violates it, whoever injures it, much or little, will 
proportionately be disadvantaged in the future, and will have all the more difficulty 
of rising up gradually out of his degradation and weaknesses, even with all the 
helps that will then be available. Thus will be fulfilled the Scriptural declaration, 
"Whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he reap." With all mankind redeemed, 
there will be nothing whatever of the past chargeable against any on the books of 
Divine Justice. The great "High Priest" by his better sacrifices, will have made full 
satisfaction to the demands of Justice, but the weaknesses, mental, moral and 
physical, resulting from more or less willful and deliberate sin, must still be 
reckoned on, and thus every idle word and every idle thought, every idle and 
vicious action of the present time, by making its mark upon the characters of men. 



is providing for corresponding difficulties on their part in that glorious day of their 
opportunity. God proposes that through Messiah's reign He will give an 
opportunity to human sinners to return to harmony with their Maker. But they must 
show their desire for harmony with Him by responding to the blessed arrangements 
He will provide through Messiah's reign. Every effort for righteousness will 
receive its reward, as promised. The thousand years appointed for the purpose by 
Divine Wisdom is surely sufficient. The earth and its inhabitants will be grandly 
perfect beyond our ability to describe or even to fully imagine, since we have never 
known a sinless Eden nor a sinless human being. The suggestion of our text is 
that the great Messiah will not temporize for the entire period of His reign with 
those who do not show a proper appreciation of opportunities when fully brought in 
contact with them and clearly understanding the terms of Divine grace. But one 
hundred years is quite a considerable period of probation, and surely every 
reasonable mind will concede that so long a delay in meting out the full penalty of 
sin. Second Death, manifests the extreme limit of reasonable mercy. 

The Church's Triumph Shorter. 

The Church, whose trial is in progress during this Gospel age, receives 
individually a much shorter period of probation than our text declares will be 
granted to mankind in the future. God's saintly people are expected to develop 
character and to approve themselves to God as "overcomers," within a very brief 
space of life. And not only so, but they are required to "walk by faith and not by 
sight." They merely have God's Word as respects His Justice and Love and 
gracious plans, while, in the next age, the world will have the actuality instead of 
the promise~the world will walk by sight. "The glory of the Lord shall be 
revealed 

OV130 

and all flesh shall see it together." (Isaiah 40:5.) The world during Messiah's reign 
will be privileged to walk in a highway of holiness, from which all the stumbling 
stones will have been gathered out. But the overcomers of the Church class are 
required to walk in the narrow way, steep, narrow, rugged and beset with snares of 
the Adversary. "For we are not ignorant of his snares. "~2 Corinthians 2:11. We 
are not to forget, however, that these differences between the Church and the world 
are fully offset by the differences of reward. The overcomers of the Church are to 
be rewarded with glory, honor, immortality, "the Divine nature," and be joint-heirs 
in the Kingdom as members of the great Messiah. The world is to have no such 
change of nature from human to spirit, but is to have the earthly nature restored or 
perfected in them, if obedient, and to enjoy the earthly Eden. Truly God's ways are 
equal. "True and righteous are Thy ways. Lord God Almighty! Who shall not 
come and worship before Thee when Thy righteous dealings are made manifest? "~ 
Revelation 15:4. 

Humanity's Final Test. 

The Church's test takes place in the present life. And in each member thereof the 
matter of worthiness or un worthiness of eternal life on the spirit plane for all time is 
determined at death. Not so with humanity in general. As we have just seen, some 
may live for only a hundred years, and then be cut off in the Second Death, because 
found unworthy of further opportunity. Others, by availing themselves of the 
privileges and rendering obedience to the laws of the Kingdom, may live to the 
very close of the thousand years, and be found unworthy of eternal life. Still others 
may so fully appreciate Divine Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power and may become 
so obedient thereto that God will be pleased to grant them eternal life. Their days, 
their lives, will be far more than the days of a tree. The world of mankind, at the 
conclusion of Messiah's reign of righteousness, will have attained again the 
perfection originally enjoyed by Father Adam. Like him they will be in Eden, 



which then will be world-wide. Those perfect human beings will be required to 
stand a test-to demonstrate, to prove their absolute loyalty to God and His 
righteous laws, as Adam was tried, tested, proven in Eden. As Adam was promised 
eternal life if his test proved him loyal to his Maker, so his restored race will have 
before them the offer of eternal life if they shall manifest their obedience 
satisfactorily. Outwardly, of course, the whole world will be obedient throughout 
the entire thousand years, because the reign of righteousness will be so absolute 
that every good deed will have a reward, and every evil deed will have a 
punishment, with matters reduced to such a certainty and with the death of the 
sinner a hundred years old, the whole world would quickly come to a condition of 
thorough obedience to the Divine requirements. Thus it is written: "Unto Him 
(Messiah) every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. To the world itself there 
would probably appear to be no reason why any further tests of loyalty should be 
imposed. But God seeketh truth in the inward parts, in the heart as well as in the 
outward life. When Messiah, having accomplished the object of his reign of 
righteousness shall deliver over the perfect world from his administration of Mercy 
to the Father's administration of Justice (1 Cor. 15:25-28) the latter will not grant 
eternal life to the perfected men, but instead will submit them to a test which will 
determine fully their heart loyalty or disloyalty. None but those who will stand that 
great test will be allowed to have eternal life-all others will die the Second Death. 

Satan Loosed from Prison. 

We are not informed of the particulars of the test that will then be applied to 
mankind. We merely have the figurative declaration that Satan, sin and everything 
which Satan represents, will be loosed for a little season at the close of Messiah's 
reign. (Rev. 20:7-10.) The world full of perfected humanity as the sand of the 
seashore will all be subjected to the test. But how many or what proportion of the 
whole will prove loyal and what proportion disloyal we are not informed. All that 
we know on the subject, and all that is necessary for us to know is that the 

OV131 

trial will be thorough, and just, and that all found faithful will have eternal life, and 
that all found unfaithful will be counted as followers of Satan and with him will be 
destroyed in the Second Death. The test which God will apply will be so searching, 
so thorough, that although his creatures will still be free moral agents, he is able to 
guarantee that thenceforth "there shall be no more sighing, no more crying, no more 
dying, because all the former things of sin and death shall have passed away." 
God has glorious prospects, therefore, for the non-elect-prospects in which Justice, 
Wisdom, Love and Power, fully coordinated, will be abundantly manifested and all 
the families of the earth be blessed. But if these great blessings for the non-elect are 
to be esteemed, how much more shall those whose eyes and ears are opened 
appreciate the length and breadth and height and depth of the Love of God and His 
provision of glory, honor and immortality or his elect Church? To all such I give 
the Apostle's exhortation. Let us make our calling and election sure, by so running 
the race of life that we may become worthy to attain the crown of life in joint- 
heirship with our Redeemer— Messiah in His glorious Kingdom. 

The Reward, Life-The Punishment, Death. 

Not a word is said about the hundred-year-old-sinner being sent to eternal 
torment, just as there is not a word said in the Bible to the effect that Adam or his 
children were condemned to eternal torments. The sentence upon Adam which his 
race shares by heredity was a death sentence. This just but awful penalty has 
wrought havoc with our race-sickness, sorrow, pain, dying, death. God's mercy 
has provided the redemption of Adam and his race through His Son, Who died, the 
Just for the unjust. The death of Jesus is the price which will eventually secure the 
release of Adam and all of his posterity from the death sentence and give to them 



resurrection privileges provided through Messiah's Kingdom reign. But every one 
who has been enUghtened and brought to a clear knowledge of God and to the 
opportunities provided for his salvation from sin and death is more responsible for 
the manner in which he accepts or refuses "the gift of God, eternal life through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. " As the willful, intelligent sinner in the Church now is 
sentenced to the Second Death (Rev. 6:6; 10:28-31), so, our text tells us, it will be 
with the masses of mankind during the Millennial Age. If they willfully reject 
reconciliation to God, they will die the Second Death. God has provided a 
redemption and recovery from the first death, but assures us that the Second Death 
will be an eternal one. 

Electrocution. 

Instant death from electric shock will be the method of electrocuting of such 
willful sinners during the Millennium, and not hanging nor decapitation. Thus it 
was that in olden times two of Aaron's sons, having violated their relationship with 
God, and having disobeyed him, were smitten to death. Fire from the Lord smote 
them~an electric flash. We may be sure that torture will not be needlessly inflicted 
on such. They will lose everything, but will not be tortured. Stripes or 
punishments, chastisements, are sometimes used of the Lord, but always in a 
reformatory manner. "He chasteneth every son whom He receiveth." He chastens 
none others—none for whom the hope of chastising would accomplish no blessing. 
Such will be smitten down in the Second Death. 



OV132 

CARDINAL GIBBONS AND PASTOR RUSSELL 



(The wide interest that has been aroused throughout the country by the 
series of admirable articles by the Reverend C. T. Russell, pastor of 
Brooklyn Tabernacle, published in the Overland Monthly, has been 
heightened by that distinguished clergyman's reply in the February 
Overland to Cardinal Gibbons' notable sermon, "A Plea for United 
Christendom. " Pastor Russell's reply has evoked much comment and many 
letters, among which the following, from Mr. Frank Schilling, a prominent 
attorney of San Francisco, is printed with the writer's consent. --EDITOR. 



Reverend C. T. Russell, Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle, New York, N.Y. 

Reverend and Dear Sir: 

Your reply to Cardinal Gibbons' sermon about the much desired Unity of the 
Christian Church, in the February number of the Overland Monthly impressed me 
by the scholarly manner in which you treat the subject and the gentlemanly 
criticism of the Cardinal's sermon as to matters which, from your point of view, 
undoubtedly, appear errors of the head rather than of the heart, for of the latter, you 
and the Cardinal seem to be animated by the same spirit which made Christ fix as 
the supreme law of Christianity the sentence "Love God above all, and thy 
neighbor as thyself." Indeed, unprejudiced minds, such as yours and the 
Cardinal's, should find a true road to the much-desired union of all the Christian 
churches. As a layman and lawyer I am, perhaps, not the most competent to 
suggest to ecclesiastics of high standing the solution of a vexed religious problem. 
But as truth may sometimes be discovered by a child even, and Divine Truth must 
ultimately furnish the key to the situation, it may well be that a common sense 



observation, on my part, may point out Divine Truth and furnish the key to a 
seemingly hopeless situation. Indeed, Divine Truth is, in my opinion, the 
fundamental law of Christianity, and must be the guide of the Christian, who is to 
follow into the footsteps of the Savior. If it has been one of the principal purposes 
of Christ's mission on earth to reveal that truth, no one should believe that the 
Omnipotent and Eternal Guide, the Father of all, should have intended that truth to 
be solely known to the comparatively few followers and immediate acquaintances 
of Christ, and only during the brief period of less than thirty-three years; that after 
the demise of Christ, error should have tainted the treasure of wisdom left by Him, 
and that succeeding generations should have been forever excluded from the 
heritage of Divine Truth taught by the Redeemer. Do not all Christian 
denominations believe in the divinity of Christ, and designate Jesus, the son of 
God, as being one with the Father and the Holy Ghost? Is it incumbent upon God 
to err as mere mortals always will? Can Divine Providence not preserve 
unadulterated that which it held necessary for the human race to possess, and for 
the dissemination of which God, Himself, assumed human form? Did God not 
send the Holy Ghost to remain with us to the end of the days, and did not Christ, 
Himself, affirm that He would be with us? If it is conceded that it was the intention 
of the true and living God that His truth be known to all men of succeeding ages to 
the end of the world, it must have been but ordinary precaution on behalf of the 
Ruler of the Universe to preserve the truth that He had come in person to reveal to 
the human race through the words and examples of Jesus Christ. 

OV133 

Some depository of this Divine Truth necessarily must have been established by 
the God of ages to guide the elect by offering sufficient guarantee for the fact that 
such depository preserved the Divine Truth pure and unadulterated. Some 
authority must have stood out to all succeeding ages as the fortified depository of 
the revealed Divine Truth, for, otherwise, how could pure Christian souls have 
lived in strict accordance with the precepts and examples of the Redeemer? Truly, 
if any man could imagine a self- satisfactory version of Christ's truth, would it have 
been necessary at all for Christ to have come in person to teach us how to live? 
Would such self-suitable imaginary belief in the alleged doctrines taught by Christ 
be sufficient to elevate our standard of morals to that which we see manifested by 
the true Christian believer, by "the First Born of the Fold?" If we should be 
inclined to affirm that any doctrine of Christian belief not absolutely contrary to our 
own would bring about some results of good morals, would we not perform 
meritorious acts if we, in a measure, should live according to our own sweet 
pleasure, and if we were to guess at what we might believe, and to live in 
accordance with that belief in practice? Why, in that event, should we not live, 
taking, in the first place, nothing else more seriously into consideration than our 
own inclinations, greed and fondness for earthly enjoyment? It follows from the 
foregoing that the Church of Christ must contain the depository of His Truth 
whatever else it may contain. The dissemination of the Divine Truth reposed in 
that depository having been made by a direct agency of the living God, Jesus 
Christ, must remain infinitely necessary, salutary and perfect. In fact, no other 
measure is known to the Christian world by which the true and faithful believer 
may gauge and regulate his actions and curb his purely human inclinations and 
passions, but that law laid down by Jesus Christ, Himself, nearly 1900 years ago. 
History will teach its students that the Truth revealed by Jesus Christ has never 
been deviated from in only one Church at present existing. It is equally certain that 
none of the other existing Christian Churches, or any other of the various Christian 
denominations, antedates the Roman Catholic Church. The origin of this Church 
alone history does certify directly to the person of Jesus Christ, between the years 
of 30 and 33 of our era. If it be, therefore, conceded that Jesus Christ taught only 
one system of Harmonious Truth and designated only one of his apostles as the 



Rock upon which He would build His Church, the depository of truth; if Christ did 
not say that he would build two churches or more, then there is only one Church of 
Christ, and all others are human imitations. Human reformations, certainly, could 
not improve upon the God-founded and God-preserved Institution. Human 
agencies, with different doctrines from those taught by Christ are likely to have 
fallen in error. At all events, the human soul must look for guidance to its Maker. 
It has no right to assume that the Infinite and Eternal does err. Christian Truth, 
such as dispensed from the depository of Christ, put into practice will have but one 
result, the happiness of mankind. It is therefore unbecoming to the great minds to 
attribute the misery brought about by non-performance of Christian duty, or the 
abuse of the ways and means of salvation, as the practical result of applied 
Christianity. It is equally fatal to be blinded by prejudice, and it is unwise and 
unjust to condemn from the mere hearsay of a partisan, past centuries and their 
civilization. No one should sit in judgment about matters of which he has not the 
most intimate knowledge of facts and circumstances. In this respect, much is 
sinned against that period of our civilization known as the "Middle Ages." The 
most casual observer will concede that in those times the strong arm wielding the 
sword was often more respected than the cross and the Bible. The princes and 
nobles of the Middle Ages managed under all kinds of pretexts to oppress the poor 
and to levy tributes. Little they considered the Cross and the Divine Truth for 
which it stood. Frequently, the people of a whole nation were drawn away by force 
and violence from 

OV134 

the Church of Christ, which they heretofore had revered. Potentates, such as King 
Henry VIII of England, did not permit themselves to be trifled with when the vicar 
of Christ, speaking ex cathedra, refused to change the law of Christ deposited with 
the Church. It is, finally, human nature to take things for granted from a mere 
rumor or hearsay, and to condemn the Middle Ages because we know little about 
the general happiness of the people then living. Often we are misled and err in our 
opinions by mere thoughtlessness. I notice from your reply to the Cardinal that 
you are mistaken, dear and Reverend Sir, when you state that the Roman Catholics 
are taught to see Christ's Church represented in the ecclesiastics merely. A 
Catholic child, who has received the most primitive Christian instructions, can 
inform you that the Church of Christ, as the Roman Catholic is taught it, consists of 
the blessed in heaven, the suffering souls in purgatory, and all men on earth who 
honestly seek to believe in Christ. In the Roman Catholic definition, good and 
faithful Protestants are members of that Church of Christ as well as Catholics, as 
long as they have not learned to know that the Catholic Church is the only church 
that Christ has founded and that no other church claims to have been founded by 
Christ directly. As long as they believe to have the true religion of Christ and to 
live up to Christ's doctrines and examples. Catholics are taught to regard such 
Protestants as their brothers and sisters in Christ. They are further taught that God 
is the Father of all men and the Creator of all things, and that when Christ declared 
the supreme law to be "Love thy God with thy whole heart and mind, and thy 
neighbor as thyself," He included not merely Christians, but Pagans and Gentiles as 
well. Let there be no confusion, therefore, as to which Church is Christ's. Let us 
not be confused by the organizations established for the alleged purpose of 
diffusing the unadulterated doctrines of Christ. All of them, but one, intermingle 
truth with error, and do not constitute a safe and reliable guide for the Christian 
soul. The Catholic Church, lastly, besides the mere aim of leading its followers to 
happy eternity, holds out ways and means which, if employed, must bring about 
inevitably the greatest virtues and the finest morals. May we, therefore, lay aside 
ancient prejudices; may we approach to the study of Christ's Church with a fair, 
impartial and judicial mind, and the Millennium amongst Christian Churches is 



surely to dawn upon the present generation with rehgious leaders, such as yourself, 
the Pope and Cardinal Gibbons. 



Yours very respectfully. 



FRANK SHILLING. 

Attorney and Counselor- at-Law. 



THE MASTER'S TOUCH 

IN the still lute the music lies unheard; 

In the rough marble beauty hides unseen: 
To make the music and the beauty, needs 

The Master's touch, the Sculptor's chisel keen. 

Great Master, touch us with Thy skillful hand; 

Let not the music that is in us die! 
Great Sculptor, hew and polish us; nor let. 

Hidden and lost. Thy form within us lie! 

Spare not the stroke! do with us as Thou wilt! 

Let there be naught unfinished, broken, marred; 
Complete Thy purpose, that we may become 

Thy perfect image. Thou our God and Lord! 



OV135 

THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL 

BY PASTOR C. T. RUSSELL 

MR. EDISON has taken time from his scientific investigations, which have 
centered chiefly in electricity, to take a look into things metaphysical and spiritual. 
In a magazine article recently, he discussed the immortality of the soul. He brought 
to his subject the reasoning and philosophical powers of a gift of brain accustomed 
to look more carefully than usual at the relationship and bearing of one principle 
upon another, one theory upon another, one fact upon another. Mr. Edison denies 
the immortality of the soul; he declares that he can see no facts in nature leading to 
any such conclusion. As a sample of his close reasoning on the subject we quote 
one of his statements, which he considers too self-evident to need proof. Indeed, 
we doubt not that Mr. Edison's position would be that human immortality is not to 
be assumed, in view of the fact that we are a dying race. We presume that his 
position is that the proofs must be sought in the opposite quarter—that man must be 
assumed to be mortal and that any disputing this position must give the proofs of 
his immortality. We quote Mr. Edison: "A man's intelligence is the aggregate 
intelligence of the innumerable cells which form him—just as the intelligence of a 
community is the aggregate intelligence of the men and women who inhabit it. If 
you cut your hand, it bleeds. Then you lose cells, and that is quite as if a city lost 
inhabitants through some tremendous accident." It will not do for us to claim that 
Mr. Edison is not a philosopher, because he disagrees with philosophers of the past. 
We must admit that his attainments in science have all been results of the exercise 
of a naturally philosophical mind, which for years has been trained in philosophical 
study, and that for this reason he has his splendid rank as a scientific man. On the 
contrary, we must admit that many of the philosophers of the past in their reasoning 
on theological questions were handicapped by dread of thumb-screws, racks, and 
other tortures of the "Dark Ages," as well as by certain ignorance and superstitions 



which, thank God, are gradually passing from the minds of all intelligent people. 
Indeed, we must remember that nearly all the philosophies as respects cosmogony 
and chemistry have proven themselves fallacious, and the latest researches of 
science astound us by threatening a revolution of the philosophies respecting 
astronomy. Perhaps philosophy has made progress in every other direction than 
along religious lines. And in this particular we note that the great majority of the 
learned have entirely abandoned the philosophies of their fathers and are known as 
"Higher Critics," "Evolutionists," etc. Only in the Catholic Church are the 
theological philosophies of a century ago given the slightest weight amongst the 
learned, although these theories, embodied in Protestant creeds, still hold a 
powerful sway in the minds of many Protestants who still like to think that what 
their fathers believed was infallible on every subject. Meeting Mr. Edison's 
statement, above quoted, with such candor as the gentleman's intellectual prowess 
seems to justify, we must admit that there is a great deal of force and logic in his 
deduction. Mr. Edison has apostolic authority for considering man as made up of 
various members, each intimately related to the welfare and intelligence of the 
whole. St. Paul uses this argument in illustrating the true Church, "the Body of 
Christ." He likens one member to the hand; another to the foot; another to the eye, 
etc., and declares that each is necessary to the completeness and harmony of the 
whole, and 

OV136 

adds: So, also, is the Church. We will not here follow the Apostle's argument to 
note particularly how Jesus is the Head of the Church; how every member is united 
to each other member and interested in each other member. We will take the same 
example of the human figure. It seems to justify the statement that a man's 
intelligence is represented in the intelligence of all his members. Human skill is 
related to human intelligence. Consequently the man who has lost his hands has 
less intelligence, less opportunity and less skill than previously. If he lose also his 
feet, his intelligence decreases proportionately. If he lose his sight, his hearing and 
his sense of smell, each loss diminishes his intelligence. A whole village of people, 
devoid of sight, hearing, taste, the sense of smell and of touch, would be a very 
unintelligent community. This, we understand to be Mr. Edison's argument, 
expressed in different terms. Mr. Edison's terms even seem appropriate if we take a 
sufficiently broad view of his language. To illustrate: If one lose a few drops of 
blood, the loss may make no perceptible impression upon his intelligence. But if he 
lose a quart of blood, his intelligence will be considerably diminished. Faintness, 
stupor, may be expected. This would seem to prove Mr. Edison's statement correct, 
and that the loss of a few drops of blood is really a loss, to some extent, of vital 
power, and hence a loss of intelligence, but in so small a degree as not to be 
appreciable to one in health. In olden times we were told, and tried to believe it, 
that a dead man knew more than a living one. We were puzzled by the fact that a 
blow on the head might stun one to insensibility, but we were more puzzled when 
told that a heavier blow that would kill the man would enable him to know 
everything in an instant. The philosophy(?) of this was handed to us thus: The soul 
is the intelligent being, of which nobody knows very much. It is imprisoned in our 
mortal bodies and can operate in them only unsatisfactorily. The moment of death 
is the moment of release to the soul, which then can think and reason more soundly 
than when obliged to use the brain. Many of us tried in childhood years to believe 
such unphilosophical philosophy. We asked for proofs, and were told that it was the 
voice of the Church's philosophers, and if we would doubt it, we would be damned 
to eternal misery. Believing this, and not willing to be doomed to eternal misery, 
many of us restrained ourselves, and that portion of our brain became well-nigh 
atrophied. Even the religious found it difficult to believe in so immaterial a soul, 
and inquired: Why, then, a resurrection of the dead? Will the resurrection signify 
another real imprisonment of the soul and a decrease of intelligence, as this 



philosophy(?) would seem to imply? Some gave up the quest for knowledge in 
despair, and sought for something more intelligent outside of all the creeds and 
philosophies of "science falsely so-called." Others of us have held to the Word of 
God, and sought to see its philosophy, its teachings, and to harmonize them. I am 
glad to belong to this growing class of Bible students who declare. Let God and His 
Word be true, though it disprove many of the theories we once believed and almost 
worshiped. (Rom. 3:4.) We want the Truth! 

Mr. Edison and the Bible. 

We are not personally acquainted with Mr. Edison, nor with his religious views, 
but we believe that his philosophical mind is turning quite into line with the 
teachings of the Bible respecting man and his future. We do not say that he has 
attained the Bible viewpoint, but merely that he has taken a good step in that 
direction. Without discounting good features contained in our own creeds, we must 
admit that many of them are thoroughly illogical and unscriptural. For instance, the 
theory that a human soul is an invisible entity specially created by God and full of 
Divine intelligence, and that this intelligent soul is introduced into the newborn 
child and is the real child-this is no longer reasonable or logical to us. We 
wonder that our forefathers of the darker period, in their wonderful philosophies, 
did not see the absurdity of such a position. If it were true, would it not make the 
Almighty Creator a co-laborer 

OV137 

with fornicators and adulterers in the bringing into the world of illegitimate 
children? Still worse, does not this theory charge to the Almighty God of Wisdom, 
Justice, Love and Power the creation of idiots and mental imbeciles and moral 
degenerates? If the human parents merely bring human bodies into existence as 
receptacles for souls, which God individually and specifically creates in each 
instance, then not the parents, but the Almighty is responsible for all the 
degeneracy we see in the world: for it is the soul that is responsible, as all admit. 

The First Man of the Earth. 

The center of the mistake on this subject, handed to us from the philosophers of 
the Dark Ages is the assumption that the real man is the spirit being, the soul. St. 
Paul assures us to the contrary of this, saying: "The first man was of the earth, 
earthy." The Lord, through the Prophet David, declares the same truth, saying: 
"What is man that Thou art mindful of him.. .Thou hast made him a little lower than 
the angels." (Psa. 8:4,5.) The angels are the lowest in rank on the spirit plane, and 
man, although in God's image when perfect, was still lower than the angels in that 
he was not a spirit being, but a human, an earthly being- "of the earth, earthy." 
The Scriptural proposition is, not that God made a body for man out of the dust of 
the earth and put a spirit man into that body, but that God made man of the dust of 
the earth, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (an animal life) and "man 
became a living soul "--an animal or earthly soul. In other words, the entire Adam 
became a living soul~a living being. That one man was subsequently made twain 
for the very purpose of propagating living souls in his own likeness. And thus for 
six thousand years the Divine command has been in process of fulfillment— 
"Multiply and fill the earth." God created but the one soul originally, divided it, 
and then, by natural processes, generation after generation of human souls have 
been born. Man is an earthly soul or earthly animal, as are all the earthly creatures, 
only that his is the higher nature~an earthly image of his Creator, Who is a Spirit 
Being. From this standpoint, how clearly we can discern the mistakes of the 
philosophies of the past and the true philosophy revealed to us only in the Bible, 
although discerning, penetrating, philosophical minds, like that of Mr. Edison, may 
reach the same truth from the study of the great Book of Nature. From this 
standpoint, we see that the entire man is a living soul-that is to say, a sentient 



being. The formation of Adam was very important, just as to-day, under the same 
Divine regulations, the shape of the brain has to do with the character of the man- 
gentle or vicious, criminal or conscientious, benevolent or stingy, reverential or 
otherwise. As the Bible declares: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." (Prov. 
23:7.) And a man's thoughts shape themselves according to the structure of his 
brain. Thus phrenology is a widely recognized science. Not only so, but 
physiology tells us that the various portions of the human body are so intimately 
related to the brain that the quality of the mind can be discerned in the general 
features, not only in the shape of the nose, the curl of the lip, the glance of the eye, 
but also in the grasp of the hand and its general shape, even to the particularity of a 
finger-print. All these outward signs indicate the character of the soul, being-all 
are identified with it. In a word, a soul is a person. The various districts of the 
brain, representing the various sentiments and passions of the individual, are like so 
many members, each having its own personality. Amongst these various members 
of the human mind some are stronger, some weaker. And the stronger ones 
dominate. There are exceptions, of course, to this rule in what we sometimes term 
conversion. Conversion means the establishing of a new rule or order in the 
individual life. Note the method of its accomplishment: Certain matters are 
brought to the attention of the person or soul and seem to indicate a wiser course 
than the one pursued in the past. The various districts of the brain, like so many 
members of a council, consider the proposition, weigh its pros and cons, 
advantages and disadvantages, and then reach a decision. That decision we call 
will. Sometimes there is 

OV138 

a desperate struggle in the brain, the various members of the council of thought 
battling and struggling against each other. The will may be strong or may be weak, 
just as a party in Congress may be strong -or weak- while in power. But the will 
rules with more or less vacillation or strength, according to the number and power 
of the members supporting it. Thus we have found some possessed of strong 
characters; others weak, vacillating- "double-minded." 

The Will Represents the Soul, the Person, the Ego. 

Some of the qualities of the mind may be styled the "flesh"-this term represents 
the lower and more animal qualities of the person, the soul. To the contrary of 
these are the higher organs of the mind— reverence, spirituality, conscientiousness, 
sublimity, ideality, etc., and these are called the heart, because they include the 
affections and qualities of the mind to which God appeals, saying: "My son, give 
Me thine heart. " Thus seen, we are daily making soul- character, influenced by 
our environment and the lessons and experiences which come to us through our 
senses. The character develops either upward or downward -toward God or 
toward sin. But there is no such thing as total depravity, except in idiocy, for, by 
Divine providence, some features of the original Divine likeness in which Father 
Adam was created still persist in all of his children who have reason. The effect of 
all reformers is to appeal to the mind, either through fear or love or selfishness, to 
effect an organization of the mental qualities favoring the things of righteousness 
and opposed to sin. The permanent conversion which produces the saintly 
characters is the appeal of love -"The love of Christ constraineth us." The love of 
the Father is potent in the hearts of all who receive it. It can effect changes in 
conduct, in language and in thought, which can be accomplished by nothing else. 

A Methodist Bishop's Soul. 

A Methodist Bishop is credited with the following definition of a soul: "It is 
without interior or exterior, without body, shape or parts, and you could put a 
million of them into a nut-shell." Mr. Edison does not believe in such a soul. In 
repudiating such a view he places himself in accord with the Divine teachings. 



Immortality of the Soul. 

The word immortality is rarely used in its strict, academic sense, as signifying 
deathlessness, or that which is proof against death-inherency of life, requiring no 
suspension. Immortality in this sense of the word is, of course, a quality which 
belongs to God alone. As the Scriptures declare of Him, "He alone hath 
immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto. Whom no man 
hath seen nor can see." Immortality in this sense of the word, possessed by the 
Heavenly Father and now also by His only-begotten Son, the world's Redeemer, is 
promised as a special reward (not possessed by angels or any other creature) to the 
elect, saintly few, called, chosen and faithful, during this Gospel Age. These are 
styled the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, and the promise to them is that they shall receive 
this great reward of glory, honor and immortality when the Redeemer shall appear 
in His glory in the end of this Age to grant to them a share in the First or Chief 
Resurrection from the dead. With this attainment of immortality they are promised 
also new bodies, no longer flesh, but spirit, no longer in the likeness of the first 
man- "As they bore the image of the earthly, they shall also bear the image of the 
heavenly."--! Cor. 15:49. 

Are All Men Immortal? 

Mr. Edison is in full agreement with the Bible in his conclusion that human soul 
or personality is always identified with an organism or body. We must also agree 
with the Bible and with Mr. Edison that all souls die. The Bible declares: "The 
wages of sin is death," and again, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." The Bible 
explains that Adam, as a living soul, might have continued his existence perpetually 
had he not transgressed the Divine Law, and that the transgression brought 

OV139 

to him the penalty of death. Mr. Edison agrees with this conclusion without, 
perhaps, admitting original sin or anything else connected with the Scriptures. 
Where, then, is human immortality? We answer that there is no human immortality, 
in the same sense that there is a Divine immortality~in the sense that God is death- 
proof. He, and His Son, our Lord Jesus, alone have immortality in that sense. 
When we speak of immortality in respect to mankind, we use the word, not in an 
academic sense, but in a relative way. We mean that death does not end all for 
Adam and his children-that a future life is arranged for them in Divine providence- 
-when, where and how the Bible clearly tells. We wish that Mr. Edison and many 
thinkers who have no confidence in the Bible might see the beauties and harmonies 
of its presentations. The Bible declares that the eternal life lost by Father Adam has 
been redeemed for him by the death of Jesus Christ, the just for the unjust. It tells 
us further that as all of Adam's race shared by heredity in his death penalty, so they 
all shall be permitted to share in His recovery from the power of the tomb, from sin 
and death. Thus the Scriptures declare. As by a man comes death, by a man also 
comes the resurrection of the dead; for as all in Adam die, even so shall all in Christ 
be made alive, every man in his own order or company.-- 1 Cor. 15:21-23. The 
great Apostle Paul declares that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the 
just and of the unjust. The Hebrew prophet declares, "Many that sleep in the dust 
of the earth shall awake." The awakening time will be the morning, as the present is 
the night-time of sin and darkness. The glorious morning nears, as the night of 
sorrow and tears passes. There will be a glorious dawn to that great day of a 
thousand years, whose light is already fore-gleamed in the wonderful inventions of 
our day, in which Mr. Edison has been used of the Almighty to assist. Shortly the 
Sun of Righteousness shall shine forth, scattering the darkness, ignorance, 
superstition, sin, death. Shortly the reign of Divine Righteousness and love, co- 
ordinated, will bring blessings to our race, now resting under the sentence or curse 
of death. Shortly all will have the opportunity of recovery from the fallen condition 



of weakness and degradation, being uplifted or resurrected gradually to the full 
perfection of human nature, earthly nature, in the image and likeness of the Creator 
in the midst of a world-wide Paradise. 

Cardinal Gibbons' Words Agree to This. 

Cardinal Gibbons gave an interview to a reporter of the Columbian Magazine, in 
answer to Philosopher Edison. Noting with interest the Cardinal's defense of the 
doctrine of immortality, we have clipped and below produce the essence, the 
kernel, of his argument on the subject as based upon the Scriptures. We are pleased 
to see that, like ourselves, the Cardinal finds the Scriptural proof of a future life, not 
in the philosophies of a darker past, but in the resurrection promise of the holy 
Scriptures, as follows: "Christ brings to humanity the certainty of eternal life. He 
proved it by His own resurrection; and if any one thinks the evidence for Christ's 
resurrection is weak, I ask him to study and think deeply over the fifteenth chapter 
of First Corinthians. No sane scholar, remember, denies that we have the testimony 
of St. Paul himself; nor that St. Paul is honestly setting down the testimony of those 
who claim to have seen our Lord after death. If so many sane men. Apostles and 
disciples of Christ, are mistaken, if they cannot believe the testimony of their own 
eyes, if such a delusion can keep so firm a hold on so many different characters for 
so many years and become the basis of all their beliefs and the transforming power 
of their lives, then no human testimony is of any value; then let us close our courts 
of justice, for no case is proven by so many trustworthy witnesses. No!" the 
Cardinal said, in the tone of deepest conviction, "Christ is risen; and His 
resurrection is the plainest evidence of man's immortality." 



OV140 

CHINA'S PRAYER TO ONE OF 
MESSIAH'S KINGDOMS 

BY PASTOR C. T. RUSSELL 

Written April 1911, for the Columns of the Overland Monthly 

THE CHINESE Empire, somnambulistic for centuries, is rubbing its eyes and 
getting truly wide awake. One of the most pronounced evidences of this awakening 
is the proposition to introduce the English language through the use of American 
school books and teachers. Another evidence is in the unifying of the empire the 
more through drawing together various great sections which heretofore have had 
too great independence for the national welfare. The third, and really one of the 
most important evidences of moral awakening, is the stand that is being made for 
temperance. The intemperance, the intoxication which for a long time has been 
wrecking the Chinese is the use of opium. The Chinese are realizing that their 
whole national life and manhood is being undermined by the pestilential influence 
of this narcotic. They have gotten to the place of enacting laws against the 
manufacture of opium and against its cultivation in the poppy flower. More than 
this, they are praying about the matter. They are not praying to their gods, which 
they realize are unable to assist them; they are not praying to the God of the 
Christians and Jews, for they know little or nothing about him, except that they are 
told that he has a great fiery furnace into which their beloved ancestors have been 
thrown to suffer an eternal torture, and they, of course, would not think of 
importuning such a heartless god for relief from the opium evil. 



Chinese Petitions Go to Great Britain. 

The Chinese feel that they are themselves responsible for what opium is produced 
in their own land, and they are willing to take the responsibility for this and have 
made laws for its restraint. What they are praying about is, the opium imports 
which last year amounted to five million pounds of the horrible, soul-blighting 
stuff. A monster petition has been gotten up setting forth the evils of opium and 
how it is cursing their land and their people. This petition, signed by over two 
hundred thousand Chinese, forwarded to Great Britain, asking for aid, for relief, it 
is hoped may bring relief. But